Deadlock in confab over derivation votes

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 62187

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TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

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Deadlock in confab over derivation votes

BY SONI DANIEL, NORTHERN REGIONAL EDITOR, HENRY UMORU, LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

•Delegates adjourn to August 4 •Ask FG to set up committee A •It's ploy to retain 13% — Delegate

BUJA—UNABLE to reach an agreement on three major fund-related issues, the National Conference,

yesterday, threw back the key issues to the Federal Government to work out and adjourned till August Continues on page 5

COLUMNIST: Why APC is likely to lose Lagos in 2015 elections •P17

The fall of the ' unfallable' U.S. politics

•P.50

Mr & Mrs

MALALA WITH CHIBOK GIRLS—Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani school pupil and education activist raises hands of five escaped Chibok School girls shortly after her press briefing in Abuja, yesterday . Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

C M Y K

2 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 3

4 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—5

POCKET CARTOON

MALALA AT ASO ROCK—From left, Mr. Ziauddin Yousafzai,

Malala's father; Malala Yousafzai, Initiator of Malala Fund; President Goodluck Jonathan, Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri; during Malala's audience with the President over abductedChibok School girls at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Deadlock in confab over derivation votes Continues from page 1 4.

The delegates, who were sharply divided over what percentage increments should be added to oilproducing states, crisistorn North-East and solid mineral-producing areas, recommended the Federal Government raise a technical committee to work out a new revenue formula for the controversial areas.

Although by implication, the delegates have concluded deliberations arising from the 20 standing committees of the conference, they will nevertheless consider and approve the final reports of the confab for presentation to the government on August 4.

Specifically, Conference formally adopted the Report of the Committee on Devolution of Power but without conclusive decision on the vital issue of derivation principle and what percentage should be paid mineral producing areas.

After days of fruitless discussion by leaders of geo-political zones at the conference, Justice Kutigi and other principal officers met with selected leaders of delegations, chairmen and deputy chairmen of all the standing committees to decide on the matter.

The first meeting scheduled for Friday, last week, did not hold as most of the selected delegates had already concluded their travel plans in view of the

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

‘When I treat people as obstacles, or a means to getting things done, I become a smaller man. With each brusque comment...dismissive glance...curt reply I lose a little more of myself...my relationship with God suffers’.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Do not dilute the truth of your potential. We often convince ourselves that we cannot change, that we cannot overcome the circumstances of our lives.

That is simply not true. You have been blessed with immeasurable power to make positive changes in your life. But you can’t just wish it, you can’t just hope it, you can’t just want it... you have to LIVE it, BE it, DO it— Steve Maraboli

N

EVER become discouraged with the seeming smallness of your task, job, or life. Cling fast to the words of Edward Everett Hale: “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do.”

The key to accomplishment is believing that what you can do will make a difference. One of the first steps to accomplishing great things in your life is to cease dwelling on the negative things in your past.

Carefully assess your present strengths, successes, and achievements. Dwell on those positive events in your life, and quit limiting your potential by constantly thinking about what you have done poorly.

imminent closure of Abuja airport that Friday afternoon for maintenance work on the runway.

As soon as the Conference resumed yesterday, Justice Kutigi said: “I’m still of the view that the committee that is handling the matter of coming to a compromise will still do their job. We couldn’t have the meeting on Friday. So, I am proposing that we give them two hours to meet with us.”

He then invited the “50 wise men, committee cochairmen and deputy chairmen to meet now in our usual place.”

After five hours of closed-door deliberations with the leadership of the conference, southern and northern delegates refused to agree on some of the issues thrown up in the initial meetings of some regional leaders.

Areas of disagreement

The issues were: 18 per cent derivation for mineral producing areas, five per cent for the development of solid minerals areas and five per cent for the reconstruction of states in the northern region ravaged by insurgency and internal conflicts.

The last seemed to have been the point of controversy as some of the leaders insisted that the intervention fund should be for the entire country where such was required.

The issue split the delegates along the North/ South divide, but during the meeting of selected delegates and principal officers, it was suggested that since there were other areas that funds were being allocated from the Federation Account outside the issues being considered, it would be proper to have a technical committee to take a global look at the revenue allocation framework and determine the appropriate percent-

ages on the the issues under consideration and advise the government accordingly.

But before endorsing that decision, the meeting had critically examined the issues in contention and recognised the need to review the percentage of revenue allocation to oil producing states, including those producing other resources; to reconstruct and rehabilitate areas affected by problems of insurgency and internal conflicts; and the diversification of the economy by fast-tracking the development of solid minerals.

Conference chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi then conveyed the decision of the leaders to delegates at resumption of plenary.

Although some delegates kicked against the decision, lamenting the irreconcilable positions of the delegates from both sides, majority of them agreed that the decision was not just a compromise position but a reasonable one in view of the technical nature of the revenue allocation structure.

As delegates started reopening debate on the issue, the chairman declared, in line with the Rules of Procedure that having adopted the report of the Committee, “this effectively brings us to the end of this debate.”

The Resolution reached at the meeting of the leaders and principal officers of the conference reads thus: “Having critically examined the issues in contention, Conference recognizes the need to review the percentage of revenue to states producing oil (and other resources), reconstruct and rehabilitate areas affected by problems of insurgency and internal conflicts and diversify the economy by fast-tracking the development of the solid minerals sector.

“The Conference also notes that assigning percentages for the increase in derivation principle, and setting up Special Intervention funds to address issues of reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by insurgency and internal conflicts as well as solid minerals development, requires some technical details and considerations.

“Conference, therefore, recommends that Government should set up a Technical Committee to determine the appropriate percentages on the three issues and advise government accordingly,” the chairman announced.

Soon after the chairman's presentation, a delegate representing Bayelsa State, Francis Doukpolagha raised a Point of Order, citing Order 9, Rule 9 which reads “it shall be out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific question upon which the Conference has come to a conclusion.”

Doukpolagha said: “Mr.

Chairman, on the third of July which was a Thursday, this honourable house took a decision to adopt fiscal federalism for the nation and the implication is that the producing states should manage their resources and pay taxes to the Federal Government. Therefore, this issue of 13 per cent or one per cent does not arise anymore. What this conference is expected to do now is to approve the percentage of tax that will be paid by the producing states. I rest my case, the records are there.”

He was, however, overruled by Justice Kutigi, who called on SouthSouth delegate, Senator Musa Adede to move a motion for the adoption of the report of Devolution of Power Committee and seconded by a delegate representing Ebonyi State, Dr. Adaeze Nwuzor.

The session finally closed with a motion of adjournment until August 4 by a delegate on the platform of Elder statesmen category, Senator Ibrahim Ida seconded by a delegate representing the South-South Zone, Okon Osung.

Resolutions okay – Victor Umeh

Reacting to the decisions, Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh said: “The conclusion of the plenary today recommends to the President to appoint a technical committee to look at the issue of derivation, special funds, solid mineral development and establishment of special intervention fund. The way it ended today is the best way out. The delegates failed to reach agreement on this very important issue. But the resolution as read out captured the essence and minds of everybody. The resolution recognizes the need to increase derivation from 13 per cent upward.

We're postponing what will come to pass —Sen. Okon

Also reacting, a delegate representing Akwa Ibom State, Senator Anietie Okon, said: “We are merely postponing what will come to pass.

There is no question about

the fact that we are in fiscal federalism and the basic principles that are enshrined in fiscal federalism and which is that there will be resource ownership and that attribution will be to those states that own the resources. We have a reverse arrangement of federalism here, states own them but the Federal Government collects revenue on their behalf and begins to allocate.

“We have a situation where a lot of states don’t contribute anything to the federation account. Now, what we are trying to do is to engineer a situation where revenue contribution to the national treasury will be widespread. I do believe that we can come up with the sense of having non-stop significant achievements because of a sheer ostrich type of denial, we have had to leave the onus; we passed the buck back to the Presidency on the core issues of federalism.

Conference has shirked its responsibility —Ebiseni On his part, a delegate from Ondo State on the platform of Local government system, Sola Ebiseni, faulted the decision of the Conference to refer the decision to the Government, saying it shirked its responsibility.

“As far as I am concerned, there was no decision taken today. What we did today was simply to abdicate our responsibility by throwing the issue back at Mr. President, who sent us here to assist in proffering solutions to some of our national challenges."

"What we fully failed to appreciate about what a National Conference is that it is an extra-constitutional assembly of the people to critically examine all the issues that were pushed to us in a federation like ours where we have to constantly review the terms of our national engagement as a country."

“To now come at the tail end of considering critical issue and say we couldn’t take a decision and push it back to the President is a crafty way of adopting the status quo and refusing to talk about it.”

6—Vanguard , TUESDAY TUESDAY,, JULY 15, 2014

2 die, 4 in coma in Anambra high tension line mishap

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

O

NITSHA — TWO persons have been confirmed dead, while four others went into coma and were rushed to nearby hospitals, following their electrocution by a sagging 33 KVA high tension line belonging to Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC. The incident, according to eyewitnesses, occurred weekend in Nanka community, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, during preparations for the burial ceremony of a chieftain of the community, Sir James Ibe. According to the source, one of the victims died instantly, while the other died at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi. Four others, who were rushed to different hospitals at nearby Ekwulobia community in Aguata Local Government Area are still in critical condition.

The high tension line, it was observed, was still left sagging as it passed through the premises of the late James Ibe. When newsmen visited the community

Continues on Page 7

Woman sells day-old daughter for N20,000

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA — A COMMERCIAL sex worker in Bayelsa State, weekend, gave birth to a baby girl and sold the child for N20,000 at the Ovom suburb of Yenagoa.

According to a Police source, the child, a day old, was sold to a family in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was learnt that the commercial sex worker operates around the popular red light zone of Ovom along the D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha area, in the state capital.

Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, when contacted, confirmed the incident, saying investigation into the incident traced the family involved in the unholy sale to Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Akhigbe said: “Though the details of the investigation are sketchy, the special unit of the police is on its way to effect the recovery of the baby and arrest the family that bought the child.”

Resident decry robbery attacks

Meantime, residents of the state capital have raised alarm over the rising wave of robberies and burglaries by a criminal gang which uses a sleep inducing substance suspected to be Ketamine.

The criminal gang, it was learnt, before robbing their target blows the powdery substance into the homes to make them sleep off.

A staff of the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, was a victim of the syndicate, weekend, as he was robbed of his valuables, including

laptops, mobile phones and jewellery.

He said: “We noticed there was a residue of white powdered substance by the window. The window burglary proof was cut and the footprint of the

hoodlums were noticed on the leather sofa by the window.”

According to a medical source, the powder must have been blown into the house to make the victim fall into a deep sleep.

The Police Public Relations

Flooded area at Agbado crossing, Ogun State after a downpour, yesterday. Photo: AKEEM SALAU.

Policeman, 2 others killed as robbers storm newspaper office in P-Harcourt

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

P

ORT HARCOURT— A Policeman and two others lost their lives when armed robbers stormed the Rivers State-owned newspaper corporation, The Tide, in the early hours of yesterday.

Staff of the corporation, who

spoke to Vanguard, said the gunmen headed straight to the production department at about 12.30 a.m while staff were busy working on the edition of the paper due for yesterday, adding that they robbed them of valuables which included cash and phones.

Man, 40, jailed 4 years for raping 9-yr-old girl

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

INNA — A Kontagora High Court has sentenced a 40-year-old man, Isah Makeri, to a four-year jail term without an option of fine for raping a

Officer, Alex Akhigbe, said though the report of such development had not been made known by victims, the command will investigate and ensure that the criminals are brought to book.

nine-year-old girl.

In the case which lasted about six months, Resident Counsel, Abubakar Suleiman, tendered exhibits and were all upheld by the presiding judge, Justice Yusuf

Women sharing Ramadan items distributed to them by wife of Bauchi State Governor, Hajia Aisha Yuguda in Bauchi, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Tanko Usman.

Before pronouncing his judgment on the convict, the judge had asked him whether he had a plea to mitigate the sentence but instead he pleaded guilty to the one-count charge of unlawful intercourse with the teenager and asked for pardon.

Justice Usman, therefore, convicted him under Section 283 of the Penal Code.

Meanwhile, another similar case involving three adults has been adjourned till September 10.

They were alleged to have raped a 14-year-old girl in Kontagora town which contradicts Sections 79, 83 and 283 of the Pensl Code.

Chief counsel, Ahmed Attahiru, had tendered an application for motion on notice to add one more witness in the case and therefore prayed for additional 30days for the case to continue.

Joseph Usman, holding brief for counsel to the accused, did not raise an objection to the plea.

The presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Tanko, therefore adjourned further hearing in the case.

Some of the staff were allegedly manhandled by the robbers. Luck, however, ran out on the robbers when some staff in another office quickly alerted the General Manager of the corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo, who immediately notified the Police.

Vanguard gathered that in the ensuing gun battle, two of the robbers were killed while one Policeman lost his life, a situation the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad confirmed to newsmen.

One of the staff, who was rushed to a trauma centre close to the newspaper office, Mr Emughedi Isaiah Sam, said he was shot in the leg by the robbers, adding that about four of his colleagues also had injuries.

He said: “We were working when we saw strange faces in the production room. The next thing we knew was that they surrounded us and asked us to submit our valuables.

“They said they were going to deal with whoever that refuses to cooperate with them. Before I knew it, one of them shot me in the leg.

Some of us were injured and taken to the hospital for treatment.”

Two of the robbers managed to escape. The Police said no arrests had been made.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 7

2 die, 4 in coma in Anambra high tension line mishap Continues from page 6

Lagos Multi-Door House Court under lock and key due to the ongoing strike by Judiciary workers in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN.

19 pregnant girls, 3 babies rescued from Abia baby factory U

BY ANAYO OKOLI

MUAHIA — THE Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has rescued 19 pregnant girls from a baby factory named, Nma Charity and Motherless Babies’ Home, at Umunkpeyi in Isiala-Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state.

The pregnant girls were rescued when NSCDC operatives raided the baby factory following a tip-off.

According to the NSCDC Commander in the state, Andy Dateer, who paraded some workers of the place, his men raided the baby factory following information about a home where teenage pregnant girls who are less-privileged were kept until they deliver and the babies sold.

Dateer alleged that the owner, who is currently at large, hired men who impregnated the girls and after delivery, have their babies sold and peanuts given to the young mothers.

When his men raided the place yesterday morning, according to him, 19 girls and three two-year old babies, said to have already been sold were picked up. Also arrested were four "social workers" and four men.

Dateer, however, disclosed that one of the pregnant girls was in a bad condition and that she had been taken to the hospital for medical attention.

According to him, he decided to parade the rescued girls to tell the people of Abia State that such people exist in the state and since the state is God’s

own State, such operations are not supposed to be there.

“Raiding of such places is part of security work we do.

I have called the Police, Women Affairs Department, Office of Her Excellency and

the governor to tell them about the development,” he said.

He maintained that he would hand over the rescued girls and suspects to the appropriate authority,

adding: “We are going to monitor their repatriation to their different homes to be sure that they are home and to appeal to their parents to take them back without any fuss.”

Lagos Police boss orders probe of Computer Village violence zAftermath of raid by SON over non-approved devices

BY EMEKAAGINAM

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AGOS — THE Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, has begun investigations into the pandemonium that followed the weekend clamp down on some phone dealers alleged to be selling mobile phone devices not approved by the regulatory agencies, the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON. Speaking yesterday, Joseph Nku, Deputy Superintendent of Police incharge of the Police post at the Computer Village, said the CP had ordered that the case be investigated.

“We are aware that SON went to the market last Saturday with their own Police for the raid. The phone dealers affected had reported to us too. A panel of inquiry has been set up.

Bad phones do not just enter the country. It is left for the regulatory agencies

to check the influx of phones that are not typeapproved,“ he explained.

An eyewitnesses at the market told Vanguard that Police and traders had a clash, leading to violence as Police shot sporadically into the air.

As the battle for brand supremacy raged, it was gathered that the affected phone dealers selling mostly made-in-China phones, who suspected that TECNO Mobile may have masterminded the raid, rushed to 3C Hub owned by TECNO and vandalized the company's property. The offices were subsequently shut down.

Also reacting to the development, the President of Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, CAPDAN, Mr. Tunde Balogun, noted that ICT vendors must comply with local standards.

He said: “Any vendor who does not comply with regulatory requirements should be brought to book.

Enough is enough. It is time

to sanitise the Nigerian market. Foreign vendors must comply with local regulations,” he said.

It would be recalled that the NCC, according to report, had as at October 30, 2013, type-approved about 849 different handset models from various mobile devices manufacturers.

Based on the principle of ensuring maximum affordability for end users, the type-approval standards set by the NCC were based on international standards from the International E l e c t r o - Te c h n i c a l Commission, IEC, and its International Special Committee on Radio Interference, CISPR, among others.

All equipment manufacturers, vendors and operators, including customer devices such as mobile phones and wireless adapters, must ensure that their equipment conform to the applicable standards as mandated by the commission before bringing them into Nigeria.

yesterday, tears flowed freely even as eye witnesses told Vanguard that the tragedy occurred when the victims were setting the canopy for the burial ceremony of their son.

According to them, the men had lifted the canopy to place it in the appropriate spot when the top of the canopy touched the 33KVA high tension line. In the process six persons were electrocuted; one died instantly, while others were rushed to the hospitals.

An eyewitness who gave his name as Julius Ezeogbo told newsmen: “The people had set the canopy, and thereafter wanted to shift it to the other end. So immediately they lifted it, it touched the EEDC high tension wire and six of them were electrocuted."

Meanwhile, Mr Ejike Mmokewe, a senior brother to Chekwube who died on the spot, told newsmen amidst tears that they are now living in sorrow since the tragedy occurred.

He revealed that the deceased (Chekwube) was preparing to pay the dowry of his heart-throb as his first marriage failed before he was sent to his early grave, even as he blamed the officials of the EEDC. At the EEDC office in Ekwulobia which is in charge of the zone, the Business Manager could not be reached but a senior staff of the company who spoke on the condition of anonymity, commiserated with the affected families.

He, however, declined to answer questions on the series of allegation levelled against the company by Nanka community, referring newsmen to Enugu District Office of EEDC. But when contacted on phone, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the incidence, adding that the police are on top of the situation.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

BY JAPHET ALAKAM

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OBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, yesterday, decried the attempt by some terrorists to truncate the education of Nigerian youths by abducting them, declaring that every effort will be made to ensure that youths are educated.

Professor Soyinka, who played host to 80 students from different parts of the country, who were finalists in an essay competition to commemorate his 80th birthday in Abeokuta said: “It is bad that some people are bent on truncating the

Youth education is fundamental—SOYINKA education of the youths.

“Some of you have come from many parts of the country, especially those that have insecurity challenges. Nobody will mess with your education.

The trouble some of us have taken to promote education will not be truncated by few people.”

z Says legislators failed girl-child He denied the statement credited to him in the media to the effect that Nigeria cannot break on account of insurgency.

He said: “I did not say categorically that Nigeria cannot break on account of

Boko Haram and corruption. But one part of the country is in trouble and we will not abandon them.

If one section of the country says they have the power to rule, then I can say let them go.”

HAND

OVER:

From left— New Minister of State, Works, Mr. Adetoye Adeyeye; his predecessor, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda and Per manent Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, during the hand over to Adeyeye in Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Nasarawa House serves Gov Al Makura impeachment notice

BY SONI DANIEL, Northern Region Editor, ABEL DANIEL & UMAR YUSUF

A

BUJA— THE leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has moved against another All Progressives Congress, APC, governor, few minutes after the Adamawa State House of Assembly indicted Governor Murtala Nyako of gross misconduct.

While the Adamawa lawmakers are awaiting a date to vote on the impeachment of the governor, the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, yesterday, served Governor Tanko Al Makura an impeachment notice, setting the stage for a immediate removal of the governor, whose 24 member House is dominated by PDP. To ease Al Makura out of office and pave the way for the emergence of a PDP governor in the state, the Speaker, Alhaji Musa Ahmed, yesterday, directed the Clerk of the House to serve the Governor with a 16 count notice of gross misconduct.

The decision to put the governor on impeachment notice followed a motion of public interest raised by the

Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Yahaya Usman (PDP Umaisha/ Ugya).

The motion

Usman presented a document signed by 20 of the 24 members of the Assembly with the allegations of misconduct against the governor and urged the members to adopt it.

Usman said: “This is a notice of impeachment for Governor Tanko Al Makura of Nasarawa State for gross misconduct.

“For violating the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, today being the 14th day of July, 2014, the 20 members of the 24 members of this House unanimously endorsed to serve Governor Tanko Al Makura notice of impeachment.”

The Chief Whip, Mr. Mohammed Okpede (PDP Doma North) seconded the motion.

The Speaker asked the Clerk to serve the governor through the media if he finds it difficult to personally serve the governor.

Out of the 24 members in the House of Assembly, only

four are members of APC, the governor’s party, while the 20 others are in the opposition PDP. The impeachment notice, which did not come as a surprise to many, is seen as a deft retaliatory action by PDP national leadership to whittle the ranks of APC, which witnessed a historic crossover of five former PDP governors to its fold last December, thereby reducing the number of states controlled by the ruling party from 23 to 18.

The Speaker explained that the House had complied with the provision of the constitution in serving the governor with an impeachment notice.

The gov’s aide speaks

Reacting, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Almakura, Mr. Illiasu Yakubu, told journalists that the governor had been with President Goodluck Jonathan at the commissioning of the OLAM rice farm in Doma and was not aware of any notice yet, but will respond appropriately if it turns out to be true.

The state chairman of APC, Mr. Philip Chokwei said he was aware of the moves by the House, saying “the party

would take necessary steps where the needs arise.”

C'ttee on Adama gov, Deputy submits report

Meanwhile, the seven-man investigation panel constituted by the former acting chief judge of Adamawa State, Justice Ambrose Mammadi to investigate allegations of gross misconduct leveled against Governor Murtala Nyako and his Deputy, Bala Ngillari submitted its report to the House of Assembly, yesterday.

Submitting the report to the Speaker, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in his office, the chairman of the panel, Buba Kaigama disclosed that in the course of the panel’s assignment, the governor and his deputy, refused to appear before it.

According to him, “despite been given enough opportunities, the respondents, Murtala Nyako and Bala Ngillari, did not attend neither did they send representatives.”

He added that the report was summarised into eight volumes, four for Governor Murtala Nyako and four for his Deputy.

On the issue of homosexuality, Soyinka said: “It is a biological issue. State should not interfere in the life of an adult. People should be allowed to live their lives the way they like.”

Citing the case of former governor of Zamfara State, Sanni Yerima and his marriage to a minor, Soyinka said: “Legislators have lost all moral rights to speak about homosexuals. They have failed to protect the girl child in this nation.”

On God’s existence

Answering a question about the existence of God, Soyinka said: “It has been a source of inspiration to many, especially the ethical people. Sometimes their beliefs make them to act in different ways.

“I do not want people to believe in anything that inconveniences others. I do not believe in ghost. Do I believe in God as represented by Christians?

No. Do I believe in God as represented by Muslims? No. I believe in humanity.”

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, in his speech at the occasion, congratulated the students for their feat and enjoined them to be focused and dedicated. He reiterated his administration’s stand in the provision of quality education for the people of the state.

He said: “We are growing our future leaders and the future Soyinkas. There is nothing anybody can give you apart from education.

The person we are celebrating today made his marks because he was educated.

“You must first be educated before anything and that is why my administration is providing free education at the primary and secondary levels.

“I hope we will have many more of Soyinkas in the future and I am sure that he will be happy to see many more of our youths step into his shoes. That is why we are putting up a system that would make that possible.

“Soyinka is not just a writer, he is an activist and the one who keeps governments on their toes.

“He is one of those that fight for the masses and I believe it is a legacy we will like to keep.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—9

Lagos accuses PDP of vandalising Gani Park

BY DAPO AKINREFON

T AWARD: From left— Tonye Briggs, VP, Retail Business; Marcel Hochet, Country President, both of Schneider Electric;

Otunba Dele Akintola, National President, Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria, LECAN, and Engr. Abdullahi Edochie, National Vice President, LECAN, during the presentation of Merit Award to Schneider Electric at LECAN's award dinner in Abuja.

Stop misusing Islam, Malala tells Boko Haram

BY VICTORIA OJEME & RAPHAEL IZOKPU

A

BUJA—THE Pakistani girl child education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai, has called on Boko Haram to release the schoolgirls who were abducted on April 14, saying the girls have not committed any crime.

Malala, who is in the country to commemorate Malala Day yesterday in Abuja, urged the sect to stop the shedding of blood and misuse of the name of Islam.

She also wondered how the sect would feel if those girls kidnapped were their sisters, adding “I want to tell Boko Haram, think about your own sisters; just think for a while; think about your own sisters. If they suffer too the same brutal and harsh situation, how would you feel?

“If your own sisters are homeless, if they are around the captivity of someone who is so wild and cruel, how would you feel? Those who are under your imprisonment are like your sisters. Islam gives a message of brotherhood. We are all sisters and brothers.

“You are misusing the name of Islam, but you hang your Quran there. You hear that Islam gives a message of brotherhood; that we are all sisters and brothers and that we should respect each other and the language that we speak.

“I request you to lay down your weapons; release our sisters. Release my sisters and release the daughters of this nation. Let them be free; they have committed no crime.”

Malala, who is in Nigeria on the commemoration of her 17th

birthday, told journalists during a briefing after meeting President Jonathan that the President promised her that he would meet with the parents of the abducted girls and ensure that they are returned home safely.

Briefing journalists alongside the President’s spokesperson, Reuben Abati; her dad, Ziauddin Yousafzai; and the Director of Operations of Malala Foundation, Eason Jordan, the Pakistani teenager said she was in Nigeria to support girls’ education and advocate the release of the Chibok girls.

She said she met with parents of some of the girls the previous day and they had expressed the longing to meet with the President and anybody who can help them find their girls.

“I am here in Nigeria on my 17th birthday for a price which is to see that every child goes to school,” Malala said.

“This year, my objective is to speak up for my Nigerian sisters. About 200 of them who are under the abduction of Boko Haram and I met President Goodluck Jonathan for this purpose.

“I convey the voice of my sisters who are out of school or who are still under the abduction of Boko Haram.

And for those girls who escaped from the abduction but still do not have education.

“And in the meeting, I highlighted the same issues which the girls and their parents told me in the past two days.

“The parents said they really want to meet with the President to share their stories with him. And I asked the President if he wants to meet with the parents of the girls.

He assured me that he would meet with them.”

FG’s programmes

At the briefing, Mr. Abati said the President used the opportunity of the meeting to take Malala through some of the programmes being carried out by the Federal Government.

He mentioned the Presidential Initiative for the North-East, an economic recovery programme that the government had embarked

upon with the collaboration of state governments in the North-East; and the Safe School Initiative which has already been launched with an initial $10 million fund.

He added that President Jonathan emphasised his commitment to making sure that schools are safe, every child enjoys the right to education and that that right is no way violated by anyone.

Mr. Abati said the president also announced that he would this week launch the Victims Support Fund for victims of terror and a committee will be set up in partnership with state governments, civil society, and other stakeholders.

HE Lagos State government, yesterday, accused Lagos State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of v a n d a l i s i n g infrastructural and recreational facilities provided by the state government at the Gani Fawahinmi Park, Ojota, during a rally it held recently.

While conducting newsmen round the park, Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, expressed shock at the level of destruction, saying that this “was a big slap on the face of Lagosians whose tax was used in building the park.”

On the spot assessment of the park revealed that the platform and base of the late human right lawyer’s statue and the park railings were damaged, the entire lawn trampled on, while the solar light panels were also been vandalised.

Bello said: “Over the years, Lagos State Government had invested heavily in promoting greening culture, an effort which has won the state local and international recognition as a green city.”

APC alleges plot to disenfranchise Osun voters T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, has raised the alarm that its members in Osun State are being denied their Permanent Voters Cards, PVC, by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in what seems a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise them in the August 9 governorship election in the state, since only those who possess PVCs will be allowed to vote.

In a statement issued in Benin yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said INEC had resorted to asking those who daily throng its offices in Osun which party they belong to, and that almost all those who have identified themselves as APC members

have been told their PVCs are not ready.

It said: “This is nothing but systematic rigging from source.”

It said INEC that is expected to be a neutral umpire in the election, will resort to actions that portray it as partisan and bereft of credibility.

APC wondered whether this is the reason why INEC had to push its REC in Osun aside to pave the way for a malleable REC who will do the bidding of PDP. The party challenged the INEC leadership to wade into the delay in the distribution of PVCs in Osun, since it is possible that a planned disenfranchisement of APC

members may be the handwork of some compromised INEC officials in the state.

It said if INEC cannot ensure that all prospective voters in the state will get their PVCs before the August 9 election, the electoral commission should do the needful by allowing all those who can present their temporary voters cards to exercise their franchise on election day.

It said: “Anything short of an urgent resolution of the PVC crisis, which may have been instigated deliberately by unscrupulous elements within INEC, will not augur well for a free, fair and credible election on August 9.”

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Stakeholders advise doctors to seek alternative to strike

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AGOS—THE Healthcare Federation of Nigeria, HFN, yesterday urged doctors to seek alternative means of channeling their grievances rather than embarking on strike.

The HFN is an umbrella body of all Nigerian Private Healthcare Practitioners with the objective of ensuring access to quality and affordable healthcare for all Nigerians.

The participants at a stakeholder’s forum organised by the federation in Lagos to discuss the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the disharmony between doctors and other health workers.

They said strike by health workers could put the health and safety of patients at risk.

According to them, doctors went into the medical profession to save lives as well as to make the health and safety of patients their utmost priority.

Deeper Life holds special programme

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EEPER Life Bible Church, DLBC, will between Saturday and Sunday, hold a special programme aimed at spiritually empowering participants to rise above their circumstances and become better and productive citizens to God and mankind.

With the theme, “Soaring on Eagle’s Wings”, the programme, will hold at its Conference Centre (DLCC) on Km 42, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

According to the organisers, the monthly event was further conceived to address the many problems besetting mankind, which have no human solutions.

Explaining the essence of the programme, the DLBC’s Church Secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemota said: “The scripture is true that man born of woman is full of troubles. These ‘troubles’ necessitated the search for solutions. But many people seek the way out of life challenges from wrong quarters; most times, complicating the situation.

Fashola flays Lagos PDP over Fayose’s Thank you rally

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOOOPEJO

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, lambasted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for holding a rally in celebration of its recent victory in the Ekiti State governorship election at the Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota, describing the party as ‘inconsistent in its thinking.’

State chapter of the PDP, last Friday, held what it termed a ‘Thank you rally’ for the gover-

nor-elect of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, at the Park.

The park was built by the state to immortalise the late Human Rights crusader and Lagos-based Lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN. Fashola, who spoke at 2014 Tree Planting campaign, with the theme ‘Better life is with trees,’ held in Sangotedo, EtiOsa Local Government, said the party which criticized the creation of parks and the tree planting initiative of the government, had turned the same

park to campaign ground.

The governor, said in 2008 when the state commenced planting of trees and creation of parks, the opposition party described the initiative as cosmetic and not for the downtrodden but the elitist in the state.

According to him, “You will recall that the Gani Fawehinmi Park is one of the products of this Greening and Tree Planting initiative; there was no park there before 2008. But our opponents have no shame, in their unthinking inconsistencies. It was at the same Gani Fawehinmi Park, Ojota that they now chose to hold their

party rally last week. They lied, they forget what they said, what they complained about, I urge residents of Lagos, not to believe them.

“Ask them, have they forgotten that the park was cosmetic, have they now forgotten that the park is elitist, or indeed are they the true elites? For me, they have shown themselves, up for who they are, a party that is unworthy of trust and lacking in consistency. Also, in 2012, when people rallied at that park in Ojota, to protest the anti-people policy of the subsidy removal by our opponents, early in the New Year; that was their New Year gift to Nigerians in 2012, people who went there to protest against this policy were repelled by heavily armed security personnel.”

Their attitude, the governor said was to “turn security personnel against the people they are supposed to protect instead of against those who threaten the people.”

Chibok: Lagos tasks school heads to be vigilant

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

TREE PLANTING: From left: Olumegbon of Lagos, Chief Fatai Lawal; Lagos State commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello; Governor Babatunde Fashola and Chairman, Eti-Osa Local government, Mr Owolabi Isa during the 2014 Tree Planting in Lagos yesterday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez.

Union’s strike paralyses Lagos judiciary activities

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & GIFT WILLIAMS

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AGOS—ACTIVITIES at the Lagos state judiciary were yesterday crippled as members of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, began an indefinite strike as directed by the national body.

National leadership of JUSUN, had Friday directed its members in the state judiciary across the country to begin an indefinite strike in solidarity with their colleagues in Rivers state over the leadership crisis rocking the state judiciary as well as state governments alleged refusal to comply with a court judgment for financial autonomy and independence of the judiciary.

Already litigants have started suffering the effects of the action as the gates leading to the four divisions of the state judiciary were under locks and keys.

A visit to the headquarters (Ikeja division) of the state High Court revealed that both Judges and non judicial staff of the state

High court stayed away from work in compliance with the directive of JUSUN. Lawyers and litigants who came to court as early as 8.00 am were disappointed as they were prevented from entering court premises.

At the Igbosere, Lagos division of the State High Court, some lawyers were seen loitering about the gate, while security men prevented them from gaining access into the court’s premises.

Though the Federal High Courts workers are not involved in the strike, the judges are on vacation which began yesterday.

The only exceptions are the two judges slated to entertain civil matters while the recess lasts.

They however said vacation sitting would commence from Wednesday (tomorrow).

Chairman, of JUSUN Lagos Chapter, Emmanuel Abioye, said the branch was merely complying with the directive from the national body.

He recalled that a Federal

High Court Judge, Justice Ademola Adeniyi, had on January 13, 2014, gave a judgment in favour of the judiciary, in which the court ordered the 36 states governors and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to comply with constitutional provisions on financial autonomy of the judiciary.

When Vanguard, also contacted, the National Secretary, Isaiah Adetola, he said ''all state High Courts will remain closed until they comply with the judgment of the court and grant financial autonomy to the judiciary.''

He stated that it was only the Federal High Court and the Supreme Court that would be exempted, from the strike, because they had commenced implementation of the order of the court.

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Kayode Bankole, who spoke on the issue, expressed worries that the state governments were yet to comply with the judgment several months after it was delivered.

He said ‘’even without going

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AGOS—LAGOS State Government has called on principals and head teachers of secondary and primary schools in the state to be safety and security conscious in view of the prevailing security challenges in some parts of the country.

This advice may not be unconnected to the April abduction of over 200 girls from Federal Government College in Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram sect, who are yet to be released by their abductors.

The sect few days ago claimed responsibility for the recent bomb blast in Apapa area of Lagos State.

Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoja, and Head of Service, Mrs. Josephine Williams, gave the advice during an interactive session with schools managers in the state.

According to them, government was concerned about the security of pupils and students in their schools hence, everything must be done to prevent any security breached in schools, especially, public schools.

“I wish to specifically charge principals of boarding schools not to release their students to unknown persons even the drivers, except their parents. Schools’ Managers should always be conscious of the next person beside you. Government is concerned about our safety, security and the general well being of every Lagosians,” Olukoga stated.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 —11

Ekiti guber poll: Only court can disqualify me – FAYOSE

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

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DO EKITI—Ekiti State governor-elect, Mr Ayo Fayose yesterday said only court could declare him unfit to stand for election and not an individual, groups or political parties, saying he was not rattled with the case instituted against him by All Progressives Congress, APC. In apparent response to the petition filed against his victory by the APC, Fayose said it was abnormal for an individual or group to adjudge him guilty of an offence preferred against him without court pronouncement.

Fayose, who spoke in Ado Ekiti through his media aide, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said he was not bothered by the decision of APC to challenge his election at the tribunal.

The governor-elect said he was taken aback to learn that the APC had decided to contest the outcome of election which was adjudged to be freest and fairest by all Nigerians, boasting that he would defeat Fayemi 50 times, if there was a repeat election.

He said he was happy that the state APC Chairman, Chief Jide Awe told Journalists while submitting the party’s petition to the tribunal on Saturday that his party was embarrassed over the outcome of the poll.

According to him, “the party would be more embarrassed if there is a re-run.”

On allegation that he was facing criminal charges, impeachment as well as EFCC cases at

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BEOKUTA—AS former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba marks his 75th birthday, Governor Ibikunle Amosun faction of All Progressives Congress, APC, politicians, including his successor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel have described him as a great politician that adds value to the political atmosphere of the country.

Osoba, who was born on July 15,

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BEOKUTA—FORMER governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel has dismissed insinuations that he is planning to return to the People Democratic Party, PDP, saying however, that there have been advances by the party to woo him back.

The former governor said none the less, the leadership of the PDP in the state will be

DO EKITI—NI GERIA Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Ekiti State chapter, has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government to address partial implementation of Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS, and Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, among others for its members or risk industrial action.

BYOLAAJAYI

RALLY: From left— Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, gubernatorial aspirant; Governor-Elect, Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, and Chief Kashamu Buruji, South West Mobilisation Committee Chairman and others at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP rally at Abeokuta. the time of the election, Fayose said the APC Chairman and his cohorts should be the ones who should be bothered with recent murder cases allegedly hanging on their necks.

“They were recently released on bail over two or more murder cases perpetrated before the election period. Why are they not facing reality but choose to focus attention on Fayose’s matter?” he asked.

Also, the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement, PAAM, described the petition by APC,

challenging the June 21, 2014 Ekiti State governorship election as a waste of time and further demonstration of the party’s selfishness, arrogance and hatred for democratic process.

In a statement yesterday by its Director General, Bisi Kolawole, the group claimed APC was only advertising its ignorance by challenging the results of an election in which its candidate could not win his own local council.

It described as laughable, claim of “manipulation, undue militarisation, impeachment as well as

1939 clocked 75 today.

In his tribute to Osoba, former governor Daniel described him, as “an elder statesman, astute grassroots politician and a veteran journalist, whose legacies while serving as governor in Ogun State could not be easily forgotten. As a grassroots politician, Chief Osoba opened up many rural communities and extended electricity supply to the nooks and crannies of the state

in line with the rural integration policy of legendary Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“Chief Osoba is a frontline and fearless journalist of the old stock whose footprint was instrumental to the shaping up of modern journalism in Nigeria. New and younger generations of journalists in the country owe a lot to the quintessential former governor as a patron and veteran of that noble profession”, he said.

The factional Chairman of the

I'm not going back to PDP – DANIEL

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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Raimi buried, as PDP chieftains mourn

EFCC’s cases hanging on the governor-elect, Dr Ayodele Fayose,” adding that; “Only a party comprising of people interested in dancing naked in the market place would make provision of adequate security for an election a tribunal issue. While we recognise the inalienable rights of all Nigerians to approach the courts for redress on any issue, we must say that going to court to challenge an election in which Dr Kayode Fayemi, a sitting governor lost even in his local government is a waste of time.”

APC, Daniel, associates hail Osoba at 75

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

LG workers threaten strike over wages

welcomed if it shows any interest in the Labour Party, LP. The former governor, who spoke at the LP public summit/meeting held at Ayetoro town in Yewa North Local Government of Ogun State, insisted that he remained a genuine member of LP. Ekiti State governor-elect, Ayodele Fayose, had on Friday at he had held a meeting with Daniel where he was asked to rejoin the PDP.

But according to Daniel, “Let me correct this insinuations and speculations that I am in PDP, NO, I am not in PDP. I am a member of Labour Party, I was a member of yesterday Peoples Democratic Party, but now, I am in Labour Party, and Labour Party is the way forward. ''Although there are advances to me, I am committed to labour party because I believe, it is a vehicle of liberation for our people.”

APC, in Ogun State, Chief Olu Agemo described Osoba as a silent planner.

According to him, “Aremo Osoba is an astute politician who I give my support to. He is a straightforward person. He is a dogged fighter in a political arena. He does not betray trust, he is silent planner, when he is committed it is total. He is a complete gentleman. In a political arena he does not have thugs. He is somebody people admire and have respect for”, Agemo said.

A political son of Osoba and member of House of Representatives from Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, Adekunle Adeyemi described Osoba as an exemplary leader that would never ask anyone to do for him what he could not do for himself.

According to him, “He has also managed to accomplish so much during his life time so far because he is a team player. A manager of men and resources, he is never too busy to lend a listening ear and caring shoulder, thus easily accessible to his people.''

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B A D A N — FORMER Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala and other chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state yesterday were in the Ikolaba residence of late Dr. Dejo Raimi to give him a befitting burial.

Raimi died at 81 in Ibadan on Sunday.

Other dignitaries at the burial included Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarunmi, Professor Soji Adejumo and Engineer Seyi Makinde all PDP governorship aspirants in the 2015 gubernatorial election.

Also in attendance were the former Minister for Power and steel, Wole Oyelese, President of Central Council of Ibadan indigenes (CCII), Chief Bayo Oyero, businessman, Alhaji Mufu Lanihun and others.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana was represented

by High Chief Eddy Oyewole.

The chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Suara Haruna said during his sermon that, “Death is inevitable. We should be our brothers keeper and be nice to each other. Death will come anytime”.

The widow of the late politician, Alhaja Fatimah was too grieved to utter a word.

Our Error

The story on page 10 yesterday with headline “Raimi dies at 81, AlaoAkala, others” , should have read: Raimi dies at 81, Alao-Akala, others mourn.

The error is regretted.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Why Edo Assembly crisis lingers, by Majority Leader

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—MAJORITY Leader of Edo State House of Assembly, Mr. Phillip Shaibu, has alleged that the lingering crisis in the Assembly had persisted because some Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders “are deriving financial benefits from same.”

He said: “Even after the Appeal Court ruled that they were violating the laws by not respecting the restraining order, we saw on television where some of their leaders boasted that they would not abide by the ruling as they were going to the Supreme Court. We know what is happening. They collect money from Abuja and other PDP states to take care of themselves with the excuse that they are fighting political battle in Edo State.

“They depend on hand-outs from Abuja. The PDP decided to turn the crisis into political issue because normally the House has its rule and within that rule, suspension is slammed on erring members and if such persons show remorse through appeal, the suspension is rescinded. It is a normal exercise which is not supposed to degenerate. But because some PDP leaders felt that they need to create some

economic empowerment for themselves, they are pushing the four Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers in conjunction with the police to create a crisis situation and from that they can now get hand-out.

“Their suspension was not based on their defection, but because they are scared that section 109 is clear about defection and they know that their decamp-

ing does not have the blessing of the section and that was why they rushed to the court to stop us from declaring their seats vacant and as law aiding legislators that are obedient to the rule of law, we decided to obey the court because it restrained the Assembly from declaring their seats vacant.

“So, it is not about decamp-

ment because Abdul Razak Momoh decamped, he was not suspended, Festus Ebea is a member of APC and he is suspended, it is about misconduct which the House cannot condone. Our action was based on point of law and the constitution. What the lawmakers did on Monday contravened section 99 of the constitution,” he said.

YOUTH IN ENTERPRISE SHOWCASE 2014: Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State (3rd right), flanked by his deputy Mr. Efiok Cobham; SA Investment Promotion, Mr. Gerald Adah and a cross section of beneficiaries of the Federal Government-assisted N1 billion facility for MSMEs during Youth in Enterprise showcase 2014, in Calabar, weekend.

2015: Our demand for Rivers governorship, justified —Ogoni

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HE people of Ogoni eth nic nationality in Rivers State, have insisted that their demand for governorship in 2015 is justified, while they commend the leadership and developmental strides of Governor Rotimi Amaechi in Ogoniland.

In a communiqué at the end of a one-day mini-congress of Ogoni ethnic nationality, organised by the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers at Saakpenwa, Tai Local Government Area of the state, the Ogonis also decried the delay in the implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, report on Ogoniland, by the Federal Government, three years after it was released.

The communiqué was signed by the President of the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, King Godwin Gininwa; a delegate to the ongoing national conference, Justice Peter Akere; the Gberemene

Gokana Kingdom, King Barnabas Bagia; Gbenemene Babbe Kingdom, King Frank Noryaa; the paramount ruler of Ogale clan in Eleme, Chief Godwin Bebe-Okpabi, representatives of MOSOP, KAGOTE, and women, demanded the immediate implementation of the report.

The communiqué read: “The Ogoni people, as a distinct and one of the largest ethnic nationalities in Rivers State are very peaceful and have contributed

immensely to the growth and development of Rivers State and Nigeria through its natural resources and human capital “Despite our huge contributions to the peace and sustenance of Rivers State and Nigeria, we have been deliberately oppressed, neglected and marginalised socially, politically, economically and otherwise. We are troubled by the delay in the implementation of the

UNEP report by the Federal Government almost three years after it was released, and therefore, demand the immediate implementation of the report.

“Our agitation to produce governor in 2015 is justified.

We, therefore, seek the understanding, cooperation and support of other ethnic nationalities in Rivers State in the spirit of justice and reciprocation of Ogonis previous support to others."

Jonathan’s kinsman, others jostle for varsity's VC position

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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E N A G O A — THREE candidates, among them the acting Vice Chancellor of Bayelsa State government-owned Niger Delta University, have declared their intenterest for the position of substantive vice chancellor of the institution.

The institution, which was founded by former governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has been under the management of an acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Humphrey Ogoni.

It was learnt that majority of the staff of the institution and adjunct co-professors are favourably disposed to the appointment of the current acting Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ogoni, a kinsman of President Goodluck Jonathan, whom they described as a patriotic, competent, humble and selfless servant in the university system.

Others in the race for the office include Prof. Ebiamadon Brisibe, who hails from Delta State and Prof.

Sikoki from the university's host community of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

A senior staff of the institution who spoke anonymously told Vanguard that two other candidates, Prof. Stephen Odiowei, a former Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University of Science and Technology and Prof. Palmer Johnny, were disqualified from the race on account of age.

According to the source, lobbying for the Vice Chancellor position had taken a new twist with politicians divided along ethnic and loyalty lines between President Jonathan and the state governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

The acting Vice Chancellor, an indigene of Ogbia Local Government Area, it was learnt, is seen as the favoured candidate because of the respect and support he commands among the staff and students.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—13

PDP plotting to destabilise democracy —APC

Delta pharmacists confer award on Uduaghan

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BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—THE National leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday in Benin City, Edo State, warned that the activities of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers, Adamawa, Nasarawa and Edo States were capable of destroying the nation’s democracy.

It accused the PDP of being desperate for power in APC-controlled states, but warned that it would not fold its arms and allow the PDP destabilise states controlled by the party, regretting that President Goodluck Jonathan intends to add more crisis when states in the North-East were still battling with terrorists.

The party's leaders made the allegation when they paid a solidarity visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole at Government House, Benin.

The leaders on the visit included the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, former governor of Abia State, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, former governor of Kwara State, Senator Bukola Saraki, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajamila, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El Rufai and APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

C-River empowers 3,000 youths

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ETERMINED to create jobs for its teeming youths, the Cross River State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Government, has injected over N1 billion through Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agenda, MEDA, into Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, businesses across the different sectors in the state.

Since the inception of the current administration in 2007, over 3,297 youths have so far directly benefited from the fund, while another 10,276 have undergone various forms of entrepreneurial development and capacity building training/ mentorship programmes.

COAS 3RD QUARTER CONFERENCE: Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah (4th right), with other officers at the Chief of Army Staff 3rd Quarter Conference, in Abuja, yesterday.

Free-for-all at Delta PDP secretariat

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—FOLLOWING the free-for-all at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secretariat in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday, during which the state party Chairman, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi was assaulted, Senior Political Adviser to Governor Emmamuel Uduaghan, Chief Ighoyota Amori, has said that same could have been avoided if protocol was respected.

Reacting to the incident, Amori said: “It was regrettable.

It was a show of shame and the PDP family in Delta State apologises for the incident which was avoidable if people in high places had respected protocol.”

The show of shame took place

shortly before the arrival of the state governor, Dr. Uduaghan, who went there for the formal presentation of 25 vehicles to the local government chairmen of the party.

An eye witness said that the wife of the former national chairman of PDP, Mrs. Marian Ali had an altercation with the state party chairman, Chief Nwaoboshi, over which seat she should occupy, since she was asked to vacate the chair reserved for the state deputy governor. She was reported to have allegedly rough handled and slapped Nwaoboshi twice before party loyalists pounced on her.

Nwaoboshi, who spoke to our reporter said: “Despite

the provocation, I did not reiterate even when she slapped me twice and tore my dress to shreds. She could have been lynched if not for my intervention and the elders of the party.”

Later, Governor Udughan, who was briefed about the development before his arrival, said: “I want to appeal to all of us, let us not react in anger, there are people who are always there to annoy you, but we need to be slow to anger."

I dumped PDP over FG's delay to implement UNEP report —Amaechi

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, yesterday, said he dumped the Peoples Democratic Party Partly, PDP, because of the delay by the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, on Ogoni.

Amaechi, who spoke in Ogoni, condemned the Federal Government for delaying the implantation of the report, noting that it was an indication of its weakness.

He said: “After the verification and recommendation by the agency to the Federal Government, they have refused to release the $1billion for the

clean-up and development of the area. As I am talking to you today (yerterday), the Federal Government is doing nothing about the UNEP report, but the Federal Government has been spending billions in other places.

You need to ask yourselves one question, what did Ogoni do to the Federal Government that they cannot release N160 billionn to save your environment? That was the reason I left PDP for All Progressive Congress."

OVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State is to be conferred with an award of extra-ordinary excellence in healthcare development by the Nigerian Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists, NAHAP, Delta State branch.

The ceremony is billed for today in Asaba, under the chairmanship of a renowned pharmacist, Dr. Dennis Amafor.

According to a statement by the state Chairman of NAHAP, Dr Kingsley Amibor and the Chairman, NAHAP 2014 Week/Maiden Award Organising Committee, Mr. Godspower Ugben, the event has as its theme, Emerging role of Pharmacists in Patient Care Settings.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara and his Lands, Surveys and Urban Development counterpart, Sir Patrick Ferife, as well as the President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Dr Olumida Akintayo, would also be conferred with honours for their roles in the upliftment of the health sector.

14 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Anambra govt shuts 8 hotels, primary school over revenue default

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—EIGHT hotels and a private primary school have been sealed in Anambra State, following default in payment of revenue amounting to N2.9 million for the 2012/2013 fiscal year.

The sealed hotels are Hatfield (formerly Queen’s Suite), Century Guest House, De Pride Lodge, Malikwu Suites, Smithland Hotel, Cheleku Hotels, Swiss Cottage and Nicon Lodge.

Also affected were Lynette Primary School, Awka, and Be Joy Centre Point Leisure, also in Awka.

Yesterday’s exercise brings to 36 the number of buildings sealed in the state by Anambra State Property and Land Use Charge, APLUC, in the past two months.

Only a fortnight ago, APLUC sealed nine residential buildings in the commercial city of Onitsha for their owners’ refusal to pay the stipulated revenue.

APLUC’s Head of Human Resources and Administration, Mrs. Chinenye Okafor, told reporters after the exercise that it was part of the state government’s resolve to boost

its revenue.

According to her, the enforcement is sequel to court judgments obtained by APLUC, as well as the implementation of the state’s Land Use Charge Law 2010.

She said: “The consequence of such default is that the owners/occupiers shall have the property sealed and liable for receivership and/or to a term

of imprisonment for a period of three months or both until all outstanding charges, penalties and administration charges due are paid.”

She explained that the defaulters were duly served with writ of summons and hearing notices in 2013, regretting that they refused to appear in court until APLUC got judgments

against them to seal their buildings.

Okafor also said that the state government gave 75 per cent discount on all buildings to enable people pay up their charges and wondered why people refused to meet their civil obligations to the state.

He insisted that Anambra State had the lowest property rate in the country.

OVERSIGHT FUNCTION: Surveyor General to the Government of the Federation, Professor Peter Nwillo, Chairman, House Committee on Works, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, his Deputy, Mohammed Wudill, during an oversight function to the agency, in Abuja, yesterday .

Court orders bank to refund N636m to customer over illegal debits O

BY ENYIM ENYIM

NITSHA—THE Court of Appeal in Enugu, presided

by Justice M.O. Bolaji-Yusuf, has ordered a bank (names withheld) to refund the sum of N637,920, 556 to its customer, F.G Onyenwe Motors Nigeria Limited, for alleged fraudulent perpetuation of excessive and unlawful charges on the customer’s account in the course of transactions with the bank.

The appellate court gave the order while dismissing an appeal brought before it by the bank challenging the judgement of a Federal High Court, Enugu, which found the bank liable for making false debit entries into the customer’s account.

The transport company and the respondent in the appeal was granted several loan facilities which, according to the appellant, the respondent failed to liquidate as at when due.

The appellant, in the bid to recover its loan through the assistance of a high court in Enugu, negotiated terms of settlement with the respondent and consequently a consent judgement was entered in favour of the appellant.

The respondent alleged that in

the course of complying with the terms of the judgement, for which he had already remitted over N100 million, it was discovered that the appellant perpetuated a lot of irregularities in its account, adding that it was fraudulently

misled into entering into terms of settlement which led to the consent judgement.

Following the development, the respondent, through his lawyer, Chief Tagbo Ike, filed a suit against the bank at the

Federal High Court, Enugu, seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that the defendant had no legal basis or lawful right to charge excessive commissions and interests on the overdraft facilities granted the customer (plaintiff).

Ex-Minister slams FG over poor handling of Boko Haram menace

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

O

NITSHA—ELDER statesman and First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, has blamed the federal government for the continued existence of the dreaded Boko Haram sects in the country.

“I’m disappointed in the

Nigerian government for its incompetence and poor handling of the Boko Haram issue because it appeared to me that the federal government has just given them a free hand to operate any how they want to,” he said.

Amaechi, who spoke last

Sunday at the All Saints’ Catholic Church, Nkpor, near Onitsha, Anambra State, during the 30th anniversary celebration of the ordination of Rev. Fr. Peter Okafor as a priest, said whatever might be the case, the activities of the insurgents should be restricted only to the north.

Okorocha renames Ahiajoku Convention Centre

O

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—IMO State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has in a surprise move, announced the modification of the Ahiajoku Convention Centre built by Chief Ikedi Ohakim, to now serve as Imo Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.

The governor disclosed the intention of his government to newsmen yesterday, after an unscheduled inspection tour of the project.

While careful watchers of political events in the state believe that the current change of purpose was another way of trying to wipe out the achievements of his

predecessors, Okorocha, however, explained that the establishment was named after an Igbo deity.

He said: “It has become necessary that the name and purpose of the complex be changed as people were beginning to develop suspicion over such names like Ahiajoku, which is the name of a deity."

Imo Gov seeks partnership with surveyors

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI—IMO State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has called on estate surveyors and valuers to partner with his administration to give land in the state its proper economic value.

Okorocha made the call when the national executives of the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Owerri.

“There is the need to give land its proper value. Land is an asset, a capital set aside for the production of other wealth,” the governor said.

He restated his administration’s resolve to issue Certificates of Occupancy, C of O, to communities as part of measures to give real value to their lands, as well as enable the peasant farmers access loans from the bank, since C of O was a bankable asset.

2015: We'll replicate Ekiti victory in Imo —PDP chieftain

BY CHRIS ONUOHA

L

AGOS—THE l a w m a k e r representing EhimeMbano constituency in Imo State House of Assembly Mr. Kingsley Dimaku, has said that the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the recent governorship election in Ekiti State would be replicated in Imo. Dimaku said this in Lagos at a breakfast meeting organised for him by Ehime-Mbano indigenes resident in Lagos.

The lawmaker, who disclosed his intention for re-election into the House, said: “PDP, with its democratically imbued strategies and strong winning machinery on ground, will take over Imo State and bring the real change that people need.

“Havingachievedmuchunder opposition that was orchestrated by political defection of our PDP memberstotheother party,which I disassociated myself from as a loyal party member, one would expectmorewhenaPDPmember becomesgovernor.”

Vanguard , TUESDAY,JULY 15, 2014 — 15

ECOWAS abolishes residence permits zReduces convergence criteria to six

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA

BUREAU CHIEF BUJA—EFFORTS towards the integration of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, have received a boost with the decision of the Authority of Heads of State and Government to ban residence permit and introduce a common Biometric Identity Card for all citizens of the subregion.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Kadre Ouedraogo, told the 37th Meeting of the Technical Committee of the West African Monetary Zone, WAMZ, in Abuja, yesterday, that the decision was part of the new push to realise the goal of a fully integrated ECOWAS. “I am delighted to report that the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have approved the abolition of the residence permit and the introduction of the Biometric Identity Card for the Community citizens.

“The Authority subsequently requested the Ministers in charge of Security to review all the security implications of the measure prior to the signing of the Supplementary Acts on the issues.

“Member States are urged to continue to ensure that the nontariff barriers, NTBs, are reduced to the barest minimum by reducing and consolidating the checkpoints along the international transit corridors,” the President said, in an address

A

read on his behalf by the Acting Director of Multilateral Surveillance, Dr. Nelson Magbagbeola.

He added that the Heads of State and Government also decided to reduce the convergence criteria for the establishment of a single monetary zone from 11 to 6, to make them achievable by member countries.

He said: “Specifically, the Authority adopted the creation of a fiscal union to complement the monetary union and reduction of

macroeconomic convergence criteria from 11 criteria (4 primary and 7 secondary criteria) to 6 criteria (3 primary and 3 secondary criteria).

“The three primary criteria are as follows: budget deficit of not more than 3 per cent of GDP; a single digit inflation; and gross reserves of not less than 3 months of imports.

“The three secondary convergence criteria adopted by the Authority are: public debt/ GDP of not more than 70 per cent;

central bank financing of budget deficit not more than 0 per cent of previous year’s tax revenue; and nominal exchange rate variation ±10 per cent.”

It was also decided that the ECOWAS Monetary Institute be created by 2018 in accordance with a well-defined roadmap with clear responsibilities assigned to the regional institutions involved in the monetary integration process and the support measures necessary to facilitate the monetary integration process.

VISIT: Permanent Secretary, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Ibrahim Dasuki, (2nd left) conducting Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (2nd right), Commissioner for Water Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Idris (right), and others round Army Day Junior Secondary School, Sobi, during the Governor"s visit to the School, yesterday.

Wike receives Malala, pledges FG's commitment on sustained access to education

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BUJA—MINISTER of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has declared that the interventionist programmes to create access to basic education for less privileged children in the country would be sustained by the President Jonathan’s administration for national development.

The minister also said that the Jonathan’s administration had instituted data collection protocols to ascertain the actual number of children out of school in the country.

Wike spoke at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters Abuja during a meeting with Malala Yousafzai, an international girl child education campaigner yesterday.

He noted that going forward, the Almajiri Education Programme, the Girl-Child Education Programme and the Boy-Child Special Vocational schools would be expanded for greater enrollment of less privileged children.

He said: “From present efforts

on ground, we hope to reduce the number of children who are out of school by at least two million pupils by the beginning of the 2015 academic session by September next year. This is a pledge and we are committed to the realisation of this goal.”

He said the Jonathan’s administration was working hard

to address years of neglect suffered by the education sector, through increased budgetary allocation, special programmes and projects and key interventionist programmes.

Wike assured the international community that the Safe School Initiative was effectively in place, with the Federal Government

UNIABUJA CRISIS: New VC ignores court order

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

A

BUJA—NEWLY appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Michael Adikwu, has ignored the court order restraining him from acting in that capacity, having continued to perform the functions of the varsity ’s chief administrator.

Following his recent appointment as Vice Chancellor, some aggrieved members of the university community, led by Dr. Raji

Rasheed, Dr. Muktar Muhammad and Dr. Nkoli Ifenyi, who faulted the appointment process, dragged the matter to the National Industrial Court, Abuja.

They claimed the appointment of the Professor of Pharmacy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, abused merit, adding also that he was not qualified to head the university since pharmacy was not a course offered by the unjiversity.

and states collaborating to ensure that children learnt under secure and conducive environment.

He added that the government was working round the clock for the release of the Chibok girls abducted by Boko Haram.

Earlier, Malala Yousafzai urged the Federal Ministry of Education to intensify efforts to increase the enrollment of less privileged children, especially girls, in schools.

She said there was the need to address the 10.5 million outof-school statistics to improve Nigeria’s image abroad.

Malala specifically called for the release of the Chibok girls

by Boko Haram and appealed to the Federal Government to improve security in schools to encourage girls’ access to education.

Highpoint of the programme was the presentation of a document, “Transformation of the Nigerian Education Sector Under President Jonathan Administration” by the Minister of State for Education.

NSITF to settle workplace accident victims' expenses

BY JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU

A

B U J A —

MANAGEMENT of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, has promised to settle claims of workers who sustained injuries in their work places.

The Managing Director of the Fund, Munir Abubakar, who gave the assurance in Abuja at the inauguration of NSITF Servicom unit, said the Fund planned to execute its mandate through aggressive prompt attention to enquiries about the implementation of the e m p l o y e e s ’ compensation scheme.

Abubakar said NSITF management was in a strategic move to achieve its objectives, adding that it had identified service as a core area in customer satisfaction.

According to him, committed and dedicated workers will be rewarded to boost their morale in improving on its service delivery mandate.

Abubakar listed several efforts made in the past for quality service delivery and promised that the management would continually ensure the sustenance of the recorded growth in service delivery.

He commended the Special Adviser to the President and National Coordinator of Servicom, Sylbriks Obriki, who was present on the occasion.

He said: “Forthwith, beside the national flag, the broach of Servicom shall be adorned by the NSITF Servicom team daily to show our commitment to the service delivery agenda.”

Also speaking, Obriki expressed his excitement about the resuscitation of Servicom unit in NSITF, saying the step had demonstrated that the Fund was committed to service delivery as a key factor in delivering its mandate.

16— Vanguard , TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Boko Haram invades Borno villages

VANGUARD RECEIVES AWARD PIX: NATH ONOJAKE

zScores feared dead, churches, houses razed

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI & NDAHI MARAMA

M

AIDUURI— G U N M E N suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect yesterday invaded the Dille Village in AskiraUba Local Government Area of Borno State, killing five civilians and setting ablaze three churches including the Church of Brethern in Nigeria, EYN, as well as shops and residential buildings.

Unconfirmed reports revealed that unspecified number of the attackers were also killed by military fighter jets that arrived the scene of the incident and bombed them.

This was even as the Nigerian Army High Command yesterday declared that the battle against Boko Haram and terrorism will be defeated though it urged the citizenry to be patient as the development was a new phenomenon whereas the army is a conventionally trained force.

Army chief speaks

Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah who spoke at the opening of the COAS Third Quarterly Conference in Abuja reminded Nigerians expressing frustration over continued terror attacks that the military cannot

just go about killing anybody simply because there is suspicion of involvement in terrorism.

His words: “You see, the Nigerian Army is performing and checking these insurgents. I know the expectations of the Nigerian citizens but the expectation is rather too much in haste. We need some time; we need patience and you must know we are fighting terrorism. We are not fighting a conventional war. The Nigerian Army is a conventional and regular army.

Terrorists not known

“The terrorist is someone you do not know. It may be someone who sold food or fruit to you in the morning and by the afternoon he is the terrorist. We are having all that inter-play in the battle front in the NorthEast. We have to be conscious to separate the terrorists from the law abiding citizens and we also have human rights to protect.

“You just do not go out killing people, that they are terrorists. Some are innocent Nigerians. We are also bound by all the international treaties on human rights, therefore, we need time. I know the expectations of the Nigerian citizens is that this thing should be

over by yesterday, but the reality is that it would not have been over by yesterday because of the structure and dynamics of fighting this type of terrorism.

“We are fighting Nigerian citizens, we are not fighting foreigners; so caution must be exercised. I appeal and assure that we will certainly surmount it but we also need support from the nation, from all segments of society and from the people including the media. And we need patience and time for us to do it. We also have the equipment and the federal government is introducing fresh and newer equipment to us which in a short while hopefully be there for use.”

Chief Michael Agbamuche, Owelle of Akwukwu Igbo (right), and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Publications/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers, receiving the Entrepreneurship Award on behalf of Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers, during the 1st Anniversary Dinner/ Award Night of the passage of Mama Angelina Onyebuchi Azinge, at the Grand Hotel, Asaba.

Displaced residents

However, displaced residents of Dille Village said, the attackers stormed their community at about 6am from the Sambisa forest through the Damboa axis.

Dille village is around the shores of the Sambisa forest, while Askira-Uba is in the south and about 200 km drive from Maiduguri, the state capital.

Security sources which confirmed the incident noted that, two Nigerian Air Force, NAF, fighter jets that promptly arrived Dille saved the situation as the terrorists were repelled living scores of them dead.

Professor Epiphany Azinge,SAN (left) and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Publications/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers.

APC structures in Borno 'll collapse soon —Sheriff landed at the airport by

BY NDAHI MARAMA

M

AIDUGURI— F O R M E R Governor of Borno State and a leader of the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff is set to dump the party for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Sheriff stated yesterday in Maiduguri that the ruling APC structures in the state would soon collapse into the PDP, giving reasons of bad l e a d e r s h i p , misappropriation of public funds, selfish interest and above all, segregation that

characterise the government of Governor Kashim Shettima.

Sheriff was in Maiduguri in continuation of his consultations with his party supporters in preparation for his formal declaration for the PDP. Vanguard learnt that despite the closure of the Maiduguri International Airport by the Federal Government following which governor Shettima travelled from Maiduguri to Kano by road on same day for his lesser Hajj, Sheriff

1:35pm aboard 5NBH plane where he was received by thousands of supporters including members of both the PDP and APC as well as other loyalists.

Among those in company of Sheriff were House of Representatives members including Abdurrahaman Terab, representing Bama, Ngala-Kalabalge Federal Constituency; Isa Kangar, representing Guzamala, Kukawa Federal Constituency and Peter Gumtha, representing Damboa, Gwoza and Chibok Federal Constituency.

Mr.Omamode Akugha (left)and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Publications/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers.

Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Publications/Editor-in-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers and Chief Victor Nwosie, Anwulika of Asaba, at the event.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 17

ID not know how precise my analyses of Bola ITinubu’s misfortunes are,

chase okada riders down the

D

until I saw the barrage of the Lilliputian army sent to attack me. In the last few days, I have been much-maligned and abused by a league of Tinubu’s henchmen. Lagos State cowboys have also descended on my office, asking for building permits when I am not building anything; demanding to know if my office is fire-proof, and threatening to close it down if I show no “satisfaction” within two days.

I remain undaunted by these shenanigans. The bottom line is that I am not the one running for election in 2015: they are. Neither does it matter if I am the buffoon they claim I am. It is a contradiction in terms to spend so much time and effort trying to discredit a fool. If my views are truly inconsequential, those planning to run for office would not be so determined to silence me.

Strange bed-fellows The irony in all this is that I actually consider myself to be more a friend of the APC than a foe. What I offer is wise counsel which, if seriously considered by the APC, would be detrimental to the PDP. There is no doubt that Nigeria deserves a strong opposition to the government.

Unfortunately, that strong

Why APC is likely to lose Lagos in the 2015 elections opponents. This marriage of convenience is likely to collapse sooner than later on the very altar of its internal contradictions, the nearer we get to the elections. In any case, bombast don’t create a formidable political party: popular grassroots support does.

Many of the “timber and calibre” of the APC cannot even deliver their local governments. Their rants make for interesting newspaper headlines, while adding precious little to the electoral fortunes of their party. Those were the days when popular support counted for nothing in Nigerian elections. Those

Just think how many votes can be harvested in Lagos by telling commuters an incoming PDP government will allow okadas back on the roads

,

o pposition cannot come

from the foolishness of the APC. As presently constituted, the APC is a very good guarantee of another four years of the PDP, in spite of the ruling party’s many inadequacies. How else are we to explain why an incumbent APC governor lost to a PDP challenger by a landslide in Ekiti? Instead of harnessing its much-vaunted strength, the APC is showing new weaknesses, even in its South-West strongholds.

Should it lose Osun in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in August, then Bola Tinubu is toast.

Before it can qualify to reform the polity, the APC needs first to transform itself.

Here is another attempt to show it the error of its ways, although there are signs it might already be too late for it to make amends in time for the forthcoming elections.

The APC is an amalgamation of strange bedfellows with conflicting political agendas, all desperate for power at the centre. This explains why it even welcomes former PDP

,

days are gone, as the recent election in Ekiti shows. For example, Rotimi Amaechi is very good public relations for the APC. But only a fool believes Rivers State is going to vote APC in 2015. Neither can Rochas Okorocha deliver Imo State to his new party.

Demonising electorate

the

I am amused at people who make fun of Patience Jonathan’s down-to-earth style of public-speaking and have turned her “There is God O” into a derogatory slogan. What they fail to appreciate is that the First La dy’s homespun

deliveries resonate with a constituency which accounts for the major part of the Nigerian population.

Unlike Patience Jonathan, many of the APC bigwigs are out of touch with the electorate. They have been so blinded by their naked ambitions; they can no longer discern the signs of the times.

This accounts for the big shocker of the Ekiti elections, which they are still trying to explain away with all kinds of

rationalisations.

Their

contempt for the wishes of the people led to the current APC romance with the preposterous idea of a Muslim/Muslim presidential ticket in this day and age.

Therefore, if t hey are not

careful, they are in for further surprises in “INEC 2015.”

Instread of addressing what led to the disaster in Ekiti, the APC have resorted to abusing the electorate. Suddenly, we are made to understand that the people of Ekiti are stupid.

They are derided as having voted for “stomach infrastructure” instead of physical infrastructure.

In a release signed by Joe Igbokwe, the APC Publicity Secretary for Lagos State, the party declared: “It should be noted that PDP is now flaunting what is now known as ‘politics of stomach infrastructure’ which targets the borderless hunger it has provoked for fifteen years for exploitation.” “We want to assure the PDP that it is building castles in the air by hallucinating that it will ever capture Lagos by its politics of hunger and mass poverty.”

This is nothing short of delusional. The tide of SouthWest politics is moving inexorably against the APC. By shouting from the rooftops about how bad things are in Nigeria, the APC seems to have forgotten that it is the one in power in the South-West. Therefore, if things are bad there, it is the APC, and not the PDP, that is held responsible.

Accordingly, in Ekiti, the APC governor was thrown out in one of the freest and fairest elections ever conducted by INEC. Pounded-yam politics I have news for the APC. Its defeat in Ekiti is the strongest indication yet that the PDP has hit on a winning formula that might prove equally devastating to the APC in other areas of the South-West. Indeed, the APC government in Lagos is likely to be swept away by the same politics of “stomach infrastructure” that it derides to its cost in Ekiti.

I am an unrepentant admirer of Babatunde Fashola and his seven-year tenure as

governor of Lagos State. He has done a lot to change the face of Lagos for the better by renovating the physical infrastructures. But the Ekiti defeat has exposed the Achilles heel of the APC in their Lagos stronghold. In his seven years as governor, Fashola has been contemptuous of the electorate’s need for “stomach infrastructure.”

While Fashola has been busy tarring roads, building fanciful tolled bridges and planting grass and flowers; he has ignored the need of the people for basic things of life like food, shelter and gainful employment. There is no pipe-borne water in much of Lagos; and yet the state generates over 27 billion in internal revenue every month. When asked why he did not build low-cost housing in Lagos, Fashola replied contemptuously that he could not find any low-cost cement to buy.

Like Fayemi, Fashola speaks primarily for the rich. Under him, the poor in Lagos have been marginalised; oftentimes evicted from their homes without the benefit of rehabilitation. Their menial abodes in places like Mushin, Oluwole, Ojota, Makoko and Ijora-Badia East have been bulldozed. Their markets in Tejuoso, Yaba and Oshodi have been demolished. The new stalls that replaced them were priced beyond their pockets.

Okadas have been banned from most areas of Lagos, denying many of their means of livelihood. Alternative means of transportation were not adequately provided, making it even more difficult for those who don’t have cars to move around. The poor residents of the Eti-osa, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki Local Government areas, now have to pay tolls going to and from the Lagos mainland. The people are well-aware that the road-concessions were to the financial benefit of the “godfather” of the APC.

Task-force terrorists Street-trading, another means of livelihood for the common man, is also frowned at by the Lagos APC government. As the police

streets, impounding and inheriting their bikes, so do the “kick against indiscipline” brigadiers confiscate and inherit the goods of hapless petty-traders.

Different task force officials in Lagos derive pleasure in harassing and arresting people indiscriminately, often in order to extort bribes.

All this has gone a long way in generating hatred for the government among the rankand-file. In short, Fashola’s marauding brigadiers have become a terror to the people. They seem to be maliciously intent on squeezing the life out of the man-in-the-street.

I have this theory about Fashola’s Lagos. If a Nigerian Bill Gates were to decide to give away free of charge 100 billion naira of food to poor Lagosians, he would be confronted with a whole army of Lagos State officials who would impede and hinder him at every turn. They would harass him for this permit and that permit. They would throw every possible bit of regulation at him. So much so that the man might get fed up and just cancel the project.

In short, Fashola has run Lagos with disregard for “stomach infrastructure.”

Despite being a beneficiary of free education himself, he hiked Lagos State University fees from N25,000 to N360,000.

Protesting students descended on his office with cooking-pots and firewood. Even the well-todo have not been spared from the state’s multiple tax burdens.

Nevertheless, Lagos has the highest debtprofile of any state in the federation.

The large community of Igbo Lagosians has also been alienated by the APC policy of deporting some poor Igbo back to their homestates in the dead of night.

Time-up

A

s a result, the bell tolls for the APC in Lagos. Just think how many votes can be harvested by telling commuters an incoming PDP government will allow okadas back on the roads. Or think how many votes the PDP can get by promising to revoke the hated toll-collection on the Lekki/Ajah expressway.

If you add to all this the imminent implosion that is likely as Tinubu tries yet again to impose his own candidate as APC gubernatorial flag-bearer without the benefit of a democratic election, then the chances are high that APC might be dethroned in Lagos.

The irony here is that while APC bigwigs are angling for two birds in the bush in Abuja in 2015, they are likely to lose their bird-in-hand in Lagos.

Many Lagosians are increasingly fed up with the APC. After fifteen years of limited “stomach infrastructure,” Lagos is finally ripe for the plucking by the PDP.

18— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 IT appears some Nigerians would only be satisfied if each family gets a State.

Even then, husband and wife may not agree on who becomes the governor of their State. Things are that ridiculous.

The recommendation of the National Conference that 18 new States be created is not for the well-being of Nigerians. How did the National Conference arrive at its decision? What contributions would 18 new States make to the development of Nigeria? Did the conference contemplate the implications of 18 new governors, 18 new State Assemblies, 18 new judiciary, with the other attendant bureaucracies?

We have passed the stage where new States would develop Nigeria. For years, new States have added to the national burden by diluting resources that would have been used in more productive areas.

States raise divisiveness to new levels.

For every State created, there are at least another five that are denied. New minorities are raised. New political questions, some worse that the ones state creation intended to solve, emerge. Boundary disputes, disruption of careers in the public service are other issues. Agitations in new

New State For Everyone States quickly overtake matters that resulted in their creation. Most importantly, state creation leaves some States without adequately skilled work force.

Some States inherit poor bureaucracies.

Civil servants are promoted above their competences to fill the top jobs in the new State. Indigenisation ensures removal of non-indigenes from key positions while indigenes fill the places even when they are not qualified.

Many of those who assume responsibilities in new States are often promoted above their competence in order to fill vacuums departing workers from other States created. With more States, the challenges become recurring, and endure.

A surprise of the National Conference’s recommendation is that it being made at the height for the clamour for a reduction in the cost of governance. Various options have been suggested for reducing costs at a time of dwindling revenues. Among the suggestions was reduction of the number of States. Some had argued for collapsing the States to six regions, along the lines of the six existing geo-political grouping of the 36 States.

States assumed undue importance once they became centres for allocation of national resources. They are also power centres. Every State produces new set of local power mongers, who quickly establish links with other power points in sustained self-service.

These come at great costs. The revenue allocations that would have been allocated to existing States are fragmented to a point where they barely meet the needs of bureaucracies. Resources for programmes that would benefit the people are wasted on bureaucracies.

States have become drains on the economy. Ceaseless agitations for them issue from the greed of politicians.

OPINION

BY KAYODE OLAITAN

G

OVERNOR Sule Lamido of Jigawa recently said that full flight operations will begin on July 14 at the Dutse International Airport.

Tourism experts affirm that the airport, located in a strategic plain of the agrarian Jigawa, about four kilometres to Dutse, will boost the economy of the state.

Observers note that the airport, intended to be the perishable cargo hub in the region, will greatly enhance the income of farmers in the area who would have access to international markets for their produce.

Besides, they opine that the airport will boost tourism in Jigawa, as it has the capacity to accommodate jumbo aircraft with its 3.6 kilometres runway.

Lamido said the building of the airport became a necessity in order to attract investors to the state.

He said in an interview recently that there were many investors willing to come to the state if there was a functional and safe airport. The airport is a thing of necessity; when Bill Gates came to Nigeria to boost global fight against polio, he was to come to Jigawa on polio issues but because there was no airport, he couldn’t come.

The access was not just there because of the feeling of insecurity travelling on our roads; even from Kano State,’’ he said.

Lamido said the project, which started in February, 2014 was worth N11 billion, observing that the airport would be the hub in the region in terms of agricultural produce export.

We are also into livestock production;

Dutse Int ernational Air por er International Airpor portt: Matt Matter erss arising therefore we can export the produce from the airport, so it is going to be a cargo cum commercial airport.

People from the Federal Civil Aviation Authority are there now working on where they are going to put the foundation for the warehouses.

So, this state has the potential to be the hub of the north in terms of economy, tourism and a number of things,’’ he said.

Malam Nura Mohammed, a farmer in Jahun, a major town in the state, said with the airport, a lot of perishable agricultural produce could be exported to other parts of the world.

He noted that in the past, perishable goods, such as vegetables, water melons, mangoes, tomatoes, pepper and groundnuts, among others, that were produced in excess, wasted.

Ms. Stella Oduah, then Minister of Aviation, during her inspection of the airport, promised that the Federal Government would also construct a perishable cargo terminal to enhance the transport of agricultural produce in the region.

She assured the residents of the state of the support of Federal Government in the effective running of the airport to boost socio-commercial activities in the state. It is the vision of the government to mainstream aviation to accomplish several economic purposes.

The airport will also deal on perishable items; Jigawa should be our perishable hub

for this area and we have huge plan for perishable cargo,’’ Oduah said.

President Goodluck Jonathan laid the foundation of the airport on Nov.6, 2012 while the first flight was taken by Lamido to Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, from where he left for Saudi Arabia for the hajj.

Malam Umar Kyari, Lamido’s Director of Press, said government embarked on the airport project in order to boost economic development in the state.

The proposed airport was an attempt by the administration to boost the economic activities of the state. The airport would also go a long way in attracting more investors, based on the World Bank’s report which described Jigawa as an investment haven because of the prevailing peace in the state,’’ he quoted Lamido as saying.

In spite of the benefits of the airport as outlined by the governor and his aides, some residents of the state believe that the airport ought not to have been built. Alhaji Faruk Aliyu, who lost at the last governorship election on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change, said building an airport in Jigawa could be ``a misplacement of policy.

With Kano, having an international airport; and being only 100 kilometres away from Dutse, there should have been no need to venture into that kind of project.’’

Supporting Aliyu, Alhaji Nasiru Dantiye, a former member of the House of Representatives, said an airport project

might not be one of the projects that could attract investors to a state. I have not seen where airport will help the economy when other infrastructure has not been put in place. Jigawa is 80 per cent an agrarian society, the government has not provided essential agricultural implements nor agrochemicals as well as markets for the produce,’’ he alleged.

Lamido however said that Katsina State, Gombe State and Kebbi had built airports which had opened up commercial activities in the states, insisting that the case of Jigawa would not be a different story. The governor said that the state government spent N393 million for payment of compensation to the indigenes for the acquisition of their lands.

He said that his administration had completed the construction of the runway, control tower, terminal building, fire service, car park, emergency bay and access road.

According to Lamido, the project which he stressed is key to development of the state, is being executed in collaboration with the Federal Government, adding that the Federal Government would reimburse the state money spent on the project.

Stakeholders want the governor to complete the project before he leaves office, in order to avoid policy somersault.

*Mr. Olaitan is a staff of the News Agency of Nigeria.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—19

E

VERY nation takes her security very seriously. The only difference being the degree of investments, which vary according to individual experiences and circumstances.

The more involved you are in security, the more of your ability to contain both internal and external threats. At the height of Saddam Hussein's reign, after the Iran-Iraq war, he was able to bring stability to Iraq. All contending forces - Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, etc, bowed to his superior control. Today where is Iraq?

No nation has faced a greater threat from its neighbours like the state of Israel, but because of this awareness and their determination to overcome the threat, they have worked themselves to become, arguably, the greatest army on earth.

Every Israeli adult is a trained military personnel; so, when there is a need for it, they are called up to defend their nation.

The United States at one time had policies that made it compulsory for every male adult to undergo military training, but because of the activities of human rights activists and people like Mohammed Ali, the policy has been toned down. The result of this is that the United States now prefer to go to war without involving the ground troops.

They have improved on their technology in such a way that they can send drone planes to carry out attacks on enemy territories without risking lives.

They are even working on the potential use of robots to fight wars. The same thing is happening in so many other countries. Japan, that use to be a peaceful nation, since the end of the Second World War, recently displayed to the world its naval capabilities when faced by threat from China. Russia, China, North Korea are all flexing muscles.

You cannot be a safe and respected nation if you do not have the ability to put away enemies from your territories and, that is why the new theatre of war for insurgents is Africa.

They have found it difficult to penetrate the supposed enemies Israel, USA, Britain, France, etc, because these ones have put measures in place at containing them. Nigeria, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, Somali, Mali, Uganda and others, are now at the mercy of insurgents. Everyone of the listed African countries do not have the capacity to fight this war without the assistance of our Western friends - Europe and America.

That is the situation we have found ourselves in Nigeria, with daily attacks by the Boko Haram against our military, instead of the other way round. The Boko Haram are the ones chasing us out in the open, instead of us

As Jonathan moves to rescue pensioners

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

L

AST week, President Goodluck Jonathan took the bull by the horn by appending his signature on the Pension Bill which was recently passed into law by the two chambers of the National Assembly, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Nigeria has in recent times witnessed large scale fraud among pension administrators in the country. The law before now was not strong enough to protect workers who had served the country meritoriously as there were loopholes where those saddled with the responsibility to oversee the pension scheme had cashed-in on the lacuna created by the law to milk the pensioners.

Even efforts of the interim management of the Pension Commission, PENCOM, led by the Acting DG, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, to block all the loopholes were not enough as there was no stiff penalty against the pension thieves.

It was actually her leadership, through the support and approval of the President that escalated reforms in the pension industry. It seemed everybody was afraid of the pension thieves.

The provisions for the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorates, PTADs, were there all the while, but nobody activated the PTADs because it literally meant nobody could have had access to the pension funds of those who retired before the coming into force of the PENSION REFORM ACT 2004.

It took Jonathan's administration, through the advice of the Acting DG, to activate it and appoint a DG for the Directorate of PTADs. That was actually the main reason some powerful interests worked assiduously to make sure the Bill did not succeed under various disguises.

Although there have been many Bills passed into law by the National Assembly which are awaiting the signature of the President

The nation must learn to take care of those who have served her meritoriously, and by so doing there will be an end to disgruntled elements and by extension, insurgencies

,

pursuing and fishing them out of the Sambisa forest. They even give out advance notices of their intended attack and go out to fulfil same.

T

his brings us to the issue of our armed forces. Where are our reservists? It is said that " once a soldier, always a soldier", what have we done with our own?

Pensioners should be very useful in the kind of war that we are presently engaged in. The army is an institution that has a national spread; that is, all ethnic groups in the nation, are represented here. At a time the population was heavily tilted towards the North because of the pre-dominance of coups and counter-coups. I ask again, where are the military pensioners from all these areas and what has the society done with them? Have we treated them rightly for them to be useful to the nation at a time

Jonathan, it was heartwarming he did not waste time to append his signature on this all important law. There were myriads of challenges before President Jonathan came into power but his administration has made efforts to address these problems and these efforts of the administration in rescuing pensioners by repositioning the system is commendable.

Besides, the National Assembly has not left anybody in doubt since the scam in the pension administration was exposed that it was ready to reposition the system.

Before now also, nobody wanted to do something serious about expanding what constitutes offences in the pension industry and setting stringent penalties against this man's inhumanity to fellow man until Jonathan came.

One of the challenges facing the pension system was also the judiciary and that is why the National President of the Federal Universities Pensioners Association, FUPA, Dr. Ayuba Kura, in a recent statement where he commended the Federal Government, the National Assembly and the acting management of the PENCOM, called the judiciary to come up with stiffer penalties for pension thieves.

The main thrusts of the Pension Reform (Amendment) Act 2014 which has been signed into law, are to enhance the powers of the National Pension Commission, PENCOM, in the institution’s regulatory and enforcement activities and to enhance the protection of pension fund assets.

It also strives to unlock the opportunities for the deployment of pension assets for national development, review the sanctions regime to reflect current realities, provide for the participation of the informal sector and also provide the framework for the adoption of the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, by states and local governments.

It is a product of the joint effort of the

like this? Or, we have abandoned them, leaving them to seek solace in local liquor?

When they are not paid their pensions as at when due, when their allowances are being embezzled by civil servants in high places, when as a result they cannot fend for themselves, how do we expect them to be useful to us? The activities of the insurgents have exposed us to some basic defects in the running of our administration, and those in authority must begin to take actions at correcting these defects now.

It takes a great chunk of the national budget to train a military man to the equivalent rank of a major, not to talk of colonel, brigadier and general. They have attended the best schools, both in Nigeria and abroad.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, our military, that are the so-called "government properties", after heavy investments in these trainings, are made to retire at very young ages because of factors like ethnicity, coups, frequent changes in administration and so on. And these young men are subsequently thrown out of the barracks, unprepared for the harsh realities of life outside the military. Those without connections or stolen wealth are made to live in misery, while the pension mistreatment by the authorities adds salt to injury.

Do we have a comprehensive list of our retired military personnel?

And their present locations? Some of them have been retired at the relatively young age of 35 to 40 years; what do you expect a man of 40 years to do, when all his life he has been used to the regimented life of soldiering?

If our military pensioners have

,

BY SUNNY IKHIOYA

,

Insurgency: Where are our military reserves?

The Act as amended has now, therefore, repositioned the PTADs to ensure greater efficiency and accountability in the administration of the Defined Benefits Scheme

,

Goodluck Jonathan administration and the National Assembly to put an end to the era of impunity and in some instances widespread corruption in the various pension departments. The Act has enhanced the regulatory authority and efficiency of the Commission to provide greater oversight on, and reposition the PTADs for greater efficiency and accountability in the administration and payment of pensions under the Defined Benefits Scheme.

Some of the major amendments by the Act are to restructure the System of Administration of Pensions under the Defined Benefits Scheme, PTAD: (Sections: 42-49 of the Bill) The implementation of the provisions of the Pension Reform Act 2004 dealing with the establishment of PTADs for the administration of pensions for pensioners under Defined Benefits Scheme has been challenging due to many ambiguities in the law and widespread corruption.

While the number of pensioners under this Defined Pension Scheme or old pension scheme (that is those who retired before the Pension Reform Act 2004 came into being) were supposed to be dropping since no new people are joining and those under it are growing ripe in age and passing on, the number has been increasing.

Various Pension Departments inflate the

been treated well, they would have formed a large army of reservists today, helping in their own way to contain the activities of the insurgents, especially in the area of information gathering, intelligence and training of the local civilians.

'Once a soldier, always a soldier' If you want ours to be useful to the country after service, we must begin to put strong institutions in place to take care of their welfare after retirement. It must not be by lip service, but by practical actions. Start by taking a count of all retired soldiers, their ranks, specialty/departments, locations, on local government basis.

It is also noted that amongst the insurgents, are ex-military men, maybe those who are disgruntled with the system and the way they had been treated. The department in charge of military pensions must begin to work now.

What is happening at the military pension office also extend to many parastatals and agencies of government. For example, the NNPC will send a man on retirement at 40 years who will be on pension for the remaining period of his life. Young men as pensioners? That is not how it is supposed to be and that is why the overheads of the NNPC cannot be contained.

The nation must learn to take care of those who have served her meritoriously, and by so doing there will be an end to disgruntled elements and by extension, insurgencies.

*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

numbers with ghost pensioners (those who never existed and those who existed, but had died and were not declared dead to the government by the Pension Departments). It is under the scheme that all the heavy lootings happen unlike the Contributory Pension Scheme.

The Act as amended has now therefore repositioned the PTADs to ensure greater efficiency and accountability in the administration of the Defined Benefits Scheme in a way that payment of pensions would be made by the Accountant General of the Federation directly into pensioners’ bank accounts in line with the current policy of the Federal Government rather than channeling the benefits through the various Pension Departments that reek with embezzlement and impunity.

Also Section 4(1) of the Act makes provision for the upward review of minimum rate of pension contribution from a minimum 15 percent (a minimum of 7-5 percent each by employer and employee).

This means that the contribution for any employee to which this Bill applies shall be made in the following rates relating to his monthly emoluments: (a) a minimum of ten percent by the employer; and (b) a minimum of eight per cent by the employee Subsection (2): The rates of contribution mentioned in subsection (1) of this section may, upon agreement between any employer and employee be revised upwards, from time to time, and the Commission shall be notified of such revision.

Section 3 of the Law states that any employee to whom this Bill applies may, in addition to the total contributions being made by him and his employee, make voluntary contributions to his Retirement Savings Account.

It is believed that with the present Pension Law and the efficient management in PENCOM, pensioners will no longer groan in tears.

*Mr. Agbakwuru is a staff of Vanguard Newspapers.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 21

Recapitalisation: ABCON rejects amendments to BDCs’ requirements

By PETER EGWUATU

A

SSOCIATION of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has kicked against the amendments to the new requirements for BDC operations, saying it is an indirect attempt to empower few operators in the sub-sector and consequently force many of the BDC operators into liquidation.

Recall last week, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) amended the new requirements for BDC operations announced on June 23rd. The deadline for compliance was increased to July 31st, while the mandatory caution deposit of N35 million would now attract interest at savings account rate.

President of the Association, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe said ABCON, appreciates the amendments and also supports meaningful and achievable reforms in the sub-sector, but contended that the amendments are far from the recommendations made by the Association during a meeting the CBN Governor had with its

Executive Council on July 1st.

“We recommended that the new minimum capital base be reduced to N15 million, while deadline for compliance

should not be less than one year as it is the tradition of the CBN in the recapitaliation excercise for other regulated enties. This is because no organisation can

meet the statutory requirements for recapitalization, either by raising fresh capital or through mergers/acquisition, within the period stipulated as deadline by the CBN

From left: Mr Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, Business Development, Bank of Industry; Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD/CEO and Alhaji Muhammed Alkali, Executive Director Operations during a press briefing with BOI MD to unveil his transformation plan for the bank, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Internet can contribute $300bn to Africa’s GDP by 2025 — Johnson

M

INISTER of Communications Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, says the Information Technolo-

gy sector has the potential to rake up to $300 billion to Africa by 20125, from an estimated $18 billion in 2013.

The Minister spoke at the African Internet Forum, AIGF, organised by Ni-2.55 166.85 geria Internet Regulatory Agency, NIRA, an 3,112.00 -12.00 arm of the National Information Technology 17.55 -0.26 Development Agency, NITDA in Abuja.

Johnson said current trends show that the 110.25 -0.39 sector is about springing up a big surprise to the 103.49 -0.57 whole world by way of Africa surpassing some CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL SELLING developed regions in DOLLAR 154.73 155.23 155.73 use of technology and STERLING 264.8978 265.7538 266.6098 internet penetration.

EURO 210.4173 211.0973 211.7772 She said this developFRANC 173.0954 173.6548 174.2141 ment should be seen by YEN 1.5192 1.5241 1.529 Nigeria and other AfriCFA 0.3029 0.3129 0.3229 can nations as opportuWAUA 238.5186 239.2893 240.0601 RENMINBI 24.9395 25.0205 25.1015 nities to generate inRIYAL 41.2558 41.3891 41.5225 come, to create wealth, KRONA 28.2179 28.3091 28.4003 to create jobs, new busiSDR 238.8876 239.6596 240.4315 ness opportunities and economic expansion.

CBN Exchange rate as at 09/07/2014

According to her, that is the very opportunities African governments should look for to transform their economies and the economic lives of their populations. adding that internet and the connectivity network also presents opportunities for improving the social welfare of Africa and Africans.

“The Internet can contribute up to 300 billion United States dollars to Africa’s GDP by 2025; and this is from an estimated 18 billion in 2013.’

“For a region that lags behind the world in almost every economic indicator, this translates directly to opportunities to generate income, to create wealth, to create jobs, new business opportunities and economic expansion, the very opportunities African governments are looking for and need to transform their economies and the economic lives of their populations,” said the Minister.

for BDCs to meet the new minimum capital requirements. By asking BDCs to recapitalize within one month, the CBN is probably asking them to disregard these statutory requirements, and hence commit illegality.

We also recommended that the mandatory caution deposit should be eliminated as there is no justification for such deposit. BDCs are not deposit taking organisations, we operate on cash and carry basis. We pay for CBN dollars two days in advance. So there is no need for such deposits,” Gwadabe said.

He said that ABCON also rejects the decision of the apex bank to limit the weekly dollar sale to BDCs that meet the new requirements by July 31st, saying it will bring back the activities of black market and incidence of fake currency in circulation,which the BDCs were able to abolish as a result of their involvement as monetary tool of the CBN in 2006 during the tenure of the former CBN Governor.

The policy will give the banks the opportunity to hijack the weekly dollar sales to BDCs. Before CBN started selling dollars to BDCs in 2006, banks were not interested in BDC business. But as soon as the dollar sale started, they saw it as an avenue to make cheap profit, and pressurized the CBN to categorized the sub-sector into Class “A” and Class “B” BDCs.

Women empowerment critical to Nigeria’s economic devt — Wigwe, others

By MICHAEL EBOH

F

OR Nigeria to make significant progress in the area of eco nomic growth, development and also achieve its Vision 20:2020 objectives, it must focus on empowering and supporting women across all sectors and strata of the country, said Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mrs. Kehinde Kamson, Chief Executive Officer, Sweet Sensation and others.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘W Initiative,’ the bank’s approach to banking women, Wigwe lamented the fact that despite statistics showing that a third of Small and Medium scale Enterprises, SMES, in Nigeria are owned by women, banking services are still skewed in favour of men.

He disclosed that over the last couple of years, the bank has carried out a series of research, especially on women, and it found out that women should be supported if Nigeria must make progress. He added that through the research, the bank found out that women have lower default rate than men in terms of loans repayment.

He wondered why most banks in the country find it difficult to grant facilities to women, despite the low default rate of women in terms of loan repayment.

Mrs. Ope Wemi-Jones, Group Head, Inclusive Banking, Access Bank Plc, said the bank is concerned about the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, hence its decision to design and launch the ‘W Initiative.’

She said the initiative is for every woman across all strata of the society and across the globe who desires to be empowered, connected and who seeks to contribute meaningfully to developing their society and the country in general.

22— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

INVESTORS Top 10 performing stocks

INDEX MOVEMENT

BY NKIRUKA NNOROM

O

n the top 10 performing stocks last week were Forte Oil Plc, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, Ashaka Cement Plc, Transnational Corporation of Nigeria (Transcorp) Plc, D N Meyer Plc and Niger Insurance Plc. The rest were Royal Exchange Assurance Plc, Learn Africa Plc, Vitafoam Plc and R.T Briscoe (Nig.) Plc. Forte Oil, which led the pack, appreciated by 16.98 percent or N33.98 to close at N234.06 from N200.08 per share.

As part of positive developments attributable to the company, it was penultimate week included in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE’s elite stocks (high priced stocks). NSE high priced stocks are securities that have traded an average of N100 or more per share in four out of the last six months period. By including the company to the league, the Exchange said it has met the criteria over the set period. With the development, stockbrokers will be able to move the price of Forte Oil’s shares either upward or downward with just a volume of 10, 000 units, while 50,000 units are required to move the prices of other stocks not included in high priced stocks either way. This is after it was recently included in Morgan Stanley Capital International Index last month. MSCI Index is an international index designed to measure equity market performance in global emerging markets.

Available unaudited second quarter result of the company for June 2014 showed revenue growth of 20.6 percent from N49.67 billion reported in Q2 2013 to N59.96 billion, while its profit after tax surged by 62.6 percent to N1.39 billion from N855.537 million in 2013. It has delivered 115.35 percent return on investment to investors in the last six months.

NPF Microfinance Bank followed with 16.67 percent or N0.14 price appreciation to close at N0.98 from N0.84 per share.

The bank held its 20th annual general meeting last month where shareholders approved N228.7 million dividends in keeping with its tradition of consistent dividend payment. Some changes were also made in the Board composition with appointment of the former acting Managing Director, Mr. Akinwumi Lawal, to substantive position and Mr. Jude Ohanehi, who was until last month, the Head, Finance and Administration as an Executive Director. This, according to market

watchers will galvanise more growth for the bank. The available financial statement for the second quarter to June 2014 showed gross earnings rose to N1.01 billion from N841.92 million as of half year 2013, a 20.32 percent increase. The bank also recorded a double digit growth in net interest income as it grew by 12.23 percent to N585.24 million in 2014 compared with N521.41 million in the preceding year. The microfinance bank was able to translate the impressive top-line performance to bottomline growth as profit before tax (PBT) grew by 34 percent to N338.65 million in Q2 2014 from N252.85 million in the same period in 2013.

Ashaka Cement Plc was the next with 1 2 . 2 4 percent or N3.55 price increase as its share price rose to N32.55 from N29.00 it started the week at. Ashakacem was recently included in the NSE 30 Index following the bi-annual review.

Stocks to be included in the 30 Index are selected based on their market capitalisation from the most liquid sectors. The liquidity is based on the number of times the stock is traded during the preceding two quarters. To be included, the stock must be traded for at least 70 percent of the number of times the market opened for business. For the second quarter to June 2014, Ashakacem posted 7.74 percent increase in turnover as the figure rose to N6.505 billion from N6.038 billion. The profit after tax for the period increased by 64.45 percent to N1.92 billion compared to N1.13 billion recorded in the corresponding period in 2013.

Transcorp added 10.69 percent or N0.56 to close at N5.80 from N5.24 at the beginning of the week; D N Meyer advanced by 8.62 percent or N0.10 to close at N1.26 from N1.16; Niger Insurance and Royal Exchange Assurance shares went up by eight percent or N0.04 apiece from N0.50 to N0.54 respectively.

Learn Africa advanced by 7.10 percent or N0.11 to close at N1.66 from N1.55; Vitafoam followed with 6.83 percent or N0.28 to close at N4.38 from N4.10, while R.T Briscoe’s shares went up by 6.54 percent or N0.07 to close at N1.14 from N1.07 per share.

Critical amendments to S Protection Fund (2)

T

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in good faith has decided to establish the National Investors’ Protection Fund (NIPF). There are, however, sections of the guidelines for the operation of the Fund that needs to be amended to ensure that the objectives are not frustrated. These are in additions to weaknesses in the framework for operating the Fund, severally highlighted in previous editions.

One of the sections that of the guidelines the Commission needs to reconsider or restructure is Section 10 and 11.

Section 10 states, “The Fund shall be managed by the Board of Directors or such Fund Manager as may be appointed by the Board” “Where the Fund is managed by a Fund Manager: (a) The Fund Manager shall be duly registered by the Commission; b) The Fund Manager shall invest the

resources of the Fund as shall be appro the Board from time to time; c) The Proceeds from the investmen Fund shall either be further inves deposited in a designated account as s determined by the Board”.

Both sections read together looks harml normal, but they are not, especially juxtaposed with the guidelines as a who issue here is how should the proceed Fund be managed? The guidelines Vis sections 10 and 12 says, ANYHO determined by the Board. In other wo Board can put the Fund in any t investment, and if anything goes wrong, be liable. This is liberty for recklessness Allowing the Board the liberty to inv proceeds of the Fund in any kind of inve is risky. It is unfortunate that those who the guidelines were oblivious of this real of the great lessons of the global financi is that, Fund managers or Board of fi institutions should not be given the lib

WS MARKET NE

3 insurance firms, 2 others present scorecards

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

HREE insurance companies - Law Union and Rock Plc, Niger Insurance Plc and Continental Reinsurance - have released their various financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2013.

Their results submitted to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, last week, have brought the number of underwriting firms to have made their 2013 reports and accounts available to the investing public to just seven out of about 29 listed on the Exchange. University Press Plc and Vono Products Plc also submitted their reports for year ended December 31, 2013 and third quarter ended September 30, 2013 respectively.

Review of the reports submitted, indicated that Law

Union and Rock recorded mixed performance within the year with the gross premium written falling to N3.443 billion from N4.163 billion in 2012, while it posted profit after tax of N485.43 million as against loss after tax of N1.337 billion in 2012.

This represents 17.3 percent decrease and 136.3 percent increase in gross written premium and PAT respectively. Niger Insurance on its own recorded marginal increase of 1.1 percent in gross written premium with the figure rising to N10.443 billion within the review period from N10.330 billion in the same period in 2012. The post tax profit, however, weakened, falling by 19.2 percent to N627.425 million in 2013 from N776.293 million in 2012, while the basic earnings per share fell by 19.1 percent to 8.11 kobo from 10.03 kobo during the corresponding period in 2012. The Board of Directors is proposing 3.5 kobo dividend subject to

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 23

S FORUM INVESTORS SPEAK

T

Companies have nothing to lose for being delisted

•Robert Igwe

SEC’s Investors

oved by

nt of the sted or shall be

less and y when ole. The s of the s-à-VisOW, as rds, the type of it won’t s. vest the estment drafted ity. One ial crisis inancial berty to

t

invest monies in their care in any type of investment. It is for this reason, that banks are now directed to operate on stand-alone basis, so as to ensure that depositors’ funds are not invested in risky investment products.

Hence it is surprising that in crafting the guidelines for the NIPF, SEC is allowing the Board the liberty to invest its proceeds in anything. This may be because the SEC D-G is also going to be the Chairman of the Board of the NIPF. But even if this is so, it is still risky.

The D-G and other members of the Board are humans, and they can err, deliberately or otherwise.

Thus, it is highly recommended that Sections 10 and 11, be amended with clauses that specify the scope of investments products or services the proceeds of the Fund can be invested in.

The amendments must clearly specify what the Board or Fund manager cannot do with the proceeds of the Fund, and the penalties for doing so. This Do’s and Don’ts, in terms of what the proceeds of the Fund can be invested in, may look unnecessary today, but they are necessary in the light of the lessons of the global financial crisis, and most importantly, to avoid ‘stories that touch’ in the future.

shareholders approval at the yearly meeting at the end of the month.

Continental Reinsurance’s Group revenue increased to N15.859 billion from N12.398 billion, representing 27.9 percent increase, while its profit after tax for the period rose by 1.15 percent to N1.753 billion from N1.733 billion in 2012. The Board of Directors has also recommended 11 kobo dividends to be approved by shareholders next month.

Vono Products also recorded mixed performance as its turnover rose from N525.8million in 2012 to N841.4 million in the review period, a 60.02 percent increase.

The company, however, continued its streak of losses, posting loss after tax of N4.8 million from another loss position of N91.6 million in 2012.

University Press year end result for March, 2014 was also mixed. While its revenue rose to N2.438 billion from N2.313 billion in 2013, it posted N233.925 million in profit as against N260.702 million reported in 2013, representing 5.4 percent increase and 10.3 percent decrease in turnover and post tax profit respectively. Shareholders of the company will have the opportunity to approve 35 kobo dividend already recommended by the Board when the meet on September.

•Godwin Anono

•Peter Owolabi

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, recently announced plans to delist 21 companies that have not lived up to the obligations that would sustain them as quoted companies.

To many shareholders, the action is justifiable considering not only their inability to pay their dues to the Exchange but having failed also to operate profitably to ensure returns for their shareholders. According to some of them who spoke with Vanguard Investors Forum, it is the minority shareholders that always bear the brunt any time companies are delisted, thus the need for the regulator to always consider their plight while embarking on actions that affect them. Excerpt:

BY WILLIAM JIMOH

M

r. Peter Owolabi, National Coordinator, Integrated Supreme Shareholders Association of Nigeria: There is nothing like investors losing their money. If any company says it does not want to be under the Nigerian Stock Exchange any longer, there is no force in that.

Many companies have delisted and they still exist and are still in operation while many of them have even expanded their capacity and turnover.

The reason why the companies were delisted was because they did not make their returns to the Exchange as contained in the listing rules.

They are expected to submit their reports on quarterly basis in addition to this, if there is any information or development about the company, they have to inform the Exchange.

But these companies failed in this obligations and that is why they were delisted. If they have been able to pay their money regularly to the Exchange even without investors getting any return, they would have continued to remain in the market.

If this is so, then investors should ask the NSE what action it has been taking against those companies that present their quarterly reports, pay their dues to the Exchange as at when due, but their investors have nothing to take home.

So, if a company is unable to make returns to its shareholders, why do you expect it to be wasting money paying dues to the Exchange? It is better they get out of the system. This is because the charges by the NSE have been on the increase.

And if being delisted does not mean the company is closing shop,

then it is good for them if they consider it the way forward. When Coca Cola delisted, did that stop their operation in Nigeria, or stop people from holding their shares? No! The only implication this will have is that unlike when they are listed and investors were relating to them through the NSE, they can now relate with the company directly. All the shares in these companies are still intact only that when you want to trade on the shares, there is no fixed price.

M

r.

Godwin Anono, Chairman, Standard Shareholders Association of Nigeria: Delisting is not really the answer because at the end of the day, it is the investors that suffer because we always bear the loss. Also, any time a company is delisted from the exchange, if you as a shareholder should visit the company, they look at you as an intruder.

At the same time, they no longer care about what the shareholders go through. If you look at all the companies that have been delisted from Exchange, none of them calls for shareholders’ meeting or send financial reports, you can go and make your enquires. What their chairmen and Board of Directors believe is that once the company is delisted, it has become their personal property.

The stock exchange is not doing enough by delisting them. What they should do is that as part of their listing rules, if a company fails to summit its financial report within a period of two years or hold Annual General Meeting for a period of two years, NSE will hold the AGM on behalf of the minority shareholders.

That is one of the ways through which the Exchange can actually protect the interest of the minority shareholders.

But considering the situation we are in right now, many of the companies

deliberately withhold their reports so that the NSE will get frustrated and delist them while the company becomes their own. That is how they see it.

There is no company that has been delisted that calls for either AGM or EGM or any other meeting of the shareholders.

These companies only use the Exchange as a means to get the public fund and expand their business. But don’t forget that if the companies should go to the bank to borrow money and they default, the bank will place them receivership. So, why can’t SEC do something to help shareholders? How can SEC just allow the investors to be lured into giving money to companies and after they have collected their own commission and what have you, the companies are delisted. So, SEC is not really helping matters. What I also believe should be done is that at the end of every three financial years and a listed company refuses to call for AGM, the SEC will come in.

It will now be left for those companies to choose between SEC taking over the company and doing what is expected of them at the appropriate time.

There are companies that have collected investors’ money and at the end of the day, they disappear into thin air. After waiting for some time for them to publish their results and they fail, the Exchange will delist them. What follows is that the money the companies collected from the public now become their own. And we the investors completely lose out; they cut us off. They will never call any member of the audit committee and that is what investors have always gone through.

We had an interactive session with SEC recently where we raised this matter and they told us that there is nothing they can do. This, we believe, is not true because there are lots of things they can do.

C

hief Robert Igwe, Former General Secretary, Nigerian Shareholders Solidarity Association: The shareholders who have shares in these companies are not happy because their investments will be eroded, considering the process through which these companies are being delisted.

This is the reason why shareholders need to be informed before companies are delisted. The regulator can ensure this by converging leaders of shareholders associations when such action is about to be taken.

In fact, this is one of the reasons these associations were formed, to make sure that whatsoever problem the regulators have with the companies, they can get in touch with the shareholders and put heads together to take actions that will be in the best interest of the investors, the regulator and the market.

This is better than the regulatory body to just wake up one day and take a decision on their own. This has always made shareholders unhappy with the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

24 —

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Why fuel subsidy must go — NNPC ... Says regime discouraging investors

BY SEBASTINE OBASI & CHRIS OCHAYI

T

HE Nigeria National Pe troleum Corporation, NNPC, has said the only way to encourage investors to build more refineries in the country, is to create favourable business environment through deregulation of the downstream sector.

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, made the remarks while speaking at a capacity building workshop for energy journalists in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

He noted that the current business environment in the sector was not conducive enough to attract investors because there was no guarantee investors would make returns that are commensurate with the

DPR launches E-issuance of permits

T

HE Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, said it would soon commence electronic processing and issuance of statutory Oil and Gas Industry Service Permits, OGISP. This means that applications for permits and renewal of expiring ones will be submitted online with the required documents.

DPR said that duly completed applications are expected to be processed within 72 hours.

OGISP is a statutory requirement for companies registered in Nigeria seeking to render services in the oil and gas industry and are processed by the DPR under three categories, namely; general, major and specialised.

According to DPR, the new online application processing system is in line with ongoing initiatives in the Department designed to reposition and simplify its processes for more enhanced service delivery.

It explained that the online application system will require applicants to log onto the DPR website to create their company accounts from which the company can apply for different categories of permits upon completing the applicable forms.

The statutory fees are unchanged, while there will be processing fees of N55, N2,500 and N7, 500 charged for the three different categories of service permits respectively.

From left: Mr Gabriel Leoni, Consultant, Techshop; Mr Gbola Sobande, Strategic Account Executive, General Electric (GE); Mr Egbuta Okey, Manager Project and Operations, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Mr Usman Abubakar, Manager, Capacity Building NCDMB, during a visit by the Board of NCDMB to General Electric where the high-end modern technologies on display at the ‘GE Garages’ were examined, in Lagos.

PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi. investments.

According to him, “the media occupy a very important position in the scheme of things in Nigeria. In fact, globally, the media are part of every nation’s development process, provide the barometer to monitor and ensure that laid down procedures and processes are adhered

to in every sector.

“The oil and gas sector therefore is not left out. The challenges are often misconstrued. However, being a major drive of the nation’s economy and contributing to more than 90% of the country’s foreign exchange; Nigerians have to contend with issues that daily emanate from

us.

“There are a lot of challenges in the sector that are often misconstrued and leave room for distortions of information, therefore the workshop is organised to ensure a better understanding of the sector.”

The GMD noted that, “in line with the Federal Government’s

aspiration to transform the industry and especially the NNPC into an integrated oil and gas company, on assumption of office, we evaluated the situation of the sector and set out strategies to improve crude oil production.

“It is pertinent to note that Nigeria’s production and export is dependent on four main crude export pipelines - the Trans Forcados pipeline to the west, the Ogbanbiri/Temidaba/Brass pipelines in the centre, the Trans Niger pipeline, and Nembe Creek trunk line to the east respectively.

“When these pipelines are compromised and vandalised, over 500,000 barrels of oil per day are potentially at risk. Being able to produce over 2.3 billion barrels per day in the current challenging environment can be regarded as a big feet itself.

“Consequently, the Federal Government had to intervene with the setting up of a Committee consisting members of the Economic Committee. With the help of the Committee, production increased slightly last year and is currently ramping up.

We hope to see further improvement by year end.

“Interestingly, the period saw improvement in the performance of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited, the NNPC’s flagship exploration and production subsidiary.

“As of today, NPDC is proudly the fifth largest producer of crude oil as well as the leading gas supplier in the country.

Nigerians to control 50% of domestic gas market — Seplat

BY SEBASTINE OBASI AND MAUREEN UMEH, With Agency Report

G

OING by the wave of divestments in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, half of the domestic gas market will be in the hands of Nigerians by 2018, Mr. Austin Avuru, Managing Director, Seplat Petroleum has said.

Avuru, stated that independents will be responsible for 1.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/ d), or half of the total supply of natural gas in the domestic market.

He also said that these companies will produce 500,000 barrels of oil per day, or about 20 percent of the Nigerian output by that same year.

“The ongoing divestments by Shell and other IOCs, including Chevron, are transferring significant asset holdings to Nigerians,” Avuru said at a session of the Lagos Oil Club.

He however explained that these figures can only be

reached and sustained by the indigenous companies if they focus on strong corporate governance, which allows quality planning and delivery and policy consistency, leading to long term sustainability.

According to Avuru, local firms are yet to cultivate the habit of sustained improvement in production over time, unlike the IOCs operating in the country.

“There is no IOC which was doing 30,000 barrels of oil per day years ago that is not producing 50,000 barrels per day.

But take a look at Nigerian companies who were producing 40,000 barrels per day just 10 years ago,” he added.

However, the Seplat boss expressed optimism that indigenous companies are making head way in the gas sub-sector.

“We are getting to a point where long term domestic energy security is becoming the forte of indigenous companies at the rate we are going. You all

know that in the past 40 years, we have spoken about LPG (domestic consumption of LPG and its consumption in this country).

“No multinational has dared, even when in the last 40 years we have been flaring rich gas, no LPG has come out of the LNG plants, because the gas feeding the LNG plant has to be as dry as possible. It became a requirement to put up an LPG plant upstream of the LNG. And the LNG extracted out of the gas stream is meant for export. It is only when government forced them to put something in the domestic market that they came up with a very complex transportation scheme that made the whole thing almost impossible to transmit the LPG to the domestic market,” he said.

For Avuru, the indigenous outlook beyond 2017 portends increase in production of oil and gas in the country.

“When I talk about indigenous outlook beyond 2017, what do I see? I see production.

“With the wave of divestments, I see that by the end of 2017, indigenous operators, including NPDC and partners will account for at least 500,000 barrels of oil production, and in my view about 1.5 billion scf of gas per day (which will be about 50 percent of domestic gas demand).

“Gas demand in the last four years has climbed from under 500 million scf per day to over 1 billion scf per day. By the end of 2016, it will be approaching 2.5 billion scf to 3 billion scf per day.

As regards shortage of gas to power plants, he explained that there is a shortfall of 400 million scf supply of gas a day to the power sector.

“The demand as we speak today is 400 million scf higher than what we can supply. By the end of this year, when the last batch of the NIPPs would have been sold, the short fall will be 1 biilion scf.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 25

We don’t have $218m to remit — NNPC

BY SEBASTINE OBASI & CHRIS OCHAYI

T

HE Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has absolved itself of owing the Federal Government the sum of $218 million oil revenue.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu, said this while fielded questions from journalists at the workshop organised for Energy Reporters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The denial followed a directive by Senate to return the said amount to government.

In this regard, Yakubu said the Corporation will continue to engage the National Assembly over the non-remittance of funds to the Federation Account.

“We will continue to talk and see may be by and large they will have a change of mind,” he said.

Recall that the Senate had on Thursday, during the presentation of the Finance Committee report, chaired by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, asked NNPC to remit to the Federation Account the sum of $218,069 million.

The sum was part of the unremitted $49.8 billion from oil sale proceeds by the NNPC for the removal of fuel subsidy alleged by the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The Senate, while deliberating on the report, therefore ordered the Corporation to refund to the Federation Account about $218.069 million being the share from third party fi-

nancing agreement it did not remit.

But in a swift response, Yakubu said that the Corporation would continue to engage the National Assembly on the allegation and resolutions, as the money in question was spent on operations to avert fuel crisis in the country.

He explained that the Corporation engaged in business ventures that necessitated the spending of the money, saying, “we will collect the report, we will look at it again and we will continue to explain.”

“It is left for them to judge. I am an accused. I cannot be a Judge in my case. Should I be punished for doing the right things?

“We will continue to talk to see may be by and large they will have a change of mind on any wrong doing.

“If you are to go into a profit making venture you must operate within the business environment that will enable you to make that profit. So, if you create a pricing template that does not take into cognizance some of the challenges that are faced, by virtue of the operating environment that is difficult.

“We have had challenges in Arepo, you know very well that any time that line is breached I cannot use that line, I have vessels and I am made to understand that to avert energy crisis in the country I must have

strategic storage. I don’t have access to my onshore facilities, I don’t have access to my pipeline, so I have offshore storage facility, that is not reflected in the pricing template and when PPPRA is reconciling with me, they use their template” “What we are simply saying is that if we have to do this job, this is the real and true situation of things. Senate in their wisdom looked at it and said well if it is not captured in their template, we don’t care. The question is if i did not do it last year, I don’t think I will be here to talk to you. The same Senate will summon me and ask me why there is no fuel, the only person that can do that is a magician.

T

HE Rivers State Govern ment has announced plans to invest in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, and also to boost gas supply in the state and across the country.

The State Government, according to a statement by Mrs. Ibim Sementari, Commissioner of Information, is also targeting a three per cent growth in its Gross Domestic Product, GDP, from the Greater Port Harcourt City project.

She said the Rivers State Government is projecting 750 megawatts power supply in the next couple of months, adding that to achieve this, the state has built two brand new power stations in Afam, while also completing and expanding the 150MW watts Omoku power station.

Continuing, she stated that the State Government has also

BY EDIRI EJOH WITH Agency Report OTAL has announced plans to cut drilling cost in Nigeria, due to the persistent security challenges it faces in the country. ?

The Chief Executive Officer, Total, Mr. Christophe de Margerie, said the company is waiting till the year end to strike oil at a big new field somewhere before considering whether to change direction and cut the exploration budget.

Reports said the oil major, which launched a drilling strategy that it termed “high-risk, high-reward” two years ago, has had disappointing explorations results so far.

It was learnt that the group could drop the expensive strategy, which had been a shift from Total’s previous, more cautious approach.

Margerie said, “Not before the end of the year; at the end of the year we’ll see if we didn’t get enough.”

He further said the company cannot attain the targeted production capacity of three million barrels of oil equivalent per day set for 2017 due to the on-going crisis in some African countries and other countries of the world.

T

Former militants threaten to disrupt oil exploration

F Oil rig

Rivers plans investment in oil sector

BY MICHAEL EBOH

Insecurity: Total to cut drilling cost in Nigeria

completed the 130MW TransAmadi, and 75MW Eleme power stations.

This, according to her, is in addition to seven transmission stations (132/33 Kilo Volts), and distribution injection substations 33/11Kv built by the state government.

“The Amaechi government is building a domestic gas plant to redistribute gas to domestic users, while also pursuing other ventures in both the upstream and down-stream sectors of the oil and gas industry,” Semenitari added.

“The Mega City, also known as the Greater Port Harcourt City, is perhaps one the biggest most single construction projects east of the Niger. This was planned to gulp up to N100 billion worth of work per year in the first eight years, though funding has slowed down due to drastic fall in federal allocation to the state.

“Experts estimate that this

project alone is capable of growing the state’s economy by three per cent (GDP) through massive infrastructural projects such as the new stadium, new major roads, bulk infrastructure, sewage system, water, power, 11,000 houses, among others. Plots are now being allocated in the megacity and people are vying for slots,” she added.

Also, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. George Feyii, disclosed that Rivers State has set aside a N5 billion microfinance fund, aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and youth empowerment in the state in the shortest possible time.

According to him, the state is also setting up an equity finance fund and venture capital fund to help encourage budding entrepreneur, training them to imbibe sound business skills while also guiding them on their business star-

tups.

He noted that there is an urgent need to train young people on financial management skills, while the venture capital institution will help instill discipline in young people on how to manage their businesses.

He said, “What the government is doing is to make capital available to people who otherwise have no access to capital, and who has great ideas. What that fund does is that the government make their contribution, while professionals fund managers, who have their own fund, match government contribution with their own contribution.

“When proposal for providing capital comes to the fund managers, they evaluate them in a discreet manner and invest on those companies that are starting up.”

ORMER Niger Delta militants have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal and Delta State government to implement the Memorandum of understanding signed between them or they will disrupt the activities of multinational oil companies operating in the region.

The former militants from Ogulagha community, Burutu Council Area of the State vowed to go back to the trenches if the Federal and State government failed to act within the stipulated timeframe.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Bonny Gawei said in 2009 the former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Mr. Timi Alaebe, Col. Yaya of the Joint Task Force and the Delta state through the Chief Judge, entered an agreement with them by providing pipeline surveillance job, supply of equipment to Shell, Chevron and Agip but failed to comply.

Speaking further, he stated that it was agreed that 133 former militants were to be trained in their camp in various skill acquisition centres, lamenting that only 60 of them have being engaged, which he said was grossly inadequate and a breach of agreement.

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

UN to sanction multinationals over rights abuses in Nigeria

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

T

HE United Nations Hu man Rights Council sitting in Geneva, has passed a resolution to hold transnational companies, especially in the oil and gas sector, accountable for environmental and human rights abuses in Nigeria, and anywhere in the world that they operate.

The Executive Director, Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth, Dr. Godwin Ojo, disclosed this at a press briefing in Lagos.

Ojo said the Human Rights Council overwhelmingly voted against Transnational Corporations’ TNC voluntary mechanisms and instead voted for an International legally binding mechanism to regulate the activities of TNCs relating to the protection of human rights.

The victory, Ojo noted, marks another watershed in the struggle for environmental justice since environmental rights are human rights.

The resolution, according to him, was jointly sponsored by Ecuador and South Africa, and is the result of pressure by communities, local and international NGOs and social movements across the world demanding change to save people and the environment.

He said, “ERA/FoEN and its allies including Friends of the Earth International, Oilwatch and Host Communities Network, have been in the forefront of these struggles. Although there were many black legs within the UN system to scuttle the voting, the

majority countries including Nigeria carried the day and the sense of corporate capture of the UN was jolted. The resolution for a uniform legally binding instrument was supported by over 610 organisations, 400 individuals, and 95 countries while 13 states abstained.”

Chair of Friends of the Earth International, Jagoda Munic, reacting to the resolution said: “This is indeed a significant and historic victory; a much needed resolution for those who defend the environment, human rights and sustainable livelihoods from the violations of big business. It shows movement building can really change the power balance and

expose US and EU commitments to the corporate agenda. “In a nutshell, this victory means expanding access to justice, right to protest and protection of environmental defenders, reparation and remediation of damaged environment and livelihoods, and criminal liability for corporate offenders.”

Speaking on the implications of the resolutions, Ojo said: “This monumental victory comes with mixed reactions.

First, it means that the decades of mobilising and resistance by local, national and international Civil Society Organisations working to ensure environmental and social justice were never in vain. Its

shows that people’s power is significant.

“Second, a uniform binding mechanism will ensure that environmental racism as practiced by TNCs, Shell and other oil companies in Nigeria will come to an end because the same standards deployed in Europe and America, will be the same standards to be applied in Nigeria and elsewhere.

“Thirdly, it would halt corporate impunity that is undermining national governments and institutions such as Nigeria. Here, the disdain of Shell against national oversight agencies such as NOSDRA and NIMASA, will likely come to an end.

Power facility

FG inaugurates automated power solution platform

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA: To boost transpar ency in the ongoing power sector reform, the Federal Government has inaugurated an automated solution platform to manage the processes of generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity as well as payment schedule within the industry.

Besides, it has issued a marching order to the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, to transmit 6,000Megawatts ( MW) of electricity by December this year.

The technology, code-named the Onem-NIBSS/Power Collect Operators and Control Centre, and developed by the TCN’s market operators is aimed at reducing human interaction and its attendant bias in the payment processes in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry , NESI.

The Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIPSS)/PowerCollect Operations and Command Centre, was inaugurated last week in Abuja, to clear the outstanding balance of N11 billion that was due to market operators in June.

The Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo, while inaugurating the system noted that a lot went into developing the platform, and urged the market participants to support the success of the project.

He said the visibility and transparency the project will bring into the industry are key components that will ensure success, adding that the initiators, the Market Operators have developed a world class solution for the sector.

Nebo also said, “Power Collect represents technology transformation for the sector, which includes command Center for real-time visibility to the

health of the Nigeria grid, visibility into all the key infrastructure-meters, transformers, transmission lines, meters across the market.” Emphasising on the significance of the technology to the sector, Nebo said, “when the market operator started working on this, we were excited. When I came into power sector, I wondered why I couldn’t stay in my office and observe what was happening along the entire value chain of power sector.

“That is the power delivery system in the country. And that is how the situation was whenever any question was asked about any particular point on the value chain one will be able to respond intelligently.

Very soon, the idea came up, but I did not know that the idea will go as far as integrating the technical, regulatory, financial aspects all in one package.”

Commending the market op-

erator for the hybrid system, he said, “it is good from time to time to see that in Nigeria, we can also do something wonderful. So when we talk about the Nigerian factor, it is not only in the negative. There can also be a positive Nigerian factor.”

In her remarks, the Managing Director of Market Operator, Mrs. Ngozi Osunbo, said that the platform is a globally accepted solution but tailored for the Nigerian market for its specific problems.

She described the solution as automated revenue lifecycle management system that will enable the market operators and all the players in the electricity value chain ensure equitable revenue collection and splitting.

She added that it will give the market operators the tools it required for market price stability.

Power: FG will implement MoU with S-Africa —Nebo

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

T

HE Federal Government has said that it is committed to the full implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed last year with South Africa to develop the nation’s power sector.

The MoU captured areas like coal-to-power, gas-topower, energy metering, exchange of technical staff, capacity building, power road shows, exhibition, and conferences.

Besides, the government has directed that a high powered delegation comprising the new owners, some other businessmen interested in power, and officials from relevant power sector agencies to be led by the Minister of State, Mr. Mohammed Wakil, to visit South Africa soon.

The Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, who made the remarks while receiving the South African delegation, led by Dr. Zwelini Mkhize, a former Premier of KwazuluNatal, said Nigeria is committed to the even development of the power sector.

He said that it is on record that a South Africa metering company is one of the best in the world, just as he identified some landmark achievements of South-Africa in the energy sector.

According to him, “We are ready to work together in all the areas identified, as it is in the interest of both countries to provide the necessary impetus that will have multiplier or geometric effects, not arithmetic effects on the continent of Africa. Our countries are carrying the load for the entire continent; hence much is expected from us.

Nebo assured that his Ministry is not only committed to, but open to genuine ideas that will be mutually beneficial, adding, “ we are concerned about local content. We must share technical and professional ideas in engineering, and technical know-how which will leapfrog us to meet the rest of the world. We must advance our mutual interests.”

He recalled that during Mr. President’s visit, at least nine other MoUs were signed, which are all aimed at Mr. President’s intention to rebrand and transform the Nigerian economy.

He called on the South African Ambassador to do his best in the quest for South Africa’s continuous leadership position in the South Africa Development Community (SADC).

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 27

NDDC gets N593.96bn in 4 years — NEITI …Says commission duplicates projects

By CHRIS OCHAYI

BY SEBASTINE OBASI

T

N

IGER Delta Develop ment Commission, NDDC, is said to have received about N593.96 billion over a four-year period between 2007 and 2011.

This is contained in the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI’s Fiscal Allocation and Statutory Disbursement, FASD Audit Report covering the period under review.

The independent audit reports also highlighted many abandoned projects scattered across the nine states that make up the NDDC states.

The reports presented by the Chairman of NEITI, Mr. Ledum Mitee, in Abuja, equally disclosed that the NDDC spent about N459.24 billion on recurrent and capital related projects during this period.

He said, “Twenty-two projects were duplicated in the projects schedule with a total contract sum of N1.18 billion, with mobilisation payments of N370.70 million and mobilisation of N93.09 million recovered.

The report, however, revealed “that of the N680.53 billion due to the Commission from the Federal Government between 2007 and 2011, only N216. 90 billion was released leaving a

Nuclear power facility deficit of N463.62 billion.

On allocation to State offices of the NDDC, the report further revealed that there was a general allocation of N7.44 bill ion to the nine state offices of the Commission for the completion of projects.

“It highlighted that most of the projects were neither identifiable nor scheduled for monitoring and proper management.

The report observed that the NDDC enabling Act is silent on the issue of how the budgets of

the oil producing companies are obtained by the Commission.”

NEITI therefore recommended that, “in view of the several cases of project duplication observed by the audit in the operations of NDDC, the Commission should carry out a comprehensive reconciliation and project audit between the headquarters operation and their host states.

“This should be followed by an independent value for money audit on NDDC projects to

establish a nexus between the cost of these projects and the value to benefiting communities.

“The NDDC Act 2000 requires the Federal Government of Nigeria to contribute the equivalent of 15% of the total monthly statutory allocations due to the member states of the Commission from the Federation Account; and 50% of monies due to member states of the Commission from the Ecological Funds.

FG orders accelerated execution of power projects in North East

By CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA: The Federal Government has directed that ongoing key power projects in the North East zone should be given urgent attention in order to avert anticipated food crisis and abject poverty occasion by prolonged insurgents’ activities in area.

Power is identified as catalyst for socio economic emancipation, food security and poverty alleviation.

The directive is part of the coordinated intervention programmes that would be implemented by a special committee already put in place by the President.

Membership of the committee is drawn from serving ministers and high ranking political office holders from the Zone, to further demonstrate the administration’s commitment to the holistic development of the North-East.

The Minister of State, Power, Mr. Mohammed Wakil, made the disclosure while receiving a delegation of the Economic Summit Group, last week in Abuja.

He noted the Mambilla Hy-

SPE expresses concern over Nigeria’s oil production

dro project has been on the drawing board for decades without any meaningful sign of take-off, until President Goodluck Jonathan brought it back to life with a whopping sum of $7 billion and capacity to deliver 3,050 megawatts, MW, to the grid.

He also said that the Kashimbilla Multi-purpose Dam in Taraba State, will not only provide water for domestic purposes and irrigation, but also, the electricity component would be activated to add 40MW to the national grid.

Wakil added that other transmission line projects are on course to evacuate power and enhance the quality of electricity supply in both Borno and Yobe States.

He informed the delegation led by the former Director-General of PENCOM, Mr. Mohammed Kabiru Ahmed that no stone will be left unturned in the realisation of the objectives, as contained in the Group’s mandate.

According to him, “the Group should in line with its mandate, draw-up a comprehensive recovery agenda like the Marshal Plan that will pro-

vide workable solutions to issues that have been thrown up especially those that will help avert impending food crisis.”

Speaking on behalf of the Group, Ahmed assured the Minister that the Group appreciates the enormous responsibility entrusted on them at this point in time.

He promised that they will assist Government in the harmonisation of development programmes for the benefit of the common people living in the region.

He said that the Group has enjoyed maximum support from the Federal Government, adding that they have submitted a preliminary report of their findings to President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Ahmed, the report covered humanitarian activities, developmental priorities as well as extensive coverage of devastation and solutions to the insurgency in the zone.

“We may eventually have to hold a donor conference, as the magnitude of funding needed to address the developmental challenges of the region cannot be provided by both the

states and Federal Government alone,” he said Responding, Wakil said the administration is working proactively in ensuring that insurgency does not totally affect the farming population to the extent that there would be famine in the zone.

He promised to assist in streamlining government’s activities that are aimed at alleviating the suffering of the people. He said a food security programmne in the office of the National Security Adviser is targeted at ensuring food security in the zone.

He also disclosed that he met recently with the Executive Director of the United Nation’s Population (UNFPA) in New York, who promised a scheduled visit to Nigeria, with the sole aim of energising the proposed social mitigation programmes for the zone.

“We are grateful to Mr. President for breaking the jinx on power projects, Mambilla and Zungeru were conceived by the late Ahmadu Bello’s administration, Kashimbilla is almost completed, so also the transmission projects, they are at 90 percent completion.”

HE Society of Petroleum Engineers, SPE, has expressed concern over how Nigeria can maximise value from its oil and gas resources, amid the dwindling fortunes in the country’s oil production and hydrocarbon discovery in other African countries.

Addressing journalists at this year’s pre-conference press briefing, the Chairman of SPE, Nigerian Council, Mr. Bernard Oboarekpe, said there is a call for caution for Nigeria to make adequate use of the country’s oil and gas.

“Where Nigeria exports its oil to is changing. The U.S. used to be the highest importer of Nigeria’s oil. Nowadays, it virtually does not import from Nigeria again. There are also discoveries from other parts of Africa. Places thought to be dry and there was no hydrocarbon, we are beginning to find hydrocarbon.

“There are implications from these for Nigeria. It means that we cannot continue to do business as usual; things have got to change. That is why we are really focusing on values. How can we maximise value within Africa? How can we maximise the value we extract from oil and gas?

How do we utilise the gas within the African region? He asked.

Schneider Electric wins LECAN award

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CHNEIDER Electric, the global specialist in energy management has been commended for the quality of its products in the Nigerian power market.

The commendation was made by the Licensed Electrical Contractors Association of Nigeria (LECAN) during its event in Abuja, where it conferred the National Merit Award on Schneider Electric.

The award is coming on the heels of the endorsement of Schneider Electric’s Isaac Boro Energy Training College at Grenoble, France by members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Niger Delta, who visited the facility recently.

According to the National President of LECAN, Otunba Dele Akintola, the recognition was “predicated on the reports collated and received from LECAN across Nigeria, approving Schneider Electric’s products to be of very high standards, after sampling other company’s products.”

Akintola stated that in spite of the current global economic challenges, Schneider Electric has continued to provide the Nigerian power and energy sector with quality electricity products.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Nigerian cost experts propose measures to stem housing crisis

BY JUDE NJOKU

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hereas mortgage finance contributes between 50 and 80 percent to the gross domestic product, GDP, of European countries and the United States of America, it (mortgage finance) contributes less than one percent of Nigeria’s GDP. In fact, only about five percent of the 13.7 million housing units in Nigeria are financed with mortgages.

Nigerians are deterred from applying for mortgage facilities because the interest rate on mortgage loans oscillates between 17 and 21 percent.

Against this backdrop, construction cost experts who rose from the 4th Building and Construction Economic Round Table, BCERT 4, put together by the Quantity Surveyors Registration Board of Nigeria, QSRBN, have called for a drastic reduction of interest rates on mortgages for home ownership in the country.

Describing the prevailing interest rate as too high to make mortgage an attractive route to home ownership for Nigerians, participants at the round table advocated that “interest rates on mortgages for home ownership should be drastically reduced and there should be generous concessions and drastic reduction of duties on

housing materials and machinery to ensure affordability of housing by Nigerians”.

In a communique signed the President of QSRBN, Mallam Hussaini Adamu Dikko and the Registrar, Mr Godson Moneke, the construction cost experts lamented that housing and construction account for less than four percent of Nigeria’s current rebased GDP. “Home ownership in Nigeria is just 25 percent of the population as against 61 percent in Benin Republic, 41 percent in Lybia, 56 percent in South Africa, 63 percent in Brazil, 70 percent in the United States, 73 percent in Kenya and 90 percent in Singapore,” the quantity surveyors noted.

They observed that home ownership is poor in Nigeria because most Nigerians cannot afford this costly asst without government support and subsidies. To compound the housing problems, the cost experts regretted that government is no longer involved in direct construction of houses, thus subjecting home ownership to the vagaries of market forces as driven by the private real estate developers.

Piqued by the absence of a master-plan on home ownership in the country, the over 500 participants at the round table who described the scenario as a major factor for the current global home

An estate in Lagos ...High cost of mortgage facilities, land, affect acquisition of such homes

ownership rating of Nigeria, called on the government to develop a master plan for home ownership by Nigerians and fund its implementation without delay.

The experts who brainstormed on “developing a master plan on new homes for Nigerians – the critical success factors” at the two day round table, enjoined the Federal Government

encourage and fund QSRBN’s current effort to “develop a National Construction Cost Data Base to promote accountability and transparency in the standardisation of costing and pricing of new homes for Nigerians”.

Other recommendations of the roundtable include promotion of research into the use of cheaper alternative building technology in determining minimum

Ariston invests 60m euro in R&D

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riston, a worldwide leading company in the thermic comfort industry and the world’s biggest producer of electric storage water heaters for domestic use, invested 60 million euro in 2013 on research and development R&D, in a bid to innovate its products.

This fact was contained in a statement issued by the company which was founded in 1960. The company outlned the advantages of the innovation “On one side renewable energies (solar and heat pumps) on the other side evolution of water heaters with the introduction of electronic control that allows a saving up to 20 percent on the electric bill”.

“Every year, more than 6,000,000 families in more than 150 different countries, decide to have a new Ariston water heater to benefit from over 80 years of experience and customer satisfaction, to put safety first and to enjoy a little piece of Italy every day. Ariston products put the user first.

They incorporate a wide range of functions designed for the customer well-being,, to give him all the comfort and relaxation coming from a hot shower or bath,” the statement said..

Continuing, it stated: “In addition to a wide range of smart boilers, water heaters

and air conditioners, they offer an integrated range of solar systems and heat pump water heaters allowing users to benefit from renewable energy sources, the technology of the future. Heating the water by means of the sun only, with no use of electricity it ensures hot water comfort while safeguarding the environment for the generations to come.

It is fundamental to make a quality choice for your solar system because there are many poorly designed products that will not provide you with the energy saving you expect”.

Ariston designs customized solutions for new installations and provides consumption profiles and energy saving simulations. “In addition to saving energy and optimising comfort, the elegance of Ariston designs makes these products suited to any environment. The hallmark features of Ariston’s design are Italy’s typical quality and aesthetic taste. Ariston has been cooperating for years with wellknown Italian designers, bringing their ideas and creativity to life in a functional and pragmatic way. The bond between Ariston and design makes everyday life easier and more comfortable,” the statement noted..

housing standards for various segments of the Nigerian households. *Housing and real estate sub-sector should be used by the government to create employment on a massive scale and increase production within the National Domestic Economy. *Access to land for housing should be made easier by the repeal of the Land Use Act and abolition of the multitude of taxes and fees on residential houses. *Government should provide and fund vocational and skills acquisition centres all over the country to train craftsmen and facilitate hands-on skill acquisition by tertiary institution graduates in the building and construction sector who want to enhance their marketability.

*Government should provide primary and secondary infrastructure around all approved residential estates throughout the country so that estate developers are not forced to provide such facilities and pass on the costs to buyers through increased house prices. *Government should in the short-term intervene directly in housing construction alongside real estate developers to avert the looming housing crisis especially in the low-income segment of the society. *A substantial percentage of the pensions funds which are long term funds should be used to provide long term finance and mortgage lending for household residential development.

The round table also called on mortgage banks, real estate developers and other stakeholders in the building/ housing sector to leverage ample opportunities in the Capital Market for cheaper finance to fund housing development.

They canvassed the strengthening of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN by increasing its capital base for it to remain a sustainable financial institution with capacity to enhance efficient housing finance development in Nigeria. The experts charged the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to provide clear guidance to Primary Mortgage Banks, PMBs and other stakeholders on recapitalization, as well as increase surveillance and

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—29

APWEN, Unilever broker partnership to enhance status of female engineers

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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etermined to take profes sional women engineers in Nigeria to greater heights, the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria, APWEN, has brokered a partnership deal that would ensure placements of upcoming female engineers in manufacturing companies when they need to undergo internship in engineering.

The partnership deal which is further aimed at creating job opportunities for the female engineers after graduation, is between APWEN and Unilever Nigeria Plc.a frontline manufacturer of household items. APWEN is a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE. The President of APWEN, Mrs. Nnoli Akpedeye who spoke when the group visited the Agbara plant of Unilever, explained that the industrial visit was undertaken by the female engineers to understand the engineering processes in the manufacturing company.

Mrs Akpedeye who is a fellow of both the NSE and Institute of Civil Engineers declared; “we are at Unilever to appreciate engineering work going on in the company.

Also, we are here to find

ways of partnering and collaborating with the company to further the profession and to encourage females into the profession.

For Unilever, we want to be sure first of all, that the female engineers in this organisation are able to attain their own potentials and able to achieve commanding heights in their profession in this organization”. “ Secondly, we want to form an alliance with Unilever with regards to introducing women into the engineering profession.

From this visit, we have come to understand that there are opportunities for female engineers here.

Apart from full time employment for female engineers, we are told that there are vacancies for internship for female engineers. We will now find out from them how we can take advantage of these internships. May be this will assist them to get full employment in the company in the future. We are also here to introduce our programme on arousing girlchild interest in engineering, an initiative we launched in 2013. We are already talking to the company on the internship offer,” she said, adding that there is a need to give female engineers more opportunities

in the company.

The Manufacturing director of the company, Mr Doyin Ashiru, an engineer, said his organisation is currently discussing the possibility of hav-

ing a programme towards developing the female engineers in terms of giving them exposure. “As soon as the system is put in place, approved

by APWEN and our organisa-

tion, then we will commence.

We see this as our own contribution to the society. Unilever gives equal opportunities to both males and females,”. Ashiru noted.

•From left: APWEN president, Engr. Nnoli Akpedeye, Engr. Doyin Ashiru, Unilever Factory Manager and Engr Idiat Amusu, past president, APWEN during APWEN's visit to Unilever

FG is working on 184 road projects Nigerite unveils new six geo- political zones, travel times —Onolememen the ceiling product have been reduced between origins and

BY JUDE NJOKU

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HE Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Works, is currently executing 184 road contracts across the the six geo-political zones in Nigeria. The Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, an architect, who disclosed this in an interview, explained that majority of contracts were inherited by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

A breakdown shows that the South East has 45 projects, followed by the South South with 32 projects. The North Central and South West zones have 30 projects each while North East and North West have 27 and 20 projects respectively.

The Minister reiterated government’s resolve to improve the road sector for enhanced economic activities and social integration.

Onolememen said the Jonathan administration inherited Federal roads which were generally described as death trap. According to him, only about 5,000 kilometres of Federal roads were in a fair condition in 2011. He was elated that presently, 25,000 kilometres of the 35,000 kilometres of Federal roads “are now in good and motorable conditions, with some of the road alignments comparing favorably with roads in the developed part of the World”.

The Minister stated that throughout

destinations. Similarly, the cost of vehicle maintenance has been drastically reduced while accidents and carnage on Nigerian roads have been reduced due to better pavement design and construction.

Onolememen noted that the advent of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, which ensured additional funding of selected projects in the road sector, has resulted in enhanced service delivery in the sector and led to the remarkable progress witnessed in 2013 on the dualization of four key arterial roads across the country. These roads include the dualization of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja highway, Kano-Maiduguri highway and the rehabilitation of Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway. Others include the rehabilitation of Benin-Ore-Shagamu expressway, Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan expressway and the construction of the new Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue in Nasarawa and Benue States,as well as the early works on the 2nd Niger Bridge in Anambra and Delta States, among others.

The Minister identified challenges impeding the speedy delivery of these projects to include the insurgency in the North-East, excess axle load of trucks beyond acceptable tonnage on highways, indiscriminate cutting across the highways, burning of tyres on the roads, erection of bumps on roads, destruction of road furniture as well as encroachment on right of ways.

BY KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE “Nigerite will not relent in its effort towards modernisation without compromising on quality”. This pledge was given by the Marketing Director of Nigerite Limited, Mr. Toyin Gbede, an architect, at an event in which the company unveiled a new product called four feet by four feet Klassik Ceil.

The product was recently unveiled to distributors, carpenters and customers drawn from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Ilorin and some other parts of South West, Nigeria.

The unveiling of the new product came a few months after the launch of Nigerite Prestige which the company said, is already making waves in the market.

Gbede said the new product came into being as a result of a survey which showed customers’ preference for it. “Although,

Klassik emerged the most loved during the survey, it was the one we found most challenging in terms of coming up with the pattern machine. It is the first ceiling product of that size and it comes in white and grey colour.

It can also be combined with prestige and plain” Gbede said.

The Professional Carpenters and Furniture Makers Association of Lagos State, PCFA, while applauding Nigerite’s innovation in the production of Klassik Ceiling, confirmed its superiority over other ceiling products.

The Association said it would continue to support Nigerite in its efforts to improve the built industry.

President of the Association, Comrade Abimbola Aluko who spoke on behalf of his members, added “we want the company to maintain the high standards it is known for and make sure that the management intensifies efforts to maintain its leadership position in the industry”.

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Oil spills, gas flaring, desertification top Nigeria’s environmental challenges

BY GABRIEL EWEPU & FUNMI OLASUPO

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ith the coming on board of the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Laurentia Mallam, and her familiarisation tour of parastatals and agencies under the Ministry, expectations are high that the new Minister will take concrete steps to address the daunting challenges facing the Ministry and the Nigerian Environment.

Critical issues requiring urgent ministerial attention range from corruption in the system to lack of office accommodation, poorly motivated workforce and dilapidated office furniture whose life span have long expired and are now an eyesore all over the Ministry.

The most fundamental challenges in the sector have to do with the huge debts of over N10 billion hanging on the neck of the Ministry, the oil spillage in the Niger Delta and particularly in Bonga, which has affected shoreline

communities in Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and among others, the massive erosion threatening the entire South East and the lead poisoning in Zamfara State, yet to be comprehensively tackled.

Other problems have to do with drought and desertification threatening some parts of Northern Nigeria, poor implementation of the Great Green Wall project and challenges facing the National Parks.

Of equal importance is the issue of flooding in parts of the country occasioned by the consequences of climate change as well as issues of pollution control and waste management, environmental health. Gas flaring must be stopped at all cost, with no shift in date.

At the centre of all of these challenges is poor funding of the sector and low internally generated revenue.

It is worthy to note that the Minister has already acknowledged the fact that paucity of funds had hampered the performance of the Ministry. Recently, she

lamented that the Ministry was only allocated N7 billion for the entire budgetary allocation for 2014.

It is imperative to state that without delay, the Minister should come up with the 2015 budget for the ministry in order to make adequate provision of funds for capital and key projects in the sector.

The Great Green Wall project should be a major focus and as one of the priority project, which the Minister is expected to convince the Federal government to adequately meet up with its counterpart funding. This is in addition to other key projects that are presently lying fallow.

Another option is for the Minister to utilise the area of supplementary budget to fund major projects that have direct bearing with the lives of Nigerians as far the environment is concerned.

Still on the Great Green Wall project, it is worrisome seeing plants cultivated to arrest desertification left unattended to. These plants eventually

wither away as a result of lack of proper maintenance arrangement put in place with the contractors to nurture them to a level of maturity and handing over the ministry.

It is also important for the Minister to embark on adequate sensitisation programme for host communities who should also be involved in tree planting by providing enough tree seedlings to support the government’s drive to ameliorate their plight. They should understand that as host communities, they own the Great Green Wall Project.

Now that the rainy season has come, the Minister should make deliberate effort to identify with communities ravaged by desert encroachment by planting trees to keep the Great Green Wall project alive and make them have a sense of belonging. She should endeavour to plant at least 1, 000km out of the estimated 1,500km to be covered by the project. And it will be a major feat achieved by the minister.

Taking ownership is the best way to guarantee rapid planting, and maintenance of the expected forests that will spring out of the project.

Other less endowed countries such as Mauritania and Mali have succeeded in this project. Why can’t the giant of Africa, Nigeria, achieve it?

Another area of grave concern which no Minister of Environment has ever confronted head-long is the issue of gas flaring. The starting point for her is to visit the Niger Delta region, and specifically oil installations and production facilities to see the degree of gas being flared since oil was discovered in 1956 into the atmosphere.

This will enable her understand fully the environmental consequences of these dangerous and deadly activities carried out by oil companies.

But the huge challenge to the Minister will be the influence and courage to be mustered to stop the untamed evil by powerful oil multinationals, or will she chicken out as her predecessors?

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 31

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ONDERFUL goals, gripping drama, shock results, new heroes, old villains: the World Cup played out like the gripping blockbuster tournament its organisers always dreamed it would be.

Long before the curtain came down on the month-long footballing carnival with Germany’s victory on Sunday, many had already decided it deserved to be remembered as the greatest in the event’s 84-year history.

Others argued that the absence of truly memorable matches in the knockout rounds

— Germany’s astonishing 7-1 semi-final walloping of Brazil the obvious exception — should preclude 2014 from ‘greatest ever’ status.

But whether the best, or merely one of the best, what is undeniable is that the 2014 World Cup saw a dramatic spike in entertainment, ending a run of four consecutive tournaments where the goals-pergame average had shrunk.

Mario Goetze’s extra-time winner to sink Argentina in the Maracana on Sunday provided a glorious, emphatic full-stop to a tournament punctuated by riveting entertainment — and goals.

Goetze’s strike was the 171st of the finals, equalling the record tally achieved in a 32team World Cup at the 1998 finals in France.

The tone was set early in the tournament, with the Netherlands’ stunning 5-1 thrashing of defending champions Spain in Salvador notable for both the quantity and quality of goals scored.

Dutch striker Robin van Persie’s lobbed header was the first of several wonder-goals that lit up the tournament as teams discarded conservatism and embraced adventure.

It’s just the start of more great things to come — Loew G

ermany coach Joachim Loew believes die Mannschaft’s historic World Cup win at Brazil 2014 will be the stepping stone to achieving further future honours.

Mario Goetze’s stunning 113thminute chest and volley sealed Sunday’s 1-0 extra-time win over Argentina in the final at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium.

Loew said there is more to come with Germany set to have their status on

top of the world confirmed by taking over Number One spot when the FIFA rankings are announced on Monday.

The Germans will be the team to beat when qualification for Euro 2016 in France begins in September after Loew again managed to coax eye-catching performances out of a young side at a World Cup. Thomas Mueller, 24, finishes as their top scorer with five goals in Brazil while Goetze only turned 22 last

month.

Attacking midfielder Toni Kroos, 24, and centre-back Mats Hummels, 25, have had outstanding World Cup campaigns.

It leaves world-class goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 28, midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, who turns 30 in a fortnight, and captain Philipp Lahm, 30 and 36year-old striker Miroslav Klose as the squad’s senior statesmen.

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 33

34 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

SABELLA: Messi deserves Golden Ball

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IONEL Messi may not have shed tears but he was clearly inconsolable. Not even picking up the Adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player altered the Argentinian captain’s gloomy expression after his side’s 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany in the Final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

Before going up to collect his award, Messi sportingly accepted the commiserations of his opponents, including Bastian Schweinsteiger, who gave him a warm embrace at pitchside. He also took time to congratulate Manuel Neuer, who had followed him up to receive the Adidas Golden Glove, and posed for the obligatory photos. Messi then rejoined his team-mates as they filed past the victorious Germans, before climbing the steps once more to pick up their runner’s up medals.

And still he kept his anguish and disappointment in check.

Afterwards, following almost an hour in the dressing room, he made time to stop off for a photo with his side’s conqueror Mario Goetze, before making his way to the mixed zone to face the world’s media.

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Messi: Nothing can console me “Right now, nothing can console me – not the award or anything else,” said Messi. “Our only goal was to take home the World Cup and enjoy our victory with everyone in Argenti-

na. We deserved a bit more after the game we played, and it was very painful to lose that way,” added the Albiceleste No10, understandably anxious to conclude his round of inter-

Mix of tears, cheers and violence in Argentina A

RGENTINES reacted with tears, cheers and violence after the dream of a third World Cup title slipped through their fingers Sunday, as clashes between hooligans and police ended a massive street party.

Tens of thousands of people flocked to the Obelisk in Buenos Aires, the iconic monument where the country traditionally celebrates and rallies, waving the flag, setting off fireworks and singing the praises of national hero Lionel Messi and team.

Despite the 1-0 loss to Germany in the down-to-the-wire, extra-time match, young Argentines climbed onto traffic

lights and bus stops, dancing and singing to the beat of drums.

But after several hours of partying, dozens of hardcore fans known as “barra bravas” started throwing rocks at riot police watching over the crowd, who responded by firing rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon.

The clashes sent families with children scurrying for refuge in restaurants or hotel lobbies.

Most of the crowd dispersed as a haze of tear gas settled over the area, leaving just a few dozen fans who broke windows and set trash on fire, determined to provoke the police.

Messi, R odriguez, Neuer Rodriguez, strike gold

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ollowing yesterday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup Final, a number of players have been recognised with awards by the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG), spearheaded by Lionel Messi, winner of the Adidas Golden Ball presented to the tournament’s best player.

The award winners are: •Adidas Golden Ball: Lionel MESSI (ARG) •Adidas Silver Ball: Thomas MÜLLER (GER) •Adidas Bronze Ball: Arjen ROBBEN (NED) •Adidas Golden Boot: James RODRIGUEZ (COL) •Adidas Silver Boot: Thomas MÜLLER (GER) •Adidas Bronze Boot: NEYMAR (BRA) •Adidas Golden Glove: Manuel NEUER (GER) •Hyundai Young Player Award: Paul POGBA (FRA) •FIFA Fair Play Trophy: Colombia

RGENTINA coach Ale jandro Sabella said Lionel Messi’s adidas Golden Ball award as the player of the 2014 World Cup™ was richly deserved despite the South Americans’ defeat by Germany in the Final.

Messi missed a glorious chance for Argentina in the showpiece at the Maracana but Sabella said the Barcelona forward is already among the true greats of the game.

“He deserves it because he played an extraordinary World Cup,” said Sabella. “He was a fundamental factor in the team making it to the final, along with everything done by his other team-mates.

views.

In analysing the defeat, Messi had this to say: “Although they had more of the ball, we had the clearer chances, but those of us up front failed to convert them.

Scolari fired as Brazil manager B

RAZIL have sacked manager Luiz Felipe Scolari just hours after the end of a home World Cup in which they suffered two of their worst defeats in the tournament’s history, one of Brazil’s leading newspapers reported yesterday.

Scolari’s Brazil were favourites to win the tournament but were demolished 7-1 in a semifinal defeat by eventual champions Germany. To compound their misery, they then lost the third-place playoff 30 against the Netherlands.

Scolari, who led Brazil to the last of their record five World Cups in 2002, said after the game he would make a report to his bosses at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and only then would his fate be decided.

But O Globo reported Sco-

lari was fired late Sunday night. The paper said an official announcement would be made on Monday.

There was no confirmation from the CBF. Scolari took over the post in November 2012 and lost just five of his 29 games in charge.

If his departure is confirmed, early front runners to replace him would be Tite, the man who led Corinthians to the Libertadores Cup and Club World Cup in 2012, and Muricy Ramalho, the current boss of Sao Paulo. However, there will also be calls to hire a foreign manager for the first time in Brazil’s history.

The CBF have always resisted that idea, with reports that Pep Guardiola was rejected before he joined Bayern Munich.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 35

By Theodore Opara

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HE Chairman of PAN Nigeria Ltd, Alhaji Munir Ja’afar, has called on the Federal government to jealously monitor the implementation of the national automotive policy to ensure its success.

The chairman who spoke during the flag-off of Peugeot 301 production in Nigeria and the commissioning of the proposed site for automotive cluster park at PAN, Kaduna recently, warned that lack of monitoring of the implementation of the policy will dampen the moral and confidence of investors in the auto sector.

To this end, he called on the Federal Executive Council to follow its directives and ensure that government agencies and ministries patronise locally made automobiles.

“I also wish to use this forum to call on the Federal Executive Council to follow its directives with political will and ginger-up ministries and government agencies to patronise made in Nigeria vehicles as this is the only way the government can create market for locally produced vehicles in addition to duty differentials recently introduced to encourage local

PAN Chairman asks FG to monitor auto policy implementation

Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Olu segun Aganga unveiling the ceremonial plaque that symbolizes the designation of PAN Nigeria as one of the locations of Automotive Cluster Park in Nigeria. production,” he stated.

The chairman who also commended the support of their technical partners, AP France/PSA Group for their cooperation in restoring the assembly plant back to production status promised to build Peugeot cars for

Nigerian environment.

According to him, “Factors such as our road conditions, climate, geography, motoring attitudes and performance are highly considered in packaging the car with the sole aim of satisfying our esteem customers at

affordable price.”

Earlier in his speech, the Vice President, Arc Namadi Sambo who was represented at the occasion by the Minister of Industry, Trade and investment said that the production of the Peugeot 301 at the plant was vital, not only to PAN but also

to the nation’s automotive industry.

“The decline of PAN and correspondingly that of suppliers is a story of Nigeria’s industrial sector in the last three decades” the vice president noted.

He argued that it is impossible for a nation to move from poor to rich by exporting raw materials alone, as we have done in decades without having a strong industrial and servicing sector.

According to him, the exportation of raw materials translates into the exportation of jobs, adding that for decades, the country has exported oil and gas but this has not made her rich and will never make her rich. Rather, he said what will make Nigeria rich is what it does with its agricultural commodities, its 44 solid minerals in commercial quality, its crude oil and its gas. To him, this was the reason for industrialisation

Continues on page 37

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 36

By Theodore Opara

All-new Ford Mustang comes to Africa

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he Ford Motor Company has announced that the Ford Mustang, the world’s favorite pony car, will be on show at Ford’s inaugural Go Further event happening on the 17th of July in Sandton, Johannesburg, and later in Nigeria.

The all-new Ford Mustang fastback and convertible models promise exceptional performance and refinement while embracing the Mustang’s half-century of heritage and status as a global icon. Notably, it will be the most modern Mustang to date, boasting independent rear suspension, a first for the vehicle that will transform the way it handles. Equipment levels will also be on par with what customers have come to expect of Ford’s smart vehicles, including technologies such as SYNC® 2, Blind spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, and other driver aid systems. ”Few other cars inspire passion like the Mustang,” says Mark Kaufman, vice

president of marketing, sales and service, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA). “The iconic design and visceral sound of Mustang resonate with people, even if they’ve never driven one. It is definitely more than just a car – it is the heart and soul of Ford.”

More than 9 million Mustangs have been sold since it was first launched in 1964. The world’s most-liked vehicle on Facebook*, Mustang has made thousands of appearances in film, television, music and video games, and is one of 17 new vehicles that Ford will

NAC trains 1,000 mechanics in Abuja

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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pparently preparing mechanics across the country on how to repair and fix modern day vehicles, the National Automotive Council, NAC has trained 1,000 mechanics selected from the six-geo political zones.

The NAC DG, said that the training of the 1,000 mechanics were solely sponsored by Subsidy Reinvestment & Empowerment Programme under its Technical Vocational Education & Training Project, SURE-P TVET in collaboration with NAC and the Small & Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, will have the 1,000 mechanics go through three weeks intense training on specialized fields.

Director General, National Automotive Council (NAC), Engineer Aminu Jalal, said in Abuja recently that the training of the auto mechanics became imperative following a survey carried out by the agency which exposed lack of knowledge of mechatronics systems in general and skill deficiencies of the mechanics.

According to him, “The training of the 1,000

mechanics is therefore part of our ongoing efforts aimed at providing solutions to the service and maintenance problems of high technology motor vehicles through the production of competent craftsmen and women who will be enterprising and selfreliant”.

He said over two million Nigerian auto mechanics might just be thrown into the labour market, if the council do not carry out its mandate to upgrade and update the mechanics on the type of vehicles that are in invoke due to global rapid development in technology.

The emerging crop of vehicles imported into the country are made of highly sophisticated combination of mechanical and electronics parts, which the average roadside mechanics do not understand, he said.

“Their knowledge of most new systems in modern vehicles are generally low, while their inability to read and interpret electronic circuit diagrams is also a big problem,” he said, adding that all these factors combined are capable of throwing the mechanics into the job market.

launch in South Africa and SubSaharan Africa by the end of 2015. ”With a formidable reputation, both on and off the track, as well as its iconic status as a symbol of freedom, Mustang’s reputation precedes it even in those parts of the world where the car has never been sold,” continues Kaufman. “It epitomises Ford’s aggressive product acceleration; technologically advanced and forwardlooking, and embracing the heritage that has inspired Ford customers for generations.”

The new Mustang has been

developed with impressive performance, driving dynamics and usability in mind – and includes a significant amount of advanced driver convenience and driver aid technologies. ” We’re proud to have Mustang back in South Africa – and this model is the best Mustang yet,” says Kaufman. “Longtime admirers will be able to see an icon return to South African roads, and we are confident the new Mustang will bring even more fans to the brand.”

VW delivers over 3m passenger cars in first half

T

he Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered over three million vehicles in the first half year for the first time in the company’s history.

A total of 3.07 (JanuaryJune 2013: 2.95) million vehicles were handed over to customers worldwide, representing an increase of 3.8 percent.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 514,900 (June 2013: 509,200; +1.1 percent) models in the month of June.

“Developments at Volkswagen Passenger Cars in the first half year were stable thanks to the brand’s convincing model range. The Golf in particular

continues to be a bestseller – not only as a classic Golf, but also in the Variant or Sportsvan versions”, Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, said in Wolfsburg on Tuesday.

Klingler continued: “The situation on global markets will remain challenging in the second half of the year and will keep us very much on our toes.”

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 864,100 (843,600; +2.4 percent) vehicles on the overall European market in the first six months, of which 451,300 (427,800; +5.5 percent) m o d e l s

were handed over to customers in Western Europe (excluding Germany).

Deliveries in the home market of Germany also increased: 285,700 (283,400; +0.8 percent) new vehicles were handed over to customers there. Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 127,100 (132,400; -4.0 percent) vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe in the period to June. 67,400 (77,300; -12.8 percent) units were handed over to customers in Russia.

In contrast, deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region in the first half year grew by 16.8 percent, with the brand handing over 1.50 (1.28) million vehicles to customers.

1.39 (1.17; +18.5 percent) million units were delivered in China (incl. Hong Kong) during the same period.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 282,600 (309,600; -8.7 percent) vehicles in the North America region in the period to June, of which 1 7 9 , 1 0 0 (206,800; 13.4 percent) models were handed over in the United States.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 37

By Theodore Opara

T

he Chairman of Coscharis Motors Ltd, Dr. Cosmas Maduka has described the appointment of Mark Fields as the new President/CEO of Ford Motors as a welcome development in the history of the foremost a u t o m o b i l e manufacturers.

Ford Motor Company recently announced the exit of Alan Mulally as the President/ Chief Executive Officer of one of the world leading auto manufacturers with a sent forth event that attracted notable personalities, all over the world. Mark Fields was consequently named Ford President / CEO and elected as a member of the company’s board of directors.

Dr. Maduka, while commenting on the transition from Mulally to Fields, said “We at Coscharis Motors see this transition as a master stroke from Ford.

We have seen the great leadership strides taken

by Alan this past eight years. He is a great achiever who has left an indelible footprint in the sands of time at Ford

Coscharis boss hails new Ford CEO Motor Company, particularly in the company ’s One Ford global transformation.

We will miss him greatly.”

As for Mark Fields, Dr. Maduka has this to say, “I think his pedigree speaks volume about his ability to improve on the present momentum and propel the company further towards the realization of Henry Ford’s vision to open the highways to all mankind. We have no doubt that he will perform exceedingly well, thus our expectations are very high as we look forward to working with him to create more value for our dear customers in our Nigeria market in this his new and undoubtedly highly challenging office “, he concluded.

Mulally, 68, retired after nearly eight years leading Ford and capping a remarkable 45-year career. Mulally has led Ford’s transformation and

strengthened its position as one of the world’s leading global automakers. Under Mulally and the company ’s One Ford plan for profitable growth, Ford has achieved 19 consecutive quarters of profitability, developed the strongest product lineup in Ford’s history and embarked upon the company ’s most ambitious global expansion in the past

half century. Mulally was recruited from Boeing in 2006.

Fields, 53, was named Ford’s Chief Operating Officer in December 2012. He has been leading all of Ford’s global business operations and most skill teams, including product development, manufacturing, purchasing, marketing, sales and service.

His role as COO has

included leading the company ’s weekly Business Plan Review meetings, which Mulally established to track the progress of the One Ford plan and to monitor the global business and c o m p e t i t i v e environment.

The meetings are credited with driving a reliable and transparent process for running Ford’s global operations and enables

Ford’s senior leadership to work closely together and act decisively on its plan.

Earlier, Fields guided the product-led transformation of Ford’s European operations and formerly held European luxury brands, as well as the re-launch of Ford’s independent operations in Argentina; a major restructuring and product renaissance at Mazda.

PAN Chairman asks FG to monitor auto policy Continues from page 35 and what led to the launch of industrial revolution pact by the present government.

Sambo explained that for these sector to succeed, there must be affordable financing in the country, improvement in skill, adding that the president’s aspiration was not only to assemble cars in Nigeria but to also to improve local content, moving from

iron ore to steel, from gas to plastic from rubber to tyres.

Also speaking at the event, Managing Director of PAN Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Boyi, said that the policy has made it possible for them to reopen their industrial production for Peugeot vehicles after six year of inactivity attracted the full support of their original equipment manufacturers pastners (OEM) AP France, and created window

opportunities for potential employment and re-engagement of their disengaged workers and also resuscitate the businesses of the largely moribund local c o m p o n e n t manufacturers.

According to him, the PAN plant in Kaduna will be the benchmark for all incoming auto plants in Nigeria. “It remains the biggest and most comprehensive auto plant not only in Nigeria but also in West and Central Africa, he stated.

Boyi noted that PAN was committed to

providing affordable vehicles to Nigerians, having realised that their biggest market opportunities lies in converting the second hand automobile market currently at over 80 percent, to new vehicle market.

To this end he urged the minister of trade and industry to fast track the arrangements on provision of affordable vehicle acquisition finance scheme as an element of the market developments The Managing Direct8or noted that they will take the project step by step.

38 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Fresh move to ease Mile 2 traffic:

Fashola creates movt corridor F

OR several months, motorists have been going through harrowing experiences along the Apapa/Oshodi expressway, especially at Mile 2, no thanks to the unending traffic gridlock caused by tanker drivers who queue endlessly for petroleum products, as well as the ongoing construction work being executed by construction giant - Julius Berger Plc. The situation worsened by the day as the tanker drivers virtually took over the entire expressway and service lane, thereby leaving other road users with no choice than to spend several hours before getting to their destinations. Sometimes, road users end up not leaving this axis until midnight while at other times, most are left with no choice than to abandon their vehicles on the expressway and at the mercy of hoodlums.

As if the unending gridlock was not enough trauma for motorists, robbers hijacked the situation to dispossess car owners of their valuables such as telephones and cash. These robbers who usually hide inbetween the trucks, usually approached frustrated and helpless motorists , brandishing guns and other dangerous

weapons while they demand for money. Atimes, they will shatter vehicle glasses which are wound up in order to gain access in their bid to forcefully collect whatever they could lay their hands on.

At other times, commuters who are left with no choice than to trek long distances before they would board buses to their destinations, are also dispossessed of their valuables by the hoodlums.

The traffic situation, undoubtedly overwhelmed the Police and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, whose presence were rarely felt . At Mile 2 Oke for instance, policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad, were not necessarily controlling traffic but arresting frustrated motorists who attempted to maneuver their ways by climbing the low curvets. To worsen the matter, men of the Federal Road Safety Corps and those of the Vehicle Inspection Service, VIS of the Lagos State Ministry of Transport are usually seen atop Mile two bridge stopping vehicles for checks.

Fashola’s visit Appalled by the situation and subsequent media exposure, Governor Babatunde Fashola visited the Apapa/Oshodi expressway two weeks ago to see things for himself.

,

BY EVELYN USMAN, MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO & ESTHER ONYEGBULA

The situation worsened by the day as the tanker drivers virtually took over the entire expressway and service lane, thereby leaving other road users with no choice than to spend several hours before getting to their destinations

,

Although he attributed the gridlock to the ongoing construction work he put the blame squarely on the inability of the Federal administration to provide appropriate distribution channel for petroleum products.

Fashola, however , expressed hope that motorists would witness relief, following agreement by stakeholders to make changes within this week.

When Vanguard visited the axis last Tuesday, motorists

lamented their woes. One of them, Mr Obekwe Nnamani charged: “Why are you coming to ask for my opinion about this situation? Are you not journalists?

Is it not high time you wrote something that will attract the Federal and state governments’ attention to this area? As it is now, I cannot speak because I am already exhausted” Another, motorist, Mr . Gbenga Oladimeji lamented: “I have been at this point for four hours now. Look at how these tankers have taken over the road. Don’t we have government in this country? Or are tanker drivers greater than the government?

This is indeed a shame !”

A touching sight was that of a woman who was in labour. The woman whose identity could not be immediately ascertained, was sighted at Mile 2 Oke, inside a Toyota camry car. She was reportedly on her way to Lagoon hospital in Apapa.

At a point, she came out of the car and with the assistance of some sympathizers, crossed to the other side of the road where she boarded a commercial bus that was driving against traffic.

Another commuter who simply gave her name as Nneka, told Vanguard: “My office is at Sunrise. I have been trekking from Second Rainbow to Sunrise for some months now.”

Following the situation, transport fare has shot up more

than twice the usual amount, leaving commuters with no option than to comply.

The fresh initiative Several towing trucks, combined security team and patrol vans were at the weekend mobilised to the Mile 2 axis especially at the Otto wharf area of the expressway to ensure that no tanker or heavy duty truck parked on the road.

This probably accounted for the unusual un-interrupted free movement experienced on the ever busy expressway on Sunday.

In fact, no tanker or heavy duty truck was parked on the road as against what was the order of the day before that time.

According to reports, the improvement resulted from Governor Fashola’s directive to the officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and Taskforce on Environment and Special Offences (Enforcement Unit) to manage the traffic gridlock in Apapa.

Fashola, who reportedly spoke after inspecting the level of traffic on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway and the ports said that the state will work with all the stakeholders in the axis to ensure that normalcy returns to the Apapa

Continues on page 39

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Continues from page 38 Central Business District, CBD. According to him, “The state government will look into the matter concerning the 51 hectares of land raised by the transport unions. But in the meantime, we will keep our men here-LASTMA, Taskforce and others to manage the traffic; to ensure that business activities can thrive again.”

Navy to the rescue?

Apparently rising up to the challenge, the Nigerian Navy has launched Operation ‘Clear The Traffic’ in Lagos, with a charge to owners of tank farms along the Apapa/Oshodi expresswaytoworkoutmodalities on how to discharge petroleum products to tanker drivers.

To drive home its message, Naval personnel have been drafted to areas witnessing gridlocks across the state, to ensure free flow of traffic.

The Commander NNS Beecroft, Commodore Emmanuel Uwadiae, who personally led a team to Apapa axis, told tanker drivers who had

have to move in to help the commuters remedy the situation and to ensure safety and security in these areas.”

The operation according to him, started at the early hours of Thursday in different areas of Lagos, informing that it would continue for the next seven days.

In addition, Uwadiae said the Navy would hold meetings with various stakeholders to review the cause of the traffic as well as proffer a lasting solution, which would include allowing only vehicles billed for loading into the tank farms.

He therefore, stressed the need for owners of tank farms along the axis, as well as the concessionaires operating Nigeria Ports Authority ,NPA facilities and the cargo owners, to work out modality whereby vehicles and trucks would move in trenches into the ports and tank farms, rather than moving in at the same time.

Said he: “We are calling on these stakeholders to do more by scheduling their vehicles that are coming into the terminals and port either to discharge or take cargoes. If proper timing, like indicating the exact time and when they should come is worked out, it will save us this chaotic

As a driver, I have slept outside for three days, waiting to take a container from this terminal without any luck. This unnecessary delay costs us so much but it profits the terminal operators

,

no business within the area to stay in the parks provided for them, or move to the Lagos / Ibadan expressway and queue up there while awaiting their turn.

Commodore Uwadiae explained that the intervention was necessary to put an end to the prolonged sufferings of road users, as well as to check serious security challenges which could result from the Apapa traffic gridlock.

Areas of concentration according to him, included Apapa-Wharf, Marine Beach through Mobil, down to TinCan, Liverpool, Ibafo, BergerMile 2 and Orile Iganmu roads.

According to him: “We have a lot of national development assets along these axes and with the current security situation and acts of terrorism, it will not be safe to allow the situation to continue.

“The Nigerian Navy has to ensure that we clear the gridlock, in order to allow free flow of traffic.

“Also, about 90 percent of our personnel resides around these roads. So, it is affecting our military operations because mobilizing our officers and men becomes difficult when there is no movement of vehicles in these areas. This is also very critical because when you talk about military operations, you are talking of time, which is of great essence in mobilizing people and personnel.

“Those are the reasons we

,

situation ” To the tanker drivers, he said; “They should move to Lagos/ Ibadan expressway and queue up there, awaiting their turn.

“The traffic situation is not helping anybody nor helping business because valuable manpower is also lost to traffic, thereby leading to frustrations, health hazards and low productivity”

Truck drivers absolve selves of blame However, most truck drivers who spoke with Vanguard absolved themselves of blame for the gridlock along Apapa/Oshodi expressway. Rather, they fingered APM terminal as the major cause.

According to one of them who simply gave his name as Musa, “APM terminal is the cause of the traffic. They will ask truck drivers to come and load and even give us loading order. But when we come, we would be denied access into the terminal for reasons best known to them. Sometimes, agents will contract us to take our trucks out of the terminal.

“We are also feeling the pains because most times, we end up staying here for days . We sleep in the open at night , abandoning our families . Do you know what?

We pay for loading order every night, between five thousand to ten thousand naira and the order

— 39

How Lagos de-congests prisons through community service •1,805 offenders sentenced in six months

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

I

n addressing prison congestion, Lagos state government says its judicial system has sentenced 789 offenders to various terms of community service across the 12 magisterial districts of the state, in the last 100 days.

It will be recalled that 1,015 offenders were handed such sentence in the previous 100 days that marked the present administration’s 2,500 days in office.

This was contained in the document obtained by Vanguard at the event marking the 2, 600 days in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola, last Friday.

According to the document; “789 offenders were sentenced to various terms of community service between the period of March and May 2014.”

With this, 1, 805 offenders have been sentenced to different terms of community service in the last six months.

The state government explained that this was part of its effort to decongest prisons in the state.

The state government added that the state community service policy is a noncustodial punishment enshrined in the state’s criminal law, adding that it was one of its strategies to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

expires after 24 hours.

“They use the delay as a means to extort money from us and yet they will not attend to us on time.

Do you now see why I said we are not the cause?”

Goriola Bello, a transporter, also complained bitterly saying; “We don’t know what is happening to APM terminal.

“As a driver, I have slept outside for three days, waiting to take a container from this terminal without any luck. This unnecessary delay costs us so much but it profits the terminal operators. As if that is not enough, for every night we spend here, you find LASTMA officials, Police and and other taskforce officials coming to extort us. We are fed up.”

Another truck driver, Daneil Ejiofor, who claims to have been driving for 18 years said, “ I have

The government opined that through the community service, which requires offenders to do some community work, it has succeeded in de-congesting the prison system without compromising justice administration.

Also, to aid de-congestion of prisons, the state government facilitated the “completion of work on 120 police investigation files in the last 100 days through the legal advisory unit in the state Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP. “And it assisted aggrieved residents of Lagos to recover the sum of N269, 324, 253 million through payment of debt and compensations.

“Assisted residents of Lagos to recover the sum of N258, 833, 619, N4, 885, 308 and N5, 605, 336 through the Citizen Mediation Centre, CMC, Office of the Public Defender and Directorate of Citizens Rights respectively as debt settlement and compensations for clients in various matters.

“In addition, the government free legal service through the Citizen Mediation Centre, CMC which resolve a total of 5,098 cases for Lagosians. The Office of the Public Defender also handled 1,722 cases, while the Directorate of Citizens Rights treated 1,828 human right cases free,” the state government said.

being here for days, waiting to load at the APM terminal.

Already, two days permit have expired and the third one will expire by 12 midnight.

“To apply for a new loading order costs between five to ten thousand naira, depending on the size of the container. This traffic is really affecting us very much.

“Before this traffic situation got to this stage, I used to go about three trips a week but presently, it is almost impossible to have a trip in a week.

“For every night I spend here, I pay N1,500 to taskforce officials.”

However, a commercial bus driver who identified himself as comrade Olufemi Peters, blamed truck drivers, saying: “I am a transporter with 37 years experience on this road. I am a

member of National Union of Road Transport Worker Association, NURTW Apapa.

“The whole thing is so difficult, I can’t work. I spent several hours on this bridge (Mile two). The trucks are the cause of this traffic.

“Before, I used to do three trips but now, it is almost impossible to do one. In my 37 years of plying this route, I have never had such an experience as a commercial bus driver. I ply wharf \CMS. “But for the Navy that came to our rescue today, we would still be stuck in traffic, all we need is a lasting solution to this nightmare.”, he said With this step in place, one therefore hopes that the hitherto traffic congestion along Apapa/ Oshodi expressway will become a thing of the past.

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Two fighting in Delta PDP:

Nwaoboshi vs Mrs. Ali I

t was remarkable that last Friday’s open fight between Dr. (Mrs.) Mariam Ali, wife of Dr. Ahmadu Ali, the erstwhile national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, chairman of the Delta State chapter of the party, was over a seating position at a party function. Beyond the seat squabble is the subtle fight between the erstwhile political partners for the Delta North seat in the Senate.

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

T

HE last time many saw the rough side of Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, the chairman of the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was at the Asaba Arcade in early 2011 when he made a very public but fruitless effort to derail the Delta North senatorial primary that produced the incumbent, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.

In a display that was broadcast on national television, Nwaoboshi was seen visibly agitating against the conduct of the primaries saying that it was not sanctioned by him as chairman of the party in the state. Regardless of his

followed up his protest of the conduct of the Senate primaries at the national secretariat but nothing came out of it giving Okowa an unhindered entry into the Senate.

Indeed, the tie between Mrs. Ali and Nwaoboshi flowed from a long way back. The two politicians had belonged to the same faction of the PDP led

by Chief Edwin Clark that was against the mainstream of the party led by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Nwaoboshi was one of the leading protagonists in the Clark faction, and it was a measure of his strategic value to the group that when Clark and Uduaghan eventually agreed to cease hostilities in 2008, that the governor accepted Clark’s nomination

,

At that time, there were many reasons that were adduced for Nwaoboshi’s strong opposition to Okowa and concurrent support for Mrs. Ali

protest, the congress proceeded and produced Okowa who dusted his opponent, Dr. (Mrs.) Mariam Ali to pick the PDP ticket.

Whatever were the reasons for Nwaoboshi’s strong assertions against the emergence of Okowa as the PDP Senate candidate remained in the realm of political speculations that were nevertheless all centered around an alleged political covenant between Nwaoboshi and Mrs. Ali. Indeed, there were few political players in the state who doubted the allegiance of Nwaoboshi to the emergence of Mrs. Ali as the party ’s Senate candidate.

Nwaoboshi had allegedly

,

of Nwaoboshi as chairman of the executive composed of the two factions.

Though the governor had conceded the chairmanship to the Clark/Mariam Ali faction, it did not take long before Nwaoboshi divorced himself from the militancy of the Clark faction having been fully dressed by Uduaghan with the rights and privileges of the chairman of Delta’s number one party.

Irrespective of his dislocation from the Clark faction, Nwaoboshi’s rapport with Mrs. Ali was unconstrained and it was not surprising that his action at the Asaba Arcade at the January 2011 senatorial primary was seen as supportive of her.

•Ali: I was beaten

•Nwaoboshi: I was slapped At that time there were many reasons that were adduced for Nwaoboshi’s strong opposition to Okowa and concurrent support for Mrs. Ali. Some at that time believed that Nwaoboshi had his eyes on the 2015 governorship and that by supporting Ali for the Senate he could stop Okowa’s political momentum for the 2015 gubernatorial race.

However, Okowa triumphed over Ali and is now building up his momentum for the 2015 governorship. Nwaoboshi meanwhile, is said to have also adjusted himself to vie for the Senate seat in 2015 a seat that Mrs. Ali is also said to be still keen in contesting for.

Though there are little doubts about the support Nwaoboshi gave to Mrs. Ali in 2011, sources say that the party chairman having been taken in by the calls from friends to fight for the seat himself apparently does not see eye to eye with his one time political associate.

So when the two politicians met last Friday at a party function where Governor Uduaghan was to launch a set of vehicles donated to the party, the issue between them was obviously more than where to seat. It was an issue of broken loyalties, aspirations and readjustment of political positions.

Nwaoboshi is, however, not the only obstacle to whatever Mrs. Ali may be desiring in 2015. Some in Delta State have in the past raised issues with Mrs. Ali’s determination to take the Delta North senatorial seat. Her critics had asked her to move over to her husband’s state in Kogi State

to find political relevance.

In 2007 when her husband, was the national chairman of the party she managed to take the same PDP Senate ticket to herself. Nobody bothered with that, but in the main election she was trounced by the candidate of Accord, a party without root in the state.

There 'll be another Nat A

renowned legal practitioner, Barr Uwemedimo Nwoko in this interview speaks on the ongoing National Confab and why Jonathan should re-contest in 2015 among other issues. Excerpts:

By CHIOMA ONUEGBU, UYO

H

OW do you see the ongoing National Conference and the recommendations so far?

I feel disappointed in the National Conference because the only agenda that should have been discussed was removed and that is whether Nigeria should remain as one or not. That is the only thing. All the other problems of Nigeria are reduced into that. Are we still ready to continue to live together as one nation or not, that is the only question. Every other thing we are discussing is chasing shadows. Nigeria will still go for another national conference after this because we have failed to discuss the issue that we should have discussed, maybe the President did not have the courage to place it on the table that Nigerians should come together and answer the question.

Are you in essence saying that what is going on in the conference is a jamboree?

It will not produce anything because we have not discussed the essence of the unity of Nigeria whether we

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—41

#BringBackOurGirls:

We are determined —Ezekwesili E

RSTWHILE Minister of Education and Vice-President of the World Bank, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesisli is one of the leading champions of the Bring Back Our Girls Campaign.

She has set aside many international consultancies to lead a rainbow coalition championing the cause of the more than 200 girls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State by insurgents of the Islamic Boko Haram group.

The group has organised daily sit in sessions at the Unity Fountain Abuja and drawn global attraction to itself and its cause to the discomfort of the authorities in Abuja.

On Day 90 of the abduction of the girls last Sunday, Mrs. Ezekwesili spoke in an exclusive interview with Vanguard on her cause.

•Oby Ezekwesisli

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

IT is 90 days today since the Chibok girls were abducted and 75 days since the bringourgirlsback campaign took off. How does it feel coming here? veryday that the girls have not come back leaves us with so much pain, agonising pain, thinking what they might be going through in captivity and the thought of what they might be going through enables us gain strength to remain resolute to champion their course until success is achieved by government in rescuing the girls.

Are you sure of any succour soon from the government?

The counter to that is why shouldn’t I believe that my government would be doing something positive to rescuing 219 Nigerian girls? I would hate to think that our government is not doing anything which is why I stay positive and which is why as a group we stay completely

E

*Bring Back Our Girls advocates in session. Pix by Emmanuel Aziken committed to the cause of the girls and we are saying that until we see success, we must be the critical voice of the people championing the call for our government to be compelled into acting positively in the direction of

rescuing of the girls.

There is a strong call to government to negotiate with the terrorists as a way of bringing back the girls. But some Nigerians are opposed to that. In your own estimation, do you think it will

pay off?

One thing that we know is that a government is always most equipped because of the aggregate of knowledge, aggregate of information and aggregate of expertise that it can call on. Our government

tional Conference — Nwoko are still ready to live together. Look at Boko Haram, are they the kind of people you say we should live together as brothers? What do we do to resemble each other? Their attitude towards religion, the constitution of Nigeria provides that Nigeria shall be a secular state, there shall be no state religion, there shall be no imposition of religion on any part of the country but are they observing it?

They observe it in breach in the north.

Somebody started it in Zamfara State and they overlooked and said he wanted to bring Islamic law and started enforcing it and nobody called him to order and said listen, this is a secular state, anybody, anywhere is free to live in any part of Nigeria and practice his own religion freely. We kept quiet and now Boko Haram has arisen and they want everywhere in Nigeria to be Islamised.

Do you think Mr. President has done enough to tackle the insurgency and

other security challenges facing the country today?

Yes of course he is doing the very best he can given the bad situation he is facing. The President inherited a completely dysfunctional state in terms of security, in terms of economy, in terms of everything you can look at.

This President was not there when people started violating Nigerian constitution without question being asked at the central level.

Many northerners are kicking against another term for President Jonathan. What is your stance?

The second term of Jonathan is not all about Jonathan, the second term of Jonathan is about the South-South right to a second term in office.

Jonathan stays there as a South-South man representing the interest of the region. He is running the south south ticket, are they saying that the south south is not entitled to 8 years?

•Nwoko: Jonathan should contest

must put all the options on the table based on analysis of the options, it would know what kind of mix of options would enable it get to the desirable outcome, the target is to get back the girls alive and our government will want to stand on the premise that having all of the assets that it has in terms of expertise, knowledge, skills, information that we as ordinary citizens don’t have. Our target is; do an analysis of all of those and do it quickly and move in the direction of rescuing our girls as quickly as possible.

We understand that the young Malala from Pakistan is here. What should Nigerians expect from her coming?

Malala is a symbol of triumph over travail. Malala is a young woman who has become the symbol for girl-child education.

That symbol that she represents is in two parts: One, the same way that Malala was able to overcome her traducers and has become a global figure and voice for girl-child education, so also will our Chibok girls overcome their traducers and that once they are rescued, they will join Malala in amplifying the message on the necessity for every girl child to be educated because, when you educate a girl child, you have completely created the pathway for the development of a nation.

And then the second part of it is that Malala being here gives us the opportunity to actually focus on how the nation can have honest conversation about the issue of terrorism, a conversation that is open, honest, without rancour and bitterness and therefore, the kind of conversation that ultimately leads to the beginning of rebuilding of social capital.

What we have lost tremendously in this country in the last couple of years is social capital. There has been a serious erosion of our social capital and we need to rebuild it because a nation that is at war with terrorists without the prerequisite social capital endangers itself.

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 43

Subsidiary H' Court gets new High Chief Ranger

R A L L Y :

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (first right) addressing a crowd of UkwaNgwa Progressive Forum during their one million man march at Government House, Umuahia.

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

T

NULGE tackles Confab over scrapping of LG

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA—THE SOUTH EAST zone of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, has

Nigerian emerges President of Rotary Club in Uk

A

Nigerian, Dr. Momodu KassimMomodu, has been elected President of the Rotary club of Canary Wharf District 1130 in the United Kingdom (UK).

Momodu joined the Rotary Club of Canary Wharf District 1130 in the UK in June 2006, having transferred from Nigeria as a member of the Rotary Club of Victoria Island, District 9110, which he joined in October 1998 under the classification Law practice.

According to a statement by Jonathan Wilson, Past President, Rotary club of Canary Wharf District, UK, “Momodu is a man of international, multicultural and multiprofessional experience, which he has proven over the years in West Africa, United States of America and the UK.” Before being elected President in the UK, he was Vice Chairman, International Service Committee, 2007-2008; Chairman, Rotary Foundation Committee, 2008-2009; Chairman International Service Committee, 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012; Vice President of the Club in 2012-2013.

lashed out at the delegates to the ongoing National Conference for recommending the scrapping of local government system .

According to the union, the decision will not only drag the country to a dark era but also work against the poor.

Rising from a zonal

meeting in Umuahia, the union expressed concerns that delegates to the Confab were trying to upturn the decision of Nigerians who voted for the autonomy of local government councils.

In a 4-point communiqué signed by the National Vice President, Comrade Eze Idima and 10 other officers,

Ebonyi State indigenes want Etiti State

BY PETER OKUTU

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B A K A L I K I — THOUSANDS of Ebonyi indigenes from Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo local Government areas has demonstrated their unwillingness to remain as citizens of the state last weekend.

They yearned to be included in the proposed Etiti State, which should be the additional state for the South East geopolitical zone of the country.

The indigenes, acting under the umbrella of Ezumezu Ohanivo, who gathered in their large numbers at Isu in Onicha local government area of Ebonyi State, were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions.

The placards read: “We belong to the proposed Etiti

State;” “We support the creation of Etiti State;” “Those fighting our interest are against Ohanivo people and our destiny;” and “We support an additional state for the South East geopolitical zone”, among others.

The people, in a communiqué signed by the Coordinators of Ohaozara, Ivo and Onicha local government areas, Green Obasi, Chief Silas Okoro, Mallam Gabriel Ani and others, expressed their determination to be part of Etiti State.

They appealed to members of the National Conference and the South-East delegates, headed by General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd.), to ignore the few political officer holders in and from Ebonyi State who had already chosen to remain there because of their selfish ambition in 2015.

NULGE, South East zone condemned in its entirety the recommendation by the Confab to scrap the local government system.

According to the union, such an action will throw away all the gains already made in the Local Government system from 1976.

It also blamed the recommendation of the Confab on state governors accused of handpicking delegates to annul the system, so they could continue to rape local councils by hijacking their allocations from the federal government.

The union also condemned in strong terms the use of transition committees to administer local government councils by some states, describing it as an aberration.

“This recommendation, apart from being retrogressive, will drag the country to the native administrative era, with its attendant disadvantages,” the union lamented.

It also frowned on the proposed takeover of revenue windows of local government councils by Abia State government,.

The union contended that the practice ran contrary to the government’s position that councils’ internally generated revenue be increased.

Stakeholders brainstorm on Imo Charter of Equity

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—SERIOUS dialogue on how to reduce political tension ahead of the 2015 gubernatorial election in Imo State has commenced.

The political stakeholders are equally brainstorming on how to make the Imo Charter of Equity strong,

virile and acceptable to all.

The last meeting, which held at Ihitte Uboma country home of Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu Chukwu, was at the instance of Owerri zonal leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Addressing the participants, the immediate past governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, described the

development as most welcome.

“There is the need for us to reduce or eliminate political tension in the state.

The people who prepared the Imo Charter of Equity meant well for the state and its people but nearly all the signatories to the document are not longer with us today,” Ohakim reasoned.

HE Subsidiary High Court of Nigeria has installed Mrs Aramide Oniru (Olori) as its new High Chief Ranger.

Speaking at the installation banquet & 21st Anniversary Award Night in Lagos, Mrs Oniru noted that Subsidiary High Court (also known as Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society) had been a democratic society since 1997.

She said: “My journey in the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society started in 1987, 27 years ago, when I was initiated into Court Friendship and Truth, No 10140.

“Foresters, being a democratic society, in 1997, I was elected and installed as the Chief Ranger of my Court, also in 1998 and 2007.”

She noted that all her achievement as the High Chief Ranger would not have been possible but for the encouragement and support she received from her immediate family, husband and Oba of Iruland, Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru.

“The Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society is the friendliest of all the friendly societies, and was established in Nigeria over 100 years ago,” Mrs Oniru added.

She said the society did not permit dissension to mar the its harmony or interrupt proceedings.

“We also claim the privilege of watching over the conduct of our members not only in the Court room, but also in their intercourse with the world,” she said.

Anniversary

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HE 50th anniversary of Motailatu Church, Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide, themed Prayer is the Key, will be celebrated August 17 at the Church’s international subheadquarters, Sanctuary Auditorium, besides Lead City University, Lekki-Epe Expressway Ajah, Lekki Lagos.

His Most Eminence, Baba Aladura (Dr) Motailatu Akinadewo, primate, prophet and supreme Head, Motailatu Organization Worldwide, founded the church in the year 1964.

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

We'll consider Bori State creation—ABE

DELTA 2015: I'm candidate to beat — MONYE

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ENATOR Magnus Abe, has said the clamour for Bori State will be considered first, before the 18 states proposed by the national conference, when the legislature kick-starts the process.

He called on the people of the seven local government areas that make up Rivers South-East senatorial district not to lose hope over their agitation for the creation of Bori State.

Abe, who represents Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, spoke at Saakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area of Rivers State, at a one day minicongress of the Ogoni Ethnic Nationality, organised by the Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers.

“The power to create states in line with the Constitution, rest on the National Assembly and by the grace of the people of Rivers South East senatorial district, consisting of Opobo, Oyigbo, Andoni and the four Ogoni Local Government Areas of Eleme, Gokana, Khana and Tai. I am a member of the Senate and privileged to be a member of the Constitution Review Committee.

BY GODWIN OGHRE

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APELE—SPECIAL Adviser to the President on Assessment and Monitoring of Millennium Development Goals, Prof. Sylvester Monye, who is currently on consultative tour of stakeholders in Delta State, over his 2015 gubernatorial ambition in the state, has said he was seeking to become the governor of the state to enable him consolidate on the various developmental projects he had initiated in the state, being implemented by the Federal Government.

Monye, yesterday during his consultative meeting with the leadership of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, at the country home of the its President General, Gen. Patrick Aziza (rtd.) in Adagbrasa, Okpe Local Government Area of the state, said although the current 15 gubernatorial aspirants are experienced, he stands out as the most experienced, qualified and should be voted in to steer the ship of governance in the state come 2015.

“During the last Constitution review exercise, request for states were overruled, but because the Senate Committee saw merit in the agitation for Bori State, it allowed the demand to be re-presented, which was received by Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate and Chairman of the Constitution Review Committee. So, if there are other documents

for state creation, such request will meet our own at the committee’s table.

“The problem of Nigeria is not how to share the cake but how to enlarge it. If we create unviable states, we are actually inviting underdevelopment. Bori State is a viable state with enormous capacity and resources. That is the demand that is legitimately before the National Assembly, and it

will be weighed when the demand for creation of states are considered,” he said.

In his address, former Chairman, Provisional Council of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People, MOSOP, Professor Ben Naanen, said majority of Ogoni people believe that having a state of their own was the surest ways of getting empowered in Nigeria.

... as ex-miltants protest exclusion of Toro-Ebe State O VER 2000 ex-militants and their leaders from Ondo, Edo and Delta State thronged the streets of Bomadi, headquarter of Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State in protest over the exclusion Toru-Ebe State, demanding its adoption by the national conference as one of the three states to be created for the South-South.

Mr. Preye Ekpebide, Chairman phase three amnesty programme of Delta State, who addressed journalists during the protest said, the Toru-ebe State met all the criteria of state creation as it was economical viable and brings out the homogeneity of the Ijaw people.

The militant leader stressed that the creation of Toru-Ebe

State was one of the key issues that sparked off the Niger Delta struggle as the people fought against marginalisation and deprivation, warning that ignoring their request could lead to another round of unrest in the region.

He warned that if the confab fails to include the proposed Toru-ebe State as part of their resolution, they would re-group and crip-pled the nation’s economy since “ we are the goose that lay the golden egg.”

Ekpebide explained it would address the problem of balkanisation of the Ijaw nation by bringing them together since they have cultural infinity, same geography and language

through creation.

Private schools proprietors allege multiple taxation

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—THE National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, has said the stringent tax regime by the various tiers of government on private schools in the

country was negatively affecting the fortunes of the sector.

Rising from its maiden South South Education Summit in Yenagoa, the group pleaded with the authorities to grant waiver or reduce the taxes

slammed on its members and also establish an Education Bank for its members.

In a communiqué by the President, NAPPS Bayelsa State, Mrs. Victoria Odubo and Chief Diekieve Ikiogha, Chairman, Central Planning

Committee of the 1st South South Education Summit, the group explained that the establishment of the Education Bank by the Federal Government will make it easier for its members to obtain loan from banks.

Toru-Ebe

Appointment

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ROFESSOR Raufu Adebisi has assumed office as the substantive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria French Language Village, (Inter-University Centre for French Studies) Ajara, Badagry, on July 1.

A statement by the Village’s Head of Protocol and Public Relations, Mr. Festus Okundia, said Adebisi has a tenure of five years.

Until his appointment, he was a Professor of French at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State.

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

the

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On suspension of ASUP strike

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HREE months to enable the lecturers collect outstanding salaries and go back on strike: could that be the reason for the suspension?

ASUP should try to see things from the perspective that polytechnic students are suffering.—Ms. Udeaku Nwazota, Worker.

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T is nice since there is a new Education Minister. ASUP should not try to embark on strike again. I sincerely believe that their demands are too much.

In life we compromise certain things for the good of the future.— Mr. Eyinna Opkani, Student.

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am of the opinion that prior to having any talk with ASUP, it would have been wiser for the newly sworn in minister to have undergone briefing from his predecessor, including getting a grasp of government’s position on the issues at stake.— Mr. Stanley Okafor, Worker.

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S it a coincidence that a new Education Minister was appointed and the strike called off or is it that Wike was just incompetent with the negotiations between ASUP and Federal Government? Calling it off is what we want, not any suspension.— Mr. Emmanuel Jannah, Student.

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UBBISH. So ASUP will suspend its strike without its demands met?

Then after three months it will commence again.

Would it not have been better to fight it at a go and see what comes out of it? The 11 months strike has turned to a waste.— Mr. Japhet Emejuru, Student.

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OR the sake of stability and advancement in the education sector, the well-being and future of students as well as the welfare of the lecturers, among others, one pray for an amicable settlement.— Ms. Ukoma Ezeokoye, Student.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—45

FERMA assures on maintenance of old Niger Bridge

Delta CIEs told to step up monitoring capacity

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—MANAGING Director of Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, Mr. Gabriel Amuchi, has assured Nigerians, that the old Niger Bridge would not be abandoned, but would be maintained regularly by his agency, despite the construction of the Second Niger Bridge.

He spoke when he inspected the expansion of the Asaba approach to the Niger Bridge and the lighting of the bridge, both of which are ongoing, as well as the collapsed Illah/Ebu Bridge.

He said that despite the construction of the Second Niger Bridge, which is expected to decongest the old bridge, FERMA will still maintain the old bridge so that it can cope with the heavy traffic flow between Onitsha and Asaba.

NSITF won't succumb to blackmail —Olejeme

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N a bid to actualise the full objective of the Employees’ Compensation Scheme, ECS, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF, is repositioning the agency in line with the provision of the Act establishing it.

NSITF Board Chairman, Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, explained that in order to actualise the agency’s mandate, it was restructuring the organisation and re-engineering its current workforce to reflect the objective of the scheme.

Olejeme hinted that the effort to reposition NSITF was in pursuance of the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan, noting that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that the agency measures up to global standards.

She added that the agency will not succumb to blackmail and will not be distracted in its efforts to achieve its core mandate.

CONVOCATION: From left: Rector, Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Dr. Jacob Obboreh; Director of Protocol to the Governor, Mr. Godwin Abigor; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; Senator Emmanuel Aguariavwodo and Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, at the commissioning of the Department of Business Administration and Management building during the 1st combined convocation (2004-2013) of the institution, at the polytechnic ground in Ozoro, weekend. Photo: Henry Unini.

2015: I'll uplift the socio-economic lives of Deltans —Omo-Agege

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—A frontline governorship hopeful in Delta State, Obarisi Ovie OmoAgege, has said he was in the 2015 governorship race to uplift the socio-economic lives of the people of the state.

Speaking during a consultative visit to Mr John Ayoro, a community leader and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiugbo-Ughelli, Urhobo Host Communities of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, leadership in Otor-Udu and Mr. Dick Ani, a community leader and chieftain of PDP in Effurun, Omo-Agege promised to promote free healthcare for all, if given the mandate.

Insisting that he was carrying a pan-Deltan agenda in the governorship contest, he said that he would build hospitals in

every five kilometers to address the health needs of Deltans. He said he would also create a gas commission in addition to the state Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. Praising the Delta Beyond Oil initiative of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, the PDP governorship hopeful promised to promote agriculture through deliberate policies that will address the needs of farmers in the state.

He said: “We will take proactive action on environmental matters and work with oil and gas companies operating in the state to reduce the occurence of oil spillage, pollution, and gas flaring which have adversely affected marine and agrarian economic activities

in several Delta communities.

“In pursuing this, we will ensure full compliance with global standards by operators in the oil and gas industry. We will also insist that every Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between oil companies and host communities is diligently executed to ensure continued harmonious co-existence.”

Omo-Agege, in his separate addresses during the different visits, promised to embark on massive construction of roads across the state as part of effort to build on the development initiatives of Governor Uduaghan. He commended the governor for his good work in the past seven years.

Delta needs value change orientation to drive devt —Ofuani

BY GBENGA OKE

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PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial hopeful in Delta State, Chief Clement Ofuani, has re-stated the need for value change orientation in order to speed up social, economic and human development in the state.

Chief Ofuani, who was the Senior Special Assistant on Presidential Matters to President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke during his visit to Bomadi and Warri South Local Government Area secretariats of the PDP, Delta State, noting that “the time has come to extol merit over

mediocrity.

“There is need for the society to return to the times when hard work meant everything and people only got rewarded for hard work.

The restructuring of the system has been identified as a necessity for speedy development, as it is the only way everyone can be adequately protected.

“If we continue to rely on a system where somebody needs to know who you are before you can get anything, then we are in trouble, because the masses who lack such connections will be de-

nied their rights. But if we create a system that is indifferent to who you are, but only cares about what you have to offer, then everyone will have a sense of justice.

“The reward or consequences of everyone’s actions will not depend on who they are but what the laws say they should be.”

He pointed out that there was the need to change the values driving the society, insisting that “if we continue to reward indolence and ignore hard work, then people will abandon hard work for indolence which will create a lot of disequilibrium in the society.”

HIEF Inspectors of Education, CIEs, in Delta State have been advised to step up their monitoring capacity to ensure that heads of schools and teachers under them do their jobs diligently.

Executive Assistant to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on Education Matters, Stella Blaize, gave the advice in Asaba at a one-day workshop organised for CIEs and Heads of Basic and Secondary Schools.

The workshop was coordinated by the office of the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Education Matters.

Blaize said the advice became imperative as it would go a long way in ensuring that those assigned with the responsibility of taking care of the character formation, intellectual growth and development of pupils and students under them did their work conscientiously well.

NBA Ikorodu elects new officers

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HE Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Ikorodu branch, Lagos, has elected new officers to run its affairs for the next two years.

A former vice chairman of the branch, Mr. Adedotun Adetunji, was elected chairman.

Other officers are Abimbola Ojedokun (Vicechairman); Blessing Ene (Secretary); Islamiyat Adesola (Public Relations Officer); Charity Fagade (Treasurer) and Owoyemi Ajoke (Social Secretary).

Adetunji thanked members for their support and trust, noting that the task of rebuilding the branch had just begun.

He said fostering unity and peace in the branch was the new executive’s main task.

“All the electioneering promises would be fulfilled,” he said, adding that he was set to reposition the branch as one of the best bar associations in the country.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

FG to establish agricultural clubs in schools

NBA election: Members allege manipulation of delegates' list

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BUJA—DR. Baraka Sani, the Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to the President on School Agriculture Programme, SAP, said that her office would establish agricultural clubs in schools to promote unity in the country.

She told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, in Abuja that the clubs would help promote the different cultures of the ethnic groups in the country.

According to her, it is the extra-curricular engagements offered by such clubs that form part of people’s education process.

“We are trying to put back all the things that were missing. We are trying to trace back the fault and make sure we reinforce them. Mr President has brought on board this initiative.

“We all benefited from clubs; we use to have the jet club, the drama club, the debate club and all these extracurricular clubs, no doubt, make a difference in the overall education of people.

“But all of a sudden, we lost them, we concentrated on academics and I tell you academics do not make education.

“It’s a combination of curricular and extra-curricular activities that makes you a sound person. This programme is very important in the promotion of unity in Nigeria.

“Extracurricular activities make you come together - Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and everybody.

One of the things I gained during my education was to be able to understand people, their values, culture and understand them.

“We need to build these types of programmes that will bring us together as Nigerians, make us understand each other and not misinterpret anybody’s action but appreciate him for how he is, who he is and respect the culture and the tradition of that person.

“So, I believe this has the capacity to do that and if we stand to gain something, the best part of it will be the act of mingling together and bringing us together, understanding and loving ourselves as Nigerians.“

BY INNOCENT ANABA S the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, elects its national officers today in Abuja, members of the Abuja branch of the association have kicked against the alleged manipulation of the branch’s delegates list by the chairman, Mr Desmond Yamah.

A member of the branch, Mr Innocent Agala, in a petition to the chairman of NBA Electoral Committee, Mr Okey Amaechi, SAN, complained that the Abuja chairman single handedly drew the delegates list without following the provisions of the bye- laws of the branch.

Article N (V) (A) & (B) of the bye-laws of the branch provides that delegates of the branch be shared from lawyers of one year post call to the ones who have attained more than 20 years post call.

It distributes the delegates in a manner that all members are represented. For instance, lawyers from one to five years post call are entitled to one delegate, between five and 10 years post call are entitled to one delegate; 1015 post call, one delegate; and 15-20 post call, one delegate.

Also, lawyers in public service and past chairmen of the branch are entitled to a delegate each.

The bye-laws further states “Where more delegate slots are allocated to the Branch, it shall be distributed in the proportions listed above.”

It also provided that “A delegate

must have attended at least four meetings consecutively within 10 months preceding April of an election year and served the association in at least one committee.”

Agala, in his petition said that Abuja branch did not select its delegates at any of its meetings, whether in April or at any other time. “Abuja Branch did not select its delegates in its April 2014 meeting held on April 4, 2014; May

16, 2014 and June 13, 2014.

The 47 names contained in the purported delegates list submitted were solely compiled and secretly transmitted by the branch chairman in flagrant disregard to the clear and unambiguous provisions of the Branch Bye Laws.”

He urged the Electoral Committee to reject the delegates list submitted by the Abuja branch chairman as it was in breach of the constitution of the

NBA and will consequently lead to a challenge of any elections conducted with the said list.

“I sincerely believe that as a man of integrity and honour that you will make the profession proud by conducting the election entrusted in your hands in a way that can set good example for Nigeria in general while putting into consideration that election is not only the act of casting votes, but involves the process leading to the actual voting,” he added.

SWEARING-IN: From right—the newly elected officers of the National Union of Printing and Paper Products Workers, NUPPPROW, Vanguard unit, Mr. Oghene Ighorodje, Chairman; Mr Alade Aromashodu, Vice Chairman; Mr Alex Folorunso, Seceretary; Mr Destiny Eseage; Asst Secretary and Mrs Charity Ottah, treasurer, taking their oath of office before Comrade Habeeb Kareem, Deputy Gen Secretary (Admin/ED) during the general meeting and election of new officers of NUPPPPROW held at Vanguard's head office, Apapa. Photo by Shola Oyelese.

NEMA boss wants greater cooperation from responders

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BUJA—THE DirectorGeneral, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Alhaji Mohammad Sani-Sidi, yesterday called for greater cooperation among responders in emergency response and mitigation in the country.

Sani-Sidi made the call at a oneday ‘After action’ review meeting of stakeholders that responded to the Nyanya and EMAB Plaza bomb explosions in the FCT. He urged the stakeholders to be patriotic in providing solutions to emergency response and mitigation in the country. The director-general, who said that the impact of the incidents could not be quantified, also said it had created constant fear and apprehension on the citizenry.

“It is a fact that terrorism is a global phenomenon and we have had our share of its destructive impact.

“We have a great responsibility to either fight it collectively to a standstill or allow it to destroy us as it has done in other parts of the world,” Sani-Sidi said.

He said the country’s quest for development and nationhood could only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace and respect for human dignity.

Head of Search and Rescue, NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Labaran Ahman, stressed the need for improved coordination in the roles played by responders during emergencies.

Presenting a paper on ‘the

Role of First Responders in Mass Casualty Incident Resulting from the use of Improvised Explosives Devices (IEDs)’, Ahman identified the Police as the lead agency.

Ahman said the police and Fire Service should be activated simultaneously if explosions occur. “Disaster Response Units (DRUs) of the Armed Forces should be activated when the in-

cident overwhelms the capacity of civil response stakeholders. The Police Bomb Disposal Unit or counter-terror unit is to declare the incident area safe for rescue workers to access,” he said.

He gave the role of first responders during search and rescue operations in cases of fire and flooding as the fire service while the Federal Road Safety Commission should handle road crashes.

55 arrested, convicted for taking alcohol during Ramadan in Kano

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ANO—THE Kano State Hisba Board yesterday said 55 people were arrested and convicted for alcohol consumption in Kano during the ongoing Ramadan fasting.

The board’s Director-General, Alhaji Abba Sufi, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Kano that the convicts were apprehended last week following raids of their hideouts in Kano.

“All the 55 persons were sentenced to four months imprisonment without option of fine in order to serve as deterrent to others who might contemplate doing same.

“From those arrested, 50 of them are married men while the remaining five are women.

“Even if we are not in the month of Ramadan, nobody should take alcohol because the state is implementing

Sharia law,” Sufi said.

According to him, the board has also arrested another 27 people for the same offence and they will soon be taken to the court.

He said the board would continue to raid the hideouts with a view to arresting them for prosecution.

Sufi said the board had arrested over 400 beggars for violating the anti-begging law.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 47

Water scarcity: Kwara govt to sink 10 boreholes at Sobi army barracks

Yero sacks Devt Area Administrators

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A D U N A — GOVERNOR Mukhtar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State has relieved all Development Area Administrators of their appointments following the expiration of their tenure in office.

A memo signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Hamza Ishaq Danmahawayi, said Yero asked the administrators to handover to the secretaries of their respective Development Areas beginning from yesterday.

The secretaries of the Development Areas would oversee affairs of the offices of the former administrators until new ones were appointed.

Meanwhile, Yero has commended the former administrators for their selfless service to the state and hoped they would continue to work for the development and peaceful coexistence of their communities and the state in general, and further wished them success in their future endeavours.

UNESCO, NTI to seal teacher training deal

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ADUNA — THE United Nations Education and Scientific Cultural Organisation, UNNESCO, is to enter into a deal with the National Teachers’ Institute, NTI, to give legal backing to the organisations’ cooperation in teacher training in the country.

Regional Representative of the UNESCO for West-Africa, Prof. Hassana Alidou, was at the NTI, Kaduna headquarters, weekend, to discuss modalities for the agreement to be sealed at the forthcoming International Education Conference in Lome, Togo.

Hassana said: “UNESCO wants to share good practices with NTI in Nigeria and other ECOWAS countries,” adding that her organisation recognised the immense contributions of NTI to the development of education through teacher training in the country and wanted to strengthen the institute’s service delivery.

Chairman of the NTI Governing Council, Mr. Ali Sa’ad Birnin-Kudu, whose visit to the institute coincided with the UNESCO team’s visit, said it was a privilege for the institute to have UNESCO representatives. He expressed his support and co-operation on the activities of the body with NTI.

BY DEMOLAAKINYEMI

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From left: CEO, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yinka Sanni; Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Arumah Oteh; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga; Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, and Managing Director, Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX), Yusuf Abdurrahim, at the launch of electronic warehouse receipt system, in Abuja.

Fulani herdsmen kill 60 in Zamfara, Plateau

BY SALISU MARADUN &

MARIE-THERESE NANLONG USAU—OVER 50 people were reported to have been killed in Gidandawa District of Maradun Local Government Area in Zamfara State, while many others were injured following a reprisal attack yesterday on the residents by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

This came as no fewer than 10 persons were reportedly killed in the latest attack carried out in the early hours of yesterday in the Pilgani District of Langtang North Local Government of Plateau State by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.

The attackers reportedly invaded the area at about 5 am when the residents were getting ready to start the day’s fasting, killing anybody on sight.

Although no reason was given for the killings, security sources told Vanguard that the attack must have been a repraisal, as some Fulani herdsmen had issues with the villagers.

Eye witnesses told Vanguard that about 40 persons who died on the stop were buried in a mass grave and in accordance with Islamic rites even as more bodies were later discovered from the bush. ”We heard heavy gun shots that were loud enough to wake everybody from sleep early this morning (yesterday). The gun shots were also coming from the direction of Maradun, which is not too far from here. ’’However, later, we started bringing in corpses of men, women and children who were allegedly killed by the invaders.

This was early in the morning,” one of the witnesses who gave his name as Isa said.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the state Police Command, DSP Lawal Abdullahi, confirmed the incident, saying only seven people were killed in

G

the attack, contrary to what was being speculated. ”Actually it happened, but not like you said about the casualities. However, it is not good for anybody or groups to take the laws into their hands" he added.

10 killed in Plateau

The cause of the recent attack could not be ascertained but a villager who spoke anonymously said it took place at about 2am at Zama Dede and Ganlang villages with the attackers killing seven and three persons respectively.

Reacting to the attack, the member representing Langtang North/Langtang South Constituency in the House of Representatives, Beni Lar expressed worries over the persistent attacks on her constituents.

Lar, who spoke with newsmen in Jos, the state capital, further

expressed regret that attack had shaken the foundation of peace being enjoyed by the people.

She described the communities which were attacked as "peace loving, with hardworking farmers," wondering why some people would be so cruel in taking lives of innocent citizens, particularly at the time the Federal Government through the national conference was trying to find a lasting solution to farmers/herdsmen clashes.

She, however, appealed to the people of her constituents to remain law-abiding as government was doing everything possible to create grazing grounds to prevent such clashes in future.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Abu Emmanuel declined comments on the matter, saying he was yet to briefed on the issue by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Langtang.

NAHCO Aviance, Customs partner on 24-hour cargo service

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

L

AGOS — THE Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance) has begun a 2-hour cargo operations as it has reached agreement with the Nigeria Customs Service to extend its hours of operation at the Lagos airport cargo complex.

This came as the authorities of NAHCO Aviance have said that it has not stopped the clearing of goods in its warehouse.

The company said the clarification became necessary due to insinuations going round that it had stopped clearance of goods in its warehouse as a result of a disagreement between foreign airlines and customs licenced clearing

agents. It said its export and import warehouses are open for business.

With this round the clock service, NACHO now operates 24 hours in all its areas of operations such as ramp and passenger services as well as maintenance department. .

According to the Managing Director/CEO of NAHCO Aviance, Mr. Kayode Oluwasegun-Ojo, “ with the commencement of the 24 hours cargo operations by NAHCO Aviance, there would be prompt facilitation of cargoes. This would reduce the stockpiling of cargo at the tarmac and bulk breaking areas and will also lead to proper maximization of cargo potentials, thus expediting on timely delivery to customers.”

LORIN — THE Kwara State Government has said that it would sink 10 boreholes at the 22 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Sobi in Ilorin to ease problems of water scarcity in the barracks.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who spoke when he visited the barracks, yesterday, said the gesture was in line with the QUICK win intervention programme of his administration.

He said the government would also assist in the renovation of more classrooms at the Army Children’s Junior Secondary School to complement the one already rehabilitated.

Ahmed, who inspected some sections of the schools and teachers’ quarters, further said the government would also take up the responsibility with a view to ensuring a condusive learning environment, thereby improving the welfare of officers and men in the barracks.

“The Sobi Barracks deserves to enjoy the support of the state government despite being the responsibility of the Federal Government. Since the beneficiaries of the services rendered are our children who will later take up the responsibility of the future of the nation and indeed the state, they deserve our support at all time,” he said.

Ahmed then directed the officials of the state government to liaise with the authorities of the Army barracks in identifying critical areas of intervention within the next one week.

Responding, the Commanding Officer, Engineering, in the barracks, Lt.-Col. S. B. Danjuma said the facility had been facing serious water challenges for more than four months, expressing hope that the intervention would reduce the problem.

He commended the governor for the gesture and assured the government of "the continued support of the barracks."

48— Vanguard , TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

FUND RAISING: From left: Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titi LaoyeTomori, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, National Leader, All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during the fund raising dinner organised by Oranmiyan Vanguard Worldwide to support Aregbesola's re-election in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

VISIT: Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo (sitting), and members of Photo Journalists Association of Nigeria, PJAN, during a familiarisation visit to the Oyo monarch in Oyo, Oyo State.

From left: Dr Rafiq Ogunbambi, Federal Commissioner, Board of Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, guest speaker, and Otunba Dele Olapeju, Director/ Principal, King's College, Lagos during the annual speech and prize giving/graduation ceremony in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

VISIT: From left: Professor of Surgery and Consultant Surgeon, Professor Stanley Anyanwu, Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, Chief Medical Director, Ondo Trauma and Surgical Centre, Dr. Oluwole Ige and Chairman, Faculty of Orthopaedics, National Postgraduate Medical College, Dr. Yinusa Wahab, during a visit by members of the National Postgraduate Medical College to the governor, after their accreditation visit to the Ondo Trauma and Surgical Centre in Akure.

LAUNCHING: From left: CEO, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Yinka Sanni, DG, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Arunma Oteh, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, MD/CEO, Bank of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed Santuraki, and MD, Nigeria Commodity Exchange, NCX, Yusuf Abdurrahim, at the launch of electronic warehouse receipt system in Abuja.

VISIT: From left: Mr Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr Tunji Olopa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Communication Technology, and Dr Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, during the permanent secretary's visit the commission

US Ambassador to Nigeria, James F. Entwistle (left) and Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, at the celebration of America's Independence Day in Abuja.

MEDICAL OUTREACH: From left: Prince Gbenga Oguntayo, member GHTLI, Mrs Segilola Olawoyin, Secretary, GHTLI, Miss Bunmi Aboderin, From left: Acting Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Usoro Anthony member GHTLI, Mrs Angela Enuwa, Chairperson, GHTLI, and Mr Ayodeji Usoro, MTN music ambassador, Sidney Esiri, Veteran reggae artiste, Ras Laurent,President, Eti-Osa Youth Development Initiative, EYDI, during the Kimono and Wang Zizhong of Huawei, at the launch of the MTN music + medical outreach programme in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye. app in Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 49

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50—V anguard 50—Vanguard anguard,, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

The fall of the ‘unfallable' of U.S. politics

N

IGERIAN politician and wordsmith of blessed memory, K.O. Mbadiwe, used to coin phrases and make sentences that dressed up the English language in regal and enigmatic robes. He once described himself as “a man of timber and calibre” and always cajoled his opponents that he was capable of “cementing the cementables” as well as being a man of action “when the come comes to become.” For good measure, the ShehuShagari government appointed him as Nigeria’s “Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.” But, when this man who saw himself as a heavyweight politician lost an election so badly that he also lost his mandatory deposit for garnering very few votes, a Nigerian newspaper came up with the headline, “the fall of the unfallable,” to describe the weight of K.O. Mbadiwe’s political humiliation.

The U.S. recently witnessed such a fall of gargantuan proportion. Eric Cantor, the Republican majority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives and the man tipped to succeed John Boehner as the Speaker of the House, took a political tumble when he lost the primary election. The man who beat the well-known Cantor was David Brat, a politically unknown professor of economics.

The battle for the Republican Party primary election in Virginia’s seventh congressional district was more like a fight

cal career had been rubbished by a man of little political weight. It was the fall of the “unfallable.”

Several reasons have been adduced to explain Cantor’s loss. Some of the political pundits claimed Cantor had lost touch with his constituents, and had become so much of a Washington insider and player that he apparently forgot that the people of the seventh congressional district in Virginia had sent him there to represent their interest. Others argue that what clipped his political wings was the immigration issue where Brat, campaigning on the sentimental issue of immigration under the canopy of the “Tea Party” wing of the Republican Party, made Cantor look like an unpatriotic American. Yet others contend that Cantor was so focused on his quest to become the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives that he forgot his primary job of representing his people.

These criticisms and analyses may or may not have merit. What is being ignored is that Eric Cantor’s loss strengthens the U.S. political and electoral system and, I daresay, democracy. First, Cantor did not do what politicians in developing nations love to do: use their defeat to attempt to destabilize the nation by taking their misfortune to court and using thugs to cause all sorts of mayhem. The man, Cantor, knew that he had been trounced and had the good sense to concede victory.

Not only that, he announced that come the end of July, he would officially step down from his exalted position of Majority Leader in the House of Representatives.

Without official rigmarole or rancor or debilitating political jostling and hustling, the U.S. House of Representatives has since moved to elect another man to replace the outgoing Cantor. He is Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy, a representative from California.

So, in less than a month after Cantor’s unforeseen defeat, the U.S. political/democratic system functioned as it was designed to roll and produced another person to take over from the man who lost his position. If you were not following what was going on in U.S. politics, you might not have even noticed the change of guard in the office of Majority Leader of the House of Representatives. The transition has been swift. That, might be the lesson for less democratic nations where a loss of political office often translates to unnecessary national crisis.

But all said, one cannot fail to notice the irony in Cantor’s fall into political purgatory. He was among the very militant wing of the Republican Party members who vowed to make Obama a one-term president. This same group had placed, and continues to place, all sorts of twigs and thorns on Obama’s route to governance.

But, unbeknown to Cantor, while he was busy and enthusiastically digging Obama’s political grave, little did he know or anticipate that he was unwittingly preparing for his own political funeral.

,

While Cantor was busy and enthusiastically digging Obama’s political grave, little did he know or anticipate that he was unwittingly preparing for his own political funeral

between two people of unequal strength.

Cantor was a national figure, while Brat battled with name recognition even in his own district. Brat struggled to raise about $200,000 for his campaign, while Cantor reportedly garnered $5.4 million for the epic battle. Of course, the national press was impressed with Cantor’s credentials and hardly paid Brad any attention during the campaign. Cantor’s campaign dealt with a variety of issues and showed his mastery of how to navigate the waters of American politics.

On the other hand, Brat campaigned on just one issue, immigration, and did not even have so much to say about it other than America should shut its doors against “illegal” immigrants. Cantor was so sure of victory that the Republican Party was concerned with his margin of victory over Brat, not about him losing by any stretch of imagination. So cocksure was Cantor about his victory that on the day of election, he was nowhere in his constituency, but was busy doing fundraising for his political allies and colleagues in Washington D.C. His pollsters had assured him that victory was as sure as the rising of the sun.

Then came the result. Cantor, the man who would be king, was floored by the little known David by a 56-44 percent margin. It was not a close call. Like the biblical David, this David had used a mere slingshot to decapitate heavily armed giant Cantor. The entire nation was awestricken by the news that Cantor’s politi-

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 51

• Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

• NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe

Doctors’ strike:

Why FG, NMA negotiation is deadlocked

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE, CHIOMA OBINNA, GABRIEL OLAWALE & BOSEDE OYELOHUNNU

Strike should not have taken place - Chukwu

W

E are responding to their de mands. After we met them on Thursday, we achieved something and they were able to get their members as a matter of duty to render emergency services and we had hoped that by this morning we will be happy to have them at their various stations.

I got a call that made it clear to me that after our long overnight meeting, they resolved not to go back to work, despite the fact that I was there personally around 11p.m. to address them.

Our colleague, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State also came in person to lend a voice; as well as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Chairman, House of Repre-

sentatives Committee on Health were also there and pleaded with our colleagues.

The doctors should return to work but this has not happened. As a doctor, and without sounding immodest, I'm convinced this is one strike that should not have taken place. With all sense of responsibility, I have gone through everything and even what we achieved on Thursday was just like a re-read. There is nothing new being introduced.

Circular: One is that a circular that was issued by government through our collective effort in January to ensure that distortion in relativity, which happened around 2014. We addressed it with a circular and they are aware that as of the time the President approved it, because it has financial implication, the budget had already been presented.

And this was clearly made known to the NMA that there may be difficulty, which they accepted.

The President also told us that he has already directed the Ministry of Fi-

We can no longer trust Govt - Faduyile

“We can no longer trust the government judging from its activities in the past. We could not suspend the strike because when we looked at the documents that the negotiating team discussed and brought with the government. We observed that there are so many areas that are very ambiguous and the issues that we needed to get what we requested for were not fully addressed.

We observed that in recent time that the government is in the habit of saying I will do this for you and you will come back in another three months and they will still be on the same spot. So it is better for us to resolve issues once and for all so that we do not go in and out of strike action.

Athough government has almost met all the demands, we cannot take such a risk to avoid a repeat of the strike in the future.

Areas still in contention: For instance, government views on the The doctors should return to work; issue of directorate, the as a doctor, and without sounding Act that sets up Teaching Hospital stated that you immodest, I'm convinced this is one can only have three directors. Even with these strike that should not have taken three directorates we have place areas where we have many directors like Ife, they have just appointed this moment. So, we did not skip in 2011 a director and if you are saying three and 2012. directors and you see people having After then, there union exercised their that, and we have not seen you taking fundamental human right and then concerted effort, it just looks to us that went to court. And the national indus- the Minister is playing hide and seek. trial court ruled that since government NMA is not saying anybody cannot has permitted them for a long time to be consultant but, yes, in a hospital setskip even though unathorised, they ting, those appellations are not right. must be negotiation before reversal. We In those places where there are consulthave appealed that ruling as a means ants, they are not within pure hospital to obey the rule of law. setting. These are the things we want But our colleagues now said they are Continues on Page 53

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ON July 1, 2014, the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA - umbrella body for medical profession in Nigeria, embarked on nationwide indefinite strike to press for implementation of a 24-point demand from the Federal government.

On Monday July 7, the NMA held an emergency delegates meeting with top government officials in Abuja.

The meeting, which lasted eight hours, had in attendance NMA delegates from the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital territory, FCT. Representing the Federal government were Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Health.

At the meeting, widely regarded as a last ditch effort to reach an amicable settlement, negotiations hit the rocks. Government felt it had made significant concessions, but the doctors were dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting and resolved not to return to work until all their demands have been met.

Good Health Weekly caught up with the Health Minister, and Chairman of the NMA Lagos State branch, Dr. Francis Faduyile, shortly after the meeting.

Excerpts of their responses are reproduced below.

nance that once we have an appropriation act, she should do her utmost to see how we can begin to pay and we knew how long it took for the Appropriation Bill to become law. So, we pleaded that since we are working on it along with the Federal Ministry of Finance and because it was almost nearing the end of the journey that they should be patient. This is something that did not exist until January. It is totally new. To now demand this money that the accrued arrears since January until they have the alert on their phone they will not call off the strike.

Skipping: The second condition has to do with skipping. Skipping started in 1991. But it was not done by doctors.

It was unauthorised but allowed for the non-doctors. After I came to office, I worked with a circular made by the head of civil service of the Federation, I became the first minister to stop skipping because I have gone through some programmes as prescribed by the council and tells what needed to be done up to

been cheated that even if they are to wait for the outcome of the appeal, they were not gaining what others are gaining and that government should begin skipping for them. They said they are willing to allow government to stop skipping if the court ruled in favour of it. Our negotiators accepted and work out modalities on that.

Consultancy: The third reason the doctors gave for not returning to work today (Tuesday) was the issue of consultants. Since the 70s to 90s non -medical doctors have been appointed by various hospitals and those hospitals are been managed by medical doctors.

There is no medical director that is a non- doctor. But our colleagues appoint others as consultants within the hospital setting.

Again, when NMA complained and I stopped it. It was also the reason why others went to court and the court ruled that the ministry and government have the right to decide who should be a consultant in their hospitals. Those that were already enjoying that status before the ruling were asked to retain that position. We have also appealed the position but asked the Ministry to disobey the court, which is not possible. I am for the rule of law. If they were the one that got the judgment in their favour, will they expect government not to implement?”

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52 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 53

Day experts united against sexual assault

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

T

HE increasing wave of sexual as sault in Nigeria is raising concern.

Reports show increase in child sexual abuse/molestation, rape and other forms of sexual violence. The seeming increase may not be unconnected with increased public awareness about sexual assault as an important health problem.

Stakeholders say the country may have an epidemic of sexual violence on its hands even though there are no reliable national statistics on rape and other sexual offences in Nigeria, which hampers an effective national response. The need for hospital based management protocol in the form of treatment, care and support for the victims becomes paramount.

Last week, stakeholders comprising the Police, Civil Society Organisations, care givers, counsellors and lawyers gathered in Lagos at the instance of Mirabel Sexual Assault Centre to evaluate rescue activities, assess and build greater partnership with all the agencies working on child protection in Lagos, to have more coordinated approach against the scourge for better results.

Coinciding with the 1st anniversary of the Centre, the event was also to work out how to sustain activities of the Centre as the funding agency withdraws after two years.

301 victims in one year

Managing Partner of the Centre, Mrs Itoro Eze-Anaba said in just one year, the Centre, has attended to 301 victims of rape and other sexual assault cases in Lagos. Victims of all ages were received, but minors topped the list.

She said some of the victims' ordeal was pathetic, regretting that most of the perpetrators were either family members or friends.

Nine boys raped by other boys were referred to the Centre. Shocking cases involved a-two-year old baby, a 70year-old grandmother, and a baby conceived from a rape incident.

Eze-Anaba was regretful of the high level of impunity. “Some of our clients revealed that perpetrators boast that justice will not catch up with them.

People are getting away with it every-

Justice

• Rape victim. According to the World Health Organisation, a child is sexually abused every two minutes. day. Nobody is being punished. There is no deterrent. It is being trivialised.

An old man rapes a child and the case is reported at the police station, suddenly, the traditional rulers begin to beg for the case to be buried. There is stigmatisation and also for the fact that there are no readily available support services where the victims can report to, therefore, they keep quiet. Based on that, the perpetrator goes to the next target.” Prevalence among boys is also growing but it is more difficult to talk about it. It is easier to say a girl has been raped but if it happens to a boy, he may not talk about. That is the mentality.

Milestones “In one year, one of the highlights of it all is that we have been able to pinpoint to the fact that minors under age of 18 are majority of the victims. This means that there could be problem bringing up minors in Lagos. Another revelation is that rape is not done by strangers because over 80 percent of the cases involved people they know.

It contradicts the myth that it is because of what you wear or the unfamiliar. The Centre has documented credible infor-

PZ supports NAFDAC with new truck

BY BOSEDE OYELOHUNNU

T

OWARDS aiding drug regulatory activities in the country, Patterson Zochonis recently donated a Mistsubushi Galant pick-up to the National Agency for Food and Drug .

Administration and Control, NAFDAC. Handing over the vehicle in Lagos, PZ Director of Corporate Affairs and Administrators, Mrs. Yomi Ifaturomi, said the vehicle was donated as part of the firm’s corporate social responsibility and support for efforts by the Agency to check fake and substandard goods and products.

Expressing gratitude, Orhii said the gesture shows that Nigerians are really supportive of the Agency.

“This vehicle will be used judiciously to enhance our work, and

tims cut across all boundaries. "Though most of the victims are minors but there are also adults who find it difficult to get justice because it is believed that the perpetrator could be her boyfriend.

You will see the victim blaming herself, the family, the community and the places she goes to for help are all blaming her. Then she decides to keep quiet.

"We have seen different cases, including cases of fathers abusing their own children. There is need for more awareness. Once it is addressed, the victim’s hope is rekindled. Parents need to educate their children properly. It should not be only against strangers because about 90 percent of the act is committed by people known to the victims. At certain age, parents should educate their girls about their body and sex organs. We often say when a man touches you, you get pregnant, no, tell them if a man has sex with them. Teach your children to be confident of themselves because perpetrators are afraid of such children.

will be deployed to the appropriate department for regulatory activities.

And by this time next year, or in two years, after evaluating what we haved used this vehicle to achieve in the area of fighting fake and counterfeit drugs, you will be motivated to give us more.”

Orhii said vehicles have been a challenge for the Agency’s regulatory operations.

“In Kano State for instance where we have 44 local government councils, we have only two vehicles. One is more than 10 years old and often breaks down. In Lagos where there are more than 1,000 factories to inspect, coupled with the terrible traffic situation in the city, this vehicle is a big relief to us and we shall use it judiciously to enhance our operations,” he stated.

mation that is verifiable.

"Also, we have found out that boys and men are being raped. Rape is not limited to females only. Anybody could be raped. The youngest was about two years old while the oldest is 70. The Centre identified areas in Lagos that are at high risk of recording rape and other sexual assault.

Challenges "Number one is space. Where we are presently occupying at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital is very small. We are calling on government to give us a bigger space so that we can render more effective services to the people in need. Funding is crucial. We need to sustain the programme by getting more funds. Role of the Police cannot be overemphasised. There are three Police Stations we are currently working with. They have been fantastic, but there are others not as good as them. They make financial demands from victims which further traumatises them. Also, schools need to give more information and education in checking the ugly trend. Victims should not be blamed because there is no justification for rape."

A counsellor at the Centre, Mrs. Valentina Peter-Nkwo said rape vic-

Peter-Nkwo said Nigeria could do better in the area of penalty and adjudication of justice, lamenting that justice gets too long to be delivered. “The victims' families get tired along the line and may back out. It will help a lot if justice for victim is expedited.”

Director, Office of the Public Defender, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi, said continuous awareness is the key to curbing the escalating incidence of rape.

She advised that cases that are taken to Police Station should not be settled out of court and that when the perpetrator is convicted and reported, it will serve as deterrent while parents found to be grossly negligent of their children should be punished in accordance with law.

Also speaking, Divisional Police Officer, Adeniyi Adeleye Station, Victoria Island, Monday Agbonika, said the Nigeria Police Force recently initiated a Family Support Unit to handle all cases of domestic and gender violence.

He explained rape occurs whenever there is carnal knowledge without the consent of either partner and that the crime is punishable with up to life imprisonment, saying late reporting prevents the Police from obtaining useful evidence for persecution.

"Apart from conviction, our partnership Mirabel Centre and others would help the victim go through proper psycho-social counseling to enable recovery from the trauma and readjust for a healthier future," he said.

FG, NMA deadlocked Continues from Page 51 them to clarify in black and white so that we do not come again in another two months and start another argument or crisis.

Budget: They signed circular in January, up till to date, they have not effected it. They said it is because they want to add it into the budget but after the budget was done they said is not in the budget.

We did not argue, now that we discuss with them they now said they will look at how it will be in the next six weeks for us to come and sit down and see how far they have gone. This is what we did not agree with because

earlier on, they did not show any commitment or present any clear documentation.

Sympathy with patients: The case of the patients is actually pathetic. It is a pity we are on strike.

The doctors love the patient and we want to work. However, if we continue this way, patients will suffer more in future than what we are suffering now in the hospital. So it is good for us to once and for all clear it so that we can have a better patient management in future.

Government has done much but they can do more if they show some commitment.”

54—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

PDP, APC bicker over fake policemen •APC training fake policemen to rig poll — Omisore •We don’t need fake policemen — Osun APC

BY DAPO AKINREFON

T

HE Omisore Campaign Organisation has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC administration in the state, of planning to arm cadets of the OYES scheme as fake policemen to be deployed in rigging the election.?

The allegation was immediately dismissed by the APC as a cock and bull story.

The Omisore campaign in a statement issued by its?

Director of Media and strategy, Prince Diran Odeyemi claimed that information available to it has it that the “ remaining cadets of OYES scheme have already been arranged and designated into units and will be kitted in police uniforms to aid the fraud being planned by APC.” It maintained that contrary to the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between INEC and NYSC that only participants of the NYSC scheme would be deployed for

•Aregbesola

•Omisore

electoral duties, that OYES members are being recruited to help the APC rig the election.

It further alleged that all moves by the APC lately are pointers to its desperation to avert “impending defeat”, just as it queried the seeming nonchalant posture of the security agencies in the state to numerous security breaches

that have strong links to the administration in the state.

It said ?it was “not only unthinkable but quite bizarre that the APC would be desperate to link PDP to a shoddy work done on all the mega schools.

“As responsible Osun indigenes and a party that wants the best for the state, we

PDP expels 6 APC ‘spies’

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

T

HE PDP has expelled six of its top leaders who were accused of being moles of the ruling APC in the state.

Among those expelled were the state deputy chairman, Dr. B.T Salam, State Secretary, Major Raphael Tewogbola, former State Secretary, Chief Yinka Adeojo, former chairman of Osogbo Local Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaiye, former Personal Assistant to former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji RazaqOyelami and Alhaji Rasaq Oyetunji.

Chairman of the state chapter of the party, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa in a statement following a meeting of the State Working Committee (SWC) held at the party•fs secretariat in Osogbo, said the decision was taken in order to ensure discipline within the party.

According to the statement, the Youths Leader of the party Mr Benson Adegbola moved the motion for the expulsion of the six members while the motion was seconded by the party•fs Treasurer Hon. Adesoye Oyetunde.

The statement added that the state women leader, Mrs. Mary Anjoorin moved the motion that positions being occupied by the expelled members at various federal boards should be allocated to faithful party members.

The party alleged that the

expelled members of the party were romancing with the ruling All progressives Congress (APC), hence their expulsion.

Some of the six expelled members are loyalists of former

Governor Oyinlola and were alleged to have attended meetings with APC leaders in their various Local Government Areas recently while others were alleged to have followed

sympathise with those that were injured by the collapsed structure and thank God for keeping innocent souls off the tragedy that was created by Ogbeni Aregbesola at the twilight of his administration.”

But in its reaction, the Osun State APC dismissed the claim saying there is no iota of truth.

Its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi,who spoke with Vanguard, said “if they are truthful to themselves, let them tell you and take the security agencies to the spot where the so called policemen are being trained.

We don’t need fake policemen, we only need people to beat Omisore silly.

We make bold to say that we have more than enough army of people committed and dedicated to go to the 3010 polling units in the state and thumb print the broom symbol of APC. No force can stop Aregbesola because he is ordained to win again.”

Fatai Akinbade to the Labour Party.

In his reaction to his suspension, Tewobola said he remained a PDP member and the secretary of the party in the state saying that his expulsion was null, void and of no effect.

Osun’ll not believe your lies, Aregbesola tells Omisore

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

T

HE APC flag bearer, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has flayed his PDP rival of campaigning on a platform of lies and challenged him to project what he would differently from the incumbent.

Aregbesola, through a statement by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, said that it was remarkable that Omisore was bent on dissipating energy on personalities and discrediting his administration instead of stating what he would do himself as governor.

“We acknowledge his capacity

for lies, fraudulent claims, innuendoes and fallacies.

We however note that these are only the last resort for a candidate who knows the degree of the rejection he has suffered from the good people of Osun,” Aregbesola was quoted as saying.

“Omisore must take the Osun people for being daft to believe they will embrace his lies. In recent times, he has woven a litany of lies around all the projects of the Aregbesola administration such as Opon Imo, roads contracts, school reforms, financial engineering, youths empowerment schemes, environmental development

projects and others. “But what Omisore appears to forget is the fact that the people are at the centre of these programmes and therefore they are the direct beneficiaries.

Any attempt to discredit them easily fails,” the statement said.

“He has sought desperately to set workers against the government. The Osun workers who have witnessed the massive changes in the conditions of service since the Aregbesola administration came would even in the face of the confusion attempted by him, still take the best electoral decision of re-electing Aregbesola for a second term.

Don’t introduce religion into Osun politics —Salam

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

T

HE Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly Hon. Najeem Salam has charged people of the state not to vote on the basis of religion sentiment for any of the candidates in the forthcoming governorship election.

He, however, advised voters to make their choice from the

arrays of candidates jostling for the position from the different political parties on who is capable of moving the state forward.

The House Of Assembly boss made the appeal weekend at the Youth Wing of the Christian Association Of Nigeria YOWICAN programme tagged “1st Ejigbo Music Concert”

held at Beulah Baptist Church, Ejigbo .

His words: “ I would like to make an appeal to our people concerning the forthcoming gubernatorial election not to allow religion as a major factor for making their different choices, but to pick from the list of candidates somebody who can move this state forward”.

INEC disenfranchising APC supporters in Osun

BY DAPO AKINREFON

•Jega

T

HE APC has accused INEC of collaborating with the PDP to execute a sinister plan to manipulate the electoral process from source, in order to rig the votes on August 9.

The party, in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, said many APC supporters across the local government areas are systematically being disenfranchised as INEC is preventing them from obtaining their permanent voters cards (PVCs) which he said without which they will not be allowed to vote.

APC alleged also that INEC has “introduced a wicked formular of dispensing the PVCs by asking voters with temporary cards what party they belonged to, before the permanent voters cards are given.

In the process, virtually all those who have identified themselves as APC supporters have been told that their PVCs were not ready, and INEC could not tell these prospective voters when they would be available.”

According to the APC, the unfolding plan was part of the reasons the PDP demanded the removal of the substantive RECin the state, Ambassador Rufus Akeju.

The party also alleged plans by the PDP to stuff the ballot boxes ahead of the election using the cover of friendly INEC officials and security men.

“The rigging plan of the PDP in the State of Osun therefore, is a coordinated exercise between that party, and corrupted INEC officials under the protection of federal security forces,” the APC said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014—55

Nigeria over a long period.

They argued: “All fair minded citizens of this country are wont to agree that the former Eastern Region and part of former Mid West Region, which encompass the present day South- East and SouthSouth zones of Nigeria were theatres of the civil war which devastated the two regions and brought untold hardships to their citizens.

The case of the South-East, which bore the full brunt of the civil war for thirty months, is particularly tragic.

Most of it has remained a wasteland, despite General Gowon’s declaration of the three “R”, Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Rehabilitation.

Issue of reparation

•National Conference in session

44Years after, Igbo demand N2.6tn reparation over civil war

BY HENRY UMORU, LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

F

ORTY- Four years after, the Civil War , Igbo delegates asked for N2. 6 trillion as reparation and compensation for the devastation Igbo land experienced during the 1967 to 1970 war.

In an amendment to the proposed National Intervention Fund, the South East delegates said the former Eastern region and part of the former Mid-West region which are now in South-East and South-South zones were centres of war, with high level of devastation that brought untold hardship to their citizens.

In a document titled: “Atrocities and Injustices against Ndigbo: Ohaneze demand for Reparation” which was circulated with the amendment to the proposed National Intervention Fund, the delegates said it was incalculable to put a price on the death of millions of Igbo who were killed in the civil war and other occasions.

They said: “The case of the South-East, which bore the full brunt of the civil war for 30 months, is particularly tragic. Most of it remained a wasteland, despite General (Yakubu) Gowon’s declaration of the three ‘Rs’, Reconstruction, Rahabilitation and Reconciliation.

“The federal government should pay N400 billion each

to the five states of the South East as compensation to those who lost loved ones and properties and those still suffering dislocation today in Nigeria. The same amount should also be paid to the government of Delta State for the benefit of Anioma area of the state.”

The motion was sponsored by former Minister of Foreign Affairs and a delegate on the platform of Elder Statesmen, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, and 14 others. The Igbo stressed that the demand became imperative following the “atrocities and injustices committed against Ndigbo in

“Boko Haram insurgency in parts of the country, and especially in the North East Zone, has brought up the issue of reparation and reconstruction in whatever guise, to the fore and the National Conference through its Committee on Devolution of Power has tackled it headlong.

Since what is good for the goose is good for the gander, the Conference cannot afford to ignore the yearnings of our people to rehabilitate and reconstruct the war divested South-South and South-East zones through the proposed National Intervention Fund or through any other

integrated platform or plan available to the Federal Government.

“Several panels set up by the Federal Government including the Oputa Panel, had approved reparation for war damages, but till date, this has not been addressed.”

In their prayers they said, “that Since the proposed National Intervention Fund is to address the vexed issues of devastation and upheavals caused by an act of war or by outright war itself, that the South East and the SouthSouth zones be adequately taken care of by the fund in terms of the physical infrastructure, rehabilitation, development and other losses resulting from the civil war.

That the Federal Government sets up a body to work out agreed reparation to settle the civil war issue once and for all.

The Igbo who lamented that several panels set up by the federal government, including the Oputa Panel, had approved reparation for war damages but till date this has not been addressed.

In their prayers the South East delegates demanded that “Since the proposed National Intervention Fund is to address the vexed issues of devastation and upheavals caused by an act of war or by outright war itself, that the South-East and South-South be adequately taken care of by the fund in terms of the physical infrastructure, rehabilitation, development and other losses resulting from the civil war.”

Labour delegate faults impasse on revenue formula

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

A

LABOUR delegate and Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr. Issa Aremu, has said the current impasse on revenue sharing formula is avoidable if patriotism replaces parochialism and unhealthy competition gives way to national solidarity and cooperation for development.

He insisted that delegates have the responsibility to consolidate on the gains so far and avoid the pitfall of failure arising from unnecessary hardened positions on revenue distribution formula.

In a statement, Aremu said: “Delegates must think outside the box of divisive sharing formula to all inclusive revenue growing/production formula.

The truth of the matter is that we must grow this economy before it can be shared. Oil and gas that constitute the base of the derivation principle is

weak, due to oil theft and relatively low exploration.

Nigeria hitherto was the sixth producer of oil. We are now 13th oil producing nation almost rivaled by Angola we helped to liberate.

Thus with the best of formula we are only sharing limited resources that can hardly go round to alleviate poverty.

Notwithstanding rebased Gross Domestic Product, GDP that puts us as the largest economy in the continent, in real GDP per capital South Africa and Ghana are better than Nigeria. The challenge for delegates including myself lies in not just sharing what is not enough but in growing what will be enough to build prosperity for our people.

We must compliment distributive approach with production component to fiscal federalism.”

According to him, “Already 2014 Conference has made a lot of progress through compromises. 19 committee

reports on diverse issues as Industry, trade and investment, labour, religion, energy, political restructuring and Foreign policy among others had passed without rancour.

The only remaining committee outstanding is the one dealing with devolution of powers. Even at that over 90 per cent of the amendments of the report had passed.

The report commendably retains the Labour issues such as minimum wage, trade unions, industrial disputes, safety on the exclusive legislative list of the constitution.

Exclusive legislative list “Of course there are some c o n t r o v e r s i a l recommendations such as that dealing with local governments and state creation. In essence, the most naughty is the

recommendation on revenue formula. Again progress has been made on that. For instance, in place of the divisive ‘Winnertakes-all’ demand for resource control, the Committee on Devolution of Powers reaffirms the win-win principle of derivation as enshrined in the constitution. It is just a matter of percentage left. Devil is in the details.

The consensus building committee commendably recommends that resource producing states get not less than 18 per cent, 5 per cent increase from the current fiscal regime of 13 per cent.

That is a lot of sacrifices on the part of the non-oil producing states.

Given that most states are already broke, the new proposed formula may even worsen the plight of most states.

But this is part of the process of compromise for nation building. There is certainly not enough for everybody’s need not to talk of somebody’s greed.”

56 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 57

58 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

If Segun Osoba had failed…

Daily Times and some people said it was a hazy, hasty decision. He did for a while.

HEN Sir Alex Ferguson was retir Then another publishing organization, ing as the manager of English foot- though smaller in size, the Herald, apball giants Manchester United after a re- pointed him general manager at a stage markably unprecedented term spanning when they were just developing. He built 27 years, he handpicked fellow Scot Mr. up the company. Then the Sketch wanted David Moyes to succeed him. Moyes was the man. He also developed the Sketch a middling figure, alien to trophy-winning and turned it into a profitable company. ways. His years at Everton were barren, So, I said time had proved me right. Of neither capping the season with laurels the young people I knew, worked with or nor moving the club into Europe’s lucra- groomed at the Daily Times, Segun is a tive Champions League glare. man who has proved himself and proved How the departing coach and the Mal- me right. I recommended him and he was colm Glazer family that owns Man United appointed managing director of the Daily expected Moyes to succeed the success of Times. As managing director I think he the old Scot would remain a debate for a took after me” long time to come. For, to consummate a Jose speaks in radiant terms about Osoba succession, the successor must either sus- because the latter succeeded as a journaltain the good work of his predecessor or ist, manager and governor. So partly, surpass it. We can’t talk of a transition as a Jose’s record as an acclaimed journalist fait accompli if upon the handover of a and administrator stemmed from Osoba’s baton, we observe a drop in fortunes in success. Viewed from the reverse, if Osoba the state of affairs. had failed, he would have mired Jose as We may describe what Ferguson did as Moyes did Fergie. a radical shot. But alas Moyes did not folFor Osoba to be seen as a remarkable low up by radicalizing the club, by prop- professional he apparently needed to meet erly connecting and converting Ferguson’s the expectations of both his mentor and move into thunderous medal-gathering those he worked for. But what was weightgoals Man United was use to. He failed ier: satisfying the mentor or your constituand paid the supreme penalty: an embar- ency (those you are accountable to)? I think rassing sack! both reflect one and the same pursuit: the Here in Nigeria years ago, it was not so mentee can only please his mentor by postwith one professional godfather and his ing a good performance, this being the protégé. In the 70s when it was time for trademark of the successful mentor himAlhaji Babatunde Jose to make changes self. There is only a change of personaliat Daily Times Nigeria Limited (DTN), ties; there is no displacement of excellence. where he was the lordly chairman and Ed- One good actor leaves the scene, expectitor-in-Chief, he took quite earth-shaking ing the incoming one to earn the applause steps that saw him bring in Mr. Segun of audience through his own outstanding Osoba his godson as the editor of Daily achievements.

Times, the company’s influential flagship, This essay is a tribute to senior colleague, elder statesman and ex-governor Segun It was not so in the case of Jose and as he marks Osoba, although we have an apt analogy Osobo his birthday today. I in two godfathers influencing the upward am compelled to see him as the reappearpositioning of their mentees ance of the patriarch bypassing others perceived as deserving Ismail Babatunde Jose. Classical German of the office. philosopher of the 19th century Wilhelm There were other appointments. But it Hegel said that great personalities in hiswas the unfortunate chain reaction to tory appear twice, as it were. Several years Osoba’s that sparked the inferno that later, Karl Marx, his compatriot of a more eventually consumed Daily radical persuasion, ran a cynic’s post-script.

Times.Godfather Jose meant well for god- According to him, Hegel forgot to add that son Osoba and the newspaper group, just when history so resonates, the first appaas Ferguson did for Moyes and Man Unit- rition is a tragedy and the second a farce. ed. I don’t think there is any doubt about Jose wasn’t a tragedy; nor Osoba a farce. this.

Happy birthday, Aremo Segun Osoba!

The ball would always be in the court of the protégé to play, not in the court of the •Ojewale is a media consultant and writgodfather. Moyes let down his benefactor er in Ota, Ogun State. most woefully and gave rise to mischievous remarks questioning Ferguson’s skills in boardroom decisions.

It was not so in the case of Jose and Osoba, although we have an apt analogy in two godfathers influencing the upward positioning of their mentees.

RIGHT OF REPL Y REPLY Jose did what he believed was right for the DTN group, with his mind far into the

BY ADEYINKA F. HOLLOWAY future, even if the changes he put through were thought to be punitive. Given the suc- Being the concluding part of an cess he had achieved for DTN, he rea- independent observer’s response soned this could only be maintained by to Tinubu’s aide on Aribisala’s someone like him. That future could only be guaranteed by Osoba who had proved objective prose. The first part was highly successful through his industry, dis- published on July 8 cipline, professionalism and loyalty in his HIEF Tom Ikimi also led the ACN work as a reporter and editor, following in to the successful merger till the hithe footsteps of Jose. jack by Asiwaju. Everyone may not be Even when Jose had left Daily Times good, but there’s always something good group and the government of the day want- in everyone. Never judge anyone shortly ed to reorganize the media house, they because every saint has a past and every approached Jose. This is what the godfa- sinner has a future. - Oscar Wilde ther said about what transpired: “…in adThe case of Ken Saro-Wiwa had been laid vising on the reorganization of the Daily to rest with the accounts of those serving Times, the man my mind went to was Se- in the government as at the time when gun Osoba as managing director. And I Chief Tom Ikimi was defending his nation could justify it. I made him editor of the miles away in Auckland.

By BANJI OJEWALE

W

,

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Wole Soyinka is Wole Soyinka TRIB UTE TRIBUTE

I

BY OWEI LAKEMFA

JOIN in the tributes to Professor Wole Soyinka at 80, not necessarily because he is a genius. It is more because like Nelson Mandela, he is a courageous humanist with a compassion for the weak who wields enormous moral authority. Unlike Mandela, but like Mahatma Ghandi, he earned this without holding formal political office.

Another reason is due to the fact that I am one of the countless persons whose future was shaped by him. While most of my fellow students at the Methodist Boys’ High School, Lagos wanted to be lawyers, engineers or doctors, all I wanted was to learn at the feet of Soyinka. At that time,he was Head of the Dramatic Arts Department, University of Ife. So to that university and department I applied and was admitted.

The first time I saw Soyinka at Ife, I stood transfixed. He drove an open jeep and seemed like a person I had known all my life. He was also our lecturer. One day, after a lecture should have commenced, Prof was still in his office, which we called Soyinka’s Kitchen. We discussed which of us would go remind him about the lecture. Nnamdi Tassie, the oldest amongst us volunteered. He knocked at Prof’s door, popped his head, lost courage and fluttered, “Sir we have a classsse” Soyinka responded “You have a clash or a class, are you an Ibadan man?”

There were many trends on campus; conservative, radical, Marxist, religious. There was so sustained a battle of ideas on campus that at a point, the contention was between radical lecturers like Biodun Jeyifo, G.G. Darah, Toye Olorode, Idowu Awopetu,

What has Chief Tom Ikimi got to do with it?

C

Wole Soyinka Segun Adewoye and Christos Theorodopulous, with the Historian, Dr. Segun Osoba as leader, and those considered as moderates with Soyinka as leader. This of course spilled over to the student populace. In my third year, radical students using their dominance of the campus journals like Rapport and Voice carried out a battle against Prof on an issue. One morning , Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi who was a lecturer in my Department met me “Owei, Prof wants a truce” “A truce? What has that got to do with me?” “Come on I know you can” “You know Dapo?” “Dapo

Olorunyomi?” “Yes, talk with him, he can end this. He lives in Room 247, Fajuyi” My set in the department had been bombarded with many books; from those of the African revolutionary, Franz Fanon to Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones). We did the German Playwright Bertolt Brecht as a special author and ended up studying many of his works; Baal, Caucasian Chalk Circle, Good Woman Of Szechwan, Mother Courage, Drums in the Night.

We also had numerous lectures and guest lecturers from Prof. Femi Osofisan to Sumbo Marinho.

All these prepared us for the future, but back then we felt the work load was too much. If we studied so much and read so widely, what work were we supposed to do in the Masters class or even for a Ph.D? So shortly before our final examinations, the class met and decided to protest to Prof. We thought there would be a confrontation, surprisingly, he received us warmly, listened to us, and then, came his surprising response. Yes, he agreed the work load was too much. Indeed, he had voiced his opinion to our lecturers in the Department. He had lectured in many universities around the world and never had under graduate students been given so much work. But he was told that we had coped very well, and that he was proud of us.

The department he said will take note of our protest. We then complained that we had communication problems with the Aesthetics lecturer we nicknamed Katakliwich, who mixed English with Polish. He laughed and said as a compromise, we would be given a practical assignment which will count as a per cent of the examination marks.

In my Set, we called Soyinka, Prof or WS; his initials. And we used to say there are two WS: William Shakespeare and Wole Soyinka, and that while one could not be given the Nobel Prize for Literature because he lived before the prize, our own WS will definitely get it; so it came to pass in 1986!

In all my encounters with him as a student including being sent out of his class for lateness, I never feared any adverse repercussions.

Perhaps students like me reminded him of his undergraduate days.

In the afternoon of graduation day, I went to my old Department and was told Prof was in. I knocked and popped my head and he said “Come in, come in! Why were you not at the graduation?” I was shocked. There were thousands of graduating students and their families and well wishers, how could he have known that I did not attend? Actually, I find such rituals boring and preferred to gist in the hostel than don my academic gown.

“Oh, don’t worry, I know why; convocation is one of those bourgeois stuff enh?” I was to learn that Prof was so proud of my Set that he went to the convocation and took group photographs with my colleagues, and I was absent!

Six years later, as a coordinator of the NMA-NBA-NUJ National Symposium to mark the 40th Continues on page 59

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 59

Soyinka’s odyssey and Nigeria’s destiny I

By ITSE SAGAY

HAVE known and have been observing Professor Wole Soyinka since 1962 (52 years), but from a distance. I do not have the privilege of having been one of his former students or a close personal friend. Nevertheless, I have been an avid admirer of the man throughout this period.

When you passionately believe in a cause or some principles, which you verbalize frequently, and another person who is equally passionate about such principles, not only verbalizes it, but also takes physical and life threatening actions to realize it, you are bound to admire, even fear that person. Soyinka is that rare type of person.

Throughout his adult life, Soyinka has not only expressed his beliefs and principles, he has dangerously pursued them as a one-man army. That he is not only alive, but is 80, is clearly evidence of divine protection, because he never protected himself.

In 1963, I was a 200 level Law Student at the University of Ife, Ibadan Branch. (There was no Ife Branch then). Wole Soyinka was a Lecturer in the Department of English, and at the same time an active Playwright and Producer.

The Western Region was in turmoil. The split in the ruling Action Group Party was at its height and Akintola was extremely unpopular in the Region particularly in the Campus. Students being what they were, expressed their acute contempt for Akintola

rally the University of Ife Campus was emptied of its student population nightly as there was an exodus from Ife Campus to the Ibadan Campus.

One evening two years later, and a few months before the fateful Western Regional Elections of 1965, when Akintola’s scheduled pre-election political broadcast was to be aired, we were all startled to hear a strange voice on Radio, which obviously came “to bury Akintola, not to praise him”.

The Federal and Western Regional Governments, stunch allies in the plot to delete Awolowo from the political scene, now declared that Soyinka was the Radio Station culprit and that he had held up the station at gun point and procured the broadcast of his own anti-Akintola recording under duress of his weapon.

The rest as they say is history.

He was hunted, gave himself up, was arrested and tried. Thank God for little mercies. If it was in the Abacha era, that would have been the end. But the innocent Akintola and his backer, Tafawa Balewa, allowed a Court trial for the man.

To the absolute shock of the conspirators, a young and little known Judge called Kayode Eso, who was assigned the case in order to test his loyalty to the Government and party in power, held that Soyinka’s guilt was not proved beyond reasonable doubt.

He discharged and acquitted him. For this, the young Judge was transferred to ‘Siberia’, which the Akure Judicial Division, then

,

The next great battle of Soyinka’s life was the war against Abacha. This time, they watched him, trailed him, bugged his phones, put his house under survelance and even broke into it uninvited

and virtual hero worship for Awolowo, loudly and boisterously.

This made the University administration very uncomfortable.

Consequently on ‘orders from above’, the Deputy Vice-chancellor or Pro-Vice-chancellor , Professor Sabiru Biobaku, summoned all the Academic Staff to the University Assembly Hall and read them the University credo, namely, all members of staff must be loyal to the Akintola Government, otherwise they must resign or be sacked. The next day, Wole Soyinka resigned. “He had put his money where his mouth was”.

Unfortunately for Akintola, Soyinka was given a job by the neighouring University of Ibadan. He had hardly settled down there when he started a series of very blistering political lampoons of Akintola and his ‘ running mate’ Remi Fani Kayode, entitled prophetically, “Before the Black out”.

It was staged at Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, and natu-

,

was and he had to drive from Ibadan to Akure every morning and drive back the same way every evening, only to repeat this death baiting feat the next morning.

Anyone who had such a narrow escape would have taken the hint and gone into seclusion incognito; not Wole Soyinka. He tarried a little, and then plunged head long into the brewing Nigeria – Biafra War, criss-crossing between Nigeria and Biafra as if he was taking an afternoon leisure stroll to the speakers’ corner in Hyde Park in London.

He tried to fashion out some form of agreement between the parties in conflict and when this did not seem to work, he commenced putting up a “third force” which would take over the country, and return it to sanity.

Death seemed to be afraid of Soyinka. Perhaps he had some access to the charm, ‘gbekude’, because he walked throught many valleys of the shadow of

Professor Wole Soyinka death unscarthed like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. However, a clearly exasperated Gowon had had enough. He had Soyinka arrested by some goons in the special Branch of the Police Force. They could not understand this strange man and he was detained for about three years.

Even then one good thing came out of that detention – the book, The Man Died. It was not merely a diary of Soyinka’s stay in prison, but a pungent and vivid description of the mentality of those in power and the type of sordid violent and pathetic culture they imposed on the society they inflicted themselves upon.

The next great battle of Soyinka’s life was the war against Abacha. This time, they watched him, trailed him, bugged his phones, put his house under survelance and even broke into it uninvited. Soyinka saw the hand writing on the wall. He realised that this prehistoric animal was no Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

NADECO route to safety He finally took the NADECO route to safety and lived to fight another day, which he did. With his Comrades like John Kayode Fayemi, he established Radio Kudirat in Europe, which not only challenged the obscene falseshood and shameful propaganda of the NTA and FRCN, but also provided psychological relief for an embattled and traumatised population sick of the fawning and toadying sychophancy of the Government Media Organizations and the political class.

Nigeria is indeed lucky to be able to celebrate the life of this 80-year-old Warrior. So what next for Professor Wole Soyinka, Statesman, Activist, Warrior, Philosopher, Poet, Dramatist, Nobel Laureate? Soyinka is Nigeria’s, nay, Africa’s greatest Human Asset, after Mandela. We must exploit and milk this Asset whilst he is

still here with us. There is presently a yawning vacuum, a great lacuna of leadership in Nigeria.

We have a President, but no leader. I am therefore suggesting that we adopt the Iranian Model and appoint Professor Wole Soyinka, the equivalent and status of the Ayatollah of Iran.

We should of course not use the word ‘Ayatollah’. Let us proclaim him our national and spriritual leader who should give binding guidance and directives to whoever is in Government.

That way, no matter who is the head of the Government, in the usual Nigerian way, with the Nigerian orientation, mentality and culture, we shall have a spiritual and political pilot whose great internal light, outstanding integrity, high principles, unyielding quest for justice, incomparable patriotism, unrivalled intellect, and basic natural goodness and decency, can see us through the present overwhelming darkness, anarchy and looming catastrophe.

We have a Moses, let us acknowledge him and follow his leadership. There may yet be a promised land buried deep down in the Nigerian national spirit, but we need a leader to take us there.

Wole Soyinka is Wole Soyinka Continues from page 58 anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I received him as the Special Guest. I then began walking towards the podium to formally welcome and invite him to the high table when I heard his familiar voice ”Owei, Owei!” I turned and walked back to where he and Dr. Yemi Ogunbiyi were seated “Yemi was just telling me you are Owei, Owei Lakemfa!” I nodded. “You know I didn’t recognize you” Again I nodded smiling. “Why didn’t you introduce yourself?” “Prof, you teach thousands of students around the world, I don’t expect you to remember them all” “No, not you!”

In 1993, during the struggles against military dictatorship, I was involved in organizing a mass rally at the Evans Square, Ebute Metta hosted by the Militant Mainlanders led by Osagie Obayuwana and Wale Balogun. As expected, security forces occupied the Square over night so we set up a makeshift platform in the street. Just before the street battles began, Dr. Tai Solarin arrived. He was sick and was asthmatic, so we tried to persuade him to leave before the security forces would begin shooting and raining tear gas canisters on us. He refused and insisted he must address the rally.

He did for a few minutes, we spirited him away just before the police attacked.

After about thirty minutes of ding- dong battles during which the occupation of the streets changed hands many times between us and the police, Soyinka arrived. I briefed him about the number of casualties we had sustained and that twenty four of our comrades including Nike, the lawyer daughter of our

leader, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti had been captured. In order to stop the bloodshed, I suggested that he and I can organize a truce.

We went to the police and it agreed to stop the attacks, release all those arrested and our public address system, provided that the demonstrators disperse. We walked the deserted road between the police and the prodemocracy barricade to explain the truce. There was a concurrence, but as we walked back to the police columns, the demonstrators started hauling missiles towards the police who immediately responded with tear gas and gunfire. Prof and I were caught in between.

Some years later, Prof came to Abuja for the launch of his new set of books, published by Bookcraft run by his former Ife student, Bankole Olayebi. It was a crowded hall and those who wanted authograph were asked to write their names on the books and submit to the organizers. As Prof was autographing the books, he stopped momentarily and shouted “Owei, is Owei Lakemfa here?” I answered from the back of the hall and made my way to the podium. He shook my hand warmly and said “I know you are now with the NLC.” Prof is a highly efficient industry producing not just books and ideas, but more importantly, well educated and rounded men and women who are making and will make a difference in Nigeria and Africa. I plucked the title of this write up from the appendix of a 1980 publication of tributes to Walter Rodney where all contributors were introduced, but when it came to Prof, it simply read ; Wole Soyinka, is Wole Soyinka. Happy 80th anniversary to Prof!

60 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

QPR join race for Omeruo

Brazil 2014 World Cup F-L-I-C-K-S!

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EWLY promoted English Premier League side Queens Park Rangers are interested in taking on Nigeria World Cup defender Kenneth Omeruo on loan from Chelsea for the new season, top sources have i n f o r m e d AfricanFootball.com Another EPL outfit Hull City have already indicated interest in taking the highlypromising central defender on loan after English Championship club Middlesbrough made it very clear they

will be more than happy to have Omeruo back for the forthcoming season.

He spent half of last season at ‘Boro on loan.

Omeruo has signed a new, three-year deal with Chelsea, who have now said they wish for him to take his chance in the first team after a solid showing at the World Cup in Brazil.

But this has not stopped several other clubs from expressing interest in having the player in loan for the third straight season.

“QPR want to have Omeruo on loan for the

new season even though Chelsea have made it clear they will give the player a chance to fight for a place in the first team after what he showed in Brazil,” a top source told AfricanFootball.com “The player is back in Nigeria on holidays now but he is expected back in London by July 28 in time for him to rejoin Chelsea for preseason.

“Chelsea are bulled to train in Papendal, Holland, for pre-season and it is only after this that a clearer picture will come up as concerns his most immediate future.”

Paralympians set for IWAS Junior Games

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ENOWNED businessman and Rotary International Polio Ambassador to Nigeria, Sir Emeka Offor will lead a team of Nigerian Paralympians to Buckinghamshire, England, for the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) Junior Games.

The 2014 Junior Games

Omeruo in action for Nigeria

Warri hosts CNS Open Swimming Championships

BY JACOB AJOM

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LL is now set for the 6th edition of the Chief of Naval Staff Open Swimming Championships billed for the magnificent swimming pool of the Warri Township Stadium in Delta State. The championship has been fixed for between July 18 and 23.

Chairman of the Main Organising Committee, Rear Admiral Babalola Egbedina who addressed the sporting media in Lagos yesterday said swimmers from all over the country will take part and will compete in 34 individual events and six relay races.

Teams from the Armed Forces, the Police, Civil Defence and the Universities will vie for honours at the event.

He also disclosed that there will be cash prizes to in various events while

certificate of participation will be given to all participants.

On their part, the Delta State Government promised to provide the best facilities for the championship.

Project co-ordinator and Chairman of the Local Organising

C o m m i t t e e , HonourableEjiro Etoroma who represented the Delta State Government said the Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan government has put in place first class facilities for the successful hosting of the week-long event.

Top performers at the championship will be chosen to represent the country at the African Senior Swimming Championship coming up in September in Senegal. Some will also be invited for preparations ahead of the 2015 All Africa Games in Congo.

CHAMPIONS: Team Lagos celebrate after winning the ARS 4 zonal finals.

which will hold at Stoke Mandeville Stadium, will mark the 10th year since the games began.

Over 250 registered athletes (the largest attendance ever) from 25 different countries including Nigeria will compete in seven sports including Archery, Athletics, Powerlifting, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis and Wheelchair Fencing).

Nigerian Paralympians, David Ombugudu, a Table Tennis player and Emmanuel Godwin, a weightlifter, both polio survivors will have a chance

of a lifetime to compete at the Games, courtesy of Sir Emeka Offor Foundation.

Addressing a group of Nigerian Paralympians from People With Disability, an NGO based in Abuja during their visit to the Corporate Headquarter of Chrome Group, Sir Offor said, “Our Foundation is interested in supporting good projects especially when it has to do with polio survivors and disabled people. We’ll do whatever we can to help you because your success will encourage other survivors to develop confidence in themselves."

Ejele sends 9 academy players to Europe

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ENOWNED sports philantropist and top politician based in Sapele, Delta State, Honourable Micheal Diden, has maintained his tradition of youth development by sponsoring 9 players of football academy to Europe for trails.

This was in fulfillment of his earlier pledge to Academy For Stars to foot the bills of nine top stars to Europe. The players jetted out of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos at the weekend for Albania on a Turkish Airways flight.

“It has always been my desire to touch the lives

of youths in Sapele, Delta State and Nigeria generally. It is not about the money but its about producing and inspiring youths that the country can be proud of tomorrow.

“I have done this to inspire other youths and it is my prayer that they get good clubs abroad towards betterment of their lives, families and the Nigerian society as a whole”, declared Diden Ejele who beside his political engagements does not miss weekend football playing with Sapele All Stars at the Sapele Township Stadium.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 61

62— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

FIFA ban: Amaju Brazil begs2014 President Jonathan World Cup F-L-I-C-K-S!to intervene

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

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HAIRMAN of the Delta State Football Association (DFA) Pinnick Amaju has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to do everything possible to ensure that FIFA lifts its suspension on Nigeria today.

Speaking against the backdrop of FIFA’s deadline(which is today) for Nigeria to reinstate the Aminu Maigari-led board of the Nigeria Football Federation or face an indefinite ban,

which will effectively rule out the Falconets from featuring in next month’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada, Amaju begged President Jonathan to direct the National Sports Commission to do the needful by doing what FIFA wants.

“I am on my knees begging President Jonathan to call all parties to order and reinstate the board of the NFF led by Aminu Maigari because that is the condition FIFA gave for our suspension to be lifted. We must think

World Cup prize Continues from BP strike, missing a day’s training prior to their second round match against France.

A panicky Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan quickly dispatched his Minister of Sports , Dr. Tamuno Danagogo to give the players $3.8m, being their conceived share of the prize money from the yet to be released FIFA money. It was hoped that the money would ginger the boys to beat France but the African champions succumbed 2-0. Nigeria government fell to the players’ blackmail.

The aftershocks of that loss are still reverberating in Nigeria with the NFF board being dissolved and FIFA placing Nigerian on suspension, with a possible indefinite ban if the board was not reinstated today.

And only last night, FIFA moved to clear the air on the World Cup prize money, which is

tearing Nigeria apart, stating that the money was for the federation which they said has the right to use it at its own discretion. It is largely for development of the game but some federations pay players who played the qualifying matches and World Cup matches a certain percentage of the money.

“That prize money from the World Cup will go to each country’s soccer federation and it is at the discretion of each nation how to dole out the winnings”, said FIFA. That prize money is in addition to the $1.5 million each nation was given prior to the tournament for training, travel and other expenses. FIFA also has a pool $70 million to pay to the various clubs that employ the 736 club players in the tournament, which works out to $2,800 per player per day that the player was in the World Cup.

Germany Continues from BP received $30 million.

That money is the only thing Germany get to keep (except for bragging rights) since the expensive trophy stays with FIFA and teams are given a cheaper replica.

Argentina received $25 million as the runnerup, which is up from $24 million in 2010. The Netherlands earned $20 million for finishing third and Brazil earned C M Y K

$18 million for fourth place.

Here’s a look at the prize money distribution for the 2014 FIFA World Cup: Group Stage (16 eliminated teams): $8 million each Round of 16 (eight losers): $9 million each Quarterfinals (four losers): $14 million each Fourth place: $18 million Third place:: $20 million Runner-up: $24 million Winner: $35 million

of the players and the youths, who are the ones that will suffer if this ban is not lifted today.. The ban will affect our girls who are supposed to play in the Women’s World

Cup next month. This is not good for these players who depend on football to survive.

“Let us reinstate the board and get FIFA off our back. By August, the

Linus Mba, first casualty of FIFA suspension

F

IFA Referees Ad visor and Consultant to the Nigeria Football Federation on refereeing, Mr Linus Mba has become the first casualty of the FIFA Suspension order on Nigeria.

Mr Mba who was appointed three weeks ago as the Match Commissioner for the Sierra Leone and Seychelles African Cup of Nations qualifier in Freetown on July 19 has been replaced.

On Monday, the retired FIFA referee and former member of the CAF Referees Committee got a letter from CAF regretting his replacement.

The letter signed by Amr Fahmy Manager, Nations Cup said in part: “………..I regret to inform you that due to the

suspension of the Nigeria FA, we had to temporarily suspend all appointments for any officials/referees from Nigeria, so we were left without any choice but to replace you for the above-mentioned match.

Mr Fahmy regretted the “…price that experienced men like yourself, good servants of African football, have to pay”

•Mba

elections will hold and those who want a change of guards, will get the chance to elect the people

they want into the board of the NFF. It is a case of no victor, no vanquished”, said Amaju.

FIFA ban

Continues from BP Tamuno Danagogo is expected to hold a crucial meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, where a decision on whether to reinstate the Maigari board would be made to forestall a worldwide clampdown on Nigeria.

Nigeria was suspended on August 9 by FIFA , who ordered that Nigeria should reinstate the board by today or face an indefinite worldwide ban from football. The ban will effectively rule Nigeria out from next month’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada and many other international events.

In an attempt to present their side of the story, the Ministry of Sports sent a team to Brazil to meet FIFA. The team has returned back to Nigeria and was scheduled to brief Danagogo last night. At the time of filing this report, the meeting was yet to start.

It was gathered that the

team to Brazil was expected to tell the Minister what transpired during their meeting with FIFA and make appropriate recommendations on what to do to beat the impending ban.

“The team that went to Brazil to meet FIFA would brief the Sports Minister and tell him what unfolded there and possibly make recommendations on the way forward. I do not know the exact time that the meeting would start but I it will hold tonight”, said a Ministry insider, who added that the Minister of Sports would disccuss the recommendations of the team with President Jonathan today.

“The Minister is scheduled to meet President Jonathan tomorrow (today) and brief him on what transpired so that Nigeria can find a way out of the current problem,” the source said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 — 63

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014

Germany earn $35m for winning World Cup

A

FTER Germany defeated Argentina in extra time of the final of the World Cup, not only did they get to hoist an 18-carat trophy, but they also hauled off a cool $35 million.

FLYING CAT: Germany's forward Miroslav Klose (R) looks on as Argentina's goalkeeper Sergio Romero catches the ball in the FIFA World Cup final at The Maracana Stadium. Photo: AFP

It’s fitting that the largest prize in World Cup history was distributed in the most expensive World Cup in history. Spain, winner of the 2010 World Cup, Continues on Page 62

President Jonathan, Minister meet over FIFA ban

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

A

S the zero hour approaches swiftly for Nigeria to reinstate the Aminu Maigari-led NFF board today or risk an indefinite ban from FIFA, the Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Dr. Continues on Page 62

•President Jonathan

•Danagogo

FIFA clears air on World Cup prize use of prize money is at Federation's money •Says discretion to public shame in BraBY JOHN EGBOKHAN

F •Blatter

IFA yesterday cleared the air on the World Cup prize money that accrues to each participating federation at the World Cup finals.

Nigeria was exposed

zil when the Eagles demanded for their share of the prize money, which FIFA normally pays at the end of the tournament. NFF had told the players that the money was yet to be paid but the players went on Continues on Page 62

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Originate (5) 9 Penetrate (5) 10 Frightened (6) 11 Happening (5) 12 Cheese (4) 15 Pain (4) 17 Postponed (7) 20 Girl’s (3) 21 Females (5) 23 Finished (4) 25 Couple (4) 26 Wanderer (5) 28 Spout (3) 30 Denied (7) 33 Paradise (4) 35 Ancestry (4) 36 Confusion (5) 38 Firearm (6) 39 Collect (6) 40 Emulsion (5)

DOWN 1 Rate (5) 2 Foot-lever (5) 3 Expert (3) 4 Notice (6) 5 Sensible (4) 6 Newt (3) 7 Tally (5) 8 Viper (5) 13 Dedicated (7) 14 Manufacturer (5) 16 Encourage (7) 18 Twelve (5) 19 Material (3) 22 Nautical (5) 24 Decay (3) 27 Abdicate (6) 28 Crowbar (5) 29 Torment (5) 31 Taut (5) 32 Disparage (5) 34 Facts (4) 36 Vitality (3) 37 Feline (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Stress 5, Strain 9, Lithe 10, Repair 12, Tenet 14, Erne 17, Nut 18, Rare 20, Titan 22, Ailed 23, Selling 24, Fleet 26, Tired 29, Rend 30, Sat 32, Dire 33, Spring 35, Chaste 36, Troupe 37, Uncle 38, Silent 39, Eyelet.

DOWN: 1, Street 2, Repent 3, Slit 4, Siren 5, Sheet 6, Tent 7, Animal 8, Needed 13, Nuclear 15, Rifle 16, Eased 18, Rigid 19, Refer 21, Net 22, Ant 24, Fracas 25, Entail 27, Ritual 28, Deceit 30, Spent 31, Title 33, Stun 34, Grey.

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.

C M Y K

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