Boko Haram topshot killed — JTF

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61712

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

OGBEMUDIA @ 80

Why Bakassi belongs to Nigeria •P.46

From left: Gov. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State; Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, and his wife, Yetunde, cutting the cake to celebrate the 80th birthday of Dr. Ogbemudia in Benin City, yesterday.

Boko Haram top shot killed — JTF •15 others killed in Bauchi, Maiduguri •Yuguda condemns killings in Bauchi

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD, NDAHI MARAMA & SUZAN EDEH

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ANO—IN what appeared to be a major victory against the Boko Haram sect, the Joint Military Task Force confirmed, yesterday, that the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, has been killed, while two other members were arrested after a shootout between the sect and

Continues on page 5

National Honours list and critics •P.17

Method for choosing option in US Army stability operations(2) •P.19

Mr & Mrs

NATIONAL AWARD RECIPIENTS:

From left: Chairman Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu, CON; Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, CON and Chairman of Globacom, Dr. Mike Adenuga, GCON, during the national awards investiture ceremony in Abuja, yesterday.

National Honours: Jonathan defends choice •P.6 of awardees C M Y K

National Assembly resumes ....To confront executive on N5,000 note, budget, PIB, others

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POCKET CARTOON

Boko Haram top shot killed — JTF Continues from Page 1 security operatives.

There were, however, different accounts on how the encounter took place.

According to one account, quoting an official of the task force, the shooting occurred yesterday morning in Mariri, a town southeast of Kano, where soldiers stopped a vehicle with the sect spokesman, the commander, the spokesman’s wife and their children, the official said. It was not clear what happened next, though the official said soldiers shot dead both the commander and the spokesman. The wife and children remain in military custody. The wife told soldiers the men had accompanied her to Kano as she sought medical help.

The military official was said to have spoken on condition of anonymity as the information was not to be made public yesterday. Lt. Iweha Ikedichi, a military spokesman in the region, later told journalists that soldiers had

only killed one man, the Boko Haram spokesman. However, the official who spoke to The Associated Press had been at the scene of the attack and offered further details about the scene.

A different account said a team of the Joint Military Task Force stormed the hideout of the sect in Hotoro area of Kano municipal where one of the commanders of the sect was killed, while two other members were arrested during the combat operation.

Vanguard was told that the military action followed intelligence report indicating the presence of high profile sect members, who had been on the wanted list of security agents in the area.

The source further revealed that the daylight operation involving several infantry and counter terrorism officers was swift and ended within half an hour.

The sources, however, refused to divulge the identity of the “top com-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

OT he who has much is rich, but he who gives much –Erich Fromm.

Don’t waste another day upset, disappointed, or controlled by problems. Discover how to make each day a great day!— Joyce Meyers.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

That man do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach — Aldous Huxley

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EVER assume you know it all or confuse ma terial possessions or geographical advantage as tool of superiority, the truth is, a higher consciousness is earned constantly with a great of how wisdom is applied in your dealing with others. There is a great divide between the ego and the personality.

A great personality will shine like a beacon of light to others. It is just what it is, a shining light.

So never get too smug to think you’re smarter than others, this may just be the Achilles heels to bring down the forth.

Be open to new ways of doing things, new ideas to accomplish goals and dreams. Learn from others and listen to the voice of truth even from unexpected quarters. A wise sage sums aptly: “No matter what you have, do not like it too much.” But this much I have come to know too, everything in life is fungible... everyone and everything is fungible.

Paying close attention to details draws me to virtues like humility, compassion, love, and tolerance.

I may falter at this, but whenever I get it right, it draws me faster into a path of balance like a fast gale on a smooth sailing wind into the heart of divine love.

mander ” killed during the operation and those taken into custody, pointing out that “ what mattered at the moment is the success recorded during the military action”.

Residents were apprehensive when a military helicopter was seen hovering the skyline of the city indicating a major military operation.

JTF confirms operation Confirming the arrest, JTF spokesman in the city, Lt. Ikediche Iweha told Vanguard on phone that “ we carried out a raid this morning around Hotoro general area where we killed a member of a terrorist group and arrested two during the operation” Lt Iweha, however failed to clarify the identity of the top commander killed and those arrested. He only said that “we don’t have their nominal roll and can not say who was killed and arrested but investigation would certainly reveal their identity.”

Meanwhile, Kano city and environ were generally calm after the operation as business activities resumed while there were increased activities in all the military check points in the city.

Yesterday’s combat operation came on the heels of a devastating attack by yet to be identified gunmen at Hotoro area where a member of National Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC) was killed with his entire family.

In a related development, bloody confrontation between the JTF and some suspected terrorists in Maiduguri left 10 persons dead, while gunmen killed five persons in Zango area of Bauchi Metropolis.

An eye witness of the Maiduguri incident, Mallam Usman Abdullahi, who resides in the troubled Gwange ward, which is one of the black spots identified by the JTF, told Vanguard that “an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) suspected to have been planted on Sunday by some terrorists targeting a security patrol vehicle in Gwange Ward of

Maiduguri, the Borno State capital exploded, leaving two men of the JTF seriously injured.

Abdullahi said: “Soon after the explosion, gunshots ensued, but the JTF after repelling the attack quickly cordoned off the area, while the exchange of gun duel between the JTF and the attackers led to the killing of some people and burning of several houses.

“I cannot tell whether those killed were innocent people or the houses which were set ablaze belong to the suspected terrorists, but all I saw with my eyes was that some corpses littered the streets on Monday (yesterday) morning, even as some houses were still burning as I am talking to you now ”, Abdullahi stated.

A hospital attendant at the State Specialist Hospital who did not want his name mentioned, told Vanguard that he saw two patrol vehicles of the JTF with some corpses around the gate of the hospital. He added that each of the vehicles carried five dead bodies.

Bizman shot in Yobe Also on Sunday evening, at about 8:45pm, some gunmen shot and injured a Business man and a top ANPP stakeholder in Yobe State, Alhaji Mustapha Sheriff Mashidimami.

It was gathered that the gunmen who invaded the family house of the politician on Damboa Road, Maiduguri Metropolis demanded unspecified amount of money, but when they were not able to get the money from the business man, they shot and injured him before they fled.

Already, Alhaji Mashidimami has been rushed to an undisclosed hospital where he was said to be responding to treatment.

Unknown gunmen kill five, injure seven in Bauchi

In Bauchi, five people were confirmed killed while seven others sustained injuries when unknown gunmen yesterday attacked Zango area, near federal low cost housing estate, a suburb of Bauchi metropolis.

The area, it was gathered, was one of the flash points in the town that witnessed several ethno-religious and communal clashes.

A community leader in the area told Vanguard that “the gunmen targeted an area where people used to assemble in the evening to play cards and gamble. They came inside a tricycle and started shooting sporadically, killing five people on the spot and injuring several others who were later taken to the hospital.

Some residents said they were scared when they heard several gunshots near their houses which caused fear, confusion and pandemonium as they scampered for safety.

Immediately after the incident, security men cordoned the area.

Efforts to get the state commissioner of Police Mohammed Ladan failed as he did not pick his calls while the Police Public Relations Officer ASP Hassan Mohammed Auyo said he was on casual leave and had travelled out of the state.

A reliable security source confirmed that five people were killed on the spot and seven were injured but that no arrest was made and security men have commenced investigation into the matter.

In his reaction, Governor Isa Yuguda condemned the attack on innocent people at the Zango area of Bauchi metropolis describing it as an act of terrorism which his administration

and other governments in the country are fighting hard to eradicate.

Yuguda condemns killings The Governor according to a statement from the Office of the Chief Press Secretary, Ishola Michael Adeyemi, condoled with families of all those who lost their loved ones in the barbaric act.

Yuguda who described the assailants as terrorists assured that government would do everything humanly possible to track them down and bring them to book because, according to him, “there is no way we will allow criminals and terrorists to continue to live among us terrorizing innocent people; we must join hands to stop these heinous acts.”

He added that terrorist acts are not directed at one direction, either because of religion, tribe or political affiliation, but a general target at every citizen of the countr y, saying that, “ we must all come together to fight these evil men, they live among us and we must expose them at all cost.

These wanton killing must stop now.”

He, therefore, appealed to all those affected not to do anything that would aggravate the already tensed situation which may lead to breakdown of law and order. Let us allow the security operatives to do their work and eventually track down the criminals. We should please avoid anything that will lead to the loss of more lives and disrupt the peace that we are enjoying in the state, he appealed.”

6—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

National honours: Jonathan defends choice of awardees' Says none has questionable character

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE & EMMANUEL EBELEKE BUJA—IN an apparent response to criticisms against the selection of candidates for this year ’s National Honours Award, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, defended his action, saying none of the recipients of the various awards had unquestionable character, just as he said the number of the awardees was still not enough.

President Goodluck Jonathan said he had directed the National Honours Award Committee, NHAC, to compile the list of honourees with the aim of stripping those with “questionable credibility”.

He said the move was to ensure that holders of the honours did not fall short of the collective expectations of Nigerians.

He noted: “We are convinced that the National Honours Award is a very important part of the symbols of the country’s values and pride.

“Whilst government is always pleased to admit deserving persons into the ranks of those honoured by Nigeria, all holders must not fall short of our collective expectations. The dignity, honour and respect of the National Honours must never be tarnished

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Rewarding excellence “In light of the foregoing, I have directed that the National Honours Committee compile a list of persons conferred with the National Honours but that their current credibility is questionable.

“If they are found wanting, our prestigious Honours will be withdrawn. This is essential in ensuring that holders of National Honours are truly worthy representatives of our nation, chains of values and honour, and especially are patriotic Nigerians or real friends of our dear land.”

Jonathan also directed the award committee to expand the scope of the search for recipients to include all strata of the society.

He noted that the 4430 recipients of categories of

the award since inception in 1963 was not enough, adding that many more Nigerians deserved the recognition.

The president said the number of the awardees, which stood at 149 in addition to five paralympaians, was insignificant compared to the country’s population.

In this regard, he charged desirable people in the country to participate more in the National Honours Award nomination processes in future.

The president said he approved the nomination of the awardees, having realized that the National Honours Award Committee, headed by former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Alfa Mohammed Belgore, had undertaken a thorough exercise.

He said the awardees were credible Nigerians who have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour, saying his administration was committed to rewarding excellence.

“Their greatest efforts lie in the sacrifices and commitments, selflessness and passion for national development.

The awardees today have distinguished themselves from far and wide as icons.

Nigerians can learn some lessons from their achievement. Their efforts are commendable behaviour that should be recognized.

“We will continue to honour our business men and women who do us proud in the world international Paralympics. I challenge Nigerians to rise

above board. Nation building requires sacrifice, transparency, accountability and we remain committed to due process, accountability and transparency in management of public fund. For us to succeed, we need an inclusive will to make it happen.

The president, while congratulating the award recipients for what he described as “deserving honours”, charged Nigerians to strive to deliver quality service to the nation and her people wherever they find themselves, noting that the awards were meant to show appreciation to those who he noted, have made the country proud.

His words: “At the inception of this administration, I urged all Nigerians to be part of our efforts to transform our dear country. We initiated political and socio-economic initiatives; most of them are beginning to bear fruits.

Others will need little more time to make the right impact. Our economy is delivering on key targets including steady power delivery, better service delivery in agricultural sector, employment generation and wealth creation.

“We are proud of your life long achievements and contributions to Nigeria. To ensure the foregoing and reposition our dear nation, we need to sustain value reorientation and confidence building in the polity. There is therefore an urgent need for us all to embrace attitudinal change in our collective resolve to make Nigeria a great

N-Assembly resumes Confronts executive on N5,000 note, budget, PIB, pension, others

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & HENRY UMORU

nation”.

He congratulated all the awardees, particularly Chief Mike Adenuga, the recipient of the highest award at the ceremony, saying he was proud to associate with them.

President Jonathan said Adenugu had made the country in particular and West Africa in general proud by his business outfits which he noted, had provided over 100,000 jobs for Nigerians alone.

Encomiums on Adenuga Dr Mike Adenuga the CEO of Globacom, was decorated with the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON. Jonathan said Adenuga contributed immensely, as a businessman and entrepreneur, to the growth and development of the economy.

“He worked hard to establish Globacom as an i n t e r n a t i o n a l communication company which provides means of livelihood to over 100,000 Nigerians. ‘’Today across Ghana, Benin Republic, he has built a formidable brand and is expanding footholds in Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal.”

President Jonathan thanked the five paralympian gold medalists who, he awarded the national honours along side the 149 awardees for what he simply described as “their exceptional courage,” saying the gesture was part of his administration’s relentless efforts at re-awakening the country’s sports sector.

FUEL SCARCITY HITS LAGOS—Vehicles queue at a petrol station along Oshodi-Gbagada expressway, Lagos yesterday. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele.

BUJA—TWO months of annual recess over, members of the National Assembly will resume today to be confronted by a mountain of issues awaiting deliberation.

Among the issues are: the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, N1.7trillion oil subsidy controversy, N700 billion pension scam, 2013 budget, which may be presented today, controversies trailing poor implementation of the 2012 budget for which the House of Representatives threatened to commence impeachment moves against President Goodluck Jonathan unless he has ensured 100 per cent implementation of the budget. A Federal High Court sitting Abuja, Friday, declined to stop the House of Representatives from commencing impeachment proceedings against President Jonathan over poor implementation of the budget.

Senators will also be confronted with screening of new ministerial nominees for Defence and Power following the sack of the former Minister and past Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Haliru Bello Mohammed and the resignation of Prof.

Barth Nnaji respectively.

The lawmakers would have to take a decision on the proposed introduction of N5,000 note and conversion of N20, N10 and N5 into coins by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, with the support of the executive arm of government. The Senate Committee on Banking asked the CBN to put the policy on hold but the apex bank insisted that there was no going back.

The matter may put the executive and legislative arms of government on a collision course. A stormy session will be expected at the plenary against the backdrop that some senators may be against it while some will support, though the Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Institutions, Senator Basssey Edet Otu, PDP, Cross River South had asked the apex bank to drop the proposal.

The legislators would also be faced with amendment of the 1999 Constitution, of which serious issues like state creation and state police among others have

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been generating ripples They are expected to take action on the $5 billion fine it ordered Shell to pay over environmental pollution in Ogoni, Rivers State in the Niger Delta region.

For Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, PDP, Rivers South-East, he must have used the holiday to prepare the report of the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Appropriation and Finance that investigated how much was spent and who collected what from the N1.7tr oil subsidy.

The holiday may also have given Senator Aloysius Akpan Etok, PDP Akwa Ibom North West and Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Services to put together the findings of the Senate joint Committee that investigated the N700 billion pension fund and submit same to the entire house.

Senator Hope Uzodinma, PDP, Imo West and Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation may have also used the recess to prepare reports on two public hearings he carried out, one on tax evasion and fare disparity by British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways and the other on the National Assembly joint c o m m i t t e e that investigated the crash which involved Dana and Allied Airlines aircraft in Lagos and Accra respectively.

As the Senate resumes, there are various issues, especially the unfinished jobs that must be done and one of such assignments, which must be accomplished today before the 109 Senators is discussions on the 2013 budget which President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to present before the Senate, as well as discussions on the achievement of the 2012 appropriation.

Security challenges with bombings in some parts of the country will feature at both the open and closed door sessions of the Senate, just as discussions on Petroleum Industry Bill. The Senators are also expected to review the outcome of the Senate retreat which took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

At the end of the day, reports by Senators Uzodinma, Abe, Etok and others will be tabled before the Senators for discussions.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012—7

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Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 — 9

Job-seekers throng Alausa for employment

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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O fewer than 1000 job-seekers yesterday thronged the premises of the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, to submit applications for employments in to the state‘s civil service.

Vanguard gathered that the applicants trooped into the secretariat as early as 8:00 am, to submit their completed application forms at the Lagos Civil Service Commission, building.

However, a good number of the applicants were seen making frantic efforts to obtain their application forms, seeking enquiries and

help from those who had already completed theirs.

Owners of business centres within Alausa secretariat had a field day, as applicants patronise their outlets to make photocopies of their documents and took passport photographs.

One of the applicants, Mr. Bolaji Samuel said he had applied for a job in the state‘s civil service in the hope of getting something better than his present marketing job.

According to Samuel, “At present I work as a marketer but I must confess it is not better than a menial job as it is strenuous and hardly gives me any reward or satisfaction.”

Businessman charged with N8.4m fraud

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE & EMMANUEL IBUWARISO

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43-year-old Lagos businessman, Fatai Adetunji, has been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate Court in Lagos, for allegedly obtaining N8.4 million from Victor Olufunsho and Olushola Lawanson under false pretense.

The accused, who resides at No. 5, Odunfa Street in Lagos, was said to have on August 17, 2012 collected N6 million from Olufunsho with a promise to remit the money to account No. 00187538 at Halifax Bank, UK, owned by Mrs. Yetunde Sarumi, Olufunsho’s sister.

He was also accused of having collected 9, 235 pounds (N2.4 million) from Olushola Lawanson under false pretenses;

offences said to have contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.

Adetunji is standing trial on a three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretenses and stealing. However, when his plea was taken before Magistrate Martins Owumi, he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

Owumi granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum, after asking him if he could pay back the money within a year for amicable settlement of the matter and he replied in the affirmative.

The case was adjourned to October 10, 2012 for further hearing.

Hoodlums attack LP chieftains in Owo

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE — AT least, six persons have been arrested following breakdown of law and order in Owo council area of Ondo State ahead of the October 20 governorship election.

According to reports the hoodlums numbering about 12 drove in a white bus invaded the residence of a Labour

Book launch A BOOK entitled “Entrepreneurship after Retirement” written by Professor Femi Pearse will be presented to the public today at the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos at 11 a.m.

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Party member, Mr. Ade Omoloja but when they could not find him unleashed terror on people in the area including Mrs. Abimbola Fagbade, Omoloja’s pregnant wife, injuring her with sharp objects.

A report said the thugs later went berserk as they continued to harass Owo residents shooting sporadically.

Police authorities in the state confirmed the violent clash in the town but said the number of those arrested would be made public later.

Image maker of the Command, Adeniran Aremu, said however, that the situation has been put under control.

R-L: Dr. Yewande Adeshina, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Public Health; Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos; Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health and Dr. Leke Pitan, former Commissioner for Health, during the graduation of Health Volunteers, organized by Lagos State Health Volunteers' Scheme{LSHVS} in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

I didn’t approve street trading in Computer Village – Olu of Ikeja

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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HE Olu of Ikeja, Oba Adeniyi Matemi Amore, had debunked the allegation leveled against him that he instructed the displaced street traders at the popular Commuter Village, in Ikeja to return to the

streets, saying; “At no time did I instruct the street traders to go back to Computer Village; the report is baseless, malicious and with no substance whatsoever.”

It would be recalled that last week, the Computer Village, one of the biggest markets for all kinds of computer hard and software

materials in West African sub-region, was last Thursday, temporarily sealed and later reopened by men of the Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit.

According to reports, the closure was necessitated when a group of miscreants,

Fashola challenges judiciary over national development

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & ADEOLA ADENUGA

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OVERNOR Babatunde Fashola, of Lagos State yesterday decried the socio-economic problems in the country and said the situation has placed a big responsibility and challenges at the door step of the nation’s judiciary.

Governor Fashola who gave a keynote address at the Lagos Central Mosque for the commemoration of the new legal year said the roles of the judiciary and judges cut across all human endeavours, thereby placing onerous

task on their shoulders.

Also, Bishop of Lagos and Archbishop of Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos, The Most Rev. Adebola Ademowo at the church service held at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, disclosed that the country ’s values are deteriorating fast.

The Bishop said lawlessness pervades the country at all levels stating this may not augur well for the nation.

The test for the legal year service was taken from the book of Daniel Chapter 7, verses 1-14 and the reading was taken by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Phillips.

Governor Fashola said, “Our country is at great crossroads, facing enourmous challenges that put to test our self governance and democracy.”

He said it is the law that regulates the society, especially when the country is faced with issues of national security and economic development, adding, "it is law that regulates man and guarantees his properties.

“In Nigeria, road traffick constitutes challenges to our socioeconomic development. If there is traffick problem, a worker will not be able to get to his work timely."

already displaced in the market over street trading by the Lagos State Government, were addressed by the Oba of Ikeja, who allegedly ordered the dislodged traders to return to the street for businesses.

When Vanguard contacted Oba Amore for his reaction, he stated: “That I said street traders should trade in Computer Village is not true.

“That was what took me to the market -to address them, the shop owners, on the need to allow those who want to open for business to do so.

That’s all.”

Meantime, the state Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, while receiving in her office, the executive members of Police Officers’ Wives Association, POWA, in the state, led by the state Chairman, Mrs. Rabi Manko, implored women in the state to desist from trading on major roads and highways, noting that such does not only cause traffic gridlock but also endanger the lives of women as witnessed in the frequent cases of motor vehicles running over street traders.

EFCC, others evacuate oil from seized vessel

BY EVELYN USMAN

T HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other relevant agencies in the maritime sector, weekend , carried out an evacuation exercise on a vessel, MT Takoradi, seized eight months ago by the Nigerian Navy for alleged illegal

bunkering.

The vessel, loaded with one million litres of diesel was arrested by the navy ’s newly acquired platform, NNS Thunder , while on patrol .

After its interception, the vessel was reportedly discovered to be operating on the high sea without clearance

after which it was handed over to the EFCC for further investigation.

Agencies present at the evacuation process included the Department for Petroleum Resources, DPR, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA and the evacuating

company, Fenix Impex N i g e r i a .

Chairman of the Fenix Impex Limited, Mr. Tenebe Jarret explained that the company ’s participation in the evacuation was an indication that indigenous companies could perform effectively if given the opportunity.

10—Vanguard,

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,

2012

S-West PDP chides Aregbesola over appointments T

HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-West has decried the refusal of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to appoint a Head Of Service, HOS, and Permanent Secretaries in the state.

The PDP said it was an aberration and outright illegality that Governor Aregbesola will also, alongside his functions as a governor, be performing the functions of Commissioner for

Works while his Deputy, Laoye Tomori holds the office of the Commissioner for Education in addition to her position as the Deputy Governor.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kayode Babade, “Osun State does not have a Head of Service since the immediate past HOS, Mr. Segun Akinwusi retired two months ago,, no Commissioners for

Works and Education since Aregbesola became governor 22 months ago and there are only six Permanent Secretaries left in the State Civil Service.

“It should also be noted that in flagrant disregard to Sections 192, 193 and 195 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Aregbesola did not appoint a single commissioner until August 12, 2011, eight months after he became governor.”

“Also, despite that

there are only six Permanent Secretaries in the State Civil Service, the governor has refused to appoint Senior Directors as Permanent Secretaries since last year. Instead, he uses consultants in ministries instead of Permanent Secretaries.

“In addition, instead of appointing a new HOS to replace Akinwusi, who retired two months ago, Aregbesola is planning to appoint someone from Lagos State, who will transfer his service to Osun State.

Ogun PDP tackles Amosun over workers' strike

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—The P e o p l e s ’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State yesterday condemned the disagrement between Ogun State government and the workers in the 20 local government areas of the state which resulted in a strike action.

The party through a statement signed by Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bidemi Osunbiyi blamed Amosun of insincerity, describing the action of the local government council staff as “medicine after

death”.

It would be recalled that, workers in all the local government areas of the state had embarked on strike action over unpaid salaries and allowances.

According Osunbiyi, the situation of the striking workers in the 20 councils could still be “salvaged” considering the support Amosun’s government received from the people.

He blamed the council workers for not showing interest when the state House of Assembly passed into law the bill on joint peojects between the state and the councils.

He said “ where were these workers and their unions when the state House of Assembly hurriedly passed a bill on the joint projects between the state and the councils? The law has among others given legal backing to the desire of the governor to make the councils extension of the governor ’s office. You don’t close your eyes and allow someone to determine your future without your input.

“It was this desire that robbed the state of a free and fair local government election last July 21 because the opposition chairmen would not cooperate”.

ACO debunks MImiko’s performance claim

BY GBENGA OKE

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HE Akeredolu C a m p a i g n Organisation, ACO, has through its Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, dismissed claims by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State that his administration has performed well in the last three years.

The group also described as baseless and untrue claims by the Governor that tertiary institutions in the state pay the least tuition fees in the South-West and a minimum wage of N22,000.

ACO described the statement credited to the governor a cheap propaganda geared towards hoodwinking Ondo State indigines to vote for them at the f o r t h c o m i n g gubernatorial elections.

According to the spokesperson of ACO, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, Ondo people cannot be deceived with empty promises again by the Mimiko administration.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012—11

Shift Okada deadline to April 2013, students beg Uduaghan

BY TOMMY ANADUAKA

TUDENTS in Delta State, under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS/Joint Campus Committee, JCC, have appealed to the state government to shift the deadline given to commercial motorcycle operators, commonly called Okada, to April 1, 2013.

Mr. Koyoyo Uhrorho, chairman of NANS, Delta State Chapter, in a

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CONFERENCE: From left: Dr. Augustine Omoh of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital; Aniekan Umanah, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Communication and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, President, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor-in-Chief/GM Publication, Vanguard Newspapers, during an interactive session with the doctor after the 8th All Nigerian Editors Conference in Uyo. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Fresh oil spill hits Bayelsa community

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

ENAGOA—A fresh crude oil spill has been reported at Obama flow station trunk line belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company in Nembe creek, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The spill, according to the natives, has disrupted fishing activities in the creek and waterways and is spreading at high speed due to the current of the water and moving into the creeks of IgbetaEwoama, Iwokiri, Sabaturo and other fishing settlements and communities of Nembe Kingdom.

A local fisherman was said to have spotted the leakage, last week, while on a fishing expedition.

The natives accused Agip of performing a bad job on the repair of a similar ruptured trunk line that caused huge oil spillage sometime in

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July.

Speaking on the latest spill, Chairman, Oil and Gas Committee of Nembe Kingdom, Chief Nengi James, said though the oil producing areas had repeatedly called for a review to the approach by oil exploration companies to spillages and mop ups, the situation in Nembe Kingdom was pathetic and required urgent attention.

He called on the company to change the trunkline instead of doing shabby repairs to make quick returns.

Lamenting the plight of the people of the oil rich region, James said: “Oil companies operating in the Niger Delta are now using harmful chemicals to suppress and induce oil spill into the water, with injurious effects on sea foods, living organ-

Oshiomhole on 2nd term: We'll increase GDP, create wealth

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, weekend, said his administration would concentrate on expanding the economy of the state by increasing the Gross Domestic Product, GDP and creating wealth during his second term.

Speaking during the

visit of the management of Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research, NIFOR, led by its Executive Director, Dr. Omoefe Asemota, the governor said this would be done in addition to ongoing infrastructural development and urban renewal programme in the state.

He said: “In this second term, it is clear to me that we have to sustain

Youths lay siege to DESOPADEC

BY EMMAAMAIZE ARRI—HUN DREDS of placard-carrying youths from oil communities in Delta State, weekend, took over Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, office in Warri, in protest over the dissolution of the board by the state House of Assembly.

Some of the placards read: “We will not take

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ism and human beings.”

He urged the oil companies operating in Nembe Kingdom and beyond to have human face in their operational environments rather than employing blame game tactics by saying all spills are caused by saboteurs while in effect they are running away from paying compensations to spill affected communities.

this decision by the House of Assembly,” “Marginalisation can cause ethnic crisis,” “No to unwarranted interference from lawmakers,” among others.

Following the protest, combat-ready soldiers and mobile policemen were deployed to protect the office complex.

Delta State House of Assembly dissolved DESOPADEC board, last Wednesday, citing non-performance.

Niger Delta activist and Vice President of Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said: “The House acted in bad faith.”

Omolubi insisted that the House rushed to dissolve the board that was fighting to bring development to the people of the state, adding, “The board was not even allowed to approve any budget before it was dissolved.”

what we are already doing but also focus on expanding the economy of the state, increasing the GDP and creating wealth.

“To get full value of the rural roads we have constructed, agriculture must be taken seriously and I have directed the Commissioner for Agriculture that we have to be more active.”

Expressing the readiness of the state government to collaborate with NIFOR, Oshiomhole said: “The Dangote group has indicated interest to invest about N1 billion in oil palm in the state when land is provided and we are working to keep the people busy by planting cassava not only for domestic consumption but also for export.”

Speaking earlier, Dr. Asemota commended the governor's efforts at repositioning the state within the last four years, especially in the area of agriculture.

statement, appealed to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, to shift the interdiction on Okada in major cities in the state to April next year to enable them, being breadwinners, ample time to diversify their source of livelihood.

Commending the state government for distributing enough tricycles that would accommodate a larger percentage of the “mobilised” Okadamen, NANS advised the Okada riders to remain calm.

Delta: ACN group hails dissolution of DESOPADEC

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

CTION Congress of Nigeria, ACN, chieftains in Delta State, known as ACN Democrats, have hailed the dissolution of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, by the state House of Assembly, saying that the move was long overdue because the commission had not addressed the problems for which it was set up.

The commission was dissolved on September 12 and is to be re-constituted in two weeks time.

But before the body is re-constituted, ACN Democrats leader, Mr.

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A.Mene, urged the House to amend the law setting up DESOPADEC to put it in tandem with the law creating the 13 per cent derivation to ensure economic and social justice in Delta State.

He said: “The 13 per cent derivation fund is meant for the development of the oil producing areas only to address the environmental degradation occasioned by oil exploration in these areas.

“The law creating DESOPADEC which stipulates that only 50 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation fund should be given to the commission is against the spirit and letters of the law creating the fund.”

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Ogbemudia @ 80, says Nigeria better as federation

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN—GOVER NOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Chris Alli (rtd), were among dignitaries that graced the 80th birthday celebration of former governor of old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia.

Meanwhile, Ogbemudia has insisted that Nigeria was better off as a federation than confederation, as being agitated by some persons.

Calling for more autonomy to be granted states with “corresponding increase in fiscal allocation,” Ogbemudia argued that to make the states more viable in a federal system, the controversial derivation principle should be based on 50 per cent, noting that if “confederation and zonal aggregations are favoured,

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CONTRACT SIGNING: From left: Chairman Chevy Chase Nig. Ltd., Dr. Chris Edordu; Project Promoter/Chairman, Bliss International Hotels, Mr. Tony Ubogu; Managing Director, China Railway NO 3 Engineering Group Nig. Ltd., Mr. Zhang Kibin and Project Consultant/Chairman, CEO, Charles Adebiyi Consulting Ltd., Chief Charles Adebiyi, at the contract signing ceremony of proposed development of Protea Hotel, Asaba, Delta State, held in Lagos, weekend.

Fuel scarcity: NNPC increases daily truck loading IGERIAN National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said, yesterday, that it had increased daily loading of petroleum products by trucking, following the damage of System 2B distribution pipeline at Arepo, in Ogun State, which resulted in the current scarcity of fuel in major parts of the South from Lagos to Ilorin and beyond.

Accordingly, the corporation said that daily supply of products to marketers have increased as follows: Folawiyo tank farm from 150 to 250 trucks; MRS from 100 to 200 trucks; Capital Oil to 300 trucks; AITEO and NIPCO 100

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and 70 trucks, respectively The corporation, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Fidel Pepple, said the move was part of measures to end the current fuel scarcity being witnessed in Lagos and some parts of the country.

He added that the current scarcity was as a result of the “shut down of System 2B, a major pipeline that evacuates between 9 to 11 million litres of fuel from Lagos to Ibadan, Ilorin and the North due to vandalism by oil thieves some weeks ago.”

Consequently, he said, the corporation had to resorted to products distribution by trucking, while assuring Nigeri-

ans that “NNPC has stepped up fuel supply to marketers and distributors for effective and efficient supply of fuel.”

He added that fuel delivery and supply to Port Harcourt, Aba and Calabar depots were also being augmented, just as bridging to the North had been beefed up.

On the Arepo pipeline that was vandalised by oil thieves where three NNPC engineers were also killed, Pepple said the corporation was collaborating with security agencies to fix the pipeline in order to restore normal fuel supply to the affected areas.

He noted that the safety and security of oil pipelines were the collective responsibility of

Outgoing Perm Sec tasks Minister on East-West Road

BY CHRIS OCHAYI UTGOING Perma nent Secretary in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Alhaji Sheidu Ozigis, has challenged the Minister, Elder Godsday Orubebe, to work assiduously to complete the East-West Road project within the stipulated time, so that his name would be written on the sands of time.

Alhaji Ozigis, who described the dualisation of the road as the ministry’s flagship project, ex-

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pressed confidence that “despite the financial situation of the ministry, I am very impressed with the way the Minister and his team are working dedicatedly to ensure that the projected was completed.”

Speaking at a farewell party organised in his honour, following his retirement from the civil service in Abuja, Ozigis recalled that when he resumed at the ministry, they met challenges of different types, but they were committed and passionate to deliver the mandate on the ministry.

“When I came to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, I was received with open mind by the Minister, Elder Orubebe and the Minister of State, Hajia Zainab Kuchi, and after some time, without skirmishes, I felt at ease that now I have humane people as ministers.

“We were unable to move mountain in the ministry.

We met different challenges but one thing truck me, the commitment and passion exhibited by the Minister and the Minister of State, the Directors and everybody."

all citizens and appealed to the public to be vigilant and contribute to making oil installations safe and secure.

there should be Midwest Zone for Edo and Delta states.”

He lamented the deplorable state of sports in the country, which he said “has the capacity to gainfully and productively engage half of our unemployed youths.

Look at what Europe and America have done with sports. China has since discovered it and is tapping its dividends.

Sports should, therefore, find a place, a prominent place in our constitution.

Government should take the lead and encourage private sector participation and eventual take over. What I say about sports here also applies to agriculture.”

Gowon, under whose military administration Ogbemudia served as Military Administrator of the Mid-West and later Military Governor of Mid-West State, said he always liked to remember Ogbemudia as a versatile and resourceful officer and gentleman.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 —13

Enugu CJ declines to vacate order against APGA chair

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—AN Enugu State High Court, yesterday, declined to vacate the ex-parte order it made on July 25, 2012 restraining National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh from convening a national, state or local government executive committee meeting of the party.

Trial judge, also the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Innocent Umezulike, who had adjourned to rule on the

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preliminary objection by Umeh, against the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case, yesterday, said he would rather wait for the outcome of the appeal challenging the validity of the prolonged interim order made by the court, which the defendant contended should not have lasted more than two weeks.

In a ruling that lasted close to two hours, Justice Umezulike, said that since the defendant had approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the interim order made by

him, it would be wrong for him to do anything further on the order “so I had decided to wait for the outcome of the appeal.”

He said that even though the interim injunction ought not to have lasted beyond July 31, 2012 when parties appeared before the court and made submissions in support of their case, the notice of appeal served his court made it imperative for him to step down further action on the order until the appellate court rule on the appeal.

He said: “I am bound to wait for the decision of the Court of Appeal as to whether the interim order was right or wrong. I should not be seen to be locking horns with the Appeal Court on this matter. I had, therefore, decided to remand my ruling on the interim order.”

On the preliminary objection, Justice Umezulike held that it would not be in the interest of justice to determine it without hearing the substantive motion brought by the plaintiff,

Mr. Jude Okuli, which centered on his “ wrongful expulsion from APGA for alleged anti-party activities.”

He adjourned the matter till September 24, 2012 for parties to argue the originating summon.

It will be recalled that the interim order granted by the court had aborted the National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of APGA slated for Abuja on August 1 and the meeting had not been rescheduled owing to the subsisting ex-parte order of the court.

Ban on Okada still in force —Abia govt

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—ABIA State Government has warned that the ban placed on the operations of commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada in the state was still in force.

The government said the warning was necessary as it had been observed that the use of motorcycle as means of transportation was gradually resurfacing in Aba, the commercial city of the state.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Theodore Orji, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue in a statement, weekend, said that the ban on the use of Okada was still in force in Umuahia, Aba and major towns in the state.

Emezue, said those who were involved in the illegal act were warned to desist from it, adding that security agencies had been directed to arrest any offender for prosecution.

He warned that the state government was serious over the issue of security in the state, hence anybody found sabotaging the efforts of government in this regard would not be spared.

AASDU in Lagos gets new exco

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AGUS—ASSOCIA TION of Anambra State Development Unions, AASDU, in Lagos State, has concluded its election in Lagos.

In a keenly contested election conducted by a Patron of the Association and supervised by some members of Board of Trustees, BOT led by Chief C. Ifeanyi. The officers were finally elected in a process not only considered free and fair but devoid of rancour and acrimony. Those elected were 1st Vice President, Sir OnuorahOrji; 2nd Vice President, Mr. Ben Chukwukelu; General Secretary, Mr. Emeka Nwosu; 2nd Assistant Secretary, Mr. Emeka Onwujiobi; Treasurer, Mr. Iyke Okwuma; Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ejike Metu; Assistant Financial Seceretary, Mr. Sam Okpanduka; Director of Socials, Evangelist C.C.Iwegbune; Asst Director of Socials, Mr. Ezenwile; Legal Adviser, Mr Emeka Odikpo and Uche Dikenafayi,Provost.

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 18, 2012

Steer clear of Orient Petroleum, Anambra youths warn Kogi, Enugu states

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

WKA—THE youth wing of Association of Anambra Town Unions, ASATU, yesterday warned Kogi and Enugu states, which are laying claims to the oil deposits in Anambra State to steer clear of the newly-commissioned Orient Petroleum at Aguleri Otu in Anambra East Local Government Area or be prepared for a showdown.

Rising from a meeting in Awka, the youths said, it amounted to bad blood for the two states to want to reap from where they did not sow.

The youths described as unfortunate, a situation

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VISIT: Mr Ejike Metu, Publicity Secretary, Association of Anambra State Development Unions, AASDU (left) and Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, during a condolence visit by Mr. Ejike on behalf of the Union to Vanguard Media Limited on the death of Mr. Ogbonna Amadi, former Vanguard Entertainment Editor, at Vanguard Corporate Headquarters, Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

wherethe two states waited while successive administrations in Anambra State made effective investments towards the realisation of Orient Petroleum, only to show up when success had been achieved.

President of the association, Mr. Osita Ozalagba, said what was needed in the area after many years of toiling by the people of Anambra State to realise the project was peace and urged agitators not to distract the company and its operations.

The association also urged youths in Aguleri Otu, where Orient Petroleum is situated not to al-

low violence to defeat the economic benefits, assuring that Anambra youths would assist in ensuring adequate security of lives and property in the area.

“It is on record that successive administrations in Anambra State had sacrificed and invested greatly towards the success story of Orient Petroleum and it is therefore, surprising that these two states (Kogi and Enugu) suddenly woke up from their slumber to begin to lay claims to what is not theirs. Our humble advice to the two states is for them to mobilise their resources towards striking oil in their own land instead of playing the role of meddlesome interlopers.”

CLO faults Chime over planned Enugu without jobs. demolition of secretariat ofAboveall, hunger, poverty

BY INNOCENT ANABA NUGU—CIVIL Lib erties Organisation, CLO, has faulted plans by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State to demolish the state secretariat complex and build a new one at the cost of N13.6 billion.

CLO said it learnt that the old but very strong buildings at the secretariat would be demolished to pave way for the erection of a new weak secretariat, adding that the project was not included in the 2012 budget appropriated by the state House of Assembly led by Mr. Eugene Odogu.

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It argued that since same was not captured in the budget, it was crime punishable under our law for the state government to go ahead with the plan.

CLO Executive Director, Mr Ibuchukwu Ezike, in a statement in Lagos, said “we are worried by the intention of Chime’s government to spend Enugu people’s money without recourse to fiscal regulations, due process and the rule of law, and in view of the fact that “As at today, all the industries in the state have collapsed and thousands of the youth, populated by graduates, roam the streets

and social dislocations which had widened the gap between the thieving politicians and the poor in Nigeria are worse and threatening in the state.

“Aside the above, the secretariat was only renovated this year with large sums of the people’s money. One of our contention is; if the governor knew that his government was going to demolish the secretariat and build weaker structures to replace the strong and solid ones built by the British, why did he waste public funds on renovation of the old buildings few months ago.?"

Don't politicise demolition, Abia tion, particularly in govt tells opposition Umuahia and Aba where

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MUAHIA—ABIA State Government has said that it was uncharitable for the opposition to politicise the planned demolition of illegal structures in the state.

It, however, warned that the demolition of illegal structures in Aba despite its politicisation by the few “who will never see any good about Abia State will go ahead as scheduled because it is for the general purpose of enhancing conducive and comfortable living standard for the people.”

Mr. Ben Onyechere, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication, in a statement said that the vituperation of the opposition in the state about the development pace was not only “insincere but highly insensitive, irrespective of the fact that they are talking from the diaspora. It is assumed that C M Y K

they should be getting feedbacks from the state, because opposition should not only be about falsehood. “ It is highly disheartening for anybody not to acknowledge the expansionist programmes of the Theodore Orji administra-

the cities are been rebuilt.

“The government is however encouraged in it’s reconstructive efforts by the support of the majority, who are aware that it is in the interest of Abians that waterways should be opened up so that road constructions can be enhanced."

Rep raises alarm over flood in in the area in the coming Anambra days.

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

BUJA —DEPUTY Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Media Affairs, Mr Afam Ogene, has raised alarm over the possibility of a repeat of the flood that recently ravaged Ogbaru federal constituency in Anambra State.

He said that the concern was based on a meteorological warning, which indicated that there was a likelihood of a repeat flood

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He described the previous flood in the constituency as a grave disaster.

In a statement, yesterday, in Abuja, Ogene who represents the constituency bemoaned the destructive effect of the flood that threatened communities in the area.

He called on National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and other relevant agencies, to urgently come to the aid of the affected areas.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012—15

DR. SAMUEL OGBEMUDIA'S 80TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former Edo State Governor (left), and Brig.-Gen. Obi Umahi.

From left— Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State; Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, his wife, and Senator Felix Ibru, at the celebration of Dr. Ogbemudia's 80th birthday in Benin, yesterday.

Mr. Sam Ogbemudia Jnr. (right) and Mr. Nath Bunuju.

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From right— Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, former Edo State Governor; Gen. Godwin Abbey (rtd), and other dignitaries.

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012—17

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FEW years ago Nigeri ans were voted the happiest people on earth. We did not reject the Award which lumped all of us, happy and unhappy ones together. However, that is no longer true today. Anybody who does not know that Nigerians are angry; angry at anything and really lashing out does not live here.

This anger has had the tendency to turn the most innocuous issue into a monumental controversy. And when it comes to controversy, trust Nigerians, everybody yells to be heard and everybody fights to sink his teeth in it! If you think you are the only expert on even your exclusive professional calling or assigned responsibility, then, you have not been living here, my friend.

Prior to imposing the Structural Adjustment Programme on us in 1986, were we not made to debate the IMF loan? And did we disappoint? Did Nigerians not show our dexterity in economic matters like the IMF conditionalities and World Bank better than Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, KIK? Even market associations from Balogun to Ariaria organized IMF debates. Every sophomoric economist got a Ph.D abusing Kalu Idika Kalu.

Alternative to IMF conditionalities Don’t ask me where that got us because nobody ever wants to discuss that now, especially after the authors of the alternative to IMF conditionalities, SAP, have all vamoosed. But you

National honours list and critics know, people are still either ignorantly or mischievously dumping the SAP disaster on the doorsteps of KIK who was reassigned to the Ministry of Planning, and later Transport for SAP to be forced on us!

Now Sanusi Lamido Sanusi wants to introduce N5000 note and, as usual, every Nigerian has become an expert on inflation! “Don’t dare to introduce N5000 note!” everybody yells at SLS! The people who have not spoken are the bankers and those of us who are already carrying cashless wallets! Wetin concern udele (the vulture) and the barber?

As if on cue, another controversy burst loose on the land when the list of those to be conferred with national honours was released last week. Now SLS can have a respite as we chew

the honours list to pieces! Mind you, the release of the list came on the heels of the investiture of 25 new Senior Advocates of Nigeria; that is, the inner chambers of the Bar, those who drink first before the other lawyers in the court! Those whose cases are taken first before the small fries and who get all the controversial, if you like, the politically exposed cases! I saw some of those who yesterday berated the SAN awards as discriminatory and unworthy of the Nigerian legal practice. I saw those who decried the number of yearly awardees as too large.

Now they no longer see anything wrong with the prestigious title, SAN! I have followed the criticism of the list of honourees with interest. The critics are not serious! First, you would think that the critics know how the list was arrived at or if it violates the existing law on national honours. But from what they are saying, they do not.

If so, can the critics assume that they know the nominees better than those who nominated them?

How then can you question the “achievements” of people you hardly know? Why is it so easy in this country to abuse and condemn people based on whom and what we assume they are?

Why must every policy satiate our own individual wishes, irrespective of other facts of the matter?

I have gone through the list several times since the controversy. What I see is that people are hypocritically selective in condemning it.

They pick out and celebrate their friends who, in their opinion, deserve the honours, while they rubbish the rest of the list, either because it contains names of those they don’t like their faces! For example it is mere opinion, not fact, that a businessman deserves the honour more than a public servant.

There may be another opinion that, wait a minute, we do not know what underhand methods by which the businessman got to where he is today! We may not have factored into our assessment how much the business mogul may have cheated the economy or how much of our foreign exchange he may have guzzled quite disproportionate to his contribution to the economy or his wage bill!

It used to be an established norm

that public servants must be seen, not heard. So it may not be very public to you and me what a Public Servant has been doing silently to merit a national honour. So I find it very embarrassing, not for but for Prof Tam DavidWest, to make such jaundiced comment on Justice Mary Ukaego Odili, JSC. I say jaundiced because whereas Prof David-West sees no flaws with Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (and am not saying there is), he has no kind word for Gen Ibrahim Babangida who sent him to jail for a cup of tea (was it Earl Grey tea?) and a Swiss wrist watch. In like manner I don’t expect him to acknowledge the merits of the wife of Dr. Peter Odili with whom he has a lingering beef.

But anybody as respected as Prof David-West, is expected to rein in his prejudices, if he cannot rise above them.

The Prof was simply petty about Justice Odili. Apart from being Dr. Peter Odili’s wife, what else does Prof David-West know about Justice Mary Odili’s personal life, character and career? Is it how long on the bench or how well?

Rejection of honours What makes one a role model? If Justice Mary Odili does not qualify as a role model to Prof David-West because she is not a fossil on the Bench, her achievements at her youthful age are the very reasons she is a role model to all who know her!

And those who have forgotten so soon and are now breezily placing Prof Chinua Achebe’s rejection of the honours out of context should remember that his reasons were well advertised. When Prof Achebe rejected the national honour from President Obasanjo it was because of the political crises and the sufferings in the country, particularly the shenanigans in his home state, Anambra, where

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Why is it so easy in this country to abuse and condemn people based on whom and what we assume they are? Why must every policy satiate our own individual wishes, irrespective of other facts of the matter?

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those close to Obasanjo (renegades he called them) trashed Anambra state without being punished. When the second time he rejected it from President Jonathan, he said the conditions for which he rejected it the first time had not changed. Achebe’s rejection was a protest and had nothing to do with the caliber of other nominees on the list and he never discredited the list or the honours! I concede that we all have the democratic right to comment on any matter we wish. But such comments must be sensible and factual. I would have thought that we would be fair to allow those who were nominated for awards to be the ones to reject or accept them. When it gets to our turn, we are at liberty to act as we wish. If we want the criteria for National Honours changed, it does not require impugning the integrity of recipients or politicizing the Honours to effect a change.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTENBER 18, 2012

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IGERIANS are hurt about the inadequacy of basic facilities the country requires to run effectively. Their absence affects economic and social life. Many Nigerians consider the situation irredeemable.

Unknown to them, the country has added to infrastructure challenges by mismanaging the few that are available or refusing to create linkages that could result in their optimal use.

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State told the Annual Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference in Uyo about disconnection between the federal and state governments in managing infrastructure nationwide. Two other governors at the event — Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Air Commodore Jonah Jang (Plateau) — confirmed the situation.

The concern was roads. Uyo has been cut off from Calabar (Cross River State), Aba and Umuahia (both in Abia State). The roads are all federal, but Akpabio said the Federal Ministry of Works turned down his requests to fix the roads, even if Abuja does not refund the expenses.

Uduaghan spoke of the Warri-Asaba Expressway, a federal road, he had envisioned to evacuate goods from Warri Ports to connect

Mismanaging infrastructure deficit markets in Onitsha and Nnewi. The Federal Ministry of Works told him to hands off the road.

Jang said the same Federal Ministry of Works said he would not get refunds for federal roads that he did in Plateau State, which President Goodluck Jonathan promised to pay for, when he commissioned them.

More governors have more stories to tell about their dealings with the Federal Government. Even with electricity, whatever states generate from independent power plants, is lost in the inability of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to provide enough transmission and distribution facilities.

Interestingly, the three concerned state governments belong to the Peoples Democratic

Party, PDP, the President’s party. If it is impossible to agree about developing the country among key officials of the PDP, what happens when governors of non-PDP states are in the same quagmire?

The road links through Abia, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states would improve their economies, and possibly create better image of PDP among the people. Why would the Federal Government reject something that simple and that could improve the economy?

A trip to Calabar, which ordinarily is less than an hour from Uyo, now takes about five hours. Motorists avoid going to Aba from Akwa Ibom. Should governments not be eager to address the situation? Obviously, decision-makers in Abuja cannot appreciate these challenges and their implications as much as those they affect.

The Federal Government should be grateful for partnerships with states that could improve infrastructure, especially with federal roads that are becoming death traps nationwide.

Initiatives like the ones in Asaba, Jos and Uyo should be encouraged not discouraged.

OPINION

BY PAUL KOKOSKI

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OR centuries the practice of naming one’s child after a saint was almost second nature. Typically, Catholics named their child after the saint on whose day he was born. Over the past few decades, however, the invasion of secularism and moral relativism has worked to undermine the family and religious faith threatening, in turn, this and other such Christian traditions. Swept away by the lack of stable cultural references and by the rapid transformation of society we see more and more Catholic parents naming their children whatever seems to suit their fancy.

Sir Bob Geldof, for example, has daughters named “Pixie” and “Peaches”. Victoria and David Beckham called their first son “Brooklyn”, after the district of New York. In 2008, a couple in Italy sought to name their son “Friday” after Robinson Crusoe’s manservant. Italy’s highest court rightly denied this request saying it was “ridiculous” and would expose the child to mockery from his classmates. Naming children after celebrities, perfumes, bicycles and countries, as is often the case today, puts limits on children’s potential. Children are not merchandise or commodities.

Recent records show that the name “Mary” - which in every year from 1910-1965 was either the first or the second most popular girls’ name - is no longer even in the top 100. The names of the foster-father of Jesus and of the four evangelists were also firmly entrenched in the top 10 each year during that period. The name Joseph is now 16th, Matthew is 13th, John is 26th, Luke is 48th, and Mark is 154th.

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The Christian name The name given to a child is the name that child will be referred to for the rest of his life. He will hear that name perhaps millions of times. It cannot help but have a profound impact on the child’s development and self-identity. If a child is given a neologism or a name that is common to both boys and girls he or she is likely to have a lifetime of misaddressed envelopes, unnecessary hassles, and other tiresome or embarrassing gender-confused situations.

Parents who name their child after a soap opera star, professional athlete, rock star, or reality show personality, will not only be manifesting a regrettable superficiality, but will also be linking their child to someone who almost certainly will be irrelevant when they become adults.

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acred Scripture tells us that God took names very seriously. He changed the names of Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel and Simon to Peter. He commanded Zechariah to name his son John, and Joseph to name Mary’s Son Jesus: “You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins”. To give someone a name is a sacred act; it is a participation in God’s creative plan. Such a solemn responsibility should be carried out with prayer and joyful seriousness rather than done capriciously and in careless ignorance of the consequences.

Pope Benedict XVI recently said that in baptism, the Christian “acquires the character of the son of God,

beginning with their Christian name, an unmistakable sign that the Holy Spirit causes man to be born anew in the womb of the Church”. This “indelible spiritual seal” raises the baptized person to the supernatural order and sets him off on a lifelong “journey of religious faith “. After baptism the child must be educated in the faith, instructed in accordance with Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the Church so that the seed of faith received in baptism will grow within him and that he may attain full Christian maturity.

Naming a child after a Christian saint or Biblical hero is a concrete reminder for the child and everyone else that God is calling that child, like his or her Christian namesake, to holiness and heaven where the mysterious and unique character of each person marked with God’s name will eventually shine forth in splendor.

The patron saint provides a model of charity and the assurance of his prayer. For Catholics, naming their children after saints is an acknowledgment that they truly believe in the communion of saints. Thus, when we choose a Christian name for our child, we should have a particular saint in mind. Is Margaret named after Saint Margaret of Scotland or Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque? Is Francis named after Saint Francis of Assisi or St. Francis Xavier?

As Christians, we never walk through this life alone, but in communion with all the saints. And that reality should be reflected in the names we give to our children. *Mr Kokoski wrote from 234 Columbia Drive Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Vanguard, TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER 18, 2012— 19

, I

NSECURITY of life in Nigeria has become the context of social life in the country. The wonder is that government is adapting to this condition of insecurity. Governance is going on auto-pilot while societal insecurity is treated as an important issue. And this attitude to the societal condition reveals a staggering lack of knowledge of the nature of Africa’s post colonial social structure. It is the implication of this naiveté that is frightening.

The point is that government proceeds the state in the granting of autonomy to colonies of European empires. This fact is easier to appreciate in the case of the granting of independence to the Nigerian colony on October 1, 1960. Independence for Nigeria meant institutionally that the colony of Nigeria had now been granted self-rule through the terminal election of 1959. The transformation of the colonial government into the Nigerian government was evolutionary.

The colonial bureaucracy was increasingly transferred from British control to Nigerian control. Independence was

through a process of Nigerianisation of the officeholders and not of the offices held. Indeed the British officeholder had to be paid off, an issue that was raised by Margret Thatcher, the British Prime Minister, on her visit to Nigeria. The import of this fact is in the nature of the colonial government. The colonial government was different from the British government at home.

The colonial government was the institution for the administration of subject societies reconstructed into sectors of the metropolitan imperial economy.

The colonial government was to contain rebellion and subdue armed opposition and resistance to the rule of the empire in the colony. It was an instrument of order, that is an instrument of domination, first and foremost.

And it played this role through the colonial security apparatus made up of the Army, the Police and the court system. The colonial government contained the society of the colony and was thus not a product of the society. This was the structural difference between the metropolitan society and the

,

colonial society. Government in the imperial metropole was dependent upon the metropolitan society and was the agent of the ruling classes in England. In the colony, the colonial government was independent of the colonial society and was an instrument of conquest and domination. This was the nature of the government whose administration was Nigerianised.

T

he constitutionalisation of election into the offices of this government adapted for use as the government of an independent Nigeria did not change the nature of government that remained unchanged from the inception of independence.

Nigerian government is a fusion of instruments of domination, pacification and administration.

It exercises proprietary control of the society. This is why it was easy for the military to shift control of government from the elected officeholders to the organisers of military coups. This is why coups can still be staged whenever such a project is deemed important to the ‘coupists’. The reason why this is the case is because government still retains its nature

Achieving food security agenda in Nigeria

BY NELSON MANGO

L

IVESTOCK in Nigeria plays a big role in the livelihood of farmers and nutritional needs of the country.

Livestock also contributes to farming in many other ways. Animals are used as draught power to pull plows or help weed farmland, and cow dung is an excellent fertilizer.

With so much at stake, farmers could benefit from simple, yet highly efficient ways to increase the health and productivity of their livestock. These factors are often compromised when animals roam free in open pasture, exposed to disease vectors and left to feed on unwholesome grasses and plants.

One technique that can be very effective in maintaining healthy productive animals is a zero-grazing system.

In zero-grazing, livestock is kept in stalls all the time, and feed and water are brought to the animals. Zerograzing keeps animals healthier. It can ward off diseases such as sleeping sickness caused by tse-tse flies and tick borne diseases, which are so prevalent throughout Nigeria . Zero-grazing also helps farmers increase productivity either from their current livestock or from the purchase of higher-yielding breeds of livestock which would not be able to thrive in an open pasture.

Zero-grazing has side benefits as well. The increased efficiency of this C M Y K

management practice means more weight or milk can be produced per unit of feed eaten. Zero-grazing uses less land to produce more nutritious fodder plants, which allows the farmer to maximize the use of available land.

Processes such as milking are easier to perform when the animals are kept corralled and calm. Manure can be collected from the enclosure and used as fertilizer for growing crops. Diseases are minimized because troublesome insects, such as biting and nuisance flies, are easier to control.

Zero-grazing is capital intensive but the benefits are enormous, and can far outweigh the cost of implementing the system. A study by the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute showed that the rate of return on a dollar invested ranged from USD2.60 to USD3.00.

Farmers achieved an average gross margin of USD248 and a net profit of USD125 per cow per year. At this rate of return, capital investment was recouped within two years.

In another study of smallholder dairy farming in Uganda by the International Livestock Research Institute, five dairy production systems were compared, from most intensive (zero-grazing) to least intensive (herding). The study found that increasing the level of intensification resulted in a significant increase in milk productivity and percentage of milk sold.

A successful zero-grazing system involves four major components: Housing (the zero-grazing unit).

,

Method for choosing option in US Army stability operations(2)

Nigerian government is a fusion of instruments of domination, pacification and administration; it exercises proprietary control of the society

as an instrument of domination and pacification irrespective of the constitutionalisation of competition for office holding among parties organised for that purpose. Electoral parties are not parties of state. Parties of state are organised to institute a state through which their sovereignty is established. It is a state that secures the dominance of the party in the society as it uses the state to ensure its domination over all competitors for sovereign command of society. Nigeria was created by the British imperial parties of state. The colony was a new structure of society secured by the British imperial state. It was through the order defended by the state that the colony was constructed and its instruments of command and control established. Within such a command and control order of society the colonial government could be instituted for the development of the colony and for its administration.

Independence meant that British state would no longer be responsible for securing the colonial government as its administration was Nigerianized.

From 1960 to date the government has had to function without the security provided by a state. The only time in which the need for a state to be created for securing the society as envisaged by parties of state was the Civil War. The war was however fought by Gowon as a war to defeat secession and to reestablish a united Nigeria, that is, Nigeria as transferred by the British to the electoral parties.

The military rule has since then been presented as a transition between eras of civilian constitutional administration of the offices of government. As long as Nigerian politics was limited to competition for officeholding either between civilian politicians and military

The future of agriculture – as well as a well-fed nation -- lies in the hands of farmers who are faced with many challenges; confining animals will help farmers increase productivity

,

Building materials for the shed include wood, cement, sand, gravel, posts, and roofing material. Individual pens should be large enough to allow for adequate free movement and the opportunity for animals to exhibit normal behaviour patterns. (A recommended pen size for a cow is 120 cm wide x 210 cm long or 4 feet x 7 feet.) The floor should be made of slatted wood or bamboo floor raised about one metre above the ground to allow slurry to collect underneath and be directed to a slurry pit through a drainage channel.

M

aintenance: Animals in sheds must be kept clean (which is greatly assisted by placing them on slatted floors), fed and watered.

Livestock should have access to fresh air and natural daylight and the shed should be located near a clean water source.

Feed: A choice needs to be made

politicians, or between factions of these two governmental rivals, the structure of government has remained unaltered. Government has been able to secure society through domination and pacification. This has been so because the sole aim of both categories of politicians, civilian elected or military coupists has been the holding of office, that is administration and “growing” government, not its change or transformation.

N

ow there is a change in the politics of Nigeria. The overthrow of government has become the context for multifaceted threats undermining the security of the Nigerian citizenry.

Government is the structure of the integrity of society. Threats to the viability of the government’s command and control of society does not only result in the instability of government but in the likelihood of the unraveling of the social fabric. Somalia became a society of warlords through the process of the overthrow and fragmentation of government. Somalisation is possible even when insurgencies fail because the capacity of government to remain the integrity and thus sustain the integrity of society is weakened or destroyed.

The collapse of government has more severe consequences than the failure of the state. State Failure results in the anarchy of contestations for power among parties of state each capable of maintaining law and order in the areas it controls. Collapse of governments, however, results in the emergence of warlords, bandits, kidnappers, ethnic and communal feuds. We are seeing the course of collapse of governments as reported in the media.

Continues next week

between the production of fodder or the use of commercial feeds. Using preserved fodder and hay to feed herds reduces the variability in the supply of pasture and fresh feed in dry periods.

If the farmer wants to grow his own fodder, he must have ample field to do so.

Breeding: A livestock breeding expert should be consulted when crossbreeding local stock with imported breeds to obtain cattle that produce more milk or meat and are resistant to local disease such as sleeping sickness.

Since zero-grazing is an intensive management system, it does require a farmer to have a reliable source of food for livestock and sufficient labor to cut and carry the field-grown fodder. But farmers can adapt the system to their individual needs and environment.

They can also seek the help of agricultural specialists who can educate them on the benefits of a zero-grazing system and help them design one that meets their financial and operational capabilities.

The future of agriculture – as well as a well-fed nation -- lies in the hands of farmers who are faced with many challenges. Confining animals will help farmers increase productivity by improving the animals’ nutritional status, maintaining calming conditions, and preventing the spread of diseases.

Zero-grazing is an example of a simple but highly effective initiative that can go a long way towards easing the farmer ’s burdens, by helping him produce more food for himself and others.

•Dr Mango is a rural development Sociologist with Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18,

2012

S-West PDP chides Aregbesola over appointments T

HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-West has decried the refusal of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to appoint a Head Of Service, HOS, and Permanent Secretaries in the state.

The PDP said it was an aberration and outright illegality that Governor Aregbesola will also, alongside his functions as a governor, be performing the functions of Commissioner for

Works while his Deputy, Laoye Tomori holds the office of the Commissioner for Education in addition to her position as the Deputy Governor.

According to a statement issued yesterday by the PDP Zonal Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kayode Babade, “Osun State does not have a Head of Service since the immediate past HOS, Mr. Segun Akinwusi retired two months ago,, no Commissioners for

Works and Education since Aregbesola became governor 22 months ago and there are only six Permanent Secretaries left in the State Civil Service.

“It should also be noted that in flagrant disregard to Sections 192, 193 and 195 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Aregbesola did not appoint a single commissioner until August 12, 2011, eight months after he became governor.”

“Also, despite that

there are only six Permanent Secretaries in the State Civil Service, the governor has refused to appoint Senior Directors as Permanent Secretaries since last year. Instead, he uses consultants in ministries instead of Permanent Secretaries.

“In addition, instead of appointing a new HOS to replace Akinwusi, who retired two months ago, Aregbesola is planning to appoint someone from Lagos State, who will transfer his service to Osun State.

Ogun PDP tackles Amosun over workers' strike

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA—The P e o p l e s ’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State yesterday condemned the disagrement between Ogun State government and the workers in the 20 local government areas of the state which resulted in a strike action.

The party through a statement signed by Publicity Secretary, Mr. Bidemi Osunbiyi blamed Amosun of insincerity, describing the action of the local government council staff as “medicine after

death”.

It would be recalled that, workers in all the local government areas of the state had embarked on strike action over unpaid salaries and allowances.

According Osunbiyi, the situation of the striking workers in the 20 councils could still be “salvaged” considering the support Amosun’s government received from the people.

He blamed the council workers for not showing interest when the state House of Assembly passed into law the bill on joint peojects between the state and the councils.

He said “ where were these workers and their unions when the state House of Assembly hurriedly passed a bill on the joint projects between the state and the councils? The law has among others given legal backing to the desire of the governor to make the councils extension of the governor ’s office. You don’t close your eyes and allow someone to determine your future without your input.

“It was this desire that robbed the state of a free and fair local government election last July 21 because the opposition chairmen would not cooperate”.

ACO debunks MImiko’s performance claim

BY GBENGA OKE

T

HE Akeredolu C a m p a i g n Organisation, ACO, has through its Director of Media, Publicity and Strategy, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, dismissed claims by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State that his administration has performed well in the last three years.

The group also described as baseless and untrue claims by the Governor that tertiary institutions in the state pay the least tuition fees in the South-West and a minimum wage of N22,000.

ACO described the statement credited to the governor a cheap propaganda geared towards hoodwinking Ondo State indigines to vote for them at the f o r t h c o m i n g gubernatorial elections.

According to the spokesperson of ACO, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku, Ondo people cannot be deceived with empty promises again by the Mimiko administration.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 — 21

CRFFN, agents set for war over approval of collection fee

By GODFREY BIVBERE

T

Minister of transport, Senator Idris Umar (Middle) flanked by Managing Director ,Nigerian Ports Authority Mallam Habib Abdullahi (left) and Managing Director Royal Salt Company Mr Mahendra (R) at the inspection tour of port facilities at Kirikiri Lighter Terminal 1 in Lagos.

Crisis rocks N26bn River Benue dredging bid process

By GODWIN ORITSE

T

HE bidding process for the dredging of the lower River Benue may have been truncated as the foreign firms involved in the selection procedure have kicked against the choice of a local firm for the job.

A local firm, name withheld was chosen as the winner of the bid process, but Vanguard’s investigation revealed that the choice of the local firm did not go down well with some officials of the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP) who have vowed to ensure that the process is canceled and re-started in favour of the foreign contractors.

It was also gathered that at the beginning of the bid process, only seven of about 13 firms that participated were per-qualified and five of these pre-

162.00

+3.80

2,685.00

-6.00

19.23

+0.36

112.45

-1.04

94.94

-0.59

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

154.78 251.0377 203.2261 166.9327 1.974 0.2856 237.6424 24.4579 41.2186 27.251 239.8316

155.28 251.8486 203.8826 167.472 1.9804 0.2956 238.4101 24.5373 41.3518 27.339 240.6064

155.78 252.6596 204.5391 168.0112 1.9868 0.3056 239.1778 24.6168 41.4849 27.427 241.3811

CBN Exchange rate as at 17/09/2012

qualified bidders were local firms and one of them came out the most preferred bidder, a development that did not go down well with the foreign contractors and some officials of the Bureau.

Vanguard learnt that one of the foreign firms that is opposing the process had been involved in the failed Calabar Channel dredging project.

Sources close to the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) had gone through the entire gamut of the procurement exercise and recommended one of the local firms for the job.

The source stated that immediately after the firm was selected, a no objection letter was written to the contractor, but the BPP

refused to release the letter to the winner of the bid.

Officials of the BPP are of the opinion that the winner of the bid does not have the capacity to execute the N26billion River Benue dredging project.

Efforts to speak with the DirectorGeneral of BPP, Engr Emeka Eze, was futile as he refused to pick or reply text messages sent to his phone.

However, the Ministry of Transport has warned the management of the BPP to continue with the process and ensure that the winner of the bid is given the job.

The firm Vanguard further learnt had boasted to NIWA to hold on the the mobilization fee until 20 per cent of the job is done.

Cornerstone Insurance drives product distribution on e-platform

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

C

ORNERSTONE Insurance Plc now

operates an e-platform distribution channel as it has commenced 24 hours business operations.

Accordingly, the Board of the company recently appointed Mr. Ganiyu Musa as its Group Managing Director and CEO, to drive the operations of the company.

In an interview with Vanguard in Lagos, Musa said “Right now, Cornerstone is open for business 24 hours a day, driving its product distribution via its e-platform.

From your laptop or smart phone, you can log onto Cornerstone website and buy motor cover (comprehensive or third party) and some other products; make payments and print your certificate on the go.”

Musa said that he is a highly experienced management professional and will bring on board his wealth of experience in insurance, reinsurance,

audit and consulting, business advisory and financial management. He said he would be leading the underwriting firms’ growth strategy anchored on quality service delivery via e-platforms to buoy the lot of its teaming clients and shareholders.

Prior to joining Cornerstone, Ganiyu worked at African Reinsurance Corporation for 19 years, holding key positions including Director of Finance and Accounts/Chief Financial Officer for 10 years and Deputy Management Director, Services for five years.

He played a lead role in the creation and initial supervision of the risk management function at Africa Re and supervised the design of the Corporation’s investment guidelines and assets allocation. Ganiyu was also instrumental in the preparatory work and eventual setting up of the African Reinsurance subsidiary in South Africa, where he subsequently served on the Board and Audit Committee.

HE approval granted the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) by the federal government for the collection of transaction fees is threatening the relative peace in the freight forwarding sector of the maritime industry.

The approval which will see the Council raking in billions of naira annually from the collection of transaction fees, registration fee and subscription fees respectively, has led to the resignation of the National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu.

The resignation of the ANLCA boss on the directive of the National Executive Council (NEC), according to sources close to the body, was as a result of the fact that the approval will deprive ANLCA from its major source of revenue. The source told Vanguard that the leadership of ANLCA directed that should all entreaties to dissuade both the minister and the CRFFN to rescind their decision on the collection of the charges fail, the association should immediately put measures in place in order to go to court to stop the council from collecting the fees from port operators.

Proposed subvention The source further noted that members warned the leadership to be careful with the proposed subvention to associations, which many saw as a Greek Gift to make them an appendage of the council and therefore voiceless.

In a letter titled “Report on the stakeholders’ meeting on the annual subscription and other fees to be collected by the CRFFN”with reference number T.0160/s.172/1 and dated 3rd July, 2012, government approved transaction fees for airports, seaports and land borders cargoes.

The charges approved by government includes, N1.50 per kilometer for air cargo, N1.000 per 20 feet container, N2,000 per 40 feet container, N500 per car/jeep, N1,000 per truck or 20 feet equivalent, N2,000 per truck or 40 feet equivalent, N3.50 per ton for general cargo and N1.00 per ton for dry bulk cargo respectively. Should the above which adds up to N6, 506 be multiplied by 205, 595, 088 which is the total gross tonnage and cargo throughput declared by the Management of NPA for last year, the Council is expected to earn about N1.3 trillion annually.

The federal government equally approved various registration fees for Nigerians and non Nigerians, ranging from N7,500 to N50,000 depending on the category of membership. Similarly, annual subscription fees ranging from N10,000 to N60,000 was approved, depending on the category of membership.

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Stockbrokers back NSE on delisting of moribund stocks

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

C

APITAL market opera tors have thrown their weight behind the Nigerian Stock Exchange’s planned delisting of nine moribund companies from the Exchange’s official list, saying that it was a commendable move.

The Managing Director/ CEO, Trust Yield Securities, Alhaji Rasheed Yussuff, said the plan to delist non-performing stocks by the NSE was an additional confidence building factor for the market.

He added that it would improve sanity in the market as both operators and investors alike would know that the NSE was serious with compliance to entrenched rules of the system.

“We all have been taking about enforcement of rules and regulations. If we believe that enforcement is a proper thing to do and some quoted companies are not living up to the post listing rules requirements of the Exchange, then delisting them will be a proper thing to do to safeguard investors,” he stated.

Besides, he stated that the action if executed would send a signal to the investing public that only competent companies

that meet the rules of the Exchange are listed, saying that it would give them the assurance that they are not putting their money in wrong place.

Speaking in the same vein, the Managing Director, Lam-

bert Trust & Investment Co. Limited, Mr. David Adonri, said any security that fails to meet the post-listing rules of the NSE was not fit to remain quoted, stressing that continued existence of such securi-

ties on the Daily Official List of The Exchange poses grave risk to the investing public.

On his own part, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, MD/CEO Cowry Asset Management Limited, observed that delist-

From right: Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr Oscar Onyema, Director General-General, National Pension Commission, Mr. Muhammad Ahmad and Executive Director, Market Operations Technology of The Exchange , Mr Adeolu Bajomo at Market Making, Securities Lending and Soft Selling workshop organized by the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos.

FCMB, FinBank merger at 95% completion

F

IRST City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB) has reassured its various stakeholders and those of FinBank that the two institutions which have been going through the process of integration will conclude the merger process in October, 2012.

Segun Odusanya, Deputy Managing Director/Executive Director (DMD) of FCMB who gave this reassurance in a chat with newsmen in Lagos over the weekend said the process is 95 percent completed.

“Our initial target was second quarter of the year, but we got delayed by issues around the Capital Market probe and the removal of the Securities and Exchange Commission Board.

Things are now back to normal, and most of the approvals have been obtained”.The FCMB DMD also revealed that post merger, the bank which has been noted for its niche in corporate banking will be expanding its retail banking focus to create a more robust and stable institution.

“We want to drive solutions across the various segments corporate, commercial, small enterprises and consumer segments - of the economy. We have been doing this organically in the last five years, and have seen steady growths in all these segments”.

C M Y K

According to Odusanya, the acquisition of Fin Bank is expected to give two/three years leap (especially in the area of branch network, liquidity, and balance sheet size) to FCMB. He revealed that with the acquisition, FCMB has doubled its branch network, doubled its customer base, improved the liquidity position of the bank, and all these create a very good platform to provide better customer-centric products and services in the consumer space.

Financial advisory “We are now better situated to provide our expertise to more commercial and small enterprises to grow their businesses with not just the banking products we offer, but also with our expertise in corporate and financial advisory. We want to help create more entrepreneurs in this country and the opportunity to do this is enormous” he stated.

He went further to state “We are aggressively driving retail, but in doing this, we are not de-emphasizing corporate. We have made a lot of investments in people, products, systems and branches (from the acquisition) in both segments. We understand

that both segments complement each other, and for us to continue to create endearing value a universal bank, we needed to provide services based on deep rooted insights

across all the segments. We are currently having discussions with the central bank to further extend these services to the mass market”.

ing of companies that have failed to comply with the post listing requirements of the Nigerian Stock Exchange would help send the right signal to both the listed companies and other market participants.

He explained that quoted companies, for instance would henceforth realize that the Exchange is serious with the enforcement of its standards, adding, “Consequently we should see some improvements in the reporting standards and other compliance issues.

“On the part of other market participants, it will help bolster investor confidence on the reliability and integrity of publish financial statements,” he stated.

The NSE had announced its intension to delist nine companies that have not been meeting its post listing requirement in November, 2012.

To be delisted from the daily official list in November, this year, according to the NSE are the shares of Aluminum Manufacturing Company of Nigeria Plc, Capital Oil Plc and W.A. Glass Industry Plc. Other companies are: Union Dicon Salt Plc, Hallmark Paper Products Plc, Nigeria Wire Industry Plc, Rokana Industry Plc, Lenards Nigeria Plc and Udeofson Garment Factory (Nig) Plc. According to NSE, the resolve to delist the companies was endorsed by its council due to their persistent non-compliance with the post-listing rules of the Exchange.”

Dangote Flour posts N2.61bn profit

D

ANGOTE Flour Mills has recorded a gross profit of N2.61 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, 2012. The foremost flour miller earned revenue of N13.80 billion in the same period.

The company in a statement weekend said the management would continue to work hard so as to deliver improved returns to shareholders in the 2012 financial year.

According to the statement, Dangote Flour Mills would perform better as the expansion project of the company to enlarge its manufacturing and packaging facilities, which started some years back is almost complete.

It stated “dedicated plant for production of our wheat meal brand Alkama and Danvita would soon be ready for commissioning any moment from now. This would no doubt, tremendously boost our top line growth this year as plans are already in place to massively

launch the products and increase the distribution networks to all the hinterlands.”

The company has significantly raised its capacity over the past decadein anticipation of soaring demand for bread flour and, more recently, semolina, pasta and noodles.

Dangote Flour Mills has expanded its manufacturing capacities across the country.

The investment is despite the global economic meltdown while direct export into Chad, Cameroon, Niger and the West Coast has kicked off. The direct export goes on side by side with ongoing indirect export of Dangote Flour products through the activities of middlemen and customers.

The company plans to control a major chunk of the 295 million population within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) market, stressing that it remains thoroughly Nigeriacentric dedicating 80 per cent

of its capacity to domestic market, and the remaining for the region.

Dangote Flour has invested in ultra-modern technology, with machines that are between three months and nine years, in an industry with where equipments are as old as 35 years old.

The statement added “The ongoing semolina mills of 1,500MT per day would come on stream by the end of the second quarter. This is a dedicated mill for the production of Danvita- our brand of semolina with the latest milling technology. This would definitely lead to product consistency of every bag of Danvita and for the complete satisfaction of the general public. Not only are we one of the very few flour millers in Nigeria that have mills dedicated to semolina production, we are the only dedicated mill with the highest number of production lines.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 — 23

CBN to mop up N863bn from circulation in three months

BY MICHAEL EBOH

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is set to mop up a total of N863.032 billion from circulation within the next three months, with the issuance of 91-days, 182-days and one-year Treasury Bills, TBs. The CBN, in its Treasury Bills Issue Programme for fourth quarter 2012, said it will mop up N220.052 billion from circulation through the issuance of TBs with maturities of threemonth; N381.303 billion will be mopped up from circulation through the issuance of 182days TBs , while it will issue N261.677 billion in one-year TBs. The issuance of the Treasury Bills will commence from September 20, 2012 to December 13, 2012.

For the remaining part of September, the CBN will hold two auctions, issuing a total of N205.924 billion in TBs of different maturities. The CBN will issue N59.329 billion, N122.812 billion and N23.783 billion in 91-days, 182-days and one-year Treasury Bills.

Specifically, September 20, the CBN will issue N37.489 billion 91-days TBs and N63.731 billion 182-days TBs. One week later, September 27, precisely, the CBN will issue 91days TBs valued at N21.839 billion, 182-days TBs valued at N59.081 billion and one-year

TBs worth N23.783 billion.

In October, the CBN will mop up a total of N282.119 billion in its twice weekly auction, selling N64.048 billion, N118.5 billion and 99.571 billion in 91-days, 182-days and one-year TBs. The CBN, will on October 11, 2012, auction N30.159 billion 91-days TBs, N73.5 billion 182-days TBs and N68.185 billion TBs, while on October 25, it will sell

N34.889 billion 91-days, N45 billion 182-days and N31.386 billion one-year TBs. In November, the CBN will issue N62.705 billion 91-days TBs, N95 billion 182-days TBs and 88.323 billion one-year TBs, representing a total mop up of N246.028 billion.

November 8, the CBN will issue TBs totaling N129.843 billion, with the auction of N32.057 billion 91-days TBs, N50 billion 182-days TBs and

N47.786 billion one-year TBs. The CBN, will on November 22, issue N30.647 billion in 91days TBs, N45 billion in 182days TBs and N40.537 billion in one-year TBs, totaling N130.537 billion.

In December, the CBN will hold only one auction, selling N32.971 billion in 91-days TBs, N45 billion in 182-days TBs and N50 billion in oneyear TBs, totaling N127.971 billion.

From left Mr Mike Purves, Director, UK Trade and Investment; Arch Thomas Wagu, President, Nigeria Chamber of Commerce; Dr Olusegun Aganga, Hon. Minister of Trade and InvestmentMr. Adeyemi Adefulu, CEO, Odade Publishers and Dr Evelyn Oputu, MD, Bank of Industry at the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting with the Hon Minister of Trade and Investment in Lagos. Photo by Lamidi Bamidele

Naira dips against dollar on strong foreign exchange demand

T

HE naira, yesterday, fell to its lowest in a week against the United States’ dollar on the interbank market as strong dollar demand outpaced thin supply from an oil company and some offshore investors into local debt.

The naira closed at 157.75 to the dollar, weaker than the 157.55 it closed at on Friday, but back at the level it was last Monday.

Dealers said unit of Addax petroleum sold about $10 million to some lenders on Monday, while dollar flow from offshore investors trickled into the market, but not enough to stem the depreciation.

The naira has been hovering at around 157-158 level for three weeks, owing to dollar sales by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, multinational oil firms and inflows from offshore investors buying local debt.

Dealers said the naira weakened to as low of 157.90 intraday because of buying by some importers, but closed at 157.75 after Addax released its C M Y K

bid result.

“We see the naira trending around the present level for the rest of the week because of anticipated dollar inflows from offshore investors, in

a bond auction later in the week,” one dealer said.

Nigeria plans to issue N60 billion ($379.75 million) in local bonds, with maturities of between five and seven years at its regular auction on

September 19.

At its bi-weekly foreign exchange auction, the central bank sold $130 million at 155.78 to the dollar, compared with $200 million sold at the same rate at the last auction

Standard Bank Argentina stake sale to China’s ICBC delayed

S

TANDARD Bank Group Limited, which expected to close the sale of a stake in its Argentine unit to Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. by June, said the deal may not conclude before year ’s-end on regulatory hurdles.

“We’re disappointed it didn’t close in the first half and we’ll do it as fast as we can,” David Munro, chief executive officer for corporate and investment banking at the bank, said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg on September 14.

Standard last year reversed its expansion strategy in emerging markets, selling assets in Russia, Turkey and Argentina to raise cash for Africa investment. It agreed in 2011 to sell 80 percent of its stake in the Argentine unit to ICBC for about $400 million. The price was in part dependent on the net asset value of Standard Bank Argentina in pesos converted to dollars.

“The Argentine bank has been doing so well that it has been doing better than the peso, so we don’t expect a significantly different amount,” Finance Director

Simon Ridley said in a telephone interview on Sept.

14. The peso has fallen 12 percent against the dollar since Standard Bank announced its agreement with ICBC, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

In the past year, to lure customers and gain market share, Standard Bank has focused on offering services to low-income customers in South Africa. It has also increased mortgage lending to become the country ’s biggest provider of home loans, according to data submitted to the central bank.

B-R-I-E-F-S Spanish bonds decline as EU policy makers clash on bank plan

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PANISH government bonds declined, pushing the two-year yield to the highest in more than a week, after European Union finance ministers meeting in Cyprus failed to agree on a timetable for a more unified banking system.

German bunds advanced.

Spanish 10-year bonds slid as the nation’s debt office said it plans to sell as much as 4.5 billion euros ($5.9 billion) of three- and 10-year debt on Sept. 20. Two-year notes extended losses from last week when officials said Spain will unveil reforms to boost the economy, holding back from an aid request that may include bond purchases by the European Central Bank.

“The finance ministers’ meeting has come and gone and despite the indication of willingness by the ECB to buy bonds, we are still no closer to what many in the market consider the ultimate endgame,” said Brian Barry, an analyst at Investec Bank Plc in London. “Until we reach a position where their resolve to contain yields can be tested, yields could continue to drift higher.”

India cuts reserve ratio to boost growth, holds rates

I

NDIA’S central bank unexpectedly reduced the amount of deposits lenders must set aside as reserves, supporting the government’s push to revive growth even as it kept interest rates unchanged to damp elevated inflation.

Governor Duvvuri Subbarao cut the cash reserve ratio to 4.5 percent from 4.75 percent, effective Sept. 22, adding about 170 billion rupees ($3.1 billion) to the banking system, the Reserve Bank of India said today. Three of 39 economists in a Bloomberg News survey predicted the reduction to the lowest level since 2004. The rest forecast no change after two cuts earlier in 2012.

Inflation has quickened beyond 7.5 percent, a climb that may be exacerbated by the first increase in diesel prices in 14 months and a rise in commodities as the U.S. steps up monetary easing.

India boosted the subsidized fuel’s tariff last week to pare its fiscal deficit and allowed more foreign investment in the economy, the biggest policy overhaul of Prime Minister ’s previously gridlocked second term.

24 — TUESDAY Vanguard, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

L-R: Managing Partner, Argentil, Mr. Adekunle Adedeji; Director, Oando Energy Resources, Mr. Christopher Harrop; Legal advisor, Mr.Yomi Akinjide; Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc, Mr. Wale Tinubu; Deputy Group Chief Executive, Mr. Omamofe Boyo; Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Adeola Ogunsemi; CEO, Oando Energy, Mr. Pade Durotoye; and Director, Oando Plc, Mr. Femi Adeyemo, during the listing of Oando Energy Resources – first Nigeria’s indigenous oil and gas company on the Toronto Stock Exchange, on September 11, 2012 in Toronto, Canada.

dilemma, saying that “The Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office, DMO are strictly responsible for paying the marketers.

Ours is to approve claims for payment, and we have done that with regard to Integrated Oil and Gas and all other marketers that we have processed their claims.”

It is strange that the Finance Ministry and the DMO has not looked into the culpability of the banks in the subsidy saga, as they financed the petroleum products importations by raising the Letters of Credit, LCs, for the imports.

In the counter exchanges between the marketers and the ministry at its agency, the DMO merely sent a rejoinder to a Vanguard exclusive story that it did not say that the marketers were lying when they claimed they had not been paid.

Subsidy: Integrated lawyers petition PPPRA on N8.68bn claims … Iheanacho says personal safety at risk

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AYO Oyetibo & Co., a legal firm representing Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, has written to the management of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, over an outstanding claim of about N8.68billion owed the company for petroleum products importation under the Federal Government’s Petroleum Support Fund, PSF. In a 10-page letter tiled, “Demand for the Immediate Settlement of Outstanding Refunds Owed Integrated Oil and Gas Limited Under the Petroleum Support Fund Scheme,” the lawyers gave the breakdown of PPPRA’s indebtedness to its client to include: i.

Outstanding Principal PSF refund —N6.548 Billion ii. PPPRA Advice not yet issued for Access Bank’s — N0.5 Billion balance cargo of Dec 2011. iii. PPPRA’s earlier short payments on our claims — N0.98 Billion iv. Outstanding Accrued Interest —N0.651 Billion Sub- Total —N8.679 Billion The letter, which was addressed to the Executive

C M Y K

Secretary, PPPRA, dated, September 11, 2012, the legal firm, noted that it was writing for the “umpteenth time” on the matter and is therefore, demanding “the immediate payment of the monies owed our Client as subsidy refunds under the PSF scheme operated by your organisation.”

The lawyers equally noted that by virtue of the agreements entered into between Integrated Oil and the PPPRA on April 24, 2008, in accordance with the provision of Item 4 of Part V of the PPPRA Revised Guidelines for the Administration of Subsidy Funds 2009, its client was expected to have been reimbursed within 45 days of the verification of its claims.

The lawyers maintained that their client submitted a total of 38 documents for the claims verification, adding that “From the date our Client joined the operation of the PSF Scheme, it has dutifully and honestly performed its obligations by importing and supplying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the Nigerian market based on the agreement it had with the PPPRA.” They further maintained that the inability of the PPPRA to honour its part of the

agreements “has completely hampered our Client’s ability to honour the contractual obligations it owes to its financiers notably, Access Bank Plc.” According to them, “The monthly interest accruals on the loan facility our Client owes to Access Bank in respect of the fuel importations in issue runs into about N65-70Million and our Client is unable to settle these interest accruals because it

,

BY CLARA NWACHUKWU & KUNLE KALEJAYE

T

he DMO by its rejoinder, inadvertently admitted that the marketers were telling the truth when they insisted that they had not been paid and that the Sovereign Debt Notes, SDNs, issued by it to some of the marketers are not backed by cash.

Already, Vanguard investigations has uncovered a big industry scam, whereby, banks are deliberately

Capt. Iheanacho lamented that there was no formal notification as to the cause of the attack on his tank farm or the siege on his business

has been starved of the funds to do so as a result of the continued delay by the PPPRA in paying the subsidy claims owed our Client.”

PPPRA blames Finance, DMO However, a top PPPRA management source maintained on Sunday that the agency has nothing to do the with oil marketer ’s

,

withholding information that will facilitate the payment of the claims in view of the huge 22 percent interest charges running into billions of Naira accruable to them monthly for as long as the PSF claims are delayed.

The development is slowly crippling operations in the downstream sector, where hundreds are at risk of losing

their jobs if nothing is done urgently, while the banks waited on the sideline to invite the Asset Management Company, AMCON, to place the companies under receivership, in an attempt to acquire them.

‘My security is at risk’ Meanwhile, speaking with Vanguard exclusively, the Chairman of Integrated Oil and Gas, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, who is also a former Minister of Interior, expressed concerns over his security.

Iheanacho, who spoke after his release from the State Security Services, SSS, where he was whisked to on Friday, over allegations of being involved in a stolen petrol syndicate, decried his and his staff ’s ordeal in the hands of the security operatives.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and Global West Specialist Vessels, GWSV, headed by Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo, had alleged that Integrated Oil and Gas received a vessel, ‘M.T. Grace’ laden with suspected stolen refined petroleum products.

In an interview with Vanguard, the former minister said the management of his company were surprised by the vicious invasion of the company’s tank farm at Ibafon in Apapa by a group of armed uniformed men numbering about 30, purportedly acting on the orders of the Director General, NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi and the MD of GWSV, Tompolo.

In the course of the invasion into the tank farm, Capt.

Iheanacho said the intruders on Thursday, ransacked the entire tank farm complex, arresting and violently manhandling the workers at the complex, laying them flat on the floor, and seized their hand sets.

At the end of the day, he revealed that four of his staff were abducted and taken to NIMASA for interrogation and have since been transferred to the SSS Shangissha where they are currently being held.

Similarly on Friday, he said that Tompolo and his men held him hostage for many hours in his Headquarters, before being transferred to the Lagos State Command of the SSS. Capt. Iheanacho lamented that there was no formal notification as to the cause of the attack on his tank farm or the siege on his business and maintained that “The product currently stored in our tank farm are fully served by the availability of clearance documents which include Navy.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 — 25

BY KUNLE KALEJAYE

BRIEF

M

idwestern Oil & Gas Company, partly owned by the Delta State Government with some Nigerian entrepreneurs, in the past four years, has maintained a zero lost time incidents, LTI/injury in marginal field operation.

The company was incorporated in 1999, but commenced operations in the exploration and production section of the oil industry in Nigeria in 2005.

Speaking at the company’s achievement of four million man-hour LTI-Free operation in Lagos, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adams Okoene, also tasked staff, especially supervisors, managers, the Health, Safety and Environment, HSE team to ensure safety consciousness and practice at all time.

Okoene said the achievement of four million man-hour LTI on February 27, this year was remarkable.

“This great feat was achieved by our dedicated workforce.

We say a big thank you to our staff, stakeholders and regulators of oil and gas industry, who in one way or another made notable contributions that made this milestone possible.”

He reinforced the need for the organisation to constantly think safety first, saying, “As we celebrate today, let us remind ourselves of the need to continuously think safety

Shell trains 45 youths in Delta

W

L-R Engr. Assistant Director of Marginal/Indigenous Operator, Engr. Uche Obiorah, Upstream Advisor of Suntrust Oil, Mr. Nicholas Unazdi, MD/CEO Midwestern Oil and Gas Company, Engr. Adams Okoene and Mr. Jagjit Arora, MD Mak Resources Services Ltd during the celebration of four million man hour Loss Time Injury Free operation by Midwestern Oil and Gas Ltd in Lagos

Midwestern records zero hour to injury and act safely always. Being the leading indigenous marginal field operator, it is expected that our leadership should not just end with being the highest marginal field

producer of oil and gas, but we should also extend this good HSE performance at all times.”

Midwestern said it has short, medium, and long term

goals that will enable the company achieve a steady state of operations on its current field, and complete takeover of all activities from its current technical partners.

NIPP improves power delivery in Lagos, others T

HE National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) is gradually increasing the total power distribution capacity in Lagos towards lightening up the entire state as well as the adjoining states of Ogun .

This, according to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC), owners of the NIPP projects, Mr. James Olotu, is in line with the transformation agenda of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s government.

Olotu stated this while commissioning both the additional 15 MVA capacity transformer at new Idumagbo distribution injection sub-station under the Eko Electricity Distribution Company and another 150 MVA additional capacity at the Ikeja West transmission substation located in Ayobo in Lagos.

He stressed that with the commissioning of the 15 MVA additional capacity, the NIPP has increased power distribution in the Idumagbo

area of Lagos and its environs including the Palace of Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu, while the new 150 MVA at Ayobo, increased the transmission capacity of the station by 25 per cent to 750MVA from 600MVA. The Ikeja West Station in Ayobo area of Lagos State serves not only its immediate environs in Lagos State but also extends to Ogun State including Abeokuta the capital.

With these developments, the CEO observed that power will be more stable in the covered areas in the states, reduce low current, load shedding, and improve quality of power base and distribution along with its multiplier effects on other strata of life and the economy of the entire people of the states.

Olotu also hinted that work has progressed tremendously on the power generation projects in Olorunsogo in Ogun State; Omotosho in Ondo State; Sapele in Delta state and more recently from Alaoji power station in Abia state which in all are now contributing about

1,300MW and rising to the national grid subject to gas limitation, he added. This is even as works on the other 6 generation projects are progressing appreciably.

To this end, he said the company is working assiduously with the gas suppliers to end the incidence of gas supply shortages by the second quarter of next year, as about 400mscf of gas per day under the gas to power emergency scheme will be made available solely for the NIPP power stations across the country.

W

hile acknowledging that power supply is capital intensive, the NDPHC boss noted that most of the equipment used in power provision were imported. But he added that some foreign companies were already setting up manufacturing plants in Nigeria to help in repair and local manufacture of power equipment with its attendant multiplier effects on the economy especially in the areas of employment generation, growth

of Nigeria’s gross domestic products, amongst others apart from better power services and supply.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Oladele Amoda, said that with the commissioning of the 15 MWA capacity, customers in under the DISCO will enjoy more steady power supply. He also thanked the people of the area, especially the customers of the company, for their supports throughout the period of the construction of the plant.

Also speaking, the General Manager Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Lagos region, Mr. Oyeleke Adeoye, said the older 600 MVA transformer has been well maintained having served the area for over 40 years and that with the additional capacity of 150 MVA from NIPP brings the total capacity of Ikeja West to 750MVA, which will make customers in the area to experience better power supply.

ARRI –SHELL P e t r o l e u m Development Company, SPDC, has trained 45 youths drawn from eight host communities in Delta State in different skill acquisition programmes, including computer technology, electrical installation, welding, and hotel and catering.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the youths in War ri, SPDC’s Media Relations Officer, Joseph Obari, said it was a 15-month skill developmenttraining and business programme to tackle youth unemployment in the host communities and urged the graduates to make appropriate use of the knowledge they acquired to better their lives.

Participants in the scheme, tagged ‘’Southern Swamp Aggregated Gas (SSGA) youth training and enterprise development programme were reportedly shortlisted through a successful selection test exercise from Ojobo, Obotobo 1 and 2, Odimodi, Ogulagha, Sokebolou, Yokri and Yobebe communities.

G

eneral Manager, Sustainable Development and Community Relations, Philip Mshelbila, in a speech delivered by the Community Relation Officer, Major Projects, Dele Aiskhalaye, said investigation had shown that large number of the youth do not establish business after acquiring the prerequisite skills through the programme.

He lamented that they “dispose the starter pack items and spend all the funds made available upon graduation on lesser interests” and urged parents and guardians to encourage the youth to desist from squandering the opportunity.

Director of Training, National Directorate of Employment, Asaba, Andrew Erue, extolled the virtues of the graduates, saying ‘’since I have been training people, this set has been the best”.

26—Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Gowon, no treaty was presented to the Supreme Military Council, SMC, which wielded executive and parliamentary powers at the time. So, there was nothing that could have been effected.

Then came President Olusegun Obasanjo, who signed the Bakassi Green Tree Agreement, GTA. His case was worse because it was during a civilian era and the National Assembly was in place. A head of state can reach an agreement with a foreign power but that agreement has to be approved by the National Assembly, which has the sovereign authority.

Beyond that, subjecting yourself to the authority of the ICJ is by choice, it is not mandatory. That is why the US does not recognise the ICJ on any matter of national interest.

So, why did Obasanjo agree to go to the ICJ? It was not necessary and mandatory.

There is an opinion that either now or in the future, Gowon and Obasanjo would be accused of and tried for treason because you don’t give away your territory.

Bakassi Local Government council

Another dimension of the 1884 treaty

Bakassi: Soon, Gowon, Obasanjo may be tried for treason — Anya

Turkey came and seized part of Cyprus because it has not been recognised by anybody.

The world cannot allow it or else the world would be an unstable place. Another dimension to the treaty of 1884 between the Kings of Calabar and Great Britain is that it was concluded between two sovereign people and it predated the Vienna Convention of 1885. So, the 1913 agreement with Germany has to return to the source, 1884, which does not support it. In international law, laws follow earlier laws, which set precedent.

So Bakassi has always been administered as part of Nigeria. The people of Bakassi took part in all election before and after independence. They were not treated as part of Cameroon as the 1913 agreement claimed. Even if it was in the trusteeship agreement, there is a clause that says you cannot change the trusteeship agreement without going to the people through a plebiscite or referendum to determine where they want to go. The right to self-determination still exists.

You must consult the people of Bakassi and that has not happened. You can’t just remove them from their ancestral land and settle them elsewhere as if they are stones.

Lack of compassion: There is a surprising dimension to the

•Three reasons ICJ judgment can’t stand PROFESSOR Anya Oko Anya, 75, pioneer chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) and 1992 National Merit Award winner is sad over Nigeria’s handling of the Bakassi Peninsula and insists that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) would reverse its 2002 judgment ceding the territory to Cameroon if Nigeria appeals the verdict with prevailing facts and documents. In this interview, he urges former heads of state, retired Generals Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, who signed off and ceded the territory respectively to Cameroon to take part in the recovery efforts because they might be charged with treason in future.

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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We must defend our territory and recover Bakassi

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HE Bakassi matter: Bakassi is a very unfortunate development for Nigeria. It is also not a very good advertisement for our leadership. Nations develop military power. The whole armed forces is established to protect the territorial integrity of the nation. Serious nations don’t cede their territory except in war; in peace time, no nation cedes its territory.

ICJ judgment can’t stand: There are three reasons why the International Court of Justice judgment on Bakassi cannot stand. The reasons are historical, international law and the concept of patriotism.

History -The Efiks are a major tribe in Nigeria and historically have been on the Atlantic Coast. Bakassi has always been part of the Efiks without a war. In 1884, the British entered into a treaty with the Efiks, which included Bakassi. There would not have been a treaty if there was no ownership.

International law: It does not make sense to cede any part of Nigeria. Arnold Smith, former Commonwealth secretary general, is alleged to have said in his memoirs that he was surprised at the ease with which General Yakubu Gowon appeared ready to handover Bakassi to Cameroon. He was alleged to have raised the matter with Gowon, who told

him that he wanted to make sure that Biafrans are denied access to the sea in case of a future war. That shows hoe serious he was about ending the war and reconciling Nigerians.

Gowon is said to have said it wasn’t true. Anyway, Gowon could have wished to cede Bakassi to Cameroon but he could not have effected it and he did not effect it for two reasons.

One, the matter of delineation of boundaries and ceding of territory must be bound by an agreement and a treaty. A treaty cannot be valid or binding on a nation unless it is approved or ratified by the sovereign authority, which in most cases is the Parliament. Under

Continues on page 27

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 — 27

Three reasons ICJ judgment can’t stand Continues from page 26

Collective problem The press has not shown much interest. In the effort to evict Bakassi people from their ancestral home, Nigerians have not asked themselves what they would do if they were in Bakassi’s shoes. We have to learn a lesson from the US, who are prepared to go to war over one American citizen. Even when an American commits a crime, they will fight that the American should be repatriated and tried at home under American law.

Bosnian war, America mobilised to Bosnian to rescue on American. If you have a country that is prepared to go to war because of you, why won’t you give your life for that country? We are talking about

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN

Prof Anya Oko Anya...future generations will ask questions patriotism and reward of citizenship. By donating Bakassi, your territory to another, what are you telling Nigerians? You are telling Nigerians that no Nigerian is worth anything. How do you expect the citizen to be patriotic in that circumstance?

We must defend our territory and recover Bakassi. Looking at the map of Africa, we often say God has shaped Africa like a gun and Nigeria is the trigger and in Nigeria, the actual point where the trigger is, is Bakassi. It is important to recognise the significance of that. Bakassi is so strategically located that anybody who controls power there can control the Southern Atlantic. Why is France, Britain and US so interested in Bakassi? Nigeria with the potential to develop into a major power will be in a position to control what happens in the Southern Atlantic, therefore.

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon C M Y K

The solution: The Nigerian government must immediately respond to what has happened by inviting the ICJ to revisit the Bakassi issue. The bases for such requests are: First, ICJ expects you to come back if you are not satisfied within 10 years of th judgment, which will expire in October.

Secondly, the decision of the ICJ was not even unanimous.

Three dissenting judges Madagascar, Senegal and Jordan, faulted the judgment of their colleagues. If it were a split decision then, you will win now if the ruling is appealed with facts and developments that were not available then.

We should approach the appeal with our A Team, a competent team to handle the case. With due respect to Chief Richard Akinjide, the issue of Bakassi were not issues he had first hand experience. Even if he had, he needed insight because the matter had legal,

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo

cultural, historical and strategic dimensions. So, the Nigerian team should have had the best that Nigeria has in those areas.

An authority in Nigeria and in the world on the history of Bakassi; the interactions of people of that area with the metropolitan authorities; interactions of traders that live in the area is Dr Walter Ofonagoro. His Ph.D Thesis at Columbian University dealt with the treaties in that area.

I understand that when the matter reared its head during late General Sani Abacha era, Abacha sent Ofonagoro to the United Nations with source documents to show that Cameroon had no leg in Bakassi and the matter died until Obasanjo came. The question is, did anybody consult Walter before going to the World Court? I doubt.

Political dimension Finally, one must say there is a huge political dimension to the problem, which the current Nigerian government must be aware of.

The political dimension is while it could be easy for Gowon and Obasanjo to take a decision relating to Eastern Nigeria in a whimsical and cavalier manner. Politics will not favour President Goodluck Jonathan, to take that kind of decision because he is an easterner. An easterner cannot be at the helm to rubber stamp the donation of an eastern territory to a foreign country. It is a dilemma for Jonathan. Even if he fails, history will record that he tried.

Dealing with issues like this intellectual power.

Nigerian governments don’t pay enough attention to harnessing the intellectual power of the nation. We must do so in this case because we don’t have an alternative to Bakassi.

We must appeal to Gowon and Obasanjo to be involved in the crusade for restoration of Bakassi to Nigeria.

It is a matter of simple personal interest. It is beginning to happen where people, in other parts of the world, are called to account for what they did 20, 30 years after they left office.

They can say, ‘I made mistake, how do we solve the Bakassi problem?’ The problem will not vanish, future generations will ask questions.

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whole issue. The dimension is that those of us, who claim to be Christians like Gowon and Obasanjo, should have compassion, an important character of a Christian is compassion. If you have compassion, you will ask: have been compassionate towards our brothers and sisters in Bakassi? The answer is no. It is not only Gowon and Obasanjo, even the press and other Nigerians are guilty because they have treated the matter as if it is not a matter of great interest.

That shows we have not learnt lessons from the civil war and because we have not recognised those lessons we are repeating them. We treat problems affecting other parts of the country as ‘it is their problem, it is not our problem.’

We cannot continue treating problems like that if we want remain as a united country. In a united country, a problem affecting one part is treated as a collective problem.

Under Gowon, no treaty was presented to the Supreme Military Council, SMC, which wielded executive and parliamentary powers at the time.

So, there was nothing that could have been effected.

Then came President Olusegun Obasanjo, who signed the Bakassi Green Tree Agreement, GTA

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28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

Rosicrucian Order holds seminar

Amnesty: Include Urhobo ex-militants in 3rd phase —UYC

BY FESTUS AHON

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AGOS Zone of the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, a cultural, educational and philosophical organisation will on Saturday, September 22, at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel and Towers, hold a public sSeminar on the theme: Character and values in national peace and progress.

According to a statement signed by its media co-ordinator, Mr. Monday Evawomaha, the event parades eminent scholars of international repute. They include Professor Olu Akeusola, Professor Femi Otubanjo and Professor Friday Ndubisi, Head, Department of Philiosophy, University of Lagos, while the special sessions will be chaired by Alagba Oladipo Yemitan. The moderator for the occasion is Professor Isaac Alaba, an independent consultant on culture and languages. Dr. Kenneth Idiodi, Grand Administrator and Director, Supreme Board, AMORC will be the special guest of honour.

QUR'ANIC RECITATION: Fromleft: Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III; Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and national chairman, Ulama's Council of Jama'atul Izalatul Bid'ah Wa'ikamatis Sunnah, JIBWIS, during the closing ceremony of the 16th Annual Qur'anic Recitation competition in Minna, weekend.

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NITSHA—WORK ERS in the 21 local government areas of Anambra State have threatened to embark on indefinite industrial action, should Governor Peter Obi fail to fully implement the 2006 approved scheme of service for council staff within 21 days.

Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, in the state, in a statement by its President, Mr. Jerry Nnubia, also demanded the decentralisation of the payroll units of local governments as against the current process where consultants employed by the state government had been doing the job alone.

NULGE argued that the use of contractors for pay rolling had caused untold hardship on council staff in the payment of salaries, including what it described as illegal recruitment in the local government system.

The union also re-

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Consortium to handle 4.5m tonnes of cargo in 2012

BY IFEYINWA OBI

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REMEMBRANCE SERVICE: From left: Former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, his wives, Florence and Oluwakemi, during the thanksgiving and 60 years remembrance service of Pa Joshua Akala, at First Baptist Church, Oke-Eelerin, Ogbomoso, Oyo State.

Anambra LG workers threaten strike over scheme of service

BY ENYIM ENYIM

GHELLI— URHOBO Youth Council, UYC, has appealed to the amnesty authority to include former militants of Urhobo extraction in the third phase of the amnesty programme, lamenting that Urhobo exmilitants were shortchanged in the first and second phases of the programme.

UYC, in a petition to President Goodluck Jonathan, insisted that

quested for the computerisation of pay roll units and other essential departments in the 21 councils of the state, as well as training of personnel to man them.

Calling on the state government to as a mat-

ter of urgency conduct the council polls in the state, NULGE said it rejected the transfer of six of its branch officers at Idemili North Local Government Area without due process and urged the government to re-

verse the transfer within 21 days.

It said: “The union calls on the state government to address the above issues within 21 days to avoid industrial disharmony in the local government system.”

Democracy has paid off —Akpabio

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KWA Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, weekend, urged Nigerians to be thankful to God for the dividends of democracy that they were enjoying in the country. He said, looking back over the last 13 years, Nigeria has made some modest achievements.

Akpabio, who made the assertion in Abuja after being conferred with the Honourary Fellow Award of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP, said Nigerians should avoid a blanket condemnation of democracy as it led to the development of various sectors of the economy.

Represented by his deputy, Mr. Nsima Ekere,

the governor said even as he was aware of the achievements of his other colleagues across the country, the infrastructural development in Akwa Ibom State in the last five years has been phenomenal and unprecedented.

He cited achievements

of the administration to include free and compulsory education; construction of 205 roads covering over 1,000 kilometres; building of five brand new general hospitals and a soon-to-be completed International Specialist Hospital.

King’s College holds founder’s day

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LL is set for King’s College Old Boys Association, KCOBA, to celebrate its 103 years of existence, the Principal, Otunba Dele Adepeju has said.

Speaking at a joint press conference, Adepeju outlined events that will characterise the week long celebration

which will hold from 18 to 23 September, 2012.

He said, today, Tuesday, there will a symposium lecture titled: “Vision 20:2020, which Way Forward” which will be delivered by Samsudeen Usman, the former Minister of Finance and Minister of National Planning Committee.

the Urhobo have been shortchanged in the scheme of things despite their unflinching support to the Federal Government.

The youths also copied the National Security Adviser and Special Adviser on Niger Delta, Presidential Amnesty.

The petition, signed by Mr. Henry Baro, National President of UYC, demanded that 1,000 slots be allocated to their people in the third phase of the programme to ameliorate their sufferings.

EADING indige nous port operator and concessionaire of Terminals C and D of the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, ENL Consortium Limited, has projected a cargo throughput of 4.5 million tonnes in its area of operation this year.

General Manager of ENL Consortium, Mr. Mark Walsh, in Lagos, weekend, said the 2012 projected cargo volume represents eight per cent increase over the 4.2 mil-

lion tonnes handled at the two terminals last year.

He said: “We continually improve on our efficiency at the terminal and this is a direct result of the improvement we had brought to bear on port operation since 2006 when we took over the terminals.” He said that cargo volume at the general cargo terminal had more than doubled in the last six years from 1.8 million tons in 2006 to 4.5 million tons projected in 2012.

FG urged to disband pension task force

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

A

BUJA—PEN SIONERS in the Federal Civil Service have said they were disappointed at the Federal Government’s attitude to the pension fraud, which they said, was unearthed by the Senate Joint Committee on Pension Fund.

The retired civil servants, under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, Federal Civil Service Pensioners Sector, said they were particularly worried that

despite the startling revelation by the Senate Joint Committee, the Federal Government had not disbanded the task force, let alone prosecute its members for alleged sharp practices.

In a statement by Mr. Clement Ogunrinde, the union’s Sectoral Secretary, Abuja branch, weekend, they called on President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately disband the Pension Task Force and order the arrest and prosecution of its chairman.

Group accuses Delta ACN chieftains of anti-party activities

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G H E L L I — URHOBO Political Agenda, UPA, has called for the expulsion of Senator Adego Eferakeya and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, House of Representatives candidate in the Uvwie/Okpe/Sapele Federal constituency, Delta State, in the 2011 general elections, Dr. Veronica Ogbuagu, from the party for their alleged gross misconduct and

anti-party activities.

UPA’s National Chairman, Mr. Clement Unior, said the Urhobo people would never forgive the erstwhile senator, who represented the Central Senatorial District of the state between 2007.

The group alleged that Eferakeya converted his private hospital to “a modern Abuja type duplex at the expense of his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, followers.

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By JUDE NJOKU

HIGH POINTS

T

HE National Housing Fund, NHF, the scheme set up by Decree 3 (Act) of 1992 to provide cheap loanable funds for housing development, has been the subject of intense criticisms in the last few years. Nigerian workers who felt that they have not benefitted enough from the scheme, have repeatedly canvassed its abrogation. The clamour for the scrapping of the Fund seemed to have gathered weight when in February, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, hinted that the Federal Government will consider scrapping the Fund.

The Minister explained that the move is in line with the position of Nigerian workers who have requested that the NHF be scrapped because it has been ineffective and wasteful all the years.

Chief Nwogu who spoke at a meeting with the executives of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, said the government would consider scrapping the Fund as requested by the council.

His words: “Government will consider your earlier position on Staff Housing Loan Board.

However, the National Housing Fund was created by an Act and consequently, where there is an Act, it is either you repeal, amend or totally set it aside, and that is purely the duty of the National Assembly. I will reach out to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation with your request that the National Housing Fund Act be repealed, amended or reviewed.”

Urgent medical attention The NHF has indeed become a sick baby in need of urgent medical attention. Banks and Insurance companies who were supposed to be major contributors, have failed to buy into the scheme.

In fact it was reported that banks and insurance firms in the country are between 2006 and 2010, owing about N8.58 trillion which the failed to remit in the Fund in line with the provisions of the Act. Banks should have invested N8.49 trillion, being 10 percent of their loans and advances for the five year period.

Mortgage operators who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property gave further insight into why the NHF has failed to achieved the goal was setting it up.

Vice Chairman of Crossover Savings & Loans Limited, Mr Bode Akinboye stated that the greatest drawback to the NHF scheme is the fact that it focused more on the formal sector while neglecting the informal sector.

“The fundamental problem with the National Housing Fund, NHF, is that people are not contributing C M Y K

nc e *B an ks an d in su ra en be t companies have no the to ns tio making contribu Fund very *The rate of default is do ies an high as some comp the m fro ds not remit procee th e NH F de du cti on s to ies rit tho au te ria approp the *The scheme’s target is e th ile wh r fo rm al se cto d cte gle ne is r cto informal se wh o *S om e pe rs on s the m fro borrowed money ay rep to led Fund have fai g vin pri de y reb the the loans, y nit rtu po op the of others

A housing project... such schemes are hampered by ineffective mortgage system

Odds that favour a review of NHF scheme to the Fund. It is supposed to be a pool of large funds but you find out that there are a lot of defaulters -companies, institutions are not participating. That is the number one problem. This scheme has focused mainly on the formal sector but you know that the strength of this economy is in the informal sector.

If you go to Idumota or Alaba International, that is where the economy is controlled from. How can you start a housing scheme that does not carry these people along. It is bound to fail,” he said.

Continuing, Akinboye noted that the current management of the Federal Mortgage Bank is trying to address that problem. “They are trying to invite the informal sector -road transport workers, carpenters, bricklayers, all these people have money. You need to know how much the tipper drivers are making, that is, those who are

selling sand. They are earning more than me,” he said.

The Crossover Savings and Loans Vice Chairman regretted that prior to this time, the NHF and FMBN have not been properly managed. “Even the few funds they had were used to build befitting offices. You see the FMBN building on Marina and Abuja, that is not what they ought to have been doing. It is not this current management that did that.

So, when you look at the past leadership of that institution, they haven’t really done well. But this new team is trying to do a turn around of the place but unfortunately, when they came in, there were not funds. They are now trying to generate more funds for people to draw from the scheme. So, the more money comes, the more money will be available to pay,he explained.

He decried the penchant to

borrow money and not repaying the loan. “Again some people are defaulting; those who have taken the loans are defaulting. The culture of people taking money and not wanting to pay back is also a problem which is an element of what we are addressing in Crossover because once you do your underwriting properly and you have the title right and everything with you, it is easier to recover the house if they default by carelessness.

Proper due diligence Then you can recover because it is also very sensitive to recover houses where people live. In order not to do that, you have to do your proper due diligence and also encourage them to buy insurance.

There is insurance for default as a result of your inability to have

money to pay and there is default due to death. You don’t want to drive out somebody whose breadwinner is dead from the house. People must embrace all those small small policies that would make easier for them to continue to enjoy the house on which they have put their funds,” he posited.

Initially, the NHF loan was fixed at a maximum of N500,000 and when granted, must be utilised for the purchase of building, purchasing or renovating a residential accommodation. But when the clamour for its increase became intense, the loan was increased to a maximum of N5 million. Each applicant is expected to provide 10 per cent of the total amount being sought for while FMBN will grant a loan in excess of 90 per cent of the cost or value of the property to be mortgaged.

The interest rate as prescribed by the NHF Act shall not exceed six per cent per annum while a maximum of 30 years is the repayment period. Repayment is to be made through a PMI through which the loan was disbursed.

Also, security for the loan sought for is ensured by the property which must have a valid Certificate of Occupancy, C of O. It must also conform to the existing planning laws which serve as the approved building plan just as the property must be insured against hazards and its value should be sufficient enough to recover the loan.

How to get rid of moulds at home M OULDS are essential in making brie and penicillin, for example, and necessary for the decomposition of organic matter in nature — but it can also be very bad, especially when it grows undetected in your home.

Mould spores spread easily and cannot be completely eradicated.

Mold can grow anywhere: on carpet, clothing, food, paper, and even in places you can’t see, such as the backside of drywall, areas inside walls around leaking or condensing pipes, and above ceiling tiles.

Not only is a mould problem difficult and costly to fix, but mould can also

produce allergens and irritants that may compromise your health.

So what can you do if you’re concerned about mold growing in your home?

The best approach is preventing mold before it becomes a problem.

The key to mould prevention is simple: moisture control.

Below are some of the ways you can curb moisture indoors and the moulds that grow on them * Identify problem areas in your home and correct them. * D ry wet areas immediately.

Mould can’t grow without moisture,

so tackle wet areas right away. * Prevent moisture with proper ventilation. *Equip your home with moldresistant products *Direct water away from your home. If the ground around your home isn’t sufficiently sloped away from the foundation, water may collect there and seep into your crawlspace or basement. *Clean or repair roof gutters * Improve air flow in your home *Keep mold off household plants.

They’re beautiful and help keep your indoor air clean

36 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

ENVIRONMENT WATCH

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

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T is now mandatory for property owners, tenements and occupiers to landscape and beautify the perimeter areas of their properties in Lagos State and violation of this order shall attract a penalty of N250,000.

Similarly, it is now an offence to walk on lawns and gardens, spit, urinate or defecate in any area of the 128 landscaped gardens and 14 parks in the State.

These facts were contained in a new law which set up Parks/ Gardens management agency in the state. The law further states that it is an offence to loiter, carry out illegal business, distribute controlled substance or engage in disorderly conduct, litter, pollute or dump refuse in any park or garden.

Failure to control animals or allowing their defecation or engaging in an unhygienic use of fountains, pools or water in the parks, gardens and open spaces is equally prohibited in the state.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, made this known last week at the handing over of Lagos parks and gardens to the new agency known as Lagos State Parks and Gardens, LASPARK. The new body is headed by Mr. Olukunle Shotade as the General Manager.

Adequate time frame Bello who noted that the intention of the new law is not punitive or revenue driven, added however, that failure to comply with the law shall attract stipulated the fines. He pointed out that adequate time frame shall be given to Lagos residents to acquaint themselves with the new law.

While appealing to the residents to cooperate with the new agency to take Lagos to greater heights in environmental transformation, the Commissioner gave insight into how the new law came into being. “In order to create a sustaining structure for the landmark beautification and landscaping of open spaces in Lagos, a bill was initiated by Governor Babatunde Fashola to set up the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency. This bill was approved and passed as the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Law No.13 of 2011 by the Lagos State House of Assembly,’’ her said.

According to him, the Agency is saddled with the responsibility to administer, maintain, and manage all designated parks and gardens in the state. It is to charge appropriate fees for the use of facilities provided at the parks and gardens, carry out C M Y K

One of the parks in Lagos.

Lagos rolls out new law to preserve parks and walkways directives and policies of the government in respect of the development, maintenance and management of parks, recreation centres, gardens, play grounds and open spaces in the state.

Other responsibilities of the agency include granting of permit on the payment of the prescribed fees to any club, association or any similar body or person for the purpose of holding events exclusively in any of the open spaces in the

parks or gardens managed by the agency, regulating the period of use of the open spaces at the parks or gardens by members of the public and providing and maintaining adequate security environmental sanitation at the parks, gardens, open spaces and recreation centres.

The agency is equally to promote afforestation in all ramifications in the state, enumerate and tag all trees within the state inclusive of

those in private tenements, monitor and supervise trimmings and felling of trees within the state, advise on all matters to the greening programme of the state, cause funds for the maintenance of parks and gardens as well as carry out such other assignments as may be directed by the state governor.

The Commissioner who said the new agency is committed towards building on the solid foundation laid by the

Conservation and Ecology Department of his Ministry, however, reiterated that the law which forbids the felling of trees in the state is still very much in force. According to him, the law stipulates a fine not exceeding N50,000 or year imprisonment or other noncustodial sentences for any person or corporate body found felling or trimming trees in the state without obtaining required permit from LASPARK.

Africa must rise to check desert encroachment — Adichie

By EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

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ONCERNS for the expansion of the Sahara Desert and the devastating effect of climate change found a voice in one of Africa’s novelist, Chimamanda Adichie, who urged government and corporate organizations to respond to the threats.

Adichie said all efforts must be made by governments and corporate organizations to check the devastating effects of desert encroachment into the savanna forest, which she described as a shame on the continent.

Adichie who was speaking at the auctioning of the works of art from the six team of desert worriers during their recent third expedition from Lagos to London. said that the continued

disappearance of grazing fields, farmlands, and depleting water resources, and the negative effects on food production, the air and even the migration problem resulting from desertification can no longer be neglected by African people, if the survival of the people must be assured.

She lamented that while other continents were striving to mitigate desert encroachment into their territory, Africa and Nigeria are doing noting.

Adichie then called on both government and corporate bodies including individuals to join hands with fight against desert encroachment, FADE in the crusade to mitigate desert encroachment to save Nigeria from the imminent danger.

Also speaking at the occasion, CEO of Fine and Country International, Mrs. Udo Okonjo

said the crusade being led by Dr. Newton Jubnoh is a worthy course that needs the support of every government and individual to address the imminent danger facing Africa

from the continued spread of Sahara desert, saying that the near death experience of the worriers since 1967 and the message from them points to the

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Dr Newton Jibunoh, JK Randle at the event in Lagos.

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In the valley of darkness(3) According to her, the saying that heavens help those who help themselves is very true of the marriage institution. She insisted that I was not taking the facts of life into proper perspective as no man can ever get too old to have a child, only women do. She advised that, if I waited long-

,

HI. Without much rhetoric, I will go straight to the crux of the matter today.

The story you are about to read was narrated to me by a woman I met a couple of weeks ago. For the sake of this publication, we will call her Monica. Monica just recently gave birth to a bouncing, healthy, baby boy after almost a decade in a childless marriage.

One would think that she ought to be the happiest woman on the planet right now, but Monica’s situation is far from this as she is deeply depressed and almost mentally unstable right now. Her story in fact, raises a number of questions which I’m hoping we will be able to analyse and put in proper perspective.

Please do write in for possible solution or simply contribute to this interesting and mind blowing story.

The deed has already been done, but there ought to be a way out for Monica. Our addresses remain: The Human Angle, Vanguard, P.M.B. 1007, Apapa, Lagos and e-mail, humananglepage@yahoo.com Hoping to read fro you soon.

Cheers!

I would be on my own and in hot soup too, going by all that the pastor's wife had warned me about. She had even confided in me that the pastor does not know anything about the old man.

That she had been introduced to the man by one of her mother's friends who had taken them there after the death of her only brother. This was a long time ago, long before she met and married the pastor. However, her warning that a woman who wants to have a happy and peaceful matrimonial home has to know her wayaround sank home the most.

the circumstance different, I would have spewed it all out and with this, I concluded that truly, there is no limit to human endurance. I never suspected that there was more in store for me.

After the meal, the old man who had been working on the things we brought told me I would be returning to

Two months after, it was confirmed at the hospital that I had conceived a child, I could not believe it

er than necessary, I may live to regret things later.

By the time we got back to Lagos, I knew there was no going back for me anymore, I had not only compromised myself, but committed myself too.

Besides, the thoughts of holding my own child in my arms was beginning to present itself in real life pixtures in my head. She did not have to put it into words, but I knew that her first child named Miracle must have something to do with the herbalist.

Even if the old man would not be able to perform my own miracle, there was probably no harm in trying. We travelled to the mountain as scheduled.

The pastor’s wife had assisted me in getting the kitten which she said she got from the herbs dealer at Oyingbo market.

The man welcomed us and soon went into business. He gave me a pot of concoction to eat. I was not able to identify some of the items in it, but was sick to the point of vomiting because I saw something that looked like claws to me.

I was given a cup of water to push it down. Were

,

Lagos with the white kitten and white piece of cloth we brought.

This time however, I will be carrying it on my back, tied with the piece of cloth as if it were a baby. He would conclude the other rituals on his own. I don’t need to tell you how scared I became at that point.

How would I successfully carry a kitten on my back all the way to Lagos with all the Police check points on the way? Wouldn’t we be accused of something sinister like child theft if the Police should insist that the kitten was a human whom we transformed into a kitten? Or perhaps on getting home, my neighbours would see me.

But my friend assured me that nothing of sort would happen and that I must remain calm. True to her words, nothing happened.

Even when the police stopped us, they didn’t even pay me any attention.

When we eventually got to my compound, it was already dark. I dropped the kitten as instructed and it ran away almost immediately. I thought the speed it ran was too much for a

kitten, more so, one that had remained so placid and strapped in one place for several hours.

My friend later told me that I had been able to carry the kitten on my back without getting clawed because baba had placed a spell on it. That was the last time I saw the cat. I was not afraid because the old man had told us that should the cat refuse to run off on being let down, it meant that the sacrifice had not been successful.

We continued to live our lives as normal, praying and waiting for the miracle to come to pass. Two months after, it was confirmed at the hospital that I had conceived a child. I could not believe it.

My husband was so happy he fell down and wept as he praised God. When the news of my pregnancy was reported, my in-laws and friends, including the church members, our joy knew no bounds.

People kept coming to visit and take care of me as if the baby had already been born. My once hostile mother-in-law even apologised to me, attributing her behaviour to the devil. Almost everyone started bringing gifts for the baby even before it was born. In my heart, I wished I could share the secret with my husband but all the warnings from my pastor’s wife kept ringing in my ears. In the end, I reasoned that there was nothing to gain from such a revelation anyway.

Besides, I want to believe what my friend has told me, the ritual only helped to hasten God’s plans which the devil was holding down. The child is from God and since it is going to be born and raised in the church, it will be a godly child. In any case, we could always take it for deliverance should we notice anything amiss. And by the grace of God nothing will go wrong.

My baby turned out a boy.

Though he is just a few months old now, he is showing potentials of being a strong and great man in future.

Asisited by Onozure Dania

To be continued

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lady, aged 19-23, for a relationship. 08121626655, 08093703778 •Prince, 21, handsome, n light in complexion and resides in Delta state, needs a loving girl, aged 15-25, for a serious relationship. 08169384983, 08063268118 •Muyiwa, handsome, needs a beautiful girl, aged 20-25, for a serious relationship. 07087344091 •Martins,26,an undergraduate, resides in Lagos, needs a fair complexion and busty lady, aged 2032, for a relationship.08166469569,08120669957 •Toni, 41, employed, needs a comfortable lady, aged 32-48 for an affair.08066611493 •Collins, 25, 6.ft tall, chocolate in complexion, resides in Lagos but employed in Benin, needs a fair in complexion and financially stable lady, who resides in either Lagos, Abuja, Benin or Abroad, aged 27-58, for marriage.08039339160 •Jerry, 35, a businessman, God fearing, Christian

and resides in Anambra state, needs a God fearing and employed lady, aged 28-38, for a serious relationship.08130897363 •Stanley, 37, fair in complexion, average height, caring romantic, fun to be with and •Dear readers, please note that neither Vanguard, nor Yetunde Arebi will be liable for any error in the publication of requests on the Lovezone that may result in any form of embarrassment to any member of the public.

Also note that we do not run any match-making agency in or outside the country. Any reader who transacts business with anyone claiming to be our agent does so at his/her own risk.

Henceforth, only messages sent through the numbers readers want to be contacted on will be published.

This notice is necessary in order to serve you better in our refreshingly different style. To get your requests published, just text it to the code number 33055. For further enquiries, call 08026651636. Cheers!

Healing after a broken relationship

BY ONOZURE DANIA

O

NE of the hardest things to go through in life is the breaking of a relationship with someone, especially if you were particularly close to that person and have known them for a long time.

Once a relationship ends it can be very difficult to restore.

The more intimate you are with someone, the deeper the pain when things go wrong. In this article we will not only discuss how to repair a broken relationship but deal with relationships in general.The good news is that relationships can be restored if everyone involved is willing to put the effort into the process of healing. It may take time, but the end result is worth the time and effort.

There is nothing trivial about pain resulting from a broken relationship, whether the loss is from death, divorce or medical problems.

Emotional loss can be compared to our reflex of doubling over when punched in the stomach.

We tend to wrap ourselves around the pain in order to absorb it and protect ourselves from further harm.

At some point however, we must be willing to straighten up again and move forward. What follows are some actions which can be taken to move ourselves into a positive attitude and direction again.

Allow time for grieving.

Even when the relationship has ended in anger or by personal choice, something is gone which we are accustomed to having in our lives. Allowing ourselves to acknowledge this vacancy is essential to the healing process. Denying that this lack exists only postpones the healing.

Alternatively, we may continue in mourning be-

yond the time of our personal recuperative abilities.

This can occur when we substitute pain for the person. The hole in our lives is now occupied by our hurt and this is an indication that the time for grieving is over and we must take other action for healing to occur.

Bless your partner and let them go. Blessing another opens up one’s own heart and allows a decent closure to the situation.

We may have to reach back to memories of love in order to get past our anger in order to do this.

That’s alright. If nothing else, we can understand that this person is also a child of the Most High and as such, deserves our blessing.

This sort of blessing is our benediction upon the other, stating that they are entitled to a joyful existence even if we aren’t included in it.

Granting this to the other opens us to this opportunity for ourselves. Withholding our blessing only holds us back from our healing, it does no harm to the other. Locate what you love within yourself.

A metaphysical principle is that we cannot perceive what we do already have within ourselves. So, if you have perceived a special beauty, grace or quality in your loved one that you feel you cannot do without, it also resides in you.

Our unwillingness to release another from our lives is usually based on a perceived need to have that element in our lives, not recognizing that we already have it. Visualize yourself having that quality. Affirm that this quality is already yours and is now revealed. It can be surprising how our dependency on the other diminishes as we do this.

resides in Lagos, needs a matured and employed lady, aged 28-34,for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage.07089212836 •A man, 44, 6ft tall, fair in complexion, a businessman, from Enugu, needs a tall, cute, employed, caring and financially stable, aged 3036, for marriage.08088001161 •Godwin, 48, tall, handsome, dark in complexion a Christian, from Delta state, needs a fair in complexion, tall, Christian, employed lady, aged 25-28, for marriage. 08056190540, 07033035888 •Enak, a business guy, in Cross River state, needs a beautiful and educated girl, from Tiv, Benue state, for a relationship.08154172645 •Rhema, 40, from Delta state, needs a humble, slow to anger, tall, beautiful, university graduate, lady, who is God fearing, for a relationship, that will lead to marriage, her genotype should be AA, aged 28-38.08026497382 •Obus, 30, needs a lovely lady in Port Harcourt, aged 40-45, for a relationship. 08070686544

Vanguard, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012 — 47

LAGOS-IBADAN EXPRESSWAY:

MATERIALS WATCH

FG pledges to enforce concession pact with Bi-Courtney

By KINGSLEY ADEGBOYE

THE Federal Government has assured that massive reconstruction work on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway will commence at the end of the rainy season. The government has also decided to enforce the concession agreement entered into with BiCourtney Highway Services Ltd on the reconstruction of the ever-busy highway.

Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenme, an architect, who disclosed this while inspecting the ongoing repair works on Third Mainland Bridge weekend, said the decision of the government to fix the road without further delay, was informed by the fact that about 63 per cent of income earned by the government comes from Lagos State and the realization that the dual carriageway is important to motorists that come to do business in the commercial nerve centre of the country from all geo-political zones of the nation.

“Yes, I did promise last month when we came for the inspection of ongoing repair works on Third Mainland Bridge that in two weeks’ time, we are going to take a definitive position on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. At the highest level of government, we have met, and the decision that we took was that one, that the road is very important to motorists not only in the south-west, but to all motorists that come from all geo-political zones across the country to do business in Lagos.

Concession agreement ‘’Also, in realization of the fact that about 63 per cent of income earned by the government comes from Lagos state, the Federal government decided that the road must be fixed. And one of the ways to ensure fixing it is to enforce the concession agreement entered into by the government with Bi-Courtney.

Let me tell you that the enforcement of that agreement is on, and I want to assure Lagosians and indeed Nigerians that the government will not shy away from its responsibility. I am very sure that by the end of this rainy season, massive work will commence on Lagos/Ibadan Expressway ’’, Onolemenme stated.

The Minister who said he was satisfied with the level of progress made by Borini Prono, on the repair of Third Mainland Bridge, noted that the contractor has achieved major milestones within the sort period it has handled the project.

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Cement Dangote cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Elephant cement per bag of 50kg ---N1,800.00 Sandcrete Blocks 6 inches vibrated per block---N130 9 inches vibrated per block---N150 6 inches hand mould per block---N80 9 inches hand mould per block---N90 Sand Soft per tipper load ---N13,000 Sharp double tipper load---N23,000 Gravel double tipper load---N25,000 Gravel single tipper load---N18,000 Granite per tipper load----N120,000 Reinforcement 8 mm (153) pieces per ton ---N125,000 10 mm (153) pieces per ton---N136,000 12 mm (93) pieces per ton---N161,000 16 mm (93) pieces per ton---N172,000 20 mm (53) pieces per ton---N122,000 Woods Timber (hard) 1x1x12---N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12---N800 Timber (hard) 2x4x12---N700 Softwood 2x2x12---N260 2x3x12---N300 Plywood 3x3x8---N3,500 2x4x8---N2,400

Ongoing repair works on Third Mainland Bridge. Inset: Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenme ‘’Having seen what the contractor has done in the last one month, I am pleased to tell you gentlemen of the press that the contractor has achieved major milestones. The three joints I inspected on the Lagos bound carriageway have been completed and that side has been opened to traffic as you have observed. The contractor is now on Oworoshoki bound carriageway of the Third Mainland Bridge. After my inspection of the work this afternoon, I am satisfied that the work is pro-

gressing as scheduled. In fact, I can attest to the fact that the contractor is one week ahead of schedule which is in line with our promise last month that this project will be delivered ahead of schedule. We are still very much optimistic that this project will be delivered in October’’, he said.

He described the ongoing repair works on Third Mainland Bridge as the first in the series of routine maintenance job to be embarked upon by the Federal ministry of works in Lagos.

Roofing Sheets Corrugated iron sheets per bundle---N10,000 Asbestos (Super) 4x8 per piece---N1,600 Asbestos (Solo) 4x6 per piece---N1,500 Wall tiles (ceramic) 6 x 6 per square metre----------N1,200 20 x 20 (China) per square metre----------N1,100 20 x 25 (China) per square metre---....N1,400 Floor tiles (ceramic) 14 x 14 (Spain) per square metre------------N1,800 14 x 14 (Brazil) per square metre------------N1,420 13 x 13 (Spain) per square metre---------N1, 550 45 x 45 (Spain) per square metre------------N1,900 40 x 40 (Marble Spain) per square metre--N3,800 30 x 30 (Marble Spain) per square metre----N2,000 Plumbing Materials Galvanised conduit pipes per length 20 mm diameter -----------------N170 25 mm diameter---------------N170 PVC conduit pipes 20 mm diameter per length -------N120 25 mm diameter per length------N130 Source-----------Cement tiles and building materials market along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway.

Urhobo group tasks FG on East West highway project

By CHRIS OCHAYI

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HE National Chairman of Urhobo Political Movement, UPM, in Delta State, Chief Ominimini Chris Obiuwevbi has appealed to the Federal Government to provide adequate funding to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to enable it complete the dualisation of the East- West highway projects at the stipulated time.

Chief Obiuwevbi who spoke with Vanguard Homes & Property in Abuja described the highways as very vital to the socio-economic development of the Niger Delta region. He pleaded with the government to prioritise the projects and ensure that it is completed by December 2014 as promised by the Minister, Elder Godsday Orubebe..

Obiuwevbi who is also the

National President of Oil Producing Area Association of Nigeria, OPAAN, warned that the ministry may not record meaningful achievements for the people of the region if the current paltry yearly budgetary allocation persists.

Decrying the paucity of funds confronting the ministry, Obiuwevbi said the N65billion allocated to the Ministry for 2012, would not be enough to fund the construction of the East West road.

“I want to say that the ministry of Niger Delta is underfunded because what it takes to construct 100km in the northern part of Nigeria will not be enough to construct 10km in the Niger Delta. If you know the terrain of what is called the Niger Delta, first of all you have to excavate to a reasonable extent, take away those areas

and sand fill. The quantity of sand that is needed for piling, before you can now prime and lay asphalt is much. So if it takes you three months to construct 100 kilometres of roads in the northern Nigeria, it will take you much more longer period to do a project of such magnitude in the Niger Delta. So that is what I want people to understand,” he said.

Noting that the budget of Niger Delta ministry for 2012 was not even enough to complete two projects, he called for increased funding to the ministry, adding, “if the ministry was properly funded, that road would have been completed before now.

“So the contractors handling the projects are working in slow pace due to the quantity of money that is available for them.

So I am still calling on the gov-

ernment of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to properly fund the ministry of the Niger Delta, because it looks as if the ministry is now a punishment to the entire people of Niger Delta. What is the essence of creating a ministry when you cannot fund it?

He stated that the money that the government of late President Umaru Yar’Adua, had put into the ministry, at creation was far much more than what this administration is putting into that ministry.

“Niger Deltans are waiting and that is a commitment statement and we believe in him. In fact, I was one of the persons who earlier call on Mr. President to prioritize that road. But since the Minster came on board and said look by 2014 that is our calendar for completion, everybody’s mind in now at rest."

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Champions League Splash....Champions League Splash....Champions League Splash....

We’re in Madrid for victory —Mancini Real Madrid v Man. City

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ANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini has no fear despite coming up against the history and world-class talents of Real Madrid.

City return to the Champions League with a mouth-watering trip to the Bernabeu Stadium to face the Spanish champions today.

City’s historic credentials pale in comparison to those of their illustrious opponents, but Mancini sees no reason why the reigning Premier League champions should be cowed by the nine-time European title-winners.

The Italian said: “Our mentality is not to go there to Madrid or anywhere - for a draw, or to lose. We want to win always.

“But we know it will be a tough game. We play against one of the best teams in the world, but we want to do our job well.

“I think it will be a fantastic game, and a fantastic moment for everyone at the club. But when you play Champions

League, every team is a top team, every game is difficult.

“If you play against Real or Barca, you are up against 100 years of history, they won everything.

“For this reason, I also think it will be difficult.”

Real’s chief threat is former

•Mourinho Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a remarkable 60 goals last season. Yet Mancini is wary of focusing too much on the £80million man.

•Mancini He said: “Real Madrid don’t have only Ronaldo. Ronaldo is, with (Lionel) Messi, the best player in the world but they have 15, 16, 18 players at the top.”

Sunshine are underdogs, says Idoko •CAF Champions League Semi-finals UNSHINE are under dogs, says Idoko Ondo State Football agency boss, Mike Idoko acknowledged that the Nigerian representatives are the underdogs in their CAF Champions League semi-final clash

S

against Egyptian giants Ah Ahly.

Sunshine were handed the unenviable task of facing the six-time winners when they came second to Esperance of Tunisia in group A. Esperance and former champions TP

Okpala Continues from BP that Liberia played better and even deserved to win. We all vowed to do better thereafter.

“The next time Nigeria went to Liberia was in 1981.

“Then Odegbami was our captain as Chukwu and Okala had retired. Adokiye and Odegbami all played.

We had a great squad.

“We had a good team but again, we escaped defeat as we played goalless draw and we admitted that Liberia were better.

“That in 2001 when Nigeria went to Liberia for the 2002 World Cup qualifier with the likes of Nwankwo Kanu and Jay Jay Okocha the team was one of the best in the world. It was the same team that won the soccer gold in Atlanta. Liberia beat Nigeria 2-1. Liberia have produced good players including the only African

world footballer of the year, George Oppong Weah.

“There have been other good players too from there.

I have stated these facts for people to know the extent to which they look down on other nations. Liberia are not minnows. We ought to have won the match in Liberia but we couldn’t convert our chances. We created chances more than Liberia. Four times we had one-on-one against the keeper. We are not perfect. We are building and if everybody recalls how it was when we took over people will appreciate what we are doing. But we can do more and the criticisms are in good faith and we are taking note. What we can assure Nigerians is that we will qualify for the Nations Cup. We have the team to do so and we will continue to work harder. ”

Mazembe will play the other semi-final in a repeat of the 2010 final, which the Congolese club won convincingly.

“The odds are against us.

Nobody expects us to win because they are a great side but this is football and anything is possible. They will be the side playing with great pressure because it will be no news if they beat us so that could work in our favour,” Idoko said Sunshine will play the first leg on the weekend of October 5 and a good result will put them on a good pedestal for the second decisive leg.

•Toure

Kanu joins Keshi, Amokachi for Akpabio Cup

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN ORMER Super Eagles captain,NwankwoKanuisset to thrill and inspire football youths at the ongoing Akpabio Cup, organizers have said.

Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Uko Akpabio for the competition in a statement yesterday said the former Ajax and Arsenal talisman would jet into Uyo this weekend to inspire youths participating in the competition.

“I am delighted to inform

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Falconets were excellent African flagbearers — Blatter IFA President, Sepp Blatter on Friday reiterated his conviction that the U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, were simply brilliant at the just-ended FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Japan.

In a personal letter to the President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, Mr. Blatter described the Falconets as being “symbol of a bright future for the women’s game on the African continent”.

He wrote: “I would like to

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•Ronaldo

congratulate Nigerian women’s team on another successful campaign at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, in which the Falconets have once again been excellent flagbearers for African women’s football and a symbol of a bright future for the women’s game on the African continent.

“While it is only natural to be disappointed not to have gone one step further than at the last tournament in Germany, the exciting crop of players that you are developing can only have benefited

Nigerians that Nwankwo Kanu and his younger brother, Ogbonna have graciously agreed to be part of this year’s tournament, in addition to earlier confirmation of super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi and his assistant Daniel Amokachi.

The initiator of the competition, Hon. John Ekpeyong, while celebrating Kanu’s acceptance to attend, urged teams that are competing for the gigantic trophy, to play by the rules as scouts from Europe and other parts of Africa were already in Uyo for the weeklong tourney.

from their experiences in this tournament.

The challenge now is to keep this team together and turn the Falconets into Super Falcons in Canada in 2015.

“I wish you all the best with your efforts to continue this excellent run of results and would also like to thank Nigeria for their contribution to the promotion of the women’s game through their creativity, strength and character.”

This huge applause came on the eve of a reception organized on Saturday for the Falconets by the President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) at the State House, Aso Rock Villa,

54—Vanguard , TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 18, 2012

BRIEFING: Mr. Olatunde Busari, President, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria, ICSAN (middle); Mrs. Ifeyinwa EssienAkpan, Treasurer (left) and Mr. Dele Togunde, Registrar/CEO at a briefing in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye

TSS: Orji appeals to teachers over strike

BY ANAYOOKOLI

MUAHIA—AS teach ers across the country plan to go on strike over non-implementation of new Teachers’ Salary Structure, TSS, Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has appealed to teachers in the state not to join the strike, saying that the state was always willing to pay the salary but for paucity of funds.

The governor assured the teachers during a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, in the state that once the finances of the state improve, the new salary would be paid.

Orji, who met with NUT leadership led by its chairman, Mr. Olua Omeoga, on how to resolve the issues of the impending strike, reminded them that his administration was one of the states that had been paying

U

teachers higher salaries.

“It is always better to have peace than to have war amongst ourselves,” the governor pleaded with the teachers, adding that labour has the right to agitate for their rights and be paid,

pointing out that it was a known fact that the state had always been a friendly state with labour unions and would not be willing to engage them in any war over payment of TSS.

FG appoints Sultan, Dokubo as members of Hajj delegation

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

BUJA—PRESI DENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, appointed Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad, Alhaji Asari Dokubo and 15 others as members of the Federal Government’s delegation to the 2012 Hajj.

Mr Sam Nwaobasi, Special Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim in a statement in Abuja, said that other members of the delegation that would lead Nigerian Muslims to

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Mecca the Islamic Holyland, were Sen. Abdul Ningi, Mr Mudashiru Akinlabi, Justice Suleiman Galadima, Dr. Nurudeen Mohammed, Alh. Sani Sami, Sami Gomo II, Emir of Zuru and Alhaji H. Momoh, the Otaru of Auchi.

Others are Ambassador Haruna Wando, Hajia Rabi Abdu-Binchan, Sen. Walid Jibrin, Alhaji Sani Dauda, Amb. Adamu Aliyu, Sheikh Abdul Abu, Mallam Ahmed Bello, Alhaji Baba Hashimi II, Emir of Damaturu and Ismaila Yusuf, who would serve as Secretary.

I'm indebted to Nigerians for my CFR award — IG

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

BUJA—INSPEC TOR General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, said, yesterday, that he owed gratitude to Nigerians for the award of ‘Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, on him by President Goodluck Jonathan, noting “I am indebted to all Nigerians for this wonderful award.”

Speaking at a reception in his honour at Police headquarters, Abuja, Abubakar said: “Some people didn’t think we can get to where we are today but by the power of God, everything is possible and he has made it possible for me.”

He thanked President Jonathan, for “finding me worthy to be the IG in the first place. I thank the offic-

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ers and men of the Nigeria Police Force for the support and for standing by me. I also thank my late wife who toiled with me in life and gave me every support to

get to where I am today. It is a pity she is not here to celebrate with me but I know she will be happy up there."

Ogbe-Ijoh clan re-affirms impeachment of President, VP

BY EMMAARUBI

ARRI—THE OgbeIjoh clan youth council in Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State has insisted that the decision to impeach its former president and his vice remain irreversible.

The youth council maintained that its current president and vicepresident are Mr. Joseph Smooth and James

W

Etimadimene, noting that the former president and his vice were removed by seven out of the 12 council member cabinet.

In a statement by Smooth and six others in Warri, the new president advised the erstwhile officers to desist from parading themselves as officers of the clan and stop going about intimidating company officials and deceiving the general public.

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Why Bakassi belongs to Nigeria —Experts

By HUGO ODIOGOR & JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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IGERIANS have called on the Federal Government to assemble experts with legal, diplomatic and historial expertise to study the fresh facts that have emerged showing that International Court of Justice (ICJ) was misled in ceding the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroun when vital information that clearly placed Bakassi as a territory within the geographical, political and administrative jurisdiction and control of Nigeria, were concealed to the jurists of the World Court.

The National Association of Seadogs, NAS, said in a statement: “The Federal Government should commence without delay the process of appealing against the International Court of Justice ruling against the disputed oil-rich peninsula that was ceded to Cameroon before the October 10, 2012 deadline”.

The Association also called on both the federal and Cross River State governments to without delay provide a comfortable resettlement area to reduce the suffering of the people. The association's statement signed by its president, Mr. Ide OwodiongIdemeko, said it was unimaginable that the country fought a civil war that lasted about 30 months where millions of innocent people lost their lives but in a jiffy, willingly surrendered its territory to another country.

In the statement entitled “Save the Indigenous People of Bakassi”, the association expressed great concern over what it described as the federal government's apparent unwillingness to appeal against the ICJ judgment of October 10, 2002 that ceded Bakassi to Cameroon. It said: “It is unfortunate that the government of Nigeria under President Olusegun Obasanjo, had after the ICJ ruling, hastily surrendered the sovereignty of the country to the Cameroon and had entered into a Green Tree Agreement, GTA, on June 12, 2006, to abide by the decision of the ICJ without due consideration to any legitimate grounds upon which the judgment could be appealed under international law.

Displaced Bakassi indigenes “As the ten years window for appeal against the judgment draws close, eminent Nigerians including the Nigerian Bar Association, representatives of Cross River State in the National Assembly, the displaced Bakassi indigenes and the Palace of Obong of Calabar, have called on the federal government to commence the process of appeal against the judgment, but to date no action in this regard appears to be forthcoming from the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“It is ironic that the government that swore to defend the people and the territorial integrity of the country and even waged a civil war for 30 months to defend the unity of the country, willingly in a jiffy, handed over some portion of its territory to another country.” It also noted with dismay the alleged “neglect, abandonment and inexplicable maltreatment of the indigenous people of Bakassi after ceding their land to Cameroon by the Nigerian

Bakassi map as at April 14, 1893

Government under the Green Tree Agreement signed on June 12, 2006 in New York.”

Recalling that former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo submitted Nigeria to the jurisdiction of the ICJ despite virulent protests and court litigations from groups within and outside Nigeria, it noted that with the action coupled with several armed clashes along peninsula between both countries, the nation failed to act swiftly and decisively when time was its compatriot.

In a similar vein, International relations experts, renowned historians, researchers and politicians told Vanguard newspaper that contrary to the claims by Cameroon and Nigerian legal teams that the first legal treaty on the Land and Maritime borders between Nigerian and Cameroon was the 1913 Anglo-German treaty, there are discoveries of fresh facts that revealed that the limits of the Land and maritime boundaries between both countries went as far back as 1811 when the British made the treaty that went from the Lake Chad region down to the Atlantic ocean through the Rio Del Rey Estuary.

The Great Fraud 1. There are evidence to show that in 1994 when a new dispute erupted between Nigeria and Cameroon, Nigeria asked the British government to attest to the true status of Bakassi Peninsula, the British government replied to assert that the Peninsula belongs to Nigeria.

2. This was when Alhaji Babagana Kingibe was Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs but curiously that document was not tendered at the ICJ trial.

3. There are fresh evidence to show that in the March 18, 1961, plebiscite in Southern Cameroon, to determine areas that either wanted to stay in Cameroun or join Nigeria, Bakassi Penisula was not among the areas that participated in the exercise because it was given that it was not part of Cameroun. According to Southern Cameroun gazette Volume 7 number14, the areas that were asked to determine where they want to belong included Mamfe, Bamenda, Kumba, and Victoria. More imporContinues on page 60

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Why Bakassi belongs to Nigeria —Experts Continues from page 59

tantly the people of Bakassi have voted in Nigerian elections and the Nigerian Customs has been in control of the territorial waters since 1811.

4. The 1913 Anglo-German treaty which Cameroon rested its claim was not signed by both countries before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

5. Germany renounced all its terrirorial claims at the end of the war in 1919 and all the former territories controlled by Germany came under the mandate of the League of Nations 6. There are clear cases of ethnic cleansing in Bakassi peninsula in the past 10 years in violation of the Green Tree Agreement.

According to Prof. Walter Ofonagoro, who is a Historian and former Nigerian Information minister who did his Ph.D thesis on Southern Oil protectorate, “fresh facts have emerged to show that the Cameroonian legal team deceived the ICJ into believing that before the Ango-German treaty of 1913 upon which it rested its case, there were no other treaties that delineated the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon, which is a fraudulent claim.”

Fraudulent claim

Nigerian territory. The predominant population on the Peninsula then were the Efiks and Efuts, who were of Efik kingdom which stretched up to Khumba, Victoria and Bamenda.

Grounds for appeal for review: Although the Federal Government has been reluctant to listen to the calls from the National Assembly, the Judiciary, the Nigerian Bar Association to appeal for a review, Prof. Ofonagoro said “Nigeria has very strong ground to approach the ICJ for a revision of its decision because there are concrete material facts and documentary evidence that were not before the ICJ in 2002 which would have helped to guide the world jurists in their decision”.

Ofonagoro said: “If the ICJ should allow a judgment that was obtained by fraud and concealment of feet to stand, and grave in justice would have been down to the people of ICJ. The reputation of ICJ would have been tarnished because the whole world expects it to do justice at all time.”

He added that the Nigerian defence team went to the Hague to agree with the Cameroonians that before 1913, there were no other treaties between the two colonial power, which is false. But more fallacious is the fact that the Cameroon of 1919, was not the Cameroon of 1913, because after the end of the First World War, Germany was forced to give up all it territories in Africa, which came under the mandate of League of Nations.

Senator Ewah Bassey Henshaw said: “We have evidence from the memoir of the German ambassador in 1913 who negotiated the so-called 1913 Anglo German treaty. He said the treaty was not signed because the distrust between Britain and Germany at that time and the conflict be-

Prof. Ofonagoro said that he has "in his possession 1822 documents which vested ownership of the Bakassi Peninsula to the Old Calabar Chiefs by extension to Nigeria and debunked claims that the 1913 Anglo-German treaty was the first recongnised treaty on the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon. Said Prof. Ofonagoro “this is not true because as far back as 1811, the British had already established a strong sphere of influence over the territories that eventually became Nigeria in 1914. He said “the Anglo-German treaty upon which Cameroon built its case was contestible because after the First World war ended in 1919, all the territories controlled

by Germany were taken away from them and given to the league of nations.

He said “there were other treaDr. Walter Ofonagoro ties between Nigeria and Cameroon on the Land and Maritime boundaries which were entered into in tween the envoy and some officials of his 1884,1885 and 1886 all of which clearly own country. In 1961 when a referendum demarcated the land and Maritime bor- was conducted in Southern Cameroon on der between Nigeria and Cameroon from which part it wishes to belong after the the Lake Chad region down to the Akwa British ended its colonial rule Bakassi PenYafe river which was the land border from insula was not included by because it was Akwa Yafe to Rio Del Rey estuary to the regarded as part and parcel of Nigeria. In the areas such as Issangale that were inAtlantic ocean.

"When the Germans got to Akwa Yafe cluded in referendum, they voted to be in River they discovered that they could not Nigeria.

Speaking at the Vanguard Conference gain a direct access to the sea because Hall in Lagos, Senator Henshaw said the going toward west of Akwa Yafe river will take them straight to the Calabar seaport. ICJ has a duty to review its judgment wich The Calabar Sea Port was clearly outlined gave the sovereignty of Bakassi to Camein the treaty this was the main port of en- roon because it was obtained by fraud and try for the British merchants, and later mis- deceits. He said we are not asking for too sionaries, who were the first to establish much for the ICJ to take a second look at sphere of influence in Nigeria. He said the fresh facts and our action is covered by there was no way the British would have Artcle 61 of ICJ which empowers people granted the Germans a boundary access to come back for a review of their judgthat would have constrained their access ment if there are fresh facts that surfaced when the decision was made which have to the Calabar power.

"The British were fully in control of the substantially affected the judgement. The Calabar sea Port. The Germans went East president who has sworn on oath to deof Akwa Yafe River, which took them to the fend the territorial integrity of Nigeria and Rio Del Rey estuary to the sea. This en- the constitution should assist the people sured that the Bakassi Peninsula was on of Bakassi by asking the AGF to appeal for the West, which put the Peninsula on the a review of the ICJ verdict.

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2012

See Page 53 Today's Champions League Fixtures Group A D/Zagreb v FC Porto 7:45 pm PSG v Dynamo Kiev S 7:45 pm Group B Montpellier v Arsenal 7:45 pm Olympiakos v Schalke 7:45 Pm Group C Milan v Anderlecht 7:45 Pm Málaga v Zenit 7:45 pm Group D B/Dortmund v Ajax 7:45 pm Real Madrid v Man City 7:45 pm

TODAY'S

CAF CL: Sunshine are underdogs, says Idoko P.53

GOLDEN HANDSHAKE: President Goodluck Jonathan presenting certificate of national honour(MON) to Grace Anochie, one of the gold-winning Paralympians at the recently concluded London 2012 Paralympic Games

Eagles: Okpala takes critics down memory lane

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

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D O K I Y E Amiesiemeka is disappointed that the Eagles could not beat Liberia in Monrovia. He recalled (In the Sun) that in his time playing a team like Liberia attracted discussions that centred on the number of goals to be scored and not whether

PUZZLE

there would be victory or not.

Segun Odegbami has followed up in the Vanguard, describing the 2-2 outing in Liberia as a shock that he is yet to come to terms with.

Sylvanu Okpala, one of the rookies in Green Eagles at the time of Adokiye and Odegbami and now one of the assistants of Stephen Keshi has said that the

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

criticisms were in good faith and that the crew had equally taken them in that light.

He has admitted that Eagles were expected to win the match but failed to do so. He has equally admitted that the entire team needed to do more and that they have vowed to do more.”

Many Nigerians have been loud in condemning the draw in

ACROSS 1 Peculiarity (6) 5 Stopper (4) 8 Trap (5) 9 Mournful (3) 10 Expectant (4) 11 Egg (4) 12 Hector (5) 13 Pitch tents (6) 16 Unfortunately (4) 18 Niche (4) 20 Consumed (3) 22 Tree (3) 23 Revolver (3) 24 Valley (4) 25 Rushed (4) 28 Dither (6) 30 Surround (5) 32 Aim (4) 33 Tolled (4) 34 Beverage (3) 35 Staid (5) 36 Profound (4) 37 Crib (6)

Liberia. Adokiye and Odegbami are just among the lot.

Okpala has followed the reactions since the match and said yesterday that he would simply remind Nigerians the following: “That in 1979 when we were preparing for the 1980 Nations Cup which we hosted and won we played Liberia in a friendly match in

Monrovia.

“That our best players who were arguably the best in the continent played that match.

Christian Chukwu, Segun Odegbami, Adokiye Amiesiemeka, Muda Lawal, Tunde Bamidele, Patrick Ekeji, Emma Okala, etc played that match. We drew 2-2 and in the meeting to review the match they all agreed Continues on page 53

DOWN 1 Ejected (6) 2 Devote (8) 3 Shock (6) 4 Agonised (9) 5 Extend (7) 6 Tax (4) 7 Sport (4) 8 Weep (3) 14 Daubed (9) 15 Gained (3) 17 Serpent (3) 19 Old-fashioned (3-5) 20 Beer (3) 21 Cover (7) 26 Knife (6) 27 Composed (6) 29 Elderly (4) 30 Bottom (4) 31 Sailor (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Acute 9, Launch 10, Argent 11, Terse 12, Spot 15, Poll 17, Humerus 20, Mat 21, Bloat 23, Lace 25, Coup 26, Hoist 28, Sip 30, Halcyon 33, Knob 35, Hone 36, Bough 38, Lesson 39, Loaned 40, Beget.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Flesh 2, Buxom 3, Act 4, Cherub 5, Task 6, Eve 7, Besom 8, Stilt 13, Purloin 14, Teach 16, Lampoon 18, Slash 18, Sac 22, Torch 24, Eon 27, Tangle 28, Skull 29, Poise 31, Young 32, Needs 34, None 36, Bob 37, Hot.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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