Boko Haram: Our hands are tied - Presidency

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62083

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Why kerosene sells beyond Senate confirms 11 ministerial P.8 official price — NNPC

BOKO HARAM:

nominees

Our hands are tied — Presidency •Says insurgents not better equipped than soldiers •War against terrorists must be won — Senate

P. 14

BY HENRY UMORU & JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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BUJA—THE Presidency explained, yesterday, why the nation's security forces have found it difficult to completely flush out from their hideouts, members of the Boko Haram sect, who have massacred innocent people and massively destroyed property in the North Eastern part of the

Continues on page 5

2015: Jonathan to sack more ministers P.8 COLUMNISTS:

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Mr & Mrs

DISPLACED—Tears as Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State (with mic, right) and other government officials visit some of the displaced residents of Izge village stranded in Gulak, Madagali Council Area of Adamawa State, yesterday, after the Boko Haram attack that claimed the lives of over 121 persons. Photo Ndahi Marama.

18 killed in Adamawa, Benue attacks P. 9

Ex-Works minister, Isaiah Balat, dies

P. 15

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POCKET CARTOON

VISIT: President Goodluck Jonathan welcoming the Secretary-General of World Customs Organisation, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya (l) during an audience at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Boko Haram: Our hands are tied — Presidency Continues from Page 1 country. It admitted that the situation was a complex one.

It said the security forces were constrained by international conventions which prevent them from pursuing terrorists to foreign countries, while the civilian settlements are also co-located within the vicinity of the insurgents’ hideouts, making selective engagement tenuous and difficult.

The Senate on its part, argued that the war on Boko Haram must be won

by the security operatives.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, who was apparently reacting to the claim made by Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, that it was impossible for the military to defeat the terrorists, said that what is in place today is a guerrilla warfare and not a conventional one.

Okupe, who noted that it was not true that the

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

When a bird is alive it eats ants. When a bird dies ants eat it. Time & circumstance can change at any time. Don’t devalue or hurt anyone in life.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Sometimes new opportunity means new opposition. Not everything God asks us to do will be comfortable — Joyce Meyer

Y

OU have a choice to feel beautiful and em brace your whimsy with uplifting virtues from within. Whenever there are droplets of hard ice raining down, that is when you experience those days where it seems that things are not going as expected.

Figuratively, you can shrug and snap open an umbrella or wear a rain coat, those droplets will fall away like beads of water on the feather of a duck, and more interestingly your attention could be so caught in the moment of doing something uplifting, you can even go Shakespearean by writing a love sonnet while taking a walk in the rain. I hope you smile and laugh at this attempt to simplify life challenges, for that is the intent of humour. Laughter opens the heart for joy to come in.

We are powerful genies. We are creating our worlds momentarily. But the most powerful genie is Divine Spirit. When you think about it, the power to choose the next thought is within the grasps of our reach.

When we choose beautifully, we are transformed to a state that is ever expanding and it comes with it, a most exhilarating feeling of love.

This is a profound knowing but it is going beyond to living from the heart that makes it an awesome experience for any who sees the face of love in another.

Love thyself as thy neighbour, one of the most powerful impacting expressions of our times. It is our divine nature to be kind, generous and loving beings. I choose to live this way and of course it’s your choice to always choose the path of love.

insurgents were better armed than the Nigerian armed forces, however, accused the international community of fuelling the continued actions of the insurgents in some parts of the country, adding that it was wrong for anyone in the country to say that the country’s military cannot face the insurgents.

Soldiers equal to the task

Dispelling the notion, Okupe affirmed that the Nigerian armed forces were up to the task of fully containing the Boko Haram guerrilla warfare even though it has been constrained by international conventions.

It would be recalled that Governor Shettima, while answering questions from State House reporters after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, said that the terrorists were unstoppable as they have more sophisticated weapons than the military which he said enable them to operate at will.

He, however, absolved the military of blame, insisting that it was a case of leadership failure..

Okupe called on all national leaders to co-operate with the government and the military in solving the problem.

According to Okupe: “We note the recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State and some comments about them in the media by some leading Nigerians. For the avoidance of doubt and with ample evidence on the ground, we state that the Nigerian Armed Forces and security agencies are on top of the situation.

“The orchestration of mayhem by the insurgents is the result of their

dislodgment from their strongholds and hideouts in the mountainous forest areas of Borno State.

“In recent times, these areas have been heavily bombed aerially by the Nigerian Air Force and combed systematically by ground troops.

"If the insurgents have not been completely routed, it is due to the fact that our Armed Forces are severely constrained because of the fact that civilian settlements are also co-located in this vicinity making selective engagement tenuous and difficult if heavy civilian casualty is to be avoided.

“The public will note that following serious dislocation of the insurgents from their hideouts, the new trend is for them, after sporadic attacks, which are usually launched at night, to quickly cross over to neigbouring countries for safety.

“The Nigerian military is prevented from pursuing them into these foreign territories by law and international conventions and this obviously gives continuous respite to the insurgents.

“We must note that as far back as over 12 months ago, the fighting machinery of the insurgents had suffered major decapitation. They have, therefore, resorted almost exclusively, to attacking soft targets such as schools, women and children and sleeping communities in the early hours of the morning.

“Most of the villages attacked are those like Kauri, Izge and Konduga, which are generally situated along the foot of the Gwoza Mountains, which stretches from Nigeria to the Cameroon.

“The obvious location of these villages close to the mountains affords the insurgents opportunity and facility to launch strikes at night and sneak back across the border into neighbouring countries.

But the Nigerian military and security agencies have taken up this challenge and, like every facet of this struggle, will put an end to these incursions in the shortest possible time.

It's guerrilla war

“We are certainly not involved in conventional warfare but are rather engaged in guerrilla warfare with all its unpredictability. However, it is heartwarming that our military, which has participated in numerous international peace keeping operations where they helped to quell insurgencies, has acquired the sophistication and necessary capacity to adapt to the ever changing modus oper-

andi of the insurgents.

“It is, therefore, wrong for anyone, Nigerian or foreigner, to assert that our armed forces cannot defeat the Boko Haram insurgents or to insinuate that the insurgents are better armed. We believe strongly that the statement made by the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima that the insurgents are better armed than our military is based purely on a civilian perception of the situation at hand. It is clear that Governor Shettima does not have the expertise to categorize or classify the effectiveness of any weapon.

“We state categorically that the Nigerian military is one of the best equipped in Africa and that in 2014, the Federal Government made budgetary provision in excess of N1 trillion for the military and other security agencies, an amount, which is about 22 per cent of our entire national budget for this year. This definitely belies the suggestion in certain quarters that the Federal Government is not doing the needful in prosecuting this war.

“The statement on low morale and lack of motivation is equally unfair and misplaced. Whereas insurgents are usually motivated by ideological fanaticism, on the contrary, well-disciplined militaries like ours are spurred by patriotic sense of duty, national pride and strict adherence to professionalism. Therefore, the morale of troops engaged in this war is high and ought not to be dampened by unsavoury and certainly untrue comments of low motivation.

“We enjoin all our national leaders and stakeholders across political and religious divides to close ranks with government and our valiant troops defending our territorial integrity and support the Federal Government to rout out the scourging menace of insurgency rather than speaking at cross purposes.

“We want to reassure Nigerians and members

of the international community that though it is in the character of insurgents to create maximum fear, their sporadic attacks on soft targets is being contained and will be halted.

In conclusion, we state authoritatively without any fear or equivocation whatsoever that Nigeria is already winning the war against terror and the activities of the insurgents will be terminated within the shortest possible time.”

War on Boko Haram must be won—Senate

Meanwhile, Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibo has said that the war Boko Haram has declared on Nigerians must be won by the security operatives because "it is a mad war".

Senator Sekibo, who was reacting to the recent killings by the insurgents in Borno State said that the Islamic sect was facing their darkest moment because of the bombardment of their camps by the military and while running away for safety, decided to carry reprisal attacks on innocent citizens.

He said that the Boko Haram members were running away because the country was after them, adding that with the appointment of new service chiefs, there were new strategies to flush them out of the country.

According to him, “I believe the military is putting together a new strategy to face it. The strategy being put in place now by the security agents is different from what they were doing before. Now they (insurgents) are on the run and when somebody is escaping, he wants to do what he can do to escape for safety.

“The military has carried out much bombardment on them, most of their camps are destroyed, I believe with the efforts they are putting together and the new Service Chiefs we have on ground, this war must be won.”

BY IF

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

2 men docked for stealing dogs for pepper soup

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BY CHINYERE ABIAZIEM

AGOS — Two men, Alabi Matthew and Godwin Igwe, were arraigned in court for alleged stealing dogs which they kill to make pepper soup delicacy.

Ninteen-year-old Matthew, who lives at Sari Iganmu area of the state, is said to be in the habit of stealing dogs and selling them to Igwe, who uses them to prepare pepper soup.

Luck ran out on the teenager, when he was seen with dogs and could not give proper explanation to securitymen who were on patrol in Moshalashi Street, Sari Iganmu.

After the accused pleaded not guilty, Mr S.O, Owhoreye, their counsel, applied for bail.

The magistrate, Mrs M.O. Taniola, granted the defendants bail in sum of N50,000.00 each with two sureties in like sum.

Driver in remand for stealing 10,000 litres of petrol

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BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS — A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, ordered the remand in Ikoyi Prisons, Lagos of a 37-years-old driver, Omogie Folorunsho, charged with stealing about 10,000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS. Folorunsho, resident in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, was arraigned on a three-count charge of conspiracy, unlawful possession, and stealing of petroleum products.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Trial judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba, ordered his remand in prison pending the hearing and determination of his bail application and adjourned the case till March 17, for trial.

The accused was alleged to have committed the offence on November 20, 2013.

The prosecutor told the court that the accused together with others who are now at large, conspired to steal about 10,000 litres of PMS.

JSS 3 student drowns in Edo flood

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY — THERE was pandemonium, yesterday, in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, when a JSS III student of Useh Secondary School, identified simply as Osamudiamen, was found dead in a pool of water.

When the news of his death came to the authorities of the school, both students and teachers raced to the scene to retrieve the body.

A source at the school told Vanguard : "It happened at about 9 a.m. when six of the students left the school premises.

"Nobody knew where they went. It was later that people started saying that they saw one boy drowning in the water. So we rushed down to rescue him but by the time we got there some people had brought him out from the water. But he was already dead.

"We were told that when they got to the water, which gathered after it rained two

days ago, the boy jumped inside to swim and in the process drowned. Others ran away and went to call people to help but before they could rescue him he was already dead."

When newsmen arrived the

school, there was confusion as the authorities made frantic effort to take the corpse to the mortuary while they tried to reach the parents of the deceased.

The teachers who craved

anonymity expressed shock, wondering what would have made them leave the school premises when they were supposed to be in the class.

A scene of midnight fire at the teak wood and carpentry section of Sango plank market (Iso Pako) in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

Pastor abducted during service in Imo

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI— THE Agbaso clan was last Sunday jolted when news of the kidnap of one of their own and a Pentecostal pastor, Austen Agbaso, rented the air.

Vanguard investigations revealed that Agbaso, who runs his church at Umuekpu Agwa had finished his Sunday service and was midway into his usual deliverance and counseling when the near tragic drama started.

It was also gathered that a young lady, whose identity could not be ascertained at press time, approached Pastor Agbaso, requesting that she be delivered from undisclosed spiritual trauma.

A villager, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said: “Not long after the lady joined the lot waiting for deliverance and counselling, some armed gangsters stormed the church premises.

“On properly identifying their victim, the hoodlums seized and whisked the pastor away.

"The hoodlums started firing indiscriminately into the air to scare people from mounting any form of resistance.

“The firing rather attracted more people to the scene who gave the fleeing hoodlums a hot chase. This led to the capture of the lady that initially

asked for deliverance and counselling."

According to reports, the lady obviously missed her way and became the first member of the fleeing gang to be arrested.

Vanguard also gathered that the angry youths pounced on her and midway into her ordeal, she confessed that she was a friend to one of the hoodlums.

According to the villager, “she was given a telephone to call her boyfriend, a native of Umuomi, Agwa, and on arrival, the boy

equally confirmed the lady’s claim.

"The youths were on the verge of dealing with the duo when security agents stormed the area.”

Another female villager that simply identified herself as Ngozi, told Vanguard that on being interrogated, the lady and her boyfriend reeled out the names of their accomplices said to be residing in Ogbaku and Orogwe.

Vanguard also gathered that

there was exchange of fire between the security personnel and the hoodlums at Ogbaku and Orogwe before they were arrested by the police.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Pastor Austen Agbaso has remained unknown, while efforts to get comments from Agbaso family failed.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, confirmed the incident, promising to give Vanguard an update on the matter.

Native doctor’s charm kills pastor, one other accused of witchcraft

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI — An unholy alli ance between a family and a native doctor has allegedly claimed the lives of two people in Zwall village of Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

The family of Adamu Goni and a native doctor (names withheld) agreed to administer charms on four members of the family, including a pastor, over their alleged involvement in witchcraft.

The family, it was learnt, had been worried over calamities befalling its members, so it sought solutions from a native doctor.

The startling revelations were made inside the shrine of the native doctor, a development that almost prompted angry youths to lynch him.

Trouble started when the native doctor administered his charms on four members of the family who were suspected to be involved in witchcraft activities.

The purpose of the charm was to compel them to confess their involvement or not.

It was gathered that of the four that were administered with the charm, the spell affected two who, however, still refused to confess their involvement in witchcraft, a situation that subsequently

led to their death.

A security source in Bauchi said two members of the family lost their lives as a result of the charm given to them by the native doctor.

He said: "Two members of the family including a pastor of an ECWA Church who refused to admit to witchcraft involvement died after the native doctor administered the charm on them.

"Eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the incident and are helping the police with valuable information.

"The native doctor was also arrested by a police detective who disguised as someone needing spiritual help."

FEANYI OKOLIE

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 —7

Again, LASU students protest, paralyse activities in Alausa

Court remands 35-yr-old ‘dumb’ man over N177,000 theft

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI AND MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS — FOR the umpteenth time, students of the Lagos State University, LASU, and Civil Society groups, yesterday, took to major roads before storming Lagos State House and state House of Assembly in protest against government decision not to reverse the hike in tuition fee.

As a result, normal business and traffic at Alausa and environs were partially halted for hours before the intervention of policemen and task-force officials who restored normalcy.

The irate students, who stormed Alausa at about 11 am, also claimed that all students had been directed to resume for academic session on February 24, as against the institution's directive that only the final year students should do so.

The school management had last week directed that all final year students of the institution should resume for academic session to allow them engage in the national youth service.

The protesters, who chanted anti-government slogans, were armed with placards with different inscriptions.

Some of the inscriptions read: "Education is a right not a privilege", "Adequate funding of education is non-negotiable", "Reverse the tuition fees now" and others.

Some of the civil society groups which joined in the protest included Education Right Campaign, Joint Action Front, JAF and others.

ERC laments

The National Co-ordinator of Education Right Campaign, Mr. Hassan Soweto, who spoke on behalf of the students, lamented the harrowing experience of indigent students in paying such exorbitant tuition fee of N250,000.

Soweto noted that this was the root cause of LASU’s crises which led to the indefinite closure of the institution initially.

He lamented that the lawmakers were biased in their judgment by putting all the blames on the students rather than addressing the actual problem affecting the institution.

According to him, "I want to tell you that the hike in school fees since 2011 is the cause of the recurrent crises in LASU. The fee is one of the most expensive in the entire country.

“We think the House has acted in error. It is unfair to put all the blames on students. This is against the claims by the party that calls itself the progressive; it is undemocratic.”

House can reverse the fees —JAF

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Lagos State University, LASU, students with civil soceity groups protesting against fee hike in the institution at Agidingbi on their way to Lagos House of Assembly, yesterday. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

Also, Secretary General of JAF, Mr. Abiodun Aremu said: “The House has constitutional responsibility to reverse the fees. We are passionate to be here today because we know the lawmakers were beneficiaries of public education.”

He reiterated that it was quite unfortunate that the Lagos State government is aggravating the problem instead of finding ways to resolve the issue, adding: “Uni-

versities cannot be run by dictators so that the right of students would not be jeopardized.”

House lauds peaceful protest

Responding, Deputy Speaker, Kolawole Taiwo, said it was unfair for the protesters to lay claim that the House had been one sided in the way it handled the case.

According to him, the mem-

bers passed resolution for the re-opening of the portal to allow students who were yet to register be given the opportunity.

Taiwo commended the courage of the students by being law-abiding despite being aggrieved about the current situation.

He said: “I want to assure you that the house would look into your complaints. We thank you for not taking laws into your hands. We shall do the needful.”

Two arraigned for fraud in Lagos

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — A 61-year-old en gineer, Age Ashogbon and one Prince Eshilokun, 50, a technician, were yesterday arraigned before a Lagos magistrate's court sitting at Ikeja, for allegedly obtaining money under false pretence.

The duo were brought before Magistrate Eniola Fabamwo.

The two accused who reside at 7, Odukoya Street, Bariga and 2, Danmole Street Bariga, respectively, are facing a three-count

charge, bordering on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining, preferred against them by the police.

The prosecutor, Berth Nwaokoye, told the court that the defe ndants and others at large, conspired to commit the alleged offence.

He said the incident happened on June 10, 2013, at about 1pm, at 7, Amodu Ali Street Ilaje, Bariga area of the state.

Nwaokoye said with intent to defraud, the accused forged documents and signed same,

purported to be signed by one Eze Edwin.

He also alleged that the defendants willfully and unlawfully destroyed an event place belonging to Eze Edwin.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Magistrate Fabamwo granted the defendants bail in the sum of N500,000, with two responsible sureties in like sum.

She adjourned the case till March 12, 2014 .

AGOS — AN Abule Egba magistrate's court, yesterday remanded a 35-year-old man, Ojo Odeyemi, believed to be dumb, in Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos, for allegedly obtaining N177,000 under false pretences.

The magistrate, Mr Tajudeen Elias, said the accused should be kept behind bars till the next date of adjournment.

The accused, who resides at 25, Adebowale St., Iju-Isaga, a Lagos suburb, kept mum when the charges were read to him.

The magistrate then ordered that the accused should be in custody.

Odeyemi is being tried for conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Inspector Racheal Williams, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on February 12 at Railway Station, Fagba, Lagos.

According to her, the accused and his accomplice, now at large, collected N177, 000 from one Abiodun Emmanuel on the pretext of helping him spiritually.

“The accused and his accomplice disappeared when they sighted some policemen, who were coming to arrest them.”

The offences, she added, contravened Sections 285, 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The case was adjourned to March 10 for mention.

2 policemen killed in clash with Gombe youths

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People hanging on dangerously to their wares on OyoIbadan expressway, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

OMBE — Two policemen were feared dead following a clash between them and some youths in Difa village in Yamaltu/ Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State.

A reliable source in the area said yesterday in Gombe that the incident occurred in the night of February 16.

According to the source, some policemen on routine night patrol from Kwadon division arrested some youths in the village for allegedly being in possession of illegal drugs.

The source said that the arrest did not go down well with other

youths whose protest led to violent clashes that resulted in the death and burning of the bodies of the two policemen.

NAN learnt that police investigators from Gombe had been deployed to the area to investigate the incident, a development that compelled many youths and elderly men to flee the village.

Contacted, the Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state police command, DSP Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the incident, saying investigation was ongoing.

Atajiri, however, declined comments on the number of casualties in the incident and the arrest of some traditional rulers.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Bank boss tasks DFIs on real sector development

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A G O S — MANAGING Director of Infrastructure Bank, Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, yesterday advised Development Finance Institutes (DFIs) in Nigeria to re-evaluate their roles in the nation’s development.

Oyinloye made the call in Lagos during his investiture as Chairman, Association of Nigerian Development Finance Institutions (ANDFI).

He stressed the need for a new advocacy for finance institutions’ sustainable participation in the real sector development and for g o v e r n m e n t ’ s appreciation of their role.

Oyinloye described DFIs as the engine of economic growth through the provision of long term finance, expertise and skills.

“You can see the fact that the real sector has not grown as expected. It might also be directly or indirectly traceable to DFIs. “If we know our roles as DFIs, we double and recommit ourselves; we might be able to impact on the development of the real sector “When members know and appreciate their mandates, they begin to articulate policies and structure themselves to meet the needs of developing the real sector,” Oyinloye said.

“Nigeria is at a turning point which not only makes demands on us all to contribute our quota, but also creates an opportunity to redirect our energy towards actualising our set goals.

“The tasks before us are enormous, but we must refocus ourselves towards achieving our collective and individual mandates.

“This will naturally give us a platform to further transform ANDFI into a key player to address issues concerning the real sector of the economy,’’ he said.

Oyinloye pledged that ANDFI would partner governments at the various levels for development.

He said the partnership would be in the areas of policy formulation and financing of development projects.

Why kerosene is not sold at official price — NNPC A

BUJA — THE Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu, yesterday in Abuja said that kerosene was not sold at the official price of N50 per litre because of diversion of the product by some marketers.

The other reasons for the high price of kerosene, according to him, include sharp practices by middlemen, usage for road construction and aviation fuel, among others.

Yakubu said this at an investigative hearing on the supply, subsidy and distribution of kerosene in the country.

The hearing was organised by the House of Representatives on Petroleum (Downstream).

He said that this trend could be checked through adequate monitoring of the country’s border to ensure that the product was not smuggled.

Yakubu also said that the diversion of the product would be curtailed if the production and supply of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) was improved.

He said that the corporation was making efforts to make pipelines across the country functional to check the continued diversion of kerosene.

On kerosene subsidy, Yakubu said that though there was a directive to stop subsidy

on the product it was not followed to conclusion.

He said he needed time to avail the committee accurate volume of kerosene imported between 2010 and 2013 as well as budget for subsidy.

The NNPC boss explained that the corporation became the sole importer and supplier of kerosene when marketers withdrew because of the uncertainty over subsidy in 2011.

He stressed that the National

Assembly through its resolution directed the restoration of subsidy on kerosene.

In his presentation, the Managing Director of Pipelines Product Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr Haruna Momoh, said that daily supply of kerosene was increased from nine million litres to 11 million litres in 2011.

Momoh, who corroborated Yakubu’s arguments, said that the company had revived the depots in Kano, Suleija, Jos, Benin and Aba, to check diversion of kerosene.

In a remark, the Chairman of the committee, Rep. Dakuku Peterside (APC Rivers), said the hearing was not aimed at witch hunting any organisation or person.

According to him, it is to encourage adherence to extant laws and transparency in the operations of the agencies saddled with the responsibilities to regulate the sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in June 2009, a presidential directive was issued to stop subsidy on kerosene.

DIALOGUE: From left—Mr. Deolu Sotade George, Former President National Youth Council, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Arise; Mr. Labaran Maku, Minister of Information and supervising minister of Defense; Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC and Ms. Molara Wood, Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Documentation during the Policy Dialogue on gender-based violence affecting young people in Nigeria organised by Women Arise at the Wazobia Hall, Sheraton Hotel And Towers, yesterday.

2015: Jonathan to fire more ministers

BY SONI DANIEL

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BUJA—APPARENTLY preparing the ground for eventual declaration of his interest in the 2015 election, President Goodluck Jonathan may shock the nation with the sacking of another round of ministers in the coming weeks.

Vanguard learnt from reliable presidential sources last night that the President had already made up his mind to offload more ministers, who were not really adding value to the Transformation Agenda of the administration.

It was also learnt that the President had decided to remove all controversial ministers from his cabinet so as to win the confidence of the electoral ahead of the impending election.

Also to be shown the way out by the President, are ministers and political advisers planning to contest the next election.

The removal of the ministers, according to sources, is to enable the President to bring in many politicians into the cabinet to pave the way for his electoral victory in the coming election.

The source, which pleaded

anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said that the next round of cabinet members to be sacked would shock the nation.

“The source said, “What the

President is about to do, will certainly shake the nation.”

Pressed to give an idea of those to be removed from the cabinet, the source hinted that the President was coming with what he called a ‘bombshell’ but

did not elaborate.

Many ministers in the cabinet are known to be eyeing the governorship seats of their states and will want to leave in order to prepare for the hot contest.

Tambuwal raises alarm over dwindling power and airline intervention fund amounted to about N300

BY EMMANOVUAKPORIE&

LEVINUSNWABUGHIOGU

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BUJA—SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal yesterday raised alarm over the N300 billion power and airline intervention fund that has suddenly dwindled to N100 billion.

The Speaker then directed its adhoc committee to investigate the mystery behind the disbursement of the fund to ensure that a forensic audit is carried out.

The speaker who stated this during the opening ceremony of the public hearing organised by the ad hoc committee on the disbursement of public funds by

Bank of Industry Limited,BOI, under the power and airline intervention fund as established

by Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, stated that the legislature was to ensure that the funds were not subjected to waste or corruption.

Tambuwal hinted that the house has resolved at all time to investigate any matter that undermines the growth of the federation.

He said, “We shall continue to devote attention to situations where the action of government or any of its agencies infringe on the constitution”.

Tambuwal explained that “by some accounts, the volume of this fund which originally

billion has now dwindled to less than N100 billion.

Officials at the investigative hearing claim that the sum of over N200 billion have been disbursed through deposit money banks to certain individuals and corporate organisations without following due process”.

“You will agree with me that we have a very serious issue here which falls within the precincts of the constitutional mandate given to the National Assembly that all revenues belonging to the federation, must be paid into the consolidated revenue fund, and withdrawals therein shall only be carried out solely upon the authority of an Act of the National Assembly”, he said.

Vanguard, WENESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 —9

18 killed in Adamawa, Benue separate attacks

BY PETERDURU&UMAR

YUSUF Eighteen people were killed in Adamawa and Benue states yesterday in separate attacks by Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen.

No fewer than seven persons were confirmed dead yesterday morning, following a renewed attack and sacking of the home town of the paramount ruler of Tiv nation, Tor Tiv Dr. Alred Akawe Torkula, by suspected Fulani herdsmen, in Guma local government area of Benue state.

Vanguard gathered that Fulani mercenaries numbering about 200 invaded the densely populated Angyom, Tse-Usenda and Tse-Torkula the ancestral home of the paramount ruler, killing anything on sight and burning down houses, huts and farmland.

“The herdsmen who were over 200, stormed Tse-Torkula, Angyom and Tse-Usenda settlements at the early hours of Tuesday when everyone was still at sleep,’’ the sources added.

“It was the sporadic gunshots that woke everybody up and we all scampered for safety but as i speak to you, at least seven person have been killed while not less than 100 houses have been razed down.

“We have lost several of our farmland while we are yet to

Jonathan appoints Arogbofa as new Chief of Staff

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B U J A — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday announced the appointment of Brig. Gen Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa as his new Chief Of Staff, one week after Chief Mike Oghiadome resigned as the chief of staff to the President.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati said the appointment of Brig Gen. Arogbofa, a retired Officer of the Signals Corps of the Nigerian Army is with immediate effect and he has taken up appointment at the Presidential Villa.

Part of the statement reads: “The new Chief of Staff to the President was born on November 10, 1952. He hails from the Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

“In addition to administrative capabilities and experience garnered from a distinguished career in the Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen Arogbofa brings an impressive array of academic qualifications to his new job.''

account for over 40 persons who are still missing as a result of the invasion; heavy fighting is still raging as i speak to you and the communities have been deserted, but we hope that the missing persons are still alive.”

Confirming the attack on phone, the Guma Local Government council Chairman, Mr. Frank Adi expressed grief over the renewed invasion saying that his people were becoming refugees in their own state.

Also, Boko Haram reportedly killed 11 people in Adamawa State. The attacks were carried out in Galga, Gabun in Gaanda District in Gombi Local

Government Area of the state.

Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, confirmed the attack but gave no details of the incident, saying it could be obtained from the military.

However, efforts made to confirm the incident from the 23rd Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Yola, proved abortive as at the time of filing this report.

Army Public Relations Officer at the 23rd Armoured Brigade, Captain Nuhu Jafa’aru promised to speak later when contacted on phone.

A prominent citizen of Gaanda District who described the attack

as pathetic disclosed that Gaanda District had been suffering from incessant attacks by the insurgents and had similarly lodged complaints to the security agencies of the need to beef up security in the area but without any prompt response to the series of letters to that effect.

According to him, the district is located in a mountainous terrain but the insurgents have several times trooped into the Gaanda District and attacking innocent persons in the area, and sometimes demand for money and that in the absence of that the residents were being killed.

Customs reforms’ll boost security in Nigeria — Jonathan

BY BENAGANDE

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B U J A — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan said Tuesday in Abuja that in addition to enhancing regional and continental trade, ongoing reforms in the Nigerian Customs Service will also boost security in the country by helping to curtail the influx of illegal small arms and light weapons.

Speaking at an audience with the visiting Secretary General of the World Customs Organization, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya, President Jonathan said that the reforms were necessitated by the need to redefine the core values and operations of the service.

Confab: APGA nominates Uche, Maidoya as delegates INAGURATION: From left: Group Head, Human Resources and Administration, Forte Oil Plc, Mr. Oludare Arinde, Group Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Julius Omodayo-Owotuga, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa, and Brand Ambassador, Forte Oil Plc, Mrs. Tiwa Savage-Balogun, at the inauguration of Forte Oil Brand Ambassador and the company’s range of repackaged lubricants in Lagos. Photo Joe Akintola; Photo Editor.

CPC accuses Coca Cola, NBC of not meeting international standard

BY OMOHGABRIEL

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ONSUMER Protection Council has directed Coca Cola Nigeria Limited and the Nigerian Bottling Company to subject their manufacturing processes to the Council’s inspection for a period of 12 months to ensure compliance with laid down safety standards and regulations or face prosecution. The directive came as a result of the outcome of a recent investigation by the CPC, which revealed that cans of sprite soft drink manufactured by NBC under the licence of Coca Coca Nigeria Limited, were unfit for human consumption.

The Director General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, disclosed this at a press briefing on the ‘Investigation into Violation of Product Quality Standards by the Nigerian Bottling Company and Coca Cola Nigeria Limited’, in Lagos yesterday.

However, in a joint statement

signed by Mr.Clem Ugorji Public Affairs & Communications Manager Coca Cola Nigeria Limited and Adeyanju Olomola Head, Public Affairs and Communications, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) and Coca Cola Nigeria Limited (CCNL) confirmed that the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) recently carried out a product complaint investigation involving both companies in respect of two short filled cans of Sprite.

The statement said that “each organization cooperated with the Council in the course of the investigation and provided the information available to it in varying respects including but not limited to quality assurance, product handling and consumer complaints resolution processes which have been updated over the years. It is regrettable that the Council’s conclusions and recommendations do not appear to have acknowledged

the information.

“As responsible organizations, NBC and CCNL take all matters relating to products very seriously and remain committed to maintaining the highest international quality management and food safety standards and certifications.

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HE Chief Maxi Okwu-led All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, has nominated Chief Chris Ejike Uche, Deputy National Chairman, South) and Dr Sagir Auwal Maidoya, National secretary, as its delegates to the forthcoming National Conference.

Okwu unveiled the APGA’s delegates in a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) via the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office.

10—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Ajose installed 9th Oshuku of Araromi-Aleland

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ADAGRY—CHIEF Aba Ibikunle Ajose, has been installed the ninth Oshuku of Araromi-Ale land, Badagry Local Government/Olorunda LCDA, in Lagos State Ajose, regarded as an agent of positive change and custodian of traditional religion in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State, has also installed six Baales in the area.

In his acceptance speech, Chief Ajose, recalled the founding of Araromi-Ale Kingdom in 1830 to the present day, noting that the kingdom was founded by a priest, Oshuku, who migrated from Ile-Ife and stopped at several places before finally settling down at Araromi-Ale. He thanked Governor Babatunde Fashola, the Badagry council and people of Araromi-Ale for making the occasion a success.

Mushin council boss inaugurates CDA excos

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AGOS—MUSHIN Local Government has said Community Development Association, CDA, is a catalyst for grassroots mobilization and development.

Chairman of the council, Olatunde Adepitan who spoke at the inauguration of the newly elected executive members of the CDA, noted that through CDA, infrastructure needs of the community could be addressed by using leadership by example to mobilise the citizens to embark on projects that could improve their welfare.

A statement by Akinyemi Olusegun, Information Officer to the local government quoted Adepitan as saying, “only people with track records of achievement, dedication and accountability could have scaled the hurdle during the CDA election that took place some months back.”

Adepitan thanked the members of the CDA for conducting themselves maturely during the election and promised to support any community that embarked on projects that have direct impact on citizens to complete such projects.

Lawyers’ practising fee: Plaintiffs head for S’Court L

AGOS—FIVE lawyers have headed for the Supreme Court over the increased practising fee by lawyers.

The plaintiffs are: Seth Amaefule, Amaka Aneke, Celestine Nwankwo, Charles Ola-Oni and Tayo Arojo, all members of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA. They are dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal on the matter.

The respondents are the President of the NBA, Mr. Okey Wali, General Council of the Bar, Attorney-General of the Federation, Chairman of the Lagos Branch of NBA, and Chairman of the Ikeja Branch of NBA. In their notice of appeal, the plaintiffs prayed the Supreme Court to set aside the February 11 decision of the Court of Appeal, which reversed an injunction of a Federal High Court, FHC, Lagos on the case.

A copy of the notice of appeal was made available in Lagos yesterday.

The plaintiff had filed the substantive suit before Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the FHC on February 18, 2013.

They sought an order restraining the NBA from charging the fee, which they described as too exorbitant.

Ofili-Ajumogobia had on March 28, 2013 granted an interim order for Nigerian lawyers to pay the old fee,

pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Not satisfied with the ruling, the defendants filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, while the matter at the lower court was adjourned indefinitely, pending the outcome of the appeal.

The defendant filed the appeal through their Counsel, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN. On February 11, the Court of Appeal set aside the ruling of the FHC on the grounds that it would occasion financial constraints on the NBA. The court also ordered that the

case should be re-assigned to a new judge.

No date has been fixed for hearing of the appeal before the Supreme Court.

The substantive suit, the plaintiffs averred that the General Council of the Bar had by a circular dated April 6, 2012, made an upward review of the annual fee.

APPRECIATION: From left: Apena of Lagos, Chief Oyemola Ogundara-Awise, receieving the cash donation from the Chairmen, representing Senator Oluremi Tinubu, of Lagos Central Senatorial District, Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Mr. Jide Jimoh, his counterparts from Lagos Island Local Government Area, Mr. Wasiu Esinlokun-Sanni, and Lagos Island East LCDA, Mr. Kamar Basua, respectively, during Senator Oluremi Tinubu's appreciation visit to all Baales and Chiefs in Lagos Island Central Senatorial District,Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

Enchroachment: Lagos orders stoppage of construction on Osborne canal

BY OLASUNKANMIAKONI

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AGOS—LAGOS State Government, yesterday, ordered the immediate stoppage of further construction of structures by an unidenfied developer at Osborne foreshore, Ikoyi area for encroaching on limitation area as well as violation of the state’s environmental law.

Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, gave the order during an on the spot assessment to the site as part

of the on-going inspection of drainage systems and canals in preparation for this year's rainy season in the state.

According to Bello, the construction of the structure was criminal and would not be condone in any form, saying that apart from being constructed on drainage course, being a wetland, which could lead to heavy flooding during high tide of the lagoon and rainfall, it was being built under high tension

cable of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, prohibited by both federal and state governments’ environmental law.

He ordered the demolition and evacuation of the structure which had passed foundation level, warning that any worker found on site henceforth, would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

The commissioner said: “It is not only dangerous to the

N274m fraud: Court begins trial of trade fair staff

BY ABDULWAHABABDULAH

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AGOS—JUSTICE Kudirat Jose of an Ikeja High Court yesterday fixed March 18, for definite hearing of the case against five former staff of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex who allegedly stole N274 million belonging to their employer.

The defendants who were accused of fraud were

arraigned before the court last year November, following which they pleaded not guilty.

Those brought before the court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 20count charge of conspiracy and stealing were Bassey Eyamba, Francis Dajilak, Lazarus Okocha, Barnabas Kolo and Eunice Okafor.

The anti-graft agency had

alleged that the defendants committed the offences between January 2009 and December 2011 in Lagos, by obtaining various sums of money belonging to their employer by renting and selling some plots of land owned by the complex.

The alleged offences are contrary to Sections 390 (6) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.

occupants of the estates around here, but also to residents and road users on the Lagos Island as it could cause serious flooding that could claim lives."

Engr Joe passes on

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NGINEER SOLOMON Sapele Joe is dead. Aged 80 years, he died on December 2, 2013. Service of songs by the Bible Restoration Fellowship, will take place today at his IreAkari Estate, Isolo residence, while interment takes place at Big Warri on Friday.

Entertainment of guests will be at the family compound, at Ogodo Road, Sapele, Delta State.

He is survived by children, grand children and many relations.

Late Solomon Sapele Joe

Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 —11

Confab: Yoruba committee applauds Ogun parley, insists on regionalism

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN—THE SecretaryGeneral of Yoruba Agenda Committee on the proposed constitutional conference, Dr. Kunle Olajide said yesterday in Ibadan that the zone would not go back on Yoruba agenda hinged on regionalism.

Dr. Olajide, who was a former Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders said the 2015 general elections should not hold until resolutions of all the tribes and ethnic nationalities were strictly adhered to and implemented for peaceful co-existence of Nigeria as one indivisible entity.

He said: “We are looking at Nigeria in totality; the basis of our union and for the Yorubas insistence on regional agenda, there is no short cut to it. It is a must. We fared better as a race under regionalism than the present arrangement. We want regional government comprising of the existing six states in the South-West.”

Olajide who described Monday’s meeting at IsharaRemo, Ogun State where all Yoruba groups converged as a welcome development, spoke with newsmen in Ibadan.

Besides the meeting held in Ogun State under the aegis of Yoruba Assembly on National Conference, he hinted that another Yoruba summit where

all the Yorubas would assemble to fine tune plans would hold on February 27.

According to him, the solution to the problems confronting the nation was national conference noting that the convocation of the conference was timely and divine intervention for this country.

His wods: “It is the solution to the problems facing this nation.

Look at Boko Haram crisis; if you

want to have Sharia law in your region, there should be no problem about that. We have seen the beauty and Achilles heels of this country. And that is why we are insisting that since we are heterogeneous in nature as a country, our staying together as a nation should be reviewed for a solid foundation for another 100 years.”

To him, the 2015 elections should be put on hold until grey areas are resolved.

He said: “Yorubas’ position should be respected. Power must not remain as it is. It should be re-organised.

Presently, Nigerians are not happy with three arms of government.

“We Nigerians must sit down together and determine how we want to be governed. We want new constitution and parliamentary system in place of the present Presidential system of government which is extremely expensive."

Aregbesola wants support for new education policy

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BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

SOGBO—THE new education policy of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration in Osun State yesterday received a boost with the commissioning of new school buildings at the Baptist Elementary Primary School, Ilare, Ile-Ife with a charge on the people of the state to support the new education policy.

He also stated that the new policy was for the good of both the children and the parents.

Governor Aregbesola in his speech at the commissioning ceremony which had in attendance the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade and other dignitaries said the new policy of the state government on education has no religious sentiment.

C & S instals Ebahor as Baba Aladura CAMPAIGN: From left: President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication Technology, Dr. Tunji Olapo, and Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, during the broadband campaign by the broadband council under the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology in Lagos. Photo: Emeka Aginam.

Ekiti PDP leaders insist on primary

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

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DO EKITI—THE crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State over the modalities to be adopted to pick its governorship candidate for the June 12 governorship election has taken a new turn as former chairmen of the party in the local governments insist that the party should adopt primary rather than consensus.

No fewer than 32 gubernatorial aspirants have emerged in the party but the aspirants differ on the mode of picking governorship candidate.

Some of the aspirants are in favour of conducting primary, while others are advocating for consensus candidate.

A statement by Chief J. A Adeosun on behalf of 34 out of 36 former local government chairmen in Ado Ekiti, asked the leadership of the party to ignore the ranting of some of the disgruntled members of the party who according to him, were afraid of subjecting themselves to internal democracy of the party.

Adeosun who was the former chairman, Ijero Local Government said as party leaders, they owe it a duty to protect the constitution of the party and uphold the sanctity of the rule of law.

The PDP leaders, however, urged the National Executive Council, NEC, of the party to disregard the current move to frustrate it by some disgruntled politicians, urging it to go ahead with its plan by conducting primary.

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HE ETERNAL Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim will Saturday ordain His Eminence Dr Michael Erebi Ebahor as the Supreme Head and Baba Aladura of the Holy Order.

Ebahor until his elevation, was the Vice Baba Aladura of the church established by St. Moses Orimolade Tunolase in 1925. He succeeds Baba Aladura A. A. Akinde who died last year.

A statement by the General Secretary of the church, Senior Superintendent Apostle Kola Odunsi, JP, also disclosed that Superintendent Apostle General David Ataize Ojo and Superintendent Apostle General Godwin Adedoyin Okulaja would be installed as Vice Baba Aladura of the Holy Order.

New Baba Aladura

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

3,000 Edo civil servants may lose jobs over age discrepancies, qualifications

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—NO fewer than 3,000 workers in the Edo State public service may soon lose their jobs following the outcome of the verification exercise recently carried out by the Information Communication Technology, ICT, Department in the governor’s office.

It was learnt that those likely to be affected were found wanting as there were discrepancies in their ages and educational qualifications.

It was also gathered that the ICT Unit, which verified their documents, found them to have either over-stayed in service, were mentally unstable, physically blind or have falsified their ages and credentials over time, to remain in service.

Although the list of the affected workers has not been made public, the fate of the civil servants, it was gathered, rests with Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s official approval for their disengagement from service.

The development is coming on the heels of the disengagement of over 962 primary school teachers by the state government over falsification of age and certificate forgery.

Reacting to the alleged plan by the government to sack the work-

ers, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Louis Odion, said the development was a routine exercise in the civil service aimed at verifying the actual number of the state government employees, adding that the state government was not discriminating with the exercise as alleged by the wokers.

Also reacting, Edo State Chairman of Nigerian La-

bour Congress, NLC, Mr. Emmanuel Ademokun, described the alleged sack list as an official working document of the government.

He said: “It is not sack. I see it as a working document of the government because we are used to verification of credentials and others for those of us in the core civil service. I just feel the government is carrying out the process to know those who

have their primary school certificates.”

Ademokun, who decried the mass reduction of Edo State work force from 15,000 to less than 5,000 prior to the inception of the Oshiomhole administration, said 1,800 workers were affected in the recent screening, either as a result of age falsification or on the basis of inability to present primary school certificates.

FIRE OUTBREAK: Razed plaza on Airport Road, Warri, yesterday. Photo: Akpokona Omafuaire.

Delta 2015: Anioma guber aspirants to face screening at Asagba’s palace

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—ANIOMA Congress, regarded as the apex body of the Anioma nation, has concluded arrangements to screen all the aspirants of Anioma extraction jostling for the state governorship position in 2015, at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Joseph Edozien, on February 28.

Secretary of the congress, Mr. Dan Okenyi, in a statement, said: “A Gubernatorial Screening Committee will be inaugurated to carry out the screening exercise aimed at picking the best among equals.”

Meanwhile, a socio-political pressure group, The Hope Project, has thrown its weight behind the former acting governor of Delta State, Prince Sam Obi, for the governorship race in 2015, extolling Obi's track record during his short stay as the acting governor, during which he cleared the huge debt owed to contractors. He said Obi was a detribalised Deltan, a quality that had endeared him to many Deltans.

The group, led by Mr. Esimaje Awani, at a meeting of the three senatorial districts of the state in

Warri, resolved to throw its weight behind Obi. According to the group, “We are not pretending about it. Mr Obi is an astute politician who has undergone political tutelage from

being a ward councilor, local government council chairman, three times member of the state House of Assembly, Speaker of the state Assembly and acting governor of the state, who is fit for

the job of becoming the next governor.

“He is a true democrat and a bridge builder, who will also consolidate on the achievements of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.”

Vigilante groups shut down Delta LG over alleged unpaid allowance its vehicle and undertake reBY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—MEMBERS of vigilant groups in the seven kingdoms in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, shut down activities in the council over alleged non-payment of their monthly fuel allowance by the chairman of the council, Chief Friday Akpoyibo.

The vigilante members, who stormed the council secretariat at 7:30a.m., barricaded the gate, barring the council workers from going into their offices. They insisted that they would not allow any worker to go in until their allowance was paid up to date.

Speaking to newsmen, one of its leaders, Mr. Kenneth

Umukoro, said: “During Mr. Kenneth Ibru’s administration as chairman from 2008 to 2011, the council bought 11 Hilux vehicles and gave each kingdom one, including the three police divisions in the area.

“In addition to the Hilux van, Ibru also approved a monthly payment of N65,000 to enable each vigilance group to fuel

pairs when the need arose.

The Head of Personnel Management, who administered the council after Ibru's tenure followed suit."

Dickson attributes achievements to loyalty of PDP members

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, yesterday, said that the achievements of his administration were largely made possible by the loyalty and support of members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the state.

Dickson, while addressing party faithful during the monthly PDP meeting at the party’s secretariat in Yenagoa, stressed the need for the people of the state to rally round his administration in order to build a strong and united support base for President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed at the federal level.

Calling on the people not to place their selfish interests above the general good, Dickson noted that though 2014 was a year of political activities, the people should not be distracted, but join government in delivering the dividends of democracy.

He notedd that the effectiveness of a government is measured by the positive impact made in the wellbeing of the generality of the citizenry.

“When you see what we have been able to do, taking over government at a difficult and trying period and within this short period, we have put so much on ground for people to see.

It is like that in every local government area.

“When I went on tour in the course of inspecting and commissioning projects, I was shocked at the things we have put on ground.

This is not just in Yenagoa Local Government Area, our state capital, but across the state."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014—13

Nkun passes on at 78

Ugborodo crisis: Final resolution aborted again

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...as faction boycotts peace meeting

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ARRI—FEDERAL Government’s efforts at resolving the crisis in Ugborodo, Warri SouthWest Local Government, Delta State, were again scuttled, Monday, as the Dr. Alex Ideh/Tonwe faction boycotted the Abuja meeting billed for the final resolution of the impasse.

At the last mediation meeting penultimate Monday in Abuja, the Ideh/Tonwe faction had forced the Inspector General of Police /Chief of Naval Staff Peace Committee to shift the final resolution of the crisis by one week, when it appeared without its 10 nominees for the reconstituted contentious Ugborodo Interface Committee for the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, in Ogidigben.

At the rescheduled meeting, the final resolution was further aborted as the Ideh/Tonwe faction stayed away, sending Festus Keyamo, one of its lawyers to stand for it. A source at the meeting, told Vanguard that Keyamo's appearance changed the tone of discussions to the displeasure of others present.

Keyamo told the mediation team and the Thomas Eriyitomi’s faction that they had lost confidence to continue to participate in the peace process and would rather go to court because one of their supporters, Olaja-Orori (Spiritual Leader) of Ogborodo remains under trial for charges arising from the crisis, while also re-echoing its disapproval of Delta State Government’s appointment of Austin Oborogbeyi as new EPZ Committee Chairman.

“The Eriyitomi camp responded that the arrest and ongoing trial of OlajaOrori, Benson Omadeli and co, predates the unrest and hostilities of January 4 and 5, which led to the peace process. The IG, Mr Mohammed Abubakar and CNS, Rear Admiral Jibrin, who led the federal peace committee further stressed that the appointment of Oborogbeyi was not negotiable and should not constitute an issue of dispute," a source at the meeting said.

MEETING: From left: PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu; Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, at the PDP governors' meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, at State House, Abuja.

It’s too early to endorse any candidate for 2015 —Obasanjo

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME & DAPO AKINREFON

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ORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, ended his two-day working visit to Rivers State, yesterday. He reiterated that he remained a card carrying member of People’s Democratic Party, PDP. He said it was too early for him to endorse any candidate for the 2015 presidential election.

Departing the Port Harcourt International Airport, after a tour and commissioning of projects in Rivers State, Chief Obasanjo said: “I am a card carrying member of PDP. How else do you speak English?”

When asked if he intends to support any candidate for the 2015

presidential election, he said: “That is not a question for now.”

On the Mono-rail project under construction, he commended Governor Rotimi Amaechi for the initiative, saying: “Anything that you are doing and there is no opposition, you should take a second look at it. The Ivory tower, which is a land mark monument for the French, when it was being built, some people said the man who built it should be killed. All good things must have some opposition. That is what I told the governor on Monday, that to thyself and to thy people be true. Do not mind what the opposition says because too many people may not know what it takes and how it takes, but when they come to know, they will say well done.

“I must confess my ignorance. I did not know there was something of that mag-

Edo LG poll: Court orders re-run in Esan North-East

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—THE Edo State Local Government Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin City, yesterday, ordered a re-run election for the chairmanship of Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state.

It will be recalled that the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr John Yakubu,

challenged at the tribunal, the declaration of the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Sam Oboh, as winner of the chairmanship election held on October 22, 2013.

Esan North-East is the council of the chairman of the Board of Trustees of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.

The chairman of PDP in Edo State, Chief Dan Orbih, in his reaction, welcomed the judgment with mixed feelings, saying that the tribunal should have declared PDP candidate winner of the poll.

nitude, but when I saw it, I knew that the only state that can do that now with the deficit of power that we have now is Rivers State because the state

generates over 700 mega watts and it can dedicate 20 mega watts to that mono rail.

There is no other state that can do that. So, that is my assessment.”

LDER Ana Nkun, a community leader from Obong Itam in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, is dead, aged 78.

The late Ana Eyo, who was a devout Christian of the Revelation and Deliverance Ministry, had worked at various times with the defunct University of Cross River State and the Nigerian Prisons Service before retiring to private business of suitmaking.

A statement by the eldest son of the deceased, Eyo Ana Eyo, said the remains of the late community leader would be laid to rest after a funeral service at Itam Secondary School, Obong Itam, Itu LGA on Saturday.

He is survived by five children, nine grandchildren and two sons-in-law, among others.

Late Elder Nkun

14—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Actors call for sack of heads of two govt agencies

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA — THE Actors Guild of Nigeria, yesterday, called for the sack of the Directors General of Nigeria Film Corporation, NFC, and National Films and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, saying they lacked the passion to perform.

President of the Guild, Ibinabo Fiberesima, who led members of her executive on a solidarity and courtesy visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the two regulatory agencies needed more purposeful leadership.

“Nollywood is in dire need of purposeful, practical, dynamic and experienced leadership at the helms of affairs of the two regulatory agencies, whose functions border on our industry, that is, NFC and NFVCB," she said.

Senate confirms Gusau, Obanikoro, 9 others as ministers

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, confirmed former National Security Adviser, Gen. Mohammed Aliyu Gusau, former Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro and former governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Boni Haruna, from Zamfara, Lagos and Adamawa states as ministers.

Former Nigerian Ambassador to China, Aminu Wali, former Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mohammed Wakil, Mrs. Akon Etim Eyakenyi and Mrs. Lawrencia Labaran Mallam, representing Kano, Borno, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna states were also confirmed.

Others were Dr. Khaliru Alhassan from Sokoto, Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan from Osun, Dr. T.W. Danagogo from Rivers and Mrs. Asabe Asmau Ahmed from Niger states.

However, the Senate deferred the confirmation of Hajia Jamilila Salik, one of the nominees from Kano State.

No reason was given for the

action, even as the nominee did not appear with others for screening throughout the three days the exercise lasted.

Vanguard gathered that Hajia Salik was dropped by President Goodluck Jonathan and is likely to be replaced by the former Kano State governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, who recently defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Before the confirmation of the nominee, there was a spirited attempt by Senator Olusola Adeyeye, APC, Osun Central, to scuttle the chances of his state’s

representative, Abduljelili Adesiyan.

Senator Adeyeye raised a point of order under order 14 of the Senate Standing Rule, on behalf of himself and two other senators from the state, to stop the final confirmation of the nomination of Adesiyan as a minister from the state on the grounds of alleged link to the assassination of former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the late Chief Bola Ige, in December 2003.

He also pointed to the Senate custom of not confirming

nomination of any nominee that does not have the support of any of the senators from his/her state.

He said in spite of the judicial acquittal of the nominee, the death of the late Ige was still hanging around the neck of Adesiyan and few others which made his nomination as minister very difficult to accept, more so when there were many other people in the state that could be nominated for such sensitive position by the President.

We want to reposition ANAMMCO, not to sell it —Okeke, Chairman

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

O

NITSHA — CHAIRMAN of Board of Directors of Anambra Motor Manufacturing Company, ANAMMCO Limited, Sir Godwin Okeke, has said there was no arrangement by the management to sell the company to any person or group.

Reacting to speculations that

vehicle manufacturers are queuing up to take over ANAMMCO, Okeke said he never granted any press interview to any media house to that effect.

He noted that in the first place, ANAMMCO was not available for sale or take-over, in view of the huge investments which the collaborators and technical partners were currently injecting

into the company, adding that no vehicle manufacturer or institution was taking over ANAMMCO. “ANAMMCO is alive with functioning production infrastructure to implement the new National Automotive Policy, a component of the cerebral National Industrial Revolution Plan," he said

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014—15

Ex-Works minister Balat dies; Mark, Atiku, others mourn him

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

T

HE SPECIAL Adviser, (Speial Duties) Office of the Vice President, Senator Isaiah Balat, 63, is dead.

Balat, a former Senator and Minister of Works, died in Abuja, yesterday, at about 1p.m.

A notable politician from the southern part of Kaduna, he contested the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against the Vice President, Namadi Sambo and lost narrowly after a run-off primary.

He served as senator when Senator Ken Nnamani was Sen-

ate President.

Already, notable Nigerians including Senate President, David Mark, Governor Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, across the country have been reacting to the death of the former senator, who was said to be a political bridge builder.

President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, literally broke down in tears, yesterday, when the news of the death of Senator Isaiah Balat filtered into town.

Mark lamented the death of the former Senator, describing him as an ‘’astute politician, a distinguished parliamentarian, respectable colleague and gen-

tleman.’’

According to Mark, Balat, a political leader of Southern Kaduna, was one of the shining lights in the political scene and indeed demonstrated his love, patriotism and dedication to the ideals of nationhood.

“In all his dealings, he (Balat) was a shining example. He represented the best in the political evolution of Nigeria.

Atiku laments...

Former vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar also said that Balat death has depleted the country of a vanishing breed of bridge-builders of a diligent, committed politician.

”Balat was in the same cabinet with me as Vice President. He was a Minister of State in the Works ministry. His greatest strength was his broadmindedness and tolerance that abhorred divisions along religious or ethnic lines.

"He identified with you irrespective of whether you were a Muslim or a Christian or of the majority or ethnic stock,” Atiku recalled.

Gov Yero sad, shocked

In his own condolence, Governor Yero expressed shock and sadness over the death of Senator Isaiah Balat.

In a statement by his Director General, Media and Publicity, Ahmed Maiyaki, Yero said that Balat's death was a ‘’big loss’’ not only to his immediate family and Kaduna State, but the entire country.

“This unfortunate demise of the Senator Balat is coming at a time that our state and indeed the entire country need his experience and patriotic zeal the most.

"We have lost a rare gem, who dedicated his lifetime to the service of fatherland and humanity.

“Balat has exhibited the true essence of sacrifice as one of the leading lights of our present democratic dispensation. History will judge him fairly as one of those who gave their all in building a modern, peaceful and

Late Sen. Balat prosperous Nigeria.”

Tambuwal...

Speaker of the House of representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has described as shocking, the news of the passing away of former Minister of Works, Senator Isiaiah Balat.

According to him, in Balat, Nigeria has lost a coolheaded, honest and refined gentleman whose words and deeds mirrored that of a man at peace with himself and his Creator.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said Balat's honesty and sincerity of purpose will be missed by all those who know him.

While condoling the government and people of Kaduna State over the unfortunate incidence, Tambuwal prayed to Almighty God to give his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Court stops NUJ election

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

L

OKOJA — A Kogi State High Court sitting in Kotokarfe has stopped the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, from holding its election scheduled for yesterday (February 18, 2014).

The court ruling followed suit filed by Danladi

Abubakar and Matthew Onah, alleging irregularities. In an originating summon with number HC/KK/ 003CV/2014, the plaintiffs stated that based on the “provisions of the constitution of NUJ, article 5 (A), paragraph nine, the leadership of state NUJ had no power to unilaterally appoint or constitute a credentials’ committee for the state election.

UNN celebrates first Ph.D in public relations

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU — THE University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, has produced its first set of Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D, in the field of Public Relations in the country in particular and West African generally.

Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, Professor Geraldine Ugwuona, who disclosed

this, yesterday, said the two persons who made this history, namely Josiah Nkwocha and Benedict Odigbo, emerged after successfully defending their Ph.D theses, last week.

Professor Ugwuona congratulated the two candidates for painstakingly going through the rigours of the Ph.D programme under the able supervision of Professor Justice Nnabuko.

16 —

VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,FEBRU ARY 19,2014 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA ,FEBRUARY

VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,FEBRU ARY 19,2014 —17 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA ,FEBRUARY

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 MANY Nigerians are relieved to see the departure of Adaeze Stella Oduah, former Minister of Aviation, whose tenure was tainted by the alleged inflation of costs of vehicles one of the parastatals in the Ministry purchased. The long-drawn controversy indicated public interest in vetting the conduct of public officials, a welcome development that we suggest should continue.

Her departure has thrown up another matter of interest to the public – the fate of some of the programmes she initiated, programmes that if completed should change Nigeria’s aviation for better.

They are contained in the Aviation Master Plan and Road Map, the first in the country’s aviation history. The master plan includes a robust revision of the Civil Aviation National Policy, for the first time in more than 12 years.

Part of the master plan is the designation of 16 airports close to the nation’s food baskets for perishable cargo to enhance preser vation, conditioning and transportation of perishable cargo in accordance with international standards and best practice. The project is still in its

Aviation Af Aftter Oduah infancy.

The remodeling of all the 22 federallyowned airports across the country has resulted in improved passenger experience.

Some of the airports were earmarked for more improvements. At no time did all the nation’s airports benefit from the extensive work that has been done on them. Also completed are six terminals for Christian and Hajj pilgrimage operations.

Simultaneous construction of five modern, international passenger terminals in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and Enugu is unprecedented. The airports are in use, though the works are not completed. When completed, they would align with global operations standards.

A new impetus given to the upgrading of power, security and installation of cutting-

edge navigational aids, timely weather observation, forecasting and reporting were some of the measures that were envisioned to improve safety.

Nigeria’s Accident Investigation and Analysis Laboratory, built during her tenure, is one of the only four of such facilities in Africa. It is the only one in the West African sub-region. With the on-going upgrading of Nigerian College of Aviation Technology to enhance its training capabilities and provision of human resources requirement of the aviation sector, the industry was keyed to the future.

Perhaps, her most ambitious project was the proposed Aerotropolis, a development that would have created a modern aviation city in Abuja, complete with its own services and generating spin-off businesses.

The freshness her tenure brought to aviation should not cease with her departure.

A new Minister of Aviation could be tempted to start afresh, but we suggest that a sustenance of policies and programmes that serve the public would see to the completion of the projects, to reap benefits of the investments in them

OPINION

BY AUDU OBANTA Continued from yesterday's pg 18

A

GAIN, Sanusi was left unsanctioned for misleading the public and heating up the polity unnecessarily with his false figures.

His supporters argued that the yet-tobe-reconciled $10.8bn (which they chose to brand as “missing”) was enough justification for the false alarm the CBN boss raised. NNPC came up with the explanation that the $10.8bn was not missing but was used for some of the critical operations it carried out as part of its statutory duties. It also provided legal backing for the expenditure (Section 7 Sub-section A and B of the NNPC Act which provides that the corporation can engage in such expenses and deduct same from proceeds of crude oil sales).This effectively robbed Sanusi of the victory or justification he thought the so-called “missing” $10.8bn gave him.

Sanusi’s fresh allegation of $20bn unremitted oil revenue against NNPC could, therefore, be seen as a gambit to redeem his image which has been thoroughly pulverised by his misguided adventure with false figures. For the fresh figure of $20bn unremitted oil revenue he has pushed into the public space, he has come up with series of documents to support his

A closer look at Sanusi's figures (2) case just as he did in the last two instances. He appeared to have forgotten the vital lesson from his previous misadventures that figures could seem infallible when seen from a particular perspective that does not depict the entire picture.

The last hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance led by Senator Makarfi where the inter-agency committee chaired by Dr. OkonjoIweala presented its final report proved very instructive. Relying on the certification given by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, which is statutorily empowered to verify petroleum products imports, the inter-agency team agreed that the outstanding $10.8bn has been accounted for by NNPC. Sanusi himself agreed that since the PPPRA has signed off on the NNPC figures, he has no problem agreeing with the figures. The new issue the inter-agency team came up with was that they lacked the expertise to thoroughly assess the evidence supplied by NNPC for its claims; so it called for an independent forensic audit to look at the books of the various agencies involved in the collection of oil revenues with a view to coming up with an authentic report to clear the air

once and for all.

While Okonjo-Iweala owned up to the fact that the inter-agency team lacked the technical expertise to scrutinize the evidence supplied by NNPC, Sanusi on his part stated that neither he nor the CBN has the technical expertise to determine how much crude oil the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, produced and what part of it should accrue to the Federation Account. But in another breath, he said he stood by his $20bn unremitted oil revenue figure. The question that arises from all these is: How did he arrive at the fresh figure of $20bn unremitted oil revenue when he has acknowledged lack of expertise in the rudiments of the business from which the revenue in question flows?

The two points that have emerged from the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led committee hearing are: 1.) that further expert opinion by way of forensic audit is required to scrutinise the documentary evidence provided by NNPC for the shortfall of $10.8bn revenue into the Federation Account; 2.) that further expert opinion is required by way of legal interpretation by the Attorney General of the Federation on the legality of the Strategic Alliance Agreement between

NPDC and Atlantic Energy and Seven Energy and the revenue that accrues to the two companies on the one hand, and how much of the revenue that accrue to NPDC should be swept into the Federation Account. Clearly, these are outside the range of what Sanusi can speak on or determine with any certainty. It is, therefore, wrong to take Sanusi’s figures in this matter as the whole truth and on the strength of that pillory NNPC as a section of the media and civil society are currently doing.

Besides, there is nothing in Sanusi’s track record with figures that commends him for such support.

Going by his antecedents with figures, it would be remiss for Nigerians to depend on Sanusi’s fresh figures. He has taken Nigerians down this futile road before; it would be foolhardy for anyone to take this figures as the gospel. It is wise to wait for the reports of the forensic auditors and the Attorney General as recommended by the Senate Committee on Finance than to allow the nation be taken on a ride by an unsure banker whose figures cannot be relied on.

Concluded

*Dr. Obanta, a legal practitioner, wrote from Maryland, USA.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014— —19

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NE would not know exactly when President Goodluck Jonathan came to the conclusion that he could no longer pretend that all is well with his government or the party that produced it, the PDP. But it appears he must have reached that point for quite some time now. He only dithered on when to act to start correcting things or simply wished that the cup of such decision would pass him by. The crisis in the PDP is but the flip side of the crisis in his government. Both are products of his decision to make very awkward choices and stand by people, mostly subordinates who have more or less increased the liability of his administration. He was a hostage of his own choices and a payer who could not dictate his piper’s tune. In media debates, commentaries, editorials and, perhaps, personal intimations he was prodded to the danger of his position, of his failure to arrest the drift of his government- the level of corruption among his ministers

and the overbearing conduct of others. But our dear president couldn’t care less. In his own words, he couldn’t give a damn. But the last three weeks have seen the President taking decisions that clearly show he does give more than a damn.

With preparations for the 2015 elections in top gear; and with increasing defections from the PDP into opposition parties, particularly the APC, President Jonathan and other stalwarts of the PDP must have seen the urgent need to act fast. They must have realized that it’s no longer politics (or is it business?), as usual. These are dire times for the Jonathan government. As things stand at the National Assembly with the PDP losing its overwhelming majority status, with popular discontent against Abuja increasing as more and more Nigerians fall below the poverty line and feel the adverse consequences of the palpable drop in standard of municipal services and access to public utilities even

,

as Abuja politicians maintain their lavish lifestyle- it must be clear to President Jonathan and his PDP colleagues that anything can happen. If Nigerians were able to distinguish between President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP as a party in the 2011 elections, if they could vote for the president of their choice without consideration for party affiliations, that line of separation has definitely blurred over time. Those who will vote for the PDP or for anyone connected to it if an election is called today can no longer be taken for granted, just like a PDP victory can no longer be assumed.

I

t is clearly in realisation of this that President Jonathan took the decision to beat a path different from the one he had beaten until lately. His latest shake-up of his cabinet with the exit of four ministers including Stella Oduah of the Aviation Ministry makes the point clear. The President is now neck-deep into a house-cleaning programme. This started with his

2015: The shadow-chasing in Abia PDP

BY CHINEDU CHINWEMU

I

T has obviously become a routine for a former governor of Abia State to use his newspaper to launch persistent attacks on his successor, Chief Theodore Orji, ever since he lost out in the power struggle before the 2011 general elections.

Before they parted ways, the former governor had a field day as the de facto governor of the state. Then he never complained or criticised his successor’s government. But the situation changed when the Governor opted to work for the good of the people, a move his predecessor regarded as an affront and from then began to see him as his greatest enemy. Always handy to do the hatchet job for him were his newspaper’s columnists and editors.

In one of such articles published in the newspaper on January 30 entitled "Kalu: TA Orji’s delusion" Orji’s government was labelled as a failure, even though the article failed to mention one legacy project executed by the former governor during his eight wasteful years before Orji took over office in 2007.

So between the former governor and the incumbent, the difference is clear as comparing their administrations is like comparing darkness and light. Obviously they have no comparism or meeting point.

The former governor’s columnists, editors and cohorts know the truth, but have shamelessly tried to turn it upside down to please their paymaster.

Again, they should understand that there is a clear difference between an educated man with good parental upbringing and one who was opportuned to acquire wealth and found his way to the corridor of power. Their coordinated media attacks against Orji’s government, his family members and people of the State which they have consistently

C M Y K

engaged in for years have not only failed woefully, but have continued to expose them to ridicule. Nigerians know their grouse against Orji’s government which is not altruistic, but pedestrian and selfish.

It seems that their attacks on Orji’s government are always intensified whenever a new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, emerges. At such times, the former governor always make sustained but fruitless secret moves to return to the PDP through the backdoor. But instead of taking correction, mending his ways and doing the needful to see if he could be readmitted into the party the proper way, the ex-governor would always blame his political misadventure on his successor, elders and the party stakeholders in the state.

It could be recalled that when Governor Orji left the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, at the peak of his move to liberate the state, the then national leadership of the PDP led by the party national chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, came to Umuahia to plead with him to join the PDP. Immediately the ex-governor had a hint that the PDP leadership would be going to Umuahia to appeal to Orji to join the party, he (exgovernor) hurriedly paid an unsolicited visit to the party’s national leadership in their Abuja office where he announced to the world that he has returned to the party.

His action angered party stakeholders in the state who subsequently protested to the national leadership, warning that the exgovernor must not be allowed to return to the party if peace was to reign in the party.

They instead expressed a preferrence for the return of Governor Orji to the party, saying they were comfortable and at peace with his style of governance. The party’s national leadership eventually saw reason with the party stakeholders in the state.

After the ex-governor ’s usual

announcement of the resignation of Bamanga Tukur, erstwhile chair of the PDP. Tukur’s emergence as the PDP chair was not popularly accepted. It couldn’t be clear what great advantage President Jonathan stood to gain from Tukur’s victory as chair of PDP but he was prepared to stand by him.

He provided the support the man obviously craved but couldn’t get from his home base or the larger PDP family. Jonathan stood by Tukur and the man vowed never to resign even without the support of very powerful members of the PDP. But in the end Tukur had to go and that was obviously when Jonathan felt he should go.

The removal of Joseph Mbu as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State is another house cleaning job the President had to undertake. Of course, the police hierarchy wanted Nigerians to believe the redeployment of Mbu was a routine task it had to carry out but many would read the matter differently. Was it also routine or deliberate oversight that the Police Service Commission suddenly forgot that the redeployment of Mbu from Rivers State was one issue for the courts to decide as its spokesperson, Comfort Obi, once said? Whatever are the reasons or afterthought being offered on Mbu now, the point is that the man had to leave Port Harcourt if Jonathan wanted to resolve one of the lingering wounds of his presidency. It’s anybody’s guess if that decision came early enough or of what benefit it may now be for the President.

The same question will need to be asked about the removal of Stella Oduah- how late is it coming to effect any change in the

,

Jonathan sheds excess weight

The removal of Joseph Mbu as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State is another house cleaning job the President had to undertake

The national leadership of the party knows that by the party's constitution, they have no power to re-admit anybody without recourse to the zonal, state, local council and ward executives

,

grandstanding and criticisms against his successor, he made a u-turn and contested the Abia North senatorial election on the PPA platform in 2011 and was overwhelmingly defeated by Senator Uche Chukwumerije of the PDP.

W

ith the removal of Nwodo and the emergence of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as the party national chairman, the exgovernor moved into action again to see if he could regain access into the party through the same failed route. He, in collaboration with his allies in the media, stage-managed his comic return to the party in his ward in the state. He brandished a membership card that was given to him by the party chairman in his ward.

That was early last year. Since then, he has neither attended the party meeting in the state nor at the national level, despite his spurious claim that he has been properly re-admitted into the party as required by the party constitution. That was how his second desperate attempt to force his way back to the party without due process failed.

Many had expected him to be attending the party meetings at the state and national levels if he has truly returned to the party as he claimed.

Again with the recent emergence of the former governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji

perception of Nigerians that President Jonathan enjoys the company of people who abuse their office? How can the President now erase the impression he has a high tolerance for public officers, his own appointees, whose official conduct won’t bear scrutiny? His hands are apparently being forced by the exigencies of the 2015 elections to take decisions he would rather not take. The presidency may try all it can to make Nigerians think that the series of ‘ resignations’ and redeployment of its partisans are routine but Nigerians know better.

Three other ministers might have been sacrificed along with Stella Oduah but the bottomline is that the President knew he could no longer ignore the voice of the people if he wants their support.

Perhaps, he is coming to the realisation that he runs an obese administration of mostly nonperforming ministers out to feather their own nest.

There are Nigerians of impeccable credentials and character from the different ethnic groups in the country. No section of the country has a monopoly of performers nor is there any with the patent for corrupt persons. If all parts of the country must participate in governance, it is a matter of wonder that only the wrong people manage to make it into government. In finding replacements for those who had to go with this latest shake-up, President Goodluck Jonathan would do well to look for not mere politicians from the relevant zones but men and women of character, proven performers who can help bring needed change to the lives of Nigerians.

Adamu Muazu, as the national chairman of the PDP, the ex-governor appeared to be on another failed mission to return to the party without learning from his mistakes in the past. Instead of going to the state to see if he could be considered for re-admission into party, he and his columnists have been busy castigating the party stakeholders and elders in the state, including his successor, on the pages of his newspaper for paying solidarity visit to the new national leadership of the party.

They alleged that the delegation from the state asked the new leadership of the party not to allow the ex-governor back to the party. Without being told, the national leadership of the party knows that by the party's constitution, they have no power to re-admit anybody into the party without recourse to the zonal, state, local council and ward executives.

This is why Muazu has emphasised in his several speeches that party members or intending returnees to the party should to go down to the grassroots. But instead of heeding the advice of the party’s leadership and at same time looking inward to address his self-inflicted political problems, the exgovernor and his allies have been busy calling his successor and party stakeholders in the state names for refusing to allow business as usual to continue and for taking steps to unite the party in the state.

One thing this ex-governor and his hatchet writers seem to have forgotten is that apart from being the Abia State governor, Orji is the South East Caucus leader of the PDP. His predecessor was never entrusted with this position throughout his eight years administration in the state.

Today, Orji is like the eye of the party in the South East zone and has proved that he is a dependable and loyal party man. The earlier the ex-governor comes down from his Olympian height to appreciate due process and the realities on ground, the better for him ahead of the 2015 general elections.

*Mr. Chinwemu, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY,

FEBRUARY 19 , 2014

Nigeria Police at it again!

“H

*Placard-carrying protesters expressing their grievances over the purported sale of the sacred land.

Anambra community protests alleged plans to sell ancestral land •Petitions CP, council boss, others

T

HE people of Ndiabor Umunze in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, have protested alleged clandestine moves to sell their ancestral land at Ohiagba forest in the community.

The villagers who demonstrated on the land under the aegis of Ndiabor Progressive Union, NPU, alleged that some politicians are planning to sell the land valued at N200 million to some Abuja-based investors.

Carrying placards some of which read: “Don’t dispossess us of our ancestral land,” “Buyers beware of Ohiagu Ndiabor Forest Land deal,” “Ohiagba Ndiabor is our only inheritance and not for sale”, the protesters vowed that heads would roll if the land speculators went ahead to carry out their secret act of selling the forest land which they said was preserved by their great great grand fathers.

Noting that they had already forwarded a petition to that effect to Anambra State Commissioner of Police and copied the traditional ruler of the entire Umunze community, Igwe Promise Eze; the Local Government Chairman, Mr. Chigozie Onyeakpa and the Councillor representing Umunze Ward I, Hyginus Umeaka, NPU further contended that the site was permanently reserved for afforestation.

The Union later issued a press statement to drive home their warning to the land

speculators to steer clear of the land or be prepared to face the consequences for their illegal land deal.

In the statement jointly signed by Nze Christian Umeaka, Bro. Jude Ndukwe and Nze Uchenna Obi, Chairman, Secretary and President-General respectively, the community said available information reaching them showed that the sacred forest bequeathed to them by their ancestors is being invaded dayin-day-out by those they de-

,

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO, Onitsha

The protesters vowed that heads would roll if the land speculators went ahead to carry out their secret act of selling the forest land which they said was preserved by their great-great grand fathers

,

scribed as faceless land speculators.

The trio further stated that the land speculators are already negotiating with some foreigners and Abuja-based politicians to sell off a large portion of the land to them at a whooping sum of over N200 million.

The union lamented that the area known as Ohiagba

Ndiabor forest land and measuring about three square meters, was the only inheritance of the ancient town bounded by the permanent site of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze. They explained that a large chunk of the land had in the past been handed over to the government for the building of the permanent site of FCE (T), Umunze which is currently under construction.

They contended that while they are still meditating on the already acquired large portion of the land for FCE (T) permanent site, this speculators are now coming up again to sell the remaining portion of the land which is the only forest reserve covering a vast expanse where the community members could still go for hunting expedition.

They explained that the Ohiagu (tiger forest) still housed varieties of animals, including tigers, monkeys, some strange animals and economic trees which the community would not like to toy with.

They further described the land speculators as mere hooligans who had secretly perfected plans to sell the ancestral land to Abuja politicians and dispossess them of their inheritance. They added: “We have since discovered that these faceless people have decided to carry out their evil plan with the help of a group of people in the community.”

They also warned potential buyers not to waste their hardearned money in the name of land acquisition as any money they give to the speculators would be at their own risk.

BY EBELE ORAKPO

MM, I thought we have passed this stage,” lamented a commuter by name John, in the Oshodi-bound commercial vehicle as a Police van drove past and came to an abrupt stop in front of the bus as the bus driver stopped at the bus-stop so that some passengers could alight.

As the driver moved back in order to create some space between him and the Police van so he could drive off, three policemen jumped down from the van; one went to the driver’s side, ordering him to come down from the bus, while the other two went to drag the bus conductor down.

“What are you trying to hide? Hope it is not marijuana. You think you are smart, don’t you?” one of the policemen barked at the conductor who had bent down to put something under one of the seats.

“Come down at once before I give you a very dirty slap,” shouted the second policeman, pointing his gun menacingly at the poor conductor.

At this point, the conductor and the driver obeyed and followed them to their van, cutting the picture of a goat before a hungry lion, helpless.

“What has the driver done wrong? Is this not a busstop and at this time of the night? This is pure robbery!” declared Matthew. “When will these guys change?” he asked flabbergasted.

“But that has been their stock-in-trade. I am not surprised. In any case, what do you want them to change to? From humans to goats?” asked Mary.

“This is not funny. It’s so terrible! I mean, it’s unacceptable! This is really sad. It does not speak well of this nation. These guys are supposed to be protecting us, but they go about terrorising us. This is democratic era for God’s sake,” stated Joy. ”You just dey blow grammar. They don’t understand all that. The only thing they will understand at this point is money. The driver must part with some good money,”said Mary.

“Gbam!You got it. The driver has done absolutely nothing wrong. This is weekend and they need money so the driver just happened to be their victim. All they want is money to go and drink and womanise, period!” said John with a knowing look, adding: “They will collect the whole money they’ve made today and that was what the conductor was trying to avoid by attempting to hide some of the money under the seat.”

“This is Nigeria where people in uniform get away with anything. But we should be happy that the incidence of accidental discharge has drastically reduced. Remember how it was before this Inspector General od Police came to the saddle. Policemen were collecting bribe openly and if they were not given, the person concerned would have himself to blame. Sometimes, there is collateral damage; an innocent bystander or passenger may receive the bullet meant for the driver or conductor. It’s really a shame,” said David.

After about 20 minutes, the duo returned, looking downcast.

“How much did they collect,” Matthew asked the conductor who refused to say a word.

“They will leave the job they are employed to do to extort money from people,” said Joy. “A friend of mine went to report a robbery case at the Police station. He was asked to pay some money before he could write a statement. They even asked him for money to buy padlock for the big man’s bangles (handcuffs) they were going to use,”narrated Mary. “They are simply shameless.” ”Of course, he should be ready to bear the cost. He was even licky he was not asked to fuel their vehicle becaue I know they do that sometimes,”said John.

Said David: “What about some policemen who arrested some boys for laughing at a crippled guy and charged them for assault and emotional trauma. All they want is money. They put the boys behind bars and their people had to go and bail them with plenty money of course.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 — 21

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he Bank of Agriculture Limited has urged the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to expand its programmes to cover the Development Financial Institutions (DFIs).

Mr Waziri Ahmadu, the Executive Director, (Wholesale Finance) Bank of Agriculture Limited, made the call in Abuja. Ahmadu spoke on the sideline of the public hearing on AMCON amendment bill organised by the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions. The amendment, essentially, seeks to create a Sinking Fund or Resolution Cost Fund to cover any shortfall that may be needed to meet AMCON’s responsibility to redeem its debt securities. He said that the non-oil sector of the economy has been making significant contributions to the growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria’s economy by creating employment. He said it is imperative for AMCON to help in clearing the liabilities of the DFIs to enable them provide financial support to agriculture, infrastructural development and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

“The Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) don’t lend much to

Agriculture Bank canvasses AMCON’s coverage of DFIs the non-oil sectors of the economy. They don’t lend much to agriculture, infrastructure development and development and growth of SMEs. So, if AMCON should widen its scope of coverage to include the DFIs,

they would have more access to new investments.

“They will also have new financial resources and be able to increase their lending to the real sectors of the economy. Since AMCON is there to alleviate the liquidity

problems of different financial institutions, then they should be working with us (DFIs).

“They should be accepting our toxic assets and giving us the fresh air that they gave to DMBs,” he said. Earlier, the Senate President, Sen. David

From Left: Vice Chairman, NASD Plc, Mr. Chike Nwanze; Managing Director, GTI Securities Limited, Mr. Tunde Oyekunle and Managing Director, Goldbanc Asset Management Limited, Mr. Abayomi Sanya during the visit of the board of NASD to Nigeria’s first private trading floor built by GTI Securities, in Lagos.

Mark, represented by the Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba, urged the committee to consult widely to achieve a result that would be acceptable by all. Mark advised the committee to use the public hearing to “generate authentic information that will enhance and guide the Legislature in its legislative actions. You should try to make further wide-ranging consultations with various key institutions and stakeholders in the sector, including policy makers, other legislators and members of the public,” he said.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Sen. Bassey Otu, said the amendment would help AMCON to reduce the volume of non-performing loans. Otu said the committee would not relent in its efforts to gather relevant information from experts and industry operators to assist it in achieving an acceptable outcome.

IFC invests N800m in AB Microfinance Bank million) to AB Microfinance Bank.

IFC said that the loan would help the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) access fund to build their businesses and also promote financial

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH

T

he International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of World Bank Group, has signed an agreement to provide N800 million ($5

140.6

0.9

2,934.00

+5.00

15.59

-0.07

109.02

-0.06

100.85

+0.55

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR 154.75 POUNDS 257.3957 EURO 211.404 FRANC 173.021 YEN 1.5164 CFA 0.3037 WAUA 237.3402 RENMINBI 25.5181 RIYA 41.2623 KRONA 28.3238 SDR 238.5007

155.25 258.227 212.087 173.5801 1.5213 0.3137 238.107 25.601 41.3956 28.4153 239.2713

SELLING 155.75 259.059 212.7701 174.1391 1.5262 0.3237 238.8739 25.6839 41.5289 28.5068 240.0419

CBN Exchange rate as at 18/02/2014

inclusion, job creation and grow the Nigerian economy.

According to IFC “The new investment will help AB Microfinance Bank build on its demonstrated success in offering financial services to new market segments and entrepreneurs serving the base of the economic pyramid.

The activities are critical for helping people with lowincome engage in economic activity to sustain livelihoods and gain access to basic goods and services.”

Managing Director, AB Microfinance Bank, Mr. Mattias

Grammling, said, “Improving access to financial services for MSMEs would hasten growth in the informal sector and our partnership with IFC will help eliminate the bottle-necks on loan acquisitions and enable us provide growth opportunities for MSMEs and

lower income clients to foster job creation and economic growth.” Also, Solomon Adegbie- Quaynor, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria, said, “Supporting AB Microfinance Bank is consistent with IFC’s core strategy to improve financial

inclusion and contribute to economic growth. IFC’s investment will provide term funding in naira to make local currency more readily available from AB Microfinance to entrepreneurs.

Developing economies need modern techniques for research, data — Ekpo

BY UDEME CLEMENT

T

he Director-General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM), Professor Akpan Ekpo, has called on developing economies within the West African subregion to embrace modern techniques for research and data collection needed to open new window of investments to stimulate rapid economic growth and development within the region.

He made this known while delivering a keynote address, at the opening ceremony of a regional course on data analysis for research, macro-economic and debt management, using Microsoft Excel, organised by WAIFEM, in Lagos.

Ekpo, who is also a Professor of Economics ,emphasised that Nigeria needs effective research tools like the

advanced economies to achieve economic transformation, even as other countries within the sub-region should adopt similar tools to ensure long term and sustainable development.

He said, “Research has shown that Microsoft Excel is one of the software applications being used in most work environment. In fact, Excel is one of the greatest, most powerful, most important software applications of all time. The software provides enormous capacity for quantitative analysis, which enables the public as well as private sector players to handle statistical analysis of database with thousands of records. Excel also paves way for complex estimation tools with user-friendly front ends. Unlike the traditional statistical programs, it has a range of applications that organisations could use to enhance development.”

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

BRIEF 2014 outlook: Improving performance for US and global insurance industry

I

nsurers in U.S. and other countries should benefit from improved operating conditions and the initiatives they have been pursuing in response to the challenges of the past few years, according to a new study by Conning.

“Our outlook for the U.S. insurance industry in 2014 is for stable results and some gradual improvement across most segments, but with increasing uncertainty brought on by economic, political or regulatory developments unfolding in the period,” said Stephan Christiansen, Managing Director at Conning.” That said, economic drivers are mostly favourable, and many companies are beginning to reap the rewards of investments in technology and an increasingly analytical approach to the business.”

The Conning study, “U.S. and Global Insurance Industry Outlook: Improving Performance amid Economic and Regulatory Challenges” presents the challenges and potential insurer responses for the industry generally, with separate discussions for U.S. Property-Casualty; U.S. Life-Annuity, and U.S. Health Insurance, as well as Europe and Asia.

“Our outlook for the global insurance industry, like the U.S, is shaped by three key factors: economic climate, interest rate environment, and regulation,” said Steve Webersen, Director of research at Conning.

“Fragmented economic growth is creating new pockets of opportunity, while challenging established markets. As in the U.S., growing regulatory convergence and complexity are increasingly commanding insurer attention and resources.”

Conning is a leading investment management company for the global insurance industry, with more than $83 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2013 through Conning, Inc., Conning Asset Management Limited, Cathay Conning Asset Management Limited, and Goodwin Capital Advisers, Inc. C M Y K

Committee on compulsory group life to come on stream Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA

A

joint Committee for strategic planning and implementation of the Compulsory Group Life Insurance in Nigeria is expected to be inaugurated very soon.

Membership of the Committee will include the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM; Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC; and the National Pension Commission, PENCOM to ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness.

This was the agreement of both NAICOM and the NLC when the Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer, NAICOM, Mr. Fola Daniel led members of his top management on a working visit to the President of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar at the Labour House, Abuja.

Daniel in his opening address said one of the cardinal functions of the Commission is the protection of existing and prospective insurance policy holders in the country.

He went further to enumerate the benefits inherent in the consumption of compulsory Group Life Insurance under the Pension Reform Act of 2004 and urged the NLC to ensure their

members, especially at the State and Local Government levels are adequately insured by their employers.

The Insurance Commissioner seized the opportunity to commend the NLC President Comrade Abdulwahed Omar and his team for their role towards the successful resolution of the protracted ASUU strike in

2013.

Omar said the Congress will be more than willing to work in collaboration with NAICOM in sensitizing Nigeria workers and the general public on the benefit of insurance products. He suggested the setting up of a joint working committee for strategic planning and implementation to achieve

desired success.

In attendance at the meeting were the Deputy President, NLC Comrade Kiri Mohammed (President, Civil Service Commission union), Comrade Igwe Achize (President NUPENG), Comrade Issa Aremu Mni (Deputy President NLC), and a host of other top Council members of NLC.

From left: Professor Akin Iwayemi, former President, Nigerian Economic Society; Professor Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power and Mr. Michael Tidi at the Blue Camel Energy exhibition stand in the ongoing Nigeria Association of Energy Economics conference, in Abuja.

NAIC has potential to achieve global benchmark — Opadokun T

he new Managing Director of Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, NAIC, Mr. Bode Opadokun has said that NAIC has competitive advantage of being the only agric insurance firm in the country and has all the potentials to achieve a global benchmark set by developed countries of China, India and America in the area of agricultural risk management and service delivery.

Opadokun therefore called for team work and diligence from all staff to attain a greater height for the Corporation.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government recently appointed Opadokun, former General Manager (Technical) of Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc as Managing Director of NAIC. While assuming office at NAIC corporate office in Abuja, Mr. Opadokun promised to give staff training a high premium, saying that a well-equipped personnel was key to efficiency and optimal service delivery.

He further assured that with his private sector pedigree he would bring to bear the spirit of robust competition towards making NAIC a key and front line player in the insurance industry.

The Managing Director further called on the entire staff to strive to be part of the needed rebranding efforts of the new NAIC Management, saying total rebranding should be from the inside before the external rebranding was to be ultimately

•Bode Opadokun

achieved.

He was optimistic that with the caliber of staff in NAIC, all efforts would be channeled to actualize the Federal Government Transformation Agenda.

A Fellow of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, Opadokun has a master degree in Business Administration from Delta State University and he is also a graduate of insurance from the Lagos State Polytechnic.

With about 25 years experience in insurance practice, he had worked severally at Cornerstone insurance Plc, Consolidated Risk Insurers Limited and was also a pioneer executive Management Staff of First Chartered Insurance Company Limited.

A versatile practitioner and prudent underwriter, Opadokun is a strategic marketer. The new NAIC helmsman is a globally recognized member of the Energy and Special Risk Underwriters and has also attended several local and international Insurance summits and conferences.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 — 23

I

nsurance practitioners and stakeholders are set to brainstorm on how to unlock the over N60 billion microinsurance business which over the years has remained untapped.

The brainstorming event which is part of the Nigerian Insurance and Pension Award organised by Inspenonline Media, is scheduled for Wednesday, February 26, in Lagos.

A statement by the Editor Inspenonline, Chuks Udo Okonta, said the event will provide an avenue for insurers, shareholders, insurance consumers and the public to deliberate how the objectives of Microinsurance as specified in the guidelines released by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) will be achieved and by extension impact the economy.

He noted that the Managing Director, Riskguard-Africa Nigeria Limited, Mr. Yemi Soladoye, will be delivering the theme paper entitled: ‘Unlocking Microinsurance Business’, adding that President, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, will be the Chairman of the event.

Okonta noted that insurance companies, pension fund administrators and operators that distinguished themselves in 2013, will be presented awards for their contributions to their industries and the economy.

He said the award was

BRIEF US lawmakers urged to turn up heat on insurance fraud

A

From left: Mr. Oladapo Rufus Ajiboye, Chief Superintendent of Immigration; Mr. Kayode Akande, Executive Director, Operations and Services, Premium Pension Limited and Razaaq Atanda Lawal, a retiree during an interactive forum in Ibadan by Premium Pension Limited.

Insurers, stakeholders to strategise on microinsurance business Stories by ROSEMARY ONUOHA instituted to reward best practices and hard work, stressing that the recognition given to the firms will also help deepen insurance and pension awareness which is presently

below expectations.

“Insurance and pension contributions to economic growth are enormous, and it is time we begin to celebrate and reward individuals and organisations that have made these happen.

“Nigerian Insurance and

STI supports beauty queen’s pet project

S

overeign Trust Insurance Plc has extended its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, efforts to secondary school pupils across the country with the sponsorship of the pet project of the industry’s reigning beauty Queen, Miss Sefiya Sadiq.

The project tagged “Youth Empowerment Against HIV/AIDS”, is focused on engendering positive behavioural change in the lives of young adults through effective education and sensitisation on pertinent health issues with special focus on the scourge of HIV/AIDS. According to the beauty Queen, “The project sets out to secure the future of our young people in the country by providing them with enduring moral lessons as their guide for right direction in the passage of life”.

Miss Sadiq mentioned that an essay competition has been instituted amongst secondary schools drawn from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt to evaluate the level of their understanding of the dreaded disease and the best three write-ups will cart away prizes for themselves and their schools.

She further stated that it is imperative for the youngsters to be appropriately sensitized and empowered with adequate knowledge and detailed information that will enable them adopt pre-marital sex abstinence as the most preferred option for the prevention of HIV/ AIDS. She equally mentioned that the young lads will as well, extensively discuss the various transmission

routes through which the dreaded disease can be contracted at the Grand Finale of the pet project which is scheduled to hold on Thursday, February 20, 2014. She said that the main objective of the initiative is to positively engage the youths and letting them fully understand that HIV/AIDS is a major health pandemic.

Spokesperson of Sovereign Trust Mr. Segun Bankole said that the support for the project is in line with one of the company’s CSR platforms which is hinged on Health, Sports and the Environment. He pointed out that the underwriting firm is committed to ensuring that initiatives under these categories are supported in bringing about positive change in the society. He also stated that the infection rate of HIV/AIDS in the country is gradually hitting an alarming rate and hence, efforts should be directed at combating the spread of the scourge at an early stage before it becomes threatening.

Sovereign Trust has kept an impressive record in pioneering and advocating for a healthy society amongst insurance companies in the country. For some years now, the company has been an ardent financial supporter of the Hospice Home for the physically challenged children, the Teenage Life Project which focuses on reducing to the barest minimum, societal malaise like prostitution, rape, teenage pregnancies, abortion as well as HIV/AIDS transmission. The company continues to support other charitable Homes and organisations across the country.

pension award was designed to encourage best practices, doggedness, professionalism and resourcefulness. It is our belief that the award will engender healthy competition among operators, as we are poised to celebrate on yearly basis excellent performances by outstanding firms and individuals,” he said.

Okonta called on the public to embrace insurance as it remains the best measure to mitigate risks. He also urged the public to embrace the pension scheme which, he noted has come to forestall the ugly past where retirees die on queues in a bid to get their pensions.

t a news conference at the Minnesota Capitol, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) expressed its strong support for the efforts of the Senate Commerce Committee’s Working Group on Insurance Fraud. The Group has spent the last nine months taking testimony about insurance fraud’s impact on the state and is introducing a legislative package to combat the problem.

The reform efforts are an outgrowth of the 2012 Insurance Fraud Summit sponsored by the NICB and the Insurance Federation of Minnesota which highlighted the increases in no-fault auto insurance fraud and other insurance fraud schemes in the state over the past few years.

“Minnesota’s no-fault system was founded with the best of intentions but it has been hijacked by individuals who’ve managed to exploit no-fault’s weaknesses to feed their greed—and every insurance customer is paying for it through higher premiums,” said Tim Lynch, NICB government affairs director.

NICB has seen significant increases in questionable no-fault activity as organized criminal rings migrate from Florida and New York to other states like Minnesota that have nofault laws in place. Tougher laws and increased scrutiny on these rings, particularly in Florida, have caused them to move elsewhere to continue their efforts to take advantage of no-fault loopholes.

Competition drives 10% premium cut — Marsh

P

remium rates for Australian corporate buyers fell by an average of 10 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year as new capital flowing into reinsurance markets fuelled competition, according to Marsh.

“Signs point to the market continuing on this trend over the first half of 2014,” the broking company says in its Pacific Insurance Market Report.

Better conditions for buyers also aligned with improved profitability for some insurance companies, amid

fewer catastrophe losses last year and stronger equity markets.

“These two situations would logically appear to be in conflict,” Marsh says. “They may be mutually sustainable, but only if catastrophe costs remain relatively low and insurers maintain adequate pricing in the domestic insurance market.”

Marsh warns further consolidation triggered by IAG’s takeover of Wesfarmers’ underwriting operations could have a “profound effect” on market capacity and competition.

24—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Guinness posts N53bn turnover in six months

By PETER EGWUATU

G

uinness Nigeria Plc has recorded a turnover of N53 billion for the half year period ended 31 December 2013. The company results appeared to be impacted by continuing softness of the beer market.

Other performance indicators show that Guinness Nigeria’s first-half profit declined 22 percent as sustained weakness in consumer spending caused a slump in beer sales.

Net income fell to N5 billion ($30.7 million) in the six months through December, compared with N6.42 billion a year earlier, the parent company, Diageo Plc said in a statement on the Nigerian Stock Exchange , NSE website. Revenue declined 13 percent to N 52.8 billion.

Disposable income “continues to be challenged” by an increase in gasoline prices two years ago, Guinness Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Seni Adetu, said on a conference on Monday. While the beer market in Africa’s most populous country showed some recovery in the second quarter, government spending in order to secure votes ahead of elections next year hasn’t been as strong as expected, impacting sales, he said.

Speaking on the results, Adetu said continuing decline in discretionary income amongst other factors, has continued to affect the performance of the business in the year under review. “Our performance for the period ended 31st December 2013 has been impacted by the contraction of the beer market for most of the half and the shift towards the value segment mainly due to affordability and discretionary income trends.”

He continued, “Contributions from strategic innovations have remained strong, as we continue to invest in our sales organisation to drive increased distribution and to support long term growth.

Our marketing investments behind our brands also continued as we launched a new campaign for Guinness FES and Harp.”

Babatunde Savage, Chairman, Guinness Nigeria Plc, said that the Board continues to support the management in its efforts to continue to grow the business and deliver shareholder value.

“We will continue to manage our cost base tightly to deliver moderate operating margins

improvement. The Board is confident that our focus on our strategic priorities will return the business back to growth and improved profitability.”

Guinness Nigeria was established in 1962 and was the first country to have a Guinness brewery built

outside of the British Isles.

Nigeria now represents the largest market for Guinness by Net Sales Value in the world.

Products from the brewer ’s stables include Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Harp Lager Beer and Malta Guinness.

From left: Head, Retail Banking Products, Consumer Banking, West Africa, Mr. Sheahan Arasaratnam; Head Business Marketing, Consumer Banking, West Africa, Mr. Chima Nwuke and Head, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Diran Olojo, all of Standard Chartered Bank, at the Standard Chartered Bank Mega Rewards promotion, in Lagos.

Standard Chartered encourages Nigerians to save

BY WILLIAM JIMOH ENOCH EFEROBOR

S

TANDARD Chartered Bank Plc has said that there is need for people to save in order to boost investment in the country, just as it stated its preparedness to offer Nigerians solutions to their business challenges.

The bank recently unveiled a mega rewards promo to reward both existing and new customers of the bank for their loyalty while increasing consumers’ businesses and its retail database.

Speaking at the official launch of the promo in Lagos, Head, Retail Banking Products, West Africa Consumer Banking, Sheahan Arasaratnam, said the promo is in line with the bank's grand promise of not only providing financial services but offering Nigerians solutions to their business challenges.

He said: “This is just a takeoff considering various campaigns we have for our customers in this country, more interesting campaigns are still to come. This is the first time we are having this kind of

promo in Nigeria and we have many more in the pipeline.”

The promo, which runs from 17 February to June 30 2014, offers prizes including; a high end luxury car Porsche Cayenne; N1 million cash prize each for five lucky winners and other high value prizes, by maintaining a minimum daily balance of N50, 000 in savings or current account with the bank for at least two months to qualify for the cash prizes, ipads and smartphones and for three months for the grand prize.

“Over the last few years, we have worked at developing market relevant solutions to meet the needs of our customers in the retail space. Our retail drive is very clear as we continue to make banking simpler, more transparent, more convenient and more need based,” said According to Carol Oyedeji, Regional Head of Consumer Banking West Africa, "We have strengthened our digital channels with our award winning Online banking platform and launched Breeze Mobile banking and have also increased our branches. footprints across the country.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulat or egulator oryy Commission and the public

T

HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, is not only the regulator but is also the coordinator of the country ’s electricity supply system. Two components of the existing system, the distribution and generation sectors, were put under new managements during 2013 when private sector interests acquired majority shareholdings in eleven electricity distribution companies, DISCOs, and some of the generation companies.

These companies are now free from the constraints of the national budget and the public expectations are that these companies would be run as profitable organisations delivering power to their customers.

There are ten thermal power stations which are part of the National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, and which thermal power stations have not been connected to the national grid. These thermal power stations belong to the Niger Delta Power Holding Company and bids for 80 per cent majority shareholding have been invited from companies interested in operating these thermal power stations.

The availability of power from these thermal power stations was incorporated into tariffs being paid by consumers under the existing Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO. What is important now is for NERC to inform the public when any or all of the thermal power stations would be connected to the national grid.

NERC has recently had to deny that there have been increases in the electricity tariffs given the complaints from the public about increases in the bills issued by the DISCOs. NERC explained that companies which want to charge more for their services must apply for a rate review.

If NERC receives an application for a rate review, there would be a thorough and transparent process of consultation and engagement with consumers, civil society organisations, sector experts, etc., before NERC issues its decision on the application.

When there were some adjustments to the electricity

tariffs in 2011, NERC issued a press statement entitled Tariffs and Transparent Regulation.

In this press statement, NERC promised to bring NIPP under strict regulatory control to ensure scheduled delivery of its projects.

The thermal power stations that are part of NIPP were conceived about ten years ago.

What would be in the best interest of the public is that funds made available for NIPP are applied in such a manner that priority is given to the projects with the earliest possible completion period.

NERC should put efforts into ensuring that the projections made in the MYTO for the total power available to the DISCOs would be achieved within the period of the MYTO. The Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, remains within the national budget.

The transmission system has a long list of deficiencies in unavailable breakers, isolators, transformers, transmission lines and ground switches.

The TCN has not made enough effort at putting in working order all the components of the existing transmission system. There are reports that the management functions at the TCN cannot be carried out effectively because of difficulties with the management contract in place.

In addition, MYTO stipulates that the annual capital expenditure should be N56 billion for the TCN. However, it is reported that the budgetary provision for TCN for 2014 is N25 billion.

The Power Sector Reform Act 2005 states that NERC’s objects include ensuring optimal utilization of resources for the provision of electricity services and presentation of quarterly reports to the President and the National Assembly.

NERC should therefore bring to the attention of the authorities all that is required to make the transmission system serve the distribution and generation sectors effectively.

In particular, access to the transmission system poses a significant constraint to anyone outside of the Federal Government of Nigeria who plans to undertake a power generation project that would be connected to the national grid.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 19, 2014 — 25

DIARY

Select ICT eevents vents zTelecom CEM World Congress 2014 April 2014, Venue TBC, London zHong Kong ICT Expo 13 – 16 April 2014 Hong Kong. z Cards & payment Asia holds in Singapore 23-24 April 2014. zTransport Networks for Mobile Operators 2014 13 – 14 May 2014 London.

Preview Pre view

New inventions shaping life and living

Airgun Cordless Compressor The Airgun inflates bicycle tires, rafts and other items quickly and easily, without the need for a manual pump or a large compressor.

Offered by Airman, the battery-powered Airgun compressor looks a great deal like a cordless drill.

Easy to hold in the hand, the device is equipped with a 5-inch flexible hose and an LED to help users see as they attach the hose. The Airgun can be used as is to inflate bike tires, and also comes with a selection of adapters to allow it to inflate balls and inflatable toys.

I 2015 elections: N NCS to S I engage D INEC in eE voting

Rural inclusion:

z A rural community connected to Internet

774 Nigerian local councils to get internet hotspots ...as CBN, NIGCOMSAT tie multibillion Naira internet hotspot deal

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

T

here is no going back on cashless Nigeria. That s e e m s to be the message Central Bank of Nigeria CBN is passing to all Nigerians. In every project CBN has engaged itself recently to boost the nationwide cashless initiative, the governor, Mallam Sanusi L amido has always reiterated the importance of empowering primary, secondary schools, the entire banking industry both in the urban and rural areas, with real time internet c o n n e c t i v i t y .

To put more action to its words, the CBN at the weekend, dropped a

hint that it was on the verge of signing a multi billion Naira contract with the nation’s communications satellite business managers, the Nigerian Communications Satellite, NIGCOMSAT, limited.

CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi who dropped the hint, while launching Bank Verification Number Biometric Solution in Lagos, said the contract will be signed in a few days to come.

The digital initiative contract with NIGCOMSAT which is expected to be ratified early next week will create hotspots in all the 774 Local Govern m e n t Areas in Nigeria for seamless

ZINO ZINOXX wins platinum aw ar d awar ard with Zpad

,

,

zCritical Communications World 27-29 May 2014 BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand

It will enable customers access online real time banking services whether they live in the villages of Bayelsa or desert environment in Yobe

IMC complies with Datacard Group requirements

Internet connectivity via satellite.

At least, Sanusi said that “all financial access points in the country will have dedicated hotspots through dedicated access points for the benefit of the banks and their customers”.

He also said this same service will be available in many primary and secondary schools across the 774 council areas in the country.

For him, with Internet hotspots in primary and secondary schools, the youths and leaders of tomorrow would be handed the digital empowerment they need to rule their world.

From Sanusi’s expression, the project is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility of the apex bank, but the good thing about it is that “ every Nigerian bank will be connected to this platform whether the banks are located here in Nigeria or elsewhere in the global community. It will enable customers access online real time banking ser vices whether they live in the villages of Bayelsa or desert environment in Yobe States” Again, a direct benefit of this internet hotspot is the boost it will give Mobile money services, as it will smoothen transfer of money from one point to the other from one machine to the other without hitches. Meanwhile, Sanusi said that the CBN has initiated all of Continues on pagewith 28 the these in collaboration Ministry of Communications

26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 19, 2014

Uwaje's daughter to speak at Harvard Business School ZINOX wins platinum award with Zpad

•Mrs. Begho

A

S Africa Women in Leadership converge to diagnose and tackle the challenges confronting the Continent, the dauther of Chris Uwaje , Mrs. Nkemdilim Begho has been selected as one of the African leading women in Technology to speak at the prestigious conference scheduled to hold at the Harvard Business Schools in Boston MAUSA. According to the conference organisers, “Over the decades, we have seen women across Africa stepping up to the challenge of leadership in both the public and private sector.

While impressive strides have been made in this space, Africa must capitalize on the human capital of women who by number

alone make up a large pool of potential talent needed to drive the continent forward. Of course certain challenges abound that have held women back but these challenges can be further reduced by having targeted mentorship, access to education and other initiatives that encourage more women to realize their vast potential. The number of women in leadership roles is still too low compared to what it could be and nurturing growth in this arena will benefit both the men and women of African countries”.

The select panel of speakers will deal with issues focused on empowering the next generation of women into leadership in Africa; exploring trends and opportunities in the women in leadership space as well as help examine solutions to human capital development across the continent.

A seasoned professional in the IT Service Industry, Mrs Nkemdilim Begho has served as the Managing Director of Future Software Resources Nigeria Ltd (Futuresoft) since 2008.

MNET appoints Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu W/Africa Director

M

-Net, Africa’s leading television content provider, has named Mrs. Wangi MbaUzoukwu as its first Regional Director, West Africa.

The appointment takes effect March 1, 2014. The CEO of M-Net Sub-Saharan Africa, Mrs. Patricia van Rooyen said Mba-Uzoukwu’s appointment reflected the broadcaster’s rapid growth in West Africa.

She added that “such has been the increase in our pan-African viewership that we recently decided to split our African operations into West and East Africa. This will enable us to increase our presence in these regions, and to focus on delivering content and services that are tailored to meeting what our audiences want.”

According to Van Rooyen, Mrs. Mba-Uzoukwu was one of West Africa’s most talented broadcast executives, having joined M-Net as Regional Manager in October 2012. With a degree in Political Science and a postgraduate diploma in Direct Marketing, she joined M-Net from Airtel Nigeria Limited where she was Head of Brand and Marketing Communications.

“Wangi will head up an extremely strong content team that will capitalise on the excellent reputation and popularity that M-Net has a m o n g s t hundreds of thousands of West A f r i c a n s viewers,” Van Rooyen said.

•Mba-Uzoukwu

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orld’s renowned computer, tablet and smart phone makers Foxconn has given Zinox Technologies Platinum Partner Award for 2014. The award according to Foxconn was to celebrate the ingenuity of the Zinox Research and Development team in the Tablet Pcs known as Zpad. Foxconn’s Maricar Deocampo, said of the award: “ we are awarding Zinox Technologies our distinguished Partnership status in order to celebrate the newest smart device from the stable of Nigeria’s foremost and most decorated ICT Company. “Though Zpad series is built in partnership with us but your intellectual strength, competence in digital design and capacity to

challenge the best global digital products is unbelievable considering the fact that you are based in an emerging Third World country with all the difficulties with infrastructures and digital capital. Of special interest to us is your exceptional knowledge on Apps content. We are definitely excited to work with you and it has been very rewarding and we hope your country will appreciate this combined effort to deliver what we consider as one of the best series of Digital Tablet Pcs in the world”.

Corporate Communications Adviser of Zinox Technologies, Uche Nnadozie disclosed that the Zpads are digital Tablets that cure knowledge deficiencies and a tool so reliable that it has extended warranty with extra Apps compared to any other in the market.

2015 elections: NCS to engage INEC in e-voting

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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hile request for the urgent recomposition of the conference delegates to include adequate representation from the Nigeria Computer Society, the umbrella body of the Nigerian IT professionals has said that it would engage the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC on successful e-voting.

The IT professional body said that the request is made in the interest of adding value and quality to the process, adding that it was a necessity not a luxury for the desired IT-enabled national transformation.

It would be recalled that the NCS under the leadership of Professor Uwadia had earlier visited INEC on how best to deploy IT in the 2010 elections where a Memorandum of Understanding should be executed to serve as basis for further relationship.

Under the MOu , it was agreed that IT solutions should be indigenous so as to have local content which the professionals have been clamoring for years back.

The President of NCS , Prof.

David Adewumi who disclosed this to IT Journalists last week in Lagos to unfold activities ahead of its national conference slated for July this year in Enugu State , noted that there was need for INEC to collaborate with IT professionals in the 2015 general elections.

INEC to be guided in deploying IT The essence of NCS engagement with INEC he said was to ensure that INEC was well guided in deploying IT to the

electoral process so that ultimate results of future elections in Nigeria were seen to be accurate and truly reflect the wishes of the electorates.

According to him, NCS will be engaging the regulatory authority on how best to achieve a successful and transparent e-voting system in the 2015 elections.

We will be talking to INEC as advocacy group. It is time the government engages the IT professionals’ scheme of things. All personnel carrying out core IT professional duties in the government agencies must be registered professionals as stipulated in Act 49 of 1993” he noted.

Be transparent While requesting INEC to be transparent and fully unfold its strategies for deploying IT for the entire electoral process so that professionals could offer advice where necessary, he said that there was need to engage IT professionals so as to achieve digital economy in the 21st century The essence of this engagement is to ensure that INEC is well guided in deploying

IT to the electoral process so that ultimate results of future elections in Nigeria are seen to be accurate and truly reflect the wishes of the electorates.

“Stronger stakeholder partnerships with NCS will build an inclusive, globally competitive and prosperous Nigeria that will be the envy of other African nation” he said.

National dialogue He said that the nation was not fully harnessing the growth opportunity of the IT sector industry, academia, profession, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders.

Policies and legislation “Appropriate recognition, policies and legislation still needs to be put in place. There is a glaring need to incorporate and prioritize the role of the IT sector if Nigeria is to be a key player and fulfil its promise in the 21st century.

“Nigerian Information Technology Professionals, through its national umbrella body, Nigeria Computer Society, are very uncomfortable with their lack of representation in the composition of the National Conference.

From left: Prof Pat Utomi, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Chris Uwaje, Chairman and Chief Software Architect of Mobile Software Solutions during the launch of the solution, in Lagos.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 19, 2014 — 27

BY EMEKA AGINAM, who was in Malaga, Spain

Two Nigerians become Directors in Airtel Tanzania, Uganda

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LTHOUGH THERE were many innovative solutions showcased at the just concluded 2014 Samsung Forum held in in Malaga, Spain, the most creative innovation that caught the attention of majority of delegates was the new “Digital Village” by Samsung designed specifically to bridge digital divide in Africa.

The solution for Africa, born for Africa was designed to deliver better education opportunities, greater medical access and improved economic life for people across Africa, the capacity building project which adopts the use of the solar energy to provide improved solutions across various sectors to rural settlements, has five major integrations including internet school, health centre, lantern, tele-medical centre and generator, all of which are solarpowered.

For Samsung, creating personal opportunities in this modern wired world is impossible unless people can cross the digital divide without having to leave their traditional areas for the hustle and bustle of Africa’s major cities.

Accordingly, Samsung believes that by working with governments or appropriate government departments across Africa, the promise of digital village will better be achieved.

Using sunshine to change lives This has involved looking to the sunshine that Africa has in abundance and developing solar powered applications that can literally improve lives.

The concept: For one thing, the concept of digital village harnesses technology in a way that breaks through traditional ,social and economic barriers and takes real support and opportunity to people where they live.

Addresses Africa’s challenges: The Samsung Digital Village model addresses one of Africa’s largest economic challenges

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* Samsung's Mobile Clinic

Bridging digital divide in Africa:

The Samsung example which is electrification. On average, less than 25 per cent of rural areas on the continent benefit from electricity, resulting in isolated communities with limited access to education, healthcare and connectivity, all of which are key to socio-economic upliftment of the continent.

Bridging digital divide: For many industry watchers, one thing is clear. If the Samsung digital village initiative is fully implemented, it would bridge digital divide in the continent.

Elements: Solar Power Internet Schools: This is exclusively solar-powered, transportable and completely independent classroom geared at increasing accessibility to education and connectivity across Africa.

Solar Power Generator: Traditional diesel generators utilise non-renewable resources and pollute the environment with fumes and noise. The generator is also an ideal solution for homeowners, small businesses, remote border posts and schools.

Solar Power Health Centre: This provides professional, mobile qualified medical care,

thereby eliminating economic and geographic barriers.

Telemedical Centre: It provides remote medical assistance through a centralized pool of medical expertise and experience. This will reduce the need for qualified doctors in rural areas and reduce the distances that patients need to travel for diagnosis.

LED lighting: The solar-powered lantern uses light emitting diodes (LEDs), which are more energy efficient and last much longer than conventional light bulbs. Charged from a central charging kiosk that is equipped with a solar rooftop, the lanterns are expected to provide lighting for more than 10 years while producing no greenhouse gases.

Digital village offers: With some of the elements of the initiative already in Nigeria like Samsung Engineering Academy, the digital village offers complete educational infrastructure, power generation capabilities to enable the growth of small businesses, ability to harness the energy of the sun to minimize running cost, among others to remote villages in Africa.

VDT Communications graduates 2nd batch of Modular Engineers both in the private and public sectors to join

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BYPRINCE OSUAGWU HARTI Airtel has appointed two Nigerians as directors to its operations in Tanzania and Uganda.

The appointments were part of senior level organizational changes within its Africa operations in the final quarter of 2013.

The Nigerians who moved up the ladder in the company ’s business included Ms. Vera Ogwa Onoja, former Zonal Business Manager for North Central, Nigeria, who has now been appointed Regional Operations Director for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Mr. Oladapo Sorinolu, former Head of Corporate and Enterprise in Nigeria, appointed Enterprise Director for Uganda.

Ms. Ogwa, who joined the company in 2003, had worked in various capacities in the Sales and Distribution Group.

She started her professional career at Citibank Nigeria in year 2000 and had a brief stint with Triumph Bank before crossing to the Telecom industry in 2003 where she joined the corporate sales department of Econet Wireless.

In 2010, she became the Zonal Business Manager North Central of Airtel; a position she occupied till her recent appointment.

Ms. Ogwa is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School and India Institute of Management.

The new Enterprise Director for Uganda, Mr. Oladapo Sorinolu, joined Airtel in June 2012, from Globacom Limited where he served as Head of Glo-1 E n t e r p r i s e .

Sorinolu started his over 22 years professional career spanning across FMCG and Telecom Industries as a sales manager at Beauty Care range, a Pharmaceutical product organization and later became the Regional Manager, Lagos, West and Mid-West, PZ Cussons plc.

Speaking on the appointment, the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of

NE of the leading broadband com munications firm in the country, VDT Communications has passed its second batch of successful candidates from the organization’s Modular Trainee Engineers’ programme into the Nigerian market.

The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, VDT Communications, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi who spoke at the graduation ceremony held in Lagos over the weekend said: “The VDT Modular Trainee Engineers’ programme was necessitated by the need to contribute our quota as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility activity, to reduce the teeming population of unemployed youths in our country”. Omoniyi, then called on the government of Nigeria, education administrators and corporate organizations

hand and do much more to close the gap between theoretical and practical experience in our education system. According to him, such a move is imperative to give applicants in the country the much needed practical experience that would increase their employability, thereby significantly reducing unemployment in Nigeria.

He said that though the percentage of unemployment in Nigeria is very high with 23.9 per cent all time high as at January 2012 with over 16million able Nigerians unemployed, a closer look at the issue however, indicates that a good percentage of unemployment in Nigeria is heightened not only by lack of jobs but also lack of experience and competency on the part of the applicants.

Countries already deployed: Already kicked off in many African countries including South Africa, Gabon, Ethopia, among others,showcasing the project that is expected to improve the lives of Africa’s inhabitants, the the Director, B2B and IT Solutions, Samsung Africa, Thierry Boulanger in a world press conference during the forum that attracted no fewer than 50 Samsung dealers from Nigeria, explained that using solar power to promote health care and education was the concept behind Samsung’s Digital Village.

With Nigeria a key beneficially, he further explained that the project was also designed to help local traders develop their business with a sustainable and low-cost alternative to fossil fuels.

Throwing more lights on the digital village initiative, he assured that every African country will benefit from the project.

When fully implemented, he said with optimism that the initiative would bridge digital divide in Africa.

He said that solar powered tele-medical center will reduce the need for qualified doctors in rural arrears, adding that it will also educate communities about health issues.

Solar powered tele-medical center , according to him educate communities about health issues and also reduce the need for qualified doctors in rural arrears.

“Education is also part of the project with the Internet School. Teachers have e-boards and a notebook at their disposal, which is powered by the solar panels installed on the roof. Students have access to Galaxy Tabs which are also powered by the panels on the roof for their interactive multimedia class in rural Africa. It will benefit arrears with no school infrastructure” he further explained.

Continues on page 28

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Glo’s 200% recharge bonus on Bumpa package excites subscriber subscriberss

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lo Bumpa tariff plan, re cently introduced by National Telecommunications operator, Globacom, has received wide activations across the country by excited subscribers eager to avail themselves of the generous bonus it offers.

The plan, launched by Globacom last month, gives prepaid subscribers an instant value of 200 percent bonus on every recharge. With the bonus airtime, subscribers are allowed to text or call any network across the country and to browse the internet.

According to Globacom’s Marketing Coordinator, Adeniyi Olukoya, Glo Bumpa has received unprecedented acceptance in the market.

“Our subscribers are jostling to get on the tariff plan in order to cut their expenses on airtime.

This is not surprise as subscribers receive up to 200 percent recharge bonus every time they recharge their phones with airtime worth N100 and above. For instance, subscribers on the Bumpa plan who recharge with N1,000 get up to N3,000 as value”, he said He disclosed that pre-paid subscribers have particularly embraced Glo Bumpa because of the due care Globacom had paid to making it convenient for users.

“We configured Glo Bumpa in such a way that it allows subscribers to use their bonuses to text or call any

network in Nigeria and also to browse the internet. This is unsurpassed in its novelty and gives our subscribers not only great value but the freedom to utilize their bonuses in any way they want,” Olukoya said.

Two Nigerians become Directors in Airtel Tanzania, Uganda Continues from page 27

Air tel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, stated that Bharti-Airtel was a global business with a human resource structure designed to draw talents from across the various geographies in the pursuit of its objectives.

He restated the company’s commitment to developing indigenous talents and giving them leadership opportunities anywhere their skills and expertise are required.

According to him, global businesses take expatriation seriously in their quest to develop a talent pool of employees with multigeographical professional experience to take their businesses to the next level.

Ogwa and Sorinolu join a corps of other Nigerian professionals working in the Bharti-Airtel group as expatriates.

774 Nigerian local Councils to get internet hotspots Continues from page 25

Technology, the Bankers Committee, Chams Plc and the immediate past Deputy Governor incharge of Operations Mr Tunde Lemo and the German Company Dorman Long.

The CBN, Sanusi explained, will fund the Internet connectivity in the first four years and all those who would receive Internet services through the designated nationwide hotspots will do so free of charge.

“This legacy is more than the banking reforms which we have started. Innovative banks can now think in a

limitless manner that is open to them by a combination of the biometric, Internet availability via NIGCOMSAT and in a few years, you will have an industry that is the most efficient in the world by simply leveraging on the potentials of the solutions” He promised that by the time the deal was finally tied, all Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and Point Of Sales (POS) in every village will be linked seamlessly to satellite and would help take a lot of burden off the banks to enable them concentrate on how to woo customers and offer them services that will bring comfort.

From left: MultiChoice Super Dealer, Mr Kazeem Alase; MultiChoice Branch Coordinator, South-West, Mrs Bukola Awofeso; PR Manager GOtv, Miss Efe Obiomah and Marketing Manager, GOtv, Mr Dare Kafar during the GOtv launch at Democracy Park, in Akure.

NIMC complies with Datacard Group requirements

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

T

HE National Identity Management Commission, NIMC says it has successfully carried out User Acceptance Test on the National Identity Smart Card facility to ensure that it conforms to international standards and best global practices in tune with the defined objective of the NIMS project.

The User Acceptance Testing is aimed at meeting the complete requirements as provided by Datacard Group to NIMC, while demonstrating the comprehensive function of the system, which include communication with other sub-systems in NIMC, identifying each citizen by installing personal data and applications on the chip and physical customization of the card to suit each individual. It also includes complete delivery of the validated system.

The Director General of the Commission, Barrister Chris Onyemenam, in a telephone interview, said the test case was necessary to check the Factory Acceptance Test, FAT and the System Acceptance Test, SAT configuration.

Explaining the process of the Factory Acceptance and System Acceptance Testings, Onyemenam said that ‘test data’ was used to encode on the chip of the e-ID card before it can be printed.

“The Smartcard chip encoding applications allows for personal information to be encrypted on the chip of the National Identity Card according to the card profiles, while the machines was used to write names on the card.

He explained that the applications currently encoded on the chip are: ICAO/ePassport application which enables the card to be used as a travel document; the eID application which is the holders Identity; the PKI application

which ensures that the card conforms to international security standards; the MOC application which will be used for authenticating and verifying the holder; and the EMV application which allows the card to be used as a payment solution, e.g as an ATM Card.

According to him, the test case processes was followed carefully to ensure that the National Identity Smart Card are up to global standards and certification before it can be introduced into the market. ”The successful SAT, and the subsequent successful UAT were done following a successful EMV Key Ceremony. ”The ePKI Key Ceremony was conducted recently, thus making sure the NIMC have completed the full circle of tests and functional systems deployment to ensure the proper and standardised issuance of the National Identity Smart Card,” he stated.

The Director General added that the next step following the successful User Acceptance Test is the field testing of the Card which will commence immediately across Nigeria and globally.

•Mr Chris Onyemenam

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014—29

Re: Ogbeni and his traducers: Facts and fallacies RIGHT OF REPLY

BY SAM NWAOBASI

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O transform, literally speak ing is “to give a different form to or change the character of or to alter the nature of something.” So for us in Nigeria, transformation will mean that we must change from what we are used to, to something different, something new.

This process of change cannot be an easy one. In Nigeria we have our definition of what political power must be and how those in positions of authority must behave. For instance, to come away to us in Nigeria as a President, the individual must be hard, loud, tough, and possess the capacity to whip men into line and have his way in all situations.

The President must be able to subdue everybody and secure the obedience of all, not because people are willing to defer to him, but because they must always be aware of the awesome powers of the President to extract respect and obedience from anyone at any point in time. In short, our definition of a President is a ‘garrison commander,’ who barks orders at his troops and have them obey without questions. Many have argued, and perhaps rightly, that the many years of military rule may have done more damage to our psyche than our economy and the many other ills of military rule. And so, any person in Nigeria who chances by the position of President, and does not conform to the definition we have come to internalize is at once, “incompetent, weak, clueless, spineless, a “baba go-slow” or ‘baba stand still’ and such other ‘ingenuous’ coinages we have manufactured to describe a president that does not fit our definition.

But the truth is that Nigeria needs to change both in character and direction. Things must be done differently if we have to achieve the most cherished results that have eluded us as a

Map of Nigeria

what brash, naked and soulless deployment of the powers of the president did not and could never have achieved for Nigeria. One example: Today, the Niger Delta is calm, with economic activities, especially oil exploration and allied businesses going on smoothly. It may be convenient for us now to forget that it took the Amnesty Policy of Yar’Adua to get us out of that ‘tight corner’ which Odi Massacre and the likes could not achieve. That is transformation.

New things are happening around us, but many Nigerians, especially those, who are very hungry for power, have chosen not to notice them. I was in Sabongida Ora in Edo State some days back, in the company of a group of some of the best journalists in Nigeria today. We had gone to attend the burial of the mother of the Managing Director of The Nation Newspapers. In the morning of the day of the burial, we gathered at a local ‘joint’ to have a quick breakfast and expectedly, conversations ensued. Someone exclaimed that he travelled by road through the LaIndividuals who find themselves in gos-Ore-Benin highway and that he could not believe that a road positions of leadership must be preNigerians had come to accept pared to do things differently does not exist anymore, was that smooth and fsun to drive on. nation over the years. If we want democracy to Another pointed out that the Abuja-Lokoja be firmly rooted in Nigeria, sustainable devel- road, which was started years back without any opment in every facet of our life, respect for the hope for its completion, is now almost 90 per rule of law, transparency and accountability in cent completed. The discourse graduated into governance, etc., then we must accept to do a detailed and informed analysis of what the things the way we are not used to. That is trans- Jonathan Administration has achieved in the formation. Transformation will not take root in last two years plus. Many wondered what those Nigeria when the president we are prepared to who vilify and crucify President Jonathan and accept must be one who will single-handedly his Administration are up to with so much hapdecide and choose the leadership of the Na- pening and ordinary Nigerians taking note of tional Assembly, and must always be around to them. I could only chip in that; that is the real ensure that none of the ‘boys’ steps out of line. Jonathan transformation. Very soon, some of The president of our creation must have his those problems and challenges that have for fresh banana peels under the seat of each pres- long been the Nigerian identity, like power ident of the Senate and speaker of the House of outage, poor infrastructure, harassment of hapRepresentatives. He must have the capacity to less citizens by the agents of the State, etc., will contrive an impeachment on-shore or off-shore be wiped off our memory the way queuing for of any state governor whose ‘loyalty’ drops be- fuel has been. low acceptable level. He must own the party and Transformation will mean nothing and yield alone decide who gets into what position in the nothing if we do not transform our minds. Indiparty. In short, he must wear his cap as “the viduals who find themselves in positions of leadpersonification of the sovereignty of the nation” ership must be prepared to do things differentso unmistakably that no one is left in doubt as to ly. President Jonathan, truth be told, has been who is in charge at every point in time. an amazing revelation in the use and manageThe late President Yar’Adua, ran into stormy ment of the awesome powers of the President waters because he did not fit the definition of of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His style of the Nigerian president which his immediate pre- not throwing his weight around, which some decessor so perfectly exemplified. He instantly have, rather mischievously, interpreted as became, by our standards, “baba go-slow” and weakness, is an interesting study in the use of shortly after graduated into “baba stand still.” But power. That is the ultimate transformation we it is instructive that in his otherwise “go slow” need. and “stand still” style he achieved for Nigeria To be concluded

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HE Vanguard newspaper editorial of Tuesday, February 11, 2014, page 18 entitled, Of Choristers, Hijab, Masquerades, was an apparent attempt to put in perspective the disturbances that played up at the Baptist High School, Iwo in the State of Osun.

The newspaper directed its searchlight on the causes of the disturbances, the role of stakeholders, including the government and what the true situation is beyond the sensationalism of the whole issue in certain media quarters.

Vanguard should be commended for its role of informing the people on activities of government. But while putting the matters in perspective, the editorial became fraught with wrong assumptions and fallacies.

This became more evident in the insinuation that religion is at the centre of every policy of the government; concluding that the reported disagreement in Iwo amounts to reaping the fruits of the percieved heavy investment of government in religion.

One should be interested in a dispasssionate x-raying of the programmes of the Rauf Aregbesola administration to determine where religious bias is evident.

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Nigeria: the transformation we need

BY ADEKUNLE OWOLABI

moting religions as claimed in the editorial? The impression must be corrected that there is no tension whatsoever in the state as reported by some newspapers. The drama that is presented to the world in the most sensational form as manifest in Osun is limited to a particular school where the Baptist Mission wrongly assumed ownership of the institution and from that incorrect premise and notion, squares up to the government in some aspects of the statewide education reform.

Two, there was no time government converted any legacy missionary schools. Federal Government took them over nationwide almost 40 years ago through a law. Hence, these schools are public schools solely controled and run by government. The example cited in the editorial that government turned Baptist Boys High School, Ejigbo, a boys-only school to a mixed school, is also untrue.

On the use of hijab, the disagreement between the Christians and their Muslim counterparts predates the present government. Its peak was when the matter was taken to the court which automatically makes it impossible for the government to make any categorical policy for now until the matter is dispensed with at the court. What the High Court in the state said was that

At no time did the government direct the use of hijab in public schools and it must be stated that hijab wearing is not a thing that started with the newly introduced public schools’ uniform by the Aregbesola government

A look at the flagship programmes of the administration such as youth empowerment, infrastructure provisions, school reform projects, environment, urban renewal, industrialisation efforts, security, health, social security schemes do not in any way reflect anything close to that insinuation.

It would have been an issue had the recruitment of 40,000 youths under the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) been done on the basis of religion. It would have been an issue had schools being built now throughout the state been selected on the basis of religion. Have the over 750 kilometres of roads already completed been selected on the basis of religion?

Were the 1,602 vunerale elderly persons selected for monthly social security scheme that entitles themt to N10,000 monthly chosen on the basis of their faiths?

Were the 3,100 women trained and employed to provide nutritious meal to about 350,000 pupils of elementary schools under the O’MEAL scheme chosen on the basis of their faith?

If no one can locate religion at the centre of any of these policies that have driven the state in the last three years from its very parlous state to what is now the seventh largest economy in Nigeria, how then can anyone accuse the Aregbesola administration of pro-

,

the status quo ante should be maintained pending the determination (judgment) on the matter.

And as a product of the rule of law, the government of Aregbesola couldn’t do less but obey and abide by the pronouncement of this court of record.

In other words, at no time did the government direct the use of hijab in public schools and it must be stated that hijab wearing is not a thing that started with the newly introduced public schools’ uniform by the Aregbesola government. What happened at the Baptist High School, Iwo, was not in any way a fall out of the school reform.

Rather, the reform has even unearthed what has been a time bomb of indiscipline, cultism and various other disastrous undercurrents that had militated against brilliant performances of children in schools.

We must put it on record that at no time was security threatened in the state. The incident at the Baptist, Iwo, last two weeks, where 92 students protested either the use or otherwise of hijab is not strange. The government has demonstrated the highest form of responsiveness and responsbility by tackling the matter decisively and halting the drift.

•Adekunle Owolabi, Media Assistant in the Office of the Governor writes from Osogbo

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30—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Functional primary healthcare will improve services —Lagoon Hospital

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ANAGEMENT of the La goon Hospitals, Lagos has emphasised the need to prioritise primary healthcare services in Nigeria with a view to improving access as well as ensure excellence in healthcare delivery. To this end, the hospital has inaugurated a state-of-the art Primary healthcare Outpatient Complex on its Apapa premises.

Speaking in Lagos, the Chief Operating Officer, of the Lagoon Hospitals, Dr. Naseem Mohammed who was of the view that healthcare delivery in the country cannot improve without a functional primary healthcare system said good primary health system

would help the country to meet the numerous health challenges of the country. Primary Healthcare system is a conscious strategy to meet the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, 4, 5 and 6 targeted at women and children.”

“As the demand for quality healthcare continues to grow and to create access to Nigerians, Lagoon Hospitals is always looking at ways to best meet the needs of patients. The Primary Healthcare Department is a unique concept that is devoted to the first level of care for patients. With these new facilities patients will receive extremely efficient and cost-effective care. Services available in

this department include adult and children’s general out-patient services, wound dressing, Immunization clinics, laboratory services, pre-employment and other selective screening examinations”. Also speaking, the Chairman of Hygeia Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Fola Laoye stated that strengthening primary health system will ensure efficiency as well as proactive to the needs of Nigerians particularly the women and children.

“We will continue our pioneering work in Healthcare Delivery

in Nigeria. This is a model devised to highly improve access to high quality healthcare for the average Nigerian and largely meets the needs of the country’s present Healthcare needs. All our locations, Apapa, Ikeja and Victoria Island, will be delivering this service. Primary Healthcare services help us to work closely with our patients, reduce waiting times, enhance customer service and clinical quality. This complements the needs of those who require our superspecialty services as Lagoon is one of the only few centers of-

fering advanced specialty care.”

The Group Clinical Adviser, Dr. Jimmy Coker further disclosed that the hospital has implemented Electronic Medical Record (EMR) in the quest for excellence. The EMR in Lagoon Hospitals has remained very successful and effective tool in improving the delivery of care to new levels. On his part, Dr. Jide Ojo, Head, EMR, said the system facilitates continuous improvement in healthcare delivery by capturing structured information and by enabling active decision support through the ability to access and interrogate medical data. According to him, the system is operational in all the hospitals’ departments.

Infertility: St Ives discounts IVF treatments

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O ensure affordability in fertility treatment, St Ives hospital has discounted its In Vitro Fertilisation, IVF treatment by half. The discount exercise is done in collaboration with Ives Medicare Foundation, a managed care organisation, which provides pre-paid healthcare services and enhances access to efficient and high quality health services by individuals, groups and families.

The exercise which is being run at its Ikoyi, Lagos, branch is not the first time the IVF and Fertility centre would be slashing its price by half, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Babatunde Okewale, adduced the reason to the high cost of IVF tests and treatments all over the world. “We have identified cost as a major factor militating against stemming the incidence of infertility in Nigeria. Though cases of infertility appear to be abating, a high number of couples are still being challenged. Over the years, we have seen a steady though slow success rates in the crusade against infertility in Nigeria, courtesy of half-the-cost discount. We have further been strengthened in our resolve to continuously make IVF accessible and relatively affordable to couples.” Aside this, Okewale said that the discount holiday which runs till March 10th, is in celebration of Easter and Mother’s Day.

•The PHC complex being commissioned by the founders of Hygeia Group, Professor Adeyemo Elebute and Mrs. Oyinade Elebute, in Lagos.

Election: Health questions for our politicians T

HE political season is now slowly creeping in on us.

Soon the radio, television and newspaper will be filled with rhetoric, cliches and promises.

In this enduring democratic growth, it is time for ordinary Nigerians to seize the initiative of discussion from our politicians and direct the conversation towards the real issues, and the “Party Manifesto”.

The Manifesto....this seemingly forgotten document that highlights the promises and ambitions of political parties and their candidates.

When the politicians start speaking of personalities and individuals, let’s redirect them to ideas, issues and innovations. When they start complaining of what A or B has done or not done, let’s ask them what they would do or not do.

I know little of the intricacies of politics, but having practiced my profession in three conti-

nents for thirty years, I can speak on matters related to healthcare.

So what health related questions can we ask our candidates and what issues should their manifestos address?

Here are just a few: How will you improve the ways hospitals are funded?

Which is most important to you....primary, secondary or tertiary health services?

What is “quaternary ” healthcare...and do we need it?

How will you reduce or resolve conflicts with and within healthcare practitioners? i.e...How will you stop strikes that shut down our hospitals?

Are you happy with the National Health Insurance Scheme?

What will you do to attract Nigerian doctors and nurses in diaspora to return home...or do you believe we don’t need them? What plans do you have for reducing mother and child

deaths?

Do private hospitals and the private sector have a role to play in your policies?

How will you make your staff happy?

How will you tackle the scourge of TB, HIV and Malaria? What are your plans to handle the growing group of “lifestyle” diseases?

How will you attract healthcare staff to the rural areas?

What changes would we have seen 2 years after we vote you in? The discussion and debates ( oh how I would love to run such a debate!) must remain focused on plans, goals and objectives.

You should ask how they will raise funds.

You should ask how they will spend your taxes.

You should ask about their qualification, experience and expertise for the position for which they seek your vote.

This list above is not an exhaustive list. Make your own list. Ask questions that are relevant to your community, your environment and YOUR health and well-being.

You should direct your questions at ALL parties and ALL candidates at ALL levels of Government, be it local, state or Federal.

Those seeking your vote should make their plans and manifesto public. In this media age, political parties like the UK Labour and Conservatives, Republicans and Democrats in the USA make these documents easily available online. And, in this day and age, you can individually record audio and video of promises made and answers given to your questions, for later

audit and corroboration of results. This is part of an effective democracy...people asking questions and getting answers; politicians held accountable, after the ballot, to the promises they made before the ballot.

This coming election time is not the time to be bought by money or brainwashed by personalities.

The future of healthcare in Nigeria rests in the hands of those YOU elect to serve YOU and to formulate and implement policy. Let no potential office holder flirt with the illusion of responsibility for your healthcare, with no fear of accountability or ultimate redress at the next ballot. I hope those aspiring for, and those in, political power are listening.

VANGUARD,WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 19,2014—31

32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Bayern Munich expect Arsenal to be tough

B

ayern Munich are prepared to “go to the pain barrier ” in today’s Champions League match at Arsenal, according to midfielder Thomas Muller.

The European champions have lost only once in 34 games going into the first leg of the last16 tie - but Muller says they are wary of the Gunners.

“It’ll be a tough game in London - we know we’ve got to go right to the pain barrier,” said the Germany player.

“We’re off to London feeling good and with a great run under our belts.”

Since former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola took over in the summer, the Bundesliga champions have enjoyed an extraordinary run of form.

Their only two defeats this season have come against Borussia Dortmund - in July’s curtainraiser to the German season, the DFB Super Cup - and against Manchester City, in the final round of Champions League group games. They lead the German league by 16 points, having managed 19 wins and two draws - and their goal difference column reads 57 for and nine against.

The Bavarian giants have faced Arsenal in the last 16 of the competition on two other occasions - last season and during the 2004-05 campaign.

Last February, Bayern, then managed by Jupp Heynckes, secured an impressive 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium before suffering a 2-0 defeat at home in the second leg.

They went on to beat Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley in what turned out to be a treble-winning season.

Bayern also had the better of the Gunners nine years ago, when two goals from Claudio Pizarro helped the German club, under the guidance of new Fulham manager Felix Magath, record a a 3-2 aggregate win.

CRUNCHY . . . Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller (right) and Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey battle for ball possession

Guardiola wary of Arsenal threat B

•Pep Guardiola

AYERN Munich coach Pep Guardiola is wary of the many threats at the disposal of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

The two sides meet today in the first leg of an eagerly anticipated UEFA Champions League last-16 clash at the Emirates Stadium.

Defending champions Bayern knocked Arsenal out at the same stage last year, but Wenger ’s men are enjoying an excellent season, sitting second in the Premier League and through to the last eight of the FA Cup. The London club are also unbeaten in their last 13 home matches, of which 10 have been wins, making Guardiola cautious.

“My opinion on Arsene is that I have a lot of respect,” the Spaniard said.

“His teams have his quality and I have to admire the quality of my opponents.

“We are going to play one team that has all the season been up (leading the league), so now they are third or second in the league, but in the beginning (they were) there.

Wenger: We’re in better mental shape

A

rsene Wenger insists his Arsenal side are in a better mental state than a year ago as they prepare to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League again.

The Germans claimed a 3-1 win at the Emirates Stadium at the same stage of the competition last season and have only lost two competitive games since Arsenal won 2-0 at the Allianz Arena last March.

Bayern progressed on the away goals rule and Wenger, preparing his team for the last 16 first leg today, admitted his

C M Y K

side cannot afford to concede at home this time around.

“I think we are in a better mental shape than last year. We are determined to win this game,” Wenger said. “Last year we went out on the away goal, that shows it’s important not to concede at home.

“We have a strong team spirit that is for sure, we have a united team and we have a stronger belief now.

All the players have recovered well from Sunday [FA Cup win over Liverpool].

: a k a K AC Milan ready

for Atletico Madrid

K

aka insists that AC Milan are feeling “confident and ready” ahead of today’s Champions League showdown with Atletico Madrid.

The Rossoneri currently sit 9th in Serie A, 31 points behind leaders Juventus, and only managed to beat relegation-threatened Bologna at San Siro on Friday night thanks to a sensational late strike from Mario Balotelli.

However, K aka claims that Clarence Seedorf ’s side are in a bullish frame of mind ahead of the visit of Atletico, who are currently locked in a three-way tie for top spot in La Liga with Barcelona and Real Madrid.

“After Friday’s victory in the league against Bologna, we are confident and ready for Wedesday,” the attacking midfielder said of the last-16 firstleg clash at the Giuseppe Meazza during a Twitter Q&A session.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 — 33

I am ready

Seedorf, Simeone renew their rivalry as Milan host A/Madrid C

LARENCE Seedorf and Diego Simeone renew their rivalry today when Atletico Madrid visit Milan in the UEFA Champions League.

The former midfielders regularly locked horns during their playing careers and meet again when their sides do battle in the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition.

Both coaches played for their current clubs and to add spice to the tie, they also turned out for the city rivals of their opponents today.

Seedorf has fond memories of the Champions League, as he was the first player to win the competition three times with different clubs and has four winners’ medals in his collection.

Simeone never lifted the famous

trophy in his playing days, but won the UEFA Cup during his time at Inter and the Europe League in his tenure at Atletico in 2012.

The Liga title contenders arrive in Italy as one of only three sides to avoid defeat in the group stages, winning five of their six games en route to the last 16.

Atletico face a Milan side blighted by inconsistency this season and they have struggled against Spanish opposition at San Siro.

In eight matches against La Liga sides Milan have only won once, a 2-0 victory at this stage of last season’s competition against Barcelona, and have lost their last four knockout ties against Spanish opponents.

Atletico have won three

•Seedorf

•Simeone

Sacchi warns Atletico against Milan T

HE Italian believes that the Rossoneri’s wealth of experience could be telling when the two teams meet in the Champions League today.

Srrigo Sacchi has warned Atletico Madrid that they must not underestimate his former club AC Milan in their upcoming Champions League clash. The Rossoneri have had a poor season this term and currently sit in ninth place in Serie A, while Diego Simeone’s side are in the hunt for the Liga title.

However, the ex-Real Madrid boss believes that Milan’s wealth of experience in the Champions League means they cannot be ruled out of the tie.

“Today Atletico are favourites, but be wary of Milan, we’re talking about a team with extensive experience in Europe,” he is quoted as saying by Marca.

“They are clearly not in a good period, but they have top players who can make the difference.”

Sacchi went on to say that Simeone has transformed Atletico into a solid outfit, saying they are perhaps the most organised team in Europe.

“Atletico are a great team, a real team, who play with very clear ideas. I’ve seen them a few times this season and they ’re spectacular,” he continued.

“I was struck by their game against Madrid at the Bernabeu in La Liga.

They deserved to win.

They ’re a strong, well connected team who have a lot of pace and work well together. Their collective game is at a great level.

“Simeone’s work is great.

There isn’t a team as organised as Atletico in Europe. Their fluency in attack isn’t always great, but the pressure is on the opponent. They have a great defensive organisation.”

Bayern Munich Atletico Madrid

S

•Serena

ERENA Williams will hope to take her Melbourne frustrations out on the rest of the field at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Serena Williams will hope to take her Melbourne frustrations out on the rest of the field at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

The world number one returns to action this week for the first time since her shock loss to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round of the Australian Open last month.

Nadal ‘honoured’ by Maracana kick-off W

ORLD No.1 tennis player Rafael Nadal revealed his delight at kicking-off Rio’s local football derby between Vasco da Gama and Flamengo at the Maracana Stadium here.

The 27-year-old Spaniard, in the city for this week’s inaugural Rio Open, was the guest of honour at the state league match.

“It was a very special experience. I’m a big fan of sports, of football, and this is one of the most important stadiums in the world. It has a lot of history and with the renovation, it looks very nice. It’s going to be a very special stadium for the World Cup. It was an honour to have the opportunity to do the match kick-off,” Nadal said.

•Rafael Nadal

Include golf in Lagos Sport Festival •Ransome Kuti appeals to Fashola

BY JACOB AJOM

L

ADY Captain of Ikeja Golf, Abosede Ransome Kuti, has appealed to the First Lady of Lagos State, Dame Abimbola Fashola to use her good offices to ensure golf is included in the annual Lagos State Sports Festival.

Speaking at the Golf Awards ceremony of the Lagos First Lady Golf tournament organised by the Lady Golfers section of the Ikeja Golf Club, Kuti thanked the First Lady for her support for the event which she acknowledged had become a major part of the club’s annual calendar.

“It is because of her Excellency’s passion for golf that she continues to support this tournament and this year she has gone a step further to recognise those who have contributed to the growth of this noble game.”

Staruf Soccer Festival begins

F

•Sacchi

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHES TODAY Arsenal vs AC Milan vs

— Serena

8:45pm 8:45pm

ORMER Super Eagles keeper, Peter Rufai has stated that the Staruf Soccer Festival is an initiative which was informed by his desire to give back to the society through the sport that gave him the best opportunity to shoot to limelight when he was a youth.

Speaking before the soccer festival which began at the Military Cantonment, Ikeja yesterday, the former Nigeria international said the event will offer hundreds of young and promising footballers the avenue to exhibit their skills and talents and, perhaps, get hooked up by scouts.

C M Y K

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, although it is not a holiday in most of them.

A popular hagiographical account of Saint Valentine of Rome states that he was imprisoned for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians, who were persecuted under the Roman Empire. Today, Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church.

The day was first associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th Century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines").

Valentine's Day symbols that *Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and his wife, Pastor Helen coming into the arena are used include the

By SAM EYOBOKA heart-shaped LL seats in the outline, several canopies doves, and erected in the the figure of expanse car park of the Word the winged of Life Bible Church InternCupid. Since ational Gospel Centre (IGC), the 19th Warri were already taken century, even before the commencehand-written ment time of 12.00 noon. valentines The joy of the crowd have given dressed in different variants way to massof red/black coloured attires, produced was high pitched. The greeting weather was friendly with cards. But in parches of clouds in the sky, the past few an indication that it might years, rain, yet the crowd was not February 14 deterred. They had gathered *Gospel crooner, Chioma Jesus treating the audience to melodious tunes has become to participate in the open-forall party organized by the mark this year’s Valentine synonymous, in Warri and its February 14 is regarded as Word of Life Bible Church to Day. environs, with a special Saint Valentine's Day, aka reach-out treatment as National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor used the occasion to extend love to the masses in cash and kind.

This year was not an exception, as Pastor Oritsepacked with lots of activities ceses.

By EBUN SESSOU including prayer and fasting, Odedeji noted that one of the jafor fondly called Papa Ayo IGERIAN Christians variety night and launch of a goals of the church pragmatic by his numerous spiritual have been urged to documentary, visit to orphan- evangelism is such that, it will children across the nation, devote their time to ages, anniversary lecture, meet both the spiritual and the celebrated the Lovers Day prayer for the nation ahead of praise night/vigil, society cel- physical needs of members and with a large party for the married, unmarried, widows the general elections next year. ebration/award day, love feast, non-members of AVMCC. Rt. Reverend James Odedeji endowment luncheon as well Meanwhile, the chairman of and people from all works of made the call at an interaction as special thanksgiving. the anniversary committee, life irrespective of their section with newsmen to herTheme of the anniversary is; Prof. Wale Omole reiterated religion.

The idea of the Valentine ald the 50th anniversary of "Jubilee of His Abundant that there is need to really thank Archbishop Vining Memorial Grace." The cleric said, al- God for His mercies, favour Love Feast was to keep Church Cathedral, AVMCC, though AVMCC is only 50 and help since the inception of people from corrupting themselves by the ungodly Anglican Communion. years and younger than some the church.

The Anglican bishop of La- other churches in the diocese, According to him, "the main manner the world celebrate gos West declared that the yet, it has continuously bene- feature of this programme is Valentine Day, create a godly golden jubilee will provide an fitted in the abundant grace of thanksgiving because the atmosphere where genuine opportunity for the Body of God and is ranked number one church has started on a good love is expressed and also Christ to give thanks to God for in the Anglican fold. note and had since enjoyed the demonstrated, practically, by giving to the less privileged.

His mercies and unmerited faOutlining the essence of the awesomeness of God." vour, noting that it's time to anniversary, he noted that it is Speaking on the awards, he God's infinite bring Nigerian politicians to- expedient to appreciate the said it is a way of recognising love gether to promote peace in the power and faithfulness of God those who had supported the land and avert bloodletting in AVMCC and in the lives of church spiritually, financially during the forthcoming elec- its members.

Like the mystery of the and physical aspects of their tion.

According to him, the church lives, adding that the award is sun’s heat and light, no The anniversary celebration was founded in 1964 and has based on the service individu- individual can measure it or kicked off Monday and runs till about 8,000 members, stressing als have contributed to the explain it, and yet none could March 9. According to Bishop that the church serves as a co- church. not live without it. What, Odedeji, the event has been ordinating centre for other dioexactly, is this phenomenon?

CELEBRATING HIS MYSTERY OF LOVE

A

Cleric urges Nigerians to step up prayer for the nation...as AVMCC marks golden jubilee

N

C M Y K

It’s God’s infinite love. With Valentine’s Day grabbing much of our attention, take some time out of our busy schedule and reflect on Jeremiah 31:3 and the mystery of God’s love.

Shortly after the opening prayer, participants had an opportunity to clap and gyrate to high-pitched sessions of praise and worship by a popular gospel artiste, Chioma Jesus and the church's Milk and Honey Choir. It was followed by comedians thrilling the crowd.

Love one another The CAN President and his delectable wife popularly called Mama Helen rekindled their love for one another, danced together along with the crowd which included pastors and their wives.

The large crowd was treated to food (including local delicacies like starch & owo soup, eba & egusi soup etc) and drinks while the programme lasted and everyone in attendance was satisfied.

While the eating and wining was going on, Pastor Oritsejafor used the occasion to charge all present to love one another by protecting, providing and projecting their spouses, loved ones and the vulnerable in the society.

He also emphasised the need for believers in Southern part of Nigeria to always remember those in the North that have been going through turbulent times in the hands of the insurgents called Boko Haram.

He enjoined those in leadership positions to punish evil and always reward the labour of our heroes, past and present.

Large heartedness Apart feeding the multitude, the partriach and martriach of the church demonstrated their large heartedness by reaching out to others when they doled out 25 kg bags of rice each to 1,000 elderly and indigent peersons in attendance. They also gave out Nl,000.00 to each of the 1,000 people, to prepare sauce for the rice; just to make the Valentine Day worthwhile for them. The beneficiaries left the compound praising God and thanking Papa Oritsejafor for being such a great blessing and they are already looking forward to another Lovers Day hoping for more things.

Besides the annual poverty alleviation programmes every December when they give out brand new cars, tricycles, sewing machines amongst many others, with the aim of giving the less privileged a new start in life, Papa Oritsejafor has hosted the Love Feast for the past seven years.

VANGUARD,WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 19,2014—35

36—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

UK visa applicants condemn new visa requirement

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU

A

large number of Nigerians who seek various categories of UK visa have expressed bitterness over the many hurdles towards obtaining UK visas and as such, seek the intervention of the Nigeria Ministry of Foreign Affairs in ensuring immediate suspension of some of the additional visa prerequisites by the British government, which unjustly deny them entry into the UK. Many opined that Nigerian government, particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs engages the British Government with a view to reviewing its entire immigration policy, which appears discriminatory to Nigerians.

Senior Immigration solicitor, Eddie Onyeka, told Vanguard Consular Advisory that many of the UK high hurdle visa rules are not friendly in any way and is a clear indication that the UK views Nigerians as play tools or nonentities.

He stated that some of the

compulsory visa prerequisites have no justification in good conscience, and place Nigerians to unnecessary task, cost and inconvenience, stressing that it violates the human dignity of Nigerians, and is discriminating in scope and thus not in conformance with international law.

Onyeka therefore, suggested that if the recent UK visa law, which insists that all UK visa applicants must undergo tuberculosis test must stay, the least the Nigerian Government must settle for, is decentralization of the testing centers, and downward review of the cost, in addition to inclusion of competent Nigerian health institutions in ensuring a better management of the test procedure.

However, he argued that in a situation whereby the British Government intends to sponsor the activities of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), who is the operators of MHAC, they should in honor also, appropriate funds from their Treasury and not to receive from Nigeria under false pretense.

•Dr Andrew Pocock, British High Commissioner “The fear must be expressed that if the Nigerian Government fails to act, the programme may be extended to involve all visa applicants including visitors, and this may lead to other Nigeriaphobic countries adopting similar or more desperate measures against Nigerian migrants.

It is imperative that the Federal Government sets up a Committee of Competent Practitioners to review our Immigration Law in order to make it more responsive

to global challenges, ensuring that the principal of reciprocity fully applies.

Let the Federal Government put off the garb of timidity in the global arena. That way, it will earn some respect for itself and the citizenry”. Eddie added.

In consideration of the many complaints emanating from a huge number of UK visa seekers, who throng his office on a daily bases, following the clear policy discrimination against them, he therefore implored the Federal government of Nigeria to increase efforts in ensuring that all Nigerian UK visa applicants receive less cumbersome visa processing.

Eddie, who out rightly condemned the UK government’s preference for citizens from the European Economic Area countries, also appeared dissatisfied that UK prisons are bursting with Nigerian prisoners, many of whom are victims of racial prejudice.

He averred that the relationship between Britain and Nigeria seem an exploitative one, judging from the way they cunningly played on the naivety of the Nigerian Government to get them to accede to the repatriation of Nigerian prisoners in the UK to complete their sentences in the country.

Vanguard Consular Advisory also gathered that nearly all the platforms hitherto open for Nigerians to lawfully live and work in the UK have been ideally removed, and Nigerians no matter how highly skilled, are no

longer welcome to settle in the UK, those who are lawfully resident in the UK already are finding it unusually difficult to extend their stay, hence decry discrimination.

Same situation also applies to majority of Nigerian students who have spent years and fortune to study in the UK. Consequently, the many visa hurdles are such that the students cannot get post study visas, thereby, face deportation upon expiration of their stay status.

Also, there are new hurdles facing those who are already settled in the UK making it difficult for them to reunite with their families in the UK. It is sad to know also, that the Nigerian Immigration Act has no provision on which an alien or non-national can be excluded from entry to Nigeria by reason of communicable disease through the Act prohibited entry by a category of non-nationals, including ‘insane’ persons.

However, Eddie noted that, “laws are generally not worth the papers on which they are written except those laws are brought to life through application and enforcement. There is no doubt that international relations, diplomacy, politics and economics are key factors that drive the application and enforcement of Immigration Laws, and it is unfortunate that Nigerians are often singled out to bear the harsh brunt of international immigration laws because our government lacks interest in defending its citizenry home and abroad.”

VANGUARD,WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 19,2014—37

Turned on by my father-in-law!

DearBunmi, ’VE BEEN married for five years now with two children and I love my husband.

When we got married, his dad lived abroad and I only met him a couple of times. He’s home for good now and I’ve recently started having strong feelings for him.

He seems much more exciting and sexier than my husband and is always paying me compliments and making excuses to spend time with me.

I fancy this older man like mad and I want to go to bed with him. But that’s bad news for my marriage. I hope to get away with making love with him a few times so I could put my lust at rest.

I’m sure he’ll keep his mouth shut.

I

Will my man’s friend tell?

Dear Bunmi, HAD a terrible row with my boyfriend where we said a lot of nasty things to each other. As far

1

as I was concerned, 1 was so hurt that I never wanted anything to do with him ever again.

1 made this known to his

Does my boyfriend really reach orgasm?

Dear Bunmi, AM in my mid-20's and my boyfriend is five years older. We’ve been together for ten months now but 1 can’t really say whether or not he does reach orgasm when we make love.

With previous lovers, I knew as they made a lot of noise and got in a frenzy when they were coming.

He seems not to do any of these things. He assures me he always reaches orgasm. Could he be covering up?

Gloria, by e-mail.

I

Dear Gloria, As you well might have realised, the one proof of ejaculation is the jet of

seminal fluid, although if you’ve made love more than once in a row, he’ll produce less than before.

Your boyfriend might not always reach orgasm, this is called retarded ejaculation, which may have a medical cause. So, he might be faking it to cover his anxiety.

In that case, he needs to see his doctor for advice.

His problem could also be emotional and this might result in his subconsciously holding back from you.

The one thing he can’t fake though is an erection!

Why don’t you have a talk with him? Offer to help instead of criticising his performance and he will readily cooperate with you.

I never appreciated his love Dear Bunmi, I AM still in love with an ex boyfriend, we grew up and went to school together. For three years, on and off, we were a couple. We broke up two years ago, but run into each other from time to time.

We’ve seen other people since our break up. I’ve had other serious partners, but I always find myself comparing them with him. They just don’t seem to match up, so my relationships end.

We broke up because we were young and I took advantage of my boyfriend’s good nature. We split up many times, hit I always knew he’d have me back. I was selfish and I didn’t consider his feelings. He forgave me every time until he’d had enough and ended our relationship.

I regret everything I put him through. He was funny, clever, good looking and always there when I needed him. He was everything I could ever want in a partner.

I’d do anything to turn back the clock. So when my best friend told me recently that he asked for my mobile number, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Should we try again?

Winifred, By e-mail

Dear Winifred, ‘Not on your life! Now that you’re having a tough time finding the partner you need, you’re idealising your ex who was very far from right. This former boyfriend might be the nicest, kindest and most handsome bloke in the world, but you couldn’t sustain a relationship with him. This wasn’t because you were young.

The relationship failed because you didn't want it to succeed. The break-ups allowed you to vent your anger on a man whose embrace you sometimes found stifling and unwelcome. His always begging for another chance was flattering, walking all over him was a thrill. Eventually, the worm turned!

He may foolishly be tempted to take you back again to have a last fling, if he realises you’d like to undo some of the hurt for which you were so often responsible. But don’t. We need to walk away from repeatedly and hopelessly broken relationships, don't try again and again to fix them!

friend when he called on me wanting to broker peace.

He continued calling and I went out with him a couple of times. One thing led to another and we made love, which I greatly regretted.

My boyfriend and I eventually made up and I’m now terrified he would find out. His friend is married and I don’t think he’ll let on.

Juliet, by e-mail.

Dear Juliet, It is better you put this unfortunate incident behind you. Your boyfriend’s friend used your vulnerability to get his way with you and you have to be wary of people like him.

Yo u , h o w e v e r, h a v e t o learn from this mistake by realising that an affair is no solution to a problem in a relationship. If there are disagreements, they need to be talked through honestly.

Is drinking tea that beneficial?

DearBunmi, N SPITE of the caffeine content in tea, I have heard and read a few times that tea is actually good for you. Nutritionists say we should avoid caffeine at all costs. Just how often should one consume tea to get its benefits and can one know what these benefits are?

Ifeanyi, bye-mail.

I

Dear Ifeanyi, Medical reports have revealed that drinking tea may protect against heart disease. Researchers have discovered a link between a high in-take of flavonoids and a reduced incidence of heart disease.

They find the high level of flavonoids contained in tea helps to delay the process by which blood clots.

Flavonoids are polyphenolic antioxidants naturally present in vegetables, fruits and beverages such as tea and red wine. Black tea contains 61 per cent flavonoids (3.4 cups of tea per day), compared to 13 per cent in onions and 10 per cent in apples.

Duro, by e-mail.

Dear Duro, Please think carefully before you do anything foolish, you must be aware how an act (like that could shatter the whole family if you acted on your feelings) No matter how deep your lust for your dad-in-law is, it might be false. It could be you’re very flattered by attentions.

Maybe you’ve reached that stage with your husband where you love him, but don’t lust after him as you used to.

What’s important here is that you say you love your husband very much. So concentrate on that - instead of being tempted to throw it all away on an adventurer - a father-inlaw- who ought to be ashamed of himself.

You must be aware how an act, like that could shatter the whole family if you acted on your feelings.

No matter how deep your lust for your dad-in-law is, it might be false. It could be you’re very flattered by attentions.

What’s important is that you say you love your husband very much. So concentrate on that

Worried by my past DearBunmi, ’M CURRENTLY hap pily married and have a young son whom I adore.

But before I settled down, 1 was in a group of party girls and we had loads of boyfriends. Now I feel a bit embarrassed about my early life. My husband doesn’t have a clue how I used to be, but 1 need to get over the experiences I now regret.

Uche, by e-mail.

I

Dear Uche, I don’t believe you were as awful as you’ve painted yourself to be. Most teenagers have a good time,

play the field, fall in and out of love...; then they grow up, find someone they can commit to, and lead a different life.

And that’s exactly what you’ve done. You’ve used your early years to learn lessons and mature. Then you met your husband and settled down.

So, relax and accept yourself. I am sure your husband couldn’t be bothered with who you were before he met you.

Learn to see your wild past not as something you need to be sorry for, but as preparation for your current happy situation.

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos. or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

38— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

OIL MONEY CONTROVERSY:

Lingering posers over forensic option

By CHARLES KUMOLU

P

ERHAPS, the worst and the best are yet to come regard ing the allegation of nonremittance of fund to the Federation Account by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ,NNPC. Daily fresh revelations on the matter by the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, have correspondingly engendered controversies which have left the public more confused than enlightened.

Though, NNPC appears to be in the centre of the storm, the apex bank governor has been identified as being responsible for triggering it.

Indeed, unfolding events have not helped him either, as he is being lampooned in some quarters for being statistically inconsistent in his claims.

Sanusi had in a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan dated September 25, 2013, said the NNPC had failed to honour its legal obligations, including failure to remit $49.8 billion to the Federation Account between 2012 and 2013.

The letter noted that the amount represents a whooping 76 per cent of the value of crude lifted during the period.

Surprisingly, between December and February, Sanusi has further alleged that the unremitted fund is $20bn and no more $10.8bn or $49.8bn.

How these monies keep increasing without thorough reconciliation of

accounts between the CBN, the Ministry of Finance and the NNPC has been described as unbecoming.

This dilemma, perhaps, necessitated the decision of the Federal Government to hire independent forensic auditors to examine the books of the NNPC, with a view to ascertaining whether or not it has failed to remit oil revenues to the federation account.

Forensic experts necessary

“We understand that this kind of forensic audit requires experts who have some knowledge of the petroleum industry because it is very specialised. What the NNPC submitted was a mountain of documents on shipping, loading, when ships arrived and all that. It requires specialised forensic auditors to work on it,” Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Ngozi Okonjo Iweala noted.

And findings by VanguardFeatures,VF, showed that such measures had been used to solve some high profile financial controversies in other parts of the world.

For instance, Shenna Freeman in How Forensic Accounting Works, said: ‘’The types of crimes forensic accountants investigate are classified as ‘crimes against property’. They investigate crimes such as fraud and give expert testimony in court trials.

They also perform work related to civil disputes. Forensic accountants are also known as fraud investigators, investigative accountants, forensic

auditors or fraud auditors. ‘’Although forensic accounting may not sound as glamorous as its other investigative counterparts, the field has received more attention in recent years. This is due in part to the highprofile, financial white-collar crimes involving large corporations such as the Enron and Adelphia Communications scandals of 2001 and 2002.’’

Another report by the United States Government Accountability Office added thus: ‘’ The Forensic Audits and Investigative Service team provides Congress with high-quality forensic audits and investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse; other special investigations; and security and vulnerability assessments. Our team also manages Fraudnet, an online system for the public to report allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement of federal funds. ‘’Our work addresses fiscal challenges facing our nation, organisational and individual ethics, stewardship over government resources, and issues related to homeland and national security. Our work is government-wide in scope rather than confined to one issue area.’’

Though the nation is not new to forensic matters, given that foreign experts had been recruited in the past on disputed election matters, the decision is generating mixed feelings across the country.

While some commended the move, noting that it would verify the data submitted by NNPC which the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, had certified, a few

are skeptical that the eventual outcome might advance the controversy.

But the generality of the findings by VF showed that many are comfortable with the idea of bringing in forensic experts.

An expert on forensic matter and a retired Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, believes that with forensic experts, the contentious issues might be addressed. But he expressed fears that the eventual outcome might suffer the fate of previous commissions of inquiry in the past. ‘’They may resolve the issue because they are experts and would establish the things needed to be established,’’ the retired police officer said.

Despite this confidence in the ability of the experts, he told VF: ‘’Even if they establish at the end of their findings that the money is missing, I am afraid that the outcome might go the way of other probes we had in the past. But I have no doubt in my mind that the decision to bring in experts is not a good one.’’

Tsav however threw up this poser:’’What now happens if it happens that influential members of the society are involved, will they be held responsible?’’

They remain allegations

C

ontinuing, he added thus: ‘’Nigeria needs many forensic experts and I have always made a case for the training of forensic experts in Nigeria because they are needed when trying to resolve high profile matters. Sanusi knows what he is talking about but what he does not seem to know is the extent of the missing money; that is why there are discrepancies.’’

Another person who shares Tsav’s sentiment on the invitation of forensic auditors is the President of South East/South South Professionals,SSESSP, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju. Ugwu-Oju, an economist and retired bank executive, said there is nothing wrong in sourcing for an expert opinion in matters of such magnitude.

Accordingly, he said: ‘’For me, there

Continues on page 39

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 —39

*Andrew Yakubu.

*CBN governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi

is no controversy. It is a matter of allegation that was made and there is need to investigate the allegations.

That is why bringing in forensic experts is commendable. In every issue, it is always good to seek expert opinion and views. With experts involved, the contentious questions will be answered, and that is the best way to handle the matter. The only issue to watch is authorisation. So, bringing in forensic experts is in order and they have to investigate.’’

He, however, cautioned that,‘’until they have concluded their job, the matter is still at the level of allegation.’’

Notwithstanding his support for the FG’s decision, he does not find the whole controversy a healthy development for the polity. Little wonder, he told VF that the CBN governor is not going about the matter in a good manner. ‘’The CBN governor has not been going about it the right way. But we should leave that. We have someone who is not an activist, but he behaves as one. I blame those who appointed him. If you are in government, you have to behave like someone in government,’’he added.

But a Senior Advocate of Nigeria,SAN, Chief Emeka Ngige, commended the CBN governor for bringing the matter into the public glare, but he added that it presented an opportunity for the President to take Nigeria to the next level.

Expatiating further, Ngige said: ‘’The implication is that the Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN has lived up to its statutory responsibility of being an adviser to the government on monetary matters and the custodian of the nation’s foreign reserves. The CBN did well by alerting the President and the National Assembly about its findings. And the NNPC is also trying to give account for the first time. This is the first time the NNPC is giving account of its financial dealings. This is an opportunity for the President to take Nigeria to the next level in the area of accountability.’’

It will be recalled that Sanusi in the letter published by an online medium

said: ‘’Our analysis of the value of crude oil export proceeds based on the documentation received from preshipment inspectors shows that between January 2012 and July 2013, NNPC lifted 594,024,107 barrels of crude valued at $65,332,350,514.57.”

It further said: “Out of this amount, NNPC repatriated only $15,528,410,098.77 representing 24% of the value. This means the NNPC is yet to account for, and repatriate to the Federation Account, an amount in excess of $49.804 billion of the value of oil lifted in the same period.”

Violation of constitutional provisions

D

rawing attention to an attached table of analysis of the crude oil liftings and repatriations as prepared by the CBN, Sanusi noted that the failure of the NNPC to repatriate the amounts constitutes not only a violation of constitutional provisions but also of both Nigeria’s foreign exchange and pre-shipment inspection

situation has become, please note that in 2012 alone, the Federation Account received $28.51 billion in Petroleum Profits and related taxes but only $1013 from crude oil proceeds,” he informed President Jonathan. “In the period January-July 2013, the corresponding figures are $16.65 billion and $5.39 billion, respectively. This means, Your Excellency, that in the first seven months of the year, taxes accounted for 76% of the total inflow from this sector, while NNPC crude oil proceeds accounted for only 24%,” he noted.

Having raised the concern, Sanusi specifically asked the President to: ‘’Require NNPC to provide evidence for disposal of all proceeds of crude sales diverted from the CBN and Federation Account, investigate crude oil lifting and swap contracts as well as the financial transactions of counter-parties for equity, fairness and transparency; and authorise prosecution of suspects in money-laundering transactions, including but not limited to BDCs who are unable to account for

,

Continues from page 38

Forensic accounting may not sound as glamorous as its other investigative counterparts, the field has received more attention in recent years; this is due in part to the high-profile, financial white-collar crimes involving large corporations, such as the Enron an d Adelphia Communications scandals of 2001 and 2002

,

of exports laws.

Also, drawing attention to previous occasions in which he had expressed concern about what appeared to be shortfalls in remittances to the Federation Account, in spite of the strong recovery in the price of oil, Sanusi said that a point of departure ought to be to insist that the NNPC account fully for all proceeds that were diverted from its accounts with the CBN and the Federation Account.

“As an indicator of how bad this

hundreds of millions of dollars.’’

More enemies to the list of haters

Given that many Nigerians habour the belief or suspicion that the NNPC is a corrupt entity, it was therefore not surprising that the content of Sanusi’s letter was loudly hailed in several quarters. Hence, the calls for an investigation in the concerns raised by the CBN governor.

But the NNPC and the Ministry of Finance dismissed the claims, declaring that the actual amount not remitted was $10.8bn and not $49.8bn as Sanusi had earlier claimed.

While providing details on how the money was expended, the coporation said subsidy payments, pipeline repairs, associated costs of spilled and stolen crude oil, and cost of maintaining strategic reserve accounted for a chunk of the money.

A two-day high level reconciliation meeting of the NNPC, CBN, Ministries of Finance and Petroleum Resources as well as other revenue agencies of the Federal Government last month, however, established that it was $10.8 billion from domestic crude oil receipts that had not been remitted.

At a press conference in Abuja addressed by its Group Executive Director, Finance and Accounts, Bernard Otti, the corporation said: “The sum in question has been expenditures incurred as part of statutory responsibilities which the NNPC as the National Oil Company executes on behalf of the Federal Government and by extension the entire people of Nigeria.”

While insisting that the actual figure remained $10.8b as earlier discovered by a reconciliatory meeting of key stakeholders in Nigeria’s revenue management framework, the NNPC said out of the total sum, $8.49 billion was spent on subsidy claims within the period under review; $1.22 billion on management and repairs of petroleum pipelines which are constantly damaged by criminals across the country; while $0.72 billion was incurred on products and crude oil losses and another $0.37 billion expended on holding the country’s strategic products reserve.

Otti, flanked by the corporation’s GED Commercial Investment, Alhaji Dalhatu Yusuf, and GED Gas and Power, Dr. David Ige, said: “We have called you here to as usual help us inform Nigerian citizens about the state of affairs of our corporation and it is our duty at NNPC at all times to continue to inform and assure the general public that things are the way they are.

Procedures of accounting reconciliation

“What we are saying is that $10.8 billion is not missing, rather it is undergoing the normal processes and procedures of accounting reconciliation. The $10.8 billion reflects expenditures incurred by the NNPC in the period under review and are really made up of the following: subsidy claim, $8.49 billion; pipeline management and repair costs, $1.22 billion; products/crude oil loses, $0.72 billion; and cost of holding the strategic stock reserve itself, $0.37 billion”.

With that, the discomfort the matter had caused among Nigerians, nearly gave way to relative calm as the CBN governor corroborated the position of the finance ministry and the NNPC.

40

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Vanguard Vanguard,, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 YOUR LUCK TODAY

SCORPIO Even if there is minor misunderstanding within your working arena, the whole thing will work favourably for you. You just have to be your practical self. Watch what you eat, drink and the state of your health.

SAGITTARIUS Some of you will start to see the result of your recent romantic escapade. Try your best to consolidate on success you have recorded yesterday. This is the wrong time to gamble at all.

CAPRICORN Much will depend on how willing you are to co-operate with others, especially those within your base of operation. Lovers may be in for a romantic day. Try to be more family-minded.

AQUARIUS Don’t believe that every information supplied to you is correct as there is the possibility of deception. Make sure you are as practical as possible at work.

PISCES As the saying goes, ‘money is the root of all evils,’ you will need to watch carefully your financial transactions today so that costly misunderstanding’ll be averted.

LEISURE

­ ­ ³ ª¨!

By Richard Eromosele

S

OME people have a way of using things especially where there are no laws r e g u l a t i n g individuals usage of such a product. One such product abused

Phone Etiquette in usage in our society today is the mobile phone.

We answer phone calls virtually everywhere. It is not unusual for some of

TERROR MUDA

us to be driving and still be answering calls. And this has caused several accidents on our roads. The other day, a promising

in “Never say goodbye”

relationship was terminated because the young man discovered the lady stored his name with the acronym “Food” meaning she only needs him to satisfy her hunger.

Stop abusing the mobile phone today.

By Lanre Kehinde

ARIES Not everybody within your base of operation is honest with you today. Yet, success is your portion today. Those of you who are more financially ambitious will have a rewarding day.

Be loving.

TAURUS good days are closer to you more than you imagine now but you will need to be a little bit careful today who you repose confidence in. Lovers will smile.

GEMINI Not all friends can be trusted with money today when temptation to deceive you is very strong. The more secretive you are, the better for you.

CANCER The Moon and Neptune are at loggerheads, therefore, you’ve got to watch your step so that you don’t work against your own interest.

LEO Those of you who are ambitious and hard working will have more to show for your efforts. However, if you fail to respect the law and its agents, you’ll be disappointed today. Be loving.

VIRGO Romantic Venus makes young-at-heart to crave for loving attention. Then all of you will need to guard against deception.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

LIBRA Those of you who are moderately ambitious are in for a good day. As Neptune and the Moon are at loggerheads, it’s important you don’t take partners for granted.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

Basic characteristics of Leo TIME SCOPE=FEB 26 – FEB 28 RULER = LUCKY AND EDUCATIONAL JUPITER QUALITY =MUTABLE .

ELEMENT = FIRE. SYMBOL = THE ARCHER (HALF HOURSE HALF MANN).

GROUP = MASCULINE. ZODIACAL POSITION = 4TH. Mutable means changes and experimentation, while fire is all about enthusiasm, taking of the initiative and leadership ability. Thus, you are the type that will exhibit strong interest in an important project that catches your fancy and you will not mind to experiment with ideas just to achieve your objectives and aims. Sagittarius is the 9th sign of the Zodiac that rules philosophy, RELIGION, law, foreign land, higher mind/higher institutions, lawyer, long (distance) travelling, in-laws, future, optimism and bluntness. Major problem or weak points of Sagittarians are excessive openness/bluntness and sometimes fanatical approach to religion.

Being a born adventurer, you are not afraid of exploration and new beginning. Sagittarians are incurable optimist and ever ready to listen to and eager to believe others; you are not an exception. Honesty is truly in your inner self .You are a tolerant person but you are not ready to compromise your FREEDOM Sagittarius as a fire sign can make you a quick tempered person. Half horse half man as the symbol, of Sagittarius indicates dual (double) personalities known in different circle with different personalities. Yet, you are not a pretender. As the Archer aims arrow into the sky also Sagittarians have many lofty ideas and ambition. But sometimes their ideas and/or ideals are not practical enough for realisation. Many times, they start too many thing at a time only to either forget or lose view of their original target.

Development of practical approach is more important for Sagittarians this is in order to make success of many of their brilliant ideas, otherwise they tend to become dreamers.

In reality, Sagittarians are dreamers (by this 1 mean real dream many use to have at night) and many of their dreams usually come to pass. Sometimes their dreams are vividly prophetic.

Sagittarians are born philosophers. That is why they have well developed minds indispensable to rare wisdom, Sagittarius is the Zodiacal constellation of WISDOM Then, you are humorous, lively, sports loving, out going, energetic, good hearted, in love with change/experimentation, ever willing to co-operate, socially inclined, enthusiastic and highly intelligent. As intelligent as you are, you can surprisingly appear fanatical about your conviction and/or views.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

VANGUARD,WEDNESDAY,FEBRUARY 19,2014—41

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Ministerial confirmation: Senate's praise-singing choir THE reason ministers and other senior appointees of the government often do not give due respect to legislators after confirmation has partly been traced to the playful manner the Senate screens executive nominees. The screening of 11 ministerial nominee, which ended yesterday, was not a departure from the pattern of praise-singing. Where did our legislators learn this?

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

I

•Senate in session put on ‘hot seat’ did not disappoint their teeming supporters and admirers, given the answers they churned out to match the questions thrown at them by the senators. The session with the two women consumed over two hours.

Those who stayed glued to the Senate gallery after the

watchers simply described as a ‘charade or child’s play’. As the Sergeant-At-Arms walked the former National Security Adviser into the chamber, Mark remarked that “Gusau is a retired General from NDA Course 1 while I am a retired General from NDA Course 3".

The sudden introduction made by the Senate President

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T was no surprise that the first three nominees that appeared before the Senate last Wednesday were asked to bow and go in accordance to the tradition of the Nigerian Senate.

Senate President David Mark who presided over the three day screening process that ended yesterday, had an appropriate response for critics of the lighthearted nature the Senate screens nominees sent to it by the executive.

“The Senate believes that anybody who was able to become a senator or member of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is more than qualified to be a minister,” the Senate president said as he passed on the duo of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Alhaji Mohammed Wakil, the first majority leader of the House of Representatives at the onset of the Fourth Republic.

The assertion by Senator Mark was a reversal of his earlier claim in his first term as Senate President when he pledged that the Senate would robustly quiz all nominees for federal appointments irrespective of their stature in society.

The battle by some puritans in the Senate to reverse the bow and go syndrome reached a peak in March 2010 when the then acting president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan sent a list of ministerial nominees to the Senate that included some that had in the past derided the august body.

Besides the culture of bow and go, senators had also in the past admitted that the culture of praise singing during ministerial screening devalued the institution as they often pursued the shadow and left the substance by the way side.

The Senate went back to its real business when it was the turn of two female nominees, Mrs. Akon Etim Eyakenyi and Mrs Lawrencia Labaran Mallam, representatives of Akwa Ibom and Kaduna states respectively.

Both women were grilled in a situation that fell short of misinterpretations. And those

Those who expressed bitter feeling over the legislative ‘waiver’ extended to General Aliyu Gusau believed there were so many questions for the security expert to answer in the face of the present security challenges Nigeria finds itself

session with the two women, in anticipation that that with the two-time National Security Adviser, NSA, General Aliyu Gusau (rtd), a nominee from Zamfara State, would not only be exciting but educating given the current security challenges in the country, were however disappointed, as senators deliberately reduced the session with the former Chief of Army Staff to what some

,

created a prolonged laughter in the chamber with some senators, mostly from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, shouting, “just bow and go, bow and go.”

The ministerial nominee who was escorted to the stage to face the day ’s business was, however, prevented from making a word from most ofthe senators who shouted ‘take a bow, take a bow ’, while struggling for the nominee’s

eyes to catch their attention, thus making the session rowdy. Confused at the scene created by the senators, Mark then asked “is this the true reflection of senators that General Aliyu Gusau should take a bow?”.

There was a thunderous shout of “ yes”. He was subsequently asked to leave the stage which he did with over 25 senators standing up from their seats and escorting him outside the chamber, thustemporarily suspending the screening business for a while. Those who expressed bitter feeling over the legislative ‘waiver ’ extended to General Aliyu Gusau believed there were so many questions for the security expert to answer in the face of the present security challenges Nigeria finds itself.

Those who were shocked with the manner the senators attended to Gusau, were in for more surprises the next day, when four additional ministerial nominees. Mr Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Dr Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto), Alhaji Abduljelili Adesiyan (Osun) and Dr T.W. Danagogo (Rivers) were screened.

Here, the real essence of the

day was thrown overboard with senators replacing screening with what could better be described as ‘praisesinging.”

All the contributors who spoke during Haruna’s screening, apart from the Senate Leader, Victor NdomaEgba, stood to eugolise the nominee.

The three senators from Haruna’s home state, led by his former deputy, Senator Bello Tukur, who represents Adamawa Central, indeed almost fell upon one another to answer questions on behalf of the nominee.

“The minister in waiting is my boss, and still my boss and will be my boss,” Senator Tukur said.

“When he was governor of Adamawa State, his number one priority was education, his number two priority was education, his number three priority was education. These are the things that he did not bring in his CV and I want to say it here that if he brings this to bear as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it will key into the transformation agenda of the

Continues on page 43

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014—43

2014: Fayemi’s re-election hurdles in Ekiti GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi may have passed through several challenges in life, including literally snatching power with the skin of his teeth through the courts about four years ago, but the question as to whether he can break the one term jinx for Ekiti governors is now an issue.

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

D

Re-election jinx In Ekiti State, it is almost a taboo for a sitting governor to win a second term in office, no matter the level of the work done while in office. So, political observers are eagerly waiting for the election to see whether or not the governor will break the jinx of ‘no second term in office for governors of the state.’

Fayemi’s scorecard In the last three-and-a-half years, the APC-led government has done a lot of work based on Fayemi’s 8-point agenda. The projects include road construction and rehabilitation, renovation of public secondary schools, distribution of laptops to students and teachers, procurement of brand new vehicles for traditional rulers in the state, health intervention programme including the Ilera laa’fin social security scheme for the elderly.

The government has equally embarked on some legacy projects like construction of new Government House, millennium business centre and a modern pavilion.

The Bamidele challenge In spite of his achievements, Fayemi will face hurdles mounted by some politicians, who insist that they can do the job better. And of such politicians is Fayemi’s old friend and comrade, Hon. Bamidele Opeyemi otherwise known as MOB. Currently a member of the House of Representatives, Bamidele is aspiring on the banner of the Labour Party.

It is instructive to note that both Fayemi and Bamidele were initially in the same political party, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)

•Bamidele

•Fayemi before the party metamorphosed into APC. So, they both share the same political background and most importantly, they both had their political tutelage from the same political godfathers, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, the first civilian governor of the state and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State.

Thus, Bamidele’s decision to slug it out with Fayemi is expected to affect the outcome of the election, if the happenings at his last two public outings, which many members of the APC attended, are anything to go by.

The PDP factor Apart, from the APC and Labour Party, the PDP should not be underestimated even though members of the party appear not to have got their acts together. It must be borne in mind that the party just left office not quite long and still has structures intact in most parts of the state.

PDP members also have the leverage of the Federal might.

Therefore, whenever the issue of

the gubernatorial primary is resolved by the party, members are expected to work assiduously and forge ahead with zeal.

,

R. Kayode Fayemi was one of the oracles that operated behind the scene in the now rested Radio Kudirat that taunted the Sani Abacha dictatorship during the agitation for the revalidation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief M.K.O Abiola.

Thus, he cuts the picture of a man of strong will and determination, who is ready to face difficult challenges. Between 2007 and 2009, he engaged former governor of the state, Engr Segun Oni, in a fierce legal battle to reclaim his mandate.

Now, the next major task before Fayemi is how to win the June 21, 2014 governorship election, a contest that will indicate whether he is a strong force or paper weight tiger in the politics of the state.

pensioners whose allowances are yet to be paid are not finding things rosy with this government.

It is instructive to note that both Fayemi and Bamidele were initially in the same political party, the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before the party metamorphosed into APC

Teachers’ palaver Also, Fayemi may face problems from teachers over government’s policy that attempted to compel them to write what it described as qualifying tests last year otherwise called teachers development test. To the teachers, the policy was repressive amounted to an insult to their career and was a clever way of reducing their number. … Council workers too Likewise, local council workers, especially health workers and

,

The same thing applies core civil servants, especially those in the junior cadre, who are complaining that most of them who are due for promotion have remained stagnant for some time since the government came on board.

Some senior officials are very bitter over the huge cut in their running grants otherwise known as RG However, the government appears aware of the problems and making efforts to address them. Fayemi formally met both

the senior and junior workers at different events where most of the problems were highlighted and did promised to solve them.

He equally held a similar meeting with the local government staff.

Another problem that may likely pose an obstacle to Fayemi’s ambition was the division among members of road transport workers in the state It was alleged that the crack was indirectly caused by the state government with the tacit support being given to their erstwhile leader, Mr. Rotimi Olabiwonnu a.k.a Mentillo, said to be becoming too irritable to other members. The government pretended as if nothing was happening until the man was removed from office.

Though, the state government has intervened and a reconciliation process is on course it is too early to say whether the healing method being adopted by the government will yield results.

Time will tell.

Ministerial confirmation: Senate's praise-singing choir Continues from page 42 Federal Government.”

Also speaking, Senator Ahmed Barata, PDP, Adamawa South, said: “Mr chairman, I want to say that I have been together with Mr Boni Haruna for over 30 years. We have been together since 1958. We were both members of the Peoples Front and worked together up to the time, the former president, Gen. Babangida dissolved all the political parties.

We also worked together in

the Peoples Democratic Party when I was an executive member in Adamawa State. I don’t want to say much because others who spoke before me have said it all.”

Peeved at the way the senators were taking the screening, Senator Mark, had to caution the lawmakers.

“I am sure you will remember that our call here is not for praise singing. If you have question, you ask and if you don’t have questions, then you sit down and wait till the when we start

doing the consideration, then you can say the good things that you will want to say.”

His caution was, however, to no effect as yesterday, the third and last day of the screening, the only nominee presented for screening, Hajia Asabe Ahmed, from Niger State was just asked to bow and go.

As she was led into the chamber, two female senators, Zainab Kure and Jumail Alhassan, representing Niger South and Taraba North senatorial district respectively,

stood up at the same time to request that the nominee be allowed to take a bow without any question.

The simplicity and playfulness with which the senators attach to the screening may not be unconnected to the scorn some of the ministers have some of the legislators after confirmation.

Time and time again, senators say that they would not praise sing, but they can never stop.

44—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Delta guber: Ndokwa group roots for Uduehi

U

DUEHI Solidarity Movement, USM, in Ndokwa nation has called on the Achieme of Ndokwa nation, Dame Esther Uduehi to contest the 2015 governorship election in Delta State.

The movement made the call at its National Executive Council, NEC meeting in Ebedei, Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

In a statement by USM chairman in Ukwuani council, Humphry Uzuakpundu; chairman in Ndokwa West council, Uche Ossai; chairman in Ndokwa East council, Emmanuel Ajieh and Secretary General, Atuma Emmanuel, the group said Uduehi was eminently qualified to contest the guber election in the state, considering her track records.

They noted that her entrance into the governorship race would gladden the hearts of Deltans because she has touched the lives of many of them.

“They said “Dr Uduehi as first female special adviser to the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria on Legislative Matters; first Ndokwa female PHD holder; first female chief executive of broadcasting media in Nigeria; first female Permanent secretary in the defunct Bendel State and presently, chairman of a federal board in the current administration, there is no doubt that she would bring her wealth of experience to bear in governing the state.”

Edo councillors at war with LG boss over misappropriation of funds councillors, have petitioned the state House of Assembly over ENIN CITY — CRISIS is alleged misappropriation of brewing in Owan West funds and illegal award of Local Government Area of Edo contracts by the chairman of the State, as nine out of the 11 council, Mr Gordie Aigbodion.

In the petition signed by, Asekhame Sheriff, N.I. Osaghaede, Asekhame Elvis and six others, they alleged that the council boss embarked on a spending spree without approval by the legislative arm since he assumed office in April, 2013.

But reacting, the council boss,

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA who acknowledged that he has issues with the councillors, ENAGOA—BAYELSA denied the allegations, saying State Government has that it was an attempt by mischief given automatic makers to tarnish his image and employment to six casual that of his administration. veterinary doctors of the In the petition addressed to the state Veterinary Clinic in Speaker of the House of Edepie, Yenagoa.

Assembly, Mr Uyi Igbe, the Governor Seriake Dickson, announced this while commissioning the ultra modern veterinary clinic on the School to Land premises in Yenagoa.

BY ABDULWAHAB Dickson, who said the ABDULAH state government will INSMEN of the continue to invest in immediate past Chief of agriculture, added that efforts were being made to Staff to President Goodluck Chief Mike put a standard abattoir in Jonathan, Oghiadomhe, have welcomed place in the state.

According to him, “No his return, saying it will enable animal will be allowed into him to devote more time and the state without being energy towards providing properly examined before it political leadership for Edo is slaughtered for North people ahead of 2015.

In a statement, Francis consumption after the completion of the abbatoir.” Izuagie and John Udokogi, Dickson described Chairman and Secretary agriculture as the tripod of respectively of a nonhis administration, adding governmental organisation, Edo that it will create North Consultative Forum, said employment and provide Edo North people were proud Oghiadomhe’s food for the teeming of accomplishments while in office population of Bayelsans.

“It will also increase the with special reference to his Gross Domestic Product of stabilising role in the state the state and improve our Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. They said that the zone will ever internally generated revenue profile as well,” he remain grateful to President Jonathan for providing their noted. illustrious son the platform to

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

Six vet doctors get automatic employment in Bayelsa

Y

councilors said that the chairman had on several occasions disrupted their proceedings with thugs, depriving them the opportunity to carry out their legislative duties.

“The chairman refused to give us the income and expenditure book and has been deducting money from our salaries without our consent. We approved N15m

Boko Haram: Group flays killing of 155 persons in Borno, Adamawa

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non-governmental organization under the aegis of Network for Good Governance, N4GG, has condemned the recent killing of about 155 persons in Borno and Adamawa states by the outlawed Boko Haram sect, describing the

Oghiadomhe’s kinsmen laud him, thank Jonathan

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contribute his quota to the development of the country.

They commended the former Chief of Staff for his sacrifice, loyalty and dedication, pointing out that his record of service to the country remains intact despite the controversy that may have trailed his recent resignation.

killing, last Saturday as outrageous and senseless.

Reacting to the pogrom, in a press statement after the regional meeting of the group in Port-Harcourt, the SouthWest Regional Director of N4GG, Mrs. Igho Onuesoke, wondered why Boko Haram continue to kill its own people for political reason, adding that despite the insurgency, President Jonathan will contest in 2015.

“The killing by Boko Haram in the northern part of the country is senseless. Why must they continue to kill their fellow northerners just because they want to destabilise the President Jonathan’s government? No matter the killings, Jonathan will contest in 2015 and rule for another four years,” she said.

Aregbesola gets INL ‘Man of the Year' Award Friday

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OVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State will on Friday, February 21, receive an Award as the 2013 Independent Newspapers Limited, INL, Man Of The Year.

The investiture, which will hold at Convention Centre of the prestigious Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, will be graced by prominent Nigerians.

In a statement by Editor, Daily Independent, Rotimi Durojaiye,

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

for the construction and building of the legislative arm, but surprisingly, he built it for N28m without sending supplementary appropriation bill for the balance for theproject to us for approval.

So, who approved the funds for him?

“Most of these project were meant to be renovated, but we observed that the cost of executing them were outrageous,” they said.

the reason for the award was to celebrate the governor for his exemplary performance in office, especially his outstanding accomplishments with his educational reform programmes, which include the innovative application of the tablet of knowledge, Opon Imo, which will lead to the emergence of a whole cadre of youths equipped to play pivotal role in a modern economy.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (nwamad@yahoo.com)

On House query to Okonjo-Iweala over N7.1trn debt

It is practically impossible for Nigerians not to wallow in terrible debt over-hang when some persons collect N37m each every tree months as “allowances” aside from their monthly salary of N1.333m. We must first address this criminality before tackling every other shortcomings of the national budget. Ms. Anne Oriaku Fashion Designer

The reps must live by example; let them cut their wages which accrued up to 25 percent of Nigeria’s concurrent expenditure. That will show if really those in the House are ready to help poor Nigerians. Mr. Amarachukwu Ikwuegbu- Businessman

We need accountants and economists in the House of Reps. They are only good at criticizing. If they want to show that they care about Nigeria, let them reduce their salary and allowances by half so that recurrent expenditure will reduce.

Akande Olanrewaju- Bizman

In United States Congress and United Kingdom House of Commons, I see quality approach to national issues but in our National Assembly, I see a leap from barbarism into decadence, without any concern for Nigeria.

Godfrey Okorodike - Worker

It starts with an ‘error’ of rulers. Dr. Okonjo Iweala is not fit to be Minister of Finance, period. When will Nigerians appreciate OBJ? The only man that has the ‘clue’ to salvaging the Nigerian Project. Just appreciate this man. Mr. Patrick Musa- Bizman

I just watched a documentary on Dr Iweala on Bloomberg TV and she is globally rated as the best African Economist. Yet it is we blacks that want to pull her down! We must be proud of our own. Mr. Solomon Bombata - Pensioner

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 — 45

N-Delta youths back Presidential Amnesty C'ttee budget

Edo Central royal fathers laud Oshiomhole

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ARRI—THE Niger Delta Youths Coalition based in the United Kingdom has urged the National Assembly to approve the budget proposal of the Amnesty Committee for the 2014 fiscal year because of the success so far recorded in the programme.

President of the coalition, Mr. Emma Ebikeme, in a statement, said: “In view of the successes recorded by the amnesty programme, the N63 billion proposed in the budget is a fair sum.” He charged members of the National Assembly not to oppose it, adding that the amnesty brought peace to a hitherto restive regiown and was still playing a critical role in the sustenance of peace, noting that the programme has gainfully engaged various youths in human capital development, through vocational and formal education training programmes.

“At the height of the restiveness, crude oil production nosedived to less than a million barrels per day but the programme was used as a stabilising factor with increased production to over 2 million per day with it’s attendant increased in government revenue," he said.

Minimah’s appointment well deserved —Activist

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has been commended for the appointment of Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah as Chief of Army Staff, COAS. An activist, Mr. Magada Ewerikumor, who made the commendation, said the appointment was a welcome development as it had proved his critics wrong and shown that his government meant well for the country.

He said: “I thank Jonathan for appointing the new COAS not on tribal sentiment, but because he is a hard working military officer that can revamp the armed forces and bring peace to troubled areas of the country with his wealth of experience."

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BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

PRESENTATION: The Onojie of Opoji (left) and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, at the presentation of a certificate signed by royal fathers in Edo Central conferring the title of Adolo of Esan on the governor, during a visit to the governor in his office, in Benin City.

2015 Senate: Group vows to mobilise support for Uduaghan

BY FESTUS AHON

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G H E L L I — N AT I O N A L Coordinator of G8, Mr. Elijah Ologe, has vowed to mobilise youths in Delta South senatorial district to support the 2015 senatorial ambition of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Ologe, in a statement, said: “As a former commissioner, Secretary to State Government and now governor of Delta State with remarkable delivery on peace, infrastructure and human capital development, Uduaghan has the best credentials for the Senate in 2015.”

Noting that the group was

largely made up of former Vice Chairmen, Councilors and opinion leaders from the eight local government areas in Delta South senatorial district, Ologe said: “We have been canvassing support for Uduaghan since his declaration of intent for the Senate in 2015.

“Being a governor for eight years, Uduaghan knows how legislators attract projects.

Projects completed and ongoing inspire sure hope that as senator, Uduaghan will further his love and campaign for infrastructural development of Delta State by influencing projects from the

national budget.

“With Uduaghan in the Senate in 2015, Delta South senatorial district would have presented its best to a National Assembly with people of similar pedigrees who are likely to give him (Uduaghan) respect and cooperation in articulating and realising the state’s dreams.

“With his experience, Uduaghan will make Delta South senatorial district enjoy fresh breath of legislative experience by ensuring resolutions and laws that address the unique challenges of Delta South, one of the richest in oil in the country.”

....As Edo North women endorse SSG for Senate

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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OMEN in Edo North senatorial district under the aegis of Oshiokhue Afenmai Ladies Association, have endorsed the Secretary to Edo State Government, SSG, Professor Julius Ihonvbere, for the 2015 senatorial race, saying, “ we must blow Professor Ihonvbere's trumpet.”

The group, made up of Afenmai women residing in Benin City, with membership cutting across the entire Afenmailand from both the public and private sectors, professionals, artisans, market women and full time home builders, insisted that they believed the SSG would deliver when voted in.

A statement by the group during a courtesy visit to the SSG in Government House, Benin City,

through it’s Coordinator, Mrs. Theresa Imokhai, said: “We hereby state that we are aware of the assistance you have rendered to our people over the years, especially through the Julius Ihonvbere Foundation, in the area of

education, job opportunities, health care services, utilities and many more. Many of these gestures were not extended to Edo North people alone, but to other ethnic nationalities within and outside the state.”

Flood: Eternit donates relief centre to Edo community

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HE people of Anegbette in Edo State, are celebrating the completion of a special relief centre built

by Eternit Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading building materials companies.

Angbette, a community in Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State, was one the several places hit by the flood disaster of 2012 that left many people

homeless and with economic activities.

Mr. Malvis Bemigho, General Manager (Business Development) Eternit Limited, said the the relief centre was to address social issues that concern the firm and better the lot of the people.

“We believe that everyone should make an impact in any society where he/she operates," he said.

ENIN—ROYAL fathers in Edo Central senatorial district of Edo State have commended the state governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, for fast-tracking development in their domains.

Led by the Onojie of Opoji, Ehidiamen I, the royal fathers, who paid a visit to the governor in his office, yesterday, said no other governor since the days of Mid-West Region has given recognition to royal fathers as Governor Oshiomhole.

The Onojie, who spoke on behalf of his brother royal fathers, said: “We want to commend you for all you have been doing in respect of the road networks in Edo State and we in Edo Central look forward to more in this year’s budget.

“We don’t see you as an Etsako man. The Esogban of Benin Kingdom once said that Oshiomhole is a Bini man. We are today saying you are an Esan man, because what we have not received from past governors, you have done for Esan people."

The governor who said he visited Edo Central, weekend to inspect the ongoing construction works in the area, expressed satisfaction that the jobs would be completed on schedule.

Madam Ikokwu for burial Feb 21

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HE remains of Chief Margaret Ikokwu, a notable National Council of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, official, will be buried on Friday.

Madam Ikokwu, a centenarian, will be buried at Oba, Idemili South Local Council, Anambra State country.

The mother of Second Republic Anambra State Chairman of the Nigerian Peoples Party, NPP, Chief Guy Ikokwu, was born on September 13, 1913, exactly 107 days before the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914.

Late Madam Ikokwu

46—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19 , 2014

Yuguda commends Anambra’s GDP growth

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — THE Min ister of National Planning Commission and Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, has commended Anambra State for the impressive rise in its Gross Domestic Product, GDP. Speaking while presenting the pilot survey findings on the state GDP to the members of the State Executive Council at Governor’s Lodge, Yuguda attributed the phenomenal rise to purposeful leadership of Governor Peter Obi and viability and efficient implementation of Anambra State Integrated Development Strategy – ANIDS. According to him, the state GDP grew from N735.80 billion in 2009 to N1.005 trillion in 2011, representing about 40 per cent growth.

On the pilot survey, the minister said the scheme conducted by the National Planning Commission with the National Bureau of Statistics in seven states selected from the six geo-political zones, was being implemented in two phases to be completed by December 2014.

He said data were generated based on production and income approaches, with agriculture recording 30 percent; industry, four percent; and service sector, 66 percent.

Ms. Dunni Goodman is dead

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S. DUNNI Banjo Goodman is dead, aged 58. Ms Goodman, who worked as a deputy director with USAID/Nigeria Health Office before her death, will be given a farewell service today at the headquarters of Foursquare Gospel Church, Alagomeji, Yaba, Lagos.

She is survived by Daniel Goodman (widower), two children, aged mother and siblings.

Late Ms Goodman

Minister accuses Okorocha of wastage, unnecessary accusation of FG nor Rochas Okorocha to accuse the Federal Government of marginalising Imo State when the billions of Naira accruing to the state from the Federation Account were being wasted on frivolities

and white elephant projects.

Professor Onwuliri, who stated this, yesterday, while fielding questions from journalists, in Owerri, reiterated her earlier demand that the governor rendered

full account of all monies that had accrued to the state since he came WERRI — THE Minister on board. of External Affairs, Profes“Why would the governor emsor Viola Onwuliri, has described bark on white elephant projects as most uncharitable for Goverthat have no economic value to the citizenry? White elephant projects merely attract cheap credibility,” Onwuliri said.

She recalled that billions of Naira that had accrued to the 27 local councils were today being administered without elected council officials, adding that the general hospitals said to have been completed by Okorocha’s administration were not functional.

The minister said: “It is no longer news that billions of Naira accruing to the 27 local governments in the state are being administered without elected local council officials.

"Similarly, the general PRESENTATION: From left, Mr. Adeleke Adewale,Quality Assurance Officer, Fidson Products Limited; hospitals the Governor Mr. Oduyebo Oladimeji, CSM,Corporate Service Manager, Fidson Healthcare; Engr. Enebi Onucheyo, claimed he completed have Head, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Ogun State, and Mr. Ajayi Babatunji, Factory Manager, remained non-functional till Fidson Products Limited, during the presentation of NIS 105; 2007 Certificate to Fidson Products Limited, date.” at SON, Ota Zonal Office, Ogun State, last weekend. Photo Joe Akintola (Photo Editor) While insisting that health centres had remained moribund and comatose, Professor Onwuliri said Okorocha could not continue to accuse President Goodluck Jonathan of ”For kidnapping, we were able tackle the security challenges in

BY TONY EDIKE marginalising the state to successfully achieve a reasona- some Northern states under the when federal presence was ble level of sanity in Abia territory division. everywhere in the state.

NUGU — THE new General in 2010. I tell you I was one of those Officer Commanding 82 Diwho started that operation and we vision of the Nigerian Army, Enuare going to be as proactive as posgu, Major General Shehu Yusuf, sible,” Maj. Gen. Yusuf said.

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA yesterday, warned kidnappers In an apparent move to reHe urged the civilians to assist and oil thieves operating within solve the issue ahead of the visthe military with information, addWERRI — FRESH lead the South East and Niger Delta it of President Goodluck ing that his division required the ership crisis has ento steer clear or be ready to face Jonathan, a member of the PDP co-operation of civilians to tackle gulfed Imo State chapter of Peothe wrath of the law.

Board of Trustees, Chief Eminsecurity. ples Democratic Party, PDP, General Yusuf, who assumed manuel Iwuanyanwu, invited He averred that the best way to over who among the top chiefoffice as GOC, 82 Division at a tackle insecurity was to be ahead tains of the party should pro- stakeholders to his Orji resiceremony in Enugu, warned that dence in Owerri of all forms of insecurity and as- duce the state chairman. the division would not tolerate Some of those who particisured that the Nigeria Army would any form of insecurity with the pated in the meeting include states under its control.

Chief Ikedi Ohakim, Professor He said the army would change Viola Onwuliri, Dr. Kema its strategy to ensure adequate Chikwe, Senator Hope Uzodsecurity for the people under the inma, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, noon, at Police College, in division.

Senator Ifeanyi Araraume and

BY ONOZURE DANIA Ikeja, falsely represented The new GOC, who until his elChief Bethel Amadi. himself as a member of the evation was the commandant of Vanguard gathered that AGOS — A 53-year- old Nigeria Police Force. the Depot, Nigerian Army, adChief Iwuanyanwu told his dismissed police officer, He said Ofem also forged vised kidnappers and oil thieves guests that there was the need Essien Ofem, was yesterday, to move out of the 82 Division, to amicably settle the issue of arraigned before an Ikeja documents of the Nigeria Police Force wireless messagvowing that he would spear-head who should "occupy the chairHigh Court for allegedly imes and signal for promotion, serious fight against perpetrators manship seat vacated by Sir personating as a member of dated February 9, 2007, by of crimes.

Eze Duruiheoma, SAN, before the Nigeria Police force. omitting the name of one seYusuf recalled how he drove out President Jonathan visits the The defendant, whose adrial number 339, force number oil thieves while he was serving in state next Friday." dress is Nichemtex Police 163621, belonging to one Calabar as well the leading role he The participants were unanpost, Ikorodu, is facing a twoplayed during the successful fight imous that the candidature of count charge bordering on Corporal Sunday Egwu.

However, the magistrate against kidnappers in Abia State, Anyaehie amounted to impoimpersonation and forgery, granted him bail in the sum assuring that he was ready to do sition, which the party was batpreferred against him by the of N500,000, with two sureexactly the same in his new territotling to erase from its affairs. police. ry of command.

It was also gathered that Ofem, who committed the ties in like sum and also ordered that the defendant de”There is definitely going to be a while Senator Uzodinma not alleged offence, on January posit the sum of N80,000 in cordial relationship with the entire only showed preference for 31, 2014, was docked before to the account of the court service agencies. We can always Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, he Magistrate O.Akinde. protect all those who give informaalso wondered why the issue The prosecutor, Sergeant registrar.

She further adjourned the tion. All those who are penetrating should come up again after his Chinalu Uwadione, told the matter to April 3, 2014, for those crimes should start leaving 82 candidate had been sent to court that the defendant, on mention.

Division.

Abuja for approval. the said date, at about 12

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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Steer clear of S-East, Niger Delta, GOC, 82 Div warns kidnappers, oil thieves

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Leadership crisis hits Imo PDP

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53-yr-old dismissed policeman arraigned for impersonation

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Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 - 47

DONATION: From left: Director of Forestry, Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Sunday Moradeyo, Perm anent Secretary, Kunle Adeduntan, Head, Leaf Operations, British WORKSHOP: From left: Wife of Ekiti State governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Canadian American Tobacco, Thomas Omofoye and GM, British American Tobacco High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Perry Calderwood, and First Secretary, Nigeria Foundation, Abimbola Okoya, at the donation of two Motorcycles Canadian High Commission in Nigeria, Mr. Heine Lambert, at a South-West regional to the ministry to enhance forest protection and deforestation in Ibadan. workshop on 'Promoting gender development and increased participation of women in democratic governance,' at Ikogosi, Ekiti State.

LAUNCHING: From left: Retail Customer Marketing Manager, Olajide Adeyemi, Head, Marketing, Debbie Shepard, Consumer Engagement Manager, Mayor Esiaba, all of Nokia West & Central Africa and Category Business Manager, Culinary, Nestle`Nigeria Plc, Guy Kellaway, at the Nokia/Maggi Food Photography Night to celebrate the launch of Nokia Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1320 in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

From left: Former Rep, Hon. Isah Ashiru, former PDP Chairman in Kaduna State, Alhaji Yero Makama and Ambassador Sule Buba, after Hon. Ashiru's APC membership registration, at his Kudan Ward, Kofa Fada, Kaduna State. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

VISIT: From left: Analyst, Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Michael Nwoseh, Vice Chancellor, Kogi State University, Professor Hassan Isah and Manager, Corporate Security, Etisalat Nigeria, Steve Akhagbosu, during the firm's visit to the university in Kogi State.

PRESENTATION: From left: Mr. Adefemi Adeniran, Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, Nitin Anand, Director, Product and Services, Airtel, Olatunde Owokoniran,F emi Taiwo, winner, Funny Leni, and Chukwuemeka Afigbo, Programm Manager, Outreach, Sub Sahara Africa, at the Airtel prize presentation to winners in the Apps Developer Challenge in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

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LAUNCHING: From right: Director, Hand Held Products, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Emmanouil Revmatas, Retail Specialist, Samsung Electronics, Elele Ejodame, Retail Manager, Samsung Electronics, Manoj Adhikari, MD, Onigx Investment, Ayofunke Onigemo and her husband, Ahmed Onigemo and Head, Sales, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Olumide Ojo, at the launch of Samsung Experience Shop at Warri, Delta State.

Student of Loral International Boarding Secondary School, Igbesa, Ogun State, during a visit to the Arrow of God Orpanage, Igando, Lagos State.

From left: Director, Emergency Flood Services, Mr. Bade Adebowale, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, Director, Public Affairs, Research and Communications, Pastor Fola Adeyemi, and Perm Sec, Office of the Drainage Services, Mr. Muyideen Akinsanya, during an inspection tour of Simpson Street canals and drainages in Lagos Island, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Nigerians tasked on love for physically challenged persons

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AGOS—NIGERI ANS have been urged to reflect on their relationship with the less privileged and especially the physically challenged in the society.

The call was made by the President/Founder of Asabe Shehu Yar ’Adua Foundation, Dr. Asabe Shehu Yar ’Adua when the foundation celebrated the Valentine’s day with the physically Challenged in Abuja, Lagos, Owerri, Port Harcourt and Ogun State.

According to her, “ we should ask ourselves if we have genuinely and consistently demonstrated unconditional love towards such category of fellow compatriots in the face of compelling needs.

“It is disheartening to see many of the needy in obvious distress in the midst of our immense collective wealth as a nation. If only every individual could spare a thought for the less privileged, the society will get better."

UniIlorin expels three students for internet fraud, theft

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LORIN—THE Uni versity of Ilorin, yesterday, said it had expelled three undergraduate students for internet fraud and theft.

The institution also reprimanded 40 other students of the institution for violating the university’s dress code.

It said Adeyemi Daniel Oluwaseyi of the Basic Medical Sciences was found guilty of unlawfully taking possession of ATM card and PIN belonging to another student while Mkperedom Olalekan Okon of the Arts Faculty was found guilty of internet-related fraud.

The report also said that the 40 undergraduates, who were found guilty of violating the institution’s dress code, received strong warning and were asked to write an undertaking to be of good behaviour.

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ACF—Vice President Namadi Sambo (C); former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari(4th L); Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal (3rd L); in a group photograph, with the newly inaugurated ACF National Working Committee during the 2014 Annual General Assembly/Public Lecture of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, at Umar Yar’Adua in-door sports hall, Murtala Mohammed Square, Kaduna,yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Military approach in N-East counter-productive — Junaid Mohammed

BY GBENGA OKE

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AGOS—SECOND Repub lic lawmaker, Dr Junaid Mohammed has stated that government's military approach to end insurgency in the NorthEast will not solve the crisis but rather escalate it.

He also said government needs to approach people who understand the activities of the insurgents, irrespective of their political beliefs or positions to help dialogue with the sect.

Mohammed was reacting to the latest killing which left over 100 people killed in various villages in both Borno and Adamawa states.

According to him, the military approach has been counter-productive from all look of things and there is need for continuous dialogue with the group.

His words: “For four years now, I have been at the fore-front of calling government to dialogue with the Boko Haram leaders because various experiments carried out have shown that military approach will not help in solving insurgency in the North-East.

“I do not believe in the military mission and the way Federal Government has dealt with the situation is not the way to go because it seems they have exhausted all military tricks they have, yet innocent people are still being killed on daily basis in Borno and Adamawa states”, he said.

He added: “I think government needs to approach people who understand this sect better because if they continue with the military onslaught in the NorthEast, it is going to lead to more death and destruction of lives

and property”.

He, however, took a swipe at a statement credited to the new Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh giving ultimatum that Boko Haram must be wiped out before the end of April this year.

He said: “It is unfortunate that the new Chief of Defence Staff has decided to follow the path of his predecessor in office by boasting and giving deadline, he is destined to fail.

"If we continue like this, this

insurgency might take a decade”.

He, however, maintained that dialogue will bring about the lasting solution to the insecurity if government is being sincere.

“I think it was high time we realized the insecurity in Nigeria is currently facing is a national problem and not North-East alone and men of goodwill, irrespective of political affiliation, must come to the aid of government to discuss ways of ending the crisis”, he advised.

Kwara Govt moves to stem high rate of divorce

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LORIN—APPARENTLY miffed by the high rate of divorce cases, the Kwara State Government has established a Marriage Counselling Team to help curb the increasing rate of marriage dissolution in the state.

Mr Osuolale Ajayi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development, Culture and Tourism, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday in Ilorin that the team was established to foster good moral standard in the state.

Ajayi listed members of the counselling team to include Mr Olaniyi Abolarin, Mrs Mary George, Mr Jiyah Muhammed, Mrs Mojisola Afolabi and Mrs Gidado Sidikat.

He said that most couples lacked sufficient understand-

ing of the concept of marriage, thus leading to impatience in the management of homes, and peaceful reconciliation of differences.

Ajayi said there must be room for endurance for a marriage to stand, and described the institution as a black market game that require proper guide.

He said that most marriages failed because they did not meet the pre-requisite of marriage in the first instance.

“You should be prepared to imbibe the spirit of apology, forgiveness and forgetfulness. Whosoever first apologise, is the bravest,” he said.

Ajayi said that the team was expected to perform to expectation, especially in pre-marriage counselling of intending couples.

Exam fraud threat to Nigeria's future — Exam Ethics boss

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ALINGO—THE Co ordinator, Examination Ethics International, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammed, yesterday described the lingering cases of examination malpractice in the country as “poisonous and a threat to the future of Nigeria”.

Muhammed told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jalingo that some parents, teachers and students had “almost legalised the illegal practice” of examination malpractice.

“They say money is the root of all evils, but examination malpractice is the greatest evil we have in Nigeria.

“We have cases of building collapse, bad governance, corruption and other negative acts.

These are being perpetrated by products of examination malpractice,” he said.

Muhammed said if examination malpractice was not addressed, attempts to fight bad governance, corruption and other vices would not be successful.

He called on the relevant authorities to renew the penalties for culprits to serve as deterrent to others.

The coordinator also appealed to Nigerians to stop placing too much emphasis on paper qualification to discourage students from making it at all cost.

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 —55 Edited by: Emma Nnadozie emmadozie@hotmail.com 08023145281, 08111813021

Edited by: Emma Nnadozie emmadozie@hotmail.com 08023145281, 08111813021

2 suspected pirates docked for robbery, possession of firearms

By IFUNANYA OKAFOR

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By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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zBenue CP — Mr. Adams Audu

•The bullet-ridden car - conveying the killed police officers

Day of rage as bandits rampage Benue •Kill 2 police officers, injure others •Cart away over N100m

By PETER DURU, Makurdi

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HERE was pandemonium in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, midweek, when four dare-devil, heavily armed robbers laid siege on the ever-busy Ishaya Bakut road, less than 500 meters from the ‘B’ Division Police station in the heart of the town. They shot and killed two Police officers attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS. The slain police officers were reportedly attached to the Benue State Secretariat and were said to have been detailed to escort a finance officer in one of the state ministries to withdraw an undisclosed huge sum of money from one of the new generation banks in the town.

The operation, which lasted less than five minutes, ended with the gang carting away the money from their victims, after killing the escorts and injuring the driver of the vehicle and the female finance officer. This latest incident happened when the police is perceived to be recording unprecedented success in its fight against crime and criminality in the entire state.

Eyewitnesses said the robbers who stormed the scene in an unmarked car initially operated like Police officers on stopand-search operation. According to the witnesses who craved anonymity, “we saw four heavily armed men stop and park by the road side; initially we thought they were police men on stop-and-search duty. Like you know, these days, our police men go about wielding guns without uniforms, so,

it becomes even difficult for one to know who is a genuine police officer and who is not, that was what got most of us confused.

“So, when they started the operation, we thought they were Police men and no one raised an alarm since the operation took place just a stone’s throw

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WO suspected pirates have been brought before a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, charged for being in possession of firearms and allegedly robbing the captain and cabin crew of a ship at Apapa.

Giving evidence, Sgt. Patrick Patinvo of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, explained how the defendants and others at large used a sledge hammer, broken bottle, and cutlasses to rob the occupants of the ship and made away with some jerry-cans of diesel.

Sgt. Patinvo, led in evidence by the prosecution, told the court that the defendants were returning from a night party when they saw the ship. ”They robbed the captain of the ship and his cabin crew of money, phones, and made away with some jerry-cans of diesel.

One of the cabin crew ran to hide at the toilet of the ship, but the defendants still went there and used a sledge hammer to break the door and threw the man into the sea. They (defendants) came in a canoe, about five of them. They distributed what they robbed among themselves. The chief of Kirikiri town also confirmed the boys attitude, and said the suspects were notorious boys in the area. I took their statement under caution and read it to their hearing and understanding. We visited the scene and moved to Agboju in search of one of them whom we could not lay hands on,” Sgt. Patinvo said.

The prosecutor, Mr. Afolabi Solebo, then urged the court to receive the duplicate copy of the defendant’s statement obtained by the police.

Objecting to the statement, Mr. O.A. Azeez from the Office of Public Defender, OPD, asked the court to discountenance same, arguing that it was not made voluntarily and it was not the original.

Presiding judge, Justice Aishat Opesanwo, then adjourned to March 26 for trial-within-trial, to test the veracity of the statement.

According to the charge, “Sunday Mekuleyi; 22, Michael Daniel; 20, and others at large on June 20, 2008 at Techno Horizon Company at Aletile Street, off Kirikiri Town, Apapa, Lagos, while armed with cutlasses, broken bottle and hammer did rob one Engr. Isaac Eshor and his coworkers of N167,000.00) and six handsets.”

The defendants were first arraigned before an Apapa magistrate court on a two-count charge of robbery and firearms, an offence contrary to 5 (B) and punishable under Section 1 (2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions Act) Cap. 398, Vol. XXII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 as amended.

When the charge was read to them in the open court, they pleaded not guilty to the charge and were remanded in Kirikiri prison.

pect that huge sums of money belonging to the state government was withdrawn from the bank since the bag that was carted away was quite heavy. The four heavily armed men who came in a black Toyota Corolla barricaded the road, just a stone throw from the bank.

“They did not flag down any

When they started the operation, we thought they were Police men and no one raised an alarmed since the operation took place just a stone throw from the ‘B’ Division Police Station, until they attacked the vehicle conveying the police men

from the ‘B’ Division Police Station, until they attacked the vehicle conveying the police men.”

The occupants of the state government owned Hilux Van with registration number BN07 A07 were “the driver, a woman and the deceased two police officers.

“The vehicle just drove out of one of the new generation banks not too far from the spot where the operation took place. We sus-

,

vehicle until they saw the Hilux and flagged it down but the driver of the car refused to stop, they immediately started raining bullets on the vehicle and before the police escorts could react, they were shot severally and killed. It was like what we see in the movies, as they shot sporadically, everybody scampered for safety, even vehicle owners and commercial motorcycle operators abandoned their vehicles and motorcycles and ran for their lives.”

“The gang quickly moved into the car, dragged down the two survivors and removed the big bag of money, after which they drove off, heading towards Aliade.

Few minutes after they drove off, we all ran to the car, and discovered that the driver and the female occupant sustained injuries but the two police escorts died on the spot. Just few minutes after the operation, the Police drove to the scene and took away the corpses of their dead colleagues and the two other injured occupants of the vehicle. Though no one can precisely say the amount of money that was taken away by the gang but some are speculating that it could be well over N100 million,” they stated.

here was pandemonium in the Coal City, Enugu, weekend, during a bloody clash between soldiers and the police which took place at IbagwaNike area of the town leaving a yet-to-be identified person dead. The crisis which later involved some hoodlums resulted in the escape of eight suspected murder and robbery kingpins earlier arrested by the Police from the state Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS. Sources said trouble started when police operatives from the Special anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu stormed Umuanekode Community in Ibagwa-Nike, EnuguEast Local Government Area of the state on official duty to effect the arrest of some people suspected to be deeply involved in a recent murder and robbery case in the area. It was gathered that the police operatives had earlier met a detachment of soldiers believed to have come from

Soldiers, police, hoodlums clash in Enugu •Murder and robbery suspects freed •One casualty recorded, Police van burnt

•Minimah, Chief of Army Staff 82 division of the Nigerian Army stationed at the market square whom they also intimated about their presence in the area. Reports said operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad later arrested about eight suspects and

•MD Abubakar, IGP consequently kept them in their official Hilux vehicle and were heading to Abakpa police station when the army personnel at the market square whom the operatives had earlier met with, allegedly prevented the suspects from following the

P-H-O-T-O-S-P-E-A-K

Operational vehicles When contacted,Benue state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent, DSP Daniel Ezeala confirmed the story. He added that the victims were conveying an undisclosed sum of money to the state secretariat. Ezeala said investigations into the incident had already commenced adding that the police had already recovered the operational vehicles of the robbers.

“We have been able to recover the black Corolla car with which they carried out the operation; the get-away car was recovered within Makurdi town but we are still carrying out our investigations,” Ezeala said.

It would be recalled that over a year ago, the same scenario played out at a spot not too far from the scene of this latest robbery. In that particular instance, no life was lost but the bandits made away with over N50million belonging to one of the state government parastatals.

PROMOTION: Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr Lawan Tanko (right) is here assisted by Deputy Commissioner (medical), Mr Komi Ahmadu, at the official decoration/promotion of Area Commander, Bama, Mr. David Dangiwa, from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, to Asst. Commissioner of Police, ACP, held at the State Police Command headquarters, Maiduguri recently. Photo by Ndahi Marama.

operatives. They reportedly shot at the tyes of the police patrol vehicle thereby demobilizing their movement.

Crime Alert learnt that the situation degenerated into a heavy clash between the Special Anti Robbery Squad operatives and the soldiers and in the ensuing misunderstanding, the soldiers allegedly embarked on sporadic firing thereby freeing and releasing the eight suspects already arrested by the operatives.

Hoodlums from the area, in their numbers, were said to have joined the attack on the police operatives and later burnt their Hilux vehicle. It was gathered that thereafter, a dead body was seen lying at the back of the Army patrol vehicle which has been recovered and taken to the mortuary for autopsy. As at the time of going to press, it was not possible to ascertain whether the casualty was a member of the police force, the military or one of the eyewitnesses that was escaping from the heavy shooting that ensued.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu, Ebere Amarizu who confirmed the incident said the case is being investigated by police operatives attached to the State Criminal Investigations Department in Enugu and assured that the area is being monitored while manhunt for the fleeing suspects has been declared.

Police sources said military authorities have also been communicated on the alleged role of soldiers just as calm has returned to the area.

54— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 —55 Edited by: Emma Nnadozie emmadozie@hotmail.com 08023145281, 08111813021

Edited by: Emma Nnadozie emmadozie@hotmail.com 08023145281, 08111813021

2 suspected pirates docked for robbery, possession of firearms

By IFUNANYA OKAFOR

T

By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

T

zBenue CP — Mr. Adams Audu

•The bullet-ridden car - conveying the killed police officers

Day of rage as bandits rampage Benue •Kill 2 police officers, injure others •Cart away over N100m

By PETER DURU, Makurdi

T

HERE was pandemonium in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, midweek, when four dare-devil, heavily armed robbers laid siege on the ever-busy Ishaya Bakut road, less than 500 meters from the ‘B’ Division Police station in the heart of the town. They shot and killed two Police officers attached to the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS. The slain police officers were reportedly attached to the Benue State Secretariat and were said to have been detailed to escort a finance officer in one of the state ministries to withdraw an undisclosed huge sum of money from one of the new generation banks in the town.

The operation, which lasted less than five minutes, ended with the gang carting away the money from their victims, after killing the escorts and injuring the driver of the vehicle and the female finance officer. This latest incident happened when the police is perceived to be recording unprecedented success in its fight against crime and criminality in the entire state.

Eyewitnesses said the robbers who stormed the scene in an unmarked car initially operated like Police officers on stopand-search operation. According to the witnesses who craved anonymity, “we saw four heavily armed men stop and park by the road side; initially we thought they were police men on stop-and-search duty. Like you know, these days, our police men go about wielding guns without uniforms, so,

it becomes even difficult for one to know who is a genuine police officer and who is not, that was what got most of us confused.

“So, when they started the operation, we thought they were Police men and no one raised an alarm since the operation took place just a stone’s throw

,

WO suspected pirates have been brought before a Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere, charged for being in possession of firearms and allegedly robbing the captain and cabin crew of a ship at Apapa.

Giving evidence, Sgt. Patrick Patinvo of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, explained how the defendants and others at large used a sledge hammer, broken bottle, and cutlasses to rob the occupants of the ship and made away with some jerry-cans of diesel.

Sgt. Patinvo, led in evidence by the prosecution, told the court that the defendants were returning from a night party when they saw the ship. ”They robbed the captain of the ship and his cabin crew of money, phones, and made away with some jerry-cans of diesel.

One of the cabin crew ran to hide at the toilet of the ship, but the defendants still went there and used a sledge hammer to break the door and threw the man into the sea. They (defendants) came in a canoe, about five of them. They distributed what they robbed among themselves. The chief of Kirikiri town also confirmed the boys attitude, and said the suspects were notorious boys in the area. I took their statement under caution and read it to their hearing and understanding. We visited the scene and moved to Agboju in search of one of them whom we could not lay hands on,” Sgt. Patinvo said.

The prosecutor, Mr. Afolabi Solebo, then urged the court to receive the duplicate copy of the defendant’s statement obtained by the police.

Objecting to the statement, Mr. O.A. Azeez from the Office of Public Defender, OPD, asked the court to discountenance same, arguing that it was not made voluntarily and it was not the original.

Presiding judge, Justice Aishat Opesanwo, then adjourned to March 26 for trial-within-trial, to test the veracity of the statement.

According to the charge, “Sunday Mekuleyi; 22, Michael Daniel; 20, and others at large on June 20, 2008 at Techno Horizon Company at Aletile Street, off Kirikiri Town, Apapa, Lagos, while armed with cutlasses, broken bottle and hammer did rob one Engr. Isaac Eshor and his coworkers of N167,000.00) and six handsets.”

The defendants were first arraigned before an Apapa magistrate court on a two-count charge of robbery and firearms, an offence contrary to 5 (B) and punishable under Section 1 (2) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions Act) Cap. 398, Vol. XXII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 as amended.

When the charge was read to them in the open court, they pleaded not guilty to the charge and were remanded in Kirikiri prison.

pect that huge sums of money belonging to the state government was withdrawn from the bank since the bag that was carted away was quite heavy. The four heavily armed men who came in a black Toyota Corolla barricaded the road, just a stone throw from the bank.

“They did not flag down any

When they started the operation, we thought they were Police men and no one raised an alarmed since the operation took place just a stone throw from the ‘B’ Division Police Station, until they attacked the vehicle conveying the police men

from the ‘B’ Division Police Station, until they attacked the vehicle conveying the police men.”

The occupants of the state government owned Hilux Van with registration number BN07 A07 were “the driver, a woman and the deceased two police officers.

“The vehicle just drove out of one of the new generation banks not too far from the spot where the operation took place. We sus-

,

vehicle until they saw the Hilux and flagged it down but the driver of the car refused to stop, they immediately started raining bullets on the vehicle and before the police escorts could react, they were shot severally and killed. It was like what we see in the movies, as they shot sporadically, everybody scampered for safety, even vehicle owners and commercial motorcycle operators abandoned their vehicles and motorcycles and ran for their lives.”

“The gang quickly moved into the car, dragged down the two survivors and removed the big bag of money, after which they drove off, heading towards Aliade.

Few minutes after they drove off, we all ran to the car, and discovered that the driver and the female occupant sustained injuries but the two police escorts died on the spot. Just few minutes after the operation, the Police drove to the scene and took away the corpses of their dead colleagues and the two other injured occupants of the vehicle. Though no one can precisely say the amount of money that was taken away by the gang but some are speculating that it could be well over N100 million,” they stated.

here was pandemonium in the Coal City, Enugu, weekend, during a bloody clash between soldiers and the police which took place at IbagwaNike area of the town leaving a yet-to-be identified person dead. The crisis which later involved some hoodlums resulted in the escape of eight suspected murder and robbery kingpins earlier arrested by the Police from the state Special AntiRobbery Squad, SARS. Sources said trouble started when police operatives from the Special anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Enugu stormed Umuanekode Community in Ibagwa-Nike, EnuguEast Local Government Area of the state on official duty to effect the arrest of some people suspected to be deeply involved in a recent murder and robbery case in the area. It was gathered that the police operatives had earlier met a detachment of soldiers believed to have come from

Soldiers, police, hoodlums clash in Enugu •Murder and robbery suspects freed •One casualty recorded, Police van burnt

•Minimah, Chief of Army Staff 82 division of the Nigerian Army stationed at the market square whom they also intimated about their presence in the area. Reports said operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad later arrested about eight suspects and

•MD Abubakar, IGP consequently kept them in their official Hilux vehicle and were heading to Abakpa police station when the army personnel at the market square whom the operatives had earlier met with, allegedly prevented the suspects from following the

P-H-O-T-O-S-P-E-A-K

Operational vehicles When contacted,Benue state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Deputy Superintendent, DSP Daniel Ezeala confirmed the story. He added that the victims were conveying an undisclosed sum of money to the state secretariat. Ezeala said investigations into the incident had already commenced adding that the police had already recovered the operational vehicles of the robbers.

“We have been able to recover the black Corolla car with which they carried out the operation; the get-away car was recovered within Makurdi town but we are still carrying out our investigations,” Ezeala said.

It would be recalled that over a year ago, the same scenario played out at a spot not too far from the scene of this latest robbery. In that particular instance, no life was lost but the bandits made away with over N50million belonging to one of the state government parastatals.

PROMOTION: Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr Lawan Tanko (right) is here assisted by Deputy Commissioner (medical), Mr Komi Ahmadu, at the official decoration/promotion of Area Commander, Bama, Mr. David Dangiwa, from the rank of Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, to Asst. Commissioner of Police, ACP, held at the State Police Command headquarters, Maiduguri recently. Photo by Ndahi Marama.

operatives. They reportedly shot at the tyes of the police patrol vehicle thereby demobilizing their movement.

Crime Alert learnt that the situation degenerated into a heavy clash between the Special Anti Robbery Squad operatives and the soldiers and in the ensuing misunderstanding, the soldiers allegedly embarked on sporadic firing thereby freeing and releasing the eight suspects already arrested by the operatives.

Hoodlums from the area, in their numbers, were said to have joined the attack on the police operatives and later burnt their Hilux vehicle. It was gathered that thereafter, a dead body was seen lying at the back of the Army patrol vehicle which has been recovered and taken to the mortuary for autopsy. As at the time of going to press, it was not possible to ascertain whether the casualty was a member of the police force, the military or one of the eyewitnesses that was escaping from the heavy shooting that ensued.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu, Ebere Amarizu who confirmed the incident said the case is being investigated by police operatives attached to the State Criminal Investigations Department in Enugu and assured that the area is being monitored while manhunt for the fleeing suspects has been declared.

Police sources said military authorities have also been communicated on the alleged role of soldiers just as calm has returned to the area.

56 —

VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,FEBRU ARY 19,2014 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA ,FEBRUARY

VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,FEBRU ARY 19,2014 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA ,FEBRUARY

— 57

58 — V anguard Vanguard anguard,, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

NEWS BRIEF

Violent clashes in Ukraine leave 9 dead

UN rights boss canvasses prosecution of N/Korean crimes U

.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, yesterday urged world powers to refer North Korea to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) following a U.N. report documenting crimes against humanity.

North Korean security chiefs and possibly even Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un himself should face international justice for ordering systematic torture, starvation and killings comparable to Nazi-era atrocities, U.N. investigators said on Monday.

“We now need strong international leadership to follow up on the grave findings of the Commission of Inquiry. I therefore call on the international community, in line with the report’s recommendations, to use all the mechanisms at its disposal to ensure accountability, including

•Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General referral to the International Criminal Court,” Pillay said in a statement issued in Geneva.

EU wants more reforms as it softens Zimbabwe sanctions

T

HE European Union was set to urge further reform in Zimbabwe as it continued yesterday to soften punishing sanctions imposed against President Robert Mugabe

S/Sudan ceasefire ends amid Malakal fighting

F

IGHTING has broken out in South Sudan’s Upper Nile state, officials say, in the first major clashes since the government and rebels signed a ceasefire agreement in January.

Both sides have accused each other of starting the violence in Malakal, the capital of Upper Nile state.

The government says there has been fighting in most parts of the town.

The clashes will again fuel concerns over the security of oilfields in the north - the backbone of the economy.

The UN representative in the capital, Juba, urged all parties in the world’s newest country to protect civilians.

The independent U.N. investigators, led by Michael Kirby, recommended that the

world body refer the situation in North Korea to the Hague-based ICC or set up a special tribunal.

Earlier on Tuesday, China rejected what it said was “unreasonable criticism” of Beijing in the U.N. report on human rights abuses in North Korea, but it would not be drawn on whether it would veto any proceedings in the Security Council to bring Pyongyang to book.

The U.N. Human Rights Council, a 47-member state forum that launched the inquiry a year ago, is due to hold a debate on the repor

“Hostilities have this morning broken out in Malakal: All parties engaged in the violence must uphold people’s rights and protect noncombatants,” UN humanitarian coordinator in South Sudan Toby Lanzer tweeted.

Mr Lanzer told the BBC earlier this month that $1.3bn (£790m) was needed to deal with the South Sudan crisis.

and his allies more than a decade ago.

A high-level EU delegation was on its way to Harare to meet officials as Brussels readied to issue a key statement outlining the bloc’s carrotand-stick approach to the southern African nation ruled by Mugabe since independence from Britain in 1980.

The statement, to be issued this week by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, probably on Wednesday, “will be a balanced political message” reflecting divergent views among the 28 member states, an EU diplomat told AFP. “It will acknowledge that Zimbabwe’s reform process is moving, but slowly, and that we can lift

sanctions now, but slowly, and on condition of continued progress,” said another diplomat close to the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity.

EU ministers this week suspended an asset freeze and visa ban against eight figures in the political and military elite, but maintained sanctions against Mugabe, who turns 90 on Friday, and his 48-yearold wife Grace.

U

South Sudan's anti-government side is made of various militias and former army soldiers

leaders around the Arab world first ignited in 2011. In meetings yesterday with Tunisian authorities, U.S. officials said Kerry would urge a cementing of democratic reforms enshrined in a new constitution that was formally adopted earlier this month after the formation of an interim government in January.

Kerry will laud Tunisia’s progress and offer technical assistance for organizing presidential and parliamentary elections that are due to be held by the end of the year, the officials said.

Kerry made the

KRAINE’s political crisis escalated sharply yesterday with at least nine people reported killed and scores injured in violent, often fiery battles between anti-government demonstrators and police in Kiev. The clashes outside parliament erupted after the opposition accused the government of ignoring its demands even after nearly three months of protests that have paralyzed the capital. It was the worst violence since the protests began in late November.

As darkness fell, opposition leaders warned that security forces may be preparing to clear a sprawling protest tent camp on Kiev’s Independence Square.

Law enforcement agencies vowed to bring order to the streets and shut down subway stations in the capital.

Protesters battle police in Kiev after Russia renews aid

A

NTI-GOVERNMENT protesters yesterday clashed violently with police in central Kiev a day after Moscow moved to cement its influence over Ukraine with $2 billion in cash to shore up the former Soviet state’s heavily indebted economy.

A parliamentary deputy said on Facebook that three demonstrators had been killed, and Ukrainian television said five protesters had been hurt in the clashes. Neither report could immediately be confirmed.

Ukraine’s defense ministry ordered demonstrators to stop occupying one of its buildings.

Iran nuclear talks resume amid pessimism

N

EGOTIATORS are due to meet in Vienna to discuss Iran’s nuclear programme, a day after the country’s supreme leader said he was not optimistic about talks and that they would lead nowhere.

Representatives from the P5+1 Group, so called because it comprises the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council plus Germany, convened in the Austrian capital yesterday to build on progress made in the previous round of talks in November, when Tehran agreed to suspend part of its nuclear enrichment operations in exchange for an easing of sanctions. This latest round of talks is aimed at finding a long-term agreement, and the two sides have until July to find a solution.

S/Sudan rebels attack key oil town

F

•Robert Mugabe

Kerry in Tunisia to laud post-revolution reforms .S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Tunisia to offer continued American assistance to the North African nation where uprisings that toppled authoritarian

U

unannounced stop in Tunis as he flew from Abu Dhabi to Paris for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday.

The U.S. is keen to encourage the democratic transition in Tunisia, which ousted its longtime dictator in January 2011, sparking revolts around the Middle East and North Africa that toppled leaders in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

One official with Kerry said the U.S. hoped Tunisia could serve as a model for other transitioning countries in the region.

IGHTING has resumed in South Sudan after rebel forces attacked a key oil town in the state of Upper Nile, a South Sudanese military official said. A government official confirmed that the rebels have reached the town and could have taken over more than half of Malakal.

The UN says there is heavy fighting around the UNMISS compound which is next to the airport and crossfire is landing in the compound. South Sudanese military spokesman Philip Aguer told the Associated Press news agency that fighting broke out early on Tuesday in Malakal, which once was in rebel hands but is now controlled by government troops.

Asylum seeker dies in Papua New Guinea camp

A

N asylum seeker was killed and scores were injured when a violent protest ended with a breakout from an immigration detention camp run

by Australia on the South Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, an official said.

The asylum seeker died from head injuries as he was taken by ambulance to the hospital, Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said yesterday.

It was not clear what his nationality was, or how he had sustained the injuries, AP news agency reported.

Two other seriously injured asylum seekers, one with a gunshot wound and the other with a fractured skull, would be flown to Australia for medical treatment, Morrison added.

Vanguard, WEDNEESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014—59

Reps commend NTI over MDGs' training

87% of Nigerians endorse national dialogue — NOIPolls

T

HE HOUSE of Representatives Committee on Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, has commended the National Teachers Institute, NTI, for its high quality teachers' training programme towards meeting the MDGs. Alhassan Doguwa, Chairman of the committee, said at the 2013 MDGs Training Review meeting, in Kaduna, last weekend, that his team was impressed by the progress recorded by NTI in the push towards meeting the educational sector’s MDGs. He said lawmakers will continue to support the NTI through effective budgetary allocations.

In his remarks, Prince Sunday Kolawale, who represented the NTI DG, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu, said the institute, trained only 5,032 participants in 2013 as against the 120,000 envisaged, owing to paucity of funds.

…79 want outcome subjected to referendum

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

PUBLIC HEARING: From left, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, and Group Managing Director of NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu, at the public hearing on expenditure, supply, distribution and subsidy on kerosene, at the National Assembly, in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Power: TCN gets $1.2bn from FG, donor agencies …Targets 10, 000mw by 2017

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA — THE Board of Transmission Com pany of Nigeria, TCN, yesterday, revealed that it had received over $1.2 billion from the

Federal Government and donor agencies with which it intends to increase power capacity from 5,000 to 10, 000 megawatts by 2017.

The management of TCN, which made this disclosure at a media briefing in Abuja, explained that the company had over 165 ongoing initiatives and projects, aimed at doubling the power wheeling capacity from 5000 to 10,000MW by 2017 but on balance of 7,000 megawatts delivery as of now.

The company, while giving a breakdown of the funds, said it got $150 million from African Development Bank, ADB; $170 million from France agency; 135 billion euros as quantum to fund projects; $200 million from JAIC; and $500 million from Exim Bank of China.

A budget proposal of N24.9 billion for the company is currently receiving the attention of the members of the National Assembly for the 2014 fiscal year.

Chairman, Board of Trustees of TCN, Mr. Ibrahim Dahiru Waziri, who addressed journalists, expressed readiness to welcome investors in the transmission sub-sector of Nigeria’s Electricity Supply Industry, NESI, in order to attain the vibrancy required to meet the expectations of the growing economy.

He noted that the TCN needed investors who had a long term view of their returns to enable the company efficiently achieve its set objectives.

He said the company was willing to share its strategic national grid growth and stabilisation plans with investors wishing to key into the transmission sub-sector of the economy.

Waziri disclosed that frameworks for such partnership were being finalised to obtain legal backing and safeguards.

He said: “It is very clear to us that for the sector to attain the vibrancy required to fully meet and exceed the expectation of our rapidly growing economy and Nigerians, we need and indeed welcome investors who have a long term view of their returns.

“We are open to sharing our strategic national grid growth and stabilisation plans with investors wishing to key in. Frameworks for such partnership are being finalised to obtain legal backing and safeguards.”

The new TCN board chairman said the board had asked the management to review and prioritise the raft of ongoing projects to ensure a more prudent focus of limited resources to key projects with immediate tangible impact.

BUJA — A public opinion poll conducted by an independent firm, NOIPolls Limited, has indicated that 87 percent of Nigerians affirmed their support for convening of the proposed national conference.

The poll, however, revealed 79 per cent of the respondents were of the opinion that the outcome of the national conference should be subjected to a referendum.

The National Conference Snap Poll conducted by NOIPolls on February 10, 2014, and released this week, revealed that 27 per cent are of the opinion that the national conference would bring progress and development to Nigeria; while 21 per cent believed it would bring unity, as well as peace to the country.

According to poll, “almost nine in 10 Nigerians, 87 per cent, have affirmed their support for the constitution of a national conference.

“On the other hand, for those against the proposed national conference, 13 per cent in all, 35 per cent believe the conference “is a waste of time and money,” and 25 per cent said it would be ineffective.

“The poll also revealed that 79 per cent of the respondents were of the opinion that the outcome of the national conference should be subjected to a referendum.”

The NOIPolls explained: “Over the years, various advocacy and rights groups have been clamouring for the constitution of a national conference. Interestingly, the core essence of the advocacy for a national conference was best captured by the words of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

“The root cause of our national tragedies is the fundamental defects that have always afflicted the process of determining every constitutional framework of the polity. Our constitutional arrangements since 1914 to date (2000) have never truly reflected the political, economic, social, cultural and religious realities of the country.

“In line with this in January 2014, the Federal Government on unveiled the modalities of the National Confab, disclosing that a total of 492 delegates will partake in the dialogue which would be named National Conference.

"The aim of the National Conference is to address these fundamental defects and find solutions to all the problems that afflict the polity.”

60—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Prisons Service loses over 50 officials to B'Haram, says C-G

BY EMMA UNA

C

ALABAR—ORGANISED attacks on prison formations by the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East part of the country have left no fewer than 50 officials of the Nigerian Prisons Service dead, while many more have been wounded.

The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr Zakari Ibrahim, in Calabar, Cross River State in his keynote address at the annual workshop of the Prisons Welfare Insurance Scheme, said the organised attacks by the insurgents and hoodlums in a desperate bid to free themselves or their colleagues in custody “have left a number of our staff with severe injuries while some others have lost their lives in line of duty through these dastardly acts.”

He said that the resilience and steadfastness of the insurance scheme has been tasked by the high number of claims, occasioned by the deaths and injuries, but the handlers of the scheme have always responded speedily to contributors through early settlements of claims in times of need.

According to him, the scheme

managers have not faltered in their obligation to the families of contributors, especially those who have fallen in the course of their duty.

He said: “I acknowledge with great satisfaction the soothing relief the scheme has brought to bear in the lives of injured and deceased families through

prompt payment of claims without the clumsy and cumbersome processes usually associated with insurance claims, these have helped to guarantee their immediate financial needs before other entitlements are paid.”

He added that the staff welfare scheme had been expanded with over 700 prisons officials, rang-

ing from the low level through the middle level to the top officials of the service benefiting from the vehicles given to them for personal use by the insurance scheme.

He assured that the Nigerian Prison Service will continue to confront the challenges facing the country as gallant men and

women in the service without compromising transparency and integrity.

He said: “It must be noted that no society is immune to crisis.

Therefore, Nigeria’s situation is not out of character, but the peculiarity of our situation requires that we deplore our professional training and orientation to surmount the challenges.”

Group holds capacity building summit for journalists

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Managing Director of Kunden Services Ltd., Ms Abiola Bashorun and Executive Director (Development), Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), Crystabel Onyejekwe during the launch of the bank verification number and biometric data initiative, in Lagos.

AGOS — EVERYTHING Journalism, a group on the professional network, Linkedin.com, and its adjunct, The Journalism Clinic, in collaboration with United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc is hosting a one-day social media summit to boost the capacity of Nigerian journalists to maximally use the social media for news gathering, building online communities and engaging with their audiences.

Tagged “Functional Social Networking for Nigerian jour-

Microsoft urges Internet consumers to stay safer online

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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AGOS— FOLLOWING the latest results of the third annual Microsoft Computing Safer Index (MCSI), revealing impact of poor online safety behaviours, the software giant, Microsoft, has asked internet consumers to stay safer online.

In staying safer by interacting on http:// www.microsoft.com/saferonline, users around the world, according to Microsoft, can share how they plan to avoid online risks, learn what other people are doing to help protect themselves, and receive instant tips to enhance their digital lifestyle.

“The Internet touches our lives everyday; we email to stay connected, share photos and videos, pay bills, and shop,” Jacqueline Beauchere, chief online safety officer, Microsoft, said, adding: “Sometimes, though, the very experiences that we love about the Internet put us at risk.”

In Africa, this risk is growing fast, Marius Haman, Anti-Piracy, Legal & Corporate Affairs lawyer for Microsoft Middle East & Africa, said.

“Sub-Saharan Africa is home to one of the world’s fastest growing internet populations, which means more and more people are accessing the internet for the first time, providing a large and unsuspecting base of targets to cybercriminals. Combine this with the lack of strong cybercrime laws and high piracy rate on the continent and its clear why we’re seeing more and more people fall victim to attacks,” Haman explained.

According to the MCSI survey, the annual worldwide impact of phishing and various forms of identity theft could be as high as $5 billion, with the cost of repairing damage to peoples’ online reputation higher yet at nearly $6 billion, or an estimated average of $632 per loss. This means that education and guidance about how to avoid online risks remain key and is why Microsoft is asking people to “Do 1 Thing” today and make it part of their daily digital routine.

nalists”, it will hold tomorrow, at the Amphitheatre, UBA House, 57, Marina, Lagos.

“We have seen the creative disruption happening in the media space. It is important that Nigerian media professionals get a clear understanding of this process and how to take advantage of it. We hope that by hosting this high profile discussion for the media, a clear path way will be mapped for the Nigerian media industry,” said Phillips Oduoza, MD/CEO UBA Plc while explaining why the bank decided to sponsor and host the event.

Convener, Taiwo Obe, founder and moderator of the Everything Journalism group and director of The Journalism Clinic, stated that at the end of the summit, journalists would not only “be more social-media friendly and savvy, media owners, a number of whom have indicated their participation at the summit, but should also have the zeal to change their mindsets to operate more efficiently, and profitably, in the digital age.”

The four key questions to be answered by a team of media professionals and scholars are: Does One Platform Suit All? What Does It Profit Us?; What Can You Teach Me About Social Media? and Ethics: Why It Matters in Social Networking?

Panellists at some of the sessions include Pelu Awofeso, Tolu Ogunlesi, both of whom are past winners of the CNNMultichoice African Journalist of the year awards in different categories; Azubuike Ishiekwene, GMD, Leadership Newspapers and Dapo Olorunyomi, CEO/ Editor-in-Chief of Premium Times.

Gbenga Adefaye, Editor-in-Chief and General Manager of Vanguard Newspapers will moderate a session on which online portal is ranked number one by global web analytics firm, Alexa.com while Prof, Emevwo Biakolo, Dean of Faculty of the School of Media and Communiation, Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, is the moderator for a session, "What can you teach me about social media?"

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 — 61

Let’s show love for the physically challenged – Ochei The Right Honourable Victor Ochei is Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. He speaks on his support for the physically challenged:

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F all sports, why are you sponsoring wheelchair basketball?

This is one question everybody asks me. Why have I taken interest in the sport which is not very popular? . Well, the driving force for me is my belief in developing special people. I have compassion towards those who are less privileged and I want to see what I can do to develop them, bring the best out of them. The physically challenged have abilities and I want them to showcase those abilities via wheelchair basketball. So, when my good friend Bukola Olapade became chairman of Wheelchair Basketball Federation and came to me for sponsorship, I jumped at it and decided to throw my weight behind it. This is how we started the Rt. Hon. Victor Ochei Annual Wheelchair Basketball tournament which is now in its third edition.

Your Wheelchair competition is now attracting competitors from outside the country, do you intend to make it a full fledged international meet?

When we started, we decided to hold it in Asaba, then we had 24 states participating. When we staged the 2nd edition, we decided to expand the scope. We invited three countries, Ghana, Republic of Benin and Togo. For this third edition we have invited more African countries. Six of them are coming and we decided to move the venue to Lagos.

Now we have South Africa, Cameroon and Cote d,Ivoire featuring. So the championship is getting better every year and it is gradually becoming a full fledged international competition and this is my dream.

Do you see our wheelchair basketball athletes doing Nigeria proud in the near future?

Actually, we are targeting the 2016 Paralympics.

Our vision is to properly expose our players and prepare them for the 2016 Games. Who says Nigeria can not win a medal in wheelchair basketball at the 2016 Games? We are building the confidence of our players. Five of them that are playing professionally outside are coming home to play in this edition. Last year, I sponsored them to play in Angola and South Africa and they did well.

Talking about sponsorship, are you still going solo in terms of bankrolling the championship?

I must say that I am now getting corporate backing in terms of sponsorship. My friends in the corporate world have come in to be part of it.

Heritage Bank is doing some branding and Ecobank has also come in. Delta state Oil Producing Development Commission (DESOPADEC) is also chipping in some support in line with their mandate of helping the physically challenged people. I have a whole lot of other

*Right Hon. Victor Ochei presenting prizes to wheelchair basketballers at the end of the 2013 event. friends who have now come in to help me drive this vision of making life better for this great Nigerians . I am happy a lot of my friends are buying into the wheelchair basketball championship. In fact, I hope that after this third edition we will attract countries from Europe and other parts of the world.

With more sponsors coming in, are we going to see an improved prize money for the winners?

Oh yes. The organizers are working all that out.

I am not part of the organization. Yes, the championship bears my name, but I don’t get involved in the organization. We allow the physically challenged people to run the show themselves alongside the federation. The Nigeria Wheelchair Basketball Federation is working out something good in terms of prize money.

How fulfilled are you sponsoring this competition?

I have become a big fan of these guys on wheelchair. It will amaze you if you see them in action. You just need to be part of the competition to appreciate it. I have been in contact with the players. They see me as a father figure and this gives me joy. Part of those featuring in the competition are athletes who before now were frustrated. In fact , one of the players confessed to me that he was contemplating committing suicide when the mother brought him to be part of our competition. Thank God the story has changed for him, courtesy of the competition. I am happy to have identified with these group of Nigerians, who the society ordinarily would look down on. I am more than fulfilled seeing the special athletes get

Ochei Wheelchair Baketball Tournament: Lagos thrash Kwara 49-2

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HE Lagos State Wheelchair basketball team sent warning signal to their rivals competing in the 2014 Victor Ochei Wheelchair Basketball tournament with a 49-2 whitewash of the Kwara state representatives.

The one-sided encounter was the opening game of the tournament which

dunked off yesterday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National stadium, Lagos.

In today ’s matches, the Republic of Benin team will take on Walk for Hope team, Edo state team will engage the team from Ghana in the second match of the day while Delta face Imo state team.

In other matches,

high-flying Lagos team will confront Ogun State team while Oyo takes on Abia and the Federal Capital Territory trade tackles with Cross River.

The late evening schedule will see Rivers take on Taraba while Kwara who were thrashed by Lagos yesterday engage Borno in the last match of the day.

I

N furtherance of its efforts at promoting sustainable national unity and create platforms for discovering and nurturing talents, telecommunications operator, Airtel Nigeria is partnering with the local organising committee of the Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA) taking place at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife from February 12 to 22, 2014.

The telecoms operator, in keeping with its tradition will offer

to know that there is ability in their disability.

Are you thinking of organizing a multi sports competition that would attract other special athletes involved in other sports?

God has blessed me and I have taken one sport which is wheelchair basketball.

My prayer is to see other Nigerians get involved in other sports like tennis. There is para-football, there is powerlifting name it.

We just have to do something to better our society. If you go to the developed world, you see how the physically challenged are treated

with respect. I want to see us do the same here.

Other Nigerians, who God has blessed should get involved. I decided to take wheelchair basketball out of passion. I don’t have all the money. I don’t even rank among the rich in our society, but the little God has given to us, we should use it to glorify Him by giving back to the society. I am doing what I am doing out of passion and it gives me a lot of joy. In doing this, you take the physically challenged off the streets, they will stop begging and become useful to the society.

Today, you are the Speaker of Delta State Assembly. If tomorrow you leave office will you abandon the competition?

Far from it. As I said, my sponsoring the wheelchair basketball championship has to do with passion and that passion wont die even, when I leave office.

Again this is why I have decided to get my corporate friends involved. Today, there are corporate bodies backing the championship and these corporate bodies wont go under, so they will continue to back the championship. I have not built the competition around myself, though it carries my name.

Before you go, lets talk about sports in Delta. Are you impressed with what the state is doing in sports?

Well, we are number one in sports in the country and we will remain there because we will continue to invest heavily in sports. What Delta is reaping today is its heavy investment in sports right from the administration of Chief Ibori. Ibori did well for sports and Gov. Uduaghan has done the same thing and whoever takes over from the present administration should continue in that stead.

Airtel partners OAU for NUGA Games participants at the Games telecoms experiences covering voice and data services.

Commenting on the partnership, the Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of the company, Deepak Srivastava, said it reflects Airtel’s belief in the younger generation, and as well demonstrates its commitment to helping them succeed through

the creation of unique and measurable platforms.

His word,“Nigeria is a sports loving nation, and the NUGA games has a rich history of producing talents that have brought honour and glory to country in various sports fields. It has engaged itself with the unenviable, but worthwhile task of unearthing many raw talents that this nation is blessed with.”

62 —

VANGU ARD,WEDNESD A Y,FEBRU ARY 19,2014 ANGUARD,WEDNESD ARD,WEDNESDA ,FEBRUARY

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 — 63

Niger State govt approves N164m for Tornadoes

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

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IGER State government has approved the sum of N164m for Niger Tornadoes Football club of Minna for the 2013/ 2014 league season.

Part of the money which is between N40mN50m has been set aside for the settlement of the sign-on fee of the players.

Chairman of the Tornadoes Management Committee, Alhaji Dattijo Aliyu who disclosed this in an interview with our sports correspondent said all steps have been taken in order not to starve the team of funds this league season.

According to him, the sum of N8m has been set aside for the club monthly which he said will take care of salaries, bonuses and other allowances of the players.

“With this arrangement, no players will be owed his salary, bonus or allowance in order to encourage them to be in their best throughout the season,” the chairman said.

Dattijo assured the players of his support just as he also assured the technical crew headed by Coach Godwin Uwah of the cooperation of the management board.

Uzoenyi Continued from BP euros signing fee plus accommodation, car and two air tickets per year.

Inserted in the contract were other performance related bonuses the player shall be entitled to if he commits his future to the Yellow Greens.

To price Ejike Uzoenyi away from Enugu Rangers, FC Vaslui had made an offer of 200,000 euros to the Nigerian club.

Manager Mr.Michael Nicholas Uzoagba CEO, Ossy Royal Ventures Limited who facilitated the deal with the help of his partner in Romania confirmed the offer to allnigeriasoccer.com.

“Yes there was official offer from Romania to Ejike Uzoenyi and

From Left, Mr Jide Sipe,Head Media & Event GTBank Plc,Ololade Fadoju,Assistant Manager GTBank Plc with Hon. Habeeb Fasinro,President Lagos Polo Club and Mr Seyi Oyinlola, Deputy Tournament Manager at the press conference on Lagos Polo Tournament. PHOTO BY AKEEM SALAU

We’ll avoid relegation — Yobo O N - L O A N defender Joseph Yobo is drawing on previous experience to try and help Norwich City avoid relegation from the Premier League.

The Nigeria international arrived at Carrow Road in a loan deal from Super Lig leaders Fenerbahce in the January transfer window, while the Canaries sit just a point above the relegation zone and are without a win in their last four games.

Enugu Rangers FC. “I have the copies of the offers with me, but the player rejected the offer and said he does not want to move now,” says Uzoagba to allnigeriasoccer.com.

He added: “The player would have have had a better opportunity to go to Brazil 2014 World Cup as Europe based foreign player if he had accepted the offer.

“Romania transfer window is wide open at the moment and the player will gain a lot of development between now and June 2014 because Romania have good football development to compare with what we have here in Nigeria.

“The club like the player very much and guaranteed him first team football if he had signed.”

Yobo, though, takes heart from his successful battle against relegation with former club Everton in the 2003-2004 season and is determined to ensure Norwich stay in the top flight.

“It wasn’t great,” he

told The Pink ‘Un. “It was a similar situation in as much if you were not careful you could be relegated but over the years we got better and better at Everton and we ended up a top seven team.

Lagos International Polo Tournament gallops off today

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OLO faithful across Nigeria will shift their attention to the Ribadu Road, Ikoyi Lagos Polo Club as hostilities begin in the 2014 Lagos International Polo Tournament with Lagos Bonhams and Lagos Valkyrie getting the twin-phased event underway today.

The Stream A match is one of the four encounters scheduled for the opening day which is dedicated to the Dansa Cup. The tournament which has MTN and GTB as major sponsors will also see Lagos Sao Paolo battle Unity Polo, who qualified at the expense of Badboys, in the second match of the day in Stream A while Ibadan A and Kano Tripple K will confront Kano Titans/Ibah and Ibadan B respectively in Stream B to round off the day’s activities.

The first week of the tournament runs from

Obasi Continued from BP he was snubbed for next month’s friendly against Mexico.

Obasi, who has won 18 international caps for Nigeria, has been upbeat he will soon earn an Eagles recall after he bounced back from a long-term injury. ”The coach’s decision is final, you can’t query him for that, but that does not mean the door is closed for me,” Obasi

Bright Continued from BP

•Yobo

Nigeria Continued from BP the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee Chris Green has now said another match against Portugal could well be on the cards.

However, Green said the match will be played if Portugal accept the arrangement.

“We are considering playing a friendly with Portugal, they play like

Argentina and BosniaHezegovina. But for the friendly to come to life, Portugal have to accept and be interested,” Green said on Brila FM. Nigeria have also been working on another test game against Croatia.

Nigeria are drawn against Argentina, Iran and BosniaHerzegovina, while Portugal are pitched against Ghana, Germany and United States of America.

friendly against Mexico and possibly the World Cup,” NFF’s spokesman Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport.

“Bright Dike is a top professional and very humble guy. It is a blow for him personally, and for both his club Toronto FC and Nigeria.”

MLS club Toronto FC issued a statement on Dike’s status on Monday evening, saying he “sustained a leg injury on Monday morning while practicing with the team in Orlando, Florida. He will return to Toronto on Tuesday for further evaluation by the team’s medical staff ”.

February 19-23 where four of the nine titles will be decided as the Open Cup, Beginners Cup as well as the Oba of Lagos Cup are up for grabs.

In other matches listed for the first week, six Lagos teams will have their reputations at stake when the Open Cup commence on Thursday.

Lagos Ashbert 98.1 and Lagos Kashton/Lintex will tango while another Open Cup match will see Lagos Ironclad/ Taleveras size-up Lagos Shoreline. The matches will be preceded by matches in continuation of the Dansa Cup preliminaries.

The final week which runs from February 26 – March 2 will see teams battle in the Low Cup and the prestigious Makekodunmi Cup. The Independence Cup, Lagos Governor ’s Cup and the Italian Ambassador ’s Cup will also be contested. said. ”The best way to be in the team is to support them despite not being there. I am a Nigerian, a proud one. I got a lot from Nigeria and I am happy to be a patriotic citizen.”

He added: “As a matter of fact, I don’t have anything against ‘Big Boss’ Keshi. Of course, I want to still play for Nigeria for long period like any other player, but the truth is that we can’t all be there at same time.”

Dike, who has recently returned from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee, scored his second goal in as many starts for the Super Eagles in November’s 22 friendly draw against Italy.

His first international goal against Catalonia in January was not enough to earn him a place in the 2013 African Cup of Nations squad.

But in November, Dike told BBC Sport that he would fight to force his way into Nigeria’s squad for the World Cup and he had earned his chance to impress after being called up by coach Stephen Keshi for next month’s friendly.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014 Today's Champions League games AC Milan Arsenal

v v

Atletico Madrid Bayern Munich

8:45pm 8:45pm

War at the Emirates •As Arsenal host Bayern Munich — Pages 32 & 33

Obasi hopeful of World Cup place

Bright Dike suffers World Cup blow N

IGERIA striker Bright Dike has suffered an injury that may rule him out of the World Cup in Brazil.

The 27-year-old tore his Achilles tendon for the second time in three years during a Toronto FC training session on Monday.

Dike, who was set to play for Nigeria against Mexico in a friendly on 5 March, wrote on Twitter that Monday was the “ worst day of my life”.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said Dike’s injury is a massive blow.

“It is such a shame that we have lost a player of his calibre for the

•Continues on Page 63

F

IT-AGAIN C h i n e d u Ogbuke Obasi has said he still believes he has a place in coach Stephen Keshi’s team even after •Continues on Page 63

Uzoenyi rejects slave contract in Romania

F

•Dike (l) in joyous mood after scoring against Catalonia last year.

•Obasi

Niger State govt approves N164m for Tornadoes — Pg 63

C Vaslui, currently placed 6th in the Romanian Liga 1 standings, made an offer of 600,000 euros to African Nations Championship best player, Ejike Uzoenyi.

The Romanian club offered 300,000 euros to Ejike Uzoanyi for a two - and - a - half year contract, with 100,000 •Continues on Page 63

Nigeria propose friendly against Portugal

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IGERIA have proposed a World Cup warm-up against Portugal, officials have disclosed.

The African champions have confirmed only next month’s friendly against Mexico as a

warm-up game for Brazil 2014.

However, chairman of

•Continues on Page 63

•Uzoenyi

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Across 1 Yielding (4) 4 Tune (3) 6 Bogus (4) 9 Fighting (3) 10 Erection (8) 11 Border (4) 14 Vehicle (3) 16 Guide (5) 19 Reiterated (8) 21 Satan (5) 23 Deflated (8) 24 Robust (5) 27 Cover (3) 31 Commotion (4) 33 Proof (8) 34 Mineral (3) 35 Reared (4) 36 Manage (3) 37 Despatched (4)

Down 2 Responsibility (4) 3 Lofty (4) 4 Disturbed (8) 5 Storm (4) 6 Perspire (5) 7 Owned (3) 8 Disagree (5) 12 Broom (5) 13 Javelin (5) 14 Rotter (3) 15 Spree (5) 17 Boredom (5) 18 Noisy (5) 20 Section (8) 22 Youth (3) 25 Performer (5) 26 Challenged (5) 28 Ale (4) 29 Muddle (4) 39 Scrutinise (4) 32 Wrath (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS Across: 1, Random 5, Create 8, Commence 9, Cube 10, Has 12, Waste 15, Sag 17, Tea 18, Nip 19, Awe 20, Gross 21, Era 22, Ace 23, Use 27, Dim 26, Rifle 29, Due 33, Once 34, Terminal 35, Crater 36, Dither.

Down: 2, Aroma 3, damp 4, Mania 5, Cheat 6, Each 7, Tibia 10, Hoard 11, Steam 12, Wager 13, Scoff 14,Ensue 15, Speed 16, Grace 25, Inner 27, Inter 28, Lurid 30, Usage 31, Feat 32, Gift.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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