Peoples Daily Newspaper, Monday 26, August, 2013

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Vol. 11 No. 71 Monday, August 26, 2013 Shawwal 19, 1434 AH N150 . . . putting the people first

‘Speechless’ Suntai back home

Taraba state Governor, Mr. Danbaba Suntai, being supported by aides while disembarking from a chartered Gulfstream jet, during his arrival yesterday at the Nnamadi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, from the United States, where he received medical treatment for 10 months. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Borno state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, in a handshake with a player of the newly revived El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club of Borno state after the Warriors defeated Warri Wolves by 3:0 in a Premier League match watched by the governor, on Saturday at the Sports Centre in Maiduguri. See story on Page 41

PDM vs Anenih: Why I can’t bar my associates — Atiku >>Pg 6

Contd. on Page 2

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos, Tobias Lengnaan Dapam, Abuja, and Yushau Alhassan, Jalingo, with agency report

Governor Danbaba Danfulani Suntai of Taraba state yesterday returned home looking pale after 10 months of medical treatment in

Germany and the United States of America.Similarly, the governor did not speak with

newsmen from the time he landed in Abuja at about 1.10pm, up till the time he arrived in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital, and finally moved into the Government House in the city.

lMay appear before AssemblylHe’s mentally alert, say associates

Contd. on Page 2

Kidnapped mother of Rep rescued >> Pg 2

Vandalism: Police nab 5 Civil Defence men >> Pg 7

Zamfara deputy gov in road mishap >> Pg 6

Bauchi owes pensioners N6.4bnFrom Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Pensioners in Bauchi state have lamented the non payment of their gratuities

to the tune of N6.4 billion by the state government since retirement.

The state chairman of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Alhaji Habu Garr stated this

to newsmen yesterday in Bauchi , saying that they have over 20, 000 members in the state.

According to him, government owes the state pensioners the gratuity of N3.4 billion while N3 billion for local government retirees remains unpaid, urging it to settle the beneficiaries immediately so

CONTENTSNews 2-10Editorial 12Op.Ed 13Letters 14Opinion 15Metro 16-18Business 19-22Stockwatch 23S/Report 24-25Education 30Health 31

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PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013PAGE 2

News

‘Speechless’ Suntai back home

Police rescue kidnapped mother of Rep

Bauchi owes pensioners N6.4bn

Contd. from Front Page

Contd. from Front Page

This was notwithstanding spirited efforts by some of his associates and aides to show that he was hale and hearty, and that he will bounce back to his seat in the soonest possible time.

Suntai arrived at the old wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, to a rousing welcome, but had to be aided to alight from the chattered aircraft, and ultimately proceeded to Jalingo.

But one of the governor’s associates who spoke to newsmen shortly after Suntai’s arrival in Abuja, John Dara, said the wounded Taraba chief executive was mentally alert as against speculations that he had lost his memory.

“We were excited to see him and it is understandable that after the long trip, he was weak and tired.

“But, we were thrilled by the fact that he recognised everyone by name which shows that he is mentally alert and lucid,’’ Dara said.

He noted that the governor’s mental alertness indicated that he was capable of taking over the affairs of the state.

“That itself is a clear indication that he is capable of running the affairs of Taraba as the governor.

“We had no doubt in our minds that when he gets back to Jalingo today, it will be up to his doctor to say whether he will resume today or in a couple of days to come.

He said that his (the governor”) decision not to talk to newsmen might be because of the long journey.

“Talking to newsmen can be spontaneous and organised. So, we felt that when he has rested well, it will be easier for him to address Nigerians,’’ Dara said.

Tears of Joy flowed freely by the time the ailing governor got to Jalingo, the Taraba

state capital as residents turned out in their numbers to welcome Suntai home.

Our correspondent in Taraba said the governor arrived Jalingo Airport in a charted Jet at about

3.30pm amid tight security and was conveyed by a waiting Chopper to the Government House, while his supporters took to the streets jubilating the return of a man whose survival they described as a ‘Miracle’.

Residents who had arrive the airport as early as early as 10am, queued on all the roads leading to the Government House, apparently to catch a glimpse of their governor who had been away for almost a year.

Commenting on the return of the governor on phone from Jalingo, Senator representing Taraba South Senatorial District, Emmanuel Bwacha, said the large turnout of residents to receive Suntai showed that he was well loved.

“We are very happy to God; if you see how Jalingo is crowded with people singing, crying and jubilating, from the airport to Government House, the street is fil led with people... ’ am overwhelmed with joy that God showed mercy on the people of Taraba”, he said.

Also member representing Karim1 at the State House of Assembly, Honourable

Charles Maijamkai, who was said to have wept uncontrollable, said the return of the governor was a historic moment for the state

“This is the moment Tarabains are waiting for. Our joy is beyond bounds; we are happy, we very happy”, he said in tears.

Former Secretary to the State Government, Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwah, who also spoke on phone said, the return of Suntai would restore sanity to governance in the state.

“The coming of Governor Suntai signals joy; we are happy that the governor and all his aides involved in the crash are alive”, he said.

A resident of Jalingo, Emeka John, told our correspondent that they were happy over the return of the governor after many months in outside the country for medication.

“As you see us now both

Christians and Muslims are happy over the return of our governor. This shows that Tarabans are as the same family; so we thank God for bringing our governor back to the state”, he said.

There were speculations, however, that the acting governor, Alhaji Garba

Umar, the state Commissioner of Police, and other top functionaries were not allowed to see Suntai when they visited him at the Government House shortly after his arrival.

Also, earlier indications by the Commissioner for Information, Emmanuel Bello, that the governor will make the statewide broadcast did not come to fruition.

Bello had in an interview with the Hausa service of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) also denied allegations that Suntai was hurriedly returned home off rumoured attempts by the state Assembly to confirm Umar as the substantive governor of Taraba.

“It’s not true that he was hurried home to stop confirmation of the acting governor”, the information commissioner emphasised, adding that “there is no politics in his (Suntai’s) return”.

Asked why the governor could not independently alight from the aircraft in Abuja, and why he did not speak to newsmen, Bello denied that Suntai was aided before he could disembark from the craft, and said: “You know, when someone is involved in an air mishap, it’s not a small issue.

“By the grace of God he will soon get back to work”, the Taraba spokesperson said, while responding to a BBC correspondent’s question on whether the just returned governor was fit to carry on with his official duties.

In the meantime, there were indications yesterday evening that the Taraba state Assembly

would summon Governor Danbaba to appear before it to confirm if he is medically fit to continue in office.

A source in the Government House in Jalingo told one of our

correspondents that members of the Assembly meeting at about the time of the governor’s arrival to deliberate on the matter.

“There is something like that (planned summon), because all members of the state House of Assembly, the acting governor, the governor’s wife and his men that followed the governor would be meeting by 9pm to 10pm. I would get back to you on the discussion”, the source said earlier in the evening.

However, the Nigeria Bar Association NBA, Taraba State Chapter on his part said that the return of the governor ends a lot of controversies in the state.

Sp e a k i n g w i t h o u r correspondent, NBA State PRO John Odekina said that

there is no vacancy in government since the governor left the state 10 months ago.

S p e a k i n g o n w h e n t h e Governor would return to office, Odekina said “all the governor needs is to write to the state House of Assembly that he’s assuming office as the governor after his treatment abroad nd might not need to be summoned.”

On the possibility of a summon for Suntai by the state legislature, Dr. Dara said: “If they summon him, he would decline because he needs rest from a long flight from the US but I can tell you that the governor is well and fit to resume office, he can talk, recognize people and sign; what else? he can function as the governor.

Suntai, alongside some of his aides, was involved in a plane crash he piloted in Yola, the Adamawa state capital on October 25, 2012. After he was admitted briefly in a hospital in Yola, he was transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja, on Oct. 26, 2012, preparatory to his being flown to Germany for further medical treatment.

On October 27, last year he was flown to Germany for further medical treatment, and ultimately to the John Hopkins Hospital in the US.

Mother of Honourable K i n g s l e y C h i n d a h , member of the House

of Representatives, representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Mrs. Priscilla Chindah, has been

rescued from her kidnappers.Mrs Chindah was reportedly

kidnapped last week from her home in the Elelewon area of Port Harcourt.

Confirming the release of his mother by her kidnappers to

the media in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Honourable Chinda said that she was rescued from a hideout in Abuloma area of the city through a combined effort of security operatives.

According to him, no ransom was paid.

The s ta te Po l i ce Publ ic Relations Officer, DSP Angela Agabe, also confirmed the release when contacted.

as to rid them of their present difficulties.

The chairman also appealed for the upward review of the current pensions in the state in line with the 1999 Constitution of the country, which according to him, stipulates

that pensions must be reviewed every five years or when salaries are increased to workers. He pointed out that the state government was yet to implement that from 2012 to date when civil servants wages were improved.

Garr further said the union

had once approached the state governor, Isa Yuguda, through the head of civil service, and a committee was set up to deliberate over the matter but since the submission of its report in June 2012, nothing has been done to that effect.

The NUP chairman, who however applauded the state government for the regular payment of monthly pensions to beneficiaries, also reminded it on the earlier pledge to donate vehicles to the union with a view to facilitating their mobility.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013 PAGE 3

News

Stowaway: Nigeria airspace safe, secure, says FAAN

L-R: Paramount ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, Ogun state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, and Speaker, Ogun state House of Assembly, Hon. Suraj Adekunbi, during the 1st Yewa Descendants Union Day, yesterday in London.

From Mustapha Isah Kwaru, Maiduguri

One of Borno state’s major town of Bama, which has been under continuous attack

by the outlawed Boko Haram sect will need N3.5 billion to rebuild, says the member representing the area in the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdurrahman Terab.

Bama has suffered three major attacks from the insurgents with over 100 persons killed and property worth billions of Naira destroyed.

The once viable commercial town has remained, ever since the attacks, desolate with many buildings dilapidated.

The town which used to be one of the most populated in troubled Borno state with over 500,000 persons, now have few thousands residents as people continue to flee.

Speaking to journal i s ts yesterday, Terab, who represents Bama/Dikwa/Gamboru-Ngala in the House of Representatives, said the state government cannot be left alone with the burden of rebuilding Bama as “it is massive” and will eat up a great chunk of the resources of the state.

He pleaded that the federal government to the aid of the once viable commercial town, insisting that Borno state was already burdened with heavy load of reconstruction in so many parts as a result of the Boko Haram crisis.

Terab claimed that normal life has started returning to the town with the market which was closed for so long now opened and traders allowed to trade unimpeded.

It would be recalled that roads leading to Bama was closed for over a month immediately after the major Boko Haram attack which led to the killing of 55 persons, mainly policemen.

By Sunday Ejike Benjamin

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar has re-fixed

hearing on appeals filed against the judgement of the Court of Appeal that declared Governor Olusegun Mimiko as validly elected in Ondo state governorship election to August 27, 2013.

The Supreme Court had earlier fixed September 24 to commence hearing in the four appeals filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Governor Mimiko and his Labour Party.

A statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Media Aide to CJN, Ahuraka Yusuf Isah said the decision of the apex court to re-slate the hearing of the appeal followed protests from some quarters that September 24 will be outside the mandatory 60 days to determine the election petition appeals.

By Ahmed I. Shekarau, Abuja, and Suleiman Idris, Lagos

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has said that the nation’s airspace is

safe and secure in spite of some incidences that cause concern among aviators , and other stakeholders in the sector.

Spokesman of FAAN, Yakubu Dati, gave the assurance yesterday while reacting to fears caused by the discovery of a teenager who beat airline and airport security at the Benin Airport and sneaked into the tyre compartment of a Lagos-

bound Arik aircraft.The discovery of the15-year

old teenager in the aircraft’s compartment after he was flown safely to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, on Saturday morning, had created panic at airport as disembarking passengers sighted him emerge from the undercarriage (aircraft tyre hole) to join them.

The teenage stowaway, who identified himself as Daniel Ihekina, was immediately handed over to security operatives at the airport and is currently under investigations just as aviation

authorities probe the circumstances leading to the incident.

Dati, the general manager, corporate communications, who had earlier confirmed that full investigation had commenced into the mysterious circumstances that led to the breach in airport and airline security, however told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa service that, “there was no cause for alarm”.

He further assured that the nation’s airspace was safe, and that there was no need for fears over air travel in Nigeria.

According to Dati, there was

indication of a misdemeanour on the part of the pilot of the aircraft, who he said, had been notified of the stowaway but ignored the advice of aviation authorities in Benin airport to immediately return, thereby flying the teenage boy in the compartment to Lagos.

The development has led to a blame game between FAAN and Arik Air.

W h i l e F A A N i n s i s t s o n holding “Arik Air liable for the circumstances leading to the stowaway of a teenage boy on its aircraft at the Benin Airport”, the airline denied the charges.

From Mahmoud Muhammad, Sokoto

Women with more than three month pregnancy and people with serious

illnesses have been banned from performing this year hajj exercise from Sokoto State.

The Chairman of the Sokoto State

Pilgrims Welfare Agency(SSPWA)who is the State Treasurer of the PDP in the state, Alhaji Muntari Bello Maigona, gave the hint at a phone- in- programme conducted by Rima Radio monitored in Sokoto, Saturday, saying the measure became necessary considering the dilemma placed by some intending female pilgrim on officials of the

agency when they fall sick.He also told the intending

pilgrims to ensure they attended health screening exercises conducted by the health committee to avoid any complications.

Initially, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria( NAHCON) in Abuja has allocated about 7,500 before slashing the seat to 5,180 for

Sokoto this year.Alhaji Muntari Maigona,

however, said adequate measures has been taken to ensure the success of the exercise. While the chairman expressed satisfaction with exercise with assurance from the agency to ensure honesty and transparency, also called for support of all stakeholders.

From Olanrewaju Lawal,Ilorin

The Kwara Police Command and Vigilance group in Ilorin yesterday swooped on the

hideout of Aiye confraternity where initiation was taking place, leading to the death of three persons, four critically injured while 18 were arrested.

Confirming the incident, the Command Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), Olufemi Fabode (DSP), said the police gathered that

on Saturday night, armed robbers were hiding in a bush behind NASFAT village along Airport road, Ilorin.

“This prompted var ious vigilante groups in the communities around the place to mount sentry on all roads that led to the bush and waited until early hours of this morning when the Aiye confraternity completed their initiation.

“They ran into the ambush laid by the various vigilante groups

while people mistook them for armed robbers and opened fire on them”.

The PPRO said in the exchange of gunfire, three of the cult members fell and they were almost burnt to ashes before the men of the command got there.

Fabode confirmed that three of the cultists died, four critically injured and 18 of them were picked and are being interrogated by the men of the state CID.

He disclosed that some of

the cultists came from as far as Lagos,Osun, Ibadan and Oro respectively, adding that more of them would be arrested as the cultists ran to various directions when they learnt that their men had been arrested by the police.

He said investigation still continued while those who died were taking to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital mortuary, the injured taken to hospital and the rest 18 are cooling their heels at the CID.

N3.5bn needed to rebuild Bama — Lawmaker

Ondo guber appeals: S/Court re-slates hearing for August 27Sokoto bans pregnant women, sick persons from hajj

Kwara police,vigilante group kill three cultists, arrest18

By Evelyn Okakwu

On the 19th of this month, the world marked World Hu-manitarian Day; a day when most peo-ple across the world

reflect on the lives of those within their locality who die in the line of duty or while delivering humani-tarian services to the society they find themselves.

Consequently, there is also the need for the Federal Government to focus its spotlight on the lives of Innocent Nigerians who have died in the line of duty with little or nothing done to alleviate the pains of the families they live behind.

The lives of Nigerian officers, particularly the Nigerian Police, who were killed by the Ombatse cult group in Nasarawa becomes the focus, as the interesting con-cern of young Nigerians brings to light the loopholes of Nigeria in the struggle to ensure full respect for the human life.

Salisu Suleiman, a concerned Nigerian and a self-acclaimed hu-manitarian, narrated in his blog about the plight of Nigerians who were unjustly murdered in Na-sarawa a few months back during a clash with some members of a sect in Nasarawa state.

Lamenting the attitude of the government and stake-holders to the issue, Salisu

compares the Nigerian officers to American officers in the following words : “Imagine the reaction of America and Americans, were 100 US Marshals and FBI agents to be gunned down by a secret cult in a single incident.”

In a similar way, he wonders: “Where else in the world would over 100 police officers and other security agents be killed in one confrontation without a cataclys-mic upheaval within the political system?”

And to answer his own ques-tions, Salisu painfully continues: “Only in Nigeria will 103 law enforcement agents, compris-ing officers of the Nigeria Police, State Security Service (SSS) and Mobile Police be killed in cold blood in the line of duty yet, not as much as a formal investiga-tion has been launched to find out what happened, who gave what orders, whether the officers were prepared for the mission and who was responsible for the brutal massacre that took place.

As Salisu’s blog rightly points out, “The conspiracy of si-lence is indicative of the

fundamental malfunctions in the country’s security structure. What kind of message is the government sending to security officers? What sort of lessons will they take from the development?”

Salisu did not stop at these questions with his lamentations against the negligent attitude of the government towards the

wanton killing of those innocent Nigerian Police officers, but went further to condemn the action of the government at in the following words:

“The events that happened during a clash between security agents and the Ombatse cult in Nasarawa state a few months ago is a terrible stain even in the murky waters of rule of law in Ni-geria”, he stated.

More than anything else, the message it conveys to the Police and other security agents is that Nigeria may not be worth dy-ing for. It tells them plainly that should they make the ultimate sacrifice and die in the line of duty, not only will they be buried and

quickly forgotten (if their bodies can be found), but that no action will be taken against the perpetua-tors. In other words, their lives are expendable.

Maybe it is because the Ni-geria Army knows this that they went on a ram-

page in Baga when some of their men were killed. In retribution for the killing, the army simply lev-eled the town, shooting indiscrim-inately, burning and pillaging.

At the end of the killing orgy, scores of innocent men, women and children lay dead and over 2000 homes destroyed. In Baga, as in Nasarawa, not even the usu-ally worthless government com-mission of enquiry was consti-tuted to at least pretend a level of decency. In both cases, parties took the laws into their hands, knowing that that would be the end of the matter:

Make no mistake, the Nigeria police are no saints. Many inno-cent people have been killed in po-lice custody, or even on the streets for no reason. Just last month, the Plateau State Police Command dismissed two officers for selling arms to criminals. Bad eggs in the police have been known to engage in armed robbery. The police are as rotten as Nigeria and a sad re-flection of the chaos that charac-terize life in the country today.”

Yet still Salisu asks: “But does that warrant the slaughter of 103 law enforcement

agents, just weeks after another 50 policemen were also murdered in cold blood with no repercussions while accompanying dignitaries to the burial of a relative of a minor government official?

No other country in the world would accept or even tolerate this level of impunity and wanton dis-regard for the lives of security per-sonnel: Afghanistan has been at war for almost as long as anyone can remember.

The FARC rebels in Columbia are engaged in the longest run-ning conflict in the world; police recruits are regularly blown up by suicide bombers in Iraq; Somalia has been in a state of conflict for over two decades; other parts of Africa like Angola, Uganda, Su-dan, Algeria, Rwanda, Burundi, Liberia, Sierra- Leone, Ivory Coast, Chad, Central African Re-public, Mali Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere have ex-perienced war and civil conflict, but never in one incident were 103 policemen and security agents murdered in cold blood.

Instead of immediate action to fish out the perpetrators of this shocking crime to serve as deter-rence to other acts of criminal impunity and re-establish trust in the families and colleagues of those who fell in the line of duty, very little seem to be coming out from government.

The Inspector-General of Po-lice, Mohammed Abubakar, has not told the country

what he plans to do over the mur-der of dozens of police officers, while the Director-General of the SSS, Ita Ekpenyong, was quoted as saying that the brutal killers had been “forgiven.”

At a candlelight vigil held for the 10 SSS operatives that lost their lives, he reportedly said, “To those who could kill the body, note that you have made your commu-nity an ignoble sepulchre of in-nocent law enforcement agents, and that even though our spirits and will are cast in iron, we have forgiven you. We have obediently handed all of you over to the Al-mighty God since He taught us that vengeance is His.”

To put it mildly, Salisu says describes the action of the Police as “pure garbage”. He speaks fur-ther: “It may be politically expedi-ent to “forgive” the deaths of over 100 officers, but the law should run its full course. Are the lives of Nigerian security agents that ex-pendable? Is murder no longer a crime in Nigeria?”

For humanitarians like Salisu rhetorical questions for this negligence can be quite un-

ending. And if no one is forced to answer, the voice of the human conscience in the hearts of Nigeri-an leaders and stake holders who should be responsible for ensur-ing the protection if the Nigerian citizenry should awake to this call to humanity, as the next life in grieve danger may just be anyone else’s irrespective of class or walls.

A mobile police on duty


Page 4 ReportAre Nigeria’s law enforcement officers expendable?

“Bad eggs in the police have been known to engage in armed robbery. The police are as rotten as Nigeria

and a sad reflection of the chaos that

characterize life in the country today

APC sets up interim state committees

FRSC elevates, redeploys 44 senior officers

FAAN introduces Bill of Rights for aviation passengers

Zazzau Emir urges youths to embrace peace, shun drugs


News

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

L-R: Kano state Governor, Engineer Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, and his Jigawa state counterpart, Alhaji Sule Lamido, during the latter’s visit to Governor Kwankwaso, yesterday in Kano.

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has approved the redeployment of 44 senior

officers “with immediate effect”.FRSC in a statement issued

at the weekend by its Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Jonas Agwu, indicated that a Deputy Corps Marshal, 10 Assistant Corps Marshals, 22 Corps Commanders, 7 Deputy Corps Commanders, 4 Assistant Corps Commanders and a Chief Route Commander was affected.

It added that former Lagos State Sector Commander, Nseobong Charles Akpabio, now

an Assistant Corps Marshal, assumes duty as the new Zonal Commanding Officer, RS5, Benin, comprising Edo, Delta and Anambra States.

In the same vein, former Zonal Commanding Officer in Bauchi, Assistant Corps Marshal, Comfort Uwadoka has been moved to Port Harcourt as the new Zonal Commanding Officer while Assistant Corps Marshal Ahmad Hassan, formerly Zonal Commanding Officer in Bauchi, proceeds to the National Defence College.

Similarly, the former Sector Commander in Rivers State, Assistant Corps Marshal Kayode Olagunju, is now in the

Policy Research and Statistics Department, while the former Head of Project Implementation Office at the FRSC National headquarters, Corps Commander Chidi Nkwonta assumes duties as Sector Commander of Lagos State.

Assistant Corps Marshal John Akolo heads the Corps Procurement Office while Assistant Corps Marshal Victor Nwokolo, is in charge of the Special Marshals and Partnership Department at Abuja.

Under the present arrangement, former Corps Medical Rescue Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Ringim

Abdullahi has been posted to Bauchi as Zonal Commanding Officer while former Edo State Sector Commander, Corps Commander Kenneth Nwaegbe, has moved to the national headquarters Abuja, as Head of Project Implementation Office.

Furthermore, former Zonal Commanding Officer in charge of Jos, Assistant Corps Marshal Bulus Darwang has been moved to Yola in the same capacity as Zonal Commanding Officer while former Head of Policy Section at the Abuja national Headquarters, Corps Commander Sunday Oghenekaro, has moved to Rivers State as Sector Commander.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it has introduced a passenger’s Bill

of Rights to protect the rights of air travelers in the country.

The Managing Director of FAAN, George Uriesi, made the disclosure when he featured at a forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja where he urged passengers to know their rights.

“The NCAA has recently introduced the passenger Bill of Rights and I encourage everybody;

you can access it anywhere, you access on the NCAA’s website; you access it at the airport; go to the NCAA’s desk and take a copy of the Bill of Rights,” he said.

“It stipulates all the rights the passenger has with respect to the contract he has with the airline.

“If the airline says it will fly you at 7 a.m., it has a number of hours against which it can delay you before you are entitled to a meal first and a number of hours in which it can delay before you are taken to a hotel; then a number of

hours within which it is expected to pay you a penalty plus refund of your money if you don’t want to fly anymore.

“And these are things that never existed before.’’

Mr. Uriesi said penalties in the Bill of Rights would make airlines sit up and assess their schedules, and will allow passengers to know they could demand for compensation when their rights were violated.

He said that airports were status symbols which said much about a country and expressed regret that

Nigerian airports were abandoned for a long time while things got messy.

According to him, countries like South Africa, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, among others had repositioned their airports, but Nigeria delayed the repositioning of it airports.

“We have been sleeping for a long time and our airports got dilapidated but we are dealing with it, though late, because using the airports should be a dignifying experience,’’ he said. (NAN)

The interim national executive council of the All Progressives

Congress (APC) has approved the establishment of State Harmonisation Committees, in order not to create vacuum and to regulate activities of the party in the states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary,

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, party said the decision to set up the State Harmonization Committees (SHC), followed the adoption of the report of the Masari Committee by the National Interim exco which met last week in Abuja.

According to the it, the SHC shall comprise president/vice president, past and serving, who are members of the legacy parties; governors/deputy governors, past and serving, who are members of the legacy parties; serving and former

senators who are members of the legacy parties; serving members of the House of Representatives who are members of the party and speakers or minority leaders of the states House of Assembly who are members of the party.

APC listed others as former Ministers who are members of the Legacy Parties; All Immediate Past National EXCO Members of the Legacy Parties; Immediate Past Gubernatorial candidates of Legacy Parties, and their Deputies where APC

does not have a sitting governor who are still members of the legacy parties; nine persons comprising 3 elders, 3 youths and 3 women, with one of each being from each of the senatorial districts of the state; State chairmen and the secretaries of the legacy parties; Members of the national interim EXCO and federal commissioners who are members of the Legacy Parties.

The party said these persons would be recommended to the national interim EXCO, for their approval and inauguration,

by national vice chairmen in conjunction with members of the national interim EXCO from their zone.

It listed the functions of the SHC to include harmonising and fusing the structures of legacy Parties into one united, strong and vibrant APC in an atmosphere of peace and harmony; organize and hold meetings of the party at all levels in the state (that is polling units, wards, LGA, area council and State); and to embark on massive mobilization, coordination and consolidation

The Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris has called on Nigerian youth to embrace

peace and shun drug abuse in other to safeguard their future.

The emir made this call while receiving the National Executive Council of Youth for Progressive Peace Initiative in Nigeria in his palace recently. He said it was a time for a holistic approach by all stakeholders to end drug abuse.

The emir who said he was alarmed by the rate of youth involvement in drug abuse within the Zazzau emirate and across the nation said, he has directed all members of the Emirate Council to take drug abuse eradication in their domain as a priority.

“We cannot talk of any peace and development because most of our youth that engage in violence and other misconducts are under the influence of drugs.

We have discovered that youth in their normal sense will not engage in setting ablaze worship places and individual’s houses”.

Dr. Idris who praised the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero to bring peace to Nigeria and Kaduna state respectively said, if drug abuse was not properly addressed, it could hinder their efforts.

In her remark, the National Coordinator of the Group, Hajia

Rahilatu Talatu Zubairu said they were in Zaria on advocate visit and to commend the emir for his tireless effort to sustain peace in the Zazzau Emirate and Kaduna State in general.

According to her, “peace is needed by both the living and dead and there is no alternative to peace anywhere in the world”.

of members into the party in accordance with stipulated guidelines issued by national interim executive.

L-R: Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, and Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, during the meeting of the SGF with pro-chancellors and vice chancellors of public universities, last Friday in Abuja. Photo: NAN

Lawyers condemn abduction of Ozekhome From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau Some prominent lawyers in

Lagos yesterday condemned the abduction of a human

rights lawyer, Mr Mike Ozekhome (SAN), describing the spate of kidnappings across the country as worrisome.

The lawyers expressed grave concern about security situation in the country and urged security agencies to intensify their efforts toward apprehending the kidnappers.

Ozekhome was reportedly abducted on Aug. 23 at Ehor near

Benin City in Edo by some unknown persons.

Mr Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, said the spate of kidnappings in Nigeria was worrisome.

“It is very appalling; both low and high profile individuals are being kidnapped across the country. It shows that there is a problem,’’ he told NAN.

Also speaking, a human rights activist, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said Ozekhome’s abduction was a reflection of the security situation in the country.

Zamfara deputy gov in road mishap

Jonathan pushing efforts to solve power problem, says Finance Minister

Army needs new attitude- Ihejirika

The Zamfara state deputy g o v e r n o r , I b r a h i m W a k k a l a M u h a m m a d ,

was on Saturday involved in a road accident which claimed the life of his pilot driver, Mukhtar Abubakar, at Jere town along Kaduna-Abuja express way.

The Press Secretary to the deputy governor, Yusuf Idris, said the accident was caused by a motorcyclist who carelessly crossed into the road. In an effort to avoid the motorcyclist, late Abubakar who was driving pilot car 1, lost control and somersaulted severally.

Idris narrated that, this resulted in the instant death of the pilot driver, while four other occupants of the car sustained various degrees of injury.

H e s a i d t h e m o t o r b i k e rider, who caused the accident disappearede from the scene, while the injured victims and the body of the deceased were immediately conveyed to Usman Shagari Specialist Hospital, Sabon Wuse, Tafa local government Niger state for medical attention.

The Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Azubuike Onyebo Ihejirika has said that, for

the Army to achieve the desired results and be professionally relevant among its peers across the globe, it has to adopt new attitude, optimise utilization of fund and good manpower management.

He stated this in a lecture he delivered to the Senior Course 36 Students of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College [AFCSC] Jaji, Kaduna state, over the weekend.

The Army Chief added that in the face of the present security challenges measures have been put in place to ensure these changes.

This, according to him, includes developing new principles to guide operations, new training modules, commitment by troops to always be alert at their duty posts and be able to detect adversaries and to counter Terrorists and insurgency.

Gen. Ihejirika said that on assumption of duty in 2010 he discovered that the state of Nigerian Army was replete with inadequacies which made it difficult to meet contemporary security challenges.

“This informed my new vision to transform the Nigerian Army into a force better able to meet contemporary challenges,” he said. Ihejirika promised that the emerging security challenges will be dealt with and the army statutory duty of defending the territorial integrity of the nation will be upheld with his new modules.

PAGE 6 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

News

PDM vs Anenih: I can’t bar my associates -AtikuBy Umar Muhammad Puma

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin


Former Vice-President, Alh Atiku Abubakar, the Turakin Adamawa, said he cannot bar his associates

from their rights of freedom of association, as accorded by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The former vice-president made the clarification yesterday, in relation to the exchange between the new party, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) and the Chairman, Board

of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to a press statement issued through his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, the Turakin Adamawa stated that, “Although this is a wrangle between two politicians, which ought not to bother him, he maintained that his position is only different to that of Chief Anenih, to the extent that he believes in the right of freedom of association, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of Nigeria.

It could be recalled that the

BoT Chairman of the PDP, Chief Antony Anenih had last week described the registration of the PDM by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a political trickery.

Atiku further said, “PDM even when Shehu (Gen. Shehu Musa Yar’Adua) lived, never operated as a regimented organisation like the police or the army. Don’t also forget the fact that this is not the first time that the PDM had sought registration.They sought to register as Peoples Front (PF) under the Babangida Presidency but this was

Mumuni, who is the Executive Director, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), a human rights group, attributed the wave of kidnappings by some unscrupulous elements to poverty and unemployment.

He said: `Ùntil socio-economic injustices are tackled, we may continue to have these security challenges.

“Kidnapping is now rampant because of the limited opportunities available to Nigerians due to poverty

and unemployment.’’On his part, another human rights

activist, Mr Fred Agbaje, said it was regrettable that Edo had become a hotbed of high profile kidnappings.

Agbaje urged government at all levels to ensure that citizens had access to adequate welfare packages in line with the social contract theory in governance.

Under the social contract theory, it is imperative that lives and properties should be protected, he said. (NAN)

denied them. They tried to do this under Abacha but instead, parties described as “the five leprous fingers” were registered.

“When he called many of the then PDM members, including Chief Anenih to the PDP in 1998 and they agreed to come, several others including the Asiwaju Bola Ti nubu chose the other parties such as the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the defunct All Peoples Party (APP). So they, as PDM members were really never sworn to an oath, to belong to only one political party.

The Jonathan adminstration is intensifying efforts to solve the problem of power, which is the

highest impediment that companies cite in the face of their production, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has disclosed.

The minister who stated this in Ilorin while commissioning the Cold Roll Steel Plant of KAM Wire in Ilorin, noted that it was the first indigenous

company to establish such magnitude of a plant.

“I am proud to hear that they persevered for 15 years and have arrived at a company of this size today that is employing more than 1,000 Nigerians.

“This company represents an outstanding example of what His Excellency the President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is trying to accomplish in the Transformation Agenda of this country to encourage industrialisation, the growth of indigenous companies which can create

jobs for our youth population and who can make this country move along the value chain of the economy of the world.

“As you aware, the steel sector is critical in the industrialisation of any nation. It was in recognition of this fact that His Excellency, Mr. President in January 2012 graciously granted a sectoral approval for new and existing industry in the steel sector to import their machinery and equipment, spare parts and raw materials for the establishment of cold roll steel plants at zero per cent duty.

“A total of 12 companies have so far benefited from this special investment incentive package for the sector. It is also in recognition of the fact that the local production of cold roll steel sheet will conserve foreign exchange through import-substitution and stimulate the establishment and growth of many of other enterprises as the deputy managing director mentioned that will create employment, SMEs, which is a key priority of this administration.

“We are also intensifying aggressively, putting in place policies that are conducive, policies that will support the development of industries,” she said.

Special Assistante to Ke-bbi state governor on Me-dia and Publicity, Alhaji

Ibrhaim Musa Argungu has de-nied a report carried last week Friday, by some national dailies that 68 members of Boko Har-am were arrested in Kebbi and flown to Abuja for prosecution.

Addressing newsmen at the weekend over the publication, said the story was malicious

and cooked up by a reporter who did not understand fully what the Police Public Relations Officer Kebbi state command meant by criminals.

According to Argungu, the reporter quoted the PPRO out of context, adding that, the of-ficer had denied mentioning Boko Haram to the reporter, but criminals who could easily be used as insurgents or some-thing else.

The governor’s spokesman

therefore appealed to journal-ists to always be patient and crosscheck their facts well be-fore going to press.

He noted that those arrest-ed were drug addicts and other miscreants who distur the soci-ety, adding that they were eight in number and not 68, as re-ported by the newspaper.

Kebbi state, he maintained, has been enjoying relative peace since its creation as a state, ap-pealing therefore that the sa-

tusquo be allowed to remain. The state commissioner of

police Mr. Sylvester Omeh who later spoke to newsmen on phone after the press briefing, expressed shock over the publi-cation saying the story as report-ed by the newspapers was false and a misrepresentation of facts.

The commissioner advised that care should be employed when reporting delicate issues such that it will not fuel fragile situations.

As part of measures to arrest the incidence of child abuse and out-of-

school syndrome in the state, the Delta State Government has concluded plans to intro-duce a new policy code-named “EDU-Marshal”.Under the new policy which will take-off soon, parents of school-age children who in-dulge in hawking, loitering and so on during school hours will be arrested by agents of the government who would be trained and equipped for such exercise. The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in the state, Prof. Patrick Mu-obogare, announced this dur-ing the week at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, when his ministry took its turn to present its score-card in the on-going mid-term re-

port being organized by the information ministry.Over 10 million children are said to be out-of-school across the federation The commis-sioner said, government was bent on facing its zero-toler-ance for out-of-school menace as “there is no going back on the issue”. In another development, the state government disclosed its intention to merge primary schools that hitherto operate as independent schools even though on the same premises. This, Prof. Muoboghare said, is a natural follow-up to the successful merger of second-ary schools in the state that operated that way at a time. According to the commis-sioner, the merger will com-mence upon resumption for the 2013/2014 academic session.

The All Progressives Congress administration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura

has remained focused on the up-liftment of the standard of living of the people, with probity and ac-countability constituting its cardi-nal objectives. Abdulhamid Yakubu Kwarra, Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Gov Al-makura, stated this while briefing the press at the weekend in Lafia, the Nasarawa state capital. According to the SSA, in spite of the calculated attempts by the lead-ership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to distract the APC’s Administration, through mischief and making spurious allegations, the Al-makura led gov-ernment remains committed to its mandate to provide sustainable in-frastructure and service delivery to the people of the state. Reacting to recent claims by the state PDP chairman, Yunana Iliya, alleging illegal deductions from the local government funds and that

the state’s internal revenue board has not given account of its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR); Kwarra dismissed the claims as “wild, empty and unsubstanti-ated.”The SSA disclosed that contrary to the claim by Iliya, records are readily available for verification to show that since the inception of the APC’s Administration, the gover-nor has never directed, for what-ever reason, any expenditure in the Local Government Joint Account other than statutory deductions. On the issue of the refusal of the board of internal revenue to make public its IGR in the state, Kwarra challenged the PDP chairman to confirm whether, “ in the 12 years of PDP maladministration”, his party has ever made public any state in-come either statutory or IGR. Kwarra however referred to the ac-cusers of the APC administration to the approved 2013 budget, where he said, government made a projec-tion of N16.3bn as IGR, realizable at the end of the 2013 fiscal year.

The Kwara state Police Com-mand has arrested five offic-ers of the Nigeria Security and

Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for allegedly involved in siphoning oil from a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) pipeline in Il-orin. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Kwara state, DSP Olufemi Fabode who confirmed the arrest said his office has been contacted over the incident. According to the PPRO: “Around 10 pm on Wednesday, our men on their routine patrol duty, got a hint that some people were siphoning fuel from an NNPC pipeline leakage along Asa Dam area. “On getting there, they met some Civil Defense officers with gallons inside a private vehicle they took to that place for that purpose; Presently they are still undergoing investiga-tion at the state headquarters, he said Fabode explained that when NNPC discovered there was a leakage in that place they employed the Civil Defence Officers to be guarding the place but the people employed to be guarding the place turned out to be the ones siphoning the fuel. The PPRO, who said the Police had contacted the Civil Defense Command said: “ If you arrest a pub-lic servant, you have to write the Or-ganization or the Ministry to confirm their authenticity and that has been done by the police authorities. “ We have informed them that their men are in our custody for that of-fence.” The commandant of NSCDC, Mr. Yerima Gana was accosted at the Airport but simply said, “I am not aware”.

The National Convener of the Youth Alive Network of Nigeria (YANN), Alloy Chimezie has called on federal government to remove the disparity between Higher National Diploma (HND) and BSC holders to encour-age technical education. According to Chimezie, civic edu-cation should be re-introduced to Nigerian schools starting from pri-mary to tertiary levels and proper funding of technical and vocational institutions should be the focus in Nigeria. He therefore called on public offic-ers to stop sending their children to schools abroad. Chimezie implored the federal government and ASUU to speedily come to compromise as the youths are suffering from the strike and warned all stakeholders in the edu-cational sector not to toy with the future of Nigerian youths. Chimezie also urged the federal government to sustain industries and stimulate economic growth that can create millions of jobs for the country’s teeming unemployed youths.

‘Boko Haram arrests in Kebbi false’ Police nab five Civil Defence officers for vandalizing NNPC pipeline

Delta plans EDU-Marshal for out-of-school kids

Al-makura’s focus is good goverance, says aide

YANN seeks removal of degrees, HND disparity


NewsFrom Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Ilorin

Speaker, Kano state House of Assembly, Hon. Gambo Sallau (left), receiving his certificate from Representative Northern Nigeria, Department for International Development (DFID), Mr. Ben Fisher (right), during the closing ceremony of 2013 Legislative Retreat for Kano state House of Assembly members, at the Weekend in Abuja. with them is Principal Consultant, Engineer Abubakar Kabir Bichi (middle). Photo: Mahmud Isa

By Prince Edward, Asaba.

By Albert Akota


USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any

emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the general public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, and Illegal/Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the

following number – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754 and 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833 and 08191778888.

112th KANO STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGOn Monday 19th August, 2013 Governor Rabi’u Musa

Kwankwaso, FNSE assured the citizenry in the State and the entire world that all the initiated laudable projects under his

popularly mandated second tenure will be completed within its duration. This declaration was made at the tree planting ceremony held at newly established Bandirawo City, which is amongst the exemplary achievements of the present administration.

The declaration includes all the gigantic transformation projects implemented in fulfillment of campaign and inauguration promises, delivered by Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa, FNSE regarding a cross section of vital sectors, which include Education, Health, Water Supply, Agriculture, Environmental Sanitation, Housing, Infrastructure, etc. Unsurpassed projects have been tangibly initiated in each sector of which only examples can be cited in this medium – viz;i. Education Sector related projects;• The establishment of the Northwest University, Kano, and the construction of a permanent site.• Conversion of various unused/underused public buildings and facilities for use as Schools and other viable activities such as the Governor’s College and First Lady Girls Secondary School, etc.• Construction of more/repairs of Classrooms at both Primary and Secondary Schools.• Continuation with free feeding and provision of School uniforms for new intakes into Primary Schools.• Provision of Classroom/Teachers’ furniture and other consumables.• Continuation with the sponsorship of Kano State Indigenous Students for various relevant courses both at home and abroad, etc. Presently hundreds of students were sponsored for higher degrees, piloting course, pharmacy, and medicine. ii. Health Sector related projects• Continuation with the renovation works of health centers across the State.• Continuation with supply of medical consumables/drugs.• Continuation and completion of health related institutions such as College of Nursing Madobi, Post Midwifery School Gezawa, School of Health Technology Bebeji, etc.• Continuation with the training of Medical Doctors/Surgeons on bond etc.iii. Water Supply Sector related projects• Continuation with the laying of water supply pipelines to urban Kano and other regional water supply schemes.• Continuation with regular supply of alum and other chemicals required for water treatment.• Maintenance of regular electricity supply at the various water treatment plants in the face of incessant power outages experienced from PHCN etc.iv. Agricultural Sector related projects• Continuation with prompt supply of agricultural inputs especially fertilizer.• Continuation with agricultural production skill acquisition training such as animal traction, poultry production, fishery, horticulture etc.v. Environmental Sanitation Sector related projects• Continuation with the monthly executed environmental sanitation exercise.• Continuation with procurement of plants/equipment/vehicles and facilities required for use in the evacuation of refuse.• Continued proper maintenance of the facilities made available for the proper and regular evacuation of heaps of refuse across the metropolis.• Maintenance of existing shelter belts and the establishment of new ones etc.vi. Housing Sector related projects• The popular sale of GP Houses to their occupants will be seen to proper completion.• The establishment/construction of various categories of commercial housing units at Bandirawo, Amana and Kwankwasiyya Cities will be seen to its proper completion.• Creation of completely new layouts will be carried out continuously.• The street naming and numbering exercises will be carried out to completion etc.vii. Infrastructure Sector related projects• All important revalidated road construction projects will be completed.• All the newly implemented road construction projects will be executed to completion especially the 5KM road projects sited across the 44 LGCAs in the State and the expansion of Zaria, Hadejia, Gwarzo and Maiduguri roads.• The flyover construction project(s) will be completed.• The covering/road provision on the Jakara/Gogau Rivers will be executed to completion.• Continuation with provision/installation/repairs/reactivation of street and traffic control lights.• Continuation with laying garden interlock tiles along pedestrian walkways.• Continuation with routine maintenance works on metropolitan roads by Kano Road Management Agency (KARMA) and Kano Urban Planning

Development Authority (KNUPDA) etc.Likewise, all empowerment programs implemented, such as Lafia Jari

will be continued as new ones will be established pending completion of this positively eventful second tenure of Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE.

So, in continuation with the laudable performance of the present administration, the Kano State Executive Council held its one hundred and twelfth (112th) sitting today Wednesday 21st August, 2013 (14th Shawwal, 1434 AH) presided over by Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. Twenty three (23) memoranda were submitted for deliberation by Council from eight (8) MDAs. Twenty (20) of them were approved for execution with an expenditure of Six Hundred and Forty-Eight Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighty Nine Naira, Fifty Kobo (N648,265,589.50) covering seventeen (17) projects. Thus:

1. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTThe Ministry of Environment submitted two (2) memoranda for

deliberation. Council considered and approved both for execution as follows:

a. Presentation of Request for Funds to Address the Problems of Gully Erosion and Control Flood at Sarbe Village in Minjibir LGCA:-

The menacing dual problems of gully erosion and serious flood disturb residents/the community at Sarbe Village in Minjibir LGCA. These problems continuously threaten and pose danger to lives and properties of the people there, as reported by the State Ministry of Environment, through contents of this memorandum.

A technical team sent to appraise the situation assessed the two problems and presented appropriate design and Bill of Quantities to the tune of N18,716,525.13, which was requested for release by Council to the Ministry of Environment to address the two (2) problems.

Considering the Community oriented nature of the problems, Council approved the release of the requested sum of N18,716,525.13 to the Ministry of Environment to enable the execution of the project that addresses the two (2) problems at Sarbe Village in Minjibir LGCA.

b. Request for Funds to Enable the Commencement of Avenue/Roadsides Tree Planting at Bandirawo City:-

Bandirawo City is amongst the three (3) such cities established by this administration. Befitting infrastructures are being put in place in all the three (3) newly established cities/settlements, which include Kwankwasiyya, Bandirawo and Amana Cities.

As such, the Ministry of Environment deemed it timely to commence planting of avenue/roadsides trees at Bandirawo City taking advantage of the abundant rainfall. The sum of N14,381,540.00 was requested for release by Council to the Ministry of Environment for the tree planting exercise to be executed at Bandirawo City,

Council noted, considered and approved release of the sum of N10

million to the Ministry of Environment to enable the commencement of the avenue and roadsides tree planting exercise according to the details presented for consideration. This will further enhance the aesthetic value of Bandirawo City to international standards.

2. OFFICE OF THE HEAD OF CIVIL SERVICEThe three (3) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council

from the Office of the Head of Civil Service were approved for execution. Thus:

a. Presentation of Report on the 3rd Retreat for Political Office Holders, Top Government Functionaries and Directors in the State and Request for Consent to Issue Relevant Publications to MDAs and Participants on the Outcome of the Retreat:-

People may recall that some months ago, the Office of the Head of Service staged a retreat for Political Office Holders, Top Government Functionaries and Directors in the State in Abuja with the theme “Civil Service, Good Governance and Sustainable Development: The Kano State Experience.” This submission presented a brief on the success of the retreat and the way forward. Six (6) observations were highlighted along with eight (8) recommendations proffered for consideration by Council for which consent and approval were sought for the issuance, from the Office of the Head of Civil Service, of relevant publications to all MDAs/participants on the outcome of the Retreat.

The presentation was appreciatively acknowledged as Council granted consent/approval to the Office of Head of Civil Service to issue out/distribute all relevant publications to MDAs/participants.

b. Request for Funds to Enable Payment of the 2nd Batch (2013) Bereaved Family Allowances in Favor of 106 Deceased Civil Servants:-

Council approved the release of the sum of N5,730,000.00 for the payment of 2nd Batch (2013) payment of Statutory Entitlements to 106 bereaved families of 106 deceased Civil Servants. The successful disbursement of the approved and released sum of N5,658,000.00 for the first (1st) batch of the 2013 bereaved family allowances was reported through the contents of this memorandum.

Council noted, considered and commiserated with the 106 bereaved families of 106 deceased Civil Servants and unanimously prayed for the mercy of Almighty Allah and the granting of Jannatil – fir – Dausi to all of them. Amen.

c. Presentation of Request for Funds for the Settlement of Seven (7) Months (January to July, 2013) Allowances for the Staff of the Newly Established Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) in Kano State:-

The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources submitted a memorandum on the issue mentioned above for deliberation by Council during its sitting of Wednesday 14th August, 2013. Council appraised the contents thereof and directed the Head of Civil Service to carefully reappraise the memorandum. The assignment was comprehensively executed yielding the following observations, that:

• The CADP is a tripartite arrangement between the Federal Government, the World Bank and Kano State Government.

• The Project aims at facilitating growth in small as well as medium commercial farming activities through strengthening production, aiding access to relevant technology/infrastructure and market potentials, among others.

• That the project’s Staff comprises of seconded Civil Servants and those directly employed under the project.

As such, the Committee recommended to Council to consider and approve the following:

i. Restructuring the project for effective performance by pruning down the number of Staff from 38 to 30.

ii. Settlement of outstanding allowances to the Staff for seven months (January – July, 2013) to the tune of N18,783,265.54.

iii. Civil Servants serving under KNARDA should be deployed to the project instead of seconding Staff from elsewhere.

Relevance of the request prompted Council to approve release of the sum of N18,783,265.54 to the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to enable the payment of the referred allowances as well as executing of prayers (ii and iii) above.

3. MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTFive (5) of the seven (7) memoranda submitted by this Ministry

were approved for execution by Council as follows:a. Presentation of Report on the Reinstatement of NARTO at

Kwanar Dawakin Kudu Motor Park:-The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Housing

and Transport politely reminded Council, through contents of this memorandum that, the Kwanar Dawakin Kudu Motor Park was allocated for operation and solely reserved for NARTO and RTEAN. Nevertheless, RTEAN instituted a legal action against NARTO and secured an interim injunction against the operation of NARTO at the said motor park.

Reportedly, Council was informed that, the Court has dismissed

Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso

Contd on Page 9

PAGE 9PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

the petition by RTEAN and vacated the injunction against NARTO in a judgment delivered at the Kano High Court on 4th July, 2013. Details were presented for consideration by Council.

So based on the judgment delivered by the High Court, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport directed KAROTA to commence the process of reinstating NARTO operations at Kwanar Dawakin Kudu Motor Park, Council was informed.

The presentation was acknowledged favorably as Council upheld/approved the stated decision.

b. Request for Funds to Enable the Construction of Access Road Network at Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso:-

The request cited above submitted by the Management of Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso was endorsed as relevant by the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport, which presented the case for consideration by Council.

Essentially, the College requires provision/construction of access road network to the various units/sections in the School as a vitally required infrastructure for which the sum of N199,134,986.33 was requested for release by Council. Details were presented for consideration.

Council noted, considered and approved the release of the requested sum of N199,134,986.33 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to enable the construction of access road network at Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso.

c. Request for Funds to Enable Purchase and Installation of 500KVA Electricity Generator with 20KVA Back Up System at KANGIS Office Complex:-

Complying with Executive directives, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport submitted the request cited above intended to provide necessary infrastructure at the recently constructed Office Complex/Edifice for the required operations of the established Kano Geographic Information System (KANGIS). The request was for Council to consider and approve release of the sum of N41,425,845.30 to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport to enable the procurement and installation of 500KVA electricity generating set with 20KVA back up at the newly constructed KANGIS Office Complex to ensure smooth conduct of operations at the facility as envisaged. Council considered the request relevant as approval was granted as requested.

d. Presentation of Report on the Review of Rates/Charges on Documents Issued by Road Traffic Department and Request for the Allocation of Eleven (11) Units of Toyota Hilux Pick Ups for Use by the Road Traffic Department:-

The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport politely reminded Council of its directive issued to his Ministry via Council Extract number SSCA/CA/EX/4/I/1537 of 5th August, 2013 to consult with the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR) to appraise the existing rates chargeable on the documents issued by the Road Traffic Department.

The assignment was judiciously carried out in appraising the existing rates approved by the Joint Tax Board (JTB) of August 2006. New rates were presented for consideration and approval by Council in recognition of present realities along with the following two (2) prayers.

• Council to consider and approve implementation of the proposed new rates under relevant codes of the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR).

• Council to consider and approve purchase and allocation of eleven (11) units of Toyota Hilux Pick Ups to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport for use by the Road Traffic Department to enhance traffic control, management and revenue generation drive.

Council noted, considered and approved as follows:i. Implementation of the new rates was approved.ii. Release of the sum of N13,900,000.00 to the Office of the Secretary

to the State Government to enable the processing of procurement and allocation of two (2) units of Toyota Hilux Pick Ups for use by the Road Traffic Department at the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport.

e. Request for Funds to Enable the Construction of Circular Ring Drainage at Tudun Wazirchi to Kwanar Diso in Kano Municipal/Gwale LGCAs:-

The popular “Kwankwasiyya Drainage Program” is a singular gesture aimed at providing decent and healthy environment for the citizenry in the State covertly referred to as the “Lungu Drainage Scheme.” As such, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport identified the drainage cited above to be 650M in length and filled up/blocked with dirt/debris forcing storm water to spillover and flow on to the road and eventually into people’s houses.

Relevant Engineers visited the area and reported that the scope of works required was estimated to the tune of N33,823,490.76, which was requested for release by Council to enable execution of the highly required project. The project was considered relevant to the policy of the present administration as approval was granted by Council.

4. MINISTRY OF RURAL AND COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENTThe two (2) memoranda submitted for deliberation by Council

from the Ministry of Rural and Community Development were approved for execution as follows;

a. Presentation of Accomplishment Report in Respect of the 2012 Kano State Constituency Projects (Rural Water Supply):-

The contents of this memorandum amply reminded Council of its approval granted for the implementation of the 2012 Constituency Projects in the State of which provision of potable water supply is among. Such projects comprised construction/drilling of Solar – Powered and hand pump boreholes by RUWASA under the Ministry of Rural and Community Development. Details on the projects executed by RUWASA for the 2012 Constituency Projects on Potable Water Supply were presented for consideration by Council. In summary, 483 hand pump boreholes, 13 motorized boreholes, 4 Solar – Powered boreholes as well as reactivation of various categories of boreholes were successfully completed. Likewise, renovation/reactivation/reticulation of water supply pipelines were executed in some areas.

Reportedly, the sum of N469,571,529.00 was expended in the execution of the 2012 potable water supply projects by RUWASA, Council was informed by contents of this memorandum.

Council appreciatively acknowledged the presentation and welcomed the impressive performance of RUWASA in ameliorating the hitherto

experienced hardships regarding water supply in the affected areas.b. Request for Funds to Enable Procurement of Building Materials

for Distribution to Development Associations in Kano State:-The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Rural and Community

Development reminded Council of its approval granted to him to conduct a tour to all Development Associations/Self Help Groups across the 44 LGCAs in the State. This was based upon the significance of such groups as veritable tools/channels for political and economic integration in the development process of Kano State.

Contentedly, the tour was reported as successfully conducted and the opportunity was wisely utilized in presenting an articulated picture aimed at propelling Government’s Policies to the self help groups.

Importantly, details on observations during the tour were presented to Council for consideration as heralded by the outcome of a stakeholders meeting held with the Committee members of the self-help groups chaired by the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Rural and Community Development. The meeting concurred on the need to provide the identified Local Government based Development Associations with building materials such as shovels, diggers, timber, roofing sheets, ceiling, doors, windows, etc. as an intervention measure proposed to actualize Government’s commitment to the work performed by the Central Working Committee on Ramadan Breakfast. Details were presented for consideration by Council along with the request for the release of the sum of N10,000,000.00 to the Ministry of Rural and Community Development to actualize the purpose of the procurement and distribution of the stated building materials to 44 self-help groups across the 44 LGCAs. Approval was granted as requested.

5. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT

This Office submitted seven (7) memoranda on behalf of some MDAs for deliberation by Council. Five (5) of them were approved for execution as follows:

a. Request for Funds to Enable the Conduct of the Graduation Ceremony for 430 Youths Trained on Plumbing Skills Under the Kwankwaso Youth Empowerment Scheme (KWAYES) in Partnership with the National Industrial Skill Development Programme (NISDP):-

The Special Adviser Community Reorientation Council (CRC) submitted a request for release of funds, through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, by Council to the tune of N26,718,000.00 to cater for the graduation ceremony of 430 Youths trained on plumbing skills cited above. The money was projected to be expended as follows:

i. Procurement of plumbing tools/equipment for distribution to the trainees N22,288,000.00.

ii. Disbursement of N10,000.00 to each of the 430 trainees to enable them rent workshops, etc. - N4,430,000.00

Total = N26,718,000.00.Considering the relevance of the request with the empowerment

policy of the present administration, Council approved the release of the requested sum of N26,718,000.00 to the Office of the Special Adviser State CRC to enable the successful conduct of the ceremony.

b. Request for Funds to Pursue Some Publicity Programs Toward Enhancing Revenue Generation:-

The State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning requested for the release of the sum of N12,489,748.00 to enable the placement of publicity programs toward enhancing revenue generation efforts. Four (4) media organizations are to be involved which include NTA Kano, Rahama Radio, Radio Kano and the Leadership Newspaper. Details were presented to Council for consideration. Relevance of the request to the revenue generation drive of the present administration prompted Council to approve the release of the requested sum of N10,363,498.00 to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government for onward payment to the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to enable the placement of the stated publicity programs geared toward enhancing revenue generation according to the details presented.

c. Request for Funds for the Procurement and Allocation of Three (3) Vehicles in Favor of the State Auditor General and Routine Field Operations:-

The Statutory provisions on the issue/request cited above prompted Council to approve the release of the aggregate sum of N10,700,705.00 to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government to process purchase and allocation of one (1) unit each of KIA RIO EX MT 2013 Model and Toyota Hilux Double Cabin Pick Ups to the Office of the State Auditor General.

d. Presentation of Request for Funds to Address the Issue of 16 Kano State Indigenous Students Sponsored for Studies at Al – Madina International University but Relocated/Transferred to other Accredited Public Schools in Malaysia and China:-

The issue referred above has been successfully resolved and the transfer fully processed. Details were presented to Council for consideration along with the request for the release of the aggregate sum of $277,599.78 (equivalent to N44,415,964.80) + N6,705,372.00 = N51,121,336.80. The money will be expended as follows:

i. Tuition fees, accommodation and other charges $ 2 7 7 , 5 9 9 . 7 8 (equivalent to N44,415,964.80).

ii. Visa processing and air fare charges in respect of 16 + 5 Students N6,705,372.00.

Total N51,121,336.80Council noted, considered and approved release of the requested

aggregate sum of N51,121,336.80 to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government for onward payment to the State Scholarship Board to facilitate the objective stated above so as to actualize the envisaged purpose of the State Government in sponsoring the students for studies abroad.

e. Request for Funds to Enable Payment of Outstanding Tuition and Accommodation Fees in Respect of 10 Postgraduate Students Among the 501 Sponsored for Studies Abroad (Malaysia):-

The popular 501 Postgraduate Kano State Indigenous Students Sponsorship Programs/Scheme has been executed to its envisaged conclusion except some few pending issues based on which the Kano State Scholarship Board submitted a request, through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, for the release of the aggregate sum of $62,321.00 to facilitate payment of balance for Tuition and accommodation

fees in respect of ten (10) out of the 501 Postgraduate Students sponsored for studies at the University of Technology Malaysia. The money will be expended as follows:

i. Tuition and accommodation fees for seven (7) Students initially sponsored $53,816.00

ii. Tuition and accommodation for three (3) Students who joined them later $8,505.00

Total = $62,321.00 (equivalent to N9,971,360.00).Considering relevance of the request Council approved the release

of the requested sum of $62,321.00 (equivalent to N9,971,360.00) to the Office of the Secretary to the State Government for onward payment to the Kano State Scholarship Board for the purpose stated in view of its relevance to the laudable policy of empowerment/skill acquisition/education of the present administration.

6. MINISTRY OF INFORMATION, INTERNAL AFFAIRS, YOUTHS, SPORTS AND CULTURE

The reappraised requested sum of N167,144,991.04 was approved for release by Council to the Kano Pillars Football Club to cater for its requirements pending completion of the 2012/2013 Premier League Season in two (2) months. The approval was granted based on the contents of a report from an Executive Council Committee.

7. MINISTRY OF HEALTHPresentation of Request for Funds to Refurbish the Mortuary

Complex at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital to Accommodate the Newly Procured Chilling Units/Coolers:-

The Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Health reminded Council, through contents of this memorandum, of its approval granted for the release of the sum of N95,665,179.38 during the sitting held on Wednesday 27th March, 2013 for the replacement (purchase and installation) of existing/old mortuary chilling units at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital with five (5) new mortuary cold room (six bodies drawers) (2480 x 2040 x 2260) and five (5) semihemetric refrigeration. The memorandum informed Government that items have been shifted for transportation to arrive Kano by next week.

So as the Ministry of Health awaits arrival of the ordered items a proposal for the refurbishing/renovation of the entire mortuary complex was forwarded to Council for consideration along with the financial implications of the project to the tune of N8,731,585.60, which was requested for release by Council to enable the execution of the project. The request was approved.

8. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTUREPresentation of Request for Funds to Enable the Provision for the

Omission Made on the Procurement of Post Training Packages for the 2nd Batch of Trainees at Kano Fisheries Institute, Bagauda:-

Four hundred (400) Trainees successfully graduated as the 2nd batch trained at the Fisheries Institute, Bagauda. The list of items supplied to participants as post training packages were distributed to them with the cost of two (2) water tanks omitted. N12, 000,000.00 was approved for the procurement of 800 tanks for distribution to the trainees.

UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 112TH EXCO SITTING1. PRESENTATION OF AWARDS TO GOVERNOR ENGR.

RABI’U MUSA KWANKWASO, FNSECouncil delightfully witnessed the presentation of a merit award

to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE in Abuja by the Federal Government by the National Productivity Council on the efforts of the Government to bring sanity to land allocation, utilization, town beautification and the multiple projects that are being executed in the State.

Similarly, Council appreciatively witnessed presentation of an award to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE by the National Council of Women Societies as the Best Governor on Women Empowerment in the Country.

Further, Council witnessed yet another distinguished award presented to Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE by the Central Bank of Nigeria as the best Governor on Women, Youths Empowerment and the establishment of Microfinance Bank across the 44 Local Government Areas in the State.

2. TREE PLANTATION AT THE THREE NEWLY CREATED CITIES (KWANKWASIYYA, AMANA AND BANDIRAWO CITIES)

Council acknowledged the Official Commissioning of the Tree Planting at the newly established Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo Cities by Governor Engr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE to upgrade the aesthetic value of the Cities, etc.

3. GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO SPORTS DEMONSTRATED ON KANO PILLARS AND OTHERS

Council acknowledged and appreciated with gratitude the overall achievements of Kano Pillars Football Club, Kwankwasiyya Academicals, Government College Kano (former KTC), etc. who participated at National and International tournaments. Accordingly, the State Government honored the patriotic and successful Kano Pillars FC players with 28Nos. Kia Picanto, N500,000.00 to 10 players and N750,000.00 to Officials of the Club. Similarly, the sum of N150,000.00 was given to each player of Kwankwasiyya Academicals and KTC players while their officials were given the sum of N100,000.00 each as State Government’s kind gesture to motivate them for improved performance.

4. 300 INDIGENOUS MEDICAL STUDENTS SPONSORED FOR STUDY ABROAD

Council observed the official send off of the 300 Kano State Indigenous science based students screened and selected to Study Medicine in Foreign Universities and urged them to be hard working and good ambassadors of the State and the Nation at large. Notably, majority of the students sponsored are female which is in tandem with Government’s usual support to education and youth’s empowerment scheme in the State.

Signed: Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal

Affairs, Youth, Sports and Culture, Kano State


News

L-R: Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, Senator Sani Saleh, and Chairman, Kaduna North local government area, Alhaji Samaila Suleiman, during the presentation of cars, motorcycles and other items to the campaign team of Senator Saleh, at the weekend in Kaduna. Photo: NAN

Father of triplets seek government assistance in BauchiFrom Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Amidst the nationwide strike embarked upon by health workers, a middle-aged

farmer, Dankani Mohammed whose wife gave birth to triplets at the Abubakar Tafawa Balew Teaching Hospital in Bauchi (ATBU), has cried to the state government for assistance.

Mohammed said that his wife was operated upon and needs financial assistance to cater for the medical expenses incurred after the operation.

The father of eight children expressed delight over the triplets, saying it was an act of God which has brought blessings to him.

On her part, the happy mother, Amina Adamu also appealed to people in the state to come to their aid.

Delta ICT Park to cost $5bnFrom Prince Edward, Asaba

The Delta State Government at the weekend said Information and

Communication Technology (ICT) Park about to be established will cost the sum of 5bn dollars.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT, Mr. Sunny Ofili, made the disclosure while in company of Commissioners for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Mr. Patrick Ferife, Commissioner for Local

Government Affairs, Mr. Newworld Safugha and members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), during inspection of projects executed by Delta State Government. Mr. Ofili also said that not less than 10,000 persons would be employed within the first five years after completion of the project.

He explained that the project which is being built after the pattern of India is being supported by World Bank, adding that on completion, 100 engineers would be trained on software programming.

According to him, the intention of the state government was to make the park the silicon valley of Africa and a legacy, saying ICT giants like Microsoft, Omatek and other international organizations have already indicated interest to invest in the ICT village.

He said the park had the potential to transform the landscape of Delta and possibly the nation as it would be an income generating venture for the state government.

Hard times for patients at federal health facilities in Bauchi

Forte Oil completes acquisition of Geregu power plant

From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi

Hard times await patients seeking healthcare services at Federal health

facilities in Bauchi; as the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, has made good its threat to embark on indefinite strike.

In the wake of the nationwide strike embarked upon by the health workers’ there has been hue and cry for medical attention all over the country.

Visit to some of the affected hospitals in the state, showed either skeletal work or a total collapse of activities.

For instance, business

activities were grounded at the ATBU hospital Bauchi, and Federal Medical center Azare , as a result of the strike.

It wasn’t easy for patients at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Hospital Bauchi, (ATBU) as the Bauchi State Chapter of the Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria complied with the directive by the Joint Health Sector Union to embark on the strike.

Our Correspondent visited the ever busy premises of the hospital; and revealed that the place was deserted as most of the administrative offices were under lock and key.

Many patients on admission

with minor ailments were being discharged while those with critical conditions such as operation and dialysis were given medical attention by the medical doctors.

Some patients who came to seek medical attention at the ATBU hospital told our correspondent that they have no option than to patronize private hospitals.

One of them Gambo Salisu lamented that “I have been sick for five days now. So, I decided to visit the hospital where I usually come for my treatment and I was told that the hospital is on strike. Now I have no other option than to go to the private hospital. I

am afraid because I don’t have enough money on me to patronize private hospitals as they charge a lot of money”.

Visiting the paediatric, Orthopaedic, emergency and post operation wards in the Hospital, few patients with critical conditions were seen given medical attention by doctors and supportive friends of the hospital.

In his response to the strike, the Deputy Chairman of Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Sale Abubakar (SMAC) said that the on-going strike by some section of health workers was a directive from the Joint Health Sector Union in the country.

From Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

Forte Oil PLC, Nigeria’s major marketer of petroleum products yesterday

announce that its subsidiary, Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited (Amperion Power) has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in the 414MW Geregu Power plant located in Kogi State of Nigeria, under the government-led privatization programme in the power sector.

Amperion Power completed the acquisition of the power plant ahead of the Wednesday, August 21, 2013 deadline with the payment of US$99m to the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) representing 75% balance

for the power generation asset, a statement signed by the company Head, Brand and Corporate Communications, Odion Aleobua, said.

This is in addition to the US$33m mandatory down payment made on February 21, 2013 to the BPE by the group to complete the required bid sum of US$132m.

In achieving this feat, Forte Oil PLC had to build a partnership with seasoned and competent entities in the global power sector. Under the partnership arrangement, Forte Oil Plc currently owns 57% of

Amperion’s equity while its technical partners; BSG Resources Limited – a global diversified energy group owns 38% while

the Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company (SMEPC); the world’s largest power company, the world’s largest power company, has a 5% stake.

Commenting on the acquisition, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Forte Oil PLC, Mr. Akin Akinfemiwa said: “We are very pleased to have achieved this milestone at this crucial stage of our transformation programme, which include diversification of our downstream petroleum business into high margin energy sectors such as power generation and upstream exploration and production.

“This investment serves to optimize our revenue drive through multiple income streams which underpins our resolve for

superior value creation for our investors and shareholders. We are not only poised to establish ourselves in power generation sector but to also carve a niche by increasing the capacity of the plant by about 50% to over 600MW in the short to medium term, in demonstration of our commitment to help bridge the current power deficit in Nigeria. Our overall objective is to build Nigeria’s leading Energy Solutions Provider on the pillars of solid corporate governance, sound business ethics and compliance, enhanced Safety, Health and Environment Practices, Technology-Driven World Class Business process and a highly skilled and motivated”.

PAGE 11

Wealth is, how to build a fish pond

You can also make money selling someone else’s product

When you sign up as an affiliate / reseller for someone else’s

product, you refer people to the “supplier site” and you get a cut each time someone who you referred makes a purchase. It really is that simple. You will agree that, this is probably the most doable of the ways to make money without money.

You will only make money at affiliate programs if you can find a good supplier. One that’s honest about tracking of sales and one that will pay on time.

Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision– Peter Drucker

Money Sense

Quote

Money Tip

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Building a fishpond is more than just filling your dug with water as well as fish.

You must know the different steps in building a proper fish pond to be able to earn money from it in the future. There are few things that you need to con-sider before starting to build a fish pond. Now, there are differ-ent types of ponds:

• Plastic fish pond OR otherwise known as mobile fish pond

• Wooden fish pond.• Concrete fish pond • River/Stream fish

pond: This is practiced by con-structing a barrier to control the population and movement of the fishes in a particular area of a nat-ural river or stream.

• Earthen pond: This kind of fish pond is said to be the most preferred type by some farmers because of the presence of some micro-organisms which aid the breeding of the fishes. It is also known as the oldest form of fish pond in Nigeria. It is dug to an extent beneath the surface of the earth, to allow the action of capil-lary water in the soil to take place, just like in the case of a well-wa-ter system but must not become too deep, must also have enough space. This system should be shallow, preferably in a location close to a natural form of water like river or stream. Now let’s get started!

Conditions necessary for siting a fish pond

Availability of water: Fishes are aquatic animals, as their life depends entirely on water. The water must be free from pollut-ants, colour, smell, and taste. The resources may be streams, rivers, boreholes or springs.

Availability of Finger-lings: The fingerlings to be used must be the fast-growing type.

Get to open your own fish market To start a fish market busi-

ness you will first need to have a love of fresh fish and

seafood and a strong understand-ing of supply and demand. With a fish market customer asking you "What's fresh?" or "What do you recommend?" you have your work cut out for you when you open a fish market business. Knowledge, inventory, pricing and customer service will get your fish market off to a strong start, and obtain-ing and maintaining an excellent customer service rating will keep your fish market going long after you open the doors.

First learn about the licenses and permits required to open a fish market business. The sale of fresh fish and seafood is moni-tored at the local, state and fed-eral level. You will not only need

to obtain the usual federal tax identification number for your entity choice and business license with an occupancy and safety certificate; you will also need to obtain the licenses and permits specific to retail fresh fish and seafood sales. Your local health department will let you know what certificates it requires you to have before opening. Contact the health department for inspection and set up an appointment to re-view everything that needs to be done before opening.

Learn about your available product supply. Fresh fish is a temperamental product. Lob-sters and the other shellfish need to be kept alive to preserve their freshness. Scallops need to be available in the shell or shucked and cleaned. What variety of

fresh fish is available in your area combining freshwater and ocean waters? Seafood's freshness, stor-age, preparation and care are just as important as its price to your customer. Everything you can learn about your product and product sources will weigh heavy toward your fish market business success.

Set up a tiered pricing plan. To make a success of your fish market business, you will want to have at least five to 10 of your lo-cal chefs as your best customers. They will want to receive pricing that is lower than your storefront pricing. Determining the two sell-ing prices for each delivery of fish is essential for obtaining a steady income from your fish market business. Discounted sales to chefs can increase your bottom

line by volume if you price cor-rectly.

Set up your fish market busi-ness with aesthetics and inven-tory temperature control in mind. Your storefront and kitchen need to be built for ease of use, clean-ing and efficiency. Lay out both areas with the product sales and preparation in mind. Storing fish at unsafe temperatures or in un-clean tanks for any length of time will result in spoilage and seri-ously affect your bottom line.

Establish a solid marketing plan. Local advertising for re-tail sales is going to bring in the majority of your customers, but creative marketing to restaurants may bring in the most sales by volume. A perfect balance be-tween the two and a customer service plan are what a great fish market business needs.

More so, they must have high feed convertibility. Ideally, the fingerlings must be ready to be harvested at about seven months from the time of hatching.

Good vegetation: Light veg-etation is ideal, preferably grass-land. This will be easy to clear, sump and excavate before siting the fish pond.

Topography: The land must be flat, but must allow the gentle flow of water from a higher region to a lower region. The area must not be prone to flooding, if so then construct embankment and other barriers early enough.

Soil particles: The floor of the area must contain clay soil be-cause this helps to retain water. Also the soil must be rich in order to for fingerlings to survive.

Size and location: The size depends on the availability of funds, and the type of fish farm-ing to be practiced. Therefore, for commercial fish farming, a large expanse of land is required. The location can be either in the low-land or upland.

Availability of feeds: Fish-es are usually supplied with sup-plementary feed especially during the day. This includes kitchen products, vegetables, as well as manure and fertilizers which should be supplied to enhance the growth of planktons.

Location of the hatchery: The hatchery should not be too far from the fish pond. Finger-lings are very fragile and die off easily, hence when released from the hatchery, must be sent imme-diately into the pond.

Availability of labour: The availability of labour should be considered. Fish pond should be in a place where labour supply is high, since the work is labour in-tensive, that is, clearing, stump-ing, excavation of the land, feed-ing of fish down to harvesting and processing activities.

Establishment of a fish pond

Before fish pond is estab-lished, certain operations must be carried out. They include the following:

Site selection, surveying of the land, clearing and stump-ing of site, construction of core trench, construction of spill way, impoundment of pond, pond fer-tilization, pond inoculation and liming.

Construction of core trench: This involves the remov-al of soil. Soil can also be exca-vated.Position should be at right angle to the dam. There should be consolidated walls with stones and cement (concrete pond).

Construction of spill way: Position this at one end of dam using wood and fire-meshed screen.

Impoundment of fish pond: Filling of pond with water, done by opening the monk board of the reservoir.Water is released to flow and fill the pond.

Pond Fertilization:Fertilization encourages the

growth of micro-flora.By pouring organic fertilizers such as poultry droppings, cow dungs or use of inorganic ones like N.P.K or su-per phosphate or liming. This ac-

tion should be carried out 15 days before stocking pond with fish.

Pond Inoculation:Introduction of proper plank-

ton species into the pond.Obtain some water from a plankton-rich pond and pour into a newly ferti-lized pond.

Liming: this is the addition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) powder to the sides and bottom of the pond to steal pores and pre-vent water loss.It encourages the growth of planktons.

Stocking of a fish pondThis is the introduction of fish

into a fish pond. It also means the number of a particular species of fish, a fish pond can accommo-date at a time. If only one species of fish is stocked, this is known as monoculture while more than one species is called polyculture. The following species of fish are ideal for fish pond stocking:

The carp e.gcyprinuscarpio, cichlid e.g tilapia zilli, milk fish e.g red mullets (mugilcephalus) and the common cat fish (claria-slazera).


EDITORIAL

OUR VISIONOUR PEOPLEOUR MISSION

“To be the market place of ideas and the leading player in the

industry by putting the people first, upholding

the truth, maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards while delivering value to our

stakeholders”

“To be a reputable, profitable,

innovative and technologically reliant media

company offering world class

services and products”

ChairmanMalaM Wada Maida, OOn, Fnge

managing Editorabdul-azeez abdullahi

Editor, dailyahMed i. Shekarau

Editor, WEEkEndhaMeed M. bello

ChiEf opErating offiCErali M. ali

managEr, administrationhaSSan haMManyaji

hEad, advErt/markEtinghuSSaini abdulrahMan, Cna

dEputy managEr, produCtionabdul-rauf MuSa

hEad, lagos BurEauadeSoji oyinlola

dirECtor/Editor-in-ChiEfrufa’i ibrahiM

The Nigerian House of Representatives is mulling “revolutionary legislation”

to arrest “infrastructure decay” in public education in the country. Hon, Abdulmumin Jibrin, Chairman, House Finance Committee, not education, was the one who announced that at this year’s International Youth Day celebrations held on August 18 in Abuja. The upcoming bill, if passed, will make it an offence for elected officers from the President down and senior public servants at federal and state levels from the rank of minister to commissioner and director to send their children overseas to acquire first degrees; they will also be barred from enrolling their children in private schools, whether in Nigeria or abroad. The proposed piece of legislation will, however, make exception for post-graduate studies.

The thinking of the House, according to Hon. Jibrin, is that responsibility for the rot in the public school system lies with “those in prominent positions in government today (who) passed through the public school system (but) have abandoned it and chosen to send their children to private schools in Nigeria and abroad in spite of the huge financial costs”. He believed

Education: Yes, we need revolution, but not this kind

that “the absence of the children of the high, powerful and mighty in Nigerian public schools means that those who should care for the system have their commitment to either the private schools or the educational systems in other countries.” Stopping that practice

through legislation would be the lawmakers’ “own bit”.

“The major element of this bill is that all public servants from a particular rank and all political office holders would have to get their children to do their primary, secondary and first degree education in public schools in Nigeria,” the lawmaker explained.“We are working on that bill with like minds… Let us do our own bit. If Nigerians support us, fine; if they don’t, fine. But we have looked at the situation and have

come to the conclusion that this is probably the only way out of this problem of neglect of our public schools”, Hon. Jibrin added.

The quaintness or novelty of the idea highly recommends support for it, but its practicability will be a major headache. Hon. Jibrin recognized this hurdle when he said “If Nigerians support it, fine; if they don’t fine.” Assuming such a law is passed, will it be enforceable in a country notorious for its culture of impunity? What more, stopping certain categories of Nigerians with the “means” from exercising their right to choose where to educate their children will be discriminatory and it will be in breach of our Constitution.

In our view, if the House truly wants to contribute its “own bit” to revolutionizing the public school system, it should take up its oversight of the education sector, a responsibility that it has failed to carry out. Let it begin by insisting that the federal government comply with the UNESCO benchmark of 26 percent annual budgetary allocation to the funding of public education. This way, Nigerians will know that the lawmakers are not complicit in the criminal neglect of the system.

“

The quaintness or novelty of the idea highly recommends support for it, but its practicability will be a major headache.


OpinionBy Charles Onunaiju

If the issues were that simple and straight forward as it is made out by those who have

encountered President Jonathan and his supporters, then he would have ultimately been the best man for the job, although he would have to vie with other simpleminded humanists who are actually not in short supply in our clime. The virtues of humility, prayerfulness and God-fearing, forgiveness and large heartedness would generally input to what one would call the passion of leadership but would hardly define the imperative of leadership for a country at a historic turning point, where in spite of official rhetoric to the contrary, stands at a cross road of make or break. Even for the slow and dysfunctional drag, the cost have been too huge for the majority of Nigerians who are wondering if the burden of bearing a huge malfunctioning machine is worth it, in the first place. It is doubtful if any at all among the privileged elites sitting in high offices and pocketing disproportionate share of the national wealth, if swapped to a position of ordinary Nigerians, would shout at the rooftops, of the inviolability of the Nigerian unity. Should President Jonathan be allowed in power beyond his current tenure he would most likely in his neo-humanist simplistic style overwhelm the already thin line that holds any last prospect of functional socio-economic and political category. He will most likely smile away from the scene and there will be no shortage of religious rants of how the almighty has used his anointed to break up an accursed and unviable project.President Jonathan in a nutshell

The burden of President Goodluck Jonathan

By Joseph BakoIshakelu

Politics have been used by sections of the country to score cheap points especially

those that border on skewing historical records for political or economic gains. In the north, the ethnic minorities of the Middle-Belt region have had to depend on the extracts of their histories as documented by the dominant ethnic groups. This situation has telling effects on the disparity between records and realities of places and people vis-a-vis the distribution of wealth and other political fortunes.

In Nasarawa state, the same unfortunate scenario is taking form around the protracted communal clashes that the state has suffered in the past two years. From the Assakio crisis of 1 June, 2012, to the recent Alakyo killings of 7th May, 2013 there have been allegations and counter-allegations among the various affected ethnic communities on the one hand and government authorities and

ethnic communities on the other. Although public commentators are largely unanimous that the recurrent crisis in the state are politically motivated, little would one expect the level of blunt distortion and coloration the mindless killings are getting in their wake all for the sake of ignoble posterity.

In a newspaper report on June 2nd, 2013, titled “the plot to wipe out Eggon people” it is said that “on June 1, 2012, the Alago militia with the help of other invited ethnic militias attacked Eggon quarters in Assakio town killing some of our people”. It is instructive that the Alago people raised alarm over an impending attack on them by the Eggon people which forced some of them to start leaving their places of abode in Assakio days before they eventually stroke. In the days following the incident the Alago people were camped at the Dunoma primary school, Lafia, as refugees but the Eggon people were going about their businesses unabated. It is also

mind boggling to note that over 90 percent of the over 200 homes destroyed belonged to the Alago people. Would they be said to have attacked themselves or did the gods intervene on their behalf again. These claims make mockery of public sensibility and allowing such spurious claims for historical references only stands to inflame further violence in the future for any futile reason.

It is also edifying that the Osakyo of Owusakyo, Mr. OsulaInarigu, is the most accomplished farmer in Assakio and its environs and would not need tithes from subsistence farmers to enrich himself. It has been the tradition of local communities from the Benue trough to the heights of the Plateau to pay royalty to the local chiefs for at the end of every farming season as a mark of appreciation for using the community land for which they pay nothing more than the royalty to cultivate. After all, the Nigerian government is paying 13% derivation to all the oil

states in the south-south, which is an equivalent of royalty. It is therefore misleading to sell off the notion that the Osakyo demanded for a bag of rice each from the local farmers who cultivated the community land which is under the custody of the chief.

And so it happened again in Agyaragu, Obi local government area. Two criminals quarreled over a motorcycle they jointly stole and before you blink an eye the whole town was in smoke the selected homes of the Migili people were selected and burnt with scores of people killed. Was it the ZheMigili that ordered the theft of the motorcycle again? Yet again the Eggon people are claiming they were the ones attacked because they are targeted for extermination. What functional conscience allows one to mastermind such dastardly act and turn back to pontificate rather than show remorse?

Few months ago, over a hundred police officers were brutally murdered in cold blood in Alakyo village, Lafia local government,

History of Nasarawa killings

“ Should President Jonathan be allowed in power beyond his current tenure he would most likely in his neo-humanist simplistic style overwhelm the already thin line that holds any last prospect of functional socio-economic and political category. He will most likely smile away from the scene and there will be no shortage of religious rants of how the almighty has used his anointed to break up an accursed and unviable project.

does not have what it takes to administer the profound shock therapy desperately needed to return the country to political viability and realize its potentials of great economic and social promise.

His demeanour of almost a permanent broad smile on his face and the customary cherry banters that characterized his weekly cabinet meetings as captured by media lens does not reflect the grim situation in the country nor any determination to re-launch the country.

Against the backdrop of the existing socio-economic atrophy, a Nigerian prospective leader must be sufficiently angry and even vindictive to begin any serious attempt to redness the anomaly. Angry that a hugely endowed country should have its key infrastructures in complete ruin. Angry at Nigeria’s most laughable paradox of not having a functional refinery to produce less then eight hundred barrels of refined petroleum products for domestic use out of nearly 3 million crude. The paradox is further accentuated when one takes into cognizance that Nigeria’s crude oil, called Bonny light is about the easiest to

refine, without the thick sulphur of the Venezuelan and Iran crude oil. Yet these two countries refined their crude through a cumbersome process and have enough quantity they use locally and even export some refine products.

A prospective Nigeria leader cannot afford a inanities of serial birthday cakes against the background that Nigeria is perhaps the only country in the world without a national air carrier and whose flag is conspicuously missing in the international maritime industry. There is no country in the world with key iron ore deposits like Nigeria that does not have a functional steel industry. Yet the current leadership and their hangers grow chubby checks, pretending to busy in the daytime while over indulging in wild parties of women and wine in the night.

Nigeria does not look in any way like a country, whose leadership devout time to serious thinking and reflections. The mentality that leadership or positions of authority is God’s buttering of the bread of the lucky and patient ones is so pervasive that it obfuscates any responsibility that leadership brings along.

Any prospective leader that does not have sufficient fire in the belly and does not have constructive vendetta to bring those who have made the country look big for nothing to justice will not get it right.

Essentially, the analytical and rigorous mind to formulate policy, distil and refine it through the simple trappings of emotions, sentiments and such other considerations, is key to leadership success. Nigeria travails are even less on the crises of routine governance that the profound structural and institutional dysfunction that feeds into the crises of routine governance.

A meaningful and purposeful leadership likely to apprehend the depth of the problem must possess an appreciable and considerable depth of thinking and thought beyond the conventional to understand that the routine crises of governance cannot be seriously tackled unless the fundamental questions of structural and institutional process is set on course. A mind that is simplistically fixated to the routine stereotypes of our bankrupt political practice of the

past half a century will not make any significant mark in polling the country out of the cesspool. . Even in far older nation-states in Europe and North America or even Asia, cyclic governance crises naturally triggers question of fundamental institutional and structural reforms. In the UK, at the turn of the current century, it became obvious to the leadership that the explosive tide of national irredentism could not be contained by mere routine governance but that a deeper ambience of structural and institutional innovation is required. Within the same period, the Scottish assembly in Edinburgh and Welsh Parliament in Bangor along with self-governing mechanism, including executive self-government in Northern Ireland were instituted. These critical institutional reforms created a local political window for the ventilation of much of the toxic nationalist vituperations.

Clearly the President Jonathan administration is too wedded to inanities and ludicrous Shenanigans to be concerned with the fundamental lacuna in the polity.

Their economics administered Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the economic mismanagement team is incapable of thinking out of the box and are so drawn to orthodoxy and received wisdom.

That democracy is not an end in itself but a means to an end, which is the happiness and well-being of the majority of the people is the reason why those who hold democracy as the quintessential end, are themselves the greatest danger to the democracy.

Charles Onunaiju is a journalist based in Abuja.

and while the bewildered nation was trying to make sense of this brutality the political poets of the Eggon land were merely concerned with the number of security personnel that were sent to effect the arrest of one aged person. Steadfast effort was thereafter being made to make Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura responsible for the deaths just to score cheap political goal at the expense of so many innocent lives.

Government must wake up to this cycle of deliberate politicization of deaths and massacres in Nasarawa state. Although some pragmatic steps have been taken by Governor Al-makura aimed at addressing this drift, more needs to be done especially in meting out punitive measures given that the public confidence in the ability of government to prosecute criminals who dare to undermine the very essence of government, protection of lives and property. It’s time to wake up top this reality and the Nasarawa people must be made to continually resist this evil machination.

Joseph BakoIshaleku wrote in from Lafia, Nasarawa state.


By Abdullahi Musa

In a democracy, most of the time citizens do not have a say. When you elect, or have

a President imposed upon you, you only hear over the airwaves that his government intends so and so courses of action. I think, judging by the exchanges done in the media, another census is in the offing. If there were to be a referendum on whether to conduct it or not, I would vote ‘no’.

The way we govern ourselves is ridiculous. If white men, and similarly enlightened races have set up societies where science is in the driving seat, they will as a consequence have to accept planning as a way of life; even to the extent of planning the population they can manage. Now in our voodoo-driven society, who needs any data for planning purposes? I understand that census is supposed to be conducted every ten years. But may I demand to know in what ways were the last census figures used to better the lives of Nigerians?

But that is not the main problem. The current NPC chairman is quoted as saying the figures of the previous census were cooked. My deduction from that statement is this: any census figure, which is not the handiwork of Mr.Odumegu, stands deficient, because it must have been cooked.

On the presumption that Mr. Odumegu is a Christian, then he must certainly be Jesus Christ, an infallible figure. The other deduction will be more unpalatable: the previous census

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Opinion

exercise was conducted by a northern Nigerian, DankoMakama; who must have slanted it to favor North even though the person who appointed him was south-western Christian. So Mr. Odumegu, now is your chance to fry new census figures which might even be used by heavens to know in which areas floods will have

Nigeria has overtaken China in population due to the economic wizardry of Goodluck, which increased the fertility of the region’s women! Chikenan! Chapter closed. No President will ever come from the North because they

of university education. If a child starts primary school from year five, then with 6-3-3 system, she or he will be eligible for university or other forms of higher education in 13 years. Then they can assess whether existing facilities will absorb those registered primary school children or not.

If the intervention were to be in agriculture, I may not be interested in the human figure of farmers. I will be more interested in farm area under cultivation. And this must be GPS system based.

Why do we quarrel over population figures? First elections; second, revenue allocation formula; third? CAN versus JNI.

Zoning can take care of federal presidential election: it is the turn of Igbo people to be president, so why should a Hausa man roast in the sun voting for someone who will surely discriminate against him, since that is what ethnic politics is all about?

Revenue allocation formula? Well, there will be no revenue allocation. The federal government will intervene in the selected areas, with states being responsible for their overheads.

But what of where they cant? Then they must accept a federal presence in their civil services, to make it truly Nigerian. This may lead to civil war you may say. But one day this false nation must surely collapse unless those living now change their thinking.

For now NPC’s Odumegu has some roasting of figures to do. Count me out!

Abdullahi Musa via [email protected]

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Is the issue of management of our public finance that is the core of good governance not too important for the personalizing politics of their reaction? I wish to state with absolute respect for our lawmakers and our institution that it will be more valuable and enriching for our democracy if instead of the abusive language of their recent reaction, the NASS immediately offered me and the rest of the Nigerian public, the opportunity of a Public Hearing on their Budgetary Allocation and the very relevant issue of their remuneration.

But if suddenly the PDP government, after fourteen years in power, decides to have one, at least for Guinness Book of Records, I suggest the following: Let the federal government decide its areas of intervention. ( forget the exclusive list, since nobody believes in the constitution anyway). Let us take the example of university education. If a child starts primary school from year five, then with 6-3-3 system, she or he will be eligible for university or other forms of higher education in 13 years.

By Oby Ezekwesili

On Monday, August 19, I was the Keynote speaker at a Civil Society Roundtable

on “Cost of Governance” hosted by the Civil Society Legislative advocacy Center – CISLAC. My presentation approached the topic more broadly, by calling attention to the fundamentally unsustainable economic structure that has caused Nigeria’s development over the last fifty-three years to lag behind those of countries with similar political history with attendant high poverty level of 69% of our citizens according to the National Bureau of Statistics. As part of the aspect of my presentation that touched on management of Public Finance, I provided eight years data on budgetary allocations or transfers to the National Assembly.

The data in question is publicly available in the Ministry of Finance which reveals that the allocations to the National Assembly known as Statutory Transfers between 2005 and 2013 were approximately One Trillion Naira as follows: 2005 (N

Waiting on the National Assembly

more casualties due to dense populations!

Can the reader forgive me for voting against census in Nigeria? I need a census, but of a different type. I need a census based on intervention abilities of the federal government. If EU or UN feel that they must know how many Nigerians there are, then let them hold it and pay the expenses. But the data must not show whether

Odumegu is in Bayelsa or Bama. Neither will it show what he believes in. If the Vatican wants to know how many Catholics there are in Nigeria let it conduct its own census. Same with Saudi Arabia, Iran; and UK for Anglicans.

Since Odumegu intends to fry census figures palatable only to a south eastern palate, let him spare us the rigour of staying at home in order to be fried. South eastern

are now a minority.

But if suddenly the PDP government, after fourteen years in power, decides to have one, at least for Guinness Book of Records, I suggest the following: Let the federal government decide its areas of intervention.( forget the exclusive list, since nobody believes in the constitution anyway). Let us take the example

54.79billion), 2006 (N54.79bn), 2007 (N 66.4bn), 2008 (N114.39bn), 2009 (N158.92bn), 2010 (N 150bn), 2011 (N 150bn), 2012 (N150bn) and 2013 (N150bn). I also provided information available in a recent global comparison of legislators’ remuneration across the world recently published by the United Kingdom based The Economist magazine. I stated that the report alleged that Nigerian federal legislators with a basic salary of $189,500 per annum (N30.6m) were the highest paid lawmakers in the world.

In reaction to various versions of news media report of my speech a number of members of the House of Representatives and Senators speaking as spokesmen of the National Assembly (NASS) and perhaps without the benefit of my full speech, strangely chose to haul verbal assaults and threats at me. The NASS in its prestige as the most important symbol of our democracy has a duty to promote at all times the democratic culture of tolerance for dissension. Would it therefore not have been more dignifying of our democracy if the spokesmen

had used the opportunity of their reaction to offer their own data to contradict or clarify anything conveyed in my speech after reading it?

Is the issue of management of our public finance that is the core of good governance not too important for the personalizing politics of their reaction? I wish to state with absolute respect for our lawmakers and our institution that it will be more valuable and enriching for our democracy if instead of the abusive language of their recent reaction, the NASS immediately

offered me and the rest of the Nigerian public, the opportunity of a Public Hearing on their Budgetary Allocation and the very relevant issue of their remuneration.

Doing so would be consistent with Global Practice across countries of the world where emphasis is on tenets of Open Budget to enable citizens to track to the disaggregated level all use of public resources across every Arm and Level of Government. In the United States, for example, anyone can find the US House of Representatives Statement of payment to each member of the House of Representative on the website -http://disbursements.house.gov/. I shall make myself available to the NASS as soon as it decides to host a public hearing on this and other related issues of the lawmakers’ interest.

Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, offered these remarks in her keynote speech at a Civil Society Roundtable on “Cost of Governance” hosted by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre – CISLAC, in Abuja on August 19, 2013


By Deolu Oyebode

The new political party< All Progressives Congress (APC) has a manifesto that is in

line with poverty reduction and sustainable development of the nation, which has made someone like me to like it. APC could rescue the nation from the whims and caprices of the accidental leaderships that has bedeviled our nation since its democracy. I am of the consideration that the newly registered APC can correct the systemic failure if only Chief Bisi Akande, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau can filter the words of the youths and independent minds on all platforms in adjudging you bears the flag in the 2014 Gubernatorial elections in some states as litmus test and the 2015 General Elections.

The major challenge that will rock, if it is not already rocking the party at present, is “Who shall we send”, the “who” in question, I know isn’t anybody but people of sound mind with anger to change the embarrassing situation of our nation, men who the love of money cannot buy, men who the lust of office cannot kill, men with wills and opinions, men who can stand

In the summer of 1968, a young undergraduate from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, nearly

stirred a commotion in a small village located half way between Katsina Ala and Takum. The student’s name was Erastus Orseer Gyang and the village was Harga.He had no compelling reason to spend his summer holiday in the rather remote village. In those days of acute manpower shortage in Northern Nigeria, university undergraduates were given automatic vacation jobs during the long summer break. He could easily have picked up one in Kaduna or Jos etc. That he choose to come to Harga was something of a surprise! Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I believe his coming there was some kind of divine intervention in the lives of many young lads of the village, yours sincerely included.

Harga at that time had not seen a university man. Soon, word spread around the village and environs that a university man was in the house of the village Pastors house, The Rev JEI Sai. For those of us in that house, it was not unusual to wake up in the morning and find a horde of young boys and girls trying to catch a glimpse of the university man. I have met many of such ‘tourists’ since then who have gone ahead to become university men themselves, some have PhDs. They tell me that they got inspired by the first university man they saw.

It was not only the little children of the village he inspired. Our primary school teachers - we took for granted that knew everything that we wanted to learn - also turned up at Pastor Sai’s house

APC and 2015: Who shall we send?

The Prof Gyang I knewComment

“ It is only in this nation that our leadership believes that recycling the old will proffer solution to the new order problems facing the nation that require a pragmatic new order solution. It is only in this nation that a Dr. Bello Haliru who was a Commissioner in old Sokoto state, now Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states becomes a minister of defence after 33 years, Major Gen. David Mark Rtd., a military governor of Niger state became the Senate President after 28 years...

a demagogue down, men who will never accept in private what they cannot accept in public, men of high integrity like MallamNasir el-Rufai.

His courage in challenging the N54million bribery scandal in the Senate shows that he is zero tolerant toward corruption and tough; the Abuja land reform and the restructuring of the Abuja Master Plan has given the federal capital territory a new look. We do not want this landmark reformreversed now or in future. Everyone mentions Abuja today as one of the best artificial cities in the world, yet the powers-that-be had forgotten that only the tough pay the tough price. A person as tough as El Rufai in implementing tough policies is needed as the APC flag bearer and not those looking

for every opportunity to contest; fourthly, El Rufai was successful in reforming the Public Service and if for no reason he could stand against the third term agenda of President OlusegunObasanjo on the ground that it was against the general interest of Nigerians, I think I am not mistaken to have said this man is tough enough to face the challenges of the Nigerian state.

Another important factor that I think the APC leadership should consider in choosing who to put forward as its presidential candidate in 2015 is age/gender representation. Never again should an 80-year-old man be the governor of a state or president. I accept that Nigeria needs someone who has the age and the zero-tolerance to corruption or the

discipline toga as president, but we have got better persons who are younger and just as upright. We have done a lot of recycling to the detriment of this nation but we think we are doing much good to the nation rather; we are killing the system.

It is only in this nation that our leadership believes that recycling the old will proffer solution to the new order problems facing the nation that require a pragmatic new order solution. It is only in this nation that a Dr. Bello Haliru who was a Commissioner in old Sokoto state, now Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states becomes a minister of defence after 33 years, Major Gen. David Mark Rtd., a military governor of Niger state became the Senate President after 28 years; Vice Admiral MuritalaNyako,

governor of old Niger state in 1976 became governor of Adamawa State after another 36 years; Governor Jonah Jang the factional NGF chairman was governor of Gongola and Benue states in the mid-1980s and 27 years later the governor of Plateau state) and unfortunately a prominent political party parades a 62 year old Umar GarbaChiza as its National Youth Leader. These are indications that our political system has no room plans for the youth in their twenties and thirties.

I hope the leadership of APC will accept that anyone who is to govern Nigeria must have a political antecedent, not only at the state level but at the Federal level because the complexity at the national is more than that in the states. Some governors in the APC, most importantly the second term governors, might be interested but the challenges are different. The challenges in the local government system are different from those at the state level or the federal. A balance of administrative competence and political experience will not only produce a tough candidate to defeat but a credible person to lead this bedridden system.

Deolu Oyebode is on [email protected]

to drink from his deep well of knowledge. Many of these teachers were later daring enough to become university men themselves. At that time also, the Nigerian civil war was raging on.

Many local folks had enlisted on the federal side to fight for Nigeria’s unity and their families wanted to have the latest news from the war front. The university man provided it all. Much later in life in the mid-seventies, I had yet another encounter or near encounter with this great man. He was now a veterinary surgeon, a lecturer at ABU and they called him Dr. Gyang. I call it a near encounter because he himself was off to the US for his post graduate studies and his young wife Rhoda was in an NYSC camp. Their house in Zaria was thus left in the hands of Bernard, my immediate senior brother who was an undergraduate at the university. I visited and had the honour to live in a big university don’s house – just me and my senior brother.My last memories of my brother are to be found in that house. We left the house for Harga on hearing the news that our great grandmother, Mrs. Kwaghembe Sai had died. Sadly the great grandee was buried before we got to Harga. Then I got the news of my admission into the University of Ibadan and left. That was the last I saw Bernard who died mysteriously a few weeks after!

Prof Gyang was always at the crossroads of my life, playing roles he may not have been conscious of, but which showed me the way forward. In my days as a senior official of the Gongola

State government, he visited me in Yola. As a Tiv man, I was not very welcome in the inner circles of government. Many felt I should have been in Benue and not Gongola state. But there I was, a mad man in a boat – so to say. Pushing me out into the river was as dangerous as letting me stay because either way, I could rock the boat. At that time he came. Many of my seniors in government from Dr Yaro Gella, the Secretary to the Government down the line were his contemporaries at ABU. Did his visit change things? Yes. The hostility ebbed out somehow.

Prof Gyang hailed from Sai, a village with great significance in the history of the Tiv people. His father Timothy Gyang Ierve (now 102 years and still kicking) was born there in 1911, a few months after my own maternal grand father, The Rev JEI Sai. Their births were recorded because that year, Tor Saaiutu Deekpe, the founder of the village did the extraordinary thing by allowing white missionaries to use his

village as the launching post to propagate Christianity in Tiv land.But the significance of the village to the Tiv people goes beyond the fact that it was the first family to accept Christianity, produced the first Tiv man (Benjamin AkigaSai) to read and write, the first Tiv man (The Rev JEI Sai) to be ordained a priest, the first Tiv university graduate (Ezekiel Akiga) and so on. Geographically, Sai is a frontline Tiv village. Colonial masters used the road that links Wukari with Takum as their boundary between Tiv Division and Wukari federation. That road divides Sai into two. One part used to belong to Wukari while the other half belonged to Tiv. When both Divisions were answerable to the Benue Provincial government in Makurdi and later the Benue Plateau State in Jos, there was no problem. Trouble came when Gongola was created in 1976 and the village became split into Gongola and Benue.

Most of the villagers wanted the whole village to be part of Benue. Some of us wanted Gongola and later Taraba to take over the village. Issues were joined with me and Prof Gyang on opposite camps. We argued a lot over this. I remember he once shouted on me, asking me why I should advocate that Washington DC be taken out of the US and given to Russia. To him, Sai was, and still is, the capital of Tivland - of Tiv modern civilization- and must be administered by Benue where the majority of Tiv people belong. We never quite agreed on this before his death.

Prof Gyang was a giant physically and had a giant heart of humour. I remember visiting him in ABU in the early 80’s (before he became the VC of Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi) with Nguemo his junior sister to discuss some family issues. Family matters over, he took us to the senior staff club for some drinks. As we emptied one green bottle after another, I became worried. We drove from Kaduna to Zaria in my Volkswagen Beetle. It was getting late and to drive back to Kaduna on that single lane which was a death trap then was a frightening proposition. But the Prof continued his supply of green bottles. When my complaints became too loud, he found a way out of it.

On my entourage was Dennis Ukeng (now Late) a reporter with FRCN. I had introduced Dennis as a man from Mambilla Plateau. He now asked all in the club if they had ever shared a bottle of beer with a man from Mambilla. Nobody had and he proceeded to buy a large quantity of beer and insisted that every club member should share a bottle of beer with a man from Mambilla. By the time we finished with the ritual ceremony of sharing a beer with man from Mambila, it was quite late and my sanity to drive back on that dangerous road was very much in question. We did get home safely though.

His recent death has left me cold. There was some complex family problem which I felt only him could fix. I travelled to Jos to meet him but he was out of town. We met in Makurdi at a wedding and he gave me an appointment in his house the next day. When I got there he was gone. I still hoped we would meet one day. I didn’t know then that he had gone forever. I will miss him a lot.

Emmanuel Yawe08024565402

[email protected]


Resident doctors attending to patients at National Hospital

the wards and you saw yourself the ward round has been ongoing and you can see doctors are on the ground attending to them .

``You saw the pharmacy unit is open, so that is to show that arrangement has been put in place to ensure all those places keep running and that is going to be as the strike continues but we hope they call off the strike in the interest of the patients.

``The reason why the hospital may not be filled up is because of the fear or what people have been fed up with in the public domain that the strike is ongoing and patients are not going to be attended to. No, that is not true; but you have seen yourself today that patients are being attended to.

``We want you the media to encourage people to come to the

hospital.`` Dr Job Amodu, the Secretary-

General, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), FCT Chapter, called on the government to outsource some areas within the health sector for better services.

`Ì think at this juncture and with the trends of events in the country the government should seriously consider outsourcing these areas within the health sector, the pharmacy, the morgues, the radiology department and laboratories especially so that services will still be optimum in the city centre before we start facing real issue we have in the rural areas.

``You see that most private pharmaceutical shops are situated close to big hospitals and they make it well because sometimes because of bureaucracy trying

to get these products into the hospital, most of these products , the genuine ones are gotten outside the hospital.

``The Nigerian Medical Association is fully on ground and is posed to work with the government on this transformation agenda.``

NAN reports that the striking workers include: Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutions.

Others include Non -Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professions Allied to Medicine.

By Adeola Tukuru with agency reports

The Chief Medical Director, University Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Peter Alabi, has

called on government and the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to embrace dialogue to end the ongoing strike by the workers.

Alabi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) appealed to both the government and JOHESU is that they should dialogue and reach an agreement to end the

strike in order to save lives,’’ he said.Alabi said more than 250 patients

were on admission in the hospital before the commencement of the strike but since the commencement of the action on Wednesday, 50 patients whose health had improved were discharged.

Alabi said that 200 patients in critical conditions, especially those at the orthopaedic, accident and emergency units were being given special attention by resident doctors.

Meanwhile, Mr Adamu Kabir, whose brother is in a critical state, has

appealed to both the government and the health workers to find solution to their dispute.

``We beg the government and health workers to come to an agreement and resolve their differences,’’ Kabir said.

It would be recalled that the strike by JOHESU commenced ad midnight on Wednesday after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum on the government over the non-implementation of an earlier agreement.

The workers are demanding for non-skipping of salary grade level

COHESS 10, the passage of National Health Bill, consultancy and specialist allowances as well as call/shift duty and professional allowances.

The health workers on strike include Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria, National Association of Nurses and Midwives, Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals and Research Institutions.

Others are the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professions Allied to Medicine.

Minister urges Christians to pray for its leaders By Adeola Tukuru

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has urged the leadership of the Christian

Association of Nigeria (CAN) to continue to pray for Nigeria and its leadership.

The minister made this call over the weekend, while receiving the Executive members of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bauchi State Chapter that paid him a thank-you visit.

Senator Mohammed reiterated that President Goodluck Jonathan has done so much for Nigeria to promote the unity in diversity of the country and therefore need to be supported and encouraged especially with prayers.

The minister emphasized that his appointment into the Federal Executive Council by President Jonathan without knowing him has deepened his belief in Nigeria.

He further urged them to continue to pray and support the Administration of Governor Isa Yuguda to enable him take Bauchi State to the next level.

Senator Mohammed remarked that there wasn’t any need for the thank-you visit because all he has been doing was to carry out his responsibility as their son and representative.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Christian Association, Bauchi State Chapter, Rev. Lawi P. Pokti said that they were in the FCT to appreciate the Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed for what he has been doing for the Christian Community in Bauchi State since 2007.

The chairman stated that President Goodluck Jonathan did not make any wrong choice in appointing Senator Bala Mohammed as FCT Minister and representative of Bauchi State at the Federal Executive Council.

Rev. Pokti specifically thanked the Minister for always identifying with the Christian Community in Bauchi State especially during the Bomb Blast that rocked the Living Faith Church, Bauchi sometime ago as well as their annual sponsorship to Jerusalem, Israel for Christian Pilgrimage.

His words: “If it were possible, we would have come with the entire Christians in Bauchi State to thank you for all you have been doing for us”.

As the nationwide strike commenced by health workers, resident doctors

at the National Hospital, FCT have said that they would be `òn ground attending to patients``.

The President, Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Abdullahi Nasiru, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja explained that resident doctors and consultants were not part of the strike because they were not members of the associations that embarked on the strike.

NAN reports that the health workers are agitating for non-skipping of salary grade level CONHESS 10; the National Health Bill; consultancy and specialist allowances and call/shift duty and other professional allowances.

NAN correspondent who visited the hospital confirmed that doctors were on ground attending to patients in various units and wards.

Nasiru, however, expressed the hope that the strike would be called off as soon as possible in the interest of the sick.

``Doctors are not part of this strike, when I say doctors I’m talking of resident doctors as well as consultants, all cadre of doctors are on ground attending to patients.

`Às you can see and as we have moved round you see that patients are being attended to virtually in all the clinics and all

Globacom office gutted by fire, yesterday at Wuse 2, Aminu Kano Crescent, in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

Medical director appeals to government to end strike



IssuesMitigating radicalism in northern Nigeria (I)

l Boko Haram and other violent Islamist groups have been able to tap grievances over widespread poverty, government corruption, ethno-religious divides, and abuses by security forces to fuel a rise in Islamic radicalization in northern Nigeria.

l Active engagement of youth and communities in peacebuilding pro-grams that facilitate interactions among individuals of disparate back-grounds, teach values of tolerance, and promote nonviolent conflict resolution have been effective in diminishing prejudice and mitigating the appeal of radical ideologies.

l Countering radicalization requires a full spectrum of initiatives, in-cluding apprehending extremist leaders, sustained development invest-ments in marginalized communities, promotion of values of inclusivity to mitigate the spread of extremist ideology, and the rehabilitation of radicalized former fighters.

By Michael Olufemi Sodipo

Northern Nigeria has been the locus of an upsurge in youth radicalization and virulent militant Is-

lamist groups in Nigeria since 2009. Nigeria’s ranking on the Global Terrorism Index rose from 16th out of 158th of over 6,000 people and the displacement of tens of thousands more. Boko Haram’s targets include the secu-rity forces, Christians, and Mus-lims accused of cooperating with the government. It bribes chil-dren countries in 2008 to 6 (tied with Somalia) by the end to report neighbors who are unsympathetic to the group of 2011.

There were 168 officially re-corded terrorist attacks in 2011 alone. Bombings across the northeast prompted President Goodluck Jonathan in May 2013 to declare a state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States. Many Nigerians have come to question whether the country is on the brink of a civil war.

Prime among the groups be-hind this spike in violence is Boko Haram, a militant Islamist sect that seeks to impose shariah law throughout Nigeria. An air of ap-prehension now pervades daily life in northern Nigeria. Many are afraid to openly mention “Boko Haram,” whose name has become synonymous with violence and destruction.

The group has launched hun-dreds of coordinated attacks across the northern region since July 2009 that have resulted in the deaths and forces prisoners it frees from jail to join regardless of whether they share the group’s ideology.4 Its numerous attacks have struck police stations, mili-tary facilities, churches, schools, beer halls, newspaper offices, and the United Nations building in the capital, Abuja. Ordinary cit-izens fear both Boko Haram and the state security forces, with the latter accused of human rights abuses. With each battle between security forces and Boko Haram insurgents, civilian casualties mount. When security forces re-deploy elsewhere claiming to have repelled Boko Haram, the mili-tants return, regroup, and seek revenge. As a result, social and economic activities in the north-ern states are diminishing mark-edly, communities are fracturing, and general anxiety is growing.

The insurgency in northern Nigeria is a security concern not just for Nigeria but for

the broader Sub- Saharan region and the international community. Boko Haram’s violent campaign has grown in terms of ca- pabili-ties (the use of suicide bombers and improvised explosive de-vices), membership (which now includes foreign fighters from Chad, Mauritania, Niger, Soma-lia, and Sudan), and the forma-tion of splinter factions. The most prominent of these is Ansaru (its full Arabic name is Jama’atu An-sarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan

and means “Vanguards for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa”), which was formed in January 2012 and targets West-erners in Nigeria and neighboring countries. The frequency and so-phistication of attacks have stead-ily grown, signifying enhanced planning and funding. Boko Haram’s February 2013 kidnap-ping of French tourists, Ansaru’s killing of seven foreign construc-tion workers in northern Nigeria, and the participation of fighters from these groups in the conflict in Mali, moreover, reveal their in-ternational outlook.

Nigeria’s strategic impor-tance to the global jihadist movement should not be

underestimated. With a population of 167 million, 19 percent of which is aged 15-24, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Its Mus- lim population (roughly 75 million) is the sixth largest worldwide. Nigeria is also Af-rica’s largest producer of oil and is home to the continent’s second largest economy. Nigerians have

been linked to international ter-rorist plots, and jihadists from be-yond Africa have sought to recruit in Nigeria.5 Unless Nigeria and its partners can address the growing radicalization of Nigeria’s youth and the festering ethno-religious tensions across the country, many poor and marginalized north-ern Nigerians will continue to gravitate toward radical Islamist groups, turning the north into a hub of insecurity. This, in turn, has security and economic impli-cations for the broader region and international partners.

Genesis of radicalisation in Northern Nigeria

Though violent Islamist radi-calism in northern Nigeria has surged in the past dec-

ade, the notion of jihad in Nigeria has long historical roots. From 1802 to 1812, Usman dan Fodio launched a jihad and ultimately founded the Sokoto Caliphate that spanned northern Nigeria and part of Niger.6 Dan Fodio’s

social and political revolution against what he saw as the greed and violation of shariah law by African Muslim elites was widely popular. The Caliphate also rep-resented an Islamic banner of re-sistance to colonial conquest, the rejection of secular government, and the regional net- working of Islamic movements in Nigeria and beyond.

In the early 1900s, the Brit-ish colonists extended their control northward, including

over the Sokoto Caliphate. Yet the resulting northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria were gov-erned separately due to their cul-tural differences until 1914 when both were finally amalgamated by the British for economic rea-sons. Even after unification, north and south remained separate as the colonial system of indirect rule—governing the protector-ates through indigenous rulers—merely institutionalized existing divisions. With the building of infrastructure—such as new rail-way lines—immigrant laborers

and traders from the south settled into can- tonments in most major northern cities. The effect of these sabon gari (“strangers’ quarters” in Hausa), was the concentra-tion of southern Igbo and Yoruba Christians in homogenous pock-ets within Hausa-Fulani Mus-lim cities. This initiated a sharp indigene/settler dichotomy that became a powerful tool through which politicians mobilized sup-porters for narrow political mo-tives.

The rapid growth of Islamic and Christian revivalism in the 1970s laid the foundation for con-temporary radicalism in northern Nigeria. The puritanical tendency among the adherents of both re-ligions in northern Nigeria gave rise to increasingly zealous po-litical actors. The Iranian revo-lution of 1979, which led to the emergence of an Islamic govern-ment, inspired many northern Ni-gerian Muslims. Radical Islamist movements, such as the Muslim Brothers, later renamed the Is-lamic Movement in Nigeria, led by Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky of Kaduna state, introduced a mili-tant pro-Iranian Shiite version of Islam into northern Nigeria in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, the Maitat-sine movement, which had been active since the

early 1970s, became Nigeria’s first violent extremist group.7 The sect was ideologi- cally opposed to modernization and abhorred the use of anything perceived as Western. The founder of the movement, Muhammadu Marwa, an Islamic preacher who migrated from Cameroon to Kano in 1945, earned the name Maitatsine (“he who curses” in Hausa) for his pro-vocative preaching against moder-ate Muslims and the government. Maitatsine’s group harassed the established Islamic order and in-cited marginalized sections of the population against urban elites. The resulting outburst of riots that began in Kano in the summer of 1980 spread to other parts of northern Nigeria even after Mar-wa was killed by Nigerian security forces in December of that year. The riots claimed the lives of 4,177 people. The Maitatsine movement introduced many of the tactics that became common in Nigeria’s current Islamic radicalization, including the mobilization of poor communities against established urban Muslims, the justification of violence against non-Muslims, the identification with global Is-lamic movements, and the incor-poration of global jihadist tactics into local operations.

Nigeria’s part in the post-Sep-tember 11, 2001, global radicali-zation surge is evident in various ways. Nigerian nationals were among the few Africans arrested in Afghanistan for allegedly fight-ing alongside the Taliban. In the months following the September 11th attacks, 7 out of 10 boys born at a hospital in Kano were named Osama.Michael Olufemi Sodipo is the Founder and Coordina-tor of the Peace Initiative Network in Kano, Nigeria.

To be continued

INSIDE

- Pg 20

DMO assures power project’s $1bn Eurobond safe

- Pg 21

- Pg 20

For managers, optimism may seem like a great trait to have: A boss with

a can-do attitude motivates others and makes them feel good. But there’s a downside too. An excessively positive outlook on a tough project may give the impression that you think the work is easy and doesn’t require any struggle. And, when you aren’t concerned about or dismiss the problems your

team faces, it leaves others to worry about those risks. You might also send the message that mistakes and failure are not an option because the work should be a breeze. Wise managers know that missteps are inevitable, and that failure is just the price of creativity. So next time you want to ask your team, “How hard can it be?” reconsider whether you’re being overly optimistic.

How Optimism Can Hurt Your Team


Exchange Ratesas at 23th August, 2013CBNBuying

$ 154.76 155.76

€ 206.68 242.30

£ 206.01 208.01

Riyal 41.26 41.53

YEN 1.56 1.57

CFA 0.295 0.315

Selling

World Bank cautions African countries on debt

Equity market down by 1.11%

[email protected], [email protected] 08033045613

Barely three weeks after climbing to the $47bn mark, the nation’s external

reserves have dropped to the $46bn threshold again, according to the latest data on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s website.

The foreign reserves had dropped by $1.8bn within the space of three months, from the peak of $48.85bn on May 2 to $46.98bn on August 5.

The CBN’s latest data showed that the reserves dropped to $46.97bn on August 21, after rising to the $47bn mark

since August 7.The Federal Government had targeted $50bn reserves by the end of 2012.

The reserves, however, closed the year at $44.26bn on December 24, 2012, finishing $6bn below the government’s target.

The performance of the reserves was driven mainly by proceeds from the crude oil, gas exports and crude oil-related taxes as well as reduced funding of the Wholesale Dutch Auction System on the account of huge inflow of foreign portfolio investments.

The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, said in May that the outlook for the country’s foreign reserves this year was mixed.

Sanusi told that the foreign-currency reserves would probably keep expanding, while facing risks from lower-than-projected oil output and falling prices.

He said, “Quantitative easing by central banks in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan all point to a likelihood of strong capital flows to emerging and frontier markets that may benefit Nigeria.”

According to the CBN boss, the country relies on crude exports for about 80 per cent of government’s revenue and more than 90 per cent of foreign income.

“We always said that the budget based on projections of about 2.5 million barrels per day was founded on overly optimistic and unrealistic assumptions,” Sanusi said.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had stressed the need for the country to shore up its external reserves.

History was made at the weekend as the Nigerian Railway Corporation NRC

transported over 20 container wagons from the Arnold Peter Moller (APM) Terminals in Apapa, Lagos to Kaduna and Kano by rail making it the first haulage in 17 years after the service was disrupted in 1996.

Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar said the container haulage is a strategic milestone as it provide for the NRC’s re-entry and participation in the freight market share traffic from the port affirming that the train service will serve as the infrastructure backbone of Nigeria’s transport economy.

Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Lagos, the Minister who was represented by the NRC board Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje said the federal government is poised to bequeath an invigorated and vibrant rail system that will serve and mobility and conveyance needs of the citizens.

He said “the importance of unhindered movement of goods and passengers by rail cannot be over- emphasised as life becomes more comfortable and elongated with the movement of people by rail and vehicular hazards are significantly reduced.”

Managing Director of NRC Engr. Adeseyi Sijuwade said re-instatement of the container-haulage train in partnership with Inland Containers Nigeria

Limited (ICNL) will also enhance the port decongestion drive as it demonstrates the corporation’s ability in expanding its horizon and service level across different sector.

Sijuwade said the corporation is not relenting on its efforts on increasing the market shares that comes to NRC as he also disclosed that will commence the haulage of sugar, salt and consumables products for Dangote Nigeria Limited in the coming weekend among others.

Also, Alhaji Baraje commissioned four self loaded, on-board computers and double drivers’ panel locomotives recently purchased from China, alongside two railways Multi Tasker 800Hp cranes.

First batch of passengers boarding the Ethiopian Airlines, after the inauguration of the maiden infernational flight from Enugu on Saturday Photo: NAN

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

External reserves drop to $46bn

NRC transports first Kaduna, Kano rail cargo after 17 years

By Abdulwahab Isa

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY

Nigeria, the fourth-largest cocoa grower in the world, is counting on

early-maturing, high-yielding, disease-resistant beans to help double the country’s production in two years.“We’re distributing eight varieties of the plant that mature in about 18 months to farmers in the 14 cocoa producing states to replace the traditional crop with four to five years maturity,” Malachy Akoroda, chief executive of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, said Tuesday in an interview in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun state.Nigeria, which is Africa’s second-largest economy, plans to double cocoa production to 500,000 metric tons in two years, Akinwunmi Adesina, minister of agriculture and natural resources, said June 6.

In line with the strategy of continuously increasing its sphere of operations, the

Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) will Friday, flag off the movement of container freight from APM terminal in Apapa Port to Inland Container Nigeria Ltd (ICNL) depots in Kaduna and Kano.Initially, 20 wagons carrying 20 to 40 containers will be moved per trip, with the intention to making three trips a week. The commencement of the container traffic is expected to contribute to decongesting the ports as well as facilitating the establishment and use of Inland Container Depots (ICDs) along the track corridors.

Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has entered into a collaborative initiative with Samsung Electronics West Africa to develop a ‘Bank of The Future’ prototype aimed at providing superior experience in financial services to both existing and potential customers of the bank.The initiative called ‘.Union Bank’ is a prototype e-branch that would completely re-design the banking hall as it is today, transforming it into a 100 percent self-service, electronic branch.The ‘Bank of The Future’ initiative fits into the bank’s strategy to retain existing customers and attract new ones, especially the young and technologically savvy. The ‘Bank of the Future’ prototype is being test-run at the bank’s Silverbird Galleria branch, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Money market

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Bio-Organics Nutrient Systems, Dr Uzoma Acholonu, Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, and Marketing Manager,Bio-Orgauics, Mr. Ola Oloke,during the minister’s visit to the company, recently at Ibafo, in Ogun state. Photo: NAN

Company News


Cocoa farmers

Union Bank Plc

Container freight

World Bank cautions African countries on debt management

DMO assures $1bn Eurobond for power project safe

Stories from Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

In a bid to enhance clarity between monetary policy implementation and debt

management for sustainable growth, the World Bank has advocated the adoption of effective Debt Management Performance Assessment Tool (DeMPA) for African countries.

This becomes necessary giving the fact that domestic capital markets are fragile in low income countries in the West African region.

Addressing participants participants at the opening ceremony of a regional training on DeMPA, organised by World Bank in collaboration with West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management (WAIFEM) in Lagos, representative of World Bank, Lilia Razlog, reiterated the need for financial institutions and governments to be given the skills

needed for debt management.“DeMPA is important tool

to give banks and governments modern skills for effective debt management for economic stability. The skills from DeMPA will improve developing countries in debt management to boost growth rate.

The methodology of debt management was developed by World Bank with international institutions to help various countries in efficient debt management and about 60 countries have applied this methodology effectively”, she said.

Earlier in his keynote address, the Director General of WAIFEM, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, explained that governments in low income countries faced a complex array of competing economic and policy demands in seeking to improve the lives of their citizens, saying citizens of these countries seek additional and improved services in infrastructure, education,

health care, electricity, social justice and security among others, as well as more efficient and equitable systems of taxation. “Because domestic resources in these countries are limited to meet these needs, countries often have to borrow and frequently accumulate debt. Consequently, governments in low income countries often face considerable balance sheet risks, given their high levels of indebtedness in relation to GDP and to export receipts,”he stated.

“Their economies are heavily dependent on commodities, and are exposed to volatile terms of trade movements and capital flows. At the same time, in many of these countries, domestic capital markets are fragile or non existence. The process of fiscal decentralisation is often at a developmental stage, and an extensive collection of guarantees as well as other contingent obligations at all levels of government must be managed.

“Therefore, prudent government debt management is essential to sound practices for public borrowing and debt- management, which are important to support economic stability. High quality public debt management can reduce financial vulnerabilities, contribute to macro-economic stability, preserves debt sustainability and protect a government’s reputation.

Volatility of interest rates, exchange rates and debt flows requires debt managers to properly assess possible risks and to mitigate them by relying on diverse range of financing sources, while maintaining borrowing costs at prudent levels. These will result in reduction of government’s budgetary exposures. The Auditor General departments at national and state levels of government can play active role in protecting the financial condition of governments and reduction in budgetary expenditure.

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has given assurance that the $1bn Eurobond

secured by the country to fund power project will be judiciously monitored.

The Director-General, the DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo who gave the assurance while addressing policy makers in Calabar, Cross River State, at a one-day workshop for the South-South, South-East and South-West geopolitical zones on effective sub-national debt management for top policy makers noted that the $1bn Eurobond offering meant to finance power projects was four times oversubscribed due to high investor demand.

According to him, the states were free to borrow from the international capital markets provided they met the

requirements.The projects to be executed

with the $1bn Eurobond will be monitored by the DMO, while there will be a deliberate attempt to report findings periodically.

“All borrowed funds must be well utilised. Even the $1bn Eurobond, the DMO will ensure that the projects in the power sector are closely monitored. We are not only going to ensure close monitoring, we will also make sure that the findings are reported from time to time,” he said.

Nwankwo stated that the country was currently operating a vibrant fiscal federalism with high level of fiscal autonomy for the states of the federation.

“However, we need to ensure effective coordination and sufficient congruence, vertically between the federal and state

governments, and horizontally among the states, in order to maximise the synergy for growth, development and poverty reduction,” he said.

Speaking on the requirements to borrow funds, Nwankwo said the states must get an approval and guarantee from the Federal Ministry of Finance and also fulfil the various conditions of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“States can borrow so far they get an approval from the Federal Government. There are various levels of control and supervision of external and internal borrowings. What applies to listed companies that borrow from the capital market also applies to state governments,” he said.

Nwankwo also said the states must meet the requirement of

paying the loan at the agreed time.

He added that the objective of the workshop was to ensure that the achievements recorded in su Declaring the workshop open, Governor Liyel Imoke, said as decision makers and managers of finances, the participants drawn from all the states in the southern part of the country should come up with sustainable strategies that would enhance debt sustainability and management.

Imoke, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Efiok Cobham, said as a key instrument of sound public finance management, the DMO had continued to play a pivotal role in debt matters, not only to avoid the nation relapsing into debt, but also to regulate debt matters.

Capital market

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (5th right), Minister of State,Finance, Dr Yerima Ngama (middle) and board members of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, during their inauguration, last Friday in Abuja. photo:Justin Imo-Owo


Flour Mills set to reward shareholders with N2.00 dividend

Equity market down by 1.11%Stories from Ngozi Onyeakusi, Lagos

Transaction on the equity market last week ended on a bearish trend leading

to heavy investment loses occasioned by sharp drop in share price of stocks listed on the floor of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), thus resulting in erosion of a total of 0.717 billion shares even as the twin market indicators, the All Share Index and the market capitalization depreciated by 1.11% respectively.

Within the week a turnover of 1.118 billion shares worth N12.941 billion in 24, 489 deals were traded by investors in the market in contrast to a total of 1.835 billion shares valued at N23.966 billion that exchanged hands in 26, 146 deals the previous week.

Specifically, the All-Share Index sheds 1.11% to close on Friday at 36,577.28 while the market capitalization of the listed equities on the main board also

depreciated by 1.11% to close at N11.584 trillion. Also, the NSE 30 Index depreciated by 1.07% to close at 1,714.54.

All the indices depreciated during the week with the exception of NSE Insurance that appreciated by 1.91%. The NSE Consumer Goods, NSE Banking, NSE Oil/Gas, NSE-Lotus II, NSE Industrial Goods shed 0.87%, 1.28%, 4.24%, 0.35% and 1.20% respectively while NSE-ASeM closed flat

Review of activities in the market revealed that the Financial Services sector (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 724.394 million shares valued at N6.286 billion traded in 13,418 deals; contributing 64.79%, 48.58% and 54.79% to the total equity turnover volume, value and number of deals respectively.

The Conglomerates sector followed with a turnover volume of 129.621 million shares worth N223.102 million in 961 deals, contributing 11.59%, 1.72% and

3.92% to the total equity turnover volume, value and number of deals respectively. The Healthcare sector came third with 59.491 million shares worth N1.196 billion in 486 deals.

Trading in the top three equities namelyTransnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (measured by turnover volume) accounted for 273.608 million shares worth N3.500 billion in 3,792 deals, contributing 24.47%, 26.66% and 15.48% to the total equity turnover volume, value and deals respectively.

Twenty eight (28) equities appreciated in prices during the week higher than seventeen (17) equities of the preceding week. Fifty two (52) equities depreciated in prices lower than sixty three (63) equities of the preceding week, while one hundred and fourteen (114) equities remained constant the same with one hundred and

fourteen (114) equities of the preceding week.

Further review showed that Jos International Breweries led the gainers table in percentage term, improving by 57.76 per cent or N0.67 kobo to close at N1.83 kobo, Vono Products followed with a gain of 30.51 per cent or N0.19 kobo to close at N0.81 kobo while Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc appreciated by 20.90 per cent or N0.14 kobo to close at N0.81 kobo. Other stocks that recorded price appreciation were Ikeja Hotel Plc 8.86 per cent, John Holt Plc 8.62 per cent, Academy Press Plc 8.52 per cent, Nigeria Aviation Handling company Plc 7.67 per cent, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc 6.80 kobo, Paints and Coating Manufactures Plc 6.47 per cent and AIICO Insurance 6.38 per cent.

Conversely, International Energy Insurance Company Plc topped the losers chart, depreciating by 54.26 per cent or N0.54 kobo to close at N1.49

kobo, IPWA Plc trailed with 18.95 per cent or N0.18 kobo to close at N0.77 kobo while ABC Transport declined by 17.78 per cent or N0.16 kobo to close at N0.74 kobo. Other companies depreciated in price were DN Meyer Plc 17.72 per cent, Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc 10 per cent, Champion Breweries Plc 9.97 per cent, E-Tranzact International Plc 9.80 per cent, Conoil Plc 9.70 per cent, Berger Paints 9.47 per cent, Vita foam Nigeria Plc 9.30 per cent .

Also traded during the week were 1,670 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N3.550 million executed in 3 deals compared with a total of 268 units valued at N561,182.00 transacted last week in 4 deals.

As well, 1,595 units of FGN bonds valued at N1.808 million were traded during the week in 7 deals in contrast to 5,800 units valued at N4.833 million transacted last week in 9 deals.

Following the profitability recorded by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, in 2012/2013

financial year, the board of the company said it is proposing a N2.00 dividend payout per ordinary share of 50 kobo, a 25 per cent increase over the previous year.

The firm has written a profit after tax to the tune of N8.7 billion for the period in spite of the suspension of the cement

business, which accounted for 17 per cent of its income last year, it recorded a gross income of N225.6, representing an increase of 23 per cent.

Commenting on the performance, Group Managing Director, Mr. Paul Gbededo, opined that the result was achieved in a challenging business environment, which was evidently, characterized by strong competition and high

input costs.According to him, the result

was made possible by improved performance of our core business – food and agro-allied, which recorded a growth of 32 per cent.

He added: “We are pleased to report Group revenue growth of 16.9 per cent which is a remarkable performance considering the difficult business terrain. Due to rising costs, and increased spending on the

company’s sale and distribution network, there was a slight decline in Net Profit for the Group which was down from N7.8 billion to N7.7 billion.”

The GMD announced that the company was able to maintain margins in line with its objectives.

He said: “We expanded sale and distribution network to ensure better routes to market and wider distribution of our range of products through the restructured

distribution channels down to the final consumer, and invested more in advertising to consolidate our position as the leading food and agro-allied company in Nigeria”.

Gbededo reiterated the company’s future prospect, demonstrated by the fact that the directors are proposing to the shareholders to approve a 25 per cent increase in dividend, which is N2.00 per ordinary share of 50 kobo.


1.0 INTRODUCTIONThe University of Abuja is desirous of executing its TETFUND Special Intervention Projects and hereby invites reputable and interested Contractors for technical and financial bidding for the exercise..

2.0 SCOPE OF WORK The projects involved are as follows:

Construction(i) Construction of Lecture Theatre Complexes(ii) Construction of a Block of Physics and Chemistry Laboratories

Procurement and Installation/Supply (i) Procurement and Installation of Science Equipments(ii) Procurement and Installation of Engineering & Workshop Equipments(iii) Procurement and Installation of Teaching and Research Equipments(iv) Procurement and Installation of Furniture & Fittings for Laboratories(v) Supply of Students Buses

3.0 PREQUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT

All interested contractors are to submit the following prequalification documentsi) Evidence of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).ii) Tax clearance certificate for the last three yearsiii) Evidence of compliance with the 2011 Industrial Training Fund Act.iv) Evidence of compliance with the 2004 Pension Act.v) Evidence of VAT remittancevi) Certified audited company accounts for the immediate past three years vii) Company profile and Office Addressviii) Evidence of previous and similar jobs done with certificate of

performance/completionix) CV and copies of credentials of key personnel to be deployed for the

work.x) List of verifiable applicable equipment for the project proposed.

The documents should follow the order listed i-x above. Each parcel should have a table of content indicating the pages on which these items are to be found. Any submission not conforming to this format may not be processed further.

4.0 PRE-QUALIFICATION AND BID FEES

(i) All interested Contractors for prequalification are to pay a non

refundable processing fee of fifteen thousand Naira only (N15,000) in

Bank Draft payable to the University of Abuja. Only Contractors who

show evidence of this payment shall have their prequalification

documents processed.

(vi) Contractors are to pay the sum of forty thousand Naira (N40,000) only

per Bid payable in Bank Draft to the University of Abuja, Abuja. Bid

Documents are thereafter to be obtained from the Office of the Director, st

Physical Development Department, Room C128, 1 floor, Senate

Building, Main Campus, Airport Road, Abuja during working days from

10 am to 3 pm. Enquiries and clarifications can also be done at this

office.

(vii) Contractors who fail the prequalification exercise shall be refunded the

Bid Fee by the Bursary Department of the University.

5.0 SUBMISSION/OPENING OF BIDS

(i) Prequalification documents are to be returned in a sealed envelope and

marked at the top left corner “Prequalification Documents” stating the

University of Abuja(Office of the Registrar)

P.M.B. 117, ABUJA – NIGERIA

INVITATION FOR PREQUALIFICATION AND TENDERING FOR TETFUND SPECIAL INTERVENTION PROJECTS

particular work group. Any envelope not carrying this identity shall not

be entertained.

(ii) Bid documents are to be in a separate sealed envelope and marked at the

top left corner “Bid Documents” stating the particular job lot. Also any

envelope not carrying this identity shall not be entertained.

(iii) Both Prequalification and completed Bid Documents are to be dropped

separately in the Prequalification Box and Bid Box located at the

reception hall of the Senate Building, Main Campus, Airport Road,

Abuja. The Prequalification Documents shall be dropped in the box not

later than four weeks from the date of this publication. The Bid

Documents shall be dropped in the bid box not later than six weeks from

the date of this publication. No late submission shall be entertained.

(viii) Opening of prequalification documents shall take place at 12 noon at the

end of four weeks from the date of this advertisement while opening of

bid documents shall take place at 12 noon at the end of six weeks from the

date of this advertisement. The opening of the Prequalification and

Tender Documents shall take place in the Reception Hall of the

University Senate Building, Main Campus, Airport Road, Abuja.

(ix) All Bidding Contractors are encouraged to attend the opening of

prequalification and bid.

6.0 IMPORTANT NOTES

(i) All contractors and suppliers having ongoing projects with the

University shall not be considered.

(ii) Only the Bids who fulfill the prequalification and bid criteria shall be

considered.

(iii) The University reserves the right to reject any or all Bid packages

(iv) In all projects, time shall be of essence.

(v) All intending Contractors are requested to show originals of item 3.0 (i-

vi) during opening of prequalification as representatives of the

Agencies responsible for issuing these documents shall be present to

authenticate the genuineness or otherwise of the said documents. Any

Contractor that does not provide originals for sighting shall have his

application nullified instantly.

(vi) The University or its agents reserve the right to verify any submission or

claims by the companies and shall therefore by their response to this

invitation, grant the University necessary authority and guarantee for

such verification.

(vii) The University shall not enter into any correspondence with any

company which fails the prequalification of bidding exercise, or provide

reasons for such failure.

(viii) Submission of the Bids is an offer and should not be considered as

commitment on the part of the University of Abuja nor entitles

firms/companies to make any claim whatsoever and or seek any

indemnity from the University of Abuja.

Signed M. B. Modibbo

Registrar


Report as at Friday, August 23, 2013Stock Watch

PAGE 24 PAGE 25 PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Promoting education, character and culture among Nigerian teenagers for national devt.

Special Report

And because teenagers are at their formative phase of their lives, and

therefore innocent, they often absorbs whatever comes their way; if it is negative,

they absorbs and if it is positive they do same, not minding the implication of such

“

Dr (Mrs.) Sarah Jibril, leading some teens in a talk session on: “Promoting national ethics and values through cultural orientation”, at the TGF 2013 Nigerian language project event.

Dignitaries at the TGF Conference.

By Stanley Onyekwere

Like never before, there is urgent need to build and reinforce self-respect,

communal, philosophical, and cultural identity among Nigerian teenagers, in order to instill a strong sense of national ethics and values in them as future leaders, towards building a strong and progressive nation.

According to the Oxford dictionary, a teenager is defined as a person between the ages of 13 and 19. This period corresponds to a time when there is a gradual transition from childhood to adulthood with potential conflict between biological and social factors. There is also a coinciding psychological, emotional, physical and social development of persons within this group.

Statistically, in a developing country like Nigeria, teenagers account for 20 percent of the total population. Teens are usually energetic, flexible, creative and innovative people in any society. And notably, among many identifiable common factors affecting the development of teens in this part of the world; peer, parental, educational and socioeconomic factors clearly stand out.

In Nigeria and most African societies, teens are expected to respect the cultural, religious diversity and common values of Nigeria; demonstrate desirable personal characteristics such as respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, caring, loyalty and commitment to societal ideals.

But, in today’s Nigeria, it is crystal clear to note the prevalence of ethical and moral decadence among Nigerian youths due to poor cultural orientation. This is not unconnected to the fact that greater percentage of persons within this vulnerable group are constantly exposed to cultural conflict crisis arising from parental cultural laziness or sheer ignorance towards indigenous cultural values of distinctive groups in the country.

And because teenagers are at their formative phase of their lives, and therefore innocent, they often absorbs whatever comes their way; if it is negative, they absorbs and if it is positive they do same, not minding the implication of such. This is the most challenging realities facing teens today, because it appears that’s what the adult population has been exposing them to; the

negative things about the society, and as a result, the energy drive among an average Nigerian teen have been negative.

To this end, there are increased rate of social vices among teens in the country; and the question here is: how can the Nigeria state promote education, character and culture among Nigerian teens for national development?

Before proceeding further, it’s pertinent to put things in perspective, not to assume, hence it is needful to briefly dissect the three key terms; education, character and culture. Education has been described as the act or process, of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the power of reasoning and judgment and generally preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life. In the same vein, culture is described as, the characteristics of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.

Also character, on one hand has been defined by scholars as the combination of qualities or features that distinguish one person, group, or thing from another. Character is also described as the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some persons or thing. One such feature is no doubt, moral or ethical quality.

Today, Nigeria culture, as it is the case with most cultures around the African continent has come under great pressure from a phenomenon called “Western Culture. The term western culture has come to define the culture of European countries as well as those such as the United States that have been heavily influenced by European immigration.

Interestingly, how to unearth possible solution or solutions to the fore-asked deep and thought provoking question formed the crux of discussions when parents and other stakeholders gathered at the 2nd Teenz Global Foundation (TGF) annual conference, held in Abuja.

The conference with the theme: “Promoting Education, character and culture among Nigerian”, held on 17th of August 2013, at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, was the climax of a- two week TGF annual educational language programme for pre-teens and teens between 10 – 19 years old who can hardly

speak nor understand their mother tongue attracted various stakeholders from all walks of life, and advanced further possible methodology that would impact positively on their lives as they become adults.

TGF is a non-governmental organisation conceived with the vision of contributing to nation-building by raising teenagers that are upright in character, education, and indeed, the future leaders of Nigeria.

The conference which was the climax of the foundation’s two weeks long annual educational language programme for pre-teens and teens between 10 – 19 years old who can hardly speak nor understand their mothers’ tongue attracted various stakeholders from all walks of life, and advanced further possible methodology that would impact positively on their lives as they become adults.

Stakeholders generally noted that the objectives of the conference were noble and timely and needed to be sustained. And that education without

character, citizenship, culture, moral, integrity and honesty was tantamount to disaster.

Also, it was observed that Nigerian teenagers tend to deviate so much nowadays because of adverse peer pressure and ever increasing high technological breakthrough; just as they noted that emulating virtually all western culture tends to be adversely affecting our own indigenous culture and morals.

In a key note address delivered on the theme of the conference, the Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, who was represented by Mr. David Akoji, the three terms as properly dissented above character and citizenship are the foundation of learning.

He pointed out that it was important to note that education ought not be restricted to school environment learning alone, as parents, the kind of up-bringing they give children from home go a long way in defining their values and moral standing in later life.

According to him, “very often

we tend to think of learning as consisting entirely of academic skills and knowledge; however, the primary responsibility for character and citizenship development lies with parents and families, however, schools, NGOs and other bodies play an essential supportive role.

“Whether they are conscious of it or not, schools ought to be involved in teaching, culture and societal morals and value, and in shaping students ideas about what constitutes good behaviour. Schools should help students

to develop civic responsibility, healthy attitudes towards themselves and others and a commitment to life-long learning.

“The question of value for human life for instance, must be taught from home, much of the needless violence and taking of innocent human lives that we see in different parts of the country are not being perpetrated by persons who have been taught to value human lives from their homes.

“The issue of value and respect for human lives is not

on the curriculum of any school as a subject, the last time I checked. Parents must join the NOA and NGOs like TGF in promoting the right kind of education and re-orientation for our teens who indeed are our leaders of tomorrow.”

He further stressed that it must be noted right away that we are not saying that everything about western culture is bad for Nigerian and indeed African teens. It will be un-charitable to take such an extreme position that western culture, wholesale is bad for Nigerian teens.

According to him, “In todays’ knowledge driven economies, most nations of the world have since come to the realization that their future lie in the quality of education being delivered to youths today. Rich nations and individuals around the world in the coming years will not be determined by the number of natural resources available but the quality of education and the capacity for invention of products and services which will be demanded by other nations and individuals around the world.

Citing the example of Americans, who are known world-wide for their love for country and patriotic fervor, the keynote speaker noted the average American is willing to die for his country. They are so proud of their national symbols, especially their flag and their national anthem.

“What is the character of the Nigerian? The Nigerian is known worldwide for warm brotherly disposition. Nowhere is this trait more demonstrated than in our national willingness to go out of our way to help other nations at times of war as also in their periods of economic travails.

“In promoting good character among Nigerian teens, we should make deliberate efforts to prop-up good role models in our midst and point attention of teens towards such good role models. The NOA is currently doing so, using Orientation platforms of; “Civic Responsibility Recognition Award” and our appointed “Envoys” in different thematic areas of campaigns aimed at promoting good character.

“Nigerian teens being indeed leaders of tomorrow, should embrace high moral ethical standards in all their endeavours. The future belongs to those who are careful to imbibe and exhibit high moral

and ethical standards. These are the people who will excel in the long term”, he stressed.

On his part, Former Information minister, Professor Jerry Gana, who is the grand patron of the foundation, said the transformation must start from the most powerful level of ensuring the building of strong character and education in children, which affects our culture; and the most important level is the family. The family must be strong, well rooted in sound value and good leadership, so that at that formative age of the children, they are inculcated with sound values.

“The next level is the schools and colleges; because we spend a huge set of our years in schools and colleges, where people are thought various disciplines and how to respect certain things in the society; then, thirdly is the government.

“And the role of the government must be funding. Funding properly of educational institutions; giving direction and ensuring that the right things are done; and being role models to everyone. This is because if there are no role models, then they show the society negative values, the children copy them.

And considering the current trends of things in the country, the professor, was of the opinion that the entry point would be leadership, ‘because leadership gives the direction and the emphasis. It is amazing if people know that the leaders would value a particular direction of the society. So, it is the leadership deriving towards

a particular direction, how a society should go educational and character traits that people should admire.’

On her part, the Special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, on Ethics and Values, Mrs. Sarah Jibril, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the TGF Language learning project on Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba, for pre-teens and teens, noted the need for promotion of indigenous languages among children as a platform of instilling the true the image the country on them, as the representative of Nigeria’s quality image and conscience in the committee of nations.

According to her, imparting indigenous languages on children helps to build and reinforce self-identity, communal identity, philosophical identity, faith identity and even cultural identity in the youth, for national development.

She however, warned that it would a disservice for parents not teach their children their indigenous languages, as speaking one’s own language has a lot of benefits; not only cultural but emotional philosophical foundation and advantages, and even social interaction advantages.

“The most important duty of any family is to teach its society’s cultural identity wrapped in Nigerian indigenous languages to their children; as a Nigerian child, who is made to understand the various backgrounds from which he or

she is being brought forth from; and therefore can represent his parents and the larger society.

“But if we made a mistake then, we are now reminding all to go back and learn, so as to avoid making same mistake in the future, which makes our indigenous languages to appear to be extinct.

“Therefore, one of the ways we can entrenched the confidence of Nigeria in the young ones themselves is for them to feel yes they do belong here, as one of the needs of the human species is the need for cultural identity.

“This because, the absence of good character is the beginning of crisis in the any society; as it is the source of sanity and tranquility in the land; and the absence of ethics in any system of governance of human being is equally beginning of crisis or systematic break down in any nation”, she explained.

The founder of TGF, Miss Ijeoma P. Idika-Chima, Founder, who coincidentally is a youth herself, revealed that she was driven to organize the language programme, by her passion and understanding of the need for creation of a platform of learning and re-learning indigenous Nigerian languages, so as to encourage realization of self-actualization, cultural identity and national identity among Nigerian teens.

She said with heightened social vices among teens in our society, which have grossly reduced the educational values of teens, their zeal for good

character development and have encouraged the misplacement of culture with teens discarding our indigenous culture for purely western ways of life.

“For us to achieve positive result from our efforts, we must be timely. We must catch them young. And the effective timing is now because it is their formative years, the period to imbibe the values that form the foundation for adulthood. If we promote these virtues and values at this stage, it would go a long way in engendering positive change in our society.

“Although, TGF has not relented in its mission of counseling teens through various programmes that would impact on their lives as they become adults; to this end, TGF have mapped out a 3-year Strategic Plan and a Work Plan; but we need to join hands in enlightening and sensitizing our young ones towards positive change, through our multi-faceted methodology like Teenz Global Online, Teenz Care, Teenz Tym, and TGF Magazine, They need to be focused in their educational pursuits, build up good character, uphold positive cultural values, and be the change the society needs.”

“As this point, I would therefore make a passionate appeal to all individuals and organizations, both locally and internationally, to come to our aid. We are open to partnership, because we have come thus far, not to stop, but to continue to bring the change needed in the lives of our teens.

Just, as aptly reflected in a communiqué issued at the end of the conference, stakeholders strongly advocated support from all stakeholders for the sustainability of this kind of initiative; encouragement of proper cultural reorientations particularly targeted at teens; and need for drastic government and stakeholders articulated intervention programmes and activities to capture teenagers early and strong in culture, education and character.

Therefore, it is important to note that the economic and social development of the nation, which may include provision of robust social welfare, is significantly dependable on the advancement of education, character among Nigerian teenagers, who are innocent, energetic, flexible, creative, and innovative but faced with daunting challenges in the country.





Poor school motivation: Borno woos parents with financial support


Education

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Niger Delta Renaissance Organisation has urged state governors to take the

funding basic education in their states serious.

The group made this known in a press briefing in Port Harcourt while reacting to the appointment of Chief A J Turner as the Chairman of the board of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The National Coordinator of the group Comrade Nwokoma Messiah, who decried the non-access of the UBE funds by some state governors, said it was not in

the best interest of the country’s educational development for state governors to neglect the development of basic education in their states which it said is the foundation stage of educational development of any society.

Nwokoma also said the appointment of Chief A J Turner a seasoned administrator who has distinguished himself in public service and that of other board members is commendable and will help in charting a new course for the Commission which the group said has done well in developing basic education in Nigeria especially in recent times.

Nwokoma Messiah also commended President Goodluck

Ebele Jonathan and the minister of state for education, Barr. Nyesom Wike for showing strong interest in the development of education in the country.

“The impact of the President and that of the minister of state for education in this present dispensation is glaring and must be commended by patriotic minded Nigerians with the zeal to see to the growth and development of the Nigerian child” Nwokoma stressed.

He also said the country owes a lot of gratitude to the former Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr. Ahmed Modibbo for his commitment in repositioning the Commission

describing him as a round peg in round hole.

While urging Nigerians to show support for the incoming board of the Universal Basic Education Commission, the National Coordinator of the group said with the support of all stakeholder in education, the present board will be well motivated to meet up with the daunting task ahead and build on the concrete achievements which the Commission has laid especially in the areas of girl child education and the Almajiri school projects, which will always be a reference point in assessing the achievements of the present administration in the country.

Group tasks governors on basic education

Jigawa govt. to sponsor 270 students for masters, PhD programmes

The Jigawa govern-ment is to sponsor 240 students for the

masters and PhD degree programmes within and outside the country, the Commissioner for Educa-tion, Prof. Haruna Wakili, has said.

Wakili told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Dutse that the scholarship award pro-gramme would be in phas-es.

According to him, 90 students would be spon-sored this year, another 90 in 2014, while the remain-ing 60 awards would of-fered be in 2015.

He explained that each year 30 persons would go for the PhD programme, while 60 would benefit from the master’s pro-gramme, adding that in 2015, the awards would be 30 for master’s and 30 for PhD..

Wakili said that the pro-gramme was designed to ensure that the state had adequate manpower for its newly established university in Kafin-Hausa.

He stated that the select-ed candidates would be for Medical Sciences and Natu-ral and Physical Sciences.

Others were Information Communication Technology (ICT), Pharmaceutical Sci-ences, Languages, Manage-ment Sciences and Educa-tion. (NAN)


As part of its efforts to ad-dress low enrollment in schools , the Borno State

Government has said that it will start paying parents from north-

ern part of the state who enroll their children into schools.

Our correspondent reports that low school enrollment from the northern part of the state had been a source of worry to the state government.

Governor Kashim Shettima

disclosed this at the weekend when he met with elders and resi-dents of Bama-GRA area of Mai-duguri.

According to him, the govern-ment decided to embark on this in order to encourage parents to send their children and wards to

schools in the northern part of the state.

He also reiterated that over 800 block of classrooms de-stroyed by Boko Haram sect will rebuild by the state.

The governor had once hold a meeting with political, religious, traditional and educationist from

the region on how best to solve the problem.

Shettima lamented on the in-creasing low enrollment of chil-dren from the northern part of the state into school which he said contributed to youth restiveness in the state.

20,000 job seekers write teaching job exams in DeltaFrom Prince Edward, Asaba

No fewer than 20,000 appli-cants seeking employment into the Federal Teach-

er’s Scheme (FTS) examination/screening exercise organized by UBEC/SUBEB for employment in Delta State last Friday wrote the examination(s).

Peoples Daily reliably gathered that there are only 5,000 vacant po-sitions approved by FTS in collabo-ration with the state government to reduce the high rate of unemploy-ment in the state even though the Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan adminis-tration proactive measures to fight the saturated labour market with Delta “beyond oil” has been paying off.

Uzoigwue Primary School Asa-ba, venue of the examination(s), investigation revealed, was filled to capacity crowd, especially with heavily pregnant women in the sur-vival of the fittest.

Expectedly, the venue was filled with different sounds of cry from little children whose mothers were part of the screening exercise, some of the heavily pregnant women many of whom fainted but were rescued by medical personnels on hand, the men among them were not left out too, as the scotching sun did not spare any of them as it poured out its rays on everyone.

In a chat with Peoples Daily, a FTS official from Abuja who super-vised the exercise, but did not want his name in the print, said the ex-ercise was meant to provide job op-portunity for successful applicants with the Nigerian Certificate of Ed-ucation (NCE) from 2005 till date.

One of the applicants who iden-tified himself as Mr. Johnson (sur-name removed) from Ebendo in Ndokwa West Local Government area expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the screening exercise, adding that the questions were easy and the timing was perfect too.

In his word: “I have completed my NCE and I’m lucky to be among the category of people who were al-lowed to put in for the exercise, as those between 2004 down are not allowed to write the examination.

He said that since he graduated in 2005, he has not been able to se-cure a job from the government”.

From Lawal Sa'idu Funtua, Katsina

Katsina Vocational Centre, founded by the former Inspec-

tor General of Police, Al-haji M.D. Yusufu, to train youths on skills acquisi-tion has concluded ar-rangements for the gradu-ation ceremony of 1,500 trainees.

Addressing news-men in preparation for the graduation ceremony slated for the 7th of Sep-

tember 2013, yesterday in Katsina, the Director of the centre, Malam Dan-juma Katsina, noted that graduates were trained in various skills.

According to him, some of the skills taught in the centre include, tai-loring, knitting, computer trainig and repairs, GSM repairs, dye and finish-ing, metal and woodwork, soap and pomade making, as well as character train-ing.

He said: "Over the

years we have graduated thousands of students on various skills acquisition; most of them, both males and females are on their own, generating wealth and providing employ-ment for others".

Events at this year's graduation ceremony, ac-cording to the director, would include presenta-tion of working tools to the physically challenged and women that received training at the centre.

Katsina disclosed that

the guest speaker for this year's event is the gov-ernor of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Shema, who will deliver a paper on "The Challenges of Leadership".

He said past speak-ers at previous events in-clude, the CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido anusi, for-mer EFCC bosses, Malam Nuhu Ribadu and Farida Waziri, Professor Abdul-lahi Uba Adamu, Justice Umaru Abdullahi, among others.

M.D. Yusufu vocational centre graduates 1,500 trainees

L-R: Chairman, Committee of Pro- Chancellors of State Universities, Justice Adolphus Karibi Whyte, Pro-Chancellor, Yobe state University, Barrister Ado Adamu, former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, and Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, during the minister’s meeting with vice-chancellors and chairmen of governing board of universities, last Friday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-Owo


Healthy LivingChina-Africa health ministers herald new era of cooperation

Last week, dozens of Afri-can health ministers and Chinese health officials

gathered at the Ministerial Fo-rum on China-Africa Health Development to map out new efforts to support Africa’s long-term health progress and shape the future of China-Africa health cooperation.

This was the first-ever meeting of health ministers un-der the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) since it was established in 2000, dem-onstrating the highest level of political commitment to tackle Africa’s most pressing health challenges together.

At the Forum, health minis-ters and officials launched the Beijing Declaration of the Min-isterial Forum on China-Africa Health Development, which sets a road map for jointly ad-dressing key health challenges across Africa, including malar-ia, schistosomiasis, HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, immuni-zation and vaccine preventable diseases.

Under the Declaration, China and African countries will embark on new efforts to achieve sustainable, long-term health solutions, such as in-creasing partnerships on joint research and addressing the shortage of healthcare workers.

China and African countries will engage further with private enterprise to encourage tech-nology transfer and increase access to low-cost health tech-nologies that meet high qual-ity standards. The Declaration emphasizes that such health co-operation efforts will align with African countries’ priorities as well as national and regional development plans.

“China and African coun-tries have enjoyed strong and effective partnerships on health for half a century, based on our common experiences and our shared vision for a brighter and healthier future for all our citizens, ”Senegal Minister of health, Awa Coll-Seck, said.

He added that. “The Bei-jing Declaration solidifies our governments’ commitments to developing and implementing Africa-led strategies that drive sustainable health progress and improve the lives of people across the continent.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of China sending medical teams to African coun-tries, with the first team sent to Algeria in 1963. Since then, thousands of medical personnel have served in 43 African coun-tries. China has also worked with African partners and inter-national organizations to build hospitals and malaria centers, train health workers and in-crease access to anti-malaria treatments and other health technologies. Academic insti-tutions and private companies have also supported these ef-forts.

Yobe organises baby show programme to mark World Breastfeeding Week

Do you know poor oral hygiene causes discolouration?A dentist with the National

Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Seyi Lodeje has said that poor

oral hygiene could lead to tooth discolouration.

Lodeje told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that teeth discolouration could cause mouth odour, which could affect a person psychologically “because he or she loses self-confidence in public”.

He said that people that ate kolanut, smoked, took a lot coffee and tea were prone to acquiring stains on their teeth.

“The extrinsic causes are things you pick up as you go about your daily activities of your mouth. Those ones can actually be removed easily, you have things that stain your teeth, either from the kind of food you

eat, sometimes if you take cola, chocolate, things that stick to your teeth, all those ones are under the extrinsic, expect it to stain your teeth” he said.

Lodeje said, the intrinsic stains, a lot of things could actually cause it, as some of them are developmental, before one was born or when growing.

According to him, “Pregnant woman, there are some drugs we do not encourage them to use, drugs like tetracycline or drugs that are high in sulphurniomide because they can cause intrinsic stains”.

The dentist added that discolouration could occur as a result of drinking water with high concentration of fluorine in it.

He added, ``So, if the child grows up in an environment

where the water has a lot of fluorine, he or she is bound to end up with what we call fluorosis. Fluorosis appears as discoloration in the teeth.’’

The Dr. said that the difference between the extrinsic and intrinsic stain was that the extrinsic stain could easily be removed by a procedure known as scaling and polishing because they are attached from the outside.

“If it is a mild fluorosis to a mild intrinsic discoloration, we could do what we call bleaching or whitening, we have a reagent we use to do whitening but if you have really serious intrinsic stain, we might need to do what we call veneering; that is, we put an artificial facing in front of the tooth or we could go all the way and put on a crown, the crown is

artificial” he added.The dentist also said “Ideally

anybody that is under 15 to 18 years should not undergo bleaching because at that stage the apex of the teeth in their mouth are not really fused yet and the pulp is very big at that stage and the chemical could actually leak in and cause damage. Or you do what we call over bleaching it could cause sensitivity, the teeth may become sensitive but we have ways of managing that if it is an adult or someone that qualifies for bleaching”.

Lojede said that there were whitening agents available in shops but, however, said that they would not be as effective, especially when the person had intrinsic stains.

He thereby advised people to visit the dentist before using any whitening agents. NAN

From Uche Uche, Damaturu

Yobe state Primary Healthcare Development Board has joined the

world in celebrating the 2013 World Breastfeeding Week, with outlined three programmes to mark the week.

The Director-General of the Board, Alh. Lawan Kawu Ibrahim, who disclosed this during a press briefing to mark the week added that this year’s celebration, with the theme: “Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers”, is aimed at drawing the attention mothers to the importance of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and the role of Peer support mechanism in aiding the women to the practice of EBF.

Speaking during the press briefing, the DG said the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) came up with the goal to promote exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life which yields tremendous health benefits, providing critical nutrients and protection from deadly diseases such as pneumonia and fostering growth and development.

He said the World Breastfeeding Week was first celebrated in 1992 by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), which had been formed

on 14th February 1991 to an act on the Innocenti Declaration 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding with the goal to re-establish a global breastfeeding culture and provide support for breastfeeding everywhere.

Kawu stated that breastfeeding is highly beneficial to all, mother, child and the entire family and is economical by saving income for the family, pointing out that breastfeeding saves lives because it is the single most effective intervention for

preventing child deaths and could prevent 1.3 million child deaths if the rate is increased to 90%.

He added that breastfeeding is very important to child nutrition and development in that it

provides total food security to the child and optimizes the child’s physical and mental growth and development.

The DG said apart from bringing about bonding between mother and child, breastfeeding is also known to improve maternal health by reducing the

mother’s risk of fatal postpartum hemorrhage and premenopausal breast and ovarian cancer.

According to him, the objectives of the week is, among others, draw attention to the importance of Peer Support in helping mothers to establish and sustain breastfeeding and to inform people of the highly effective benefits of Peer Counseling, and unite efforts to expand peer counseling programmes.

Woman breastfeeding her baby


Hosni Mubarak, the former Egyptian president, has appeared at his retrial on charges

of complicity in the killings of protesters during the uprising that toppled him from power two years ago.

He was escorted by medical and security personnel yesterday into an ambulance to be taken by helicopter from Maadi Military Hospital to the Cairo Police Academy, where he faced judges again before the trial was adjourned until September 14.

Mubarak’s two sons and the former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, also appeared at the trial amid heavy security presence. The sons face charges of corruption while al-Adly is a co-defendant in the complicity case.

The judge ordered the creation of panels of experts to examine all charges. They will be sworn in at the next hearing, and will then have 30 days to investigate.

Thousands of Nigerians have rallied in support of Egypt’s deposed President Mohamed Mursi and

calling for military leaders who overthrew his government to be tried.

The Movement for Islamic Survival organised the rally i n p r e d o m i n a n t l y M u s l i m northern Nigeria’s biggest city of Kano on Saturday. It was addressed by Islamic scholars and human rights activists.

S h a y k h A b u b a k a r Mujahid, leader of the protest movement, told the crowd of 5,000 the killings had to stop, and that he thought the coup l e a d e r s s h o u l d b e b r o u g h t b e f o r e t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands.

E g y p t h a s b e e n r o c k e d by unrest since a popularly supported July 3 coup that toppled the democrat ica l ly elected Mursi and his Muslim Brotherhood. Last week was one of the country’s bloodiest i n w h i c h m o r e t h a n 1 , 0 0 0 people died.

T h e v i c t i m s h a v e been mostly supporters of the Muslim B r o t h e r h o o d , t h e I s l a m i s t movement to which Mursi belongs. However, security forces have also been killed in the violence that Egyptian authorities say has been

Mubarak makes court appearance

Nigerians hold pro-Mursi rally in Kano

Several killed in eastern DRC fighting

Mugabe threatens West over sanctionsZimbabwean President Robert

Mugabe has threatened to retaliate against companies

from Britain and the United States if these Western powers persisted in pressuring his government with sanctions that he called “harassment”.

Mugabe’s latest verbal broadside yesterday against his main Western critics followed their questioning of his re-election in a July 31 vote that his rival Morgan Tsvangirai has denounced as a “coup by ballot” involving alleged widespread vote-rigging.

Mugabe, who at 89 is Africa’s oldest leader, has rejected the fraud allegations and was sworn in on Thursday for a fresh five-year term in the southern African nation that he has ruled since its independence from Britain in 1980.

“They should not continue to harass us, the British and Americans,” he told supporters at the funeral of an air force officer.

“We have not done anything to their companies here, the British have several companies in this country, and we have not imposed any controls, any sanctions against them, but time will come when we will say well, tit for tat, you hit me I hit you.”

British companies in Zimbabwe include banking groups Standard Chartered Plc and Barclays Plc. These are already the target of a so-called “indigenisation” policy that requires they cede a majority stake to black Zimbabweans.

fomented by Mursi supporters.Mursi, who was in office for a

little more than a year, remains in detention having been incarcerated by military leaders who have vowed to take a firm stance against those calling the Islamist president’s reinstatement.

The protests in Nigeria, which has a large Muslim population

Internationallike Egypt, coincided with those staged by thousands of Egyptians demonstrating against military rule in several areas of the capital Cairo.

Security and military forces deployed around Cairo, closing off traffic in some major thoroughfares and in the city centre.

In the southern Maadi district,

several thousand protesters marched from the Al-Rayan Mosque to Arab Square. They chanted “coup, coup” and “down with military rule”.

The rallies were seen as a test of whether supporters of Mursi can keep up their pressure despite an intensive security crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Children holding banners during the rally

Mubarak

Mugabe

Mubarak, 85, was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison last year for complicity in the killing of about 900 protesters during the 18-day revolt against him in 2011.

He is being retried after his successful appeal against the previous conviction.

“The judge assured the public that the trial would be ‘a very transparent process’ and that people would be given access to the documents used as evidence in the case,” our correspondent said.

Mubarak has been under house arrest after being released from detention

last week.Separately, the trial of Mohamed

Badie, “spiritual leader” of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, and his two deputies, Khairat al-Shater and Rashad Bayoumy, was adjourned just minutes after it opened yesterday.

The court adjourned the trial of the Brotherhood leaders and 32 other defendants till October 29 so that the defendants could be brought to court.

The men, who officials said did not appear in court for security reasons, are accused of inciting the murder of protesters.

Yesterday’s hearing was the first in the proceedings against the senior Brotherhood leaders, who were detained after the removal of President Mohamed Mursi from power by the military on July 3.

At least four people have been killed in fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of

Congo (DRC), raising the death toll to seven since clashes between M23 rebels and government forces backed by UN troops started several days ago, witnesses say.

A Reuters witness saw four bodies - a woman and three children - and a resident of Ndosho named Charles Paluku quoted by the AFP news agency said a shell had landed in the area.

The victims of Saturday’s fighting were killed by shells fired by M23 rebels, the UN said, as

DRC and neighbouring Rwanda traded accusations over days of border fighting.

Three UN peacekeepers were wounded by shells that landed near their positions, the UN said, charging that its troops had been targeted by the rebels.

Much of the fighting has concentrated in and around Goma, a key city in North Kivu province.

Mary Robinson, the UN envoy to the African Great Lakes region, condemned the violence, saying in a statement: “The attacks on the town of Goma as well as on MONUSCO forces, and

their tragic consequences on the civilian population already traumatised by two decades of conflict, are unacceptable.”

“We must do everything to avoid an escalation of tension in the region,” she said.

A UN brigade with troops from Malawi, South Africa and Tanzania saw its first military act ion on Thursday , f i r ing artillery at the rebels.

The brigade was set up by the Security Council in March to help neutralise armed groups in eastern DR Congo.

Artillery fire has hit both sides of the border this week,

sparking acusations and counter-accusations by both DR Congo and Rwanda.

Rwandan officials said five mortar bombs had fallen on Rwandan villages on Friday, following a rocket the previous day, and blamed Congo’s army.

Rwanda twice invaded its much larger neighbour in the 1990s and sponsored Congolese rebels trying to topple the Kinshasa government.

Millions have died since then in Congo’s eastern borderlands, a patchwork of rebel and militia fiefdoms rich in tin as well as tungsten and coltan ores.

U N i n v e s t i g a t o r s h a v e accused Rwanda of backing M23, an accusation the Rwandan government has repeatedly rejected.

The M23 rebels briefly seized Goma last year and only pulled out following a regionally brokered deal under which they were supposed to remain several miles outside the city.

F i g h t i n g h a s e r u p t e d periodicallyy since mid-July, ending a two-month lull in the violence, and the rebels moved closer to Goma, arguing that Kinshasa was reneging on its pledge to hold direct talks.


InternationalAsia &

Middle East

Al- Zoubi

The scene at a car bomb explosion

The suspects being escorted by policemen

Iraq violence claims more lives

United Nations inspectors are to be granted access to the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack

near Damascus, Syrian state TV has said, with the UN saying that the Syrian government has also agreed to observe a ceasefire during the visit.

It followed an agreement between the Syrian foreign minister and the head of a UN delegation to the country yesterday.

The agreement “is effective immediately and it will allow UN delegation to investigate allegations of using chemical weapons on August 22 in Damascus suburbs,” the state TV reported.

The alleged chemical weapons attack in al-Ghouta, on Wednesday killed 355 people, according to aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres.

A UN statement said the inspectors were preparing to conduct “on-site fact-finding activities starting tomorrow, Monday, 26 August”.

A team of UN inspectors arrived in the Syrian capital last week to investigate claims of chemical weapons use by opposition fighters and the Syrian government, which

Order restored following Buddhist attack on Muslims

Syria to allow UN to ‘gas attack’ site...Warns US over attack

Authorities restored order in Myanmar’s northern Sagaing region yesterday after a

Buddhist mob set fire to nearly two dozen Muslim-owned buildings and attacked rescue workers in the latest widening of sectarian violence in the former military-run state.

About 1,000 Buddhists, some carrying sticks and swords, attacked Muslim villagers in remote Htan Kone late on Saturday, destroying at least 20 homes and shops, according to witnesses and a government statement.

Police and soldiers arrived later and fired into the air to disperse the crowd, they said.

The violence in the rugged region about 665 km (410 miles) from the commercial capital, Yangon, shows how far anti-Muslim anger has spread in the Buddhist-dominated country following spasms of unrest in northeastern Lashio in May, central Meikhtila in March and western Rakhine State last year.

The Ministry of Information said the unrest followed the attempted rape of a Buddhist woman by a Muslim man on Saturday. After the man was detained, about 150 villagers and three Buddhist monks gathered at the police station, demanding he be handed over to them, it said.

When the police refused, the mob rioted, destroying Muslim homes, throwing rocks at police and attacking firemen before authorities restored order by 3:30 a.m. yesterday, the ministry said.

Police sergeant Win Nyi told Reuters 12 people from the mob had been arrested. A Reuters photographer in Htan Kone said the village was tense yesterday evening but the violence had subsided.

Witnesses said some Muslims fled to neighboring villages or sheltered in a Muslim school.

Saya Soe, 32, a Muslim villager, said houses were already burning by the time police and soldiers arrived. “The mobs stopped and went away only after midnight when the security forces fired four or five shots into the sky.”

Another Muslim resident, Azit Paing, said the cause of the unrest appears to have been an argument between a young Muslim man and a Buddhist woman, but he denied the man attempted to rape the woman.

Clashes between Buddhists and Muslims have threatened to undermine political and economic reforms the government initiated two years ago after half a century of military rule.

More than 200 people have been killed since June last year and 140,000 displaced. The vast majority of victims have been Muslim.

Tomás Ojea Quintana, a U.N. special rapporteur on human rights, said a 200-strong mob attacked his car during an August 22 visit to the central Myanmar town of Meikhtila, where a wave of anti-Muslim riots in March killed at least 43 people, destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced thousands.

UN officials originally said would last two weeks and cover three sites.

T h e S y r i a n g o v e r n m e n t has denied responsibility for Wednesday’s attack and blamed the rebels fighting Assad’s forces of the same. The rebels have, however, held the regime forces responsible for the attack.

The alleged chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburb has spurred calls for global action against the Syrian regime.

US President Barack Obama has been under mounting pressure to act. As the opposition Syrian National Council called on major powers to intervene in Syria, Obama on Saturday met senior security officials to consider US options on how to respond to the crisis.

Meanwhile, Israel yesterday called for chemical weapons to be “taken out” of Syria.

Syria, however, has said that any US attack on the country would trigger dangerous consequences.

In an interview with the Lebanon-based Al-Mayadeen TV, Syrian information minister Omran al-Zoubi said a US attack would spawn more violence in the region.

The statement by Omran al-

All suspects held over India gang rape

Zoubi, Syria’s information minister, came on the same day that US President Barack Obama held a meeting with his top military and national security advisers to explore options to resolve the Syrian crisis.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich, meanwhile, warned against military action saying it would be a “tragic mistake”.

World powers have repeatedly urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to allow UN chemical weapons inspectors to examine the

sites where chemical weapons were allegedly used.

The comments by Syrian and Iranian officials followed those by Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, who said in a statement yesterday that the Pentagon was prepared to carry out military options on Syria should Obama order them.

Hagel, whose week-long trip to Asia is being overshadowed by Syria tensions, participated remotely in Saturday’s meeting at the White House concerning Syria.

Fresh attacks in Iraq have killed 14 people, including six soldiers, officials have

said.Yesterday’s violence centered

around predominantly Sunni

Arab areas to the north of capital Baghdad.

The biggest attack occurred in the province of Salaheddin, where a car bomb killed five people and wounded 21 others, among them a senior judge who was the apparent target of the blast, police and a doctor said.

In restive Nineveh province, gunmen opened fire on a van ferrying soldiers from Baghdad to their unit in the provincial capital Mosul, killing five of them, an army official and a doctor said.

Also in Nineveh, three separate attacks by gunmen left a soldier and two civilians dead, including a member of the Shabak minority.

The 30,000-strong Shabak

community mostly lives near Iraq’s border with Turkey. They speak a distinct language and largely follow a faith that is a blend of Shiite Islam and local beliefs. Shabaks are frequently targeted in attacks by fighters.

Two bombings at a house in Baquba, north of Baghdad, killed a child and wounded nine others, police and medical sources said.

V i o l e n c e h a s m a r k e d l y increased in Iraq this year. Attacks have killed more than 3,600 people since the beginning of 2013, according to figures compiled by AFP. The United Nations says more than 1,000 Iraqis were killed in July, the highest monthly death toll since 2008.

Indian police have arrested all five suspects over the g a n g r a p e o f a p h o t o -

journalist in Mumbai, a crime that prompted anger about women’s safety in the country following a similar attack last year.

Sadanand Date, the joint commissioner of Mumbai police, told Reuters that the last two suspects had been arrested, including one detained in the capital New Delhi, hundreds of mi les north of Mumbai . New Delhi police declined to comment.

The 23-year-old journalist was taking photographs with a male colleague on Thursday evening in an abandoned textile factory compound next to a fashionable area of apartment and office blocks, shops and

gangrape of a student on a moving bus in New Delhi in December.

India introduced tougher rape laws in March in response to the December attack.

restaurants.The gang allegedly tied the

male colleague up using a belt before repeatedly raping the woman.

The victim of the Mumbai assault was in a stable condition in a hospital where she said she wanted to get back to work.

“Rape is not the end of life. I want strictest punishment for all the accused and want to join duty as early as possible,” the CNN-IBN television channel quoted the victim as saying.

The five suspects are likely to face prosecution under a new law that sets the maximum pr ison term for rape at 20 years.

Earlier on Saturday, one of the suspects was remanded in custody after appearing in court. His grandmother told media he

was only 16 and should be tried as a juvenile. Police initially said he was in his 20s.

The latest attack has renewed outrage among Indians who were horrified by the deadly

InternationalEurope and Americas


Greece may need a third bailout but would not accept new austerity measures, the Greek

finance minister has said.Yannis Stournaras said: “If there is

need for further support to Greece, it will be in the order of about 10bn euros (£8.6bn; $13.4bn), or much smaller than the previous programmes.”

Greece has already received two bailouts totalling about 240bn euros.

Meanwhile, Angela Merkel has warned about writing down any more Greek debt.

Germany’s chancellor said a so-called haircut of Greek debt would be bad for the stability of the eurozone, which has seen a return in investor confidence after years of worrying about the future of the single currency following bailouts of several nations - most recently, Cyprus.

“I am expressly warning against a haircut,” Mrs Merkel said. “It could trigger a domino effect of uncertainty with the result that the readiness

At least 13 Colombian soldiers have been killed in an ambush by Farc left-wing rebels in the east of the country, the

army says.

Greece ‘may need 10bn euros more’– Stournaras

FARC killls more Colombian soldiers

Russia warns US not to repeat in Syria past mistakes

US bugged UN hq- Germany’s Spiegel

The U.S. National Security Agency has bugged the United Nations’ New York headquarters,

Germany’s Der Spiegel weekly said yesterday in a report on U.S. spying that could further strain relations between Washington and its allies.

Citing secret U.S. documents obtained by fugitive former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, Der Spiegel said the files showed how the United States systematically spied on other states and institutions.

Der Spiegel said the European Union and the U.N.’s Vienna-based nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), were among those targeted by U.S. intelligence agents.

In the summer of 2012, NSA experts succeeded in getting into the U.N. video conferencing system and cracking its coding system, according one of the documents cited by Der Spiegel.

“The data traffic gives us internal video teleconferences of the United Nations (yay!),” Der Spiegel quoted one document as saying, adding that within three weeks the number of decoded communications rose to 458 from 12.

Internal files also show the NSA spied on the EU legation in New York after it moved to new rooms in autumn 2012. Among the documents copied by Snowden from NSA computers are plans of the EU mission, its IT infrastructure and servers.

According to the documents, the NSA runs a bugging program in more than 80 embassies and consulates worldwide called “Special Collection Service”. “The surveillance is intensive and well organized and has little or nothing to do with warding off terrorists,” wrote Der Spiegel.

Snowden’s leaks have embarrassed the United States by exposing the global extent of its surveillance programs. Washington has said its spies operate within the law and that the leaks have damaged national security.

A week ago Britain, a staunch U.S. ally in the intelligence field, detained the partner of a Brazil-based journalist working for London’s Guardian newspaper who has led coverage of Snowden’s leaks. British police said documents seized from David Miranda were “highly sensitive” and could put lives at risk if disclosed.

The Guardian last week destroyed computer equipment containing Snowden files after it was threatened with possible legal action by senior British government advisers.

In an open letter to British Prime Minister David Cameron published on Sunday, editors of leading Nordic newspapers said Miranda’s detention and moves against the Guardian were “undermining the position of the free press throughout the world”.

“(We are) deeply concerned that a stout defender of democracy and free debate such as the United Kingdom uses anti-terror legislation in order to legalize what amounts to harassment of both the paper and individuals associated with it,” said the letter from Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter, Finland’s Helsingin Sanomat, Denmark’s Politiken and Norway’s Aftenposten.

Last month, 15 soldiers were killed by the rebel group in the same region.

Even though Farc rebels and the government are holding peace talks in Cuba, both sides are continuing to target

Lavrov

each other militarily.On Friday the Farc announced a

“pause” in the talks and the government later withdrew its team of negotiators.

However, the talks are expected to

resume soon. Saturday’s attack occurred in the eastern province of Arauca.

A statement by the Colombian army command said: “After a terrorist action by the Farc, two non-commissioned officers and 11 soldiers were killed and another one injured.”

As news of the attack became public, the government’s chief negotiator, Humberto de la Calle, said President Juan Manuel Santos had instructed his team to return to the negotiating table.

The Farc announced a “pause” in order to study a proposal that any peace deal must be put to a referendum.

The talks began last November, and the Farc’s move was the first time either side had broken off negotiations other than for planned recesses.

The latest round was focusing on the eventual participation of the rebels in Colombian politics.

So far, the two sides have reached agreement on land reform, the first of six points on their agenda.

A recent study by Colombia’s National Centre for Historical Memory suggested 220,000 people have died as a result of the five decades of conflict.

FARC rebels

Stournaras

of private investors to invest in the eurozone again falls to nothing.”

Her comments come after Germany’s finance minister, Wolfgang Schaeuble, said - for the first time - earlier this month that Greece will need another bailout to plug a forthcoming funding gap.

The International Monetary

an economic support package without new [austerity] terms... until 2016, the targets - our obligations - have been set and other measures or targets cannot be required.”

The Greek economy has shrunk further than any other in Europe, with bailout money only released on condition that the government

imposes cuts and implements restructuring.

It comes after most of the 18-member eurozone countries came out of recession earlier this year.

Greece’s troika of lenders - the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the IMF - will review the aid programme in the autumn.

Russia warned the United States yesterday against repeating past mistakes,

saying that any unilateral military action in Syria would undermine efforts for peace and have a devastating impact on the security situation in the Middle East.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said its statement was a response to U.S. actions to give it the option of an armed strike against Syria.

It drew a parallel between reports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces had used chemical weapons and Washington’s 2003 intervention in Iraq following

accusations by then-President George Bush’s administration that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s government possessed weapons of mass destruction.

“We once again decisively urge (the United States) not to repeat the mistakes of the past and not to allow actions that go against international law,” the ministry said.

“Any unilateral military action bypassing the United Nations will ... lead to further escalation (in Syria) and will affect the already explosive situation in the Middle East in the most devastating way.”

Fund (IMF) last month estimated Greece would need around 11bn euros in 2014-15.

Mr Stournaras told Greek newspaper Proto Thema on Sunday that any further bailout would be smaller than the previous two.

But he also warned that Greece would not accept any more forced spending cuts from its partners.

“We are not talking about a new bailout but


Strange World

Man builds 12,000 Sq. ft castle in the middle of a swamp

Woman found alive 13 days after funeral

Temple built on rooftop of a Chinese skyscraper

When he moved from New York to Florida over 40 years ago, Howard

Solomon took the saying “A man’s home is his castle” quite literally. The artist once known as “The DaVinci of Debris” spent a total of 12 years building a three-storey castle by hand, in the middle of a swamp.

Solomon began working on his unique castle in the 70′s, after he and his family moved to Ona, Florida. The

Architectural wonders erected on the rooftops of skyscrapers seems to be the latest constructions

trend in China. Just days after the scandal involving a mountain villa built on the roof of a Beijing apartment building, a microblogger from Shenzen discovered a traditional private temple located atop a similar residential building.

According to several Chinese media reports, the mysterious temple constructed on the roof of a 21-storey luxury apartment building in the Nanfang district of Shenzen has been around for at least three years, yet nobody, not even the tenants know who it belongs to.

The rooftop structure is surrounded by foliage, has glazed golden tiles and features traditional upturned eaves decorated with carvings of dragons and phoenixes.

A fingerprint scanner, security cameras and dogs barking on the other side of a locked door prevent access to the temple, but neighbors say it’s often used for traditional Chinese religious practices, as indicated by the ashes of burned offerings that float down from the roof.

The private temple, suspected to be yet another illegal rooftop structure, jeopardizes the structural integrity of the entire building, but tenants say their complaints have so far landed on dead ears.

“This kind of construction work is illegal. Shenzhen’s government should demolish it as soon as

original plan was to build a nice house on the piece of land he had bought in Hardee County, but after realizing the place was actually a big swamp, he decided to construct something high enough to resist any potential floods.

He had always been fascinated with medieval castles and this proved to be the perfect opportunity to build his very own 16-century fortress, complete with a bell tower, moat and drawbridge. Howard worked

Miss Jackson

Howard’s castle

possible to set an example. Who is this guy that he thinks he can build his own temple on a public area? He’s just interested in his own private interests.

It is arrogant,” a resident of Shenzen told The Nanfang newspaper. His views are shared by

To the defense of loca l authorities, the mysterious temple is hard to identify from the ground, as it is surrounded by trees. Even some of the residential building’s tenants were oblivious to its existence until reading the recent news reports.

on his architectural masterpiece on and off ever since 1972, and reckons he has spent over 12 years erecting the structure and covering it in aluminum plating, and an additional 4 years building a Spanish galleon in the castle moat.

When he first started building his dream home, people thought he was mad, and wouldn’t even let their kids play with his, but over the last 40 years they’ve accepted him into the community, and Solomon’s Castle is now the most popular attraction in the area.

The 12,000 square-foot castle was entirely hand-built by Solomon, with metal scraps he got for free, discarded car parts from a junkyard and rebuilt machinery he bought for 10 cents on the dollar.

It has several towers, gothic arches, double wooden gates, drawbridge, its very own dungeon and whatever castle elements you can think of. Only unlike any other medieval fortress ever built, this one is almost entirely covered in aluminum,making it difficult to look at on a sunny day.

While just about every culture and religion has a time-honored way of

commemorating the dead, what’s the protocol for welcoming the buried back to life?

Sharolyn Jackson’s family found out this week when the 50-year-old woman was found alive 13 days after her funeral.

According to CBSPhilly KYW, the bizarre saga began earlier this year when Jackson was reported missing from her West Philadelphia home. Authorities found a body that matched her description, and two people, including her son, identified the woman as Jackson.

Jackson “died” on July 20, according to her obituary in The Times of Trenton, and the family held a burial Aug. 3. On Legacy, an online guestbook, one friend comforted the family, saying “Only God has the final call.”

Well, if that’s true, God’s quite a prankster: Last Friday, Jackson was found alive at a mental health facility.

The mix-up came as a surprise since Jackson’s son identified the body.

“The gold standard here [for identifying a body] is visual

The temple

the majority of Chinese, especially after thepublic outrage caused by Beijing businessman Zhang Biqing, who built a lavish villa surrounded by fake mountain rock on top of a 26-storey residential building.

A u t h o r i t i e s h a v e y e t t o

identify the owner, and are still investigating, but an anonymous source told the South China Morning Post that the temple had possibly been constructed by the director of Nanshan district’s Residential Property Management Office, a man named Xiong.

identification by a family member,” so the son’s identification was taken as fact, Philadelphia Health Department spokesman James Garrow told The Huffington Post.

While the family’s trial-run grieving process is over, the over-arching mystery remains: Who is the woman actually buried under Jackson’s tombstone?

“Right now we’re working internally with the city law department to see about exhuming the body, and we’re working with the police department to see if we can identify who this woman is,” Garrow said.


By Rachel Reilly

Digest

Are chemicals in food packaging making children fat? Children exposed to two

chemicals commonly used in food packaging are more likely to be obese or show signs of

diabetes precursors than those with lower exposure, new research suggests.

Researchers found urine levels of one type of phthalate, used to soften plastic, were tied to a higher risk of insulin resistance among teenagers.

Based on data from the same large nutrition survey, another study group

unhealthier eating habits and eat and drink more packaged products - thus the higher phthalate levels in their urine.

But Trasande told Reuters Health the chemical may influence how the body secretes insulin in response to sugar.

Because of that, he tells parents to avoid buying plastics made with DEHP. ‘I advise them not to wash plastic containers in the dishwasher,’ he said. And, ‘When the plastic is clearly etched or damaged, it’s time to throw it away.’

For a separate study published concurrently in Pediatrics, Dr. Joyce Lee from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and her colleagues used nutrition survey data through 2010 to compare BPA levels in the urine of six- to 18-year-olds with other health measures.

In their analysis of 3,370 kids, BPA - an industrial chemical that may mimic estrogen in the body - was not linked to insulin resistance or blood sugar.

But children with higher BPA levels were more likely to be obese, and tended

Biomarkers in the blood can be used to identify people at risk of suicide, a study suggests.

U.S. research raises the controversial prospect of a blood test providing early warning of suicide attempts.

Scientists said their results were ‘proof of principle’ for a suicide test, while British experts reacted with scepticism.

One particular molecule, an enzyme called SAT1, was linked to suicidal tendencies in a group of patients with bipolar disorder, a mental illness characterised by episodes of extreme high and low moods.

T h r e e o t h e r m a r k e r s showed a weaker association.The elevated blood markers stood out in a subgroup of nine patients who displayed a sudden dramat ic shi f t to powerful suicidal thoughts.

A similar pattern was seen in blood samples taken from nine suicide victims who had succeeded in killing themselves.

F i n a l l y b l o o d s a m p l e s were tested from two further groups of patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia-type pychoses.

R a i s e d l e v e l s o f t h e biomarkers correlated with admissions to hospital after suicide attempts. The link was stronger for bipolar disorder than for schizophrenia.

Study leader Dr Alexander

N i c u l e s c u , f r o m I n d i a n a University, said: ‘Suicide is a big problem in psychiatry. It’s a big problem in the civilian realm, it’s a big problem in the military realm and there are no objective markers.

‘There are people who will not reveal they are having suicidal thoughts when you ask them, who then commit it and there’s nothing you can do about it. We need better ways to identify, intervene and prevent these tragic cases.

‘These seem to be good markers

Could suicide risk be detected by a blood test? also like to conduct more extensive, normative studies in the population at large.’

He plans to conduct further research focusing on more deliberate and planned suicides.

In their paper, the scientists point to a link between SAT1 and polyamine, a chemical involved in apoptosis, or ‘cell suicide’ - the programmed self destruction of damaged or harmful cells.

British scientists said the research should be treated with caution.

It is hoped that a test could be developed that would flag up those who will not admit they are severely depressed

Professor Matthew Hotopf, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London, stressed the need to have the results replicated by other studies.

He added: ‘It’s one thing to find a biomarker which might be associated at a statistical level with suicidal behaviour. It’s quite another to use it to make any kind of prediction which has clinical utility.

‘These findings may attract media attention, but they are very much preliminary and my money would be on failed replication and even if replication was successful, lack of predictive power to be a useful clinical tool.’

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

for suicidal behaviour in males who have bipolar mood disorders or males in the general population who commit impulsive violent suicide. In the future we want to study and assemble clinical and socio-demographic risk factors, along with our blood tests, to increase our ability to predict risk.’

He acknowledged one limitation of the research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, was that the participants were all male.

‘ T h e r e c o u l d b e g e n d e r differences,’ he said. ‘We would

Bisphenol A, or BPA - used to line aluminum cans - has been linked to obesity and larger waists in young people

U.S. experts hope a simple blood test could help detect and treat those at a higher risk of committing suicide. However British scientist are treating the findings cautiously, saying it is one thing to find a biomarker but quite another to use it as a predictor of future behaviour

‘Clearly unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the drivers of this [obesity] epidemic - but increasingly environmental chemicals are being identified as possible contributors,’ said the researchers

to have a higher waist circumference-to-height ratio, than those with the lowest levels.

A total of 18 per cent of kids in the study were obese, based on CDC growth charts. Compared to children with the lowest BPA levels, the 25 percent with the highest levels were twice as likely to meet the cutoff for obesity.

The average child had 2.6 nanograms, or 2.6 billionths of a gram, of BPA in every milliliter of urine.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk

linked bisphenol A, or BPA - used to line aluminum cans - to obesity and larger waists in youth.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in six U.S. children and teenagers is now obese.

‘Clearly unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the drivers of this epidemic … but increasingly environmental chemicals are being identified as possible contributors,’ Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrician from New York University, said.

He and his colleagues analysed data from a nationally-representative health and nutrition survey conducted in 2003 to 2008, which included urine and blood tests for 766 adolescents aged 12 to 19.

They found urinary levels of one particular type of phthalate, known as Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), were closely tied to a teenager’s chance of having insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

Just under 15 percent of study participants with the lowest one-third of DEHP levels were insulin resistant, compared to almost 22 percent of those with the highest levels.

DEHP, Trasande said, is often used to soften plastic bottles. It’s used in plastic that is printed with the number 3 for recycling.

The researchers said their findings don’t prove that eating food packaged with phthalates causes insulin resistance.

For example, it’s possible children who are already insulin-resistant have


PDP, a toxic party, says el-Rufai

Mark mourns Saleh Jambo•Says he was man of the people

L-R: National Women Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs Sharon Ikeazor, Senator Chris Ngige, Interim National Deputy Chairman of APC (South), Senator Annie Okonkwo, Imo state Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, and the party’s Interim Organising Secretary, Senator Osita Izunaso, during a rally of the party, last Friday in Awka.

Photo: NAN


The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been described as a toxic party

and the biggest problem of the country.

The former Minster of Federal Capital Territory [FCT], Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, made this assertion while speaking to the media at the presentation of empowerment materials to All Progressives Congress [APC] members from Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone in Kaduna over the weekend.

According to him, being a member of the PDP, which is the ruling party, and later cane to recognize that the party has gone toxic, is enough for him to leave

the party. “The biggest problem of

Nigeria is the toxic party called the PDP. The fact that one is in PDP does not mean that when you recognize that PDP has gone toxic you should not leave. You cannot compare General Buhari with anyone in the PDP; we are offering Nigerians an alternative and fresh approach to governance that is inclusive, honest and fair; that will serve the people and not that which will serve the pockets of a few.”

“We want credible election so that we kick out those who have been embezzling our public funds and destroying our institutions. It is mostly a PDP issue because PDP controls about 24 states in Nigeria and the kind

of leadership that it provides is an example for everyone. PDP is the biggest problem and also the fellowship is also another problem of its own”

“I don’t think the north and the south is the issue. What Nigeria needs is a competent President; whether he is from the north or south, it is immaterial to us in APC. We want competent governors that will serve the people; whether blue black, from the moon or south, we are not concerned with that, and I think Nigerians should stop voting people on basis of where they come from. President Jonathan is the most incompetent president in Nigerian history,”el-Rufai said.

Speaking in the same vein,

the former Speaker, House of Representative, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, said PDP is only afraid of the emergence of APC because they are aware of the strength of the party and that certainly, APC is an alternative to PDP. He assured the people that APC will form the next state and national governments come 2015.

“PDP is the unpopular party in Nigeria today, what you see in PDP is government officials. The present administration performance under President Jonathan’s leadership is very disappointing; it has not delivered anything. There is no security, power, and there is nothing you can say is the achievement of the PDP government,” he said.

PDP convention: CNPP harps on integrity of candidates By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Ahead of the convention scheduled by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

for Saturday, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has carpeted the party for foisting people without integrity on the nation, urging it to uphold integrity in its choice of national officers.

In a statement issued yesterday by the National Secretary of CNPP, Willy Ezeugwu, it said PDP must now address its integrity issues ahead of its convention.

CNPP lamented that the double standard of the PDP is fast corrupting the political landscape of Nigeria, arguing that this double standard is a key factor in the inability of public office holders to fulfil their electoral promises.

The statement said “the total lack of integrity exhibited by the PDP in asking some members of its National Executive Committee (NEC) to resign to open the way for their being properly elected only for the party to disown them, falls short of what is expected of an organization that produces some of the people who lead the nation.

“While the natural tendency is to dismiss this development as an internal affair of the PDP, we must all not collectively lose sight of the fact that the PDP top shots will eventually treat Nigeria and Nigerians worse than they treat themselves.

“With the number of seats and executive positions the PDP controls, it is inexplicable that the future of Nigeria is now tied to the conduct of the PDP. So it is crucial that Nigerians do not shy away from asking the party to do the right thing.

“The party asked its officials that earlier emerged via affirmation to resign and be elected at another convention, only for it to start edging them out even though they met their end of the bargain by voluntarily resigning.

“This has the grave implication of setting a bad precedence for ‘gentleman agreement’ in this country. This is in addition to the fact that the PDP has by this action confirmed that it has no capacity to keep promises to Nigerians since it cannot stick to agreements reached with its own members.” CNPP said.

The conference said the party has the right to install whoever it wishes, but has no right to drag governance and by extension Nigerians into the show of shame and brazen attempt at power grab by all means, as depicted in Rivers crisis.

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

Senate President, David Mark has described the demise of former presidential aspirant

and leader of the United Nigeria Democratic Party (UNDP), Alhaji Saleh Jambo as painful and devastating.

In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mark noted that the late Jambo was an astute businessman and a frontline politician who managed men and resources creditably for

the common good.In a condolence message to

the government and people of Plateau state, Mark remarked that Jambo was a detribalized Nigerian whose goodwill cut across ethnic and religious boundaries.

“He was a businessman with an uncommon touch. As a politician he carried his followers along. He played politics of

inclusiveness. He played politics with maturity and without bitterness but service to the nation”, the Senate President remarked.

He lamented that with Jambo’s death, Nigeria has lost a forthright and dependable elder statesman whose wise counsel would be greatly missed.

Mark however said that late Jambo would occupy a place

of pride when the history of Nigeria would be written for his contributions to the political and economic development of the country.

He therefore enjoined the government and people of Plateau state especially the bereaved family to take solace in the fact that late Jambo lived an eventful and accomplished life worthy of emulation.


Politics

FeatureAkwa Ibom 2015: Akpabio holds the ace

Nsima Ekere could barely span 18 months in office when he hurriedly

resigned to avoid a dangling impeachment. With Umana’s exit from power, the

implication now is that the governorship aspirants, most especially those still in Akpabio’s government must have to

contend with the body language of the governor to make any meaningful move

“

Lawrence Olaoye

Akwa Ibom is one state where politics promises some interesting

moments as the march towards 2015 continues to attract attention. In the last two years, politics in the state has been melo-dramatic, given the uncertainty that has been trailing the actions by political players as they jostle to express their different interests. Governorship aspirants in the state should have been making the difference, yet all of them, appear to be in quandary with inability to determine their fate.

The state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio is the reason massive attention is turning on Akwa Ibom. By his exceeding openness and generosity, he has been able to put the state on the national map, while Akwa Ibom continues to register as a tourist attraction. By dint of his uncommon transformation agenda, new projects had sprung up in the state, making it compelling for investors to seek the hand of the government in more developmental projects. From Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt and other parts of Nigeria, officials of government, individuals, private organisations, diplomats and representatives of foreign companies had taken turn to visit Akwa Ibom, not only to behold the beauty, but for recreational purposes.

Akpoabio’s tenure expires in 2015. It is, therefore, understandable why the succession battle in Akwa Ibom has been intense. By the day, the list of aspirants who are eager to take over governance from Akpabio in 2015 has continued to lengthen out. They have been engaging in tricks and plots to gain attention from the electorate and most importantly, the governor. It is a reason the governorship race in Akwa- Ibom has been taking the dimension of blackmail, treachery and strident agitations for zoning.

Recently, the government of Akwa Ibom caused an upset against all expectations on the governorship race in the state by easing out its Secretary, SSG, Umana Okon Umana, from the cabinet. Umana’s resignation took many in the state by surprise. Hitherto, his closeness to Akpabio had convinced bookmakers that he could end up inheriting the government of the state from the incumbent. However, the manner of his exit from power with its shocking effect now seems to be dampening the morales of governorship aspirants who have eyes on 2015.

More worrisome to many of the aspirants were reasons political pundits canvassed for

his ouster. While Umana was to be sacked, armed security operatives ensured that his exit provoked some pity. He suddenly had no access to the office he had occupied as SSG for more than two years under the government of Akpabio. That was when security operatives chased away members of staff in his office, as speculations were rife that he had been asked to resign. As at today, Umana never formally resigned to get out of office.

According to reports Umana probably lost out because of doubts that he may not be loyal to Akpabio’s after getting the governorship power in 2015. Akpabio’s spin doctors were said to have approached him to take his allegiance to the governor to a higher level, but all to no avail. He was said to have been set up and now boxed into a corner by certain forces in the State who seemed bent on dousing his rising profile as a first contender in the race for governorship of Akwa Ibom in 2015.

Since Umana exited from the government house in Uyo, the struggle for power in Akwa Ibom ahead of 2015 has now been intense. The keen struggle, in the first instance, was seen as reason some political godfathers felt the former SSG should be kicked out of the race so early. By the turn of events, governorship aspirants have been living in fear that if a man like Umana, with the enormous power he mustered in the government of Akpabio, could suffer the treatment of

ignominy on issue of interest in the governorship race, the rest of them must be treading with trepidation.

The aspirants are worried the more because Umana was not the only governorship aspirants who had to suffer based on interest on the governorship seat. The first to get such a shock treatment was Akpabio’s first Deputy Governor, Patrick Ekpotu. Although, Ekpotu managed to live through the first term of Akpabio, he was quietly removed from the post and replaced with Nsima Ekere during the second term of the governor. All the same, Nsima Ekere could barely span 18 months in office when he hurriedly resigned to avoid a dangling impeachment. With Umana’s exit from power, the implication now is that the governorship aspirants,

most especially those still in Akpabio’s government must have to contend with the body language of the governor to make any meaningful move.

Less than two weeks ago, Akpabio caused governorship aspirants in this category to shudder when he called on anyone of them with eyes on political offices to resign honourably to face the process of election. He suggested that by resigning, they could still be useful in the service of the state, although he did not say whether any one of them would enjoy his support if they heeded the call. No one in government resigned in line with the suggestion by Akpabio.

Top on the list of governorship aspirants being freely touted in Uyo is the state’s new SSG, Mr Emmanuel Udom. Others being regarded

Governor Godswill Akpabio Umana Okon Umana

as strong contenders include, Mr Bassey Albert Akpan, the Commissioner for Finance; Mr. Efiong Abia, Commissioner for Rural Development; Mr Ntekim, Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General and Mr dasi Obolom Commissioner for Local Governments;

From outside the government are Chief Dan Effiong, Chief Assam Assam, former Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Senator Udo Udoma, Sam Akpan, Senator Helen Esuene, Nsima Ekere, former Deputy Governor, Honourable Bernard Udoh and many more.

Umana, with the string advantage of being an Ibibio, and who hitherto, had the ace in the governorship race is yet to tell the world whether or nor he has relinquished his governorship ambition as his opponents wanted him do. Yet, recent events around him are indicating that his interest in the race is still as solid as the rock of Gibraltar.

However, in the event of his resolve to run in 2015, he would need to seek support from power brokers within the PDP; from ordinary Akwa Ibom people, the voters at the grassroots and the general electorates rather than look for favour from the circles of those who seem not comfortable with his principled stance on politics. The other option available to him and others is to seek support from the incumbent governor who currently hold the large authority and say over who becomes his successor.


News ExtraMass arrests worsen prison congestion – Katsina CJ

Members of Faith Voice of the Faith Baptist Church Airport Road, Abuja singing during their 9th Annual Service of Songs and their first album dedication titled ‘Thank you Lord’, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Joe Oroye

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

The new Chief Judge of Katsina state, Justice Abdullahi Yusuf has described mass arrest

of suspects by the police as the major factor contributing to prison congestion in the state.

The chief judge who stated this

in an interview shortly after his confirmation by the state House of Assembly, noted that unless the police arrest persons that are genuinely criminals or are in the act of committing crime, the state would continue to face problems.

He added: “ The issue of prison congestion is an issue the three of us

must put our hands on deck, that is the ministry of justice, the police and us. Whatever starts with criminal prosecution starts with the police. They are the ones who make the arrest”.

He however disclosed that the judiciary and police have regularly met with the senior police officers

with a view of calling their officers to order by advising them to shun indiscriminate arrests.

Justice Yusuf noted that sometimes suspects were slammed into prison without serious offences , stating that it was only during prison visits “that we order for their release if we come across them”.

Adamawa lost N4.6bn to flood last year-c’ttee…Warns of more disastersFrom Umar Dankano, Yola

The Adamawa State Flood Quick Response Committee, has disclosed that the state

recorded loss worth N4.6 billion of properties, farmlands, land and road networks due to flood disaster last year.

The Chairman of the committee, who is also the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government, Chief Ari Kobis Thimnu, made the disclosure while fielding questions from newsmen in Yola.

He also said that the report from the National Meteorological Department, Abuja predicts that this year’s impending flood would be more devastating than last year’s.

“The Flood Quick Response Committee has designated camps for people living in the riverine areas to relocate before the flood to as a matter of urgency.”

He also disclosed that the state government has purchased engine boats and canoes for the purpose of conveying people in the riverine areas and other flood prone areas to designated camps, for safety of lives and properties while water purification equipment were also procured for the purpose of easing the lives of the people.

Thimnu charged residents living in the river banks to relocate to camps designated for them by the state government to avoid the devastation of the impending flood and a repeat of last year’s havoc, saying that precautionary measures become necessary from government whose responsibility it is to protect the lives and properties of its citizens.

Besides, Thimnu said the state government has created some settlements for the Loko people in Song local government area as well as the Ngbalang people in Lamurde Local Government Area where they should relocate permanently to avoid apprehension.

According to him, the government has designated areas where those living in the flood prone areas could relocate to before the impending flood, as necessary infrastructures have been put in place, including security and health facilities.

The chairman lauded the efforts of the Lamido Adamawa, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa and the Murum Mbula, Sir J J Fwa for sensitizing their subjects on the impending flood and of the need for them to relocate to the government designated areas as evidenced by the recent emergence of water into the rivers Gongola and Benue.

Investigations carried out by our Correspondent in Yola revealed that last year’s flood was more devastating due to sudden release of water from the Lagdo Dam, in Cameroun Republic in Central Africa without adequate notice to the Adamawa state government on the impending flood.

By Prince Edward, Asaba

If only the big grammatical grammar could elevate lives or situations in this

democratic rule in Nigeria, then what are we saying? Patrick Obahiagbon, would have made history by now. The Honourable’s collections of English-Benin tongues just like fire could have done the magic

of eliminating the ills of the country.

But what can one say again? Other than get angry, embarrassed or hypertension, it is great to sit, watch or listen to the great man who has conjured the decadence and rottenness in the society into big big grammars in order to make light of it all and make people laugh out their sorrows.

With the arrival of different economic brouhaha, he has always come up with his ideas or explanations for it. Now, it is the ASUU strike matter, Obahiagbon blows it away just to ease the pains of students and to put a smile on their faces. Well, out of all he said, I could capture just a few lines.

“This ASUU strike is a miasma of a depreciable apotheosis of a hemorrhaging

plutocracy, cascadingly oozing into a malodorous excrescence of mobocracy…”

“With all termagant ossifying proclivities of a kakistocracy, our knowledgia centura is enveloped in a paraplegic crinkum crankum”, he said.

You can as well do some research to understand the message he is trying to pass on, do have a great Sunday”.


A veterinary doctor, Bello Muhammad of Department of Veterinary Public Health,

Ahamdu Bello University (ABU), Zaria has called on butchers to take preventing measures against bird flu and other related Zootoxic diseases which are contacted by man from Animals, saying over 200 different zootoxic disease can be contacted by human race from birds.

Dr. Muhammad stated this during a community sensitization programme with a theme “one

world one health” organized by the Kaduna state Chapter of the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association, held at the Life Bird Market Kaduna.

According to him, 75 per cent of diseases affecting the human race emerged from animals and birds.

“As at today, we have over 200 different zootoxic diseases which is a potential disease that can affect human race and can be transferred from animals or birds to humans and vice versa.

“75 per cent of diseases that are appearing these days are zootoxic

in nature; they have some link with animals. Most of the emerging and re-emerging diseases unfortunately tend to be zootoxic,” he said.

Dr. Muhammad continued added that the sensitization programme for stakeholders particularly the butchers on the importance of good hygiene practice in their duties, was imperative.

He therefore urged butchers to use of protective clothing “right from interaction with the live birds, because the zootoxic disease can be acquired right through the live birds as we interact with them as well as

eating the meat after slaughter”.“We try to encourage the

butchers to first of all have some protective clothing because some of diseases are transferred through inhalation when the bird swinging the feathers and one inhale the dust raised by the bird. One can contact tuberculosis and as we all know tuberculosis is a very serious disease.

“They should have a particular set of cloth including the boot, aprons and special clothing so that they don’t carry whatever diseases here to their various homes,” Dr. Muhammad stressed.

Patrick Obahiagbon “igodomigodo” dazzles Nigerians in consistent laughter

Butcher cautions against bird flu, other diseases

PEOPLES DAILY,MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013PAGE 40

Photo Splash

Children playing with motorcycle tyres, yesterday in Bogoro local government, in Bauchi.

L-R: Anambra state governor, Mr. Peter Obi, and Ekiti state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, during the Executive session of All Nigerian Editors Conference (ANEC), on Friday in Asaba, Delta state. Photo: NAN

People staging peaceful protest, on Saturday in Kaduna over use of chemical weapons in Syria. Photo: NAN

Edo state Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left), receiving books from Amir Majlis Ansarullah Ahmadiyya Nigeria, Alhaji Moshood Fashola (middle), during a visit by Majlis Ansarullah Ahmadiyya to the governor, at the weekend in Benin City. With them is Dr A.G Enahoro (right).

Flooded Gombe-Bauchi road, on Saturday at Wuro Dole Village, in Gome state. Photo: NAN

PEOPLES DAILY MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013 PAGE 41

Shettima leads fans as El-Kanemi beat Wolves 3-0

Golden Eaglets berth at Uyo

Mourinho out to spoil Moyes’s opening night today

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state at the weekend made a surprise

appearance at the Stadium to cheered El-kanemi Warriors FC that defeated visiting Warri Wolves by 3-0 in the Nigeria Professional Football League encounter.

El-kanemi Warriors, owned and funded by the Borno State Government suffered

relegation for nine years before Governor Shettima last year injected funds

in changing and motivating the team’s management with new players.

The team is currently 3rd

on the premier league table, a positioned reached for the first time.

Shettima presence and full stadium capacity spectators cheered the boys to superiority over the Warri Wolves.

Rafel Joseph netted the first goal, five minutes into the first half; Ebube Opoku increased the tally at the 18th minutes before Yawale Musa made it three in the 20th minute.

Elated Shettima shook hands with the visiting boys and addressed El-kanemi Warriors players after the final whistle.

The Governor announced a special match winning bonus of N100, 000 to each of the players as against N30, 000 for wining

The Golden Eaglets have arrived Uyo, the capital of neighbouring Akwa Ibom

state from their Calabar camp ahead of key friendly matches as they intensify preparations towards the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in the UAE.

A team of 33 players and eight officials sans Coach Manu, Tayo Egbaiyelo Team Secretary and Captain Musa Muhammed who travelled to Abu Dhabi for the Official World Cup Draw, landed in Uyo at midday yesterday accompanied by Mr. Greg Abang, the secretary of the Cross River Sate Football Association.

The trip was at the instance of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) since Calabar would be a beehive of activities this week with the hosting of this year’s Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference at TINAPA Business Resort in Calabar between August 25th and 30th.

Officials said it was very important that the national Under-17 team continue their preparations towards the World Cup without any atom of distraction hence the need to travel to Uyo-which incidentally was carved out of the present Cross River State-for friendly matches.

“It is part of our obligation to provide the enabling environment for the Golden Eaglets to have

their training sessions without any hindrance at any given time,” affirmed Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme.

“But we find it expedient to move the team to Uyo because Cross State is hosting the NBA conference this week.

While in Uyo the Golden Eaglets are expected to play at least one friendly matches with a local-based team.

The Golden Eaglets are not

new to Uyo having being part of activities to commemorate the Golden Jubilee (50th) birthday anniversary of the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio (CON), when they beat the Akwa Ibom U-17 Selected side 6-1 at the Uyo Township Stadium last December. The team meanwhile is expected back in Calabar by the weekend.

For his first competitive home game as Manchester United manager, David

Moyes could be forgiven for wishing the fixture computer had not spat out a game against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea.

Not only have Chelsea improved their formidable squad during the close season and started the new campaign with back-to-back wins, but in Mourinho they boast a coach who has a history of upsetting United’s best-laid plans.

It was Mourinho who led Porto to a sensational success at Old Trafford in 2004, Mourinho who momentarily knocked United off their pedestal in his first stint at Chelsea, and Mourinho who guided Real Madrid to a smash-and-grab win over United in last season’s

Champions League.He was also, briefly, touted

as a possible successor to Alex

Ferguson as manager of the English champions, before United plumped for tradition over razzmatazz and went for the comparatively untested Moyes.

The former Everton manager saw his new side run out convincing 4-1 winners at Swansea City in their opening Premier League game last weekend, but today’s match is unlikely to be quite so straightforward.

Chelsea already have two wins behind them Wednesday’s 2-1 defeat of Aston Villa having been brought forward due to the London club’s involvement in the Uefa Super Cup and they can move six points clear of United with a win at Old Trafford.

Gov, Kashim Shettima

Golden Eaglets players

Van Persie

By Albert Akota


matches at home and N40, 000 for away win beside other allowances.

Shettima also promised to pay the outstanding 50 percent sign on fees of all the players and officials this week.

“I am highly elated by your performance, we are proud of you; I want to

congratulate you for the victory. I want to announce a token donation of N100, 000 to each member of the teams as a special match bonus for winning

today’s match.“I want to inform you also that

the state government will pay the 50 balance of

your sign on fees by next Monday God willing. Nothing will make us happy like you winning the Premier League so that you can put smiles on the faces

of millions of Borno people who have been faced challenges even though we thank Allah that the worst is over now, peace will return in its fullest Insha Allah and we will celebrate together as a family, “Governor Shettima said.

El-Kanemi Warriors Chief Coach Zakari Baraje described Shettima as a rare sports

ambassador and a pillar of El-kanemi Warriors.

He noted that Shettima has completely transformed the team with his uncommon passion which he consistently displayed by funding the team to sign new players and promptly releasing the allowances and match bonuses upfront.


Sports

Maxfield set to empower 10 million football fans

FCT FA congratulate teams over promotion

Benue, Ondo jostle to host 2013 FEPSGA games

Government has no business with football, says Enyimba Coach

The Chief Coach of Enyimba FC of Aba, Salisu Yusuf has urged the League Management Company (LMC), to work hard

to wrestle the running of club football away from government.

Yusuf said that for clubs football to grow to enviable standard as obtained in advanced world, the LMC has to wrestle it from government claws.

“Government has no business running sports and so government should not involve itself in the running of club football at all in the country.

“The LMC should strive to manage the league to an enviable position to attract private sponsors to club football.

“If the LMC works hard to wrestle the running of club football away from government, the competition will grow like what is obtained in the developed countries today,’ he said.

Stories by Albert Akota

The FCT Football Association has congratulated its five teams in the various divisions of the Nationwide

League that gained promotion at the end of the regular season last

Musa Talle

Gov, Gabriel Suswan

Benue and Ondo states are jostling to host the 2013 annual games of the Federation of Public

Service Games (FEPSGA).The president of FEPSGA Victor

Orji made this known to newsmen in Abuja over the weekend on the sidelines of an award ceremony to honour some state governors, philanthropists and athletes, who made the 2012 FEPSGA Games successful.

Orji however, said that FEPSGA is yet to finalise on the logistics of hosting the 2013 edition because of the interest shown by various states.

“We have not finalised on the logistics. In fact other states are also eager to host the games.

“The Head of Service of Ondo state said the governor had accepted to host the games but he want to meet us to know the logistics.

“We want to know if the state can host the games this year, but if not, they will host the 2014 edition because we have not finalized, it may be difficult to work things out if more states indicated interest.

“If more states indicate interest to host, we will accept, we don’t want to announce a host state yet, so that we don’t change it later,’’ Orji said.

The FEPSGA boss also revealed that Benue is delaying in giving its final approval because of Governor Gabriel Suswan’s involvement in the negotiation between Federal Government and University lecturers.

“Benue has agreed to host

The Director of Myxfeild.com, Sunny Ohikhokhai has promised to empower no

fewer than ten million football fans in Nigeria through the web site.

Ohikhokhia who disclosed this over the weekend in Abuja, said that the web site has created a football discussion channel, where all soccer lovers in the country can express it feelings and also be rewarded.

According to him, the site which is merely to promote football both locally and internationally leagues would pay more priority on competitive leagues as well as Nigeria leagues and her players.

“We need to engage our youth who form the bedrock of the national, our interest is to seeing our youths who love football argue football with one and others and

but it’s just that the governor has not been around to append his signature, he has given consent after we sent a proposal.

“The governor is busy now with the ASUU/FG negotiation, if not, arrangements would have been concluded, but I think we will be going to Makurdi.

“However, any state can still win the hosting right, so, everything is still open to states until we see an endorsed paper.

weekend.In a statement in Abuja the

FCT FA Chairman Musa Talle commended the teams for their efforts saying that task of achieving a premiership slot for the capital city has just started.

“Let me congratulate all these our teams that got promotion to the Nigeria National League, Supreme Court FC, Prisons FC and FRSC FC also I congratulated AMAC FC and Police FC for their promotion to the Nationwide Division 1 League and to Nationwide Division 2 League respectively.

“We want to assure all the teams that the FCT FA would always be there to provide them with all technical support to ensure that they achieve all aspirations next football season.

Moreover, our quest to get a premiership slot in the league has just started and by God’s willing we would achieve that at the end of the day.

He implored all the teams to ensure that they remain focused, and engage all the relevant personnel that would actualize its dream.

Orji pointed out that this year’s games would be unique as the sports clubs had declared war on the use of mercenaries for its sporting activities.

He said that teams from 11 Ministries, Departments and Agencies had been suspended for fielding mercenaries in past games.

Orji added that FEPSGA congress members had resolved to tackle the issue before it gets out of control.

get something out of it.“We want to engage more than

ten million Nigerians and also reward them through the web site discussion, is obvious that every weekend you see our teeming youths who love football arguing and nothing to show for it, but myxfield is set to reward them through the discussion channel, “ he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the Myxfield Mr. Raymond Duke, said that the idea to have a football web site for discussion among Nigeria and globally was borne out of the dire need to engage Nigeria youths in a meaningful way.

He however warned Nigeria to desist from foul languages during discussion because the management would not hesitate to subject you to a red card.

Salisu noted that when the league was privately-driven like in Europe, everything would go down well adding that government involvement in club football has heavily politicised the game.

The coach, who noted that club football in the country was developing yearly, however, added that development could not just come suddenly, but gradually.

The coach said that the LMC has not done badly so far but can improve on its delivery.

According to him, football has been a big business in Europe because the Europeans have been involved in it for more than 100 years.

“Our development is coming year by year, but real development will come when government hands off from maintaining clubs in the country.

“The potential we have in Nigeria

is more than anywhere in Africa but we must work hard to get there,’’ Salisu added.

On officiating, Salisu said that it has greatly improved, but added that referees were human beings who could make mistakes while officiating.

Enyimba coach, Salisu Yusuf

He added that clubs administrators, officials, fans and supporters should not allow emotion and sentiments to overshadow them while commenting on referees performance.

The coach then urged the LMC to aggressively supervise the league,

saying anyone with a stake in any of the clubs should not be allowed to be on the board.

He suggested that the management of the league should be contracted to a neutral body which he said would handle it with credibility.

PAGE 43

SportsPEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Chelsea confirm Willian deal Chelsea has confirmed a

deal has been agreed to sign attacking midfielder

Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala, subject to a work permit hearing on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Brazilian was close to joining Tottenham after having a medical last Wednesday.

But it is understood the Blues made their move at around 18:00 BST on Thursday, with a fee and personal terms agreed within 24 hours.

Chelsea is believed to have agreed to pay £30m to the Russian club.

The transfer was made possible after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, whose fellow Russian oligarch Suleyman Kerimov owns Anzhi, intervened.

Willian was expected to join Tottenham, but when the Blues stepped in he felt the chance to play Champions League football was too good to reject.

Sources close to the player said Chelsea has made enquiries or offers for his services in every transfer window since 2011.

Willian will become the Stamford Bridge club’s third major summer acquisition following the arrivals of Germany forward Andre Schurrle and Netherlands midfielder Marco van Ginkel.

Willian joined Anzhi in January for a reported £30m after five-and-a-half seasons with Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine, but he became available as the Russian club attempt to cut costs after a change in strategy by their owner.

Roma manager Rudi Garcia has emphasised the value of Erik Lamela and admits

he must be adequately replaced should he move to Tottenham this summer.

And although Garcia included the Argentine in his squad for their Serie A opener against Livorno, he is wary of losing the playmaker, instead calling on the Giallorossi board to find a suitable replacement.

“Every coach would love to have a player who scores 15 goals per season and who is a regular in the Argentine national team,” Garcia told reporters.

“Erik is in the squad, exactly like the other 22 players. I can’t do anything about the transfer market, so I am concentrated on tomorrow’s game to start with a win.

“I have faith in my club because this will be a strong Roma, which is important for the fans and for all of us. I trust the club will give me options, so if someone leaves he’ll be replaced by someone of the same level.

Garcia also hinted that if the fee was large enough it would be difficult for Roma to reject a bid for Lamela, regardless of how soon the season begins.

Tottenham Hotspur has agreed terms with Steaua Bucharest to buy defender

Vlad Chiriches, the Romanian side’s coach, Laurentiu Reghecampf said yesterday.

The clubs have agreed on the transfer and I am happy for him, Reghecampf told a news confederence.

Steaua general manager Mihai Stoica said that the transfer fee had been set at €9.5 million, which would be a record for the 1986 European champions.

The 23-year-old Chiriches joined Steaua in January 2012. He has been capped 19 times for Romania.

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has already spent over €90 million in the transfer market ahead of the September 2 deadline, bringing in notably Brazilian Paulinho from Corinthians and Spanish striker Roberto Soldado from Valencia.

The London club is on the point of selling star player Gareth Bale to Real Madrid for what is expected to be a world record transfer fee of

Gareth Bale has arrived in Spain ahead of the completion of his move

from Tottenham Hotspur to Real Madrid, Spanish sports daily AS reported.

Bale is reportedly set to become the world’s most expensive player should the deal go through with Real ready to pay more than the £80 million ($123.6 million, 93.2 million euros) they spent to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Bernabeu four years ago.

Several Spanish media sources printed pictures that showed a stage had been erected in the director’s box at the Bernabeu which is normally used for the presentation of big-name signings.

And Real were also forced to briefly shut down the club shop on their website earlier in the week after a link appeared offering Real shirts with Bale and the number 11 on the back.

Spurs have already spent almost £60 million on four players during the transfer window in anticipation of Bale’s departure.

However, their attempts to land Brazilian Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala appear to have stalled with the 25-year-old now expected to join Chelsea.Marcotti and Mariner

discuss the latest names to be linked with the Gunners.

Tags: Arsenal, Epl, Premier, League, Wenger, Espn Fc

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema will not be joining Arsenal this summer according to the player’s agent.

The Gunners had turned their focus to the France international after their interest in Liverpool’s Luis Suarez finally ended earlier in the week.

But to add to Wenger’s“bad luck” in this transfer window, Benzema’s agent, Karim Djaziri,

Roma opens door for Lamela exit

Benzema will not join Arsenal, says agentErik Lamela Vlad Chiriches

Gareth Bale

Willian

Karim Benzema

Bale already in Spain

Romanian defender joins Spurs

told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche there would be no deal to take client to north London.

And Djaziri said there was no concern from his player with the imminent arrival of Gareth Bale.

“We can’t stop the rumours. But I tell you: Karim will not go to Arsenal,” Djaziri said. “It’s never been a question for him and no contact has been made.

“He will stay at Madrid. The probable arrival of Gareth Bale at Real Madrid doesn’t threaten him at all. Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale will play on the wings and Karim in the centre.

€99 million.Having released William Gallas

at the end of last season and then sold Steven Caulker to Cardiff City, Spurs currently have only three senior centre-backs on their books in Michael Dawson, Jan Vertonghen and Younes Kaboul.

Vertonghen was recently sidelined by an ankle problem, while Kaboul has only just returned to fitness after a year out of action due to knee and thigh injuries.


Sports

I am close to death from drugs, alcohol, Tyson

Woods trails leaders by four strokes at BarclaysArmstrong agrees settlement

US Open: All eyes on Nadal, says Djokovic

US Open: Dan Evans qualifies, James, Elena knocked out

Dan Evans

Rafael Nadal’s scintillating form has

made him the man to beat at the US Open, according to Novak Djokovic.

The Spaniard has a 15-0 record on hard courts in 2013, having won Masters Titles on the surface in Indian Wells, Montreal and Cincinnati.

His success is all the more remarkable as he only returned from a seven-month injury lay-off in February.

D e f e n d i n g champion Andy

Murray admitted Nadal will be “very difficult to beat” in New York.

Murray, who expects to play his opening match against Michael Llodra on Wednesday, has been hugely impressed by the 12-time Grand Slam champion’s form.

Djokovic, the 2011 US Open champion, was beaten by Nadal in the Montreal semi-finals and said the Spaniard’s knee issues have affected his style of play.

Dan Evans gave Britain a fourth player in the main draw of the US Open with a

superb qualifying win over Spain’s Adrian Menendez-Maceiras.

The 23-year-old from Birmingham won 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-2 in the third round of qualifying at

Former undisputed heavyweight world champion Mike Tyson

claims he is on the verge of dying from ongoing drug and alcohol problems.

Tyson, 47, admitted he is a continual substance abuser but added he is hopeful of finally getting clean.

“I want to live my sober life. I don’t want to die. I’m on the verge of dying, because I’m a vicious alcoholic,” Tyson said.

“I’m a bad guy sometimes. I did a lot of bad things, I want to be forgiven.”

At the age of 20, in 1987, the American fighter held the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles.

But five years later Brooklyn-born Tyson was convicted of raping Desiree Washington and sentenced to six years in prison.

He returned to the ring but retired from the sport in 2006 and in 2007 was sentenced to 24 hours

Rafael Nadal

in jail and 360 hours of community service for drug possession and driving under the influence.

Tyson, who now works as a boxing promoter, added: “I hope

they can forgive me. I want to change my life; I want to live a different life now.

“I haven’t drank or took drugs in six days, and for me that’s a

miracle. “I’ve been lying to everybody

that thinks I was sober, but I’m not. This is my sixth day. I’m never going to use again.

World number one Tiger Woods is four shots behind joint leaders Matt Kuchar and

Gary Woodland after the third round of The Barclays event in New Jersey.

Woods, 37, carded a second successive two-under-par 69 to move within striking distance at eight under.

American Kevin Chappell is one shot off the lead after breaking the course record with a flawless nine-birdie round of 62.

US Open champion Justin Rose is a shot further back after posting a one-under 70, while fellow Englishman David Lynn shot a two-under 69 to join Woods four shots off the pace.

The Barclays at the Liberty National Golf Club is the first event of the end-of-season FedEx Cup play-offs on the PGA Tour.

Flushing Meadows. James Ward and Elena Baltacha

had earlier fallen at the final hurdle with agonising defeats.

Defending champion Andy Murray, 30th seed Laura Robson and world number 77 Heather Watson qualified directly.

And he capped that run by qualifying for a Grand Slam for the first time under the floodlights of Court Eight at Flushing Meadows at just after 8pm local time on Friday.

Evans surged into an early 4-1 lead against Menendez-Maceiras, ranked five places lower at 184, but was broken from 40-0 and went on to drop the opening set in a tie-break.

Ward, the British number two, had earlier led by a break in the final set but lost 6-3 3-6 6-4 to India’s Somdev Devvarman.

The 26-year-old was visibly upset as he made his way off Court Seven after seeing a great chance to qualify at the US Open for the first time slip by.

Ward, ranked 175th, looked to have turned things around after battling back from a set and a break down, reeling off six straight games to lead 2-0 in the decider.

Devvarman, 28, remained a tough opponent to break down, however, and the world number 113’s steadier game ultimately won the day as he broke back in game six and clinched victory after two hours and 15 minutes.

Mike Tyson

Tiger Woods

The top 125 players on the list qualified for the tournament and the leading 100 players on the points list after Sunday’s final round will advance to next week’s event, the Deutsche Bank

Classic in Boston. American Kuchar can move to

the top of the FedEx standings above current leader Woods if he wins the £924,000 ($1.44m) first prize.

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong has agreed a settlement with the Sunday

Times after it sued him for about £1m, the paper has announced.

Armstrong, 41, had been paid £300,000 to settle a libel case in 2004 after the newspaper alleged he had cheated.

After US officials last year found Armstrong had led a “sophisticated” doping programme, the paper demanded the money back plus interest and costs.

The Sunday Times said it had reached a “mutually acceptable final resolution”.

Lance Armstrong


PUBLIC NOTICEMY LANGUAGE–MY CULTURE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

THE ABOVE NAMED ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT CAP C20 LFN 2004.TRUSTEES1.MR. NKWOCHA CHRIS2.HIGH CHIEF DR. MRS. WINIFRED AWOSIKA (OON)3.HIGH CHIEF MRS. ALABA LAWSON (IYALODE OF YORUBA LAND)4.HON. OLAMILEKAN MAJIYAGBE (ASIWAJU OF AGEGE)5.PROFESSOR JOSEPH AKINTOLA-ARIKAWE6.MR. AMBROSE OLUTAYO SOMIDE7.MRS. FEYIKEMI OYALEKE8.MRS. EUGENIA IROBIEGBULAM9.MRS. BEATRICE NWALI10.DR. ‘FEMI BALOGUN11.MRS. GBEKE ONI12.DR. EZEATAKWULU-OSAKWE13.OTUNBA KAYODE FASAE14.MR. KINGSLEY ADESHINA15.MR. PATRICK OKEAIMS1.TO RESUSCITATE AS WELL AS PROTECT ENDANGERED LANGUAGES AND CULTURES; WITH THE AID OF GAMES, MUSIC, COMPETITION AND OTHER EVENTS.2.TO REWARD AND AWARD INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATIONS THAT CHAMPION THE CAUSE OF SAVING ENDANGERED LANGUAGES, CULTURES AND HERITAGES.ANY OBJECTION THERETO SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: MRS. BENEDICTA OVOKE SADARE

12B, FAGBA CRESCENT, OFF ACME ROAD, IKEJA.

PUBLIC NOTICETHE HEIRS DWELLING MINISTRY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA, UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE:1. PASTOR EMMANUEL OKWUCHUKWU -GENERAL OVERSEER 2. DEACONESS EUCHARIA OKWUCHUKWU 3. MR IBE KALUETEA 4. MR LOUIS OJUKWU.

AIMS1 TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS 2. TO SET THE CAPTIVE FREE.

ANY OBJECTION(S) TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: GENERAL OVERSEER.

PUBLIC NOTICEIYE ARTS FOUNDATION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION WITH THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA, UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTER ACT 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE:1. MRS. MARION AKPATA -CHAIRMAN2. MR. NGOZI. F. CHINWAH3. OLUWATOSIN P. OLUWADARE - SECRETARY4. MR. AYO BANKOLE. JR. 5. MISS. NKECHI UJU -TREASURER

AIM AND OBJECTIVE1 TO PROMOTE ARTS

ANY OBJECTION(S) TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

PAGE 47PEOPLES DAILY| MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

CHANGE OF NAMEI FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SURAIYA SULEIMAN NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SURAIYA ABBAS, ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

PUBLIC NOTICECOVENANT FIRE ARENA MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE :1. SENIOR PASTOR BENNY NATHANIEL ROBERT ABACHE2. SENIOR PASTOR (MRS.) BENNY CHINYERE ABIGAIL3. PROPHET KING OTACHEL4. BROTHER JAMES OCHE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR SAVIOR AND LORD JESUS CHRIST.2. TO GET BELIEVES FULLY AND PRACTICALLY INVOLVED IN FULFILLMENT THE GREAT COMMISSION OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.3. TO ORGANIZE, CONVENE CONFERENCES, CRUSADES CONVENTION, SEMINARS WORKSHOP IN NIGERIA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED:SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICESADE EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

ASSOCIATIONTHIS IS TO INFOM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAME ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRAION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO.1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. ALHAJI MOHAMMAD HAMZA IBRAHIM SADE- CHAIRMAN2. ALHAJI ABDULLAHI AHMED SADE3. ALHAJI SABO BAKO SADE4. ALHAJI ISYAKU IBRAHIM SADE5. ALHAJI SAMA’ILA YA’U SADE6. ALHAJI MUHAMMAD TUKUR ADAMUAIMS AND OBJECTIVES1. TO PROVIDE FREE EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS EG. BOOKS TO MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY.2. TO FOCUS ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENT AND NON GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES ON A NEED TO PROMOTE EDUCATION AND CONSISTENT IMPROVEMENT OF THE EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT OF PUPIL IN THE SOCIETY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420,TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA,ABUJA,WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNEDSM SIDI & CO SOLICITORS

PUBLIC NOTICEGOMBE MOTOR DEALERS ASSOCIATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO 1 OF 1999.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1 ALH GAMBO ISARI 2 ALH ABDULKARIM KWAMI3 ALH MOHAMMED JOBBI4 ALH SAAD ABUBAKAR5 ALH YARIMA BELLO

AIMS AND OBJETIVE ARE:TO BE AN ASSOCIATION FOR THE SELLERS OF CARS AND TRUCKS IN THE CARS TRUCKS MARKET UNDER ONE UMBRELLA, AND TO PROMOTE BUSINESS AND PRIVATE ECONOMY IN THE COUNTRY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, MAITAMA DISTRICT, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED:SECRETARY

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public of the loss of the Original land Document, Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) Customary of a piece /parcel of Land Plat No 64 of about 812.58sqm. Old Kutunku Village Extension layout, Gwagwalada Abuja. Ref No. FCT/GAC/RLA/FCT/4833 bearing the name of Umar M. Pai the Donor to Theresa Anjorin the Donee is missing.All efforts to trace the said document proved abortive. If found please return to the nearest Police Station



Leisureworld 20 inches high.

In comparison, the largest modern building, the Pentagon, in Washington DC would only make a brick wall that went around the world two inches high.

If everyone in the world took a daily bath, our entire supply of fresh water would be get dirty in a single day.

The number of bacteria in a quart of soil from your backyard garden is 30 times greater than the population of the world.

When high speed trains past each other they must slow down or they will break their windows. The passing trains produce a low-pressure area between them that can actually pull the glass out of the frames.

A hydroplane can go much faster than a normal boat because it lifts the hull out of the water. It uses supports

The Earth is 93 million miles away from the sun.97% of the earth’s water is undrinkable!If you could live on the planet Mercury, a year would only last

88 days.The Hindus of India once believed that the Earth was a huge bowl (to

keep the oceans from falling off) held up by giant elephants standing on long pillars. No one back then ever thought to ask what the pillars were standing on! Submitted by: Todd

If someone tells you you smell like flowers, it may not be a compliment if they are refering to the rafflesia flower. This flower smells like rotten meat!

It is said that when England is in danger a drum owned by Francis Drake rolls by itself.

The language of a society changes slowly but steadily with the result that an educated person will not be able to read or understand words in his language written 500 years ago.

There is no word that rhymes with orange.It took 55 years before the telephone, invented in 1820, was put to use in

society.Sound travels over 14 times faster through steel than through air. If you

need to signal someone quickly standing on a metal bridge, bang on a steel pipe!

The Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt, built about 2600 BC, was constructed with enough stone to make a brick wall that could go around the

that act like underwater wings to give it lift. It is really just flying through water.

You can surf on only one or two inches of water. Jump on a wooden disc and you can ride 20 feet or more in the shallow water along the beach.

Manhole covers, the lids that cover sewers, are always round. Why? The round cover rests on a lip that is smaller than the cover so it can’t drop through the opening. A square or rectangular cover, no matter how it was made, could fall through.

The fear of spiders is called arachnophobia. Some other phobias are hydrophobia (fear of water), triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13), ecclesiaphobia (fear of churches), pogonophobia (fear of beards), ergophobia (fear of work).

Donald Duck, the cartoon

character NEVER wore pants. But, whenever he got out of a shower he would always put a towel around his waist.

Submitted by: Lee & GinnyThere was only one code during

World War II that was never broken by the enemy and was used by the US Army. Navajo soldiers, called Codetalkers, developed a radio code based on their native language. It was the only way US soldiers on the battlefield could be sure that messages were from there own side and not from Japanese imitators.

Vincent Van Gogh only sold 1 painting his whole life and that was to his brother!

Submitted by: aquagirl195A Japanese explorer named

MaomiUemura was the first man to reach the North Pole alone, on April 29, 1978, after his eight-week journey.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

SUDODKU

Some Interesting Facts

Say what?

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Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] ISSN: 2141– 6141

MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

QUOTABLE QUOTEMy dream is to have 24 hours power supply in Bauchi state before we leave power in 2015.

We strongly believe we are going to be the first successful IPP in Nigeria.

— Bauchi state governor,Alhaji Isa Yuguda

Two goals from Fraizer Campbell gave promoted Cardiff City a memorable

3-2 win yesterday and left Manchester City nursing a first defeat of the Premier League season.

Although Edin Dzeko gave the visitors the lead with a rising strike from 25 yards, it was a day for the Bluebirds and their disbelieving fans thanks to Aron Gunnarsson’s equaliser and Campbell’s late brace.

It was the worst possible start for City on their travels, but a dream opening for Cardiff in front of a crowd of more than 27 000.

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric, with both sets of supporters giving their charges a boisterous welcome on a day that saw Cardiff playing a home game in the top flight for the first time in 51 years.

For Cardiff manager Malky Mackay, it could hardly have been a more testing examination, against a side whose season began with a 4-0 victory over Newcastle United last Monday.

City coach Manuel Pellegrini was forced into one change from that game, with Javi Garcia coming into the back four alongside Joleon Lescott in the absence of injured captain Vincent Kompany.

D e s p i t e p l a y i n g w i t h only Campbell up front, they supported the former Manchester United striker in numbers and caused the visiting defence one or two concerns.

Cardiff worked tirelessly to close City down, withdrawing all 10 outfield players behind the ball whenever the visitors crossed the half-way line.

F o u r m i n u t e s b e f o r e halftime, Campbell spurned a good opportunity to break the deadlock, with City goalkeeper Joe Hart rushing from his line to save following a poor back-header from Garcia.

Manchester City began the second half with greater purpose and in the 52nd minute, Dzeko produced a shot of supreme quality to break the deadlock.

www.peoplesdailyng.com

. . . putting the people first

Campbell inspires Cardiff City to beat Manchester City 3-2

SPORTS God bless ObasanjoI am not ashamed of this. I

am a besotted fan of General Obasanjo. I won’t explain

‘which’ Obasanjo. There could only be one. He is inimitable. No one compares to him. No leader dead or alive in the whole sprawling expanse called Nigeria comes even a shouting distant second. His credentials as a patriot and a selfless leader are a dream. He was the officer, for instance, that accepted the instrument of surrender from the rebels led by late Ojukwu. He was the officer who unwillingly accepted to be Head of State at a very precarious moment of the nation’s evolution. After the brutal assassination of General Murtala Muhammad in February 1976,a reluctant and ‘apolitical’ Obasanjo was, literally, at gunpoint forced into the saddle of Commander-in-Chief by no nonsense Army Chief General Danjuma. He was the military ruler who willingly handed over power to a civilian at a time it was fashionable to sit tight.

Great nations have great icons and heroes. India has Ghandi. South Africa, Mandela. China, Chairman Mao, though new kids on the block are obliterating his legacy. Germany, Hitler. It is inconceivable to think of the United States without the bearded pate of Abraham Lincoln looming in the mind. And Nigeria? The great Obasanjo. In and out of power, my hero, the great selfless Obasanjo had breathed Nigeria. Asleep, he dreams Nigeria.Awake, he thinks Nigeria.

Across Africa, megalomaniac rulers were killing to consolidate their grips on power. In the late 70s, Obasanjo shell-shocked his continental contemporaries who sat tight or who were in the process of transmuting. At the time, his handing over power amounted to ‘culture shock’. At once, he became a reference point in ‘promise made’ and ‘promise kept’. The west fell in love with him. It was falling over itself to have Obasanjo in its fold. In the mid-80s the Commonwealth, an association of ex colonies of

Imperial Britain, named the ‘father of modern Nigeria’ co-chairman of its Eminent Persons Group (EPG). Under his auspices, the group toured racist South Africa. There, my idol came face to face with the ugliness of apartheid.

Anyone with the vaguest idea of the essential Obasanjo knows that he is a tough soldier with the heart of steel. But at the horrid sight of racism, this heart melted. He grimly concluded that only ‘juju’ could dismantle apartheid.

At home, he was ‘deified’ by most and reviled by some. Northerners hailed him as truly a nationalist with a ‘pan Nigerian’ vision. His ‘people’ pilloried him as a ‘lackey’ lacking in balls, doing the bidding of manipulating ‘oligarchs’. Green in their eyes, Obasanjo traducers set out to rewrite the history of this fittingly remarkable son of Africa.

‘Revisionists’ have hawked the tale of a reluctant Obasanjo wanting to stay put in power but for the ‘threatening’ presence of Danjuma who commanded the army, the real residue of power. For years this falsehood has been vended with no customer buying. Nigerians in the category of fawning fans like me recognized the fiction for what it has always been - a perfect example of ‘bad belle’.

A soldier by training, a consummate democrat by disposition. My hero is a man of destiny, if you will allow the use of this cliché. Twice he ruled. First as a ‘military democrat’ and second as duly elected.Twice he scored a reverberating record. His stewardship on both occasions was ‘sterling. He left his traducers and critics alike gawking. And green with envy. The first time

he presided over the affairs of a fractured nation, he organized a free and fair election that returned a northerner as President to the chagrin of his South westerners. In 1976,a very popular military ruler was mowed down and a section of the country was restive. Obasanjo was the stabilizer that pulled the country back from the brink.

In 1999, he again answered reluctantly the clarion call to serve. The nation was dancing on the brink for six years because a popular politician that answered the name of MKO Abiola was coasting home to victory but had his ‘mandate’ quashed by a military junta. Eight years later in 2007, he again, typically, organized a very credible election and handed over to another northerner at the expiration of his two-term tenure. That was a record first. The first civilian-to-civilian transition. It was almost magical. It was seamless. Even the main beneficiary of the election, late President Umaru Yar’adua, acknowledged that the election that brought him to office was flawless. On both occasions Obasanjo willingly and graciously handed over to the next most popularly elected and qualified person. Thanks to his peerless vision, he singly recruited a very urbane, strong and sophisticated Yar’adua as his successor. That uncommon vision also recruited the transformative President Jonathan.

That is why I don’t understand this. A couple of days ago, Obasanjo at a function at the nation premier citadel of learning, the University of Ibadan, dismissed younger leaders as having failed the nation. It was a wonderful insight coming from him. He named names. Among them were Atiku Abubakar, his deputy whom he loves like a younger brother, Salisu Buhari, former Speaker whom he loves like a son, James Ibori and Bola Tinubu among others. If he declared these Nigerians misfits to lead, why should anyone doubt him? After all, he worked with them at various times. As the Commander in Chief, he had information which most of his traducers lack to make such a profound declaration.

What happened afterwards? Revisionists and critics are yelling and bellyaching. I know their problem. ‘Bad belle’.It is a termite eating up their white blood cells. It is impossible to think of Nigeria devoid of the Obasanjo charm and aura. Thanks to him, the country is now positioned to give Africa and the rest of the black world real transformative leadership. I am positive that without Obasanjo’s second coming the country would probably have been too emasculated to stand eyeball to eyeball with continental powers like South Africa without blinking.

“ In 1999, he again answered reluctantly the clarion call to serve. The nation was dancing on the brink for six years because a popular politician that answered the name of MKO Abiola was coasting home to victory but had his ‘mandate’ quashed by a military junta. Eight years later in 2007, he again, typically, organized a very credible election and handed over to another northerner at the expiration of his two-term tenure. That was a record first. The first civilian-to-civilian transition. It was almost magical. It was seamless. Even the main beneficiary of the election, late President Umaru Yar’adua, acknowledged that the election that brought him to office was flawless.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

MONDAYwith

Ali M. [email protected]

Peoples Daily Newspaper, Monday 26, August, 2013

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