Thursday, november 27, 2014

Vol. 3 N0. 657 Thursday, July 4, 2013 N150 Vol. 4 N0. 992 Thursday, November 27, 2014 N150

Devaluation: Naira appreciates at interbank market

Nigeria gets additional $500m for HIV/AIDs

P.6

… falls to N186 per dollar at parallel market

You’re all corrupt, OBJ blasts lawmakers

P.4

Oil spills: FG to start

restoration of Ogoniland

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

AYO OLESIN WITH AGENCY REPORTS

The naira appreciated marginally against the United States dol-

lar yesterday at the inter-bank following official eight per cent devaluation by the Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday as part of a raft of measures aimed ensuring

economic stability in the wake of falling oil prices and external reserves.

The national currency initially fell to a record low

Emefiele Alison-Madueke

IGP refuses to recognise Tambuwal as SpeakerMakarfi heads 7-member Senate probe committee P.2

P.6

P.38

‘Buhari’s plane denied landing in Makurdi’

P38

Antics of fake lawyers desecrating temple of justice

Corruption in N’Assembly includes constituency projects

ISE-OLUWA IGEABUJA

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday came down

hard on the National As-sembly, accusing members of massive corruption.

The former president spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of two books titled: “The story of my two worlds: Challenges, experi-ences,” (an autobiography

EFCC arraigns 77-year old woman over N65m fraud

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President Goodluck Jonathan (left) collecting his Provisional Clearance Certificate from the Chairman of PDP Presidential Screening Committee, Senator Ahmadu Ali at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO:STATE HOUSE


P.8

INSIGHT


National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Thursday, November 27, 2014News

IGP refuses to recognise Tambuwal as Speaker

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

L-R: Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Doma Danazumi with Inspector-General Suleiman Abba at the investigative hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs on the invasion of the National Assembly by the Police in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

GEORGE OJI AND TORDUE SALEM

The Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Su-leiman Abba shocked

the House of Representa-tives yesterday when he re-fused to recognise Aminu Waziri Tambuwal as the Speaker.

Abba was fielding ques-tions from an ad hoc com-mittee investigating last week’s assault on the Speak-er and other members of the National Assembly.

In the course of answer-ing questions, the IGP ad-dressed the Speaker as Alha-ji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal without recognising his of-fice, sparking the anger of the legislators.

The lawmakers led by the Chairman of the panel, Hon. Usman Kumo (PDP-Gombe), rebuked Abba for refusing to “properly ad-dress Tambuwal.”

But the IGP was ada-mant, insisting that the mat-ter of Tambuwal’s status re-mained in contention.

“You know too well, that this is a matter before the court. I think it will be sub-judice for us to refer to mat-ters before the court,” Abba insisted.

A member of the All Pro-gressives Congress, APC,

from Kaduna State, Hon. Rufai Chanchangi, said that he would not address Mr. Abba by his office until he accorded Tambuwal his due respect.

Chanchangi was one of the lawmakers forced to scale the fence by the po-lice. He was also affected by the three tear-gas canisters thrown at the Speaker by the police.

Other legislators, Hon. Shuaibu Gobir Gwandu (APC-Sokoto) and Hakeem Muniru (Lagos-APC), Hon. Chris Eta (PDP-Cross River) also joined in rebuking the IGP, for what they consid-ered his recalcitrance and disrespect for the authority of the Speaker.

The meeting with the police boss ended abruptly in 30 minutes, with the law-makers storming out of the venue at the National Assembly, without the tra-ditional exchange of cour-tesies between hosts and guests.

The House said they would meet and decide the next line of action against the IGP.

Army personnel, masked security operatives and po-lice officers had laid siege to the National Assembly and barred Tambuwal from gaining entrance on Tues-day, November 20.

The security cordon it was later learnt had been emplaced by 8:00pm the day before, where all entrances to the Complex were or-dered shut to Tambuwal.

Tambuwal who got off his car, passed through the first and second entrances from the Federal Secretariat (Cadastral Zone), before he was stopped at the third and final entrance to the Com-plex.

The Speaker, who calmly walked to the gate to intro-

duce himself to the stern-looking regular policemen, led by the Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capi-tal Territory, FCT, Mr. Wil-son Inalegwu, was rebuffed sparking the anger of his colleagues who tried to force the gates open.

In a related development, the Senate yesterday consti-tuted a seven-member com-mittee headed by the former governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi to investigate the police inva-

sion of the National Assem-bly.

Other members of the committee are Senators Vic-tor Lar, Olugbenga Kaka, Anubakar Bagudu, Pau-linus Nwagu, Ehigie Uza-mere and Jubrila Bindo.

There was no exact time given for the committee to conclude its assignment but was merely asked by the Senate President, David Mark to its findings known on time.

The Senate President had

last week while ordering the closure of the National Assembly announced the summoning of Mr. Abba Su-leiman to appear before the Senate to explain the actions of the police, which tried to stop Tambuwal from enter-ing the National Assembly as well as the firing of some canisters of tear gas at the complex.

It was not certain why the IGP did not appear be-fore the Senate yesterday. It

of a former President of the Court of Appeal and pio-neer Chairman of the Inde-pendent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission, Justice Mus-tapha Akanbi) and “A life of service and grace: Shared perspectives”, (a collection of Essays by scholars).”

Obasanjo said that; “Apart from shrouding the remunerations of the National Assembly in opaqueness and without transparency, they indulge in extorting money from de-partments, contractors and ministries in two ways.

“They do so during vis-its to their projects and programmes and in the process of budget approval when they build up budgets for ministries and depart-ments, who agree to give it back to them in contracts that they do not execute. They do similar things dur-ing their inquiries,” he said.

He said that under the

President Goodluck Jona-than led administration; corruption has been elevat-ed through the huge sums of money been paid to the National Assembly to stop investigation of its corrupt acts.

“Corruption in the Na-tional Assembly also in-cludes what they call con-stituency projects, which they give to their agents to execute but invariably, full payment is made with little or no job done.

“In all this, if the execu-tive is not absolutely above board, the offending mem-bers of the National Assem-bly resort to subtle or open threat, intimidation and blackmail. When the execu-tive pays the huge money, normally in millions of dol-lars, all is quiet in form of whitewashed reports that fail to deal effectively with the issues investigated,” he added.

Obasanjo urged the re-versal of the trend if the na-

tion must witness meaning-ful growth.

His words: “Nigeria can-not continue to indulge in disdain of truth, elevation of corruption and incompe-tence, reinforcement of fail-ure, condoning of heinous crimes and celebration of mediocrity, tribal bigotry, fomenting violence and anti-democratic practices in states and National As-sembly.

“Like prostitution, cor-ruption is almost as old as man on the surface of the earth. It is needless to say that for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the com-bined and complementary efforts of ICPC and EFCC made Nigerians and non-Nigerians to know that cor-ruption can be put on check and put to fight.

“When I came out of prison and I was persuaded to run as President, corrup-tion was one of the priority items I chose to confront.

“For quite some time,

the covered and hushed up corruption has had its toll on the economy. The non-in-vestment in the oil and gas sector by major internation-al oil companies has added its own deleterious impact.

“Our continued heavy de-pendence on one commod-ity had not adequately pre-pared us against any shock in that one commodity in the international plane.

“With the figure of $78 per barrel as benchmark, we will be in a bind if oil price falls to $75 per barrel.

“I am made to under-stand that Saudi Arabia used $68 as benchmark for the 2015 budget. Our inad-equate protection of almost all local industries with heavy cost of energy has dealt a hard blow on most indigenous industries.”

Obasanjo also accused the administration of Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan of killing the nation’s economy by promoting corruption and incompetence.

He also blamed the Presi-dent for wrongly diagnosing the Boko Haram problem, saying that had he under-stood the challenge better than he did, the activities of the sect would have been arrested while the nation would not have suffered so much.

According to Obasanjo, every aspect of Nigeria’s national life is riddled with corruption, adding that the National Assembly is large-ly an assemblage of looters and thieves.

He accused the executive arm of government of mak-ing direct payments to the legislature in order to cover up its wrong doings.

On Boko Haram, Obasan-jo said the sect was a socio economic problem tainted with religion, contrary to the belief by Jonathan that the insurgency is a creation of his political enemies to fight his government,

He said: “Boko Haram is not simply a menace based

on religion or one directed to frustrate anybody’s politi-cal ambition. It is essential-ly a socio-economic problem that is tainted with religion.

“It is a gargantuan dan-ger to the nation and to all Nigerians. Initially, Presi-dent Jonathan’s under-standing of Boko Haram phenomenon suffered from wrong reading and wrong imputation. That is what led us to where we are today

The Oba of Lagos and chief launcher of the books, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, at the occasion accused Obasanjo of failing to track the vol-ume of crude oil sales de-spite promising to do so be-fore coming into power

Akiolu said before his inauguration as President, Obasanjo promised to en-sure transparency in the Ni-gerian oil sector, “but later reneged on his promise as the oil sector was besieged with quantum corruption.”

“Obasanjo failed to ad-CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>


3Thursday, November 27, 2014National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net

FEC approves N9.3bn for clean cooking stoves

L-R: Chairman, Capital Market Commission, Republic of Angola, Mr. Archer Manguira; Chief Executive Officer, Osike Synergy Group, Mr. Christian Udechukwu; Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission, Ms. Aruma Oteh, and Chairperson, Capital Market Committee, Mrs Toyin Sanni during the 4thAnnual Capital Market Retreat in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Lagos State University, Prof Fidelis Njokanma; Vice Chancellor LASU, Prof Oladapo Obafunwa and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Professor Senapon Bakre, during an event tagged 1095 Days in Office of Professor Obafunwa, The Score Card, in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

L-R: South West Coordinator, Women for Change and Development Initiative, (WCDI) Otunba Abosede Ogunleye; Managing Director, Global Media Mirror/Lagos Coordinator, Mrs. Kafila Og-bara and South West Ex - Offio of the WCDI Chief Mrs. Wunmi Osinroluke - Euba, at a workshop for women political aspirants in Ijebu – Igbo, Ogun State yesterday.

ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

The Federal Execu-tive Council, FEC, yesterday approved

N9.3bn for the procure-ment of 750,000 units of cooking stove and 18,000 wonder bags for the Na-tional Clean Cooking Scheme.

Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly council meeting, Supervising Minister of Information, Nuru-deen Mohammed, said the scheme is expected to provide 20 million clean stoves over a five year pe-riod at the rate of four mil-lion stoves per annum to be distributed free.

He stated that the scheme is an aggressive drive to engender clean cooking culture amongst the poor rural women as well as reduce and possi-bly eliminate cooking with solid fossil, which is detri-mental to health.

The Minister of En-

UDEME AKPAN

The Federal Govern-ment and other stakeholders are set

to start the restoration of Ogoniland in the first quar-ter of next year.

This is in line with the recommendations of the United Nations Environ-mental Programme, UNEP.

The Minister of Petro-leum Resources, Mrs. Die-zani Alison-Madueke said in Geneva, Switzerland

that the Federal Govern-ment is in a hurry to begin the implementation of the UNEP.

She stated that the re-port recommended that $1bn should be made avail-able to clean oil spills that have been ravaging the oil producing community for decades.

“Yes the government feels it is important to start the process in an aggres-sive manner. We also think that there are some quick-wins that can be started as

early as January next year. If we do not get to do this within a very short peri-od, we may not get to do it again,” she stated

The minister stated that the Federal Government is ready to fulfill its own counterpart funding apart from the regular budgetary provision, adding that an independent body has been set up to manage the fund.

She cautioned against proliferation of agencies and bodies, which may likely impede the speed of

the implementation pro-cess.

A l i s o n - M a d u e k e stressed that the restora-tion of Ogoniland will not only contribute to massive creation of jobs for the Ni-ger Delta people, but will help in extending business opportunities well beyond communities where oil is produced.

She point out the need to ensure that Ogoni youth are empowered to be em-ployers of labour and not working for people.

“It is better to equip the youth to engage in ven-tures that can make them employer of labour. They should be able to employ more people and not just be working for other people,” she said.

The Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah, cautioned against relying on bureau-cracy and stressed that the spirit of voluntarism must be built into the youth and all members of the Ogo-niland.

vironment, Laraba Mal-lam, who also spoke at the briefing, noted that the move would reduce inces-sant felling of trees, which exposes the country to ecological problems.

The minister said ad-ditional benefit to Nigeria in switching over to this technology by the rural

households is the carbon credits arising from the registration by the Unit-ed Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCCC.

She said that the coun-try stands to gain 50 per cent subsidy through the generated carbon credits.

The minister also noted

that the stoves are to be lo-cally assembled, thereby providing jobs for many Nigerians among other benefits.

The contract, awarded in favour of Messrs In-tegra Renewable Energy Services Limited is to be delivered in 12 weeks.

The Council also ap-

proved N60.8bn for the provision of engineering infrastructure to Kyami District, Zone C, Abuja.

The contract was awarded to Messrs. Man-grovetech Construction and Engineering Nigeria Limited with completion period of 60 months.

The approval of the

contract followed a memo brought by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Bala Moham-med.

This is one of the resi-dential districts located in Phase V of the city with a land area or 942.56 hectares.

Oil spills: FG to start restoration of Ogoniland

…okays N60.8bn for FCT infrastructure project

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 Thursday, November 27, 2014Photo News

National News

L-R: Director, Asset Management Department, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corperation, Alhaji Basshir Umar; Gombe State Deputy Governor, Mr. Tha’anda Rubainu; Special Adviser to Gombe Governor on Microfinance Bank, Alhajimohammed Damji and Chief of Staff, Gombe State Government House, Alhaji Ahmed Yayari, at a workshop on Microfinance Banks in Gombe, yesterday.

IGP refuses to recognise Tambuwal as Speaker





L-R, Director-General, Department of State Security, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, with Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Adesola Amosu, after a meeting of service chiefs with the Senate in Abuja on Tuesday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Devaluation: Naira appreciates at interbank marketNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Thursday, November 27, 2014 News

of N178.85 to the dollar at yesterday’s trading but rose to 176.35 after two oil com-panies Shell and Total sold dollars.

It closed at N176.70 repre-senting a 0.31 per cent gain over Tuesday’s close and still below the CBN’s new target band of plus or minus five per cent of N168 to the dollar.

Acute dollar scarcity however forced the naira to a record low of N186 per dollar at the parallel market as bureaux de change opera-tors ran from pillar to post trying to fulfill customer demands.

The hike in the Monetary Policy Rate and other tight-ening measure hit market liquidity with an estimated 20 per cent deficit according to some analysts.

The average Nigeria Inter-Bank Offer Rates, NI-BOR, appreciated by 1.64 per cent, rising 4.79 per cent, 0.60 per cent, 0.60 per cent, and 0.56 per cent for the call rate, one month, three months, and six month tenors in that order, even as, the Overnight Buy Back and Overnight Rates, OVN, moved north by 9.50 per cent and 10.87 per cent accordingly.

Treasury-Bills rates also appreciated by an aver-age of 0.38 per cent except for the three month paper, which depreciated by 0.01 per cent resulting in an av-erage yield of 13.52 per cent. Yields declined across board for both the Benchmark and Off-the-run bonds by an av-erage of 0.29 per cent and 0.39 per cent respectively.

The yield on the 2022 FGN bond rose 45 basis point to 14.25 per cent, in re-action to the increase in the policy interest rate of 100 basis points to 13 per cent on Tuesday.

Analysts said that a clearer picture will emerge by next week as to where the naira will settle though importers are expected to pay higher now even as the Yuletide season approaches.

The currency has lost 18 per cent this year and 7.7 per cent this quarter alone, the deepest decline among 24 African currencies tracked by Bloomberg after Mala-wi’s kwacha and Gambia’s dalasi. It traded less than 0.1 percent weaker at 177.45 per dollar by 7:44 a.m. in Lagos, the commercial capital.

The CBN has however

been largely praised for the bold move to devalue the naira with analyst saying the bank was being realistic and had little choice.

Other measures adopted by the CBN include raising the benchmark Monetary Policy Rate by 100 basis points to 13 per cent; raising banks’ Cash Reserve Ratio on private sector deposits from 15 per cent to 20 per cent and holding public sec-tor CRR at 75 per cent.

Taking aggressive steps now would obviate the need to make even more sweep-ing moves later when re-serves may be lower, Eme-fiele had said on Tuesday.

However, CBN may need to carry on protecting the naira, according to South Africa-based analysts Ga-reth Brickman and Cath-erine Bennett at ETM Ana-lytics.

“The formal devaluation is a welcome submission to present market realities but still looks insufficient,” Brickman and Bennett said yesterday in an emailed statement “The CBN will thus have to remain active in the market to try to keep a lid on its forex band, which means already-strained re-serves will be at risk.”

Chief Africa Economist at Standard Chartered Bank in London, Ms Razia Khan, had said in a note to investors that “given the move higher in the largely-market determined inter-bank rate ... the widening of the band around the official mid-rate, and the setting of the mid-rate at 168 were the right moves”.

According to the Head of Research at Exotix Lim-ited in London, Stuart Cul-verhouse, “The combined measures should help to support market sentiment in the near term and ease pressure on reserves.

“It gives the Central Bank of Nigeria a bet-ter chance that it can get through to February’s elec-tions without further or even stronger measures be-coming necessary.”

Fear remain however that the devaluation could trigger an inflationary spi-ral after almost two years of single digit inflation as Nigeria depends on im-ports for about 80 per cent of consumption.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Traders yesterday con-

dress the problems with the number of crude oil per bar-rel produced daily, how many barrels are exported for sale as well as the use of the pro-ceeds,” the monarch said.

But an enraged Obasanjo later fired back at the royal father, saying that it was

during his tenure that alloca-tion to states became trans-parent with the publication of monthly revenue of the three tiers of governments.

Vice President Namadi Sambo, who was repre-sented by his Senior Special Assistant (Monitoring), Mr. Femi Oladele, commended

Justice Akanbi’s efforts in fighting corruption and his commitment to service.

He said by carving a niche for himself in the fight against graft, the jurist has left indelible footprints in the sands of time.

In his remarks, Akanbi observed that although

there were allegations of witch - hunting, there was never a time Obasanjo inter-fered with his job in ICPC.

Akanbi also frowned on the increasing cases of nepotism and tribalism in Nigeria, as a result of which merit no longer matters in the country.

was however gathered that he had on Tuesday sent one of the Deputy Inspectors General of Police to repre-sent him, but he was asked to go back, while Senators insisted that it must be Abba and not his representative.

It was not certain at which point the Senate de-cided to discuss the issue as a motion.

However, moving a mo-tion on the topic: “Breach of Security at the National Assembly Complex,” its

sponsor and the Leader of the Senate, Senator Ndoma-Egba condemned the action of the police in no unmis-takable terms.

All the other senators, who contributed to the mo-tion, also condemned the ac-tion of the police.

Deputy Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi described the action of the police as civilian coup attempt, noting that the operation was regrettable.

He particularly expressed concerns about the firing of tear gas and the harassment

of the Senate President.He noted that if the police

could do this to the National Assembly, then it can also do the same to the executive.

Senator Kabiru Gaya cautioned that if the Senate allowed this impunity to go unpunished, one day great-er damage would be done to the National Assembly.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu described the incident as the desecration of the sanctity of the National Assembly, stressing, “Last Thursday was a dark day on the his-

tory of our democracy.”He urged that that day

should be marked annually.Senator James Manager

described the incident as a sad day for the National As-sembly and an unfortunate development.

Minority Leader, Sena-tor George Akume said the sanctity of the parliament has been broken.

“The sanctity of the par-liament was under siege, can this action be contem-plated in Ghana, Mali or Cameroun,” he asked.

demned the increase in the lending rate as announced by the CBN saying that it would bring hardship.

The President of the as-sociation, Mr Ken Ukoha, told the News Agency of Ni-geria, NAN, in Abuja that the new interest rate would negatively affect the ability of traders to obtain bank loans.

Ukoha, who also kicked against the devaluation of naira as announced by the apex bank, said the pro-nouncement had to be deep-ly looked into and possibly reversed.

He said that the devel-opment would eventually

lead to inflation and further deepen the economic crisis in the country.

Ukohoa said that the CBN was yet to tell the pop-ulace “the real truth” be-hind the adjustments, add-ing that it contradicted the promise made by CBN gov-ernor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele when he assumed office.

He said that the gover-nor on assumption of office pledged to reduce the lend-ing rate so as to enhance the growth of the real sector.

“There is confusion here. When he took over the lead-ership of the apex bank he promised reduction in the lending rate and he is now

doing contrary,” Ukoha said.

According to him, the government is working against the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sub-sector as the en-gine of economy.

Ukoha said that the way to develop the SMEs was through loans from bank with low interest rates by the banks.

He, however, said it was unfortunate that the increase in the lending rate would slow down the growth of SMEs.

“The policy will stagnate and stifle the private sector and make situations hard-

er for investors,” he said adding that the continued drop in oil price should pro-vide the government the opportunity to strengthen mechanism that could en-courage diversification of the economy.

He said that rather than increase lending rates, the Federal Government should encourage inves-tors and SMEs operators to access loan from the bank through reduced rates.

Ukoha said that the devaluation of the naira would worsen the already high cost of food items in the country.

6 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014 News

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

President Goodluck Jonathan yester-day made himself

available to be screened by the Peoples Democrat-ic Party, PDP, screening committee led by former

National Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali.

President Jonathan, who entered the National headquarters of the par-ty few minutes to 3p.m., headed to the National Chairman’s office where the screening committee members were already

MARCUS FATUNMOLEABUJA

The United States Government yes-terday announced

additional $500 million for HIV/AIDS programmes in Nigeria.

Charge d’Affaires at the Nigerian U.S. Embassy, Abuja, Maria Brewer, dis-closed this yesterday as part of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, PEPFAR, inter-vention in Nigeria’s fight against the HIV/AIDS dis-ease.

“U.S. government has committed more than $3.5 billion (About N580 billion) to the Nigerian HIV/AIDS response since the incep-tion of PEPFAR Nigeria programme in 2004,” she said.

Brewer said the U.S. had no plan to withdraw as-sistance to Nigeria on the PEPFAR support fund.

There were fears in Ni-geria recently over the pos-sibility of U.S. suspending aid on HIV/AIDS to the country. It was alleged that

Nigeria was presumed by the US to be capable of fi-nancing its fight against the pandemic.

Brewer said yesterday that new HIV/AIDS infec-tions had reduced by a half worldwide.

She however condemned the level of sensitisation on the disease in the country, as according to her, many Nigerian youths cannot an-swer five HIV/AIDS-related questions correctly because education on the virus is in-adequate.

She said: “On World AIDS Day 2014, nearly 35 years into the global HIV/AIDS epidemic, it is impor-tant to reflect on how far we have come together. Not so long ago, hospital beds were filled with dying patients.

“Thankfully, due to our strong partnerships and collective efforts, new HIV infections have dropped by half worldwide since the peak of the epidemic, and life expectancy has re-bounded dramatically. De-spite tremendous progress made, the HIV epidemic is not yet controlled.

Devaluation: We raised the alarm over Jonathan’s economic policy —APC

PDP screens Jonathan, insists on polls in North-East

L-R: Chief of Staff, Brig.-Gen. Jones Arogbofa; Head of Service, Mr Danladi Kifasi; Secretary to the Government of theFederation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and Vice-President Namadi Sambo, at the Federal Executive Council Meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that it warned

President Goodluck Jona-than and all the handlers of

seated.Also, expected to be

screened is son of late former Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Bale-wa, Mr. Jelil Tafawa Bale-wa, the other contender who refused to accept the party’s automatic ticket offer to Jonathan.

Meanwhile, PDP has insisted that all the forth-coming general elections must hold in the crisis-ridden North-East states as scheduled despite the security challenges in the zone.

As at today three out of the six states in the

zone, namely Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are un-der emergency rule since last year.

This came just as the party challenged the All Progressives Congress, APC, to public debate over the achievements of the PDP-led Federal

HENRY IYORKASEMAKURDI

Over 20,000 support-ers of Muhammadu Buhari, a leading All

Progressives Congress, APC Presidential aspirant, who besieged the party secretar-iat in Benue State yesterday as early as 10a.m to receive him, were astonished when told the plane conveying the ex-Head of State had been denied landing rights.

The Gen. Buhari Presi-dential campaign coordi-nator in the state, Mr. M.C. Ikpa, in a chat with National

Mirror yesterday in Makur-di, disclosed that the APC presidential aspirant was officially scheduled to hold talks with the state wing of the party at 2:30pm at the party secretariat.

Accordingly, every stake-holder of the party was at the secretariat in anticipation of the meeting with the General who was flying in with his en-tourage from Port-Harcourt, in continuation of his nation-wide consultation.

The coordinator however expressed dismay over the turn of events in which Buhari was allegedly denied landing

at the Makurdi airport, though he did not say who denied the General access.

Ikpa, a one-time governor-ship contender on the ticket of United Nigeria Congress Party, UNCP, further lamented that the over 20,000 supporters of Buhari left with annoyance.

While addressing sup-porters, the coordinator urged them not to be dis-mayed, stressing that alter-native measures were being taken where the General would come by road to seek their endorsement towards emerging the flag bearer of the party.

‘Buhari’s plane denied landing in Makurdi’

Nigeria gets additional $500m for HIV/AIDS

Government since 1999 till date, saying the main opposition party has no meaningful programme for Nigeria.

The National Public-ity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who made the position of the party known while speaking on a live radio programme monitored by the National Mirror in Abuja yesterday, in-sisted that there was no reason elections would not be held in such areas as being agitated in some quarters.

Nigeria’s economy on what it called “calamitous eco-nomic policies” which has led to the devaluation of cur-rencies in the country, add-ing that people can now see clearly reasons for raising the alarm.

The party was reacting to the devaluation of the naira that is now N168 to the dollar, announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

In an interview yester-day at the APC national secretariat, its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said he is-sued a press statement two years ago to warn the federal government against the in-troduction of the cracking technology.

“We have always warned about the calamitous eco-nomic policies of this govern-ment. I don’t know if you re-member about two years ago we issued a statement saying that with the introduction of

the cracking technology that Sheaf oil and gas discovery which have remained largely untapped in the US that it was going to threaten our oil and gas market.

“We went further to warn government that cost of pro-duction of oil in Nigeria was the highest. We raised alarm also at the organised theft of crude oil. We were called alarmist. We went further to advise the government to diversify our economy; we advised government to spend more our resources in finding new reserve and we gave ex-ample that while Angola and Brazil have reinvested in new deposit to about 40 per cent, that only Nigeria had only in-vested about two per cent.”

Mohammed, who said that when the currency is de-valued, “it is the worst thing that can happen to any na-tion,” added: “All it means for a country like ours which is import-dependent is that you

will need more naira to buy raw materials, more naira to buy machines.

“It also means that very soon cost of living would go up. But this to me should not have surprised anybody.”

The opposition spokes-man said the amount of money that has been de-clared missing in the econ-omy, “even if you agree that it is only $12 billion and you don’t even take Sanusi’s $20 billion, if you add $12 bil-lion to our reserve today, you would know what the re-serve would be. We also have the pension scam.”

He added: “Once you have corruption, it is going to af-fect your economy. Every Nigerian has now seen what we have been talking about. Believe me, we are not being harsh on this government, but as long as this govern-ment continues with no fresh ideas the economy can only get worse.”

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7Thursday, November 27, 2014 News

ISE-OLUWA IGE

Barring any last minute change, a Federal High

Court sitting in Abuja, has scheduled Novem-ber 28, for judgment in a suit filed by 27 wards and local government executives of the ruling Peoples Democratic Par-ty, PDP, in Ondo State, challenging the dissolu-tion of their executives by the national leader-ship of the party.

The judgment is ex-pected to touch three live issues formulated for determination, these include, whether the National Working Com-mittee, NWC, of the PDP has the powers to abridge the tenure of elected party officials in the state before their tenure expires in March

2016.The trial judge, Jus-

tice Adeniyi Ademola fixed judgment in the matter, after taking ar-guments from all parties to the suit.

Plaintiffs in the suit are contesting the pow-ers of the party’s lead-ership to dissolve their executives constituted in 2012.

They argued that, the executives duly consti-tuted, should be allowed to serve out their tenure.

Defendants in the suit include Dare Adeleke, Osawu Solomon, the PDP, its National Chair-man, Adamu Mu’azu, the party’s National Sec-retary, Professor Wale Oladapo, Independent National Electoral Com-mission, INEC, and the Inspector General of Po-lice, IGP.

Justice Ademola had

FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA

About 100 female politicians yes-terday partici-

pated in the one-day workshop and special prayer sessions organ-ised for South West wom-en seeking elective posi-tions in the forthcoming general elections in the country.

The workshop, or-ganised by a Non-governmental Organ-isation (NGO), the Women for Change and Development Initiative, WCDI,was held at Ijebu - Igbo in the Ijebu North Local Government area of Ogun state.

Tagged, “Roadmap to Actualisation of Women Aspirations In Nigeria Elective Position”, fe-male politicians who participated at the pro-gramme were charged to defend the nation’s democracy as well as hu-man rights when they eventually get elected to

their respected dream offices.

In her welcome ad-dress, the South West Coordinator of the NGO, Abosede Ogunleye said the programme was or-ganised by WCDI with the sole purpose of giv-ing women, the needed supports and prayers that would make them stand at par with their male colleagues in the elections.

Ogunleye called on women aspirants to believe in themselves, be united and come all out to effect the change which she said Nigerian democracy needed to at-tain true nationhood.

One of the guest speakers at the event, Pastor Femi Boluwakole, who described women as change makers, said by nature, women’s success in any field naturally lasts for generations un-like men.

In her own paper, the Lagos State Coordinator of the NGO and the MD/

CEO of National Mirror Newspaper, Mrs Kafilat Ogbara called on women to use the opportunity of the media to project themselves.

While encouraging women aspirants to take advantages of the oppor-tunities provided by the media organisations to access discounted public-ity, Ogbara said women politicians in Nigeria posses the intellectual ca-pabilities to bring about the needed development in the society.

Citing instances of women who had distin-guished themselves in their chosen fields, such as late Dora Akunyili, current Minister of Fi-nance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili among others, the news-paper boss enjoined wom-en in politics to always approach media houses and explore them to pro-mote women participa-tion in politics as well as eradicate gender inequal-ity in the political sector.

Women aspirants charged to defend democracy, human rights

Ondo PDP crisis: Court reserves judgment for Nov 28on November 6 granted interim order restrain-ing the defendants from taking any steps whatso-ever with regards to the office of the applicants in particular, by embark-ing on the conduct of any primary elections, leading to the position of House of Assembly of Ondo State, the Federal House of Representa-tives and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The PDP had entered a preliminary objection to the hearing of the suit.

During hearing in the matter yesterday, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), counsel to the PDP and two others, argued that the suit was premature, not justiceable and de-fective.

He urged the court to hands off the suit for lacking in jurisdiction.

…Ogbara tasks female politicians on media patronage

Specifically, Ikpeazu argued that in the first place, Article 31(2e) of the PDP constitution empowers the National Executive Committee, NEC, of the party to dis-solve state executives of the PDP.

Chief Ayorinde Bolaji (SAN), representing the original five plaintiffs in the suit, however, urged the court to discounte-nance Ikpeazu’s argu-ments on the prelimi-nary objection.

He submitted that there is a substantive claim against INEC in the originating sum-mons, adding that “it is the reliefs of a party that the court should considers and not ques-tions posed that deter-mine whether or not a court has jurisdiction to hear a matter.

Ayorinde argued that contrary to Ikpeazu’s po-sition, that; “INEC is a necessary party; a statu-tory body that conducts election; they have been

served with processes and did not complain.

“In view of this, the 3rd-5th respondents have no right to argue or talk about the inclusion of INEC in the suit,” Ayorinde submitted.

In addition, Ayorinde told the court that the 3rd – 5th respondents did not question 1st-5th claimants’ status as ward executives who were duly elected for four-year tenure.

He said that “reliance on Article 31(2e) of PDP is wrong and cannot help the 3rd-5th respondents” because the provision says “the executives can be dissolved where nec-essary”.

“In the same PDP Con-stitution, “where neces-sary has been stated to be in the event of death, vacancy, sanction or re-moval,” Ayorinde added.

According to him, the framers of the party con-stitution did not envis-age arrival of a stranger into the party.

On his part, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN), representing the 6th-22nd, Ondo State PDP local government chair-men, joined in the suit as plaintiffs urged the court to dismiss the ob-jection raised by Ikpea-zu.

Akintola said that Article 2 of the PDP Constitution “says PDP constitution is subject to provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) just as Article 47 guaranteed tenure of elected officers of the party, and Article 47(a) provided for four years tenure.

Responding on the is-sue of dissolution of the Ondo State PDP ex-ecutive being internal affairs, Akintola said, “This is a clear infrac-tion of the constitution of the PDP and the 1999 Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). It is beyond internal affairs”.

Fayose seeking to wield absolute power, Ominrin warns

Houses razed by fire near Oko Baba plank market, Ebute Metta, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Ibadan bedlam: Oyo APC, opposition parties bicker

EFCC arraigns octogenarian over N65m fraud

BOLADALE BAMIGBOLAOSOGBO

Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omin-

rin, yesterday in Osogbo accused Governor Ayo Fay-ose of wanting to “rule the state without recourse to the state Assembly,” just as he denied demanding N135 million from the gov-ernor before the commis-sioner-nominees would be screened.

Ominrin, who led 17 members of the Assem-bly to Osogbo where they held joint session with their counterparts in Osun State, said regardless of the claims by the seven PDP lawmakers loyal to the gov-ernor that he (Ominrin)

KEMI OLAITANIBADAN

Oyo State chapter of the All Progres-sives Congress,

APC, yesterday came hard on opposition parties in the state, accusing them of being behind the spate of violence unleashed on Ibadan, the state capital, in the last one week.

The state party chair-man, Chief Akin Oke, made the accusation in Ibadan while addressing a press conference at the Govern-ment Secretariat.

He said the violent un-provoked attacks on the citizenry at Oke-Ado area last Friday and those re-corded at Born Photo, Popo Yemoja, Idi-Arere and envi-rons on Sunday as well as the mayhem that ravaged Idikan, Opo Yeosa and en-virons on Tuesday, were a clear manifestation of the script which the opposition elements in the state had prepared for implementa-tion with a view to creating tense atmosphere ahead of the 2015 general elections. The intent, the party said, is to discredit the ruling party which has received global applause for stamping out lawlessness, brigandage and indecent practices from the state ever since it came into power in May 2011.

But in a swift reaction, the opposition parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Labour Party, LP, in separate statements while absolving themselves of having any hand in the mayhem, called on the APC-led government in the state to look elsewhere in finding those responsible for the re-cent violence in the state.

According to the APC chairman, the case of ter-ror unleashed on the Oke-Ado community last Friday was the handiwork of PDP that allegedly sent a group of thugs on its payroll led by one ‘Ekugbemi’ to cause breach of the public peace, thereby preventing Gover-nor Abiola Ajimobi from visiting the area which falls within Ibadan South West local government area on the last day of his statewide tour.

He stated that eyewitness accounts said some miscre-ants loyal to Ekugbemi started the trouble when one of them launched an as-sault on a commercial mo-torcyclist where the gover-

had been impeached, he remained Speaker of the Assembly.

He further said when the list of commissioner-nomi-nees was sent to the Assem-bly and those listed “sur-prisingly appeared without being invited,” he had to call them to his office and assured them that the As-sembly was ready to screen them, but would need their resume before the exercise could commence.

But, according to him, later same day, “news start-ed flying around that the Assembly members are de-manding N135 million be-fore they would screen the nominees,” describing the news as “untrue and delib-erate attempt to discredit the lawmakers.”

nor was expected to address residents of the state. And when the policemen there tried to checkmate them, the sponsored thugs began to shoot sporadically and killed a police officer while some innocent members of the public sustained vari-ous degrees of injury in the process.

While maintaining that the APC as party or any of its members cannot possi-bly employ the services of political thugs or miscre-ants for any reason whatso-ever since it is the architect of the hitherto peaceful atmosphere which is being acknowledged globally, he said the party would not dabble into anything capa-ble of truncating the peace of the land but would rath-er continue to do all possi-ble to consolidate on the at-tainment of the peace goal even if it means appealing to the agents of destruction to permanently sheathe their sword.

The Labour Party in a release issued by its direc-tor, Media and Strategy, Mr. Taiwo Ibrahim, while urging APC to look inward to the latest rounds of vio-lence and disturbances, he said two of their lawmak-ers recently engaged each other in a fight.

The state PRO of PDP, Hon. Kehinde Salawu, in his statement, described as unfounded and insensitive claims that it was behind the recent clashes orches-trated by APC hoodlums in Ibadan, calling on the APC to look inwards and stop passing the buck for its gross irresponsibility and failure to rein in its mem-bers.

…denies demanding N135m to screen commissioner-nominees

MATTHEW IRINOYE

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,

yesterday arraigned a 77-year-old woman, Alhaja Mulikat Shonekan, before a Lagos State High Court sit-ting in Ikeja, for obtaining money under false pretense.

Shonekan, who was slammed with a five-count charge bordering on con-spiracy to defraud and is-suance of dud cheque, was arraigned alongside her company, Mujekanm Petro-leum Nigeria Limited and

one Martins Ogiogwa.The defendants pleaded

not guilty to all the counts.Counsel to EFCC, A.B.C.

Ozioko, alleged that the ac-cused conspired to obtain a sum of N65million from the director of Kuta Stones Lim-ited, Danladi Verheijen, un-der the pretext that the said sum was the cost of 90 acres of land at Kemta Ososun Vil-lage, in Ogun State.

Ozioko told the court that the offence was committed sometime in September, 2008.

The commission further alleged that the 1st defen-dant and her company is-

sued dud cheques twice in the sum of N5 million to the complainant on July 15 and 21, 2011.

Ozioko said the offence contravened Section 390 of the Criminal Code, Cap C17, Vol 2, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2003. And also to sections 8(a) and 1(3) of Ad-vanced Fee Fraud and other related Offences Act No. 14 of 2006.

However, counsels to the defendants, Bamidele Ogun-dele and Austin Akpomreta, told the court that they had filed bail applications and urged the court to admit bail in liberal terms.

Moving the bail applica-tion for the 1st defendant, Ogundele urged the court to consider Shonekan’s old age, adding that she has been suf-fering from ill-health and has been on hospital admis-sion in EFCC’s custody.

The second defendant’s counsel, Akpomreta, argued that the offence is not a capi-tal offence, adding that his client committed the offence for the first time.

But EFCC opposed the ap-plications saying the defen-dants’ likelihood to abscond was high.

The presiding judge, Jus-tice Ipaye while ruling on

the bail application, granted first defendant (Shonekan) bail in the sum of N5 mil-lion with two sureties in like sum.

The court held that the sureties must show evidence of tax remittance to the La-gos State government in the last three years.

Shonekan was ordered to remain in the custody of the anti-graft commission until she meets the bail con-ditions.

Similarly, the court also granted the second defen-dant (Ogiogwa), bail of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

Speaking in similar vein, the Assembly’s dep-uty Speaker, Adetunji Ori-salade, while narrating the event that led to their purported impeachment, insisted that it was illegal for seven members of a 26-member House to sit, not to talk of impeaching a le-gally constituted authority of the House.

He insisted that Gover-nor Fayose should be held responsible for the illegal-ity adding that he could not exonerate himself from the unfolding event especially when the bus that brought the seven legislators to the House was attached to the state executive council.

Orisalade explained that there was no reason to jus-tify the unfolding events in

Ekiti, adding that the House had met twice with Fayose and assured him of their cooperation.

In his remarks, Speaker of Osun State House of As-sembly, Hon Najeem Salam, said should Ekiti scenario be left unchallenged, worse scenes would happen in oth-er states in the near future.

The Speaker insisted that Osun Assembly cannot fold its arms and see illegal-ity thrive especially when Ekiti is its neighbour.

He called on Nigerians to rise against the illegality in Ekiti, saying six members cannot form a quorum out of 25-member parliament, stressing that the develop-ment is capable of threaten-ing democracy and should not be allowed to thrive.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSouth West Thursday, November 27, 20148

L-R: Chairman of the Ogun State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bishop Oludotun Ogunseye; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; his wife, Olufunso, and wife of the Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Mrs. Seun Adekunbi, during the Welfare Service for the 2014 intending Christian Pilgrims from Ogun State in Abeokuta, yesterday.

N247m theft: Court dismisses AGF’s application to discontinue trial

LASU VC warns staff over illegal sale of varsity land

MMIA warehouses closure: Uncleared cargoes fl ood airport tarmac

Jafojo fl ays DSS’ raid of APC offi ce

MATTHEW IRINOYE

A Lagos State High Court, presided over by Justice

Kudirat Jose, yesterday dis-missed an application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Moham-med Adoke, praying the court to stop the trial of five former employees of the Lagos Trade Fair Complex charged for stealing.

The Economic and Fi-nancial Crimes Commis-sion, EFCC, has charged Bassey Eyamba, Francis Dajilak, Lazarus Okocha, Barnabas Kolo and Eunice Okafor, to court for stealing N247 million belonging to their employer.

The anti-graft agency al-leged that the defendants had fraudulently obtained various sums of money be-longing to their employer by renting and selling some plots of land owned by the complex.

According to the EFCC, their alleged offence contra-venes Sections 390 (6) and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State 2003.

It would be recalled that, the AGF, through its coun-

FRANCIS SUBERU

The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State Univer-sity, Professor John

Obafunwa, on Wednesday raised the alarm over activi-ties of the university staff who had cultivated the dubi-ous habit of selling the insti-tution’s land to members of the public.

The Vice Chancellor who expressed displeasure over the trend at an event held at the university auditorium to mark his three years in office warned the erring staff against the practice or face the wrath of the law.

Obafunwa said the uni-versity has obtained Certifi-cate of Occupancy (C of O) to the land, adding that an area survey had been con-ducted to solve problem of encroachments on the land.

He added that with the development, all those who encroached on LASU land have become tenants and would be made to pay ground rent to the univer-sity authority.

According to him,” We

Former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Chief Rafiu Jafojo

has condemned what he described as the “Gestapo style” raid of the All Pro-gressives Party, APC, of-fice in the state.

In a statement signed by the former deputy governor, he said he is highly disturbed by the increasingly lack of due

and court process in DSS operations. “This action becomes more worrisome given the on-coming gen-eral election”, he said.

Jafojo who was deputy to Alhaji Lateef Jakande, said it appears that the DSS is increasingly lack-ing of tolerance on op-position political parties, has descended into politi-cal arena and thus taken

sides and does it with im-punity.

The statement further reads; “If these actions go unchecked, we have cause to worry that the op-position political parties might be muscled and in-timidated out of the elec-toral process, thus sabo-taging democracy.

“This action is coming few days after the police

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

The continuous clo-sure of the two warehouses at

the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos is having an untold effect at the tarmac of the airport.

National Mirror ob-served yesterday that major parts of the apron has been taken over with uncleared cargoes especially those ferried into the country by foreign airlines despite the assurances of the Customs Assistant Comptroller, CAC, Airport Command, Mr. Tajudeen Olanrewaju that some categories of goods would be allowed to be cleared by the agents.

Some of the goods that could be cleared by the agents according to Olanre-waju, includes perishable goods, medical and diplo-matic goods.

Also, the parties in-volved in the crisis; clearing agents, Nigeria Customs

Service, NCS, the Federal Airports Authority of Ni-geria, FAAN, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Compa-ny, NAHCO, Plc and the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAH-COL, according to National Mirror findings, are losing several millions of naira to the crisis daily.

The customs had last Wednesday closed the ware-houses of NAHCO and SAHCOL, following the al-leged manhandling of Olan-rewaju by some of the clear-ing agents when he visited the Bulk Breaking Area of NAHCO warehouse for in-spection.

Our correspondent who visited the tarmac yester-day, observed that despite the inability of the agents to clear the inbound cargoes, no fewer than six cargo planes land in the country daily, most especially from Dubai by Emirates Cargo aircraft.

Some of the uncleared imports our correspondent noticed, included vehicles, an Armoured Patrol Car-

rier, APC, and several other cargoes, which littered the apron side.

There are concerns that if the closure continues till weekend, it might lead to on-the-ground incident be-tween aircraft and ground personnel.

However, a source close to FAAN confided in our correspondent yesterday, that the bonded warehouses may be re-opened early next week by the government.

The source said that a meeting on its re-opening had been going on between the clearing agents, Cus-toms, FAAN and even the ground handlers.

On the clearing of some specific goods by the agents, the FAAN source claimed that such may not be possible as the gate, Gate 3 hitherto used for that pur-pose had been shut by the agency for unknown reason for some few years now.

The source said, “As you can see for yourself, the whole tarmac is full of un-cleared goods since this cri-sis started Wednesday last

action at the National Assembly, barricading the Speaker and some law makers from enter-ing the national assembly and tear-gassing them in their hallow chamber.

“These are without doubt bad omen for our hard won nascent de-mocracy, which we must protect jealously,” Jafojo said.

week. This is very unfortu-nate as aircraft still contin-ue to bring in cargoes and dump them on the tarmac.

“The Gate 3, which FAAN used to transport perishable goods and other products have been shut for some time. The gate is only open for Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and dur-ing hajj operations. So, I don’t know how the per-ishable goods will be taken out by the agents.”

The source further told our correspondent that FAAN is losing about N25m from uncleared cargoes daily due to the closure of the warehouses, with the agency losing over N100m from that point alone.

The President, National Association of Govern-ment Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Air-port Chapter, Mr. Oluse-gun Musa had told jour-nalists on Tuesday that several millions of naira had been lost to the crisis by all stakeholders includ-ing even government agen-cies.

now have C of O for LASU, there is an area survey of all those who have encroached on LASU land and in a mat-ter of months, they will all become LASU tenants and a separate account will be open for that purpose.”

Harping on the crises created by withdrawal of 19 Ph.D certificates, he said that the Senate took the de-cision to withdraw the cer-tificates after a three hours deliberation on the impera-tive of the action.

He said in the last three years, the administration has worked tirelessly at en-suring prompt response to student matters, timely re-lease of result which can be easily accessed on the uni-versity website.

Obafunwa pointed out that 61 out of the 62 course offered by the univer-sity have been accredited, stressing that management has continued to review its academic programmes to ensure that they are in line with modern trends and best practices with rel-evance to the needs of the state and society at large.

sel, Mr D.E. Kaswe, had on November 14, filed a nolle proseque (notice of discon-tinuance) before the court.

Kaswe had told the court that the AGF exercised his power in accordance with Section 174 of the constitu-tion and therefore urged the court to discontinue the case.

While opposing the ap-plication, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Anslem Ozioko, argued that the AGF had no power to discontinue a case filed under state laws.

Justice Jose in her rul-ing upheld the argument of the EFCC, noting that the powers of the AGF and the AG of a state were dis-tinctly spelt out in the con-stitution.

Jose said: “Section 211 (a) of the 1999 Constitution is clear with respect to this matter. It is only the Lagos AG and not the AGF that can enter a nolle proseque with respect to this suit.

“The EFCC has the fiat of Lagos State Attorney General to prosecute this matter and that fiat has not been withdrawn.”

Meanwhile, the matter has been adjourned till Feb-ruary 16, 2015 for trial.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Thursday, November 27, 2014 South West

2015: APGA stakeholders demand free, fair primaries

Former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi (right), with Amb. Uhomoibhi Martin at the unveiling of Eagles Hill Centenary City, Abuja, yesterday.

2015: We must fi ght PDP —AtikuALIUNA GODWINABAKALIKI

Former Vice Presi-dent Abubakar Atiku yesterday

revealed the prepared-ness of the All Progres-sives Congress, APC, to fight vigorously with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to enable them win the 2015 presidential elec-tion.

The APC presidential aspirant, who disclosed this while addressing party faithful during his cam-paign visit to Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, accused the PDP-led gov-ernment of hijacking secu-rity agents in the country and using them to threaten

CHARLES OKEKEAWKA

Stakeholders of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Og-

baru Local Government chapter have urged the State Executive Commit-tee of the party to ensure free and fair principles guide the wards congress-es slated for today to pick the three delegates that would elect the aspirants jostling for the tickets of APGA ahead of 2015 elec-tions.

The stakeholders, 32 in number and drawn from the Ogbaru Local Govern-ment APGA Working Com-mittee Members and Wards Chairmen, had in a petition

addressed to the state chair-man of APGA, Mike Kwen-toh, demanded that due process of the party be fol-lowed in all the primaries.

Among the stakeholders who signed the petition, wherein they stated that any imposition of delegates on the party would be resist-ed and copied same to jour-nalists in Awka yesterday, were Pastor Onochie Obio-rah, Victor Nwachukwu, James Igboabuchi, Charles Ndupu, Achu Nonye, Chris-tian Enege, Egwim Vitus, Daniel Ukwandu, Em-manuel Oduah and Edwin Nwachukwu, among other designated ward chairmen and working committee members.

Stating their desire for

free and fair congresses in Ogbaru, the stakeholders contended, “We finally state categorically that all the aspirants are our sons and daughters and it is our duty to elect the best of the aspi-rants in the best interest of our party in Ogbaru.” They added that delegates must be elected from the wards in Ogbaru local council.

The petition was also copied to the Anambra State governor, Secretary to the State Government, who hails from the area, Sir Victor Ogene, Hon Chinwe Nwaebili, Hon. Dubem Obaze and other indigenes of Ogbaru jostling for the ticket of APGA as would-be senators, House of Assem-bly members and Represen-

tatives respectively.This development comes

against the backdrop that the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Chinwe Nwaebili, has been locked in a supremacy bat-tle with Afam Ogene, the incumbent member of the House of Representatives over the Ogbaru Federal Constituency seat.

And while Nwaebili wants to go to Abuja and take over Ogbaru seat, Ogene is bent on retaining his cherished position, a development that has alleg-edly created tension among followers of the two com-peting political gladiators.

It will be recalled that the wards congresses ear-lier fixed for November 26

Navy assures on effective policing of Anambra waterways

NOA boss blames poor hygiene on funding

NWANYIABIA ANAEZEONITSHA

The Commanding Officer, Naval out-post Onitsha, Navy

Captain M. G. Oamen, has re-emphasised the resolve of the outpost to discharge its mandate of ridding Anambra State of criminal elements during this festive season.

The commanding offi-cer, who stated this while interacting with journal-ists in his office at Odekpe, Ogbaru local government area, noted that the out-post was determined to en-sure crime-free festivities around Onitsha metropolis.

He assured that the Na-vy’s work in and around the second Niger Bridge would be unhindered by illegal op-erators on the waterway.

Oamen added that the outpost has continued to maintain security and pres-ence along the waterways in the Lower River Niger and environs in line with the mandate establishing the outpost.

According to him, the naval outpost’s Onitsha patrols, which cover the upstream and downstream sectors of the Lower River Niger, has helped to reduce illegal bunkering in the area.

He promised that Navy

would not relent in its work of stop-and-search, anti-il-legal bunkering, interroga-tion of ownership of suspi-cious vessels, prevention of illegal dredging activities around the pillars of Niger Bridge and enforcing non-movement of vessels be-tween sunset and sunrise.

He, however, noted that these patrols have achieved a level of success in recent times with the arrest of per-sons and vessels engaged in illegal activities on Novem-ber 2014.

He also narrated how the suspects and exhibits were arrested, following a tip-off from a reliable source recently. According to him, the patrol team discovered some men engaged in il-legal bunkering of petro-leum products. He said on sighting the naval patrol, the men took to their heels, abandoned their activities and jumped into a waiting boat, thus escaping from the scene of the crime.

APC members.“Since 1999, we have ob-

served that only one party has been ruling the coun-try. But only last year when APC was formed, there was a change in the polity of the country. If we can fight mili-tary rule, there is no reason we can’t fight the ruling of one party in Nigeria.

“You see what PDP is do-ing to us? They don’t respect our constitution any more. They have turned our se-curity services that should be protecting all Nigerians, irrespective of political par-ties, and have started using them to confront those of us who are in opposition party which is clearly the height of impunity because they believe they will remain in

CHRIS NJOKUOWERRI

Director of National Orientation Agency, NOA, in Imo State,

Mr. Vitus Ekeocha, has blamed poor sanitary condi-tion witnessed in all parts of the country to lack of ad-equate funding by the gov-ernment at various levels.

Ekeocha speaking at a one-day ‘Seminar on Envi-ronmental Sustainability in Imo State’ organised by the agency in Owerri yesterday, outlined some of the factors that constitute environmen-tal degradation to include nonchalant attitude of Ni-gerians, non-disposal of sewage and refuse, increase in population, urbanisation and abandonment of the constitution.

He recalled that in the past Nigerians maintained high standard of cleanli-ness, adding that even in the

colonial era, high premium was placed on environmen-tal sanitation at community and household levels.

“Environmental sanita-tion is not only to keep clean but to protect those sources of the environment which support and promote sus-tainable development,” he noted.

He said NOA in 2007 launched a national public campaign on proper man-agement and disposal of waste, tagged: ‘Operation keep Nigeria Clean’ to create the necessary awareness and mobilise Nigerians at home, offices, hospitals, and public places in the fight against en-vironmental degradation.

Ekeocha said this year’s seminar was aimed at sensi-tising stakeholders on their role in achieving sustain-able environment protection, deepening the synergy in keeping and maintaining a healthy environment.

reconstruction of APC par-ty secretariat in Ebonyi and gave N50,000 each to chair-men and secretary as well to three elected officials of the party from each of the 13 local government areas of the state.

Responding, the state chairman of the party, Ben Nwaobasi, commended the presidential aspirant for visiting Ebonyi, just as he assured him of the people’s support.

In attendance were two governorship aspirants, Senator Julius Ucha and Dr. Steve Egbo, Hon. Peter Edeh, member represent-ing Ishielu/Ezza north fed-eral constituency, among other prominent members of APC in the state.

Jibrin, boss

power forever.”Atiku, however, called on

APC members in Ebonyi to disregard any threat that may come from the PDP-led government in the state just as he assured party faithful of APC’s prepared-ness to take over the state in 2015.

He further accused the federal government of draining the nation’s purse and assured that APC is the only party that can bring greater transformation and desired change in the country especially now the country is witnessing lots of challenges ranging from security and shortfall in in-frastructural development.

The aspirant however donated N5 million for the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014South East10

APC has no plan to Islamise Nigeria —AmaechiDENNIS NAKUPORT HARCOURT

Rivers State Gover-nor, Rotimi Amaechi has said that that the

All Progressives Congress, APC, is not an Islamic par-ty.

Amaechi, who stated this during an interactive session with students of the Ignatius Ajuru Univer-sity of Education, IUOE, in Port Harcourt, also said the party has no plan to Is-lamise Nigeria if it wins next year’s presidential election.

This is as he exonerated APC Presidential aspirant, Geneneral Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) from the cen-tre of the rumours, stating that the party is for progres-sives who mean well for Ni-gerians and its people.

The governor said; “APC is not an Islamic party. This is so because, when Gener-al Muhammad Buhari (rtd) was Nigeria’s Head of State

as a young man, he did not Islamise Nigeria, and to do that he needs the endorse-ment of the National As-sembly to debate over the issue.

“Buhari cannot Islamise Nigeria. Don’t be perturbed by what our detractors are saying. I am an ardent Catholic Christian and I converse with God a lot. It is not true that APC will Is-lamise Nigeria.

“The National Chairman of APC, Mr. John Oyegun is a Christian. Bola Tinubu’s wife is also a Christian, Bu-hari’s cook is a Christian from Igboland, his driver is also a Christian. As a father to all of those Christians, Buhari gives Sunday as a free day to these his domes-tic staff to go to church and worship God.

“So, no one can believe what our detractors are say-ing about Buhari and APC,” Amaechi said.

The governor also ex-pressed huge disappoint-

ment over the stagnated political economy of Riv-ers State, which he alleged was the handiwork of the Presidency and detractors against his government.

“The political economy of Rivers State has been stagnated by the Presi-dency and their detractors. They are all thieves who don’t mean well for our state. They caused mayhem in the last administration. We assumed office and chased them away. Now, as my tenure draws close to an end, I can see, they have brought them back.

You and I have a respon-sibility to stop them from repeating what they did before. We will not allow them again to steal our funds. Imagine, the missing $20 billion that was stolen. We expect that our presi-dent would have sacked all those involved in the saga. He only threatened to sack the former CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi,

who was only doing his le-gitimate duty at that time. Nigerians must have a re-think,” Amaechi said.

On the Rivers governor-ship race and the upcom-ing 2015 general elections, Amaechi said the plan by the PDP to usher in another Ikwerre governor in 2015 was unreasonable, not fea-sible and will fail.

He explained that, “I am an Ikwerre man who has ruled for eight years and I am surprised to hear that the PDP is jostling to bring another Ikwerre governor in 2015. The PDP man who PDP want to bring as their gubernatorial candidate is an Ogboni man and not a Christian. That man only believes that votes can be bought with money.

As part of his visit, Amaechi sensitised the stu-dents and members of the university community on the need to register as eligi-ble voters in the upcoming 2015 general elections.

L-R: Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson; his Deputy, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah rtd; Amayanabo of Twon Brass, His Majesty, King Alfred Diete-Spiff; Chief Chika Okpala, and Nollywood star, Mr. Pete Edochie, during the unveiling of Ijaw language books in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Arubayi

Rivers stops discriminatory fees in varsitiesDENNIS NAKUPORT HARCOURT

Rivers State Gover-nor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’

Forum, Rotimi Amaechi has reversed the school fees payment structure at the state-owned Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST.

Also, the governor ap-proved a N37,000.00 flat rate as the new school fees for all students of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Educa-tion in Rivers State whether they are indigenes of Rivers State or not.

He said; “For me, there are no indigenes and non-indigenes in this school. Ev-erybody here is an indigene. Federal Government should stop the issue of indigenes and non-indigenes. We are all Nigerians,” Amaechi said.

The governor directed that from now on students of the university would pay the same amount for tuition whether they are indigenes of Rivers State or not.

Amaechi announced the payment reversal during an interactive session with stu-dents of the university; and sensitise them on voters’ registration and collection of permanent voter’s cards which is scheduled to com-mence this Friday.

Responding to the stu-dents’ questions and con-cerns which included the discrimination in school fees among indigenes and non-indigenes, Amaechi directed the school manage-ment to ensure that all stu-dents of the university pay the same amount of fees.

“Anybody in Rivers State University of Science and Technology is an indigene. All of us are Nigerians”, he said, and directed the Secretary to the State Gov-

DELSU spends N20m monthly on fuel —Outgoing VC

ernment, SSG, Mr. George Feyii to prepare a letter to the state university to that effect.

“The reason why I made that statement and I am go-ing to back it up with a letter is that we are all Nigerians. From today no more dis-crimination in school fees,” Amaechi stated.

He enjoined the school authority to allow students to register for their cours-es and pay later for those whose fees are not readily available at the time of reg-istration, in order not to de-prive them of studying with their classmates.

He said, “My personal view is, because of the cur-rent economic situation, any student who has money to pay (for school fees), let him pay. The ones that don’t have money yet, let them register, and during exams, you col-lect your money. The reason is that 60 to 70 per cent of you (the students) are from very poor backgrounds.

“My father was a retiree when I got into the univer-sity. I didn’t have money, but school fees were very cheap”.

He also called on the school management to grant freedom to the Academic Staff Union of Universi-ties, ASUU, to exercise their democratic rights in the uni-versity.

Amaechi also used the opportunity to appeal to the students to be part of INEC’s forthcoming Permanent Voters Card, PVC, collection and fresh voters registra-tion exercise to enable them exercise their civic right in next year’s elections.

Earlier, Vice Chancellor of RSUST, Professor B. B. Fakae welcomed the gov-ernor on his sensitisation visit to the university which he described as one of the country’s foremost in ICT.

THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHENWARRI

The outgoing Vice Chancellor of the Delta State Univer-

sity, Abraka, Professor Eric Arubaye, yesterday, disclosed that the insti-tution spends over N20 million monthly on fuel to power the institution’s campuses following the epileptic power supply to

the university community.Arubaye lamented that

funds which originally, should been spent on other developmental projects in the institution, are being budgeted for the purchase of fuel so as not to keep stu-dents and the campuses in perpetual darkness.

The Vice Chancellor dis-closed this during a vale-dictory press briefing held in Abraka yesterday, not-ing that 93 per cent of the

courses offered by the insti-tution received full accredi-tation from the 68 per cent when he was appointed.

Arubaye who described

the power supply to the uni-versity community as wor-risome, said his five-year tenure in the institution witnessed tremendous and several physical develop-ment projects, one of which is the completion of the Faculty of Education com-plex.

The vice chancellor, whose five-year tenure ends Sunday November 30th, added that the school was able to save more than N30

million through the use of state owned direct labour agency.

He maintained that his administration would not be leaving any debt behind, as all projects, completed or under construction, initi-ated by his tenure, had been fully paid for, adding that he would be leaving the ac-counts of the institution well-funded.

Arubaye said; “We have tried to manage with the

little we are able to generate and based on the magna-nimity of the state govern-ment, we are allowed to use our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to assist in doing many of the things that we hitherto incapable of doing. For instance, with the three campuses put together, we spend a mini-mum of N20 million every month on diesel; the univer-sity is almost perpetually hooked on generators.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Thursday, November 27, 2014 11South South

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014North12

LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

Operator of the Yola Electricity Distri-bution Company,

YEDC, the company re-sponsible for the distribu-tion of electricity to Ad-amawa, Taraba, Yobe and Borno state has lamented the effect of insurgency on its operations in the zone.

This was made known by the company’s Senior Corporate Communica-tion manager, Kingsley Nkemneme, while ad-dressing journalists at the head office of the company in Yola, Adama-

wa State.He said the insurgency

has severely blighted its operations with the three states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno out of the four states covered by its operations.

Nkemneme said YEDC has been faced by the depletion of over 200,000 of its cus-tomer base displaced by the activities of in-surgents, adding that the monthly loss in revenues as a result of this, amounted to N150 million.

He said as a result of the activities of insur-gent, the Yola Electricity

YEDC loses N150m monthly to insurgency

Thugs attack Kwara gov’s convoy

Kwankwaso predicts trouble-free 2015 pollsBorno State Governor Kashim Shettima sympathising with a victim of bomb blast in Maiduguri on Tuesday. PHOTO:NAN

Court reserves judgment in PDP’s chairmanship tussle

WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

The convoy of the Kwara State Gover-nor, Alhaji Abdulfa-

tah Ahmed, was reportedly attacked on Tuesday in Kai-ma, Kaima Local Govern-ment Area of the state.

The governor had gone to the council area which is on the boarders of Nigeria and Benin Republic and Borgu regions of Niger State to take a chieftaincy title of ‘Jarman Kaima’ and flag off a N7.9bn reconstruction work on Kaiama-Kishi road

as well as commission the remodeled general hospital in the community.

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Con-gress, APC, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari in his reaction ac-cused the Peoples Demo-cratic Party, PDP, of being the brains behind the attack.

According to him, “The alleged attack on the gover-nor’s convoy is a height of political provocation.

“Apparently bitter and terrified by the rousing” re-ception accorded Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his entourage by APC members

and the good people of Kaia-ma, a member of PDP State Executive Committee, SEC, led his armed thugs to mount ambush on the road around a PDP secretariat which is not far away from the Emir’s palace immediately after the turbaning.

“The armed thugs launched unprovoked at-tacks on the convoy of Gov-ernor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Many vehicles were de-stroyed in the convoy, while our party members sus-tained injuries.

National Mirror gathered that an immediate interven-

tion of the governor’s secu-rity details prevented the situation from becoming a free-for-all fight.

The policemen were said to have fired teargas canis-ters sporadically into the air to disperse the youth.

When contacted yester-day, the state police com-mand’s spokesperson, Ajayi Okasanmi , DSP confirmed the incident.

Okasanmi said that he was yet to be adequately briefed about the incident. He said; “I am sure some people would have been ar-rested.”

ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

Kano State Governor and presidential aspirant on the plat-

form of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has expressed his optimism that the 2015 general elec-tions would not be envelop in hitches, adding that, the exercise would be devoid of severe hitch.

Kwankwaso in a chat with reporters in Kano yes-terday, said; “I don’t think there is going to be prob-lem in 2015. The elections will be hitch-free, because nobody will dictate illegal things to the security. I am confident that things will work-out fine “.

He condemned the inva-sion of the National Assem-bly by officers and men of the Nigeria police, stress-ing that, the act was in con-

trast to the true spirit of a democratic order, adding that, the singular act will not do any good to Nigeria’s democracy. In his words; “I think this level of impuni-ty must be checked in this country, because this entire thing will not help anybody and Nigerians will do the right thing and APC is go-ing to win election”.

When asked to throw more light on his presiden-tial ambition, Kwankwaso,

said that his presidential train was on course, noting that he is happy with the turnout of events, in the af-termath of his declaration to join the presidential race.

‘People are anxious to kick-out the mess in our country, so I am very happy with the support we are getting from the people. I am not surprise because I have been in the system for a long time”. Kwankwaso said.

Distribution Company had to close down six out of the fifteen business units covered by its op-erations.

“There are 15 busi-ness units, Mubi, Gombi, Bama, Michika and oth-ers, are out as a result of the insurgency, there are over 200,000 customers in

these areas and over 50 percent of our revenues has been lost as a result of the insecurity that has ravaged three out of the four states under our area of operations,” he said.

Nkemneme who said the company has been grappling with the chal-

lenges posed by its work-ing environment, how-ever, stressed that it was responding to the de-mands with profession-alism and placing the power consumers as its most important priority.

He disclosed that the company in line with its vision plans to carry out

an enlightenment cam-paign that will tackle the challenge of optimal energy utilisation, fol-lowing its discovery that most of the complaints by customers relating to tariff issues were the direct outcome of their ignorance about energy conservation measures.

ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yes-terday, said it would

communicate a definite date to give judgment in a suit filed by an aspirant to the House of Representa-tives from Adamawa State, �Aliyu Abuba Gurin seek-ing to sack the incumbent National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu on the account that his emergence was irregular.

The high court which is to decide the fate of the forthcoming National Con-vention of the party, is also expected to pronounce on a separate request by the immediate past National Chairman of the ruling PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tu-kur, seeking for its order voiding his resignation and returning him back to his seat.

The trial judge, Justice Evoh Chukwu adjourned for judgment yesterday, af-ter taking arguments from both parties in the case.

But the judge will first determine the merit of the preliminary objection filed to the suit by the ruling PDP.

Mr Solomon Umoh (SAN) representing PDP, had invited the court to hold that the plaintiff in the case had no locus to maintain the action.

He had also described as laughable, the request by Tukur that he should be reinstated forthwith to pre-side over the forthcoming

National Convention of the party and stir the ship of the party till 2016.

The defendants in the suit, are the PDP, Bamanga Tukur, Mu’azu and the In-dependent National Elec-toral Commission, INEC.

During argument in the case yesterday, counsel to the plaintiff, Rotimi Ogune-so argued that the purport-ed resignation of the im-mediate past chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, did not comply with the provision of Section 47(5) of the constitution of the party.

The provision stipulates that a serving National Chairman of the PDP must give minimum of 30 days notice to the National Ex-ecutive Committee, NEC, in the event he resignation from office.

Oguneso said Bamanga Tukur was forced to resign from office without com-plying with the provision which he said is compul-sory.

He further argued that the appointment of Mu’azu as the new chairman did not follow the laid down provisions of the party’s constitution.

The plaintiff contended that what gave him locus to institute the suit is his membership of the party.

He then prayed the court to set aside the appoint-ment of Mu’azu.

The second plaintiff in the matter, Tukur through his counsel, Rotimi Ogune-so filed a counter claim sup-porting all the claims of the �plaintiff.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 13Thursday, November 27, 2014

Politics

As emergency rule elapses, what options for Jonathan?

Northern lawmakers may be jubilating for scuttling the extension of the emergency rule in the North-East zone of the country, oblivious of the greater dangers that lie ahead in the region. GEORGE OJI and WOLE OLADIMEJI examines the option open to President Goodluck Jonathan to deal with the situation.

When the activities of members of the Boko Haram sect became very ferocious and daring in

2013, President Goodluck Jonathan, af-ter much hesitation and foot-dragging, finally made a nationwide broadcast, dur-ing which he announced for the first time, the imposition of a state of emergency in three northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, where the activities of the sect were felt most.

Many Nigerians viewed the action of the President as most welcome, even though it was considered very late in com-ing. The emergency rule was proclaimed on May 9, 2013. It was not until May 21, that the emergency rule act was promulgated by the National Assembly.

Jonathan had also in the national broad-cast directed the Defence Headquarters to swiftly move into the affected states to en-sure the restoration of order and the safe-guard of lives and property. The President said his action was informed by the dete-riorating security situation in those states, which were under the threat of the dread-ed Boko Haram sect.

The President’s action was predicated on section 305(c) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as was amended, which states that, “the President shall have power to issue a proclamation of a state of emergency only when there is ac-tual breakdown of public order and public safety in the federation or any part thereof to such extent as to require extraordinary measures to restore peace and security.”

As also required by section 305(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution allows the National Assembly (in session) only 48 hours to con-clude the process once the proclamation has been made, gazetted and sent to the National Assembly by the President. When the National Assembly is not in session, the law allows only 10 days within which the parliament is expected to reconvene and approve or disapprove the proclama-tion as the case may be.

When the emergency rule request came to the National Assembly, it expectedly did not encounter much difficulty as it was promptly passed by the lawmakers into an Act.

But in November 2013, when the emer-gency rule act was due for renewal after six months as required by section 305(b), the renewal encountered minimal opposition from the lawmakers, even though there were doubts about the workability of the rule.

However, last May, when the emergency rule was again due for renewal, it encoun-tered serious opposition, particularly from lawmakers from the affected states. Particularly in the Senate, the lawmakers opposed the extension because according to them, the emergency rule had failed to achieve its original intention, which was to flush out the insurgents from the region and the restoration of law and order in the place.

Jonathan TambuwalMark

THE LAWMAKER REGRETTED THAT WHILE THE EMERGENCY RULE SUBSISTED, IT HAS NEVER DETERRED THE INSURGENTS FROM

CONTINUING TO WRECK HAVOC ON THE POPULACE; KILLING, MAIMING, KIDNAPPING,

ANNEXING AND RENAMING TERRITORIES

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

It took high wire lobbying and pacifica-tion by the leadership of the National As-sembly to persuade the angry lawmakers, as well as some serious conditions for the deal to be approved. Some of the condi-tions were that the Service Chiefs would appear before the National Assembly to brief the lawmakers on the progress of the rule. It was also agreed that the President would send supplementary budget to the National Assembly as special relief funds for the affected states, amongst others.

Unfortunately, the agreement was ob-served more in the breach instead, a situ-ation that the lawmakers barely tolerated, waiting for the next time the extension of the rule would be due.

It was therefore not surprising that this time around, when the emergency rule fell due for renewal, senators from the affect-ed states, including a few other Northern senators stood their grounds to veto the emergency rule.

Position of the SenateThe stand of the Senate, particularly

Northern senators, has been strong oppo-sition to the emergency rule. For instance, right from the first day the matter came up for debate last Tuesday, Northern senators came all out to oppose the request. When it became apparent that the senators were not going to make any headway with the matter, the lawmakers resorted to debate the issue at close-door meeting.

After about two hours and when the law-makers could not come to an agreement on the matter, they stormed out of the meet-ing, assuring that debate on the emergen-cy rule extension would continue the next day. Meanwhile, it was not possible for members of the House of Representatives to begin debate on the matter as they were still on their one month break.

However, once the senators were through with their inconclusive meeting on the first day of debate on the emergency rule, Senator Ahmed Lawan, Yobe North, who is one of the arrow heads of the oppo-sition to the rule while fielding reporters on the outcome of the close-door meeting, insisted that he had the mandate of his constituents to oppose the extension rule, insisting that the emergency has failed to contain the insurgents while it lasted and wondered why the National Assembly will continue to grant the extension of the rule.

The lawmaker regretted that while the emergency rule subsisted, it has never deterred the insurgents from continuing to wreck havoc on the populace; killing, maiming, kidnapping, annexing and re-naming territories.

Lawan said: “We are still discussing the request of Mr. President for extension of the state of emergency. Many of us are op-posed to it; I am particularly vehemently opposed to it. I believe that we should ex-plore other avenues but some other people feel differently. The discussion continues tomorrow.”

Senator Ali Ndume, Borno South, also toed the same line as Lawan, insisting that he hinged his opposition to the extension of the emergency rule on the demands of his constituents, adding: “My people are opposed to the extension of the emergency rule because the emergency rule has done

14 Politics National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014

As emergency rule elapses, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

WE HAVE NOT EXTENDED THE

EMERGENCY RULE. RATHER, WE

HAVE ASKED THE PRESIDENT TO

RELY ON SECTION 8 OF THE ARMED

FORCES ACT

Ngilari Shettima

What’s the position of the House on the state of emergency?

I think the atmosphere was quite charged last Thursday. Members clearly, like you saw, were very upset, and were not ready to dis-cuss the matter extensively, and the Speaker tried to appeal to them to say, come; these are national issues, but due to the fact that most of them were very upset, they didn’t want to listen to any persuasion. It would have been very difficult for us to pass that motion as it was. But my concern in this scenario is very simple. That is why I came in under the provision of section 14 sub sec 2 of the Constitution. Like we all know, our brothers and sisters in Yobe, Adamawa and Borno are constantly under attack, and it becomes important that as law abiding citizens, we must come out to protect them, because the essence of governance is to protect the lives of the citizenry.

That is the primary responsibility of every government. But realising that our colleagues were not prepared to pass the motion, we now have to raise the issue of section 33 that guarantees the rights to life to our citizens that are in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The beauty of it here is that the President, being a democrat to the letter, came under the provision of section 305. He actually be-lieved that he should carry the National As-sembly along. If you look at the provision of section 217 sub section 2(c) of the Constitu-tion, the President has some very exclusive powers to use, the Nigerian Armed Forces to take care of any insurrection and making sure that there is peace and orderliness in our country. But he didn’t bother and said, ‘no, let me carry everybody along with our democratic principles and ethos’.

But now that this issue has not been ad-dressed, it behoves on the President to in-voke that particular section which gives him the powers to deploy the Nigerian Armed Forces to quell any issue of insurrection subject to an Act of the National Assembly. But unfortunately, for us as a party, there is no Act of the National Assembly that clearly spelt out the manner in which the President can deploy the armed forces to address the issue of insurrection, so for me, if you pick my own interpretation, the President can go ahead and keep our forces in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to address the issue of insur-rection.

Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act, which gives the President the powers of the opera-tional use of the armed forces is very clear. A product of section 218 of the Constitu-tion is also very clear. So with that, state of emergency or not, the battle continues. So the President still has this exclusivity. And when you look at this state of emergency, there is nothing that differentiates it from the ones we’ve had where all the democratic institutions are still in place. I would prob-ably want to do some wrong interpretation, to say that there should be a total state of emergency in line with my interpretation of section 217 sub section 2 (c) of the Con-stitution.

As a PDP member, should a move be made to impeach the Speaker, would you support it?

This issue of impeachment, I’ve always looked at it from a constitutional point of view. To impeach a speaker, you will need 2/3 majority of the house. But beyond that is the issue of moral burden. And I’ve told you categorically that the issue will be dis-cussed internally. We will use the mecha-nism of the House to discuss it. Clearly as

President can deploy military to insurgency Hon Leo Ogor, from Delta State, is the Deputy Leader of the House of Representatives. In this interview with WOLE OLADIMEJI, he speaks on the position of the House on the request of the President for the extension of emergency rule and the resolution of the House on Boko Haram activities. Excerpts:

more harm than good to them,” stressing that, “while the rule lasts, the insurgents have continue to kill my people and con-tinued to take more towns while we have recorded more refuges.”

Senators Kabiru Gaya, Kano Central, and Kabiru Marafa, Zamfara Central, among others aligned themselves to the position that the emergency rule extension should not be granted.

It was only the likes of Senators Ehigie Uzamere, Edo South, and Boluwaji Kun-lere, Ondo South, who expressed open sup-port for the renewal of the emergency rule as they spoke to the media.

On the second day of their deliberation of the extension of the emergency rule request, Senate President David Mark, announced that the debate would be con-cluded the next day after the senators must have heard from the Service Chiefs on the real situation on the ground as well as heard from the governors of the affected states.

However, on the proposed third day of deliberation on the issue, commotion erupted at the National Assembly, fol-lowing the intrusion of the police, which disrupted sittings at both the House of Representatives and Senate, leading to the shutting down of the National Assembly by the Senate President Mark.

Position of the House Even if there were no blockage by the se-

curity operatives which culminated in the show of shame witnessed last Thursday, the leadership of the House had already concluded not to extend the emergency rule. This was confirmed by the chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Zakari Mohammed, who said that there was no way the House would have extended the emergency because it has not achieved the desired result.

Mohammed stated that since this method does not work, it would be better to adopt another system, maintaining that it was the belief of the leadership of the House that since the Federal Government imposed emergency rule in the North-East, much has not being recorded rather killings, bombing and kidnapping were on the increase. The activities of the Boko Ha-ram sect has ravaged the areas rendering several million people homeless.

He explained that an extension of the emergency rule was needless since Presi-dent Jonathan has been empowered by law to keep the peace in the country.

He said: “We have not extended the emergency rule. Rather, we have asked the President to rely on section 8 of the Armed Forces Act, which empowers the President to deploy the military to troubled spots in the country. We rely on that, bearing in mind that if we had approved this today, it would have been the fourth since the re-quest for emergency rule started in May 2013.

“Therefore we have done three exten-sion and if we had extended today, that would have been fourth in the series. Any-thing you are doing you should be able to take stock of what you are seeing, whether or not that action you are taking is yield-ing results. Mr. President should rely on

that, because if you take a course that is not yielding results, it simply means that Mr President should take another course. The Armed Forces Act empowers him to deploy members of the armed forces to any troubled point in this country.”

Mohammed argued that Sections 218, 217 (2) (c),14 (4) (2) of the 1999 Constitu-tion, as amended, further lends credence to the fact that the President can exercise his powers to keep the peace in the coun-try, saying members of the armed forces, states governments, in conjunction with their respective local vigilante should re-dedicate themselves towards ensuring the defeat of the Boko Haram insurgents.

Expressing dismay over the attempt by a contingent of armed policemen to stop Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from gaining access to the chamber of the House, he reiterated the resolve of members of the House to uphold and defend the constitu-tion even in the face of intimidation and threat to their lives.

Mohammed, who urged the police au-thorities to direct their energies towards flushing out members of the Boko Haram insurgents from Sambisa Forest also dis-missed widely held views that there were plans to impeach Tambuwal who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Par-ty, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Meanwhile, Deputy House Leader, Leo Ogor, has expressed concern over the ugly incident in the House, saying that the reso-lution did not in any way hamper Presi-dent Jonathan from exercising his powers to keep the peace in the country.

He said but for the temperament of his colleagues over the ugly incident, the re-quest for the extension of emergency rule would have been considered in favour of President Jonathan. As it stands, there is nowhere in the National Assembly Act that spells out how the President can de-ploy soldiers. The President can go ahead to address the insurrection in the country. State of emergency or no state of emergen-cy, the battle continues.

Hon Jubril Buba from Kogi, who con-

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 15PoliticsThursday, November 27, 2014

what options for Jonathan? AFTER THE REJECTION OF THE

REQUEST, THE HOUSE DIRECTED THE PRESIDENT

TO EXPLORE CONSTITUTIONAL

MEANS IN RESOLVING THE BOKO HARAM

ISSUE

IT BEHOVES ON THE PRESIDENT TO INVOKE THAT

PARTICULAR SECTION WHICH GIVES HIM THE

POWERS TO DEPLOY THE NIGERIAN

ARMED FORCES

Dankwabo

Ogor

areas –Dep. House Leaderyou know, PDP voted for the Speaker. He was a PDP man when he became the Speaker. It is already a known norm that the Speaker is always produced by the party with the ma-jority in the House at any given time. For me as a person, the issue of the speakership and whatever that has transpired; I can assure Nigerians will be discussed in the House, and we will use our internal mechanism to address it. We have to handle our issue and definitely, we will address it to the satisfac-tion of every Nigerian.

What is your reaction to what happened last Thursday?

What actually happened in the House that day was quite unexpected. It was not an incident that anybody was looking forward to. Sincerely, I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the people of Nigeria, it is a very bad experience. But it is unfortunate that the altercation that happened was total-ly uncalled for. And on behalf of the House of Representatives, my sincere apologies go to Senate President David Mark. I do hope and pray that this will be the last of this experience, because I believe that as par-liamentarians, we should be able to address our issues internally. And I believe that this issue will be put to rest as soon as possible. I want to appeal to everybody to give us the opportunity, because I’m convinced beyond reasonable doubt that our capacity to ad-dress this issue is not limited.

demned the action of the security, stated that the entire thing was horrible, as all the major entrance to the complex were barricaded.

He said: “The way the security behaved is a slap on democracy. The executive have no business in supervising the activities of the National Assembly. We are not in sup-port of the extension. It is not in the think-ing of members to pass that extension with what has happened this morning.”

Hon ibrahim Kaamuna Khadi from Bor-no State, while reacting to the blockade, condemned the security operation, saying that “it was wrong for the police to have done what it did. As a lawmaker from that area, I would support the emergency rule extension, because if it is not extended, only God knows what may happen in that area between now and December 3, when the House would resume sitting, therefore I am in support of the extension in the in-terest of the people of the area.”

Hon Nassir Ali Ahmed, one of the law-makers that scaled the fence, said that the incident is condemnable and should not be encouraged. He explained that the law-makers were subjected to ridicule by not allowing them to enter the chamber and perform its lawful duties.

Unlike the Senate that is still consider-ing the request, trying to explore all the avenue necessary before arriving at a deci-sion, the House hurriedly came from break at a special session rejected the request. It

is evidenced that the lawmakers were do-ing the bidding of their party at the detri-ment of the people in the affected areas and the nation generally. The minority muzzled the voice of the majority in reject-ing the request. The PDP in the majority was reduced to nothing because of the des-peration and the blackmailing tendency of the APC members who are ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

Having resolved to reject the request, the Speaker adjourned sitting to the ear-lier date, December 3, which may not be realistic because of the APC primaries, foreclosing any possibility of revisiting the request.

Resolutions of the HouseThe House in a resolution last week

Thursday, rejected the extension of the state of emergency. After the rejection of the request, the House directed the Presi-dent to explore constitutional means in resolving the Boko Haram issue. The de-cision of the House did not go down well with some of the lawmakers from the af-fected areas, but they could not protest, be-cause they are from the APC. Some of the lawmakers believed that their colleagues took the decision to spite the President without considering the plight of the peo-ple affected directly, living in fear everyday of their lives.

Position of the governors from affected

statesThe three governors of Borno, Yobe

and Adamawa states were not favourably disposed to the introduction of emergency rule in the first instance. The problem of the governors is that Nigerians have so politicised the issue of Boko Haram to the extent that they are not ready to cooper-ate with the Federal Government in find-ing lasting solution to the problem. When it became apparent that the Federal Gov-ernment was bent on implementing the emergency rule, the governors went about lobbying members of the National Assem-bly not to allow the Federal Government dismantle the political structures in the states.

Some of them were particular about the security votes being deducted at source by the Federal Government without minding the rate of killing and the untold hardship being meted on the civilians everyday and the destruction of properties.

APC National Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mo-hammed, was quoted to have said that the party has warned the Federal Government against sacking the APC governors and other elected political officials in Adama-wa, Borno and Yobe states, saying that it would not be in the interest of Nigeria to sack those elected officials.

He also warned those he described as at-tempting to stampede President Jonathan into such action, to have a rethink.

He said: “The President cannot declare the emergency without securing two third majority of members of the National As-sembly. There are certain issues to be con-sidered by the National Assembly before they would grant the extension. What is more worrisome is the call by some people to the effect that democratic structures in those states should be dismantled and the governors should be sacked.

“When and how does a governor become an impediment to fighting insurgency? On the contrary, he cannot fight insurgency when the political structure is not in place. So, I hope those who are trying to stampede the President into sacking those governors will have a rethink because if they do, the consequences will not be in the interest of either the people you want to protect or the country.”

Why is the North opposed to emergency rule?

Ordinarily, one cannot but wonder why many Northerners, particularly those from the North-East, where the activities of Boko Haram are fiercest, would be op-posed to the emergency rule. Allowing the military pull out of the region will natural-ly give the insurgents field day to operate freely. The opportunity would enable the insurgents over-run the entire region and beyond.

National Assembly watchers believe that the truth of the matter is that the North is opposed to emergency rule be-cause once emergency rule ceases to be in operation in the region, the Federal Gov-ernment will cease to have constitutional access to part of the funds accruing to the region from the Federal Allocation Com-mittee to fund military operations in those states under emergency rule.

Whilst the emergency rule is operation-al, the Federal Government annexes 60 per cent of federal allocations meant for run-ning of military operations in the region, leaving only 40 per cent for the governors to run their state. Thus, with emergency rule out of the way in the region, the gov-ernors will then be entitled to their entire federation allocation.

Those who argue in support of the stopage of emergency rule in the North-East will cite Section 218 of the 1999 Con-stitution, which gives the President pow-ers to deploy Service Chiefs and the entire armed forces of the country according to his discretion. These proponents will re-call that it is under this constitutional pro-vision that the President deployed military personnel to places like Taraba, Benue, Plateau, among others.

The said section 218(1) of the constitu-tion states that “the powers of the Presi-dent as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation shall in-clude power to determine the operational use of the armed forces of the Federation.”

When asked why he was opposed to the extension of emergency rule in the North-East, Senator Ndume told National Mir-ror that ”Section 218 of the constitution has given the President powers to deploy troops to any troubled parts of the country without necessarily doing so under emer-gency rule.”

Politics National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 201416

PDP chieftain seeks Jonathan’s intervention

AHEAD 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS

Lagos PDP Ward Congress successful –Waziri

PDP clears Utuama for guber race

Boko Haram: Nigeria can’t afford another civil war –Chukwumerije

S’West youth groups support Jonathan’s re-election

AYO ESAN

The Chairman Peo-ples Democratic Par-ty, PDP Four-man

ward congress panel for Lagos State, Alhaji Adamu

Delta State deputy governor, Prof Amos Utuama, has been

cleared by the Peoples Dem-ocratic Party, PDP, Screen-ing Committee to contest the gubernatorial primaries slated for December 8.

Prof Utuama was among aspirants screened by the party at its South-South zonal secretariat in Port Harcourt.

Reacting to the clean bill of health given to him by PDP, Utuama told news-men in Asaba yesterday that he was delighted at the development, saying it was a pointer to brighter

AYO ESAN

Coalition of South West Youth Groups, CSWYG, comprising

of 26 organisations across the region has endorsed the re-election bid of Dr Good-luck Jonathan come 2015.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, CSWYG coordinator, Com-rade Babalola Medayedu-pin, said the coalition has deemed it fit to embrace continuity, sustainability, development informed by genuineness of purpose and transformation with human face.

He said the groups joined other well meaning Nigerians both at home and abroad to support the re-election of President Jonathan for second term, adding that the decision to support him was borne out of the programmes and policies for greater tomor-row embarked upon by his administration.

CSWYG, also called on youths, market men and women, artisans, students, labour unions and other as-

Waziri has said that Mon-day’s PDP ward congress in Lagos was a success, saying the panel recorded 95 per cent success.

Speaking at a post con-gress press briefing in Lagos, Waziri, a former Minister of

future for Delta State. Emphasising that he did

not join the gubernatorial race for any personal agen-da but rather to provide the needed quality and exem-plary leadership that will benefit all Deltans irrespec-tive of where they come from, he said: “I joined this race not for any personal gain but with one purpose in mind and that is to pro-vide quality and exemplary leadership driven by expe-rience, credibility, capabil-ity, dependability, and po-litically sagacity to harness our state’s great potential for the good of all.”

OBIORA IFOHABUJA

The senator represent-ing Abia North sena-torial zone, Senator

Uche Chukwumerije, has condemned the renewed at-tack by the Boko Haram in-surgents in the North-East, warning that Nigeria cannot afford another civil war with-in the short space of time.

sociations to “support this just course.”

Medayedupin said CSWYG’s support for Jonathan’s re-election will also be launched in other states in South West, list-ing Jonathan’s achieve-ments that endeared him to the youths to include: YouWin initiative; Sure–P graduate internship scheme which has placed over 4,000 youths in dif-ferent trainings; FERMA Sure-P programme with an estimated 6,000 youths employed; establishment of six new federal univer-sities across six geo–politi-cal zones; rehabilitation of Benin-Ore- Sagamu road; reconstruction of Lagos-Ibadan expressway and the dualisation of Lagos-Badagry–Seme border car-riage way, adding that with this, “we deemed it fit to support transformation, development and stability associated with Jonathan administration.”

CSWYG, also called on all well-meaning Nigerians to join the South West Jon-athan Volunteers, SWJV, its mobilisation organ.

Police Affairs, said 735 dele-gates emerged from the exer-cise that took place across the state on Monday and which lasted till early Tuesday.

Commending party members across various wards in the state for their peaceful conduct during the congress, Waziri said that in some wards, delegates emerged through consensus while there were elections in many others, adding how-ever that the congress was conducted according to the party’s guidelines.

He said the 735 delegates and other statutory del-egates are the ones that would participate in on-coming PDP primaries to pick the candidate for the election, adding that they

will also be delegates to the national convention coming up in Abuja next month.

Other members of the panel at the press briefing include: Mr Obafemi Fag-bola, secretary, Messrs Cos-mas Ogugua Agagbo and Vincent Okpaleke

Lagos State PDP chair-man, Captain Tunji Shelle, rtd, said the committee did a good job and corrected the mistakes of the past exercise in the state, add-ing that the success of the congress will bring victory to PDP in Lagos State.

Shelle said that the suc-cess of the congress has also shown the display of inbuilt capability to resolve differences and take a cor-rective measure in PDP.

ENOBONG MICHAELUYO

Ahead of the guber-natorial primaries of the Peoples Dem-

ocratic Party, PDP, hold-ing next month across the country, stakeholders have continued to express fears over the prevailing political tension in Akwa Ibom State.

Their fears, it was learnt, stemmed from Governor Godswill Akpabio’s tight grip on party machinery in his desperate bid to install Mr. Udom Emmanuel, as his successor in 2015.

National Mirror learnt that the dictatorial tenden-cies of the governor has led to the defection of former Secretary to the State Gov-ernment, SSG, Mr. Umana Okon Umana, who is expect-ed to formally declare for the opposition All Progressives

Congress, APC, along with some local council chair-men, councillors and other political friends, tomorrow at the famous Asan Ibibio.

Worried by this develop-ment which has created a big crack in the party ahead of the polls next year, stakehold-ers have warned that this anomaly would work against the party if not checked.

A chieftain of the party, Obong Christopher Ekpey-ong, has petitioned Preside-trn Goodluck Jonathan, calling him to intervene before the development de-stroys the party in the state.

In his protest letter made available to journalists in Uyo, the state capital, Ekpen-yong, former deputy gover-nor and founding member of the PDP, attributed the politically charged atmo-

sphere in the state to greed and fear of the unknown by the current political leaders.

Applauding the zon-ing of the gubernatorial ticket to Eket in the next dispensation, Ekpenyong, complained of government manipulations of the pro-cess, frowning at what he described as imposition of candidate on the people by Governor Akpabio.

Urging the President to do the needful in order to douse the prevailing political tension ahead of the polls in Akwa Ibom, Ekpenyong noted that the manipulative conduct of the controversial PDP ward congresses was a pointer to the deliberate scheming of the state government to again conduct disputed pri-maries that would lead to

extensive litigations and pe-titions after the exercise.

Linking the present state of underdevelopment in the country to the impunity of elected officials to lord it on the people, Ekpenyong and other stakeholders can-vassed for a level playing field for all contenders, not-ing that if these anomalies were not addressed before the polls, the party’s chances could be affected.

He said: “Most of us have toiled to get the party to where it is today. We are not saying our views should be the law; we are rather saying our views should be heard, our cries lis-tened to and our worries ad-dressed. We see the complete devaluation of our party the moment our right to freely choose those who should gov-ern us is taken away.”

All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant, General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd), speaking during his visit to Bayelsa APC office in Yenogoa, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

•As imposition tears party apart

Calling for moderation among the political class as they strive for power in the coming general election, Chukwumerije said that hurling of abuses on the na-tion’s leaders, all in the at-tempt at getting power at all cost is capable of derailing the political process.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Education, told news men in Abuja that

the unfortunate attack last Tuesday in Borno State, was one too many and a sign that evil men are working tire-lessly to truncate the 2015 general election.

He said: “In Maiduguri earlier this week, two young girls in their prime, against their wishes were forced to detonate bombs that claimed lives of many Nigerians. Sim-ilar attacks have also been

witnessed in the recent past.“But more than ever, Ni-

gerians across the regions are determined to take their destiny into their hands. No amount of intimidation by these agents of darkness can disunite Nigeria again. We fought a thirty-month civil war and the imprints are still there, and Nigerians are determined never again to witness a civil war experience again.”

Helping the cause of the Nigerian child

It is great to conceive the Nigerian child as a bright and promising being brought up in a good home,

equipped with good education and training that would serve as the stead-fast foundation for his development into a responsible and emotionally well-adjusted individual that would contrib-ute his quota to the progress and devel-opment of his fatherland. However, the percentage of Nigerian children that falls into this category is painfully dis-proportional. Rather, the typical picture of a Nigerian child that often comes to mind is that of malnourished and un-derprivileged child engaged in street trading or importunate beggary, having been born, among many others, by par-ents who have no means of providing him a better life.

The said Nigerian child, if born in the South, may soon graduate into an ‘area boy’, or a kidnapper; or if in the North, into an almajiri. In either case, he is sucked into a whirlwind of ineluc-table fate that leaves him with no option than to constitute a menace the society, which he has grown up to despise.

Although it is true that Nigerian chil-dren have been statutorily protected with a regime of rights aimed at en-suring they blossom into responsible adults, the fact that these laws have been poorly enforced means the expected gains from the statutes have been mini-mal. These rights are contained in such laws as Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitu-tion; Criminal Code Laws in the South and Penal Code in the North; Adoption of Children Laws in some Southern

states and Abuja; and Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act 2003, etc. The most elaborate statutory instrument on the child rights and responsibilities in Nigeria, however, came in 2003 with the enactment of the Child Rights Act by the National Assembly to domesti-cate the United Nations Conventions of the right of the child. Most of the states in Nigeria have reenacted Child Rights Act, 2003, as Child Rights Law of their respective states in consonance with our federalism principles.

The Child Rights Act consolidated the provisions of the other laws in rela-tion to the child and remains the single most important document in this area, apart from the constitution. Some of rights recognised under the Act (which contains 287 sections and 11 schedules) include the right to free and compulsory education up to junior secondary school level; right to freedom from any form of discrimination merely by reasons of the belonging to a particular communi-ty or ethnic group or his place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion; right to freedom from all forms of abuse; protection from being given out in mar-riage, protection from being given tat-

too, facial or skin marks.The Act also prohibits using children

for street trading or trafficking of goods or hard and dangerous drugs. There are penal consequences for anyone (in-cluding the child’s parents) violating the rights of the child. The provisions of this Act is comprehensive enough to safeguard the interest of the Nigerian child, but half-hearted execution of the law coupled with entrenched biases and unwholesome cultural practices, like child marriage and tolerance to diverse forms of child abuse have been our bane.

Particularly, our society thrives on a lot of harmful cultural practices in-imical to the girl-child and women, like genital female mutilation, affirmative male-child preference and denial of ed-ucation to female children. Children are still being used for street trading and what is more, beggary, by parents who brought them to the world without the means to sustain them. In a rather em-barrassing report recently released by the United Nations Educational, Scien-tific and Cultural Organisation (UNES-CO), it was stated that one out of every five Nigerian children is out of school. In the document tagged the UNESCO Education for All Global Monitoring Report (EAGMR) Nigeria was said to have the highest rate of school dropouts in the world, with estimated 10.5 million children out of school! This, of course, constitutes a great national embarrass-ment for a country that has the largest economy in Africa.

As I am writing this piece, the nation is still awaiting, with increasing dimin-

ishing hope, the return of more than 230 girls abducted since April 15, 2014 from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram militant Islamic sect. The Fed-eral Government, which has the consti-tutional role of ensuring the safety and welfare of all Nigerians, has kept reit-erating the promise to liberate the inno-cent girls. The nation is waiting for the fulfillment of this promise. How nice it would be if we can have our girls back safely and in psychologically stable con-dition. We must work together to save the Nigerian child from social neglect, cultural maltreatment and systemic op-pression.

Ketefe can be followed on twitter@Ketesco

OUR SOCIETY THRIVES ON A LOT OF HARMFUL CULTURAL PRACTICES

INIMICAL TO THE GIRL-CHILD AND WOMEN

FRYNDUBUISI

[email protected] (08023016709 SMS only)

Professor Ndubuisi is of the Dept of Philosophy, UNILAG

EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

Terrible things are happening in our land. Nigeria is being buffeted by se-rial crises and reeling from their ef-

fects. The nation’s media are filled up with horrible and unbelievable news on daily ba-sis. From the agonizing carnage and waste of human and material resources wreaked by Boko Haram are added the recent nau-sea in the National Assembly. Our security agencies sparked the trouble when they attempted to prevent the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, from entering the Parliament. The Speaker with his loyal colleagues in the House was blocked at the main gate of NASS and tear-gassed in the process by the police.

The police obstruction forced the Speak-er and his loyalists to trek from the main gate and later scaled the fence to enter the Green Chamber of the NASS. Earlier, ac-cording to reports, the convoy of the Depu-ty Speaker had an unimpeded ride into the

The hoopla in the House in perspective THE POLICE NEED TO PRESENT NIGERIANS WITH MORE FACTS TO

MAKE THEIR STORY MORE CREDIBLE

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: [email protected] [email protected] or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

NASS complex! It would be recalled that the House was

thrown into crisis before its last adjourn-ment when Tambuwal defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The develop-ment had led to the ruling Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) calling on him to resign his position as required by the constitu-tion. The Speaker, APC and his supporters, disagreeing, had insisted that the speaker was the head of the House and not that of any particular political party. The court is tackling this hard knot, which has since urged the parties to maintain the status quo.

The House had adjourned to December 3, but it was forced to call a special session to deliberate on the request of President Goodluck Jonathan for the extension of the emergency rule in the three North Eastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. The attempt by the security agencies to stop the sitting of the House was countered by his loyalists, who scaled the heavy metal gate to enter the complex. The attempt by the Senate President, David Mark, to calm frayed nerves, was allegedly rebuffed.

The entire saga is disturbing. It shows the level of lawlessness in the land and un-derscores the fact that our democracy is en-dangered. The news, expectedly, resonated over the nation’s airwaves and was picked by the international media. Unarguably, it has upped the tension in the land. The

Boko Haram-induced insecurity in the North is in the ascendancy; aside from attacking and taking over some Nigerian territories, the insurgents are effortlessly raining bombs all over the North East, destroying school premises, may be to scare pupils out of schools. Containing this is more than enough trouble in the hands of the FG. To add another crisis, as we now wit-ness, is absolutely unnecessary. Does it not make sense that this matter should have been left to the court to adjudi-cate? Why the attempt at self help and unnecessary show of impunity?

There are many questions that cry for answers. Was there a letter to the Speaker from the Presidency to con-sider the request for the extension of the emergency rule in the North East and who was the letter addressed to? If it was to the Speaker, we know at least for now who the Speaker is; but why the attempt to hold a surrepti-tious session to consider this request? Report has it that Vice President Na-

madi Sambo had already summoned the Inspector General of Police to throw more light on this show of shame. The police have since been struggling to jus-tify their action. They want the nation to believe that their actions were meant to arrest what could have been a serious situation, insisting that intelligence re-port revealed that some hoodlums with devilish agenda were in the process of invading the House. The police need to present Nigerians with more facts to make their story more credible.

While the police and the Presidency have a lot of explanation to make on this, our representatives’ action of scal-ing the fence is horrendous. That was self help, a lawless conduct by people that are expected to set a high standard. Even if there were obvious designs by the security operatives to scuttle their planned meeting, there are many more honourable options they could have explored to get the same result. Two wrongs cannot make a right. If every-body decides to adopt the philosophy of self help and impunity there will be an-archy in the land.

Thus, while we wait for a compre-hensive explanation of the invasion of the National Assembly complex by the police, the court is advised to expedite action on the case of the status of Hon. Aminu Tambuwal so that peace is re-stored to the House.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 17Thursday, November 27, 2014 Views

KAYODEKETEFE

[email protected] 08032147720 (SMS only)

CRITICAL STROKES

18 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EFCC: Still a long way to go

A bomb exploded on the Nevsky Express train be-tween Moscow and Saint Petersburg, derailing it, kill-ing 28 people and injuring 96 others. Nevsky Express (No. 165/166) is a Russian Railways express train, the fastest on the prominent route between the Leningrad-sky Rail Terminal in Moscow and the Moskovsky Rail Terminal in Saint Petersburg. The train has a maxi-mum speed of 200 km/h (125 mph).

November 27, 2009November 27, 1989

Avianca Flight 203, a Boeing 727, exploded in mid-air over Colombia, killing all 107 people on board and three others on the ground. The Medellin Cartel claimed re-sponsibility for the attack. Avianca Airlines Flight 203 was a Colombian domestic passenger flight from El Dorado In-ternational Airport in Bogota to Alfonso Bonilla Aragon International Airport in Cali. It was destroyed by a bomb over the municipality of Soacha.

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ON THIS DAY

The Economic and Finan-cial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had been in the

news of late with its reported re-covery of N5 billion stolen by oil subsidy fraudsters. At a town hall meeting on fuel subsidy organ-ised by two Non-Governmental Organisations - Africa Network of Economic and Environment Justice (ANEEJ), in collabora-tion with Justice for All (J4A) in Abuja last August, for example, the agency’s Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, made reference to the recovered money, stressing that the Com-mission was also prosecuting 13 different oil subsidy cases. He was quoted as saying on that oc-casion: “Investigation and prose-cution of fuel subsidy cases have not been too easy for us, but we are resolute in our determination to ensure that we push all those cases to logical conclusion”.

At a recent public function a couple of days ago, Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, reiterated the feat, saying that no fewer than 40 of the affected suspects were being prosecuted in court.

Of a truth, the EFCC could be doing what might be its best in fighting corruption in the coun-try, within the limitations and stumbling blocks consciously erected by unscrupulous politi-cians, ‘powers from above’, a

corrupted judiciary and dubious senior members of the bar, who jointly help to shield acclaimed thieves from the axe of justice. We recall how frustrating it was for the Commission prosecuting high wire corruption cases dur-ing the era of Mrs. Farida Waziri as EFCC chairperson. It got to a stage that Mrs. Waziri publicly condemned the unpatriotic acts of those she identified as ‘senior members of the bar’ who rake up all manner of technicalities to delay or totally scuttle the prosecution of many high profile corruption cases.

The successes the EFCC is cur-rently showcasing, such as the re-covery of the N5 billion, diligent prosecution and imprisonment of 45 Nigerians, 10 Ghanaians, 13 Pilipinos, three Indians, two To-golese, one Cameroonian and one Myanmar nationals; as well as other financial sector fraudsters and sundry dupes the Commis-sion is currently investigating, or that are in various stages of pros-ecution, are commendable. No less encouraging is the revelation that EFCC now has a full-fledged section charged with the inves-tigation of issues that have to do with oil subsidy and the nation’s extractive industries. But we must quickly add that our com-mendation of the Commission is premised on the expectation that better and greater results will fol-

low, and more high-brow corrupt public officers and their private sector fronts brought to justice.

When it is considered the dumbfounding rate at which public funds are being plundered by those in whose hands they are entrusted; on the one hand; and the feeble effort being invested by all the nation’s anti-graft agencies put together in tackling corruption, on the other, it be-comes obvious the reason why the achievements of the EFCC appear not impressive enough to many Nigerians. Concerning the fuel subsidy scam, for example, it was public knowledge, how the nation lost billions if not trillions of naira to dubious oil marketers who were paid for doing noth-ing. And whereas the EFCC has been courageous enough to say N5 billion has been recovered, it has failed to go public with the

identities or details of the oil marketers who coughed up the N5 billion for record purposes. The accentuation of positive values in the country may be hard to achieve if the identities of acclaimed thieves are being hidden. Our guess is that among those from whom the N5 billion was recovered could be scions of corrupt politicians and private businessmen, some of whom might be struggling to be voted into power come 2015. There-fore, exposing the names of the fraudsters is very imperative at this time; and we so demand, to enable Nigerians know those that do not qualify to hold public of-fices or come close to any public treasury.

Besides, many are still shell-shocked that the EFCC is yet to bring to book many of the gover-nors and other public office hold-ers who looted the country blind between 1999 and 2007, especially. Has the EFCC given up on the N243 billion which the affected officers allegedly siphoned? Is it not a grave insult that is being hauled at Nigerians, as a lot of the discredited politicians are still walking tall; and some of them are being positioned by some political parties to stand for election in 2015? Is this how a serious-minded nation goes about fighting deeply-rooted cor-ruption?

THE EFCC IS YET TO BRING TO BOOK MANY

OF THE GOVERNORS AND OTHER PUBLIC

OFFICE HOLDERS WHO LOOTED THE COUNTRY

BLIND BETWEEN 1999 AND 2007,

ESPECIALLY

November 27, 2005

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BEN MEMULETIWON GENERAL EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

FIDELIS LEMCHI OWOAMANAM REGIONAL DIRECTOR, S/SOUTH

GABRIEL SUNDAY ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Thursday November 27, 2014Editorial

Tunbosun ogundare

Recently, the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, withdrew doctoral de-gree certificates of 14 of its senior

lecturers including the incumbent branch chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Adekunle Idris. This was two years after they had been is-sued the certificates.

The school authorities told the affected individuals that some errors were discov-ered in their certificates and promised to issue them new ones.

But Idris is crying fowl. According to him, his own certificate unlike others was simply withdrawn without any promise of reissue.

“The university is completely silent on this clause in my letter and I don’t know why mine should be different,” he said.

Idris told National Mirror that he con-cluded the programme in 2011 while he was issued the certificate the following year. And interestingly, the certificate was signed by both the current Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor John Obafun-wa and the former Registrar, Mr. Lateef Animashaun.

“I earned the certificate because I ful-filled all the conditions required to have it and that is why I have come to conclusion that the withdrawal was the backlash of my roles during the last ASUU strike. Or come to think of what would have happened if I were to be working outside LASU with the certificate, especially abroad? How would the school Senate justify this action?

“My PhD is in the Business Administra-tion (Marketing) but they said the error was the marketing. So, why the error if senate members really understand it im-plications on their integrity as well as the image of the university?”

However, investigations revealed that while the university relies on the PhD

would need to be checked to forestall pos-sible break down of law and order.

“That is why ASUU at the zonal level has to come in as a responsible union,” said the Coordinator of Lagos Zone, Dr. Sola Nasir. “We don’t want LASU to be thrown into an-other round of crisis, the outcome of which nobody can tell before the authorities would begin to take step,” he told journalists at a news conference organised by the zone at LASU, last week.

Lagos Zone comprises the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka; the Federal Uni-versity of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUN-NAB); Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago- Iwoye; Tai Solarin University of Edu-

cation (TASUED) and LASU.The union accused the leadership of

LASU, especially the VC of high-handed-ness and vindictiveness in its policies and decisions concerning the lecturers of the institution.

Aside certificates withdrawal, Nasir, from OOU pointed out that LASU man-agement is also “selective in promotion, irregular in the appointment, biased in composition of senate members and fond of humiliating lecturers, among other of-fences.

He noted that rather than for the VC to

status of some of these affected lecturers especially in the Accounting Department to apply for accreditation from the Na-tional Universities Commission that is due for next month, two of them had already earned promotion with the certificates to Associate Professorship.

“That is why I believe that this issue is political. It is an act of victimization and I am the target,” Idris said.

The union leader, who disclosed that his lawyer had already written the Governing Council and the VC asking for the return of his certificate, noted that the current situation in the institution, especially be-tween the leadership and the lecturers

Withdrawal of my PhD certificate political —ASUU chairmanNo, it was issued in error —VC

Obafunwa Idris

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

How do you go about witH a certificate

in a course tHat does not exist in tHe

university? tHat cannot be possible

again in lasu

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 19

IN CONJUNCTION WITHEducation Today

Thursday, November 27, 2014

AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY,ADO-EKITI (ABUAD)

AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY,ADO-EKITI (ABUAD)

“The setting of this University is ‘Superlative’ and ‘Impressive’, with nothing of its kind that I have seen so far in the country or anywhere else” (Gen. Dr. Yakubu Gowon, GCFR,)

‘Maritime education, crucial to development’

Mixed reactions as Borno reopens schools

Inadequate funding and problem of accreditation

212320

L-R: Dr. Mutahir Lucas; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Mr. Clement Okoli of 1960Bet at the 2014 elite sym-posium organised by the University of Lagos Distance Learning Institute Students’ Association in Lagos, recently.

Pupils of Maiduguri Primary School, Maiduguri in class on Monday, last week

Mixed reactions as Borno reopens schools

Take up impactful initiatives, Kolade urges youths SAIDAT ALAUSA

The Pro-Chancellor, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Dr. Christopher

Kolade has told youths to take initiatives that could make Ni-geria great as no situation in the world changes itself.

He said this at this year edi-tion of Goal Attainment Made Easy (GAME) conference held in Lagos, last week.

According to him, the re-sponsibility to make Nigeria great lies with the younger generation which constitutes 80 per cent of the country’s population.

He therefore urged them to always go for ideas that can develop the nation and the world at large.

Commending the organ-iser of the event, Department for International Develop-ment (DFID) and iamCHAMP, Kolade said initiative like this would help the youth gener-ate ideas that would develop the country.

The convener of the confer-ence, Mr. Abiola Salami said the motive of the conference was to continuously develop Nigeria youths in order for them to fit in anywhere they find themselves.

He told participants at the

INUSA NDAHIMAIDUGURI

People have continued to express divergent views over the reopening of pri-

mary and secondary schools in Borno State, one of the troubled states in the north eastern part of the country.

While many welcome the development, some believe that the state is not yet safe for stu-dents to resume.

It will be recalled that the state government in May closed down all its primary and sec-ondary schools in the state fol-lowing the endless killing of innocent people including the students by Boko Haram mem-bers.

The state government on re-sumption assured the students and teachers of their safety in and around their schools. But not all the students have turned up in schools one week after resumption. National Mirror gathered that some parents are still not comfortable to release their children to schools.

The Chairman of state wing of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Bulama Abiso who commended the

AISHA TITILAYO

The University of Lagos Distance Learning Institute, DLI, Students’ Association recently celebrated

excellence at its 2014 Elite symposium where three outstanding first class stu-dents were given awards.

Speaking at the event, the president of the association, Comrade Olufemi Hassan said that it was a thing of pride to the stu-dents’ body to have 10 first class students this year since the inception of the insti-tute and deemed it fit to honour specially, the best three of them.

They are Mrs. Monsurat Gbadegesin, Mr. Waheed Arowolo and Chidozie Chidie-bere.

He said, “Considering the difficulties many indigent and brilliant students go through before they can pay their school bills, we are also launching an Academic Endowment Fund to take care of this area and wish that all well-meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies will assist in this re-gard.”

Also speaking, Senator Musiliu Oban-ikoro urged the students not to be bystand-ers in the scheme of things regarding gov-ernance but should be actively-involved. “Youths own the nation and you must own it in the true sense of it. Be vigilant and deeply-involved. You must be ready to think outside the box in order to con-quer the world,” Obanikoro advised them, saying the first investment he plans for greater Lagos is on education. According to him, if we must deepen our democracy, students must stand up and be counted. He said age should not be a barrier as we have been having many of our past leaders oc-cupying key positions between the ages of 25 and 35 years.

Another guest, Dr. Mutahir Lucas also enjoined students to make best use of their time and not allow politicians to use them as thugs during political campaigns.

Mr. Clement Okoli of 1960Bet enlight-ened the students on the necessary skills they required to become successful entre-preneurs, saying one of the problems in Nigeria is students not hoping to become employers of labour.

“You can become one by responding to people’s needs in your environment. You just need to look out for opportunities and figure out how you can solve the problem by meeting those needs.”

DLI students reward excellence

‘Leadership course gives applicants market edge’

conference that government could not develop the country all alone but through the col-lective efforts.

He therefore said they need to change their attitude posi-tively to time, excellence, as-signment, innovativeness and problem solving, among oth-ers to be able to take up the responsibility.

The Regional Director, De-partment for International Development, (DFID), Adesi-na Fagbenro-Byron said the time to tackle challenges in the country was now.

Targeted at young profes-sionals, the Goal Attainment Made Easy (GAME) confer-

state government for consti-tuting a formidable commit-tee to look into the best way to revamp the collapsing sector as the schools reopened, also called for the provision of ad-equate security that would guarantee safety of lives and property not only in schools

but in the entire state.The Principal of Gov-

ernment Science Second-ary School, Biu, Mr. Garba Zali commended Governor Kashim Shettima for taking such step, saying it is not ad-visable to keep students out of schools for too long.

Similarly, a teacher and parent at Yerwa Practice Pri-mary School, Maiduguri who preferred to be anonymous ex-pressed happiness that schools had been reopened.

However, she called for ad-equate security in and around the schools.

ence which started in 2012 with less than 30 participants has over the years grown rap-idly, pulling over 300 partici-pants in 2013.

Men and women who had made a difference in their chosen careers across vari-ous sectors of the economy were honoured at the event. They include Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his Ogun State counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomo-ri; Chief Judge of The La-gos Court of Appeal, Justice Amina Augie and Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

All students graduating from one of Kenya’s top universi-ties may benefit from a free

certificate course in leadership devel-opment, designed to give them a com-petitive edge in the workplace and job market – the first of its kind in the East African country.

The course, which may be under-taken by anybody interested who is graduating from Kenyatta University, as soon as they complete their degree studies, is intended to build skills in leadership and workplace competen-cies, as well as life skills that are not part of disciplines studied in prepara-tion for professional life.

“The university appreciates the fact that pursuing a degree in an area of specialisation is not always enough, and in today’s competitive world students must learn skills that complement their academic and pro-fessional qualifications”, said Vice-chancellor, Olive Mugenda at the launch.

The course is being offered under the Growing Leaders programme ini-tiated by the university three years ago. The training methodology is highly participatory, with facilitators drawn from different schools and de-partments of the university.

Culled: Universities World News

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net20 Thursday, November 27, 2014Education Today

NUC Executive Secretary, Professor Julius Okojie (right), Board Chairman, Senator Ahmadu Ali ( 2nd right) with others at the Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo exhibition stand during the annual national entrepreneurship fair in Abuja, recently.

Tenebe

L-R: Prof. Patrick Utomi; Founding Partner, iamaCHAMP Limited, Mr. Abiola Salami and Pro-Chancellor, Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, Dr. Christopher Kolade at the Goal Attainment Made Easy conference in Lagos, last week.

Maritime education, crucial to development —AAU PresidentSAIDAT ALAUSA

The President of African Universities (AAU), Prof. Olusola Oyewole has said

that the ability of African na-tions to exploit the resources and potentials of the maritime do-main depends on the skill of the African maritime professionals.

He said this at the just con-cluded 2014 African Maritime Domain Conference, held in South Africa, with the theme, “The African Maritime Domain: Building Capacity and Develop-ing Policy.”

According to him, African nations need to promote the de-velopment of highly skilled pro-fessionals to man the industry, stressing that maritime educa-tion and awareness was very critical to development of the continent.

He pointed out that many Af-rican nations depended on the

sea and sea resources for most of their energy needs, food supplies and water commercial transpor-tation activities, with over 90 per cent of Africa’s imports and ex-ports conducted by sea hence the

need for well-trained maritime professionals.

“But today, our water ways are facing challenges rang-ing from human wickedness through piracy, and other unex-

plainable phenomena such as climate change, for which we need a well trained work force to help us unravel,” he said.

Prof. Oyewole, who is also the Vice- Chancellor of Fed-eral University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State also said universities had important roles to play in en-suring capacity building and serving as platforms of educa-tion for marine and marine economy, business, safety, re-search, education and training.

Presenting a paper, titled, “The role of African Universi-ties in marine and maritime Training, Education, Research and Innovation”, Prof. Oyewole said the vision of the confer-ence was to “foster increased wealth creation from Africa’s oceans and seas by developing a sustainable, thriving, blue economy in a secure and envi-ronmentally-suitable manner”.

He noted that even though water affected man’s everyday life, the continent was blessed with a vast coastal line of over 26,000 nautical miles if well used can develop African coun-tries rapidly..

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) will hold the sixth inaugural lecture next

Thursdayß at its headquarters in Lagos.The university’s spokesperson, Dr.

Ronke Ogunmakin in a press release, said Prof. Chuks Maduabum, the Director of Studies, and Head of Department of Pub-lic Administration and Management Stud-ies at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Badagry, Lagos, would deliver the lecture by 2.00pm.

Prof. Maduabum is a member of Na-tional Committee on Sector Capacity Re-quirements for Millennium Development Goals and he has written eight books and many scholarly articles published in both national and international journals.

South Korea’s Education Minister has apologised after two faulty questions in the national college

entrance exam left thousands of students confused.

Students said the error meant there were two possible correct answers to the multiple choice questions.

Officials have said they would accept two answers as correct in each case, and the head of the national exam board has offered to resign.

The annual test determines the aca-demic futures of high school students.South Korean media said the mistake would affect the test scores of about 3,600-4,000 students.

“I express deep regret and recognise an urgent need to improve the question-making process,” Education Minister Hwang Woo-Yea said in a statement broadcast on television.

“We will investigate the root cause of the problem,” Mr Hwang said.

About 640,000 students sat the nine-hour standardised test, called the College Scholastic Ability Test, on 13 November at 1,216 testing sites across the country, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said.

Many students engage in intense studying for years in preparation for the exam, often with the involvement of their parents in what is an extremely competi-tive academic environment.

A good score would mean a spot in one of South Korea’s top universities.

The suspect multiple-choice ques-tions, one in the biology exam and one in the English language paper, sparked up-roar with parents and students complain-ing to the website of the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation (KICE) which administers the exam.

BBC

S/Korea apologises for ‘faulty’ exam questions

TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

The Principal, King’s College, La-gos, Mr. Oladele Olapeju, has said the restoration of the junior seg-

ment to the unity colleges nationwide had greatly improved the standard of education in those schools.

He made the observation at the matricu-lation ceremony organised for the JSS 1 students admitted into the college for the 2014/2015 session.

It would be recalled that the junior sec-tion was restored to unity colleges nation-wide in 2010, following the persistent agita-tion of parents and the workers under the

‘Restoration of junior segment to unity colleges promotes standard’

gency infrastructural upgrade,’’ he said.He called on parents to see public

schools as their own, rather than govern-ment schools.

In his own contribution, a former Head of Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi enjoined the students to embrace hard work and strive to write their names in gold like many of the old boys of the institution who had distinguished them-selves in their respective fields of endeav-ours.

The Chairman of Parent -Teacher Asso-ciation of the college, Mr. Emman Oriakhi, pleaded with parents to join hands with the institution in pursuing and realising its ultimate mandate.

NOUN holds 6th inaugural lecture

aegis of Association of Senior Civil Ser-vants of Nigeria for the same.

While disclosing that the college could not admit up to half of its applicants this year, he explained that the situation be-came compounded with the Boko Haram attacks in some northern states, which had led to the closure of some of the unity col-leges.

He noted that before now, the carrying capacity for placement into JSS 1 of the institution was 400, adding that the current placement had overshot that figure by al-most 20 per cent.

‘’That is why the college management decided to balance access and the quest for quality education with the need for emer-

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 21Education TodayThursday, November 27, 2014

How endless crisis rocks EKSUABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI

Disruption of activities, par-ticularly academic, is a re-curring decimal in Ekiti

State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, the state government-owned univer-sity.

If the disruption is not owing to protests for one thing or the other by the students, the workers are at log-gerheads with the school authori-ties for one reason or the other.

These are apart from nationwide strikes called by the national bodies of the workers’ associations, includ-ing the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universi-ties (SSANU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) and National Asso-ciation of Academic Technologists (NAAT). Whenever it happens, the students and their academics suffer in the 32-year-old university that has undergone name change perhaps more than any other university in history.

The university, which started as Obafemi Awolowo University changed to Ondo State University, then University of Ado Ekiti and later Ekiti State University with its graduates possessing different cer-tificates depending on when they graduated.

The ongoing disruption of aca-demic and other activities in the university which began over three weeks ago is due to the industrial action embarked upon by the four workers’ unions in the university – ASUU, SSANU, NASU and NAAT.

The industrial action was de-clared by the workers at a meeting of members of the four unions led by their chairmen: Prof Olu Olu (ASUU); Mr. Kolawole Falade (SSANU); Comrade Tope Akanmu (NASU); and Comrade Jola Awog-bemi (NAAT).

The workers are protesting the non-payment of their two months (September and October) salaries and their earned allowances includ-ing their excess work load since 2011 and responsibility allowance for non-teaching staff since 2008.

Even when the three non aca-demic unions suspended their work-to-rule action on last week follow-ing the payment of one tranche of their responsibility allowances, the academic staffers are still sticking to their guns not to return to work until payment of their October sala-ries.

Among the many issues plaguing the university which are causes of frequent industrial actions and stu-dents’ protests and showdown are non-payment of the subvention to the institution by the state govern-ment as at when due, inadequacy of the subvention to offset the wage bill, tax regime, high tuition fees and other charges payable by stu-dents.

However, the ASUU Chairman, Prof Olu Olu, who disagreed with the notion that disruption of activi-ties was frequent in the institution, said elongation of academic calen-dar to accommodate the lost period owing to such actions and inability to determine when a semester would end, had never been known to have adverse effects on the students.

Olu, who said the university man-agement was already looking into present situation and finding means out of the scenario to ensure the workers return to their desks and restoration of academic activities.

However, the alumni association of the university advised the state government that “the best way to start resolving the bottlenecks of the institution is for the Mr Ayodele Fayose administration to take up the total wage bill of the university as be-ing done in some state universities across Nigeria.”

The National President of EKSU Alumni Association, Dr Adedeji Aye-ni, said at a press conference in Ado Ekiti that payment of the univer-sity’s total wage bill by the govern-ment would enable the school to use the money got from internally gener-ated revenue and other sources for its physical development.

Ayeni said such would save EKSU from struggling monthly to get N120 million to augment the N260 million subvention from the state govern-ment to settle its wage bill.

The alumni, in its charge to the new government in the state on de-velopment of blueprint for the de-velopment of the institution to one of the best in the world, said: “Other pertinent appeal that is related to the issue of funding is the College of

Medicine.”It appealed to the governor to, “as

a matter of priority, assist in the ac-creditation of the programmes in the College of Medicine,” saying such would be a great achievement to the administration.

Ayeni also advised the state gov-ernment to discourage the tradition of changing vice chancellors with new administrations, saying since the office is not political, it is necessary the VC is allowed to complete his ten-ure except “indicted or found guilty of professional misconduct by a com-petent panel set up by the council of the university.”

The SSANU, while buttressing the points made by the Alumni, said if the state government picked the total wage bill, the institution would use its IGR for development of infrastruc-ture as it urged the governor to visit the university and see for himself the deteriorating condition and dearth of social amenities, saying the need to rescue the university from imminent collapse could not be overemphasized.

EKSU SSANU Chairman, Mr. Kolawole Falade, said: “We want to implore Ekiti State Government to adequately fund the university as its owner. The government should pick up the total wage bill of the university

and as well pay capital grant to it yearly as done in other state uni-versities.”

According to him, the merger by former Governor Kayode Fay-emi of three universities into one (EKSU) was with the promise to make it a world-class university, but we have not seen that.

“Even the IGR is no longer coming as students are no longer coming to EKSU because of un-certainty of graduation period and uncertainty in the name of the in-stitution,” Falade said.

The alumni association, while rejecting frequent changes in the name of the university, said it would have preferred its erstwhile name, University of Ado Ekiti more than any other names,” la-mented that products of the insti-tution had been facing integrity problems emanating from the dif-ferent names on their certificates.

Falade, who also said the uni-versity name should be reverted to University of Ado Ekiti because of everybody’s preference for it, added that since “the money for the name change has not been paid to the National Universities commis-sion (NUC), UNAD should be left as the name.”

THE BEST WAY TO START RESOLVING THE BOTTLENECKS OF THE INSTITUTION

IS FOR THE MR AYODELE FAYOSE ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE UP THE TOTAL WAGE BILL OF THE UNIVERSITY AS BEING

DONE IN SOME STATE UNIVERSITIES ACROSS NIGERIA

The school main gate

follow due process, he reels out policies without regard to the lay down rules and regulations governing his conduct.

All these actions, accord-ing to Nasir are drawing LASU back from moving forward and we as a union are not happy about that.

Pointing out that the union at zonal level had met with the VC severally over the issues with no de-sirable result, Nasir how-ever called on Governor Babatunde Fashola, the Visitor to the university to constitute immediately a visiting panel. He said such panel would be able to gath-er first hand information concerning the happenings in the university for the purpose of peace to rein.

But the vice- chancellor, who is a forensic pathology expert in his reaction, de-bunked all the allegations, saying they were baseless.

He however confirmed that the university actu-ally withdrawn PhD cer-tificates of its 14 lecturers based on the fact that they were issued in errors.

According to him, “the certificates were products of the long rot in the sys-tem which he met when he came on board as a VC and will need to be corrected now that we discovered the error.”

Obafunwa noted that the situation at LASU re-quired that the system is thoroughly cleansed, the process of which many in the system may not com-fortable with.

“How do you go about with a certificate in a course that does not ex-ist in the university? That cannot be possible again in LASU,” the vice-chancellor vowed.

On the issues of ap-pointment and promotion, he said as a chief executive officer of the institution, he had the sole responsibil-ity to appoint those found to be competent and ready to work as a team rather than just filling in anybody.

“We can no longer af-ford to do thing as usual in LASU if we are serious to move the institution for-ward. My desire is to leave LASU far better than how I met it when I assumed this position,” he submitted.


‘Withdrawal of my PhD certifi cate political’

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net22 Education Today Thursday, November 27, 2014

Education as I see itby Tosanwumi Otokunefor

[email protected] (email/SMS only)

Inadequate funding and problem of accreditation

Shekarau tasks undergraduates on entrepreneurial skills

L-R, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Lagos, Akoka, chapter, Dr. Laja Olukoya; Lagos Zone Coordinator, Dr. Sola Nasir and Chairman of LASU, ojo chapter, Dr. Adekunle Idris at a press conference in Lagos, last week

THE GOVERNMENTS THAT OPERATE THESE INSTITUTIONS DO NOT SEEM

TO APPRECIATE WHAT A PROPER UNIVERSITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE

In the past two decades, uni-versities in Nigeria have been beset by numerous problems

which have impacted negatively on the quality of her products. These problems have ranged from infrastructural deficiencies, dearth of laboratory equipment, extreme shortage of qualified lecturers, and admission of un-qualified students. Most of the problems have emanated from unplanned expansions, poor funding, corruption and malad-ministration by unqualified per-sonnel appointed by the propri-etors of the public institutions.

The magnitude of the problem only becomes evident when the universities are required to face the routine accreditation exer-cises conducted by the National Universities Commission. The problem of substandard facilities in universities represent a sig-nificant national disaster as the poor quality graduates they pro-duce are not sufficiently knowl-edgeable to turn the wheels of industrialisation. This creates a significant retardation of our developmental strides and re-duces our competitiveness as an investment destination because of the lack of the necessary pool of skilled workforce.

But why do so many insti-tutions only manage to scale through the accreditation process and why are some unable to scale through in spite of all the manip-ulations that are witnessed dur-

ing the process? The answer boils down to insufficient funds. The absence of funds may be related to insufficient budgetary allocation from the funding government or poor management of the available fund by the university administra-tors.

It is obvious that there is poor fund allocation by the various governments to the publicly owned universities. The situation in the Plateau State University Bokkos, where the university has not been able to produce a single graduate in nine years vividly demonstrates the consequences of government starvation of the universities of necessary funds. In the case of the Kaduna State University, the absence of a teach-ing hospital has not permitted the medical students to go beyond the third year of studies, six years af-ter the faculty was established.

Nonetheless, money was found to send the pioneer medical stu-dents abroad to continue their clinical studies, though in a third world country like Uganda. In all of this, there is no consideration for the personal tragedies of the

students who cannot graduate nine years after commencement of a four year programme due to no fault of theirs.

In the older institutions, the accreditation palaver is more discretely managed. This is not because of greater availability of funds but rather the ability of the administrators to set up a series of smokescreens which more or less cover up the many deficien-cies accumulated over the years in many of the programmes up for accreditation.

In many cases, most of the programmes that were previ-ously accredited have undergone extensive decay due to unregu-lated expansions and stagnation of infrastructural development. The governments that operate these institutions do not seem to appreciate what a proper uni-versity should look like. Many new universities are not better than secondary schools in terms of the quality of infrastructure and equipment. After the initial outlay of funds for take-off, there is often no provision for capital development and the institutions

stagnate.The Vice-Chancellors who

would have provided academic leadership have become exten-sions of the political class and mouth pieces of the state and na-tional administrations. Within the restricted facilities under their jurisdiction, they establish new faculties and departments without considerations for infra-structural development. The Na-tional Universities Commission further compounds the problem of infrastructural deficit by uni-laterally increasing the admis-sion quota of the federal univer-sities without due consideration for their actual carrying capaci-ties. I often wonder what they ex-pect to see when they reappear a few years later for accreditation. Of course, the same offices, class-rooms and sometimes laborato-ries are renamed and presented for accreditation by the various departments to secure full ac-creditation! Sometimes I wonder who is fooling who?

Meanwhile, most of the accred-ited facilities are highly deficient and cannot support the training of high-end personnel required

SAIDAT ALAUSA

The Minister of Educa-tion, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has urged un-

dergraduates in the country to key into the entrepreneurial programmes provided by their universities in addition to their courses.

He said this while declaring open the Annual National En-trepreneurship Week (ANEW) which took place in Abuja.

The minister who was repre-sented by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commis-sion, Prof. Julius Okojie said the one-week entrepreneurial fair was designed to provide universi-ties the opportunity to showcase research activities by faculty and the students.

“The decision to mobilise ef-forts in promoting university-industry relationship through entrepreneurship education was to advance the development of the knowledge-based enterprise for the students,” he said.

He also said ANEW was a pro-gramme meant to promote the en-terprise culture among the youth.

“The ANEW forum therefore is a clear testimony of the NUC’s foresightedness in providing op-portunities for mentoring stu-dents and allowing them to dem-onstrate their innovative ideas in solving the critical challenges of their communities,” he said.

During the tour of the exhibi-tion stands mounted by the uni-versities present, Babcock Uni-versity, Illishan-Remo, Ogun State

was commended by the NUC boss on account of some of the research works on display.

The university emerged second best in the ‘Make Your Mark Contest’ that tested the creative ingenuity of participating students from univer-sities across the country.

The students were decorated with the emblem of excellence and given a cash prize of N250, 000.

Some of the university’s research

works that earned strong com-mendation at the fair include integrated mushroom, sweet potatoes flour, herbal cure for arthritis, path-finder device for the blind, software on pen-sion fund management, poul-try farm management data and marketing management, and a locally made stove using Gel fuel which burns longer, cheaper and eco- friendly.

to effectively run the newly es-tablished institutions. Huge amounts of money that could have been used for local capacity building are deployed abroad by the Federal and State scholarship boards to train candidates who may never return to Nigeria.

While the laboratories remain empty, there is no shortage of funds for uncontrolled hiring of administrative staff that very of-ten outnumber the academic staff by a ratio of two to one. There is also no shortage of funds to pur-chase brand new official cars for the ever increasing number of administrators that often add no value to the system.

At the end of the day, many programmes are accredited but there is no improvement in train-ing facilities. Meanwhile, the children of the ruling class are abroad, taking advantage of the excellent facilities, but they can-not drive the wheels of industrial-ization of the nation alone. More funds must be allocated to the educational sector, especially the universities to improve capacity and subsequently the quality of her products.

Nestle reiterates commitment to nutrition educationTUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Mr. Dharnesh

Gordhon has reaffirmed his com-pany’s commitment to promote healthy diets, hygiene and physi-cal activities, especially among children and youths.

He stated this at a workshop organised by the company for par-ents and school children in Lagos, recently.

According to him, Nestle be-lieves that healthy eating habits, cleanliness and engagement in regular physical activities will greatly help in the prevention of malnutrition and obesity, the twin-societal problems raging mostly in the low income countries around the world.

So, education, he stressed, is a strong tool for children to under-stand the value of nutrition and physical activities to their health in their lifetimes.

Speaking on the workshop, Gordhon said the purpose was to help children adopt eating pat-terns that would make them live healthy and assimilate well in class.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Education Today 23Thursday, November 27, 2014

YAKUBU TEMITOPE FEDPOLY, ADO EKITI

The College of Health Technology, Ije-ro- Ekiti, Ekiti State came to a stand-still on November 17 when the stu-

dents of the institution embarked on protest to demand the reduction of their school fees and better learning environment.

The students said they were not comfort-able paying what they described as exorbi-tant tuition fees ranging from N90, 000 to N100, 000 and still taking lectures under the mango trees.

The presence of the Provost of the Insti-tution, Pastor Tunde Ojo during the protest did not stop them and they did not allow him to address them.

According to the students, they do not have enough hostels, lecture rooms as well as social amenities such as electricity, water and clinic and there is also no library that

Edited by: Saidat [email protected] 08027633686

40 students get free 40 students get free UTME formsUTME forms

… as Olajumoke donates … as Olajumoke donates books to universitybooks to university

YOMI AYELESO, 200L, BUS. ADMIN AAUA

Students who are planning to sit for the 2015 Unified Ter-tiary Matriculation Examina-

tion (UTME) have been advised to prepare well to enable them pass very well in the exam.

The Special Adviser to the Gov-ernor of Ondo State on Forestry, Mr. Andrew Ogunsakin gave the ad-vice when distributing free UTME forms to some of the students from Okitipupa Constituency 1 of the state. They were 40 in all.

Ogunsakin told the beneficiaries at the event that much is expected of them concerning their studies, saying sound education remains the best legacy to bequeath to chil-dren with vision to excel in life.

He however advised them to shun hooliganism and other so-cial vices, saying such behaviours would not do them any good than to truncate their future.

The Chairman on the occasion, Hon. Niyi Adebusoye commended the benefactor for the gesture, while asking the beneficiaries to justify the investment by passing the exam very well to enable them meet the cut off points for their re-spective choice courses.

‘YOMI AYELESO200L, BUS. ADMIN, AAUA

A former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Govern-ing Council of Adekunle

Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Dr. Bode Olajumoke has donated 340 titles of books to the university library.

Presenting the books to the Vice Chancellor, Prof Femi Mimiko, he said the gesture was informed by his desire to encourage future generations to cultivate the habit of reading and to challenge well-meaning citizens to contribute to the development of education.

He advised the students of the university to maintain peace in the university and cooperate with the management to continue to move AAUA forward.

Responding, the Vice- chancel-lor, Prof. Femi Mimiko thanked the donor for his consistent and signifi-cant contributions to the university.

The Deputy Vice chancellor(Admin),Prof. Francis Oyebade and the university librar-ian, Mr. William Akinfolarin, both appreciated him for adding more value to the university and ap-pealed to him to continue in such direction.

Students during the protest

will make their experience in the institution a worthwhile.

They also claimed to be paying huge amount of money for handouts.

The protesters, who blocked the road lead-ing to the institution with disused tires and other objects chanting solidarity songs, also demanded the removal of their Provost, Mr. Bayo Ojo.

The protesters were led by the National Deputy Senate President, National Associa-tion of Nigerian Students (NANS), Olusegun Famuyibo and the National Association of Nigerian Students and Joint Campus Com-mittee, Ekiti State axis Chairman, Bankole Adetunji.

Addressing the students, Famuyibo said “It is not that we are blackmailing any indi-vidual, institution as the case maybe, I say here categorically that our mode of agita-tion does not in any way blackmail anybody, but we are asking for better welfare of all

Nigerian students both in and outside the country. “

He said they would continue with the protest until the management meets their demands.

Also addressing the students, NANS and JCC Ekiti axis Chairman, Bankole Adetun-ji described the fees charged by institution and most of the state-owned tertiary insti-tutions in the country to be anti-masses.

He however urged Governor Ayodele Fay-ose to reduce the fees and help build more classrooms.

Also speaking, the President of the Stu-dents’ Union of the school, Ifeoluwa Ad-ewuyi appealed to the government for ade-quate funding of the school, noting that the protest was the first in the history of the institution.

All effort to speak with the provost proved abortive as he was not picking his call, also a text message sent to him was not replied.

Emergence of female president stirs controversy at UNIBEN EDDY UWOGHIREN AND EZEKIEL EFEOBHOKHANUNIBEN

Election of officers among students of the Faculty of Agriculture, Univer-

sity of Benin, Edo State and the emergence of a female candidate, Favour Oghenekaro as the new President of the students’ body has stirred controversy in the in-stitution.

While some students were against the outcome of the elec-tion, others expressed satisfac-tion in the manner the election was conducted.

For instance, Praise Chuk-wuma accused the electoral body of malpractice, saying the lady wouldn’t have won in the faculty as no male with his right senses would allow a woman to rule over him.

According to him, the lady had the urge to contest after her boy-friend was disqualified from con-testing for the same post.

It was gathered that actions of the president-elect embittered

Favor because she was a lady, I just thought it was high time we had a female leader.

“She has the qualities of a leader. She was once the Vice-President at the College of Edu-cation, Ekiadolor before gaining admission to UNIBEN”.

When contacted, Favor de-clined comment, stating that she would wait until she was inaugu-rated into office before making any statement concerning her elections.

The students of Faculty of Social Sciences as well as those in Pharmacy have also elected leaders with Daniel Akinwale from the Department of Sociol-ogy emerging as the president of the former and Darry Emazor for the latter.

They both thanked God for their emergence.

many in the faculty with a vow not to vote for her only to be surprised that she still won.

Another student from the fac-ulty, Mercy Ematama had a very different view, she said, “I voted for

Bursar, National Open University of Nigeria, Mr. Monday Onyeme (3rd left) with officers of the Niger Delta Youth Caucus during Ojeme’s recognition by the group for his contribution to the development of Niger Delta Region, recently.

Ekiti students protest high tuition fee Ekiti students protest high tuition fee

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net24 Thursday, November 27, 2014

OOU gets IPMA centre OOU gets IPMA centre

BELLSTECH mourns BELLSTECH mourns studentstudent

NANS celebrates World Students’ Day with inspiring lecture

UI: Health education students shine at Dean’s Cup tournament

The International Professional Man-agers Association, UK has approved Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-

Iwoye, Ogun State as its first advanced internationally accredited collaborative centre for Professional Excellence in Busi-ness Administration and Management in Nigeria.

A statement signed by the Chief Execu-tive Officer of IPMA, UK, Professor Mike Wooi, said the establishment of the centre at OOU was part of its global efforts in hon-ing and improving the skills needed for excellence in operational, administration and strategic performance in both public and private sectors.

Olabisi Onabanjo University, according to him, was chosen because their leader-ship and management have shown a very clear strategic focus and direction to ad-vance professionalism and competency in business administration and management.

He said its centre at OOU would further enhance the institution’s credentials in ac-ademic and professional education, nation-ally and internationally.

The International Professional Manag-ers Association, according to Wooi, is a UK-based international examining, licens-ing and regulatory membership qualifying body that provides management-related students and workers with the opportunity to participate and be part of the process of improving administrative and managerial performance and effectiveness in all areas of business, industry and public adminis-tration around the world.

He added that the body is recognised by the nation’s Federal Ministry of Education.

ZAINAB YUSUFPOL. SC. UNILORIN

The students in ter-tiary institutions in Kwara State axis

have celebrated this year’s International Students Day in grand style.

The students under the aegis of the National As-sociation of Students/Joint Campus Committee, Kwara axis converged on Kwara State Library complex in Ilorin, the state capital for the occasion.

In his address of wel-come, the President of the axis, Mr. Abdul Razack Jeje charged various school leaders in the area to work together in unity, saying it is only through such they could achieve greatness.

The Special Assistant to the state Governor on Stu-dent Affairs, Mr. Patrick Ad-ewunmi urged the students to take their studies more seriously in order to achieve their aspirations for life.

HAMMED HAMZAT400L, EDU. MGT, UI. (WT PHOTO)

The Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education has won both male and female category trophy of Dean’s Cup of

the Faculty of Education held in the university last week.

A total of seven departments participated in the tournament and the winning team defeated their counterparts from Guidance and Counsel-ing and Adult Education by three goals to nil in male category and three goals to one in the female category, respectively.

A 400-level student of the department, Eric Okurame won Most Valuable Player and high-est goal scorer for scoring five goals in male

As students of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State continue to mourn the demise

of their colleague, the authority of the university has paid a condolence visit to the Ipaja-Ayobo, Lagos, home of the be-reaved parents.

Ruth Nekpen Idahosa, a 300 level Ac-counting student of the university slumped and died in the late hours of Saturday, No-vember 15, 2014.

National Mirror gathered that the insti-tution’s Registrar, Mrs. Yemisi Gbadebo led the condolence team to the bereaved family.

The university has put on hold seminar programme organised by the Parents Fo-rum due to the development.

An obituary notice issued by the uni-versity management and pasted on notice boards at the campus stated that “Ruth slumped and was rushed to the university Health Centre where she was confirmed dead.”

The university described her as an ami-able and dedicated student.

Guest artist, DJ-Zeez performing at the concert.

Fun as artistes thrill UNILORIN students

‘We’re known for community service’

AFIS ODEYEMI AND ALI ABDULUNILORIN

It was fun galore recently as some hip-hop artistes stormed the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) for stage perfor-

mance.The event, tagged: “Coke studio” attract-

ed thousands of students of the institution, who trooped out to the main bowl of the university stadium, the venue of the pro-gramme to enjoy themselves.

Kick- starting with a dance contest with five contestants, Aisha Omoniyi, a 400 level Library Science student took the day as she emerged the winner.

In line with the rule of the game, she was to perform alongside one of the guest

artistes of the event. The show also featured series of electrify-

ing musical performances where upcoming campus artistes showcase their talent to the teeming audience.

The atmosphere went viral with the arrival of Dj Zeez, one of the guest artistes, unto the stage which held the audience spell bound as they were craving to have glimpse of him.

He was being welcomed with a deafening ovation that sent the DJ berthing out his hit songs to the greatest delight of his fans.

Other featured artistes, including Jaywon, Dammy-Crane and Reminisce, were also poised to revolve round the heating expecta-tion of their student fans.

Expressing appreciation, Abdulbasit Yakub, a 200 Level Law student, described the

HAMMED HAMZAT400L, EDU. MGT. UI.

The residents of Nnmadi Azikiwe Hall at the Uni-versity of Ibadan last

weekend trooped out to con-struct the Zik River Bridge that has suffered neglect for a long time.

The bridge connects the resi-dents of halls such as Tedder, Mellanby, Sultan Bello Kuti and

show as a platform for students to interact, relax their moods and have a great fun out of academics.

“As we all know, work without play makes jack a dull boy, my shout out to coke studio for this wonderful opportunities, the students’ union and the university manage-ment,” he said.

Meanwhile, the president, Student Union Government (SUG), Yakub Ishowo, in his speech thanked Coke Studio Africa for putting so much in place to make the event a success.

He also thanked the students for their calmness and warm response to the show while it lasted, saying “I thank you so much for your timing support, you are the best anywhere, you are better by far.”

Tafawa Balewa halls to their counterparts in Nnamdi Aziki-we, Independence, Queen Idia and Obafemi Awolowo halls.

The bridge is also a short cut for many students to get to class especially those in the faculties of Agriculture and Forestry, Veterinary Medicine, Educa-tion, Science, Social Sciences and Law.

The hall chairman, Olamipo-si Adeyemi said the residents of

the hall embarked on the project since the school management failed to do something about it since it was defective and im-passable.

He noted that residents of the hall had selfless community ser-vice as their trademark.

A resident, Dolapo Afolabi said Nigeria would have been a better place to live if Nigerians can be as selfless as residents of the hall.Adesanya

category, while Damilola Ogbemudia, 200-level student from adult education with three goals was the highest goal scorer in female category.

The Dean, Faculty of Education, Professor Olawale Moronkola while addressing the stu-dents after the competition described sport as agent of socialisation.

He commended the entire students of the faculty for their participating while thank-ing the Nigerian Universities Education Stu-dents’ Association (NUESA) led by the presi-dent Olalekan Oladiran for organising the competition.

The Sport Director of the association, Ibra-him Yusuf expressed appreciation to the offi-cials throughout the tournament for uphold-ing the rules of the game.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 25Thursday, November 27, 2014 Education Today

z

Always spell-check unfailingly

Good reading habit, key to students’ success —TeacherSAIDAT ALAUSA

The Head teacher, Amville School, Lagos, Mrs. Ajiri Ko-no-Ugen has emphasised the

need for children to make reading a habit, saying that is the surest route to success.

She made the remark at the school’s book week parade held last Friday.

According to her, exposing chil-dren to reading early will help them in their studies as they grow older.

Explaining the reason for the book parade, Kono-Ugen said the aim was to make reading a life style among the students of the school in order to prepare them for good lead-ership.

Activities for the parade include, reading hour, creative activities where students were asked to make book covers and the pick was the book donation where they were asked to donate books to the school library.

The donation, according to her, was for the children to bring in books that are in good condition but not in use.

Opening a mini school library, the head teacher disclosed that the stu-dents had brought in over one thou-sand books.

Rwanda expands university to meet economic needs

The University of Rwanda is ramping up efforts to increase

student enrolment, while planning to provide pro-grammes for economic sec-tors that are growing within Rwanda, said Vice-chancel-lor James McWha.

“The mining industry is growing, and we need people with qualifications in geol-ogy and mining. We will be establishing a school of min-ing in the next 12 months, and hope to start admitting students in September 2015.”

This will complement the growing number of young people seeking university education in the country. “We would anticipate the number of students coming to the University of Rwanda, and studying at universities in general in Rwanda, to grow steadily over the next

number of years,” said Mc-Wha.

The university was formed in 2013 from seven institutions: National Uni-versity of Rwanda in Bu-tare; School of Finance and Banking in the capital Ki-gali; Kigali Institute of Sci-ence, Technology and Man-agement; Kigali Institute of Education; Kigali Health Institute; Higher Institute of Agriculture and Livestock in Musanze; and Umutara Polytechnic in east Rwanda.

It accepted 9,443 new stu-dents for the 2014-15 academ-ic year, with a planned total enrolment of about 32,000, up from 29,000 last year. The applications target was exceeded by 3%, with the college of business and eco-nomics admitting the major-ity of new students – 38%.

University World News.Some students of the school acting some characters in Sleeping Beauty during the parade.

She used the medium to thank the ma-jor donors to the library, EPP books and the University of Lagos Library.

The student leader for the programme, Oluwabuyikunmi Owo-odunsi told Na-tional Mirror that the initiative had devel-oped their interest in reading.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY Front Page Window Headline slip-up of Novem-ber 23 welcomes us this week: “2015:

Fear grips Lagos APC guber aspirants as concensus (consensus) collapses”

Overheard: “I am not hearing you” (I cannot hear you). “You did not pick (take) your call.”

Welcome to the NTA Network News, Wednes-day, November 12, 2014: “Students leaving with their luggages after the bomb attack.” Time; 9 p. m. ‘Luggage’ is non-count.

Next is Radio Nigeria (FRCN) 4 p. m. Bul-letin, Tuesday, November 11, 2014. Here is the news: “President Goodluck Jonathan this morning declared under (on) the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party….”

“Can the CBN defend the naira” (The PUNCH Back Page Headline, November 10) Economic renaissance: this headline needs a question mark.

“Be a witness to history…as H. E. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR declares in response to Nigerians (Nigerians’) demand….” (Wrap-around in most national newspapers, November 10, by Transformation Ambassa-dors of Nigeria)

“Book you space at Nigeria Pavillion @ ITU Telecom World 2014, Doha, Qatar” (Full-page advertisement by Nigerian Communications Commission signed by Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs, THE GUARDIAN, November 10) Connecting Nigeria: pavilion

“15 passengers drown as vehicle plunges into river” The victims could not have drowned inside the bush! Therefore, delete ‘into river’.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, November 2, disseminated copious impropri-eties: “Aside the need to breath (breathe) fresh life into the brands, Guinness under Adetu had competitions in (on) all fronts to contend with.”

“Rivers: Developing economic potentials (po-tential or potentialities”

“Your eminence, as you mark your eight

(eighth) anniversary on the throne….”“Lagosians raise alarm (the alarm)”

(THE GUARDIAN Front Page Banner, No-vember 9)

“Imoke flags off 10th Carnival Calabar Dry Run” (THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER, November 8) Instead of ‘flag off’, use ‘inaugurates’

“We also seize (take/use) this opportuni-ty to congratulate you and your entire (all your) family for (on/upon) your humani-tarian contributions….” Please note that ‘seize an opportunity’ is a piece of Ameri-canism.

“Vandalisation, major threat to regular power supply” (THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, November 4) Vandalism of the English language must stop!

“The recent Presidential approval for Grass Root (sic) Sports Development in….” (Full-page advertisement by National Lot-tery Trust Fund, THE GUARDIAN, No-vember 8) This way: grassroots sports….

THE NATION ON SUNDAY COM-MENT (EDITORIAL) of November 9 cir-culated just three errors: “…and the police has (have) no right to abridge them.”

“As law abiding citizens the campaign-ers did the right thing….” A rewrite: As law-abiding citizens, the campaigners did…. (Take note of the hyphen and com-ma).

“Unfortunately (a comma) the heart rendering (heart-rending) plight of the over 200 students of the Government Sec-ondary School, Chibok….”

“,,,he speaks on the opportunities inher-ent in mobile apps and how start-ups can harness same (the same).”

“American mid term (mid-term) elec-tions: Democrats eat (bite the) dust”

“Rivers PDP at a crossroad” Politics: at a/the crossroads

“He achieved this fit (feat) by always striving for excellence.”

“Leke, Akeem root for Eagles call up” Sports: Eagles’ call-up

“Cycling Federation thumbs-up (thumbs up)….”

“41 insurgents killed, as troops (troops’) deployment continues”

“Seventy-six years in the life of a man is a major milestone especially for one who has left indelible records in (on) the political landscape of our great country.” (Full-page advertorial by Orlu Zonal Political Lead-ers Forum in THE NATION ON SUNDAY of November 2 signed by HE (sic) Chief Achike Udenwa (Leader) and Chief Chyna Iwuanyanwu, Secretary) Yank off ‘major’. And this: Leaders’ Forum

“Estranged first wife escapes death by the whiskers” Top stories: by a whisker

“Uyo bubbles as Jonathan commissions (inaugurates) Akwa Ibom Stadium”

“Eagles battle ready (battle-ready) for Ghana”

“Empowering women to achieve their potentials” (THE GUARDIAN WOMAN, November 1) Already treated!

The following three blunders are from a full-page advertisement by the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, published in THE GUARDIAN, No-vember 3 and signed by Tonbra R. Morris-Odubo, Registrar): “The Niger Delta Uni-versity invites applications from suitable (suitably) qualified candidates for the fol-

lowing vacant posts….”“A Good University Degree (unnecessary

capitalization) preferable (preferably) masters in a relevant….” This aptly explains why our educational standard is not just falling, but has collapsed almost irretrievably!

FEEDBACK “APC gives quit notice (the notice to quit) to

PDP” (AJAYI LAWRENCE, 08054674477)WHO or whom? “Who is fooling who” is

correct while who is fooling whom is incor-rect. Fowler’s usage bible (A Dictionary of Modern English Usage) has taken a stand. ‘Whom’ has been declared an obsolescent word (going gradually out of usage) except in dative case: by whom/for whom/to whom/through whom/with whom etc. Note well: who is who in Nigeria. Who is who in Africa, etc. Keep it up.

TRIBAL marks or face marks? Last week, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo gleefully and hu-morously told the media that he had three identity cards: his international passport, national identity card and his ‘owu’ “tribal” (face) marks. He was obviously misled by NIMC’s National Identification Enrolment form which asks for your physical features that include height, gender, hair colour, tribal marks (instead of face marks). Simply put, these NIMC officials are language barbarians! (BAYO OGUNTUASE, 08056180046)

“THE party will continue to inspire confi-dence in all party faithfuls (faithful)” (Full-page advertorial by Cross River State PDP Stakeholders, THE NATION, November 11) The faithful (already plural) are believers in a particular religion, or loyal supporters of a political party. (STANLEY NDUAGU, 08062925996)

26 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014

L-R: Director, Special Duties, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Mr. George Okere; Director-General, Dr. Joseph Odumodu and the President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Custom Agents, (NALCA),Prince Olayiwola Shittu, at a meeting between SON and ANCLA in Lagos, recently.

Arik Air

FLIGHTSCHEDULE

Lag-Abj:07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 13.05, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50,18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun).Abj-Lag: 07:15, 09.40, 10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17:10, (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Lag-PH: 07:15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15 (Mon-Fri); 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00 Sun)PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) Abv-Beni:08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/Sat)08.56, 12.10 (Sun) Benin-Abj:09.55,13.30

Lagos- Abuja (Mon-Fri): 07.00, 08.50, 12.00, 16.30. Abuja- Lagos (Mon-Fri): 09.00, 14.00, 15.00, 18.30. Lagos-Yola (Mon-Fri): 8.50am. Yola-Lagos (Mon-Fri): 13.00. Lagos- PHC (Mon-Fri): 17.00. PHC-Lagos: 19.00. Abuja-Yola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00. Lagos-Abuja (Sat): 08.00, 08.50.Abuja-Lagos (Sat): 10.00, 15.00. Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-La-gos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat)Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

Med-View Airline

Aero Contractors

27

MESHACK IDEHEN

The National President of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Marketers As-

sociation of Nigeria, Mr. Basil Ogbuanu, has said consumers of liquefied petroleum gas otherwise known as cooking gas across the nation are in for fresh scarcity.

The development, according to him, is because some of the plants located in Apapa have run short of supply due to the inability of ships to berth and discharge the product.

Speaking on Tuesday in La-gos, in he lamented that the ves-sel laden with cooking gas has berthed there since October this year, adding that the practice is not healthy enough for consumers in the country.

He said at present that only one terminal is dispensing cook-ing gas out of the many terminals located in Apapa, a situation that has led to hike in prices. He noted that LPG is very essential as pe-troleum products such as petrol, kerosene and diesel to Nigerians

Appealing to the Federal Gov-ernment, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, NIMASA and Nigeria Ports Au-thority to intervene and expedite action by allowing the ship to discharge the product which will guarantee the supply of the prod-uct to Nigerians, he explained

Some stakeholders in the power sector have decried the proposal by the Ni-

gerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, to increase electricity tariff by December 1.

They spoke in separate inter-views with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

NAN reports that NERC, had on November 20, said that consumers would pay more for electricity from Dec.1 when the new price of gas for generating power would take effect.

Mr. Mohammed Bello, NERC Vice Chairman, said that the price of gas, inflation, foreign exchange rate and power gen-

eration capacity were some of the factors considered before proposing the tariff review.

Alhaji Ganiyu Makanjuola, the President, National Asso-ciation of Electricity Consum-ers of Nigeria, NAECN, said that government should first address the fundamental issues of infrastructure, generation capacity and transmission.

He said that the association and electricity consumers were totally against the proposed tar-iff increase.

According to him, it is wrong for NERC to have concluded plans to increase electricity tar-iff without first addressing the

epileptic power situation in the country.

Makanjuola said that several complaints by consumers and the non-availability of prepaid metres should be tackled first by NERC before proposing tar-iff increase.

‘‘NERC should have first ad-dressed the power situation by improving capacity before de-ciding to increase tariff.

‘‘We are really concerned about the proposed tariff in-crease; consumers cannot just continue to pay for what they do not consume.

‘‘Power should be made avail-able first before NERC can think

of tariff increase. We are con-cerned because any increase in tariff should match increased power supply,’’ he said.

Makanjuola said the pro-posed tariff increase ‘‘is a mockery of the Federal Govern-ment’s avowed commitment to the welfare of the people”.

The immediate past presi-dent, Nigerian Institution of Electrical Electronics Engi-neers, NIEEE, Mr. Adekunle Makinde, said that the upward review of electricity tariff might witness another round of protest by consumers across the country.

LPG scarcity looms, says marketers

Stakeholders decry proposed increase in electricity tariff

28 35

Hurdles before FG’s ICT top earner quest

Nigeria trials behind Ghana on Africa Integration Index rating

Stakeholders chart way forward for tourism

BusinessNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014

31

there is a serious problem in the supply of LPG currently.

“In fact, as of today, most LPG plants in the country have run out of supply owing to the inability of the concerned authorities to pro-vide a space for the berthing of LPG vessel from NLNG which is staying on the Apapa shore.

“As you may have known, refin-eries are not producing. The ves-sel is said to have been waiting for space to berth for some time since October this year. It appears that the only source of supply now is Navgas which seems to be import-ing the product and this can never

be enough,’’ he said.Ogbuanu explained that stake-

holders in the LPG market had experienced similar shortage in September this year, saying though the situation appeared to be getting normal, that recent de-velopments had made it to resur-face.

If nothing was urgently done, according to him, Nigerians might start experiencing the kind of LPG scarcity that character-ised the industry before NLNG intervention late 2007.

He said many developing coun-tries such as Nigeria that used to

depend on traditional fuels like firewood have moved on with LPG and in the process stimulating economic development including job creation for their people while Nigerians are still depleting their forests in search of firewood.

He advised the government to construct depots in parts of the country to receive LPG from NLNG and other producers or provide incentives to attract the needed investors, adding that Ni-gerians are beginning to embrace LPG but such cannot continue in this kind of situation.

Nigeria trials behind Ghana on Africa Integration Index ratingISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

Africa’s Integration Index for 2014 has revealed that Nigeria has for two years

been tagging behind its West Afri-can neighbour, Ghana.

The Africa Integration Index, an annual project of Visa mea-sures the degree of economic integration within key trade cor-ridors of sub-Saharan Africa, namely West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa.

The final outputs are economic integration scores at the country and regional levels measured on a semi-annual basis for the period 2011-2013.

Known as the Visa Africa In-

tegration Index, the 2013 edition, which was released in Lagos on Tuesday, showed that Ghana has been ahead of Nigeria for years. While Ghana in 2012 and 2013 scored 52.5 and 52.1 per cent re-spectively, Nigeria trails behind her with 40.5 and 40.6 per cent for 2012 and 2013 respectively.

The purpose of the Index, ac-cording to Visa is to better un-derstand and to help facilitate economic growth from greater cross-border interaction and eco-nomic openness.

Country Manager for Visa in West Africa, Ade Ashaye said that Visa together with its partners, touches 500 million people in Af-rica, saying, “Since the launch of the Visa Africa Integration Index

in 2013 the African economy has extended its best period of eco-nomic growth on record by de-livering growth of 4.8 percent in 2013.”

He stated that the objective was to construct an index for a num-ber of selected sub-Saharan Af-rican countries to measure their global and regional integration adding that the Index is built from country-level macroeconomic data, and a wealth of proprietary data drawn from Visa in sub-Saha-ran Africa, that sum to more than 4 million observations measured across 19 elements.

“We want to better understand Africa to help unleash the enor-mous growth potential in elec-tronic payments on the continent,

now the heart of the developing world”, he said.

Ashaye noted that it is widely expected that buoyant economic growth will continue for the fore-seeable future and it is likely that the African economy will achieve a growth rate approaching 5.5 percent in 2014 saying that with a collective gross domestic product, GDP, of over $1.9 trillion – a figure that is expected to exceed $2.6 tril-lion by 2020.

Nigeria, which recently over-took South Africa to become the largest economy in Africa, had a score of 40.5 at the end of 2013 on the Visa Africa Integration Index improving from 37.7 at the start of 2011. At the end of 2012, the Index level was virtually the same at

40.6.South Africa has the highest

score on the Visa Africa Integra-tion Index, improving from 61.1 at the start of 2011 to 66.7 at the end of 2013.

Said Ashaye: “Nigeria will benefit enormously from greater integration, as its growing market matures and modernises, and the demand for capital and a diversity of trade partners rises to address the needs of increasing industri-alisation, a rising appetite for pro-duction and services and growing sophistication in lifestyles.’’

The analysis also considers the depth and breadth of integration, and how integrated each country is globally and regionally.

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

Freight and forwarding agents at the Murtala Mo-hammed International Air-

port, MMIA, Lagos have appealed to the Federal Government to re-open the closed warehouses at the airport for safety and security reasons.

The clearing agents warned that the inability of the govern-ment to re-open the warehouses on or before Friday would cause more havoc in the airport sector.

The President, National Asso-ciation of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Airport Chapter, Mr. Olusegun Musa, told journalists at the air-port that the association regretted the action that led to the closure of the warehouses, saying that sever-al billions of naira had been lost to the crisis on the side of the agents, ground handlers and even govern-ment agencies.

Musa noted that since the cri-sis ensued last Wednesday, the clearing agents had met with the officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, the Federal Air-ports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, ground handlers and other neces-sary stakeholders to forestall re-currence.

He emphasised that NAGAFF would use the current develop-ment to correct some abnormali-ties noticed in the system like the delay in cargo clearance mainly caused by inadequate manpower at the warehouses.

He added that the leadership of NAGAFF would also ensure that the airport was more user-friendly to users in terms of crowd control, identification of its members and properly protect the interest of its members.

He explained that there are large volumes of perishable goods, which are either going for export or import, but were held up in the warehouses due to the closure.

He added that at present, the apron side of the airport is con-gested due to the closure and feared that this may lead to a ma-jor incident at the apron, adding that pilfering and stealing of the cargoes could not also be ruled out as people gain entrance into the tarmac through several openings within the airport.

He noted that the only way the sector could move forward was for all players especially in the cargo clearing and forwarding business to work together as a team, and assured that the cargo business would be professionalised by its association.

Clearing agents appeal to FG to re-open warehouses

NPA to enhance port service delivery via rail transportation

CHIDI UGWUABUJA

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, recently in Abuja inaugurated an

Inter-Agency Delivery Team on Azura Independent Power Proj-ect aimed at the full realization of the project on schedule.

According a statement signed by Ibrahim Haruna, Assistant Director (Press), in the Minister at a brief inauguration ceremo-ny urged the team to fast track the completion of the Indepen-dent Power Project (IPP) located in Edo State in order to increase the quantum of power available

to the national grid.The membership of the team

include Senior Special to minis-ter of power, Prof. Frank Edozie, Assistant (SSA) on Gas, Team Leader, Representative of Edo State Government, Dozie Ok-palaobieri of the Federal Min-istry of Finance, Representative of Nigerian Electricity Regu-latory Commission, Mr. Yinka Balogun of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Omotayo Hassan of the Nigerian Bulk Electric-ity Trading Co. (NBET), Repre-sentative of Federal Ministry of Justice, Engr. E.O. Ajayi of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mr. David Ladipo representative

of Azura, representatives of the World Bank and representative of the Bankers.

Nebo said the project when completed as planned would give foreign investors more confi-dence to invest in similar power projects in the country, as this success story will be working of emulation by would-be investors.

The minister, who was repre-sented by the Permanent Secre-tary, Amb. (Dr.) Godknows Igali, stated that Azura project will create a platform and a template for other projects to succeed, going by the seriousness in the packaging of the project.

The Nigerian Ports Au-thority, NPA, on Tuesday said it would enhance

port service delivery by using the railway in cargo movement across Nigeria.

The Manager, Lagos Port Complex, Apapa, Mallam Na-sir Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that use of water, road and railway

transportation was imperative for efficient cargo movement.

‘‘The success of any port, especially our Nigerian ports, must be dependent on three angles; the water angle and the road angle, of course the road angle divided on the trucks and the railway.

‘‘For Lagos port, we are try-ing to harness all the three. We

already have an existing road angle through which we move cargoes including containers and other general cargo that leaves Lagos ports.

Mohammed said that an ex-isting rail track in the Lagos port complex, terminated di-rectly in Kaduna and Kano and enabled the inland container depot in Kano to move some

boxes.He, however, said with in-

creased number of wagons the weekly movement to Kano would be more frequent.

‘‘We are also beginning to look towards using the water-ways to move cargo.

‘‘We want to start engaging some stakeholders in discus-sions in such a way to see the

possibility of using our exten-sive waterways to move cargo, not just within Lagos itself, but maybe out of Lagos.

‘‘It is something that can be used, because it’s being used in some other parts of the world much more seriously in such a way that you don’t even see boxes; you don’t even see con-tainers on the roads.”

FG inaugurates inter-agency delivery team on Azura IPP

L-R: Managing Director, Levant and Emerging Africa Region, EMC, Mr. Nazim Fraijat; Vice President and Global Chief Technology Officer (CTO), EMC Sales, Patricia Florissi and General Manager for West Africa, EMC, Rasheed Ola Jimoh, at a press briefing on the 2014 edition of the EMC Forum in Lagos, yesterday.

28 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014Business News

Business News

The President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria (APBN), Mr.

Gabriel Fasoto, has urged Nige-rian professionals to uphold the ethics of their professions.

Fasoto, also a former President of the Chartered Institute of Tax-ation, CITN, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

According to him, profession-als must blaze the trail in ensur-ing that the yearnings of Nigeri-ans for a positive change in the nation’s life become a reality.

The APBN president said that this was possible given the vin-tage position the professionals oc-cupy in the country.

“This advice becomes neces-sary considering the level of me-diocrity and corruption in our society today.

“It is my belief that high ethi-cal standard is the only attribute that will distinguish a thorough bred professional from a medio-cre.

“The association will focus on

institutionalising professional-ism among its members.

“This will be done by encour-aging members to place the cam-paign of adherence and enforce-ment of high ethical standards in the forefront in their respective institutes,” he said.

Fasoto said that the association would continue to engage various tiers of government on utilisation of skills, knowledge and expertise of Nigerian professionals in proj-ects execution.

He said that the association would also engage governments in ensuring improvement on com-pliance level of the local content requirements as provided by the law.

Fasoto said that the association would also work with its members to guarantee quality assurance on any job executed by Nigerian pro-fessionals.

According to him, the associa-tion’s achievements in this area will strengthen its relevance in the country.

Association urges Nigerian professionals to uphold ethics

ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

Globacom has been listed as one of the top 100 firms in Nigeria for the

2014 fiscal year. The top 100 companies list is

based on international bench-mark set by the International In-tegrated Reporting Council. The benchmark includes the amount of turnover, level of investment in the country and the number of jobs so far created in the economy.

Others are the impact that these companies have had in the communities where they operate, level of corporate governance and the amount of long and medium

FG applauds Glo over investment

L-R: Member of Board, Capital Market Commission, Angola, Mr. Patricio Villar; Executive Director, Market Operations and Technology, The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Ade Bajomo; Board Chairman, CMC Angola, Mr. Augusto Archer Mangueira and General Manager/Head, Corporate Services Division, NSE, Mr. Bola Adeeko at the familiarising tour by the Capital Market Commission (CMC), Angola team to view the regulatory framework, activities and experiences of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos on Monday.

FRANCIS EZEM

Nigeria’s Liquefied Natu-ral Gas LNG export for the third quarter of 2014

recorded a 5.8 per cent growth, which may cushion some of the effect of dwindling oil revenue occasioned by the general fall in global crude oil price.

The Federal Government had last week in addition to banning foreign trips and training by its agencies to conserve funds, an-nounced some austerity mea-sures, which include imposition of higher tariff on expensive and luxury goods such as cars, Cham-pagne and private jets, among sev-eral others as part of measures to cushion the effect of the declining revenue.

Ports statistics released by the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, for the third quarter ended Sep-tember 30, 2014 shows that Liq-uefied Natural Gas LNG export volume stood at 5.1 million metric tonnes as against the 4.9 million metric tonnes exported in the comparative period of 2013, rep-

resenting a growth rate of 5.8 per cent.

Details of the statistics shows that cargo throughput handled at the various seaports in the country in the third quarter of 2014 stood at 22.3 million metric tonnes, representing an increase of 12.5 per cent compared with the 19.8 million metric tonnes handled in the third quarter of last year.

Other breakdown shows that a total of 4.21 million metric tonnes of general cargo representing an increase of 41.7 per cent over the 2013 third quarter volume; while 2.6 million metric tonnes of dry bulk cargo representing a mar-ginal increase of 0.6 per cent over the corresponding period of 2013.

The report also said that a to-tal of 5.2 million metric tonnes of refined petroleum products were handled in the review period even as 277,694 Twenty Equivalent Units TEUs of laden containers and 217,080 TEUs of empty con-tainers representing 9.1 per cent and three per cent and 9.5 per cent increase a piece was recorded over the corresponding period of

last year.. The report also shows that a

total of 1,405 ocean going vessels were handled at all nation’s eight seaports as against a total of 1,366 vessels that called at the same period in 2013 representing an in-crease of 2.9 per cent..

The ports’ total Gross Reg-istered Tonnage GRT for these entire ocean going vessels in the third quarter 2014 amounted to 38 million metric tonnes, rep-resenting an increase of 9.8 per cent over the 34.6 million metric tonnes GRT recorded in the same period of last year.

During the period under re-view, the Lagos Ports Complex LPC Apapa, recorded a GRT of 10.1 million metric tonnes show-ing an increase of nine per cent over the 9.3 million metric tonnes recorded in 2013.

The Tin can Island Ports Com-plex also recorded a GRT of 13.1 million metric tonnes, represent-ing an increase of 16.8 per cent over 11.2 million metric tonnes re-corded in the comparative period of 2013 while the port handled 475 ocean going vessels.

Nigeria’s Liquefi ed Natural Gasexport grows 6%

term investment plan.T he list was announced in Abuja by the Chair-man, Assessment Committee, Jim Obazee.

Obazee said Globacom and the other companies on the list were creating wealth and jobs for the economy and should, therefore, be honoured for their patriotism and spirit of enterprise.

He explained that the activi-ties of Globacom and the other top 100 firms had gone a long way in creating confidence in the local in-vestment environment saying that .this has gone a long way in draw-ing other investors into the same environment thereby improving the business climate of Nigeria.

Among other companies named as 100 top companies in Nigeria are First Bank, Dangote, Chevron and MTN.

Globacom is top player in Ni-geria’s telecoms sector, boasting heavy investment in integrated telecoms infrastructure and per-sonnel.

It has also made the same in-vestments in neighbouring Benin Republic and Ghana through its mobile telephone network; and to Senegal, Ivory Coast and other West African countries through its Glo 1 infrastructure.

The top 100 firms recognition is the first of its kind by the Federal Government, and the high flying companies will be honoured at a dinner scheduled for December at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Nigeria Association of Microfinance Banks on Monday called on the

Federal Government to take im-mediate steps to diversify the nation’s economy.

The association’s national President, Mr Valentine When-su, made this known in an inter-view with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

Whensu said that the diversi-fication of the economy would `take of fears’ associated with drop in international oil price.

He said other sectors of the economy such as Microfinance

Banks could be empowered to contribute more to the nation’s economic growth.

‘‘Improved access to financial services for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will hasten growth in the infor-mal sector.

‘‘It will also help eliminate the bottlenecks on loan acquisi-tions and provide growth oppor-tunities for MSMEs and lower income clients to foster job cre-ation and economic growth,” he said

He commended the Federal Government and international

organisations for support so far given to microfinance banks in the country.

The president commended the Federal Government for launching N220bn Micro, Small and Medium Funds, MSME, to boost entrepreneurial develop-ment.

According to him, the Fed-eral Government has dis closed that nine states have already ac-cessed part of the N220 billion SMSE fund.

‘‘It is interesting to note that 19 more states have completed the process and are at the stage

of accessing the fund.``You may also wish to know

that 80 per cent of the states that have accessed or that will access the fund channeled or will chan-nel it through microfinance banks to the grassroots.

He told NAN that microfi-nance banks were playing a ma-jor role in building the economy from the grassroots.

‘‘Just as the local govern-ments are created to take gov-ernance closer to the people, microfinance banks are estab-lished to get banking services closer to the grassroots.’’

Microfi nance banks seek diversifi cation of economy

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 29Thursday, November 27, 2014

L-R: President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu; Pro Chancellor Northwest University, Kano, Alhaji Sule Yahaya Hamm; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Kano, Alhaji Garba Gezawa, and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Mohd Razali Agus during the foundation laying ceremony of a lecture theatre donated to the institution by ICAN in Kano yesterday.

FG develops action plan for coal power plant –Nebo

The Nigerian Ports Con-sultative Council (NPCC) on Tuesday advocated the

use of a master plan with res-ervation of areas for the expan-sion of the Apapa Port to ease the current traffic .

The Chairman, Chief Kunle Folarin, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that lack of master plan and non- reserva-tion of areas for expansion was largely responsible for the grid-lock at the port.

‘‘What we could have got from the beginning is a master plan. There was no master plan for the port 30-40 years ago.

‘‘There would have been res-

ervations for possible expan-sion of the port, and when you talk about the port, you are not only talking about key aprons or the fenced area that you call the port.

‘‘The port is five kilometres from the port gate; five kilome-tres from the port gate is a recess corridor of the port.

‘‘The port corridors must have included and be seen in a master plan.’’

Folarin stressed that the orig-inal concept had been distorted thereby making it impossible for the much needed expansion that was required.

‘‘There was encroachment

for industry, for residential and commercial enterprises. So, how do you expand the port?

‘‘So the port that was receiv-ing a maximum of 33 million metric tons of cargo; imports and export in the early ‘70s.

‘‘Suddenly it rose to 140 to 150 million metric tons for import and export now.

‘‘So, how do you accommodate the traffic, that will bring the ex-port and evacuate the import, while land is inelastic as in eco-nomic principle?”

According to him, until spac-es are created for the port, the traffic situation in Apapa may remain the same for a long time.

Council seeks master plan for Apapa port to ease traffi c gridlock

The former Aviation Min-ister Mr. Femi Fani-Kay-ode has confirmed his

participation as the Keynote Speaker for the fourth Anniver-sary lecture/award ceremony of Nigerian NewsDirect slated for December 3, at Eko Hotel &Suites, Lagos.

This follows confirmation of participation by the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Agan-ga, Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Managing Director/CEO, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NPDHC) Mr. James Olotu among others.

The theme of the anniversary

lecture is “Dwindling Oil Rev-enue: Roles of infrastructure and security in fast-tracking economic growth and sustenance of democ-racy”.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had disclosed in Abuja recently that Nigeria re-quires investment of $14bnannu-ally out of which $10bn should come from the Federal level.

The anniversary lecture/award ceremony is expected to reward individuals, corporate in-stitutions, government officials both at state and federal levels in recognition of their positive con-tributions to Nigerian economy.

HANNAH AYANGBILE

As part of its Corporate So-cial Responsibility,CSR, initiative especially in the

health sector, Sterling Bank has commenced a four day mobile health screening campaign to pro-vide on-the-spot health checks for members of the general public.

A statement from the bank yesterday said it’s rolling out this project in partnership with Medi-field Mobile Health Services and will deploy a mobile medical unit to provide fast and reliable health services to interested customers.

It said that customers with new accounts opened during this cam-paign will also be eligible for basic health screening checks such as blood pressure check, body mass index and diabetes screening. Ac-cording to the statement, locations for the four day programme will include Ogijo, Owode Onirin, Fes-tac and Ajegunle.

It noted that the bank would help to provide basic counsel and medical solutions to customers and prospects on health issues.

The statement said, “Many Ni-gerians don’t have the time to go for medical checks either because they are busy or they do not have the financial capacity to do so.“ So what we are doing is to take this facility to their door steps free as part of our CSR initiative to en-rich the lives of our customers as well as non-customers”.

The statement quoted the bank’s Head, Strategy and Com-munications, Mr. Shina Atilola, as saying the existing customers will have free access to the health check while non-customers will be required to open an account with the Bank to enjoy the benefit.

“Ideally, we are looking at loca-tions with mass market because that is where you have a lot of these people who really need this service that is, a value addition to provision of financial services.’’

Sterling Bank rolls out mobile health screening campaign

Konga offers shoppers grand discount with Yakata

NewsDirect marks 4th anniversary

Shoppers in the country can now make massive savings on the purchase

of their favourite items in preparation for the yuletide, as Nigeria’s largest online mall, Konga.com, for the second year running, launched ‘Yakata’, its biggest sales of the year.

The great deals, which are scheduled to kick off on Novem-ber 27, a day earlier than the glob-al ‘Black Friday’ sales, apply to all items on Konga.com, a company statement said yesterday. How-ever, some other items will attract bigger discounts during the five-day period of the sales.

Konga’s Yakata sales last year recorded an exceptional success as several consumers made away with unbelievable deals on their

purchases. Following the huge buzz it generated, Yakata has since been referred to, by many, as Nigeria’s biggest shopping event of the year.

Yakata is Konga’s version of the global ‘Black Friday’ sales, and it was introduced by the com-pany to give Nigerian online retail shoppers the opportunity to make massive savings on the purchase of their favourite items.

Commenting on the upcoming 2014 sales, Konga’s Head of Mar-keting, Gabriel Gab-Umoden said, “We know that our customers are looking to us to provide the low-est prices and greatest deals this shopping season. This year Kon-ga is going even bigger with our Yakata sales.’’

30 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014Business News

The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, says the Federal Govern-

ment has developed an action plan for the actualisation of coal fired power plant.

Nebo said this Monday in Abuja at the 2014 Ministerial Press Briefing.

He said the Ministry of Power, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, was cur-rently developing bankable project documents for the pur-pose of facilitating investment in coal to power.

He said that the Federal Gov-ernment was determined to explore renewable energy and energy efficiency to the fullest.

Nebo warned that Electric-ity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, that rejected their load allocation would be sanc-tioned by the Nigerian Elec-tricity Regulatory Commis-sion, NERC.

He also said that the NERC had been strengthened to guar-antee a robust regulated elec-tricity market.

According to him, the Fed-eral Government, in line with its desire to take electricity to the grassroots in January 2015, had inaugurated the ‘Op-eration Light up Rural Nigeria, OLRN,’ project.

He said that about 10 states were expected to key into the project in line with Federal

Government’s Transformation Agenda.

The minister further said that the Federal Government had successfully conducted grid market gap analysis and deployment of grid meters at all trading points for energy tracking and accountability.

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Power, Alhaji Moham-med Wakil, said that the gov-ernment had invested N3.5 bil-lion in the past 10 years in its quest to achieve stable power supply.

Wakil said that the Federal Government was doing every-thing possible to reform the power sector, given its role in the growth of any economy.

Government plans to make the ICT sector top earner for the economy on or before year 2020. However,

observations indicated that there are pitfalls that may make that projection a mirage.

The general perception in the econo-my is that technology is the key driver for economic and social development, and it should be adopted to facilitate growth in key sectors of Nigeria’s economy.

The Minister of Communication Tech-nology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson had sev-eral forum stated the position of govern-ment on that which indeed confirm that government foresees ICT as a major driv-er of the economy considering the un-steady price of oil in the global market.

Speaking recently, she said: “We be-lieve that ICT has the greatest potential to eclipse oil and gas as the core source of national income, if not the most reliable, contributing the maximum possible per-centage of income to the country.”

She added: “We know that the few agencies under the ministry of commu-nication technology working closely to-gether can certainly deliver on the ICT mandate of the country.”

According to her, “The ministry is committed to ensuring that ICT is lever-aged to enhance and facilitate the trans-formational development of Nigeria in critical sectors of the economy such as power, health, education, agriculture, in-terior to enable inclusive development, job creation, transparency of governance and economic growth.”

Also statistics from the Nigerian Com-munications Commission, NCC, revealed that the telecoms industry contributes 8.5 per cent to the country’s GDP a far cry from what it takes to run the economy and get it from the hand of the oil and gas sector.

The government is also banking on major broadband projects in the country, which are expected to be completed this year, as a way of driving the ICT.

Indeed, the president had given a spe-cific mandate that the broadband proj-ects, which are poised to usher a high speed internet regime in the country, must be completed this year.

According to her, sectors such as edu-

Hurdles before FG’s ICT top earner quest

Johnson Amos

As the global economy become more largely driven by technology, more countries including Nigeria have no choice, but to join the train but are there pitfalls, that must beavoided, ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN writes.

Power availability and general

resource center such as smart villages and

infrastructure that will boost entrePreneurs’

achievements should be Place on the front burner of government’s

Programmes

Early during the week, Airtel Nigeria announced that it has gone into agree-ment to sell 4,800 mobile towers to Ameri-can Tower Corporation, AMT, in a lease-back transaction American by its parent company, Bharti Airtel Ltd, India’s larg-est mobile-phone carrier.

Airtel, which initially had about 15,000 mobile towers, had in September sold about 3,500 telecom towers in Africa to Eaton Towers.

Etisalat Nigeria recently sold 2,136 towers to IHS making the operator the first of the three major GSM operators to sell towers. The financial terms of the deal was said to have cost IHS at around US$400m.

Also MTN Nigeria has signed an agree-ment with IHS Holdings for the transfer of its towers business, comprising 9,151 mobile network towers, to the latter.

The transaction, just like as it was in the case of Airtel is expected to reduce MTN Nigeria’s operating costs; drives network efficiencies and further expand MTN’s voice and data capacity.

A recent forcast by TowerXchange, a company that studies tower business across countries said that by the end of 2014, about 84 per cent of Nigeria’s tow-ers will be owned or operated by indepen-dent towercos, with only Glo retaining their towers.

Group Chairman at Programos Soft-ware Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Amos said that there are obvious signs that quest for the ICT sector to be the major earner for the economy come 2020 is being threat-ened.

He told National Mirror that for ICT to be a major earner for the country, ed-ucation in the country must be IT - EN-ABLED noting that service capacities must be promoted from tertiary educa-tion levels.

Amos stressed that power availabil-ity and general resource center such as smart villages and infrastructure that will boost entrepreneurs’ achievements should be place on the front burner of government’s programmes.

He disclosed that so far, the industry is yet to get the needed encouragement from government stressing that govern-ment must ensure the adoption of post-2015 strategies as well as policies that would promote sustainable development goals agenda of the UN.

He however, noted that the recent de-bate by the National Assembly to making listing of private companies on the Nige-rian Stock Exchange was not an entirely bad idea.

Amos explained that making it manda-tory will ensure that companies benefit from the corporate governance rating system of the Stock Exchange adding that, “In another light, investors will be protected.”

network operation but the withdrawal of staff.

It was also gathered that the attack by the insurgents on telecoms facility is not limited to base stations but Mobile Switching Centres, MSC have in one or several cases been their target.

The MSC allows for connection be-tween the calls coming from the mobile phones to the network that the caller wants to call. So, if there are no MSC calls will not even go through.

Current trend of the sale of towers by the operators to tower owners, who may not have the fund to move to areas where the insurgents are in firm control, may just be another pitfall waiting to truncate the oil and gas to ICT revenue earner for government, and that include the fact that operators are unwilling put the dam-aged base stations back to use as a result of fragile security situation in the states.

cation, agriculture, commerce, health, government services, entertainment, se-curity, among others, are expected to be revolutionised using high-speed internet.

Her confidence is also based on what she described as ‘revolution’ that would be driven within the scope of the 2.3GHz licensing process, which is planned to open up high speed internet services for users.

“There is a wide range of e-govern-ment services, which need to be intro-duced as soon as possible. These include issuing the national identity cards, driv-ing licences and registration of compa-nies, among many others. In order to introduce these services, individual de-partments require high-speed internet access; so, from government quarters, there is a large latent demand for broad-band access service from providers. So we are committed to seeing the success of the new broadband plan to be spearhead-ed by the spectrum sales,” Johnson said.

She said government is targeting the transformation of key sectors of the economy under the broadband regime, which is has taken off.

However, investigation revealed that if government did not address some funda-mental issues such as power, the activi-ties of the insurgents like Boko Haram and proposed plan by the National As-semble to compel private companies to be listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE may just be some pitfalls waiting to truncate oil and gas to ICT initiative.

For instance, most of the telecoms firms have withdrawn their staff from North Central Nigeria, heart of the bat-tle ground of Boko Haram. The reason is that the base stations of the mobile operators have been blown up by the in-surgents thereby forcing the operators to close shop there.

Investigation revealed that over 150 base stations have been shut down by the insurgents resulting not only to failed

31National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014

Info TechNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net

32 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014

Tech Box

The iPhone 6 certainly ad-dresses a number of the problems Apple had devel-

oped, coming with a much larger screen a boosted processor, better camera, improved battery and crucially: overhauled design.

The screen of the iPhone 6 is definitely an upgrade as well as i the size, resolution, colour repro-duction and powe. The resolution on offer is 1334 x 750, which is a change from the 1136 x 640 resolu-tion of previous iPhones. Thanks to being increased to 4.7-inches though it’s still 326PPI, which means you will get a familiar ex-perience visually.

The camera upgrades is amaz-ing considering Apple is offering from a top-level perspective given it’s stuck once more with an 8MP sensor.

Apple’s still got the Auto HDR mode on offer here as well, which means a larger selection of pho-tos will look better naturally. There are also new camera modes to play with, with HD panoramas and a new time-lapse feature that’s integrated into the app itself.

The other element that’s been improved on the camera is the video: Slo-Mo now can pump out 240FPS for smoother super slow movies, and 1080p standard vid-eo is now shot at a very smooth 60FPS.

The self portrait craze is sadly going nowhere it seems for the

smartphone user, and Apple has joined the race to make people think that it has made the ulti-mate ‘selfie phone’.

According to Apple’s literature, TouchID has been unchanged as a technology in the iPhone 6 from last year’s model. Pay has a huge potential to change how we use phones to replace cards

Apple Pay is the new scheme from the Cupertino brand, and while it’s yet to show itself in the US (and is only vaguely confirmed for Europe next year) you can see in our review of the service from the event itself.

Add to that the fact Apple will now let you download other key-boards (Swiftkey is appearing the second I can get my hands on it) and the messaging experience is definitely now getting a tick in my book.

Samsung Gear Live

Face it, your smartphone is getting bigger whether you like it or not, and Samsung’s

popular, but ridiculously sized, phablets are chief among the su-per-sized phones.

For this very reason, the Sam-sung Gear feels increasingly rel-evant. Its Google-powered Android Wear software safely relocates notification-checking addiction to the wrist.

There’s no need to fumble around with that 5.7-inch Sam-sung Galaxy Note 3 screen to see why the device just vibrated. The smartwatch has the answer too. A simple flick of the wrist solves the notification mystery and keeps your easily breakable and losable smartphone in your pocket more often.

Samsung has been down this same road before with non-An-droid Wear watches like the ma-ligned Galaxy Gear and its better, square-shaped follow-ups, the Gear 2 and

The square watch face has a 1.63-inch Super AMOLED display and a 320 x 320 resolution that provides a remarkably vivid 278 pixels-per-inch picture.

It’s always-on screen illumi-

nates with the rotation of your wrist or a tap of the touchscreen and it looks best at the highest brightness. Of course, that does compromise battery life consider-ably.

Adjacent to the power button is a tiny microphone that picks up “Okay Google” initiated com-mands. There’s no micro USB port for charging on the side.

Instead, a proprietary Pogo charging terminal is around back, directly above the heart-rate moni-tor. There are also the “presto pins” that release the watch straps.

Switching the straps around wasn’t difficult, though the four miniaturised pins holding them in place look as if they could be prone to failure one day.

Sleeker iPhone 6 for Apple fansIsaIah ErhIawarIEn

Africans are the highest us-ers of mobile phones in the world with mobile sub-

scriptions of 880 million topping a list of global chart of mobile sub-scription.

Latest edition of the Ericsson Mobility Report, a comprehensive update on mobile trends leverag-ing big data from live networks worldwide, reveals that prolifera-tion of mobile technology contin-ues at a rapid pace with Africa topping mobile subscriptions for Q3 2014.

The report also predicted that 85 percent of Middle East and Af-rica mobile subscriptions will be 3G/4G by 2020 whilst 90 percent of the world’s population over six years old is predicted to have a mobile phone by 2020 adding that by 2020 smartphone subscriptions are forecast to top 6.1 billion.

According to the President and Regional Head of Ericsson sub-Sa-

haran Africa, Fredrik Jejdling the increased availability of low-cost smartphones in sub-Saharan Af-rica will lead to a rapid increase of smartphone subscriptions in the region noting that GSM/EDGE-only subscriptions will remain the most common subscription type for the next five years due to the high numbers of lower in-come consumers using2G-enabled handsets.

The report observed that smart-phone growth continues as 65-70 percent of all phones sold in thet-hird quarter of 2014 were smart-phones, compared with 55 percent in the same quarter for 2013.

However, the report said there is still plenty of room for growth in the sector stressing that smart-phones currently account for just 37 percent of all mobile phone subscriptions, meaning that many users have yet to make the switch to the more feature-rich, internet-friendly option.

The report predicted a strong uptake in the coming years as the number rises from 2.7 billion

smartphone subscriptions today to the forecast 6.1 billion in 2020.

Video, the report said, contin-ues to dominate mobile networks while 4G-dominated the net-worksconstituting 45-55 percent of mobile traffic, driven largely by increased usage of video stream-ing and improvements in the mo-bile video experience.

Of note in the report is the trend that video is increasingly appear-ing as part of other online appli-cations such as news and adverts, and on social media platforms while at the same time, growth in video streaming is being driven by access to over-the-top (OTT) ser-vices and content, such as those provided by YouTube.

The report noted further the evolving of devices used to watch video adding that many have larg-erscreens, enabling higher picture quality for streamed video, which results in video being consumed on all types of devices and in high-er quantities, both at home and on the move.

L-R: Music Stars: Praise, KC, Chidinma, Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Eugene Juwah Sir Shina Peters, Dr Okechukwu Itanyi (Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, NCC and Iyanya during a visit to Nigerian Communications Commission, Headquarters in Abuja.

Africa tops mobile subscriptions with 880million lines

IsaIah ErhIawarIEn

The telecommunications sector has been described as the first genuine plat-

form that has taken over virtu-ally every aspect of human de-velopment since the revolution began via the Digital Mobile Li-cences 2001.

This was the view of the Exec-utive Vice Chairman, EVC, of the Nigerian Communications Com-mission, NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah.

The EVC who hosted MTN Music Ambassadors in his office in Abuja recently, said the musi-cians themselves have become a standard for the youth of the country, saying, “You have made the country proud by your cre-ativity and you have shaped the entertainment industry.”

“Through the effective over-sight of the Commission, the in-dustry has been able to engage the youth through the promotion of the entertainment industry by way of talent s hows which have seen the emergence of artists who have become role models for the teeming youth, adding that your shows have enriched lives significantly”.

The EVC told his guests that Nigerian entertainment industry has gone beyond our shores cit-ing his visit to Atlanta, Georgia, USA recently with some Nolly-wood producers and actors to at-tend a seminar where Professors and other experts from the USA and Canada came specifically to understudy, analyse and talk about the growing entertainment industry in Nigeria and the in-fluence on other sectors and cul-tures.

He said the Digital Bridge Institute, DBI, in collaboration with George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia and Howard University hosted the seminar with a view to providing global best practice in marketing and distribution of movies, training on digital movie production and editing among others.

The NCC is in the vanguard of doing the best for the entertain-ment industry including Nolly-wood adding that a studio is being built in Oshodi, Lagos to cushion the practice of Nigerian enter-tainers.

Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Mr. Okechukwu Itanyi also told the visitors that the telecom industry is a platform for propagating the ideals of entertainment through video streaming, SMS and Caller tunes.

Nigeria’s telecoms industry growth commended

Info Tech

The federal government has secured global certi-fication for the electron-

ic national identity card,e-ID through the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC.

NIMC got the certification for its facilities, which produc-es the e-ID from the Global Ven-dors Certification Programme, GVCP, by MasterCard.

The facility that was certi-fied is the Card Personalisa-tion Bureau which is where the National e-ID Cards are per-sonalised and made ready for distribution and subsequent activation.

This is one of the few such Government-owned facili-

A recent survey over 90 per-cent of business leaders in Nigeria has confirmed

that Information Technology, IT, is strategic for business growth and survive.

According the study, which was conducted by EMC Corporation and released in Lagos, more than 80 percent of respondents agree that their organisations recognise the increasing role of automation, such as software defined storage, as critical to business growth.

The survey covered 528 busi-ness and technology decision mak-ers across Nigeria’s private and

As major drivers of eco-nomic growth, small and medium scale enterprises

have been advised to adopt cost-ef-fective, operationally efficient and flexible solutions in the manage-ment of their businesses. This was the major talking point at the inau-gural MTN SME Forum organised by MTN Nigeria.

L-R: Systems Engineer Manager, Levant and Emerging Africa Region, EMC, Mr. Travers Nicholas; Manager, Information Systems, Addax Petroleum, Mr. Shola Sani; Vice President and Global Chief Technology Officer, CTO, EMC Sales, Patricia Florissi and Director of Information Technology, United Bank for Africa, UBA, Mr. Rasheed Adegoke, at the 2014 edition of the EMC Forum in Lagos.

FG gets global certification for national e-ID

Nigerian business leaders confirm IT as strategic for business driver –EMC survey

Teleco urges SMEs to embrace cloud services

MSMEs to access technology at low from CWG

ties certified under the GVCP Scheme of the MasterCard on the African continent.

Deputy Director, Corporate Communications NIMC, Mr. Abdulhamid Umar who con-firmed the development said the certification followed con-scious effort by the manage-ment of the NIMC which led to the refitting, retooling and upgrading of the card print-ing facility that was built by Government under the previ-ous scheme in compliance with some of the requirements and standards for security and op-erational procedure in the plas-tic card industry as set by the EMV, PCI DSS globally for such High Security Areas, HSAs.

public sectors.The report of the study was pre-

sented to the media, by a team of EMC executives, which included Vice president and Global Chief Technical Officer, Patricia Flo-rissa, managing Director, Levant and Emerging Africa,Nazim Frai-jat and General Manager, West Af-rica, Rasheed Ola-Jimoh.

The study also found that about 96 percent of respondents expect-ed next-generation technologies such as Mobile, Social, Cloud Com-puting and Big Data to give their organisations a competitive ad-vantage, and that these new tech-

Citing the lack of awareness on the benefits of cloud services as well as the mistaken perception among SMEs that cloud comput-ing is very expensive and beyond their reach, the MTN SME forum was organized to bridge these identified gaps.

MTN Cloud Services offer a range of prepaid cloud-based ser-

The objective of the MOU is to provide an ICT technology platform for the use of MSMEs at very little cost; this would also avail them the services of an Enterprises Resource Planning (ERP) platform called Small and Medium Enterprise Resource Planning, SMERP.

This platform will allow the MSMEs to manage their busi-ness operations and provides functionalities such as account-ing management, inventory

He noted that the ISO 27001: 2005 certification was also part of efforts at ensuring the GVCP, PCI DSS certification

nologies will impact key aspects of business, including improving customer experience, managing mission-critical business opera-tions and building new products and services.

The result, which was revealed on the sideline of the 2014 edition of the EMC Forum in Lagos indi-cated that the impact of the mega-trends has fundamentally changed the expectations of consumers and end-users

EMC’s General Manager for West Africa, Rasheed Ola Jimoh, said that the survey results reflect heightened interest in third plat-

vices designed to provide server, software, storage and security ben-efits over a secure internet connec-tion without any of the associated IT infrastructure costs. With this development, SMEs in Nigeria can now enjoy enterprise solutions and very affordably too.

According to Mike Ikpoki, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Ni-

management, sales and order tracking.

The MOU’s objective is also meant to provide an e-commerce platform that enables MSMEs to sell their goods and services on-line by creating a virtual store for each SME on the internet.

According to the the Director-General of SMEDAN, Mr. Bature Umar Masari the major issues af-fecting MSMEs, includes access to finance and markets saying that the signing of the Memoran-

noting that the coast was now clear for the NIMC to deploy its full capacity for card personali-sation and also for extending

form technologies by Nigerian or-ganisations.

“Enterprises across Nigeria are realising the value that can be derived from technologies such as Cloud Computing and Big Data. These technologies form a bed-rock for driving agility and engag-ing the connected consumer. As the transition to third platform commences, IT departments will find themselves open to new op-portunities to innovate and truly fuel business transformation,” he said.

Jimoh underscored the need for organisations to take a more

geria, technology has become a key differentiator and enabler for businesses and as such services like cloud computing can prove commercially viable for SMEs due to its flexibility and pay-as-you-go cost structure. He added that cloud computing significantly lowers the cost of running an organisa-tion in the final analysis.

dum of Understanding between SMEDAN and the Computer Warehouse Group will effective-ly ameliorate these challenges.

Masari noted that the chal-lenges facing the country today would be a thing of the past if the potentials of the MSME sub sector of the economy is fully re-alised stressing that the develop-ment of the MSME sector is key to poverty alleviation, add that the collaboration with CWG Plc is crucial to the development of

it to the third party vendors it has contracted for that purpose once they are ready.

Umar further noted that the facility would be recerti-fied every year adding that the measures taken included pro-viding the required security monitoring appliances for the ‘High Security Areas, HSAs, as well as ensuring the entire area is made safe and secured from threats of physical and logical security, including en-suring that the right persons with ‘clean service records’ are working in the Bureau with clearly defined access to the premises and to the entire NIMS system, particularly the card perso plant process.

cloud-centric approach to busi-ness, against the backdrop of changing customer expectations arising from the emergence of new, always-on technology plat-forms.

He explained: “Consumer expectations have undergone a radical shift. They now expect to interact not only with each other, but with a multitude of organiza-tions, via mobile devices and at the speed of now. To remain relevant and competitive, organisations across every industry are rein-venting their business models to handle unprecedented levels of ac-cess, interaction and scale. For this reason, IT finds itself back in the driver’s seat, morphing from cost centre to a true catalyst for change through the use of cloud and Big Data technologies.”

He added that EMC’s long-estab-lished reputation as a global leader in helping businesses and service providers transform their opera-tions places the organization at a vantage position for facilitating Nigeria’s transition to an IT-driv-en economy.

MSMEs in the country. Founder/chief executive of-

ficer of CWG, Mr. Austin Okere said the SMEDAN/CWG collabo-ration would boost the develop-ment of MSMEs in the country.

He said the latest World Bank Doing Business Report indicated that Nigeria had moved five plac-es up, adding this is well above the average improvement of two positions by the MINT countries comprising of Mexico, Indone-sia, Nigeria and Turkey.

In a new initiative that will en-sure Micro Small and Medi-um Enterprises, MSMEs have

access to technology to enhance their growth has been unveiled.

The development was the re-sult of a Memorandum of Un-derstanding between the Small and Medium Enterprises De-velopment Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, and Computer Ware-house Group, CWG Plc., which was signed at the corporate head-quarters of the agency in Abuja.

Info TechNational Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 33Thursday, November 27, 2014

Government Technology

Financial Technology

BY ANUYA, F. O. (Ph.D)

Financial Regulation, Extant Circulars And Public Procurement

The Nigerian Financial Regulations, 2009, stipulates that:-

i. Government contracts are made in accordance with the ordinary law of contract through offer by one party and acceptance by the other.

ii. The Public Procurement Act, 2007(PPA) provides detailed requirements and guidelines for procurement contracts in respect of goods and services in the public sector i.e. Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices, other arms of Government

iii. (A) The Public Procurement Act applies to all procurements made by the following Federal Government Agencies, viz:-

(a) All Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices, other arms of Government; and

(b) All agencies of Government that derive at least 35% of their operational funds through ap-propriation from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

(B) The Act does not apply to procurements of special goods, works and services involving na-tional security unless the express approval of the President has been first sought and obtained.

iv. All procurement contracts by all Minis-tries, extra-Ministerial offices, and other arms of Government shall be executed in a manner that shall be prescribed and allowed by the Bureau for Public Procurements.

v. All bidders in a contract for public pro-curement must show proof of eligibility for the award of the contract. They must prove the follow-ing amongst others, viz:-

(a) They possess the necessary technical qualification

(b) They possess the machinery, equipment and manpower for the job;

(c) They have the legal capacity to enter into the contract i.e. they are not under a receivership nor are they insolvent;

(d) They are not tax evaders; and (e) None of their directors has been con-

victed in respect of any offence! Crime involving fraud, financial misappropriation or falsification of records.

vi. Persons who have been involved in the preparation of procurement proceedings shall not qualify to bid for the procurement either as a main contractor or sub-contractor.

vii. Advances of Non-Personal character shall be authorized by the Minister of Finance, except advances created under the authority of Financial Regulation 2524 or advances of up to N50,000.00 approved by the Accounting Officer. Ap-plications for Non-Personal Advance must state the reason for the advance, the method of clearance and the person to be held responsible for clearing the advance.

viii. In the disbursement of funds for Non-Personal Advance for project/Special Pro-grammes, the leader of the project/Special pro-grammes shall’ be the Accounting Officer and shall approve all payments, while an Accountant of an appropriate grade shall be attached to each project/special programmes and have responsibility for the disbursements as well as retirements of the Non-Personal Advances.

By the content of Accountant General for the Federation’s circular on the operation of year 2009

General imprest warrant, the following became applicable:

i. All Accounting Officers in the three arms of Government, including Ministries, extra-Ministerial offices and Agencies, are now authorized to approve funds to eligible imprest holders.

ii. The limit of reimbursable imprests shall be as follows:

iii. The frequency of reimbursement of any standing imprest shall normally be once in a quarter and shall not exceed twice in a quarter where the need arises.

iv. All Accounting Officers and Officers controlling expenditure are to ensure that all lo-cal procurement of stores and services costing above N200,000.00 shall be made only through award of contracts.

Source Deductions and the Nigerian Tax Laws

By the content of FIRS Circular No 9801 of 1998, it is now explicit that all types of contract payment, whether on oral or written contract will attract Tax deduction. Where, for example, there is a written contractual sale of goods or materials by Government or a trading concern to another, the payment for the transaction will be subject to withholding tax at 5%. Similarly, where there is no written contract but through an arrangement, a Government or company places an order for purchase from another company, such a transaction must also attract withholding tax at 5%. Therefore, on the whole, it must be understood that as long as a contract can be read into the actions of two or more per-sons or companies/enterprises, such transac-tion must attract withholding tax at 5%.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service Estab-lishment Act 2007 in:-

i. Section 25 (2) states that: The Service may, with the approval of the Minister by Instrument published in the Federal Gazette, appoint any Government Agency to collect revenue pursu-ant to the power of the Service under subsection (1) of this section.

ii. Section 24 states that the Accountant-General of the Federation shall have power to deduct at source, from the budgetary allocation, un-remitted taxes due from any Ministry or Gov-

ernment Agency and shall not later than 30 days therefore transfer such deductions to the Service.

iii. Section 40 of FIRS Establishment Act 2007 provides that; Any person who is being obliged to deduct any tax under this Act or the taxes listed in the First Schedule to this Act, but fails to deduct, or having deducted fails to pay to the Service within 30 days from the date the amount was deducted or duty to deduct arose, commits an offence and shall, upon conviction, be liable to pay the tax with-held or not remitted in addition to a penalty of 10 per cent of the tax not remitted per annum and interest at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria Re-discount rate and imprisonment for a period of not more than three years.

By the provision of the Companies Income Tax [Rates etc, of Tax Deduction at Source (Withhold-ing Tax)] Regulations of 1995

i. Persons qualified to deduct Tax at source in-clude body, corporate, and unincorporated, a Gov-ernment Ministry, Department and Agency, a local Government, a Statutory body, a public authority and any other Institution, Organization, Establish-ment and Enterprises which operates Pay-As-You-Earn scheme.

ii. A deduction made from any payment shall not be regarded as an additional cost of the con-tract to be in the contract price but as Tax due on the payment.

iii. A person who deducts tax from a payment shall, when the payment is credited or paid, which-ever is earlier, submit to the relevant officer of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the evidence of remittance made to the designated branch of the collecting bank of the Tax deducted.

iv Payments from which tax is to be deducted and the rate as follows:-

v. Withholding Tax deduction at source cov-ers:-

- All aspects of building, construction and related services.

- All types of contract and agency arrangement, other than outright sale and purchase of goods and property in the ordinary course of business.

- Consultancy, Technical and Professional ser-vices

- Management services- Commissions

FIRS Chairman, Mashi

Taxation of contract and direct labour procurement of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government in Nigeria. (2)

Taxation National Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 201434

- Interest and Royalty - Rent and DividendThe Value Added Tax Act, CAP VI LFN 2004

states that-i. Every Government Ministry, Statu-

tory body, or other Agency of Government shall register as agent of the Board for the purpose of collection of Tax under the VAT Act.

ii. Every contractor transacting busi-ness with Government Ministry, Statutory body and other agency of the Federal, State and Local Government shall produce evidence of registra-tion with the Board as a condition for obtaining contract.

iii. Every Government Ministry, Statu-tory body, or other Agency of Government shall, at the time of making payment to the contractor remit the Tax charged on the contract to the near-est Tax Office. The remission shall be accompa-nied with a schedule showing the name and address of the contractor, invoice number, gross amount of invoice, amount of Tax and month of return.

iv. Value Added Tax is a tax on consumption of VAT able good and services as consumers of goods and services, ministries, parastatals and other agencies of Government pay VAT on their consumption in addition to the contract price of the item consumed by them.

v. Rate of Tax for VAT: 5% for all VAT able items of goods and services, except for Zero rated goods and services where they are specifically ex-empt by the VAT Decree.

iv. Payment for contract of supply of Vat able goods and services will suffer deduction of VAT.

v. Payment for contract of supply of non VAT able goods or services will not suffer VAT deduction.

vi. Goodsexempt are-a. All medical and pharmaceutical products.b. Basic food itemsc. Books and educational materialsb. Baby productse. Plant, machinery and goods imported for

use in the export processing zone or free trade zone. (provided that 100% production of such company is for export otherwise tax shall accrue proportionately on the profits of the company

f. All exportsg. Plant, machinery and equipment pur-

chased for utilization of gas in downstream pe-troleum operations.

h. Tractors, ploughs and agricultural imple-ments purchased for agricultural purposes.

ix. Services Exempt are-a. Medical servicesb. Services rendered by community Banks,

People Banks and Mortgageinstitutions.c. Plays and performances conducted by edu-

cational institutions as part of learningd. All exported servicesx. Zero Rated Goods and Services are-a. Non-oil exportsb. Goods and services purchased by diplo-

matsc. Goods and services purchased for use in

humanitarian donor funded projects. (Humani-tarian donor funded projects undertaken by Non-Governmental Organisations and Religious and Social clubs or Societies recognized by law whose activity is not for profit and in the public interest.)

Accountant-General of Federation, Otunla

Designation of Imprest Holder Limit of Reimbursable Imprest N Hon. Minister - 300,000.00 Permanent Secretary/Director General - 200,000.00 Director - 100,000.00 Head of Unit or Branch in States Or any other imprest Holder - 60,000.00

WHT Rate for CompaniesWHT Rate for Individual

Dividend, interest & Rent 10% 10%

Royalties 15% 15%

Commissions, Consultancy, Technical &Mgt 10% 5%

Construction 5% 5%

Contract of Supplies 5% 5%

Director’ Fees 10% 10%

L-R: Managing Director, The Sun Newspaper/President Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Osun State, Sunday Akere; Special Assistant to NIPR President on Media, Dr Grace Achum and Chairman, Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria, BJAN, Goddie Ofose, during the association’s 2nd annual Brand and Marketing Conference in Oshogbo, Osun State, recently.

Tourism development has been a source of income for many countries around the world. Indeed, countries

such as China, United States of America, Italy, France, Britain, and Germany, among others derive substantial revenue from tourism.

According to United Nation World Tour-ism Organisation, UNWTO, global tourism earning receipts grew by four per cent in 2013 to reach 1.3 trillion. Europe, America and Asian countries remain the destina-tion points for tourism. Asia and the Pacific countries account for 30 per cent of inter-national tourism receipts (US$323 billion or euro 251 billion) and the Americas (US$215 billion or euro 167 billion) for 20 per cent in 2012.

The UNWTO figures indicate the impor-tance of tourism to economies worldwide and its high employment capability, a factor, expert say, should encourage every govern-ments with tourism potentials to raise the profile of their ministries of tourism in na-tional development plans.

However, in comparism, no African country ranks among the 20 world tourists destinations, and by extension, Nigeria is not among the 10 tourism destinations in Africa. What this implies is that in spite of the abundant tourist potential, Nigeria has not been able to put its acts to together to draw traffic to her tourist sites and tap into this global financial goldmine.

For instance, the United Nation Educa-tional Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, have accorded some locations and festivals in Nigeria as world heritage sites, and the international status that go with it. Though there are only few of such sites, according to the Director General of the National Commission for Museums and Monuments Yusuf Abdallah speaking to a national newspaper last year, five other sites have also been ascribed to UNESCO list tentatively.

The challenge however, has been how have the governments at various levels leveraged to develop, brand and market such destination points, major festivals and carnivals have a major issue drawing back tourism. Though, some states in their wis-dom and quest for revenue drive, have tried to attract traffic to locations in their state. The efforts have not been holistically coor-dinated that would present it as a national agenda for the international community.

We all know that tourism goes beyond visiting sites. In fact, WTO defines tourists

Stakeholders chart way foward for tourismRecently, stakeholders in the brand building sector gathered in Oshogbo, Osun State to brainstorm on way forward for Nigerian tourism. DAVID AUDU reports.

Brands & Marketing

We must reposition because having a fixed image Would not promote a destination

effectively. that is Why the World’s greatest brands keep coming out With different types of advertisements and

promotions

as people travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes. With such broad definition, it therefore becomes im-perative every serious government should pay more than a passing attention to tour-ism development.

It was these and many more that in-formed the decision of Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria, BJAN, to bring stakeholder in the industry to brain storm on the way forward for tourism in Nigeria. The conference, with the theme Tourism as Catalyst for Economic Development, had paper presentations from the President, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Managing Director of the Sun Newspapers, Nr, Femi Adesina and others.

In his paper titled “Nigeria and Reposi-tioning of Tourism Destination”, lamented the poor and lack of proper infrastructure and environment necessary to promote tourism.These infrastructural challenges include poor state of Nigerian roads, poor operations and unnecessary flight delays by airlines, and under developed water trans-port system; political instability and the ever present security challenges confront-ing the nation.

He therefore, advocated the need for re-positioning, pointing out that it would be dangerous to continue to have a fixed im-age. “We must reposition because having a fixed image would not promote a desti-nation effectively. That is why the world’s greatest brands keep coming out with dif-ferent types of advertisements and promo-

tures such as roads, power and security. Our business visitation to Cuba has exposed us to ideas on how tourism and culture could be promoted as revenue earners for State of Osun in particular and Nigeria in general. This is what we are doing and we are reap-ing benefits from the actions. He said.

The role of the media in promoting tour-ism was amply emphasised during the conference. CEO, August Consulting, Mr. Azuka Onwuka, in his paper, ”The Impact of the Media in Destination Branding, urged Nigerian journalist to de-emphasise negative reporting about Nigeria, instead, to focus on her strength and selling points. He said no country is free of crime but what you hear is what the

Media decide to report. He pointed out that western media report the positive side of their country as against the relish with which Nigeria media celebrate the negative side.

“The Nigerian media have focused too much on the negatives compare to that with Israel, South Africa, US, etc., and do Nige-rian media promote the sites and cities of Nigeria? The social media have worsened the situation with the fixation on negative stories, he stated

While Nigeria have succeeded in ob-serving some festivals and carnival such the Calabar Carnival every December, the Abuja Carnival among others, CEO Relicks Communications, Mr. Ikem Okuhu, observed that those carnivals would only attract foreign tourist if they strive to be unique by tapping more into the rich Afri-can cultural heritage. In his presentation, “What Unique Advantages are We Selling? He emphasised the need to make a differ-ence by adopting the following suggestions: Having a national calendar of all major cultural festivals/events; the calendar be spread around the year; while major festi-vals should be scheduled away from global great event seasons, adding that winter in the West might be to our advantage. This is beside putting in place enabling infrastruc-ture.

tions. Repositioning allows you to rejuve-nate your tourism destination. It also allows you to know your client, his needs, motives, drives, purchasing behavior, and how you can respond appropriately”

Managing Director, Insight Communica-tions, Mr Feyijimi Awosika, in his presen-tation, emphasised the need to deploy effec-tive marketing and advertising strategy to get global attention as a destination point. Titled ‘Imperative of Effective Advertising in Growing Viable Tourism Ecosystem’, he however said, “unless Nigeria, at all levels addresses the issues affecting its negative perception in the global community, there’s very little that marketing can do to commu-nicate the benefits of packages offered by Nigerian tourism sector to its target mar-ket”.

The host state was on hand to shed light on its tourism potentials. Noted for hosting the annual Osun Oshogbo festival, the Osun State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture & Tourism,(Hon) Adetona Sikiru Ayedun presenting a paper titled “Deriv-ing Alternative Source of Income through Tourism”, restated the state government vision to tap into over $3 trillions revenue available globally through tourism.

“The State of Osun Government led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola targets N15bilion revenue from tourism by 2015. This projec-tion is technically and consciously proved by our robust gains interrelationship with tourism and cultural endowed nations like Cuba

“The Government of the State of Osun has aggressively improve the infrastruc-

35National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014 National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net

36 Thursday, November 27, 2014 National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.netBrands & Marketing

In a bid to satisfy customers’ bedroom needs and bring quality lifestyle products

closer to people, Mouka Limited, a leading manufacturer of Mat-tresses and other polyurethane products has opened a new Life-style Store in Lagos.

According to the manage-ment stated that the Mouka Life-style Store, is a one stop shop for bedroom needs, housing a wide range of products such as mattresses, pillows, duvets, Bed-sheets, room fragrances, bed-room furnitures, kiddies haven, bed lamps, amongst others.

Speaking at the official open-ing of the lifestyle store, Nation-al Business Manager, Mouka Limited, Mr Femi Asa noted that ‘’The need to make our quality products easily accessible to our

esteemed customers paved way for the opening of the outlet.’’

According to Asa, the opening of the store further reinforces Mouka as a caring brand.. ‘’We realised that our customers pre-fer shopping at places where they can get all their bedroom needs in a central location. The location of a Mouka Lifestyle store at one of the busiest spot in Ikeja is to create a one-stop shop for our customers, who desire to make their bedroom a comfort zone.

Marketing Manager, Mouka Limited, Mr Olusegun Ajala re-affirms that as a leading compa-ny in its category, Mouka will en-sure that it delivers on its brand promise and continue to put its stakeholders and customers first in all dealings.

As part of its 40th year anniversary celebra-tion of operations in

Nigeria, foremost manufac-turer of household appliances in Nigeria, Thermocool, re-cently launched its new set of Air Conditioners under Haier Thermocool brand into the Ni-gerian market.

Speaking on the new addi-tions to the stables of Thermo-cool, Mr. Panos Katsis, Man-aging Director, Thermocool Nigeria, stated that these new products are the evidence of Thermocool’s focus on inno-vations aimed at fulfilling its promise of delivering standard and high quality products to the Nigerian family.

“In recognizing the desire of Nigerians for good quality in household or office appliances; we have deliberately designed our products to meet these stan-

dards. Our customers in Nige-ria appreciate our innovative, time tested approach to deliver-ing quality experiences through our range of product. That is why we are still here and we hope to continue adding value especially to the Nigerian fam-ily while not neglecting their comfort” Katsis said.

“Research has shown that the relationship between office work performance and tem-perature is due to the thermal comfort level of body, when the temperature is too high or too low, the body does not perform to maximum efficiency.

According to the Marketing Director, Thermocool, Mr. Vi-kramjeet Singh, the new Ther-mocool AC units have been spe-cially designed for the comfort of customers who have for over 40 years kept faith with Ther-mocool range of products.

7Up Free, the sugar free lemon and lime fizzy drink owned by PepsiCo,

is launching a global campaign featuring people with quirky interests, like urban knitting.

The campaign is called ‘Feels Good to be You’ and was created by the Brooklyn-based entertainment company Ms-sngpeces. It comprises two TV spots, several digital films, as well as experiential and social media executions.

The first spot in the cam-paign launches in the UK and Ireland today and will then roll out across 140 countries. It features Magda Sayeg, an urban knitter.

In the ad, Sayeg and a team of helpers visit a run-down square in Santiago, Chile, and knit covers for the fountain, pavement, benches, trees and even a guitar.

To back the launch of the first TV ad, 7Up is sending a knitted Routemaster bus out in London.

Kristin Patrick, the global beverage brand senior vice president and chief market-ing officer at PepsiCo, said: “7Up believes that everyone is naturally unique and origi-nal – and they should be able to bring out their originality to keep the world fresh and di-verse.

DaviD auDu

One of the globally ac-claimed manufactures of fast moving consumer

goods, Colgate-Palmolive has made a dramatic a re-entry into the Nigerian market after years of operating through independent distributors, thus, rekindling ri-valries in the sector

At a press conference recently, General Manager of Colgate-Pal-molive, Mr. Davis Kanyama, said that Nigeria constitutes a major business opportunity for CP due to its large and growing market size.

He said “the return of the brand is aimed at creating balance in emerging markets focusing on four categories including oral care, personal care, pet nutrition and home care.

“Colgate has engaged with a local distributor partner to bring our range of products to Nigeria. We have an office set up in Lagos and our staff members are mostly local Nigerians”, Kanyama said

“This is our first step in enter-ing this dynamic market. Due to the high consumer demand for Colgate products in Nigeria, we have seen that Colgate is avail-able here. However, these are not being brought into the country by Colgate Palmolive and therefore the prices are high and supply is erratic.

“What will change is consis-tency of supply, broad product dis-tribution and availability and best available pricing.”

He added “Colgate is the second most chosen fast moving consum-er goods brand around the world which has reached 65 percent penetration and is the only global brand reaching over 50percent of households around the world.

“Palmolive is the 12th most chosen FMCG brand around the world. It has reached approximate-ly 19 per cent penetration. Both Colgate and Palmolive are billion-aire brands chosen by consumers more than one billion times a year.

“We will be making our range of superior products accessible

and available, to the target con-sumers nationwide through vari-ous channels in Nigeria.”

The Marketing Director, Col-gate-Palmolive Nigeria, Mrs. Hannah Oyebanjo, said that the brand’s niche in Nigeria would be to continue in its consumer centric focus tradition and create products that guarantee oral and personal care for the protection of Nigerian consumers.

She said, “We have conducted research in the market and have established that we can provide a complete oral care regimen to the Nigerian consumers for total oral hygiene.

“Consumers are expressing the desire for a wider range of prod-ucts other than just fresh breath offerings, so we will be bringing the products that we believe are best suited for the Nigerian con-sumer Some of our products like Colgate and Palmolive are among the world’s most recognisable household names, trusted and relied upon by consumers every-where.”

Mouka’s lifestyle stores to meet customer needs

Thermocool promises quality product, launches new range of air conditioners

7Up kicks off global campaign with urban knitting ad

Colgate to deepen competition in Nigeria’s FMCGs market

DaviD auDu

The General Manager, Reck-itt Benckiser, Mr. Rahul Murgai Silivrili has empha-

sised the importance of safe, clean and hygienic toilet to preventing diseases and reducing vulner-ability and exposure of women to harm and dangers.

He said this when Nigeria marked its first World Toilet Day (WTD) recently, with Reckitt Ben-kiser being the first company in Nigeria to observe it with aware-ness campaign

He said the awareness cam-paign becomes necessary follow-ing the United Nations figure that 2.5 billion people globally do not

have access to proper sanitation, including toilets or latrines, with dramatic consequences on human health, dignity and, the environ-ment.

In Nigeria, about 34 million people do not have access to clean toilets.

With the theme “Clean Toilets, Healthy Homes”, this year’s WTD put on the front burner the impor-tance of having access to clean toi-lets and the potential health impli-cations as well as the vulnerability it poses especially to women and children. .

As part of the efforts to drive it course on ensuring people have ac-cess to clean toilets in homes and communities, Harpic announced deploying of Free Harpic Experi-ence Mobile Toilets and educating

consumers on how to keep and maintain clean hygienic toiletsand push for a momentum for behav-ioural change

Marketing Director West Af-rica Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, stated that the Harpic Experience Mo-ments is a set of activities that be-gan with reaching 1,000,000 homes across 16 cities within the country to educate consumers about how to keep a clean and hygienic toilet.

“This world toilet day,”he said “marks the flag off of the ‘Harpic Mobile Toilet Experience Train’ that would be rolled out to increase access to clean toilet especially in public places where toilets are dilapidated or nonexistent. The Harpic train would kick off in Lagos state which has only 45 per cent access to flush toilets.

Harpic marks WTD with awareness campaign

L-R: Marketing Manager Gulder, Life and Legend, Emmanuel Agu; Brand Manager, Heineken, Kehinde Kadiri; Senior Brand Manager, Gulder, Okoli Onyeka and the Managing Director Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nicolaas Vervelde at the Corporate Elite Season 8 in Lagos on Sunday.

As we discussed earlier, much of the debate about engagement has

taken place in the context of media. But media channels cannot be thought about in iso-lation from the creative work in those channels. All media channels can engage their au-diences; those that couldn’t would have ceased to exist by now. Therefore, whether TV advertising is more engag-ing than radio advertising is an entirely sterile debate. But the more pertinent question, say Millward Brown, is which form of communication will be better at delivering an au-dience that will be receptive to engaging with a particular message? The role of channels is one that is specific to the ad-vertising task.

Therefore, the critical thing is to choose those channels that will facilitate engagement with your communication. A radio ad at drive time might be the perfect way to deliver one message to an audience. For a different message, competi-tion on a micrositemight be a more powerful way of reach-ing them. The channel choice should be led by the brand communication idea.

If engagement is to be a use-ful yardstick to measure the ef-fectiveness of our communica-tions, we need to clarify what it means in three contexts: brands,communications, and media. Brand engagement is the degree to which consum-ers have a rich network of positive brand associations in their heads. Communications engagement is the degree to which a piece of communica-tion is able to commandatten-tion. And what we call “me-dia engagement” — though it might better be termed “media facilitation” — is the degree to which a channel can deliver communication to a receptive audience.

So to recap, ultimately suc-cessful marketing communi-cations lead to brand engage-ment, specifically with the formation of a rich network of positive brand associations in consumers’ minds, and in order for marketing commu-nications to create, strengthen and refresh those associations, that communications need to be engaging.

Any questions? Contact me at [email protected]

Media Engagement

Tel: 08023117969/08031100462

with Michael Umogun

BRAND talk

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 08023448199 E-mail: [email protected]

with Ayodeji Ayopo

Brand X-Ray

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 37

I narrated my experience with the Spectranet Internet Ser-vice some weeks ago. I paid

money to renew the subscription and the service was terribly poor. It clearly showed that Spectranet was not interested in its infra-structure upgrade but rather so-liciting for more subscribers to hoodwink.

It has become imperative for consumers to shun all forms of docility and defend their right. Several companies are not focus-ing on the quality of their service offering any longer. It is even wor-risome the way consumers are been treated. The worst culprits presently are the Internet Ser-vice and Telecomm operators. Consumers are been treated in unimaginable ways as they pay for services that are non-existent.

The onus is now on consumers to show more than a passing in-terest in what affects them. Sever-

al consumers have resorted to sit on the fence because they have ac-cepted such as a way of life. This docile attitude should change as it emboldens service providers to take consumers for granted. Service providers also become lay back as far as quality service delivery is concerned. We all need to wake up from our slumber and take decisive action on this.

The reason for not enforcing our rights can closely be linked to what happens in the country. Consumers believe that the laws of the land do not support them and as result, they remain unper-turbed. This is the situation we have found ourselves and we need to take urgent steps to remedy it.

Consumers need to defend their rights against companies that infringe on their rights. There are basic consumer rights that consumers are entitled to and these must be enforced.


L-R: Marketing Director for West Africa Reckitt Benckiser, Oguzhan Silivrili; Council Manager Lagos Island Local Gov-ernment, representing Commissioner for Local Government, Olaide Atunrase; Sanitation Officer, representing Com-missioner for Rural Development Lagos State, Engineer Akinwunmi Babatunde and the Marketing Manager Home Care for West Africa Reckitt Benckiser, Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola at 2014 Harpic World Toilet Day Celebration in Lagos Today.

Brands & Marketing

DaviD auDu

The Gulder Ultimate Search contestants that won cars in this year’s edition of the

reality TV programme were of-ficially presented their vehicles on Wednesday, November 12, 2014. The ceremony was held at the headquarters of Nigerian Brew-eries Plc., manufacturers of pre-mium lager beer, Gulder.

The contestants, who officially took ownership of the vehicles were Chinedu Ubachukwu, the winner of Gulder Ultimate Search 11, Samantha Appi, the Last Woman Standing and Otto Canon, who emerged as the View-ers’ Choice.

While Chinedu was handed a brand new Ford Explorer SUV, Samantha and Otto were given the keys to their Ford Eco Sport and Ford Focus cars respectively. The presentation of three cars to

three different contestants was a landmark in the annals of Gulder Ultimate Search; which had only previously given the Ultimate Champion a brand new SUV.

The cars were officially pre-sented by Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, Managing Director/ Chief Execu-tive Officer, Mr. Walter Drenth, Marketing Director and Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Ad-viser, all of Nigerian Breweries Plc.

While presenting the vehicles to the winners, Mr. Vervelde stressed the need for the contes-tants to conduct themselves as role models to Nigerians youths and be mindful of the fact that they are ambassadors.

He said: “On behalf of Nigerian Breweries Plc., I congratulate you on the feats you achieved on Gul-der Ultimate Search 11. Always remember that people will see you as representing the Gulder brand. You must be of good behaviour at all times and be conscious of the

fact that many Nigerian youths are looking up to you.”

Mr. Walter Drenth added that the contestants should drive with care.

He stated: “These cars are com-prehensively insured for a period of one year. We however expect that you would take proper care of the cars. I would also like to add that Nigerian Breweries Plc. is a socially responsible company; and we advocate that you must not drink alcohol and drive. Once more, congratulations and please do drive with care.”

In response, Chinedu thanked Nigerian Breweries said: “I feel very excited driving home this tear-rubber 2014 Ford Explorer, wow! I am the man of the year, thank God”.

According to Samantha “This is actually my first car and I feel very good, I promised to get my mum a car before the year runs out, to God be the glory. This is far beyond my expectations.”

GUS 11 winners take possession of prizes

Consumers need to defend their rights

While the Consumer Protec-tion council, CPC, is doing its best to protect Nigerian Consumers, there should be increased aware-ness level. CPC should deploy new communication strategies to reach out to the Nigerian Con-sumers. The council also needs to feel the pulse of Nigerian Con-sumer on a consistent basis. The docility being experience by the Consumers is mainly because they do not have confidence in Consumer protection laws. Consumers cannot be blamed for this because the situation is

not the same in other countries. Consumers are well protected in other Countries. Consumers are protected in other countries with several organizations established to defend their rights. The same cannot be said about Nigeria as Government support all forms of injustice against Consumers. The Dana Airline case is still fresh in memory. The license of the airline was released even when some victims of the crash were yet to be compensated.

Consumers should begin to have a rethink on this issue and

ensure that they do all they can to protect themselves. The age that we are is one of enlightenment and as a result, consumers should gain more knowledge about con-sumer protection laws to defend themselves. When consumers shun docility, government will be forced to support them and ensure that Consumers rights are not infringed upon. The situ-ation in Malaysia provides a good reference point here. The Malay-sian government established several acts and statutes to pro-tect consumers. This enhanced institutional capacity to ensure enforcement of consumer protec-tion laws. A domestic and con-sumer affairs ministry was also established in Malaysia in order to give boost to consumer protec-tion and welfare. This is potent way to support consumers and ensure that they are not in any way oppressed by any company.

The prevalence of ‘fake’ lawyers in the country is affecting the integrity of the legal profession. In its efforts to rid the profession of these quacks, the leadership of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA has renewed its commitment to introduce the Stamp and Seal policy for compulsory us-age by legal practitioners in the country writes FRANCIS FAMOROTI.

The law profession is reputed to be honourable worldwide. Like every other profession it has its code of

conduct, which regulates and controls the affairs of its members. This code embodies the standards of professional conduct ex-pected of lawyers in their relationship with the public, the legal system, and the legal profession.

Unfortunately, these ethics and values are being eroded not only by the lawyers but quacks that have infiltrated the profession. These quacks abound and they lurk around in every nook and crannies of the country.

For instance, sometimes last February, 30- year- old Daniel Ikhidenor Ikhuoria from Ekpoma Edo State, who was alleged to have been practising law illegally since 2011, was reportedly apprehended by the police at a Lagos High Court.

The suspected ‘fake’ lawyer was report-edly arrested when he came in as a lawyer for a court hearing.

According to reports, his moves were sus-pected by an orderly attached to the Appeal Court, DCR Office, who arrested.

Upon his arrest, he was interrogated and was said to have confessed to the fact that he had never trained as a lawyer but didn’t know it was an offence to pose as a lawyer and represent clients in court without any training or licence.

It was gathered that the Chairman of Ni-geria Bar Association, NBA, Lagos branch, Mr. Alex Morka, was contacted about the development and he instructed the police orderly to take the suspect to the nearest po-lice station.

In his alleged confessional statement to the police, the suspect allegedly said: “I have been practising as a lawyer since 2011 and I have represented clients at the magistrate, high court and Federal high courts without any problem. But I have never attended law school or any institution to read law in my life but I was ‘called to the bar’ through a source at a high court in 2011. I bought the gown and wig in the open market and wore it and started practising as a lawyer. I did not know that it is an offence to practice as a lawyer without any authority. I promise to change if I am set free.”

For allegedly committing an act punish-able under section 378(1), 78(b) and 327 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011, the police charged him before a Tinubu Magis-trate court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges leveled against him.

Chief Magistrate Miss A. O. Awogboro admitted him on bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum who must be blood relation and reside within the juris-diction of the court. But he could not readily meet the bail condition.

The suspect was ordered to be remanded at the Ikoyi Prison pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions.

‘Fake’ lawyer nabbed in Ebute-Meta Mag-istrate court

Barely three months after Ikhuoria’s ar-raignment, another suspect, a 25-year-old man, Jonathan Kingsley, was charged with claiming to be a lawyer in a criminal case.

Kingsley had appeared before an Ebute-Meta Magistrate’s court in Lagos, to defend a suspect, Akin Afolabi, in a charge of de-

sioner of Police versus Akin Afolabi with charge number F/22/2014 in order to be act-ed upon as genuine, knowing to have been false.”

The offence was said to be contrary to Section 378 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria 2011. Kingsley said he was not guilty. The Chief Magistrate admitted him to bail in the sum of N300, 000 with two sure-ties in like sum.

Meanwhile, it was gathered that Afolabi, whom Kingsley said he wanted to defend in court, was acquitted of wrong doing by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

The DPP in its advice said the defendant had no case to answer.

In a related development, a 45-year-old man, Augustine Onwordi, who allegedly

High Court building

A fake lawyer

I HAVE BEEN PRACTISING AS

A LAWYER SINCE 2011 AND I HAVE

REPRESENTED CLIENTS AT THE

MAGISTRATE, HIGH COURT AND FEDERAL

HIGH COURTS WITHOUT ANY

PROBLEM

filement before he was caught by the Chief Magistrate, A. A. Demi-Ajayi.

It was learnt that after announcing his ap-pearance as a counsel for Afolabi, the Chief Magistrate had queried Kingsley due to his clumsy introduction which betrayed him.

“Are you a lawyer?” the magistrate asked.“Yes, I mean no,” he replied.After more questions, he finally admitted

that he was not a lawyer.The court subsequently issued a bench

warrant for his arrest after which he was ar-raigned on one- count.

The charge reads, “That you, Jonathan Kingsley, on May 13, 2014 at about 11am at Chief Magistrate court 6, Ebute-Meta, Lagos; in the Lagos Magisterial District did present yourself as a lawyer in a case of Commis-

presented himself as a lawyer some months ago was charged before an Ikeja Chief Mag-istrates’ Court. Onwordi allegedly presented himself as a lawyer in order to defraud an unsuspecting businessman of N800, 000.

Impersonator arrested in Ondo State Last August, nemesis caught up with an-

other man alleged to have been impersonat-ing as a lawyer in Akure.

The man identified as Olaoluwa Taiwo Jo-seph (40) was arrested by members of NBA, Akure branch while appearing as a counsel before a Chief Magistrate, Mr. Olanrewaju Adesanmi in Akure.

The suspect reportedly dressed in a law-yer’s suit and sat at the bar before he was ap-prehended after signing lawyers’ attendance register for the day.

According to reports, a counsel, Mr. Olo-moniyo Oluwabunmi, alerted the presiding magistrate that Joseph who sat at the bar and had been appearing before the court was not a lawyer.

Policemen at the Area Commander’s of-fice, Akure, were immediately called to in-vestigate the case.

They searched his house and discovered a bail bond used by the suspect to secure court bail for accused persons. It was gathered that he thereafter made confessional statement to the police.

At the time of Joseph’s arrest, the Chairman of the NBA, Akure branch, Mr. Kayode Dare, told journalists that the accused “was neither a lawyer nor a member of the association”.

The suspect was later arraigned at Chief Magistrate Court, Oke Eda, Akure, on a two count- charge of unlawful possession of law-yers’ bail bond and falsely representing him-self as a lawyer before a Chief Magistrate Court on Ondo Road, Akure.

‘Fake’ lawyer caught in Delta StatePrior to these incidents, a quack who

stood as a defence lawyer in an open court for a kidnap suspect had been arrested in Delta State In May last year.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO in the state, Mr. Lucky Uyabeme was quoted to have informed newsmen that before the arrest, the accused had actually been suc-cessful in fooling the family of the kidnap suspect standing trial in one of the courts within the Warri axis.

According to him, “the arrested fake law-yer was adorned in the paraphernalia of a legal practitioner in the open court.

“He was arrested in the open court while attempting to represent the interest of a sus-pected kidnapper awaiting trial, one Marker Godfrey.

“Information at our disposal further re-vealed that the fake lawyer had duped the family of the suspected kidnapper of N280, 000 and other items yet to be estimated.”

Swindler caught in Ibadan, Oyo StateFrom Ibadan, Oyo State, it was gathered

that a 57 –year- old ‘fake’ lawyer, Isaac Ade-bayo who allegedly swindled some people in

Antics of ‘fake’ lawyers desecrating 38 National Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014 Insight

Another fake lawyer A fake lawyer

plimentary cards on the ground very well, you would have seen that I am designated to man the property/ litigation department of the chamber.

‘’ That is what I do; I am grounded in property matters. I have never told anybody that I am a barrister because I know I did not complete my law course neither was I called to the bar. The case I had at the High court was a criminal one which bordered on sto-len cars. The allegation was that I was the one that acted as a go- between for the sellers and buyers of the stolen vehicles.’’ he added.

The Public Relations Unit of Edo State Police Command at the time said “The self-acclaimed lawyer has been on the run when he discovered that the man who supplied him snatched cars was in our net. Because we are aware that he had a pending case at the high court, our men were always laying ambush for him at the court premises but he would not appear.’’

The Police said he later ran from his Abu-ja residence to Nasarrawa State where he was apprehended.

Another ‘Barrister’ arrested in AbujaThe story of ‘Barrister Promise’’ is similar

to that of Nwosu. He was arrested for his al-leged role in armed robbery operations across Nigeria. It was alleged that Barrister Promise led a deadly gang that specialized in snatching at gun-point exotic cars, especially Sport Util-ity Vehicle (SUV) of different brands.

A police source said that he recruited members of his gang who usually car-ried out operations while he remained at the background as the sole receiver of the vehicles. “He is a lawyer and also a car dealer, who deals only in stolen vehicles. He doesn’t go for operations but he was the sole receiver of the stolen vehicles. He recruited them and bought the vehicles cheaply from the gang,” the police source said.

Most of stolen vehicles were sold in Onitsha, Anambra State. When the crack team of FCT Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) stormed Promise’s residence in Gwagalada, he had fled but was later ap-prehended in Lugbe, Abuja. When the Police received complaints and petitions from the victims, they quickly ordered the officers in charge of SARS, and his team to take action and Promise was arrested.

Although he claimed to be a law gradu-ate, who was called to the Bar in 2000, his antics could pass for that of a ‘fake’ lawyer.

Lagos lawyer, Mr. Wale Ogunade, said that each time the fake lawyers are hand-ed over to the Police, as soon as they were granted bail by the Police or the court, the case unexpectedly ends.

Indeed, the menace of fake lawyers in the country is worrisome. A national newspaper once carried a report of an el-derly man said to have paraded himself as a lawyer for 19 years.

In a related matter, there was a period when the Police arrested no fewer than 15 men within the premises of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for al-legedly presenting legal documents for registration on the pretext that they were legal practitioners. To show the extent of how non-lawyers can masquerade as law-yers, a Ghanaian ‘fake’ lawyer said to have

I AM GROUNDED IN PROPERTY MATTERS. I HAVE NEVER TOLD

ANYBODY THAT I AM A BARRISTER

BECAUSE I KNOW I DID NOT COMPLETE

MY LAW COURSE NEITHER WAS I

CALLED TO THE BAR

temple of justice been practising in Nigeria was caught, tried and sentenced to jail.

The 74-year-old Ghanaian, identified as Keinde Dodo, was alleged to have been practising law in Nigeria without being duly qualified to do so and had operated a ‘fake’ law firm for over 15 years in the country. Worried by this menace and the need to rid the country of these quacks, the NBA inaugurated a 13-man committee in July last year to enforce the Stamp and Seal Policy of the association in order to differentiate authentic lawyers from the fake ones.

During the committee’s inauguration, the NBA immediate past President, Mr. Okey Wali, SAN said one of the roles of the association was to explore means of regulating its members’ activities through various ways of identification. Wali said the committee was mandated by the association to publicise and educate members, who had fulfilled the require-ments to operate as lawyers, on the Stamp and Seal Policy. He said the committee also had the mandate of identifying fake lawyers through identification by seal and maintaining an accurate members’ direc-tory through the information contained in the application form for the seal.

The committee was also mandated to ensure that lawyers in practice paid their practising fees annually, adding that the seal would be renewed annually upon proof of payment of practising fees.

The significance of using the seal was underscored by the provision of Rules 10(1), (2), & (3) of the Rules of Professional Conduct for legal practitioners. The rule states that a lawyer acting in his or her capacity as a legal practitioner, legal of-ficer or adviser of any governmental de-partment or ministry or any corporation, under Rule 10(1) shall not sign or file a legal document unless there is affixed on any such document a seal and a stamp ap-proved by the NBA.

The provision of the rules of profes-sional conduct further states that the NBA shall interface with the judiciary to include the compulsory usage of seals by legal practitioners in their practice.

The acquisition of seals by the NBA is not only to be seen as a move which can properly regulate its members but also regulate the practice of law in the country.

However, Wali was unable to imple-ment the Stamp and Seal policy before his tenure ended in last August. His succes-sor, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN in his inaugural address on August 29, renewed the bid of the judiciary to collaborate with the new NBA Executive Committee to in its efforts to rid the legal profession of quacks. The NBA President said this policy could only have effect when the judiciary ensured that only documents bearing the stamp and seal were allowed for filing in the court or admitted in evi-dence at trials.

He maintained that ‘’I must also at this point advise all persons who use tax pay-ers’ funds to pay foreign lawyers under any guise that such foreign lawyers who are not enrolled to practice in Nigeria are definitely quacks under Nigerian Law. ‘’

As a matter of urgency, the NBA there-fore has the enviable task of introducing and enforcing the Stamp and Seal policy by lawyers in order to avoid further desecra-tion of the temple of justice in the country.

various transactions, was in March 2012 arraigned at an Ibadan Magistrate’s Court.

Adebayo was arraigned on a two-count charge of impersonation and falsification of a document in a land agreement be-tween Messrs. Sunday Aborisade and Kay-ode Ajayi at 7UP, Monatan, Ibadan.

He was said to have been arrested in a crackdown by the standing committee on Anti-Touting and Ethics, set up by the Ibadan branch of the NBA.

The accused was said to have posed for a long time as a lawyer in several deals in-volving residents for a long time.

The committee, had been inaugurated at the time with a mandate to fish out fake lawyers and enforce ethics among lawyers.

The then Committee Secretary Adekola Kareem said it acted on a tip-off from con-cerned citizens.

He said: “We sent two lawyers (Mr. Ajayi and Mr. Aborisade) to Isaac Adebayo’s firm to present themselves as clients. They told him to do an agreement on a landed prop-erty for them.

“So, he charged them N15, 000 and they gave him N2, 000 as part payment with a promise to pay the balance same day. They later returned with policemen who arrest-ed him at the scene.”

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Duro Adekunle, while reading the two-count charge, said Adebayo’s action was contrary to and punishable under the Criminal Law of Oyo State, 2000.

Robber who claims to be lawyer nabbed Edo State

Again sometimes in June 2012, a man who claimed to be lawyer identified simply as Nwosu was nabbed by the dreaded anti-robbery squad, Edo State command.

Investigation at the time showed that the ‘fake’ barrister had, severally, appeared at a Benin High Court to defend persons standing trial for car snatching and armed robbery. It was learnt that his complimen-tary card was found in a suspected stolen vehicle prompting a suspect caught earlier to name him as an accomplice in the deal.

When it occurred to him that his antics had blown opened, he fled Abuja for Nasar-rawa State. While hiding in Nasarrawa state, the detectives traced him and later rounded him up in a hotel upon a tip-off.

Reliable sources said that during his interrogation, the alleged ‘fake’ barrister openly confessed that the name on his com-plimentary card was not his real name. He only volunteered to tell his age and how he got into police net.

“Just take the name they are calling me for my name but I know what my real names are.

According to him, ‘I am 37- years- old and from Orumba-South in Anambra state. I went to Enugu State University where I studied Law till 400 level. But I was hit by a strange illness which was later diagnosed as epilepsy. The shame of constantly falling down in the lecture room and being aban-doned by my colleagues made me abandon my law course.

‘’However, the urge to keep body and soul together made me seek appointment in a law firm in Abuja and I was asked to man the property section. If you look at my com-

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 39Thursday, November 27, 2014 Insight

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net40 Thursday, November 27, 2014Cocktail

A fire-fighter carrying one of the rescued piglets

A woman hanging laundry on a clothes-line in a Melbourne,

Australia, back yard fell 10 feet into a sinkhole and had to tread water at the bottom, rescuers said.

Melissa Beaumont said her mother, Christina Beau-mont, 52, was visiting an elderly friend to help with household chores Tuesday when she fell into the back-yard sinkhole.

Emergency responders said it was about 20 minutes before a neighbor heard her screams and called for help.

Ambulance Victoria para-medic Stephanie Palam-beris said Beaumont landed in water.

“At one stage her head was under the water,” Palamberis told The Age. “The woman told us she couldn’t touch the bottom of the hole, so was trying to

swim and stay afloat to avoid the risk of further mud col-lapse.”

Country Fire Author-ity operations officer Paul Carrig told news.com.au Beaumont “escaped without injury” but “was obviously shaken up” by her ordeal.

Melissa Beaumont said her mother collapsed soon after returning home and was hospitalized with symp-toms of shock.

Oddities

1,300 piglets rescued after highway crash

Sinkhole swallows woman in back yard

Building collapses onto stolen SUV

Authorities in Mis-souri said a woman driving a vehicle that

had been reported stolen crashed into a building while fleeing police and caused a partial collapse.

Kansas City police said officers spotted the white sport-utility vehicle shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday and gave chase when it was deter-mined to have been reported stolen.

Officers were forced to

abandon the chase, but the vehicle was soon spotted by another officer and the pur-suit continued at speeds up to 80 mph, police said.

The driver eventually lost control of the vehicle and struck a fire hydrant before crashing into a building, causing a corner of the struc-ture to collapse onto the SUV.

An antique vehicle being stored in the building fell dur-ing the collapse and landed near the SUV, police said.

Hundreds of piglets on the way to mar-ket were rescued

from a semi that over-turned on an interstate outside of Indianapolis. Some 700 pigs died as a result of the crash, but hundreds of others were

saved.The semi, travelling

from North Carolina to Iowa to deliver the swine, flipped on Interstate 465 near Interstate 74, the In-diana State Police said. The truck was carrying

2,058 pigs. The driver was not seriously injured.

The Wayne Township Fire Department was called to help release the trapped pigs. Video shows rescue workers cutting through the truck’s metal

roof and then crews moving the swine to safety.

The pigs were taken to the Indiana State Fair-grounds for the night and later transported to their final destination.

•Equitiesgain1.4%

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 41Thursday, November 27, 2014 Capital Market

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

The Asset Management Corporation of Nige-ria, AMCON, yester-

day announced the success-ful completion of the sale of the entire issued and fully paid up ordinary sharesof Enterprise Bank Limited to HBCL Investment Services Limited being sponsored by Heritage Banking Company Limited.

A statement from the cor-poration said Heritage Bank paid the sum of N56.1bn to acquire the bank.

It explained that the trans-action was structured as a

TOLA AKINMUTIMIABUJA

The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commis-

sion, SEC, Arunma Oteh, yesterday urged experts in the nation’s capital market to come up with recommen-dations that could help in exploring the opportunities availed by the market to create wealth for ordinary Nigerians.

Giving the advice at the Technical Session of the 4th Annual Capital Market Re-treat in Abuja, Oteh noted that if properly planned, the stock exchange would become a major investment market for ordinary Nige-rians and also serve as a catalytic tool for alleviating poverty in the country.

Describing deep rooted

poverty level as one of the challenges Nigeria contin-ued to grapple with despite efforts of government to re-duce the incidence through policy reforms, the SEC boss said that decisions taken by the capital market experts on the Nigerian Capital Market Master Plan (2015-2025) which is one of the ma-jor issues for deliberations at the 3-day forum, would offer a leeway on improving SMEs investors’ participa-tion in the market on a sus-tainable basis.

She said: “Let me say that one of the challenges we face as a country is poverty. The government and all of us as stakeholders are con-cerned about this and will therefore support all initia-tives that can address this problem.

“I hope that through the

various issues we will dis-cuss in this session, we can share experiences on how this forum can be used to truly create wealth for or-dinary Nigerians”, Oteh added.

She lamented that creat-ing wealth for individuals was a big issue for the coun-try, adding however that through the work that the experts will do in the next few days, the stakeholders should come up with truly specific ideas about how the market can truly create wealth and opportunity for individual Nigerians.

On the Master Plan and its relevance to the develop-ment of the capital market, the SEC boss believed that it was “good that we will have a guide for the next ten years like what Malaysia did by doubling the size of its mar-

ket with a Master Plan and now they are focused on an-other one. It is an important initiative and the techni-cal session should come up with creative ideas to move our country forward over the next ten years with the Master Plan.”

The investment expert, who cited the experiences in Malaysia, Kenya and other countries where the launch-ing of their capital market Master Plans had immense-ly deepened the capitalisa-tion and created opportuni-ties for inclusive growth of their economies, expressed the hope that Nigeria’s 10-year capital market Master Plan would impact posi-tively on the poor and micro enterprises if all stakehold-ers remain committed to its implementation.

SEC urges capital market experts on wealth creation for poor

AMCON completes sale of Enterprise Bank for N56bn

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

The Chief Execu-tive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Ex-

change, Mr. Oscar Onyema yesterday said it plans to start allowing trading by 2016 of derivatives such as futures and options in interest rates, currencies and equity indexes.

Onyema, told Reuters, that the Exchange now only offers shares, bonds and ex-change-traded funds.

According to him, there was encouraging demand for derivatives, which help inves-tors to manage the amount of risk they take on.

“Our target is to really get

NSE aims to offer derivatives by 2016

Stock Updates

GAINERSCOMPANY OPENING CLOSING CHANGE % CHANGE

RTBRISCOE 0.78 0.85 0.07 8.97

CHAMPION 9.25 9.71 0.46 4.97

OMOSAVBNK 0.61 0.64 0.03 4.92

WAPIC 0.62 0.65 0.03 4.84

CUTIX 1.47 1.54 0.07 4.76

AIICO 0.80 0.82 0.02 2.50

SEPLAT 431.30 442.00 10.70 2.48

IKEJAHOTEL 3.60 3.67 0.07 1.94

PRESCO 27.00 27.50 0.50 1.85

AFRIPRUD 3.04 3.09 0.05 1.64

LOSERSCOMPANY OPENING CLOSING CHANGE % CHANGE

TRANSCORP 4.21 3.99 -0.22 -5.23

OANDO 23.00 21.81 -1.19 -5.17

UBCAP 1.80 1.71 -0.09 -5.00

DANGCEM 194.94 185.20 -9.74 -5.00

JBERGER 67.20 63.84 -3.36 -5.00

UNILEVER 35.70 33.92 -1.78 -4.99

LIVESTOCK 2.24 2.13 -0.11 -4.91

UACN 47.00 44.70 -2.30 -4.89

FBNH 9.50 9.04 -0.46 -4.84

ETERNA 3.46 3.30 -0.16 -4.62

Market indicatorsAll-Share Index 34,145.79 points

Market capitalisation 11.31trn

Source: NSE

broad public auction process, which attracted interest from multiple domestic and inter-national bidders, with HISL emerging as the preferred bid-der.

“Completion of this transaction follows from the fulfilment of the terms and conditionsstated in the Share Purchase Agreement ex-ecuted between AMCON and HISL.

“The transaction has been approved by the Board of Directors of AMCON and relevantregulatory approvals have been obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Securities and Exchange

Commission,” the statement said.

It added that in line with AMCON’s strategic objec-tives, the transaction marks the divestment of the first of three banks that were ac-quired by the corporation in August 2011 and represents a landmark transaction in the Nigerian banking sector.

According to the state-ment, Citigroup Global Markets Limited and Vetiva Capital Management Limited acted as Financial Advisers to AMCON while G. Elias & Co. acted as Legal Advisers to AMCON on the transaction.

HBCL Investment Services

Limited is a special purpose vehicle incorporated for the purpose of acquiring AM-CON’s entire shareholding in Enterprise Bank. HISL is sponsored by Heritage Bank-ing Company Limited.

Enterprise Bank com-menced operation in August, 2011 as a full-service com-mercial bank with a national banking licence.

It operates via a sizeable distribution network of over 160 branches spread across major markets and com-mercial centres in the coun-try, and with more than177 ATMs, 57 cash centres and 2,000 POS terminals.

Description Price Yield Price Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016 1.72 98.90 13.75 99.90 13.08

15.10 27-APR-2017 2.42 102.40 13.88 103.40 13.39

16.00 29-JUN-2019 4.59 107.45 13.75 108.45 13.46

16.39 27-JAN-2022 7.17 112.45 13.60 113.45 13.40

14.20 14-MAR-2024 9.30 103.00 13.61 104.00 13.42

10.00 23-JUL-2030 15.66 77.50 13.48 78.50 13.29

Tenor Rate (%)

O/N 14.2917

1M 14.0397

3M 14.5852

6M 15.3803

Maturity Date Bid Offer

26-Feb-15 13.25 13.71

14-May-15 13.30 14.17

03-Sep-15 11.70 12.86

Treasury Bills

NIBOR

FGN Bonds

Bid Offer

Closing Market Prices of November 26, 2014

The Fixings of November 26, 2014

them by 2016 at the latest,” he told Reuters late on Tues-day, adding they were setting up a clearing house, which required significant invest-ments.

“You need to get all the ma-jor banks to buy into the idea and support the development of such an institution,” Ony-ema said.

He said the bourse was changing its ownership structure from a mutual com-pany of 240 members in or-der to add shareholders and prepare for a possible Initial Public Offering, IPO.

The process, known as de-mutualisation, will help the exchange improve its gover-nance through opening up its

ownership and could lead to new fundraising to support expansion.

“Once we have completed demutualisation, a decision will be made as to whether go straight and do an IPO or whether we will do strategic partnerships or whether we will do private equity fund-ing,” Onyema said.

This year, shares in the oil producing-nation have taken a battering, losing about 15 per cent. Foreign funds sold shares after the naira lost val-ue in the wake of steep falls in the price of crude oil.

Next year’s presidential election has also been feeding jitters, Onyema said.

“We are just going through a cycle and I believe that given the fundamentals, how strong the listed compa-

nies are ... we expect to see the market return in a strong way,” he said.

Meanwhile, trading in eq-uities continued on a bullish note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as more investors took opportunity of lower price of stocks.

The All Share Index ap-preciated 1.37 per cent to close at 34,583.29 points, com-pared to the increase of 0.71 per cent recorded the preced-ing day to close at 34,115.84 points.

Market capitalisation gained N154bn to close at N11.4trn, compared to the rise of N80bn recorded the preceding day to close at N11.3trn.

A total of 642.9 million shares valued at N9.96bn were traded in 5,347 deals.

1st Tier Securities1st Tier SecuritiesSector Company name No Of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

Stock exchange daily equities summaryEquities as at November 26, 2014

Sector Company name No Of Deals Quotation(N) Quantity Traded Value of Shares(N)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014 Capital Market42

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 43PoliticsThursday, November 27, 2014

Ojora joins Lagos guber race on AD platformOLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

Dr. Abimbola Ajayi Ojora has thrown her hat into the ring

for Lagos State gubernato-rial ticket, as she declared her intention to aspire for the number one seat in the Centre of Excellence on the platform of Alliance for De-mocracy, AD.

The gubernatorial as-pirant also declared her readiness to spare no effort to usher in a new Lagos, where peace, brotherly and sisterly love, prosperity for

all, safety and happiness would reign supreme, irre-spective of tribe, religion, sex, or any other form of differences.

She stressed that “the new Lagos of our vision is a virile urban city, where families would live in har-mony, peace, realising their dreams and aspirations”.

In an emotion-laden tone exuding courage and deter-mination that electrified the atmosphere and held guests spell bound, she declared: “I am a mother and a wife and I have the heart of a mother, including my professional

Delta PDP ticket: Odds favour Obuh despite aspirants’ gang-up

Obuh

Ojora

WHILE OTHER ASPIRANTS HAVE BEEN PREACHING THE

GOSPEL OF ZONING AND ETHNIC INTEREST, OBUH SEES

DELTA AS ONE AND WOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH WHEN HE FINALLY EMERGED THE

WINNER

Since 57-year old Sir Tony Obuh officially joined the gubernatorial race in Delta State some months back, the political permutations, especially in the bloc of

fellow aspirants within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state have been turpsy turvy over his soaring acceptance.

No doubt, Obuh’s entrance into the gubernatorial race altered many political calculations. Great numbers of op-posing aspirants’ supporters have since joined the Obuh’s trajectory, thereby making him the most widely accepted aspirant in the state at the moment.

Obuh, who spent over 32 years in the state civil service before voluntarily retiring months back, rose through the ranks before he was appointed early 2011 as permanent secretary. His determinations to bring fresh blood and commitment into delivering the dividend of democracy to Deltans remain unwavering and unmatched by other aspi-rants across all political parties in the state.

The graduate of history/political science from old University of Ife, Ile-Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo Univer-sity and Industrial and Labour Relations Masters degree holder from University of Ibadan has over time reiterated his readiness to serve the people of the state devoured of ethnic or sectional sentiments.

Despite hurdles placed before him in order to push him out of the race, Obuh remained undeterred. In fact, he stands out among the aspirants jostling for the PDP ticket that has not resort to politics of name calling, blackmail-ing and hatred.

While other aspirants have been preaching the gospel of zoning and ethnic interest, Obuh sees Delta as one and would be treated as such when he finally emerged the win-ner. His programmes and plans are designed to benefit ev-ery Deltan, irrespective of their societal status or leaning.

Following PDP screening of gubernatorial aspirants for South-South states, in which major contenders for the forthcoming party’s primary election were cleared, politi-cal permutation is fast changing especially in Delta State.

Undoubtedly, having been cleared and authenticated fit to contest, it is clear Obuh is the man. Stakeholders in Delta pol-itics and political analysts have often wondered why others are jittery over Obuh. Although, he was relatively unknown until joining the gubernatorial race, he has been spending his time building bridges instead of moulding walls.

PDP aspirants in Delta State recently unite in Warri and Abuja in a bid to ensure he was disqualified from contesting. The manoeuvrings went as far saying Obuh is not a PDP member. Seeing that this soft spoken and elo-quent man who, is passionate about a greater Delta is un-disturbed, they alleged that he is being imposed by some forces in the party.

The former permanent secretary has successfully toured all the nooks and crannies of the state, begging and seeking for every Deltan’s support as well as unveiling his plans and programmes to Deltans. He has also spent the last four months visiting wards, local government and zonal chapters of the party, appealing to them to make him the flag bearer of the party.

Obuh’s profound understanding of the machinery of government, its strengths and weaknesses, placed him more prepared and ready to lead Delta. Rising through the grades, he handled many other directorial positions in various ministries and Parastatals, which included, but not limited to: Director of Loans and Investments, Min-istry of Finance and Economic Planning; Director, Plan-ning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning; Acting Chairman, Bendel Insurance Company Limited and Acting Chairman, UIDC.

Others appointments include: Director, Public Service Matters, Office of the Head of Service, General Manager, Delta Transport Service Limited; Alternate Director, PAMOL Nigeria Limited and member, Think-Tank for

Policy on Climate Change and Green Economy.Obuh’s political career began when started that learn-

ing the act of governance where he displayed uncommon stewardship as Director, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, under Engr. J.B. Erhuero, who was SSG to former Governor James Ibori. He later became the head of the secretariat of that office, hence his expo-sure to the political leadership and political structures to ensure continuity in governance.

It was during the era of Governor Emmanuel Udu-aghan as SSG that Obuh attained the rank of Permanent

Secretary. From that time on, Obuh has been well tutored in the intricacies of governance.

He has continued to stressed that “I know that if the re-sources of the state are properly managed and employed to serve real purposes, that Delta State will continue to grow. I know that our present policy of Delta Beyond Oil holds a growth promise for the people of Delta State and what we require is ability to build on the blocks that have already been laid. I believe that as part of the persons who initi-ated that policy that I know enough to drive that policy for the greater benefit of the people of Delta State.

“That is why I feel that I have the experience, I have the competence, I have the knowledge, I have the exposure to run Delta State as the governor if and only if, the people of the state and Almighty God bless my ambition.

“So, I am standing as a symbol of unity. You may have heard that in Delta State, political parties are thinking of ceding governorship to a part of the state, that is Delta North. Incidentally, I am from Delta North, but I am not standing as a candidate of Delta North or for Delta North, I am standing as a candidate for the entire Delta State because I believe that I have enough support across the state.”

While Deltans are still waiting to hear other aspirants’ manifestoes, Obuh has successfully given beforehand, his master plan for the state. In fact, to allay fears in certain quarters, he vowed before God and man not to, for any reason, leave any part of the state behind in cause of his administration. His antecedents are gracious and noble.

He looks forward to a Delta State that continues on the progressive march of the present administration. Offer-ing himself to serve the state with a promise to run an inclusive and responsive government, building upon the very strong foundation already laid, these traits of respon-siveness and inclusiveness have been characteristic of Obuh and were especially notable during his stewardship as a senior civil servant of many years.

Responsive policy formulation and management to meet exigencies and long-term well-being of Deltans has been his forte in the past 32 years. His solemn promise to run an administration that will bring about the suste-nance, extension, development and diversification of the many policies and programmes for economic transforma-tion which have been firmly planted in many sectors, set him apart from the everyday politician seeking to enrich his personal interest.

Coming across a man who seeks to see the common good of all Deltans as one united family in Obuh is glad-dening and unprecedented in the history of the state. This 57-year old man is on a rescue mission. Delta is in daring need of his person and character. No wonder he has been enjoying unprecedented support from across the state, giv-ing him an edge over and above his co-contenders.

Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial primary election in Delta State, THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN, writes that current political permutations favour Tony Obuh, ahead of 20 others jostling for the party’s ticket.

expertise and vast interna-tional and communal experi-ence, which empowers me to deliver succor in these chal-lenging times to the good people of Lagos State, espe-cially the downtrodden, who groan desperately for a re-deemer to salvage them from the throes of suffering.”

She added that her voca-tion as a trained doctor who specialises in nutrition “ speak well for me in terms of my readiness, passion and capability to put smiles on the face of the average Lagosian.”

She said: “ I therefore pledge my undivided com-

mitment to the task at hand as I present myself to serve and declare my intention to contest for the office of the governor of Lagos State on the platform of the AD.”

Leonard okachie

Mothers have been ad-vised to pay proper attention to their chil-

dren’s upbringing, particularly the girl-child, so as to curb inci-dence of sexual violence.

Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire gave this charge on Tuesday in Lagos on the occa-sion to commemorate the In-ternational Day for the Elimi-nation of Violence against Women. The Day is commem-orated on November 25 each year.

This year, as with the last, the United Nations System ob-served the Day under the um-brella of the Secretary-Gen-eral’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign.

In Nigeria, the United Na-tions Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos, in collabora-tion with the Lagos State Gov-ernment and network of Non Governmental Organisations partners, marked the day with ‘Orange Rally’, lectures and dramatic performances.

The deputy governor urged all women to take action on is-sues of violence against them, warning that it is dangerous for to keep silence.

She told them that they should report all cases of child abuse and violence against women to the Lagos State Gov-ernment through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, assuring that the government would respond immediately to their calls.

She urged mothers to always have quality time for their daughters, saying, “We have the responsibility as mothers to make sure that our girl-child is not molested. Don’t let your girl-child alone. I’m not saying you cannot leave them with their father but you must always be vigilant because we have seen cases of daughters having children for their fa-thers.

“Please be at alert and be a good mother to your children; create time and energy to stay with them. It should not be work always. Our children are our future.”

Similarly, the Director, Min-istry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Lagos State, Mrs. Folashade Ogun-naike in an interview with the Young &Next Generation, ad-vised mothers to be vigilant on issues of rape and other forms of sexual violence.

She said: “We recognise that there is issue of rape; we have

Mothers advised on girls’ upbringing

Lagos Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (middle) and others at UN Information Centre, Lagos, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

godly principles. Meanwhile, in his message

to mark the Day, the UN Sec-retary-General Ban Ki-moon urged everyone to stand up for abusive behaviour every-where.

He said that sexual and gen-der-based violence is the most extreme form of the global and systemic inequality expe-rienced by women and girls, stressing that it knows no geo-graphic, socioeconomic or cul-tural boundaries.

The statement further said: Worldwide, one in three wom-en will suffer physical or sexu-al violence at some point in her life, from rape and domestic vi-olence to harassment at work and bullying on the internet.

“This year alone, more than 200 girls have been kid-napped in Nigeria; we have seen graphic testimony from Iraqi women of rape and sex-ual slavery during conflict;

a shelter- it is for both young girls and adults, who are vic-tims of domestic violence and child abuse. Usually, the people who abuse children are those that are closest to them.

“So mothers cannot afford to be laid back. We have found out that a lot of parents have relinquished their responsibil-ities to school teachers or Sun-day school teachers. No, the primary job of taking care of the children is that of parents, other s are just assisting.”

Earlier in her address, the Senior Public Information Of-ficer, the United Nations Infor-mation Centre (UNIC), Lagos, Ms. Envera Selimovic called for collaboration between the government, civil society or-ganisations, media and the ac-ademia in the fight to stop vio-lence against women and girls.

One of the activities was a poem presentation entitled “A Broken Woman” by the stu-dents of S-Tee High School, Festac. A student of the school Miss Jacqueline Essien, who did the introduction, explained that the poem is an insight into violence and discrimination against women in different ways.

She advised girls to protect themselves against all forms of sexual violence and apply

two Indian schoolgirls were raped, killed and hung from a tree; and in the United States, there have been high-profile cases of sexual violence on sports teams and university campuses.

“Women and girls experi-ence violence in all countries and neighbourhoods, but these crimes often remain unre-ported and hidden. We must end the silence. That is why this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Vio-lence against Women is cen-tred on a grass-roots effort to raise awareness called “Or-ange Your Neighbourhood”. Around the United Nations in New York, the Secretariat building and the Empire State Building will be lit orange, and many other events are planned across the world and on social media.

“Everyone has a responsibil-ity to prevent and end violence

against women and girls, start-ing by challenging the culture of discrimination that allows it to continue. We must shatter negative gender stereotypes and attitudes, introduce and implement laws to prevent and end discrimination and exploitation, and stand up to abusive behaviour whenever we see it. We have to condemn all acts of violence, establish equality in our work and home lives, and change the every-day experience of women and girls.

“Women’s rights were once thought of as women’s busi-ness only, but more and more men and boys are becoming true partners in the battle for women’s empowerment. Two months ago, I launched the HeForShe campaign — a global solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other, for the benefit of all.

We all have a role to play, and I urge you to play yours. If we stand together in homes, com-munities, countries and inter-nationally, we can challenge discrimination and impunity and put a stop to the mind sets and customs that encourage, ignore or tolerate the global disgrace of violence against women and girls.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net44 Thursday, November 27, 2014Young & Next Generation

L-r winner of One Mic Lagos regional finals Olatunji Alade with Airtel staff.

Beddwetting is common among children.

An undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Unilag,

Olatunji Alade has emerged winner of the Lagos regional finals of Airtel One Mic, a music talent-hunt competition for tertiary institutions driven by leading telecom-munications service pro-vider, Airtel Nigeria.

The 200 Level student popularly known as ‘Dot-man’ held off very strong challenge from five other zonal finalists in the keenly contested regional final held at the Beverly Inter-national Events Centre, Bariga, Lagos, to win the star prize, a brand new KIA Picanto. In addition to the star prize, he was also re-

UNILAG student wins One Mic regional contestwarded with a full artiste makeover and recording deal with ID Cabasa’s Cod-ed Tunes.

The contestants for the Lagos regional finals were drawn from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State University and the Univer-sity of Lagos after an intra-school competition which produced two represen-tatives for each school to make up the six final con-testants.

For over two hours, the six finalists vied on the stage with their lyrics and creativity under scrutiny of the trio of music produc-er, ID Cabasa; rapper and musician, Reminisce and Vector Tha Viper who were the judges on the day.

As the finalist performed

acapella, freestyle and their individual studio songs, the judges assessed them on appearance, stage perfor-mance, crowd connection, punch line, wordplay, and creativity. The judges final-ly reached a unanimous de-cision in favour of Unilag’s Dotman whose skills out-shone the others.

Congratulating the winner, Airtel’s Regional Operations Director for Lagos, Mr. Femi Oshinlaja acknowledged the perfor-mance of all participants and noted specially the performance of the over-all winner who he said is indeed deserving of the grand prize, as his talent and ability particularly en-deared him to the audience and judges.

He further reiterated Airtel’s commitment to em-powering talented young Nigerians with the right platform to achieve their dreams and go on to be-come global stars. “With platforms like Airtel One Mic, these youngsters can become the best they can and even possibly go on to become great stars. Asides

from Airtel One Mic, we also have the Airtel TRACE Music show and some oth-er platforms we are rolling out to provide Nigerian youths the opportunity to showcase their God-given talents,” he said.

The highly elated “Dot-man” who could not contain his emotions ex-pressed his appreciation to

Youths at a mentorship programme

Firm mentors youths on employment

Millions of kids and teenagers from every part of the world wet the bed every single night.

It’s so common that there are probably other kids in your class who do it. Most kids don’t tell their friends, so it’s easy to feel kind of alone, like you might be the only one on the whole planet who wets

What causes bedwetting?the bed. But you are not alone.

The fancy name for bedwetting, or sleep wetting, is nocturnal (nighttime) enure-sis (say: en-yoo-ree-sus). Enuresis runs in families. This means that if you urinate, or pee, while you are asleep, there’s a good chance that a close relative also did it when he or she was a kid. Just like you may have inherited your mom’s blue eyes or your uncle’s long legs, you probably inherited bedwetting, too.

The most important thing to remember is that no one wets the bed on purpose. It doesn’t mean that you’re lazy or a slob. It’s something you can’t help doing. For some reason, kids who wet the bed are not able to feel that their bladders are full and don’t wake up to pee in the toilet. Sometimes a kid who wets the bed will have a realistic dream that he or she is in the bathroom peeing — only to wake up later and discov-er he or she is all wet.

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 45Young & Next GenerationThursday, November 27, 2014

Science for kids

StorieS: Leonard okachie

In its quest to helping fresh graduates find their footings when they

eventually get off the school, GINA Consulting held a seminar at the Lagos State University, Akoka campus.

With the theme “Meeting the Employers,” the consult-ing firm came packed with professionals who got the students enthralled. At its core, the seminar revealed that today’s employers ex-pect more from their em-ployees: a broader skill set, increased teamwork capa-bilities, a global perspective and high-level problem solv-ing abilities.

According to Ify Nonyelu, of GINA Consulting, “Em-ployers are not interested in

a thermometer i.e. someone who has one or even several degrees, and nothing more. Come to think of it, what they really want is a heater i.e. someone who can, or has the potential, to turn on the heat in their unit, section, department or the whole or-ganization. Even better, they want a thermostat who can deploy, manage and regulate the heaters within controlla-ble levels i.e. managers and leaders.”

“Our career paths seem so cut and dry when we’re children. When asked what we want to be when we grow up, our responses are simple: teacher, fire-fighter, doctor. But as we grow up and head to college, we’re exposed to all sorts of other career op-tions in fields we never have had exposure to in a direct way. While we work to earn

degrees in fields we’re inter-ested in pursuing, we’re still left a bit unprepared for the corporate world upon grad-uation.”

Professionals were drawn from different fields – Cyberspace Networks Limited, Pepsi Nigeria, GTBank, Advocaat Law Practice, BETAPlus, Detail Commerical Solicitors, Uni-versal Furniture Limited, Eko Hotels and Suites and the American Embassy.

At the interactive session, the students were able to dis-cover the limitation in their appreciation of the softer skills required to successful-ly meet the requirements of employers as shared by the visiting professionals.

Commenting, a partici-pant, Benedith Onyenso said, “The seminar has real-ly revealed to me what most

Many kids who wet the bed are very deep sleepers. Do your parents complain that it’s hard to wake you up? Could you sleep through a marching band parading outside your bedroom door? Or a pack of dogs howling at the moon? Trying to wake up someone who wets the bed is often like trying to wake a log — the person just stays asleep.

Some kids who wet the bed do it every single night. Others wet some nights and are dry on others. A lot of kids say that they seem to be drier when they sleep at a friend’s or a relative’s house. That’s be-cause kids who are anxious about wetting the bed might not sleep much or only very lightly. So the brain may be thinking, “Hey, you! Don’t wet someone else’s bed!” This can help you stay dry even if you’re not aware of it.

The good news is that almost all kids who wet the bed eventually stop. So if you

wet every night, don’t be discouraged. And don’t worry that you’re not normal, either physically or emotionally. Sleep wetting is not usually caused by a problem with your body or your feelings.

It’s likely that bedwetting will go away on its own. In fact, 15 out of 100 kids who wet the bed will stop every year without any treatment at all. But if you have this problem it’s still a good idea for you and your parents to talk to your doctor about it.

Your doctor will ask you some ques-tions, and it’s important to answer them truthfully and not feel embarrassed. Re-member, bedwetting is so common that your doctor probably treats a lot of kids who do it. The doctor will examine you and probably ask for a urine sample to test.

Some kids who have other problems, like constipation (when you aren’t pooping regularly), daytime wetting, or urinary in-fections, may need some extra tests.

Source: Kidshealth

graduates pass through after school. I couldn’t have got-ten to learn more of these if not for this seminar. I learnt that though my work may be menial, though my con-tribution may be small, I can perform it with dignity and offer it with unselfishness.

“My talents may not be great, but I can use them

to bless the lives of oth-ers. I can be one who does his work with pride in that which comes from hand and mind. I can be one who works with respect for my associates, for their opin-ions, for their beliefs, with appreciation for their prob-lems and with a desire to help them should they stum-

ble. I believe in the principle that I can make a difference in this world. It may be ever so small. But it will count for the greater good. The good-ness of the world in which we live is the accumulated goodness of many small and seemingly inconsequential acts.”

Airtel Nigeria for provid-ing the youth a platform to achieve their dreams and most especially for the One Mic project which has helped set him on the path towards achieving his dreams through music. He thanked Airtel Nigeria for the reward and its constant support for students in the tertiary institutions


Exeuctive Director of MRA, Edeaten Ojo speaking at the S.I.N media training.

Media urged to intensify campaign against impunityStorieS: Leonard okachie

Worried by the high level of im-punity in Nigeria, the media has been urged to set an agenda

by playing a critical role in raising public awareness and understanding of the is-sues of impunity.

The Stop Impunity in Nigeria (SIN) made this call at a conference to announce “Week of Action Against Impunity” for the last quartre of 2014.

The Campaign which is made of civil society organisations such as Human De-velopment Initiatives (HDI), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Community Life Project (CLP), and the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), commended the media for its cover-age of impunity issues but urged it step up because its critical role in advocacy.

It said that reports on issues of impu-nity deserve more major front page head-line, considering the weight and amount of damage it does to the social, economic and political sectors of the nation.

The Executive Diector of MRA, Mr. Ede-taen Ojo explained that the media has a great role to play in enlightening the pub-lic on the issue of impunity and the impli-cations on governance, adding that part of the problem is ignorance among the gen-eral population as they do not have proper understanding of where responsibilities lie, what constitutes improper conduct or act of impunity.

Similarly, the Executive Director of HDI, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye said that the media is trying but can do much better in educating and informing the public about impunity and its dangers otherwise it be-comes second nature.

He continued: “The media has the duty

to keep saying this is not the right way to be led; it is not the right thing to do; to go and stop one arm of government from per-forming. It is not the right thing to use the apparatus of the state against people who are trying to do their lawful duty.

“But if these things are not reported by the media, people will think, well any per-son who has the power can use it anyhow and that is not good for us.”

Also, the representative of CLP, Mr. Franicis Onahor appealed to the media to focus more on electoral impunity ahead of the 2015 general elections.

He advised journalists to seek various views through investigations in order to get a balanced report, stressing “For in-stance INEC has a handbook on political finance. Nobody is saying anything about it. Can the media educate people on that? We have seen so many campaigns going.

Initially, INEC said they couldn’t distin-guish between what is termed political and somebody showcasing his or her work? What is the role of the media in that? The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC has said there is level playing field for ev-erybody. Who is tracking all these? Can the media use the FoI Act, do investigative journalism?”

Earlier, Ojo while briefing journalists, explained that S.I.N is a collaborative cam-paign by a multi-stakeholder group made of civil society organisations, religious bodies and a Federal Government agency, aimed at re-orientating Nigerians and promoting new ethical values to free the country form the destructive effects of im-punity.

He maintained that although the prob-lem of impunity in Nigeria is pervasive, the group is attacking it in four broad the-

matic areas namely public finance man-agement; rule of law; electoral process; and patriotism, ethics and civic responsi-bility.

“Each of these thematic areas is led by one of the four implementing civil so-ciety organisations. However, as part of our campaign strategy, every quarter of the year, we collectively focus on one of the thematic areas in a Week of Action Against Impunity,” he stated.

However, Ojo disclosed that in this Week of Action for the last quarter of the year, which began on Monday, the focus is on the engaginging and enlightening members of the public about the the problem of impu-nity in the electoral process.

Some of the activities for the week he explained, include twitter sessions every day from Monday to Friday, from 11am to 1pm; a series of Community Enlighten-ment Voter Education Forums in different parts of the country( Niger, Gombe, Ka-duna, Adama and Kano States); peaceful rallies across the country on the lack of autonomy for the Local Government au-thorities.

Others include: engaging all 26 regis-tered political parties and inviting them to make commitments to abide by all elector-al laws, regulations, norms and standards; and distributing throughout the week in-formation, education and communication material to sensitise members of the pub-lic against acts of impunity, particularly in the electoral process.

“I therefore urge you all to join us throughout this week as we again try draw the attention to this dangerous slide and to put pressure on our leaders to retrace their steps and pull the country back from the prink of anarchy,” Ojo appealed to journal-ists.

As part of its commitment to com-memorate the festive season and ensure every Nigerian enjoys

digital TV experience, foremost Pay-TV provider, NTA-Star Network StarTimes, has commenced a massive free decoder give-away promos for everyone during the yuletide season.

The exciting offer is coming ahead of the 2015 digital switch over and is aimed at offering every Nigerian an opportunity to own set-boxes required for quality digital TV experience.

From November 18, 2014 to January 31, 2015, StarTimes will be giving away one free StarTimes decoder to everyone who subscribes for one month unique bouquet or for two months classic subscription.

Also, a free StarSat HD satellite decoder plus dish will be given out to anyone who subscribes for three months Smart bou-quet on StarSat. In addition, customers will be smiling home during this festive season with exciting gift items in the on-going ‘StarTimes Season Jolly’ and ‘Star-

Digital migration: StarTimes offers free decodersSat Family Fiesta’ promos.

Commenting on the offer, StarTime Public Relations Manager, Israel Bolaji said, “StarTimes has introduced this of-fer as part of its resolve to offer as many Nigerians as possible the opportunity to own decoders for free and enjoy the festive season with family and friends in high spirit.”

While the ‘Season Jolly’ promo is de-signed to excite StarTimes users, Bolajio stated that the ‘Family Fiesta’ promo is targeted at rewarding prospective and ex-isting subscribers of StarSatHD satellite decoder.

He said that StarTimes’ existing sub-scribers would automatically be entered into a raffle draw upon the renewal of their subscription for two months through any of these methods: promo cards, online recharge and non-promo cards.

New customers would also automati-cally qualify for the draws upon the pay-ment for any of the classic, unique or the StarSat smart bouquet which comes with

a free decoder. He said “During the promo period,

there would be a 50 per cent discount in the second month of subscription every time our subscribers recharge their decoder for the ‘Season’s Jolly Promo.’”

Bolaji reiterated that, “the star prize for the promos is six sets of luxury sofas and there are also consolatory items like lamps, StarTimes P40 Phone, television sets and other give-away prizes for sub-scribers.”

He hinted that grand draws for the pro-mos would hold on December 15, and Jan-uary 30. Winners can retrieve consolatory and give-away prizes from allStarTimes business halls while the star prize is to be retrieved from the StarTimes head office in Lagos.

Meanwhile, StarTimes recently intro-duced nine new channels on its platform to boost its subscriber’s experience.

According to Bolaji, the nine new channels which have been carefully se-

lected to enhance digital television expe-rience for customers included the brand new Wazobia TV and Cool TV, Da Vinci Learning, PoP TV, Trace Sport Stars, StarTimes Sport 2, StarTimes Dadin-Kowa, Tiwa N Tiwa and QYOU.These sta-tions were also opened for free for seven days to our teeming viewers to watch and enjoy.

He enthused that the Pay TV provider is committed to supporting local content to ensure interesting digital television experience for Nigerians., stressing , “Progressively, from 45 channels in 2010, StarTimes now offers its subscribers more than 80 channels of news, music, sports, cartoon, documentary, Nollywood, Hollywood and Bollywood movies and much more.

“Interestingly, the content of StarTimes makes provisions for rich local content in accordance to the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation’s (NBC) regulations and our numerous life-enriching initiatives are in-dications that StarTimes is committed to adhering to this regulation.”

StorieS : Leonard okachie

Popular On-Air Personality (OAP), Wana Udobang, has been an-nounced as anchor of a new pro-

gramme, a reality television show that is focussed on providing a lifeline for the less privileged.

The show, which is a CSR programme of a telecommunications services provider giant, Airtel Nigeria, will air on terrestrial and satellite television stations.

It will have Udobang as the lead pre-senter and it is set to redefine the television-viewing experience of Nigerians as it cap-tures moving stories and emotive moments of how the downtrodden, neglected and less

The National Broadcasting Com-mission, NBC joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 2014

World Television Day recently, affirming its commitment to ensuring that televi-sion broadcasters abide strictly by the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

In a statement posted on its website, the Commission said: “Television has been described as a keystone of democracy and a pillar of freedom of expression and cul-tural diversity. This is because Television nurtures education, continually invites people to explore beyond their living rooms and arouses curiosity. Through quality en-tertainment, television also provides an av-enue of dreams and wonders to households around the world.

“The World Television Day observed on November 21 annually, was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on December 17,

OAP Wana to anchor Touching Lives NBC celebrates World TV Day 2014privileged are emancipated from the shack-les of poverty, despair and suffering.

Commenting on the choice of Udobang as anchor for the show, Chief Executive Of-ficer and Managing Director of Airtel Nige-ria, Segun Ogunsanya, said: “We are pleased with the choice of Udobang as the show an-chor and it is our collective hope that the show will not just resonate with Nigerians but will inspire the privileged people to con-tinuously look for opportunities to assist the needy and the less privileged in our society.”

He also noted that the Touching Lives programme is an expression of the compa-ny’s commitment to alleviating the pain and struggles of the less privileged and offering real-time help to displaced persons and the hard to reach in the society.

According to him, Airtel is part of the Nigerian society and “we feel the deep pain and hardship confronting many in the com-munities where we operate. It is our hope that Touching Lives will offer relief to many and help us to connect emotionally with the communities and customers we serve.”

Wana Udobang is a broadcaster, writer, poet, gender/health care advocate and cul-tural curator.

She is also the founder of the 1K4can-cer initiative, which raises funds to assist women from low income families with their cancer treatment. She is a keen pub-lic speaker in the areas of gender advocacy and youth mentorship with a main focus on girls.

1996, to commemorate the date on which the first World Television Forum was held ear-lier that year. The day recognizes that televi-sion plays a major role in presenting differ-ent issues that affect people.

“On this day, the United Nations encour-ages all member states to engage in global exchanges of television programmes focus-ing, among other things, on issues such as peace, security, economic and social devel-opment and cultural change enhancements.

“It is also a day to renew governments’, organisations’ and individuals’ commit-ments to support the development of televi-sion media in providing unbiased informa-tion about important issues and events that affect society.

“The United Nations acknowledges that television can be used to educate many people about the world, in recognition of the increasing impact television has on de-cision-making by bringing world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security.

“To us at the National Broadcasting Com-mission, Television remains one of the most influential forms of media for communica-tion and information dissemination. As the world celebrates Television Day today, we af-firm our commitment to ensuring that Tele-vision broadcasters abide strictly by the pro-visions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code which stipulate the responsible use of the medium; to properly channel its potential role in sharpening the focus on important societal issues to help meet the economic, political and social needs of Nigerians.”

Facebook ‘newspaper’ spells trouble for mediaMedia Abroad

Facebook’s move to fulfil its ambi-tion to be the personal “newspa-per” for its billion-plus members

is likely to mean more woes for the ail-ing news media.

The huge social network has become a key source of news for many users, as part of a dramatic shift in how people get information in the digital age.

Company founder Mark Zuckerberg told a forum in early November that his goal is to make Facebook’s newsfeed “the perfect personalised newspaper for every person in the world.”

Zuckerberg said that while a news-paper provides the same information to every reader, Facebook can tailor its feed to the interests of the individual, delivering a mix of world news, commu-nity events and updates about friends or family.

“It’s a different approach to news-papering,” said Ken Paulson, a former editor of USA Today who is now dean of communications at Middle Tennessee State University.

“It’s neither good nor bad, but it’s something a traditional newspaper can’t do.”

With Facebook, editorial decisions about what members see are made not by a journalist, but an algorithm that de-termines which items are likely to be of greatest interest to each person.

This may concern the traditional journalism community, but even some media experts acknowledge that Face-book appears to be able to deliver more of what people want to see, in an effi-cient way.

“It’s intimate, it’s relevant, it’s ex-traordinarily timely and it’s about you. That’s more than any newspaper can do,” said Alan Mutter, a former Chicago daily newspaper editor who is now a consultant for digital media ventures.

Mutter said that as newspapers cling to their “ancient” business model, or-ganisations like Facebook are making the news more personal.

And he said the trend will continue as younger readers shun print in favour of

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 47MediaThursday, November 27, 2014

A reporter of the afriquezoom.com news website, Saidou Barry, is being an accessory to contempt

of the Guinean President Alpha Condé.The MFWA’s correspondent in the

country reported that Barry is being tried for interviewing and publishing an interview granted him by a musician, Elie Kamano .

The President of the Guinean On-line Press Association, Amadou Tham commenting on the issue said “press

Guinea: Journalist charged for interviewing musicianfreedom is in danger in Guinea. If we start to prosecute a journalist simply because he held out a microphone to an artiste who is being prosecuted but has not been imprisoned, that becomes worrying”.

The state prosecutor at the court in the commune of Dixinn in the Guin-ean Capital has also lodged a complaint against Elle Kamono, for insulting Guin-ean president Alpha Condé.

His lawyers are protesting that “our

digital and mobile platforms.Nikki Usher, a George Washington

University journalism professor spe-cialising in new media, said Facebook configures its news feed using an algo-rithm taking into account tens of thou-sands of factors.

“Facebook has all the data to tell you what all of your friends are reading, so you have a better chance of seeing things that you are interested in,” she said.

“The reason Facebook has so many engineers and data scientists is to con-tinually make the algorithm better. The algorithm gets stronger as more people use it.”

Facebook is a source of news for at least 30 percent of Americans, and a ma-jor driver of traffic to news websites, ac-cording to a Pew Research Center study.

This gives the social network enor-mous power over the news media, which is increasingly dependent on traffic from Facebook and other social plat-forms.

client is being sued for insulting the head of state, but at no time has the pros-ecutor disclosed the incriminating state-ment in which the singer slandered the head of state.”

These accusations are considered as flagrant violations by the authorities of chapter 2 of the Guinean constitution on “the freedoms, obligations and fun-damental rights” which guarantees the freedoms of expression and of opinion in Guinea.

Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg

Guinean President Alpha Condé

DG of NBC, Emeka Mba

Wana

Even though Facebook is known for its computer coding, it still must make editorial decisions, Usher points out.

Source: phys.org


National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Enough indeed gender based violence remains one of the most important indicators for assessing progress towards the

achievement of the Millenium development Goals.MINISTER OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT – HAJIA ZAINAB MAINA

Community Mirror48

DARE AKOGUN

The Lagos State Po-lice command on Wednesday parad-

ed suspected kidnappers of the Director of Dapsey Oil, Chief Idowu Coker and one Alhaji Hammed Fashola.

The suspects Chukwu-ma Kingsley, Kelvin Igah, Ogechi Igah and Victor Igah were paraded at the Ikeja headquarters of the command.

Commissioner of Police

Lagos State Command, Mr. Kayode Aderanti while pa-rading the suspects said he received information about the kidnapping of Alhaji Hammed Fashola, a 55-year- old owner of Kings Petroleum and that the kidnappers were de-manding N 50 million ran-som.

He revealed that he im-mediately directed opera-tives of SARS led by SP Abba Kyari to take action.

He stated that Fashola was rescued from the kid-napper’s hideout at Isheri

Oshun area of Lagos, and four of the suspects were arrested, while other gang members are said to be at large.

Aderanti noted that the suspects confessed to series of kidnapping within the Lagos metrop-olis and the police are making efforts to arrest the remaining gang mem-bers.

He said, “Coker and Hammed were kidnapped at Igando and Egbeda ar-eas of Lagos respectively by the gang and kept in a

toilet.“Coker spent nine days

in captivity before he paid the ransom and re-gained his freedom, while Hammed spent four days before the police rescued him and arrested the sus-pects,” he added.

Aderanti said that the police will continue to work hard to reduce crime, especially kidnap-ping and armed robbery, to make Lagos a crime-free state.

The leader of the gang Chukwuma Kinsley

Police parade kidnappers in Lagos Police parade kidnappers in Lagos

Traders selling their wares at Eagles Square during the National Carnival in Abuja last week. PHOTO: NAN

Robbery suspect arrested in Bauchi 49

DARE AKOGUN

The Ejigbo Police divi-sion has arrested one Kelechi Ikechi for

burglary after he allegedly broke into the flat of his to steal in Ejigbo area of La-gos.

The accused a 24-year-old man from Abia State, who confessed to the police that he broke into Peter Ibeh’s house at Ejigbo, stated that he steals only on Sundays by breaking into his neigh-bors’ homes after they had gone to their various churches.

The bubble burst for him while carrying out the act, as a trap was set for him unknowingly by the owner of the apartment, he was locked from outside and eventually caught.

The complainant, Ibeh, said that every Sunday his house was burgled when he

and members of his family are in church.

Ibeh said on the day Ike-chi was caught, he hid one of his aides inside their flat and went to church with other members of the fam-ily.

He said it paid off when Ikechi broke in and his aide locked him from outside and raised the alarm which attracted other neigbours.

After a thorough inves-tigation by the police he was charged before an Isolo Magistrates’ court with burglary.

He however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The court granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000 with one surety in like sum. He was however remanded in prison custody pending when he will fulfill his bail condition.

The matter was ad-journed till December 1, 2014.

The Cross River State Commission-er for Agriculture,

Mr. James Aniyom has ordered for free distri-bution of oil palm seed-lings to the people of the state as a way of boost-ing their means of liveli-hood and the economy of the state.

Mr. Aniyom gave the directives, during the Ministerial Management meeting held at the Min-istry’s Conference Room,

Calabar. He stated that, the purpose was to en-courage Cross Riverians to go into oil palm pro-duction.

According to the Com-missioner, the State has long keyed into the Ag-ricultural Transforma-tion Agenda of the Fed-eral Government and has therefore, decided to fast track the transformation through free distribution of oil palm seedlings to farmers.

JAMES DANJUMAKATSINA

Women in the country have been encouraged

to actively participate in politics to ensure ad-equate representation and enriching of the political process.

The first female Local Government Area chair-woman in Northern Ni-geria, Mrs. Mariya Abdul-lahi said women like their men folk, have important roles to play in country’s socio-economic develop-

ment.Mrs. Abdullahi, who

was former National As-sembly member and Com-missioner, Women Affairs in Katsina State, said such contribution can best be actualized when women are encouraged to vie for elective positions.

The former permanent secretary and Director General, state Ministry of Commerce, recalled that eight women had sought for various seats at na-tional and local levels in the state in 2011, but that none of them were able to

LG boss tasks women on political participation win majority votes.

She said such outcome should not make women to quit or discourage them from re-contesting, but that same should serve as impetus to make them re-strategise and vie for same or other seats in sub-sequent elections.

“Women who are into politics should learn to sit down and consider where they had made mistakes that made them not to win seats they were vy-ing for; such would allow for corrections to be made against the future.”

She however lamented that women currently in politics were mostly appointed rather than elected, and that as more women were becoming en-lightened there was possi-bly they could get to seek more seats in the forth-coming elections.

For women not be able to participate in politics due to cultural or educa-tional qualification; she called on them to ensure they elect people with proven leadership quali-ties, including female con-testants.

43-year-old confessed that his gang collected N20 million from an oil mag-nate and he got a share of N2.5 million from the deal.

Kinsley was arrested with Kelvin Igah and his wife, Ogechi and Kelvin’s younger brother, Victor Igah whose role was to keep the victims in cap-tivity at their two-bed-

room flat located at 18, Odeniyi Ishola Street, off Bola Road, Isheri Oshun, Lagos.

Kinsley confessed that his gang kidnapped the Director of Dapsey Oil, Chief Idowu Coker and collected N20 million ran-soms and he promised to pay the remaining of N10 million balance before they were arrested.

Man nabbed for burglary

Cross River distributes oil palm seedlings

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Thursday, November 27, 2014 49Community Mirror

AZA MSUEKADUNA

A governorship as-pirant in Kaduns State, Alhaji Sa-

lihu Mohammed Lukman, has said that he plans to create 115,000 Peace Corps volunteers in order to re-duce unemployment in the state.

Lukman, said the num-ber of unemployed youths in the state was very high and constituting a secu-rity threat if not urgently addressed.

He said he will establish 5,000 Peace Corps in each

of the 23 local government areas in the state.

He said, he decided to join the gubernatorial be-cause the ruling party has failed to deliver on prom-ises to the people.

Lukman averred that only an APC government will bring the desired change and provide divi-dends of democracy to the people.

He called on party mem-bers in the local govern-ments to support him so he can bring his wealth of experience to bear in pro-viding good governance to the state

Aspirant promises jobs in Kaduna EZEKIEL TITUS

BAUCHI

The Bauchi Police Command has ar-rested a notorious

armed robbery suspect and recovered arms and ammunition from him.

A statement by the spokesman, Haruna Mo-hammed, in Bauchi said the suspect, one Saminu Idris, 30, was arrested by detectives attached to Toro Division of the com-mand.

“On November 24, 2014, detectives attached to Toro Division arrested a notorious armed robbery suspect, one Saminu Idris of Tilden Fulani,” DSP Mohammed informed.

According to him, one revolver pistol and 13 rounds of live ammuni-tion were recovered.

In another develop-ment, the Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO, said that a police patrol team arrested one Mon-day Jeremiah, also known

as “KARAKA”.He added that the

43-year-old suspect and resident of Yelwa Ma-karanta in Bauchi me-tropolis was arrested with 18 heavy duty batteries.

According to Moham-med, further investiga-tion led to the recovery of 16 additional batteries at a location at Tambari Hous-ing Estate Bauchi.

He further informed that the suspect was once arrested for vandalising generator installations

and was charged to court but was fined N10, 000 and released.

Exhibits recovered in-clude one yellow Volkswa-gen bus with registration number XA-692 GJW; 34 heavy duty inverter bat-teries for GSM masts and one giant rope.

The police spokesman, however, stated that all the suspects were assist-ing the police with useful information, adding that investigations are on go-ing.

Robbery suspect arrested in Bauchi

National Youth Service Corps Batch B members in Abuja protesting the non-payment of six months stipend recently. PHOTO: NAN

EZEKIEL TITUSBAUCHI

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corpo-ration, NDIC,has

expressed its determina-tion to partner Hafsat Yu-guda orphanage home in Bauchi to improve the liv-ing standard of inmates.

This was disclosed by the Managing Director, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim while donating cash to the orphanage.

AZA MSUEKADUNA

Five councillors in Kagarko Local Gov-ernment Area of

Kaduna State have moved against its chairman, Hon. Danjuma Y. Akuso, over alleged corruption

leveled against him.The councillors vowed

that, they would soon dump their party, the rul-ing People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Pro-gressive Congress, APC.

The five Councillors said they were leaving the PDP for good considering

the financial reckless-ness of the incumbent Chairman of the Council.

The councilor of Kushe ward in the council, Hon. Joel Paul confirmed to journalists that the five of them were leaving the party following consulta-tions with their constitu-

ents.He said the finan-

cial recklessness of the council Chairman and mismanagement of the SURE-Funds accrued to the local government is among many reasons they are dumping the PDP.

“I can confirm to you that arrangement has been concluded for our formal declaration to join APC, we have spent al-most two years in office as elected representatives of our people with noth-ing to show for it.

“The councillors don’t

know what is going in the local government, no projects, no council meet-ing. We felt we were no longer needed in the par-ty so we have to leave and join the party we believe is serious and willing to help Nigerian masses,” he said.

NDIC to partner orphanage in Bauchi

DARE AKOGUN

A sales represen-tative with an insurance com-

pany, Obeten Obeten, has been arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly obtaining N440, 000 from his clients under the pre-text of opening insurance policies for them.

Obeten is standing trial on a five-count charge bor-dering on fraud, stealing and forgery.

The police prosecutor, Sergeant Ejembi Austine, told the court that the ac-cused committed the al-leged offences between June 2013 and October 2014 at Igbo-Efon and Le-kki Beach Road, Jakande area of Lagos State.

Austine revealed that the accused allegedly col-lected the sum of N300, 000 from one Benjamin Chik-we under the guise that he would open an insurance policy for him with Stan-dard Alliance Life Assur-ance Company.

He further revealed that

the accused also obtained another sum of N140, 000 from one Ovat Donald for the same purpose.

The prosecutor also told the court that the accused fraudulently ob-tained N440, 000 from the two clients who wanted to open insurance policies with the insurance com-pany.

Austine said that the accused allegedly forged the receipts of Standard Alliance Life Assurance Company to commit the alleged offences.

He said that the alleged offences contravened Sec-tions 285 (9) (b), 312 (1) (b) and 363 (3) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos, 2011.

The accused, however pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the accused, Mr. Chris Owen-Brown, urged the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.

The magistrate, Mrs. F. O. Dalley, granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum. She adjourned the case to December 4, 2014 for mention.

Represented by the Director, Bank Exami-nation Department of NDIC, Adedapo Adeleke, Ibrahim commended the management of the home.

He said “while I was here, I call my manage-ment because we are im-pressed with the set up, some of the children been catered are not living here , some live in this home while some come from their residential

houses to the facility. We are impressed because they don’t want to be iso-lated, they want people to look after them and inte-grate them into family life.

“I assure them that we will carry this message to our management and henceforth NDIC will partner with them as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility”.

The MD said they were in Bauchi to celebrate

with the orphans, in or-der to get closer to them and contribute to their upbringing.

“As you can see we did not only bring gift, we came to entertain and make them happy. Some of these children were abandoned by their parents while some lost theirs. Showing love to people is not only through presentation of gifts, but our presence means a lot”, he said.

Sales representative arraigned for fraud

Councillors allege corruption against chairman

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 201450 North

Gov Wada

WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

The 447 sacked Ol-amaboro local gov-ernment workers

have dragged the Kogi State government before the Public Complaints Commission over its re-fusal to obey a high court judgment ordering it to pay their over five years salaries.

The workers alleged they were illegally laid off work.

The workers, who were legitimate staff of the Lo-cal Government Educa-tion Authority, were laid off in September 2010 un-der the administration of Ibrahim Idris for no justi-fiable reason.

The former Commis-

sioner for Education, Chief Sylvester Onoja, said to have set up the com-mittee that retrenched the staff, allegedly carried out the exercise indiscrimi-nately without resorting to the State Universal Ba-sic Education Board, SU-BEB, which is the supervi-sory parastatal.

This was contained in a petition written to the complaints commission. It stated that the affected workers were indiscrimi-nately relieved of their employment without any official letter, as the work-ers most of who had spent over 20 years in service, merely saw their names on the local government notice board telling them their services were no lon-ger needed.

Apparently disturbed by this ugly development, the affected workers then headed to an Okpo High court which gave judg-ment on June 7, 2011 in favour of the workers, di-recting the state govern-ment to pay the salaries of the affected workers as they remained bona fide staff of the state govern-ment

Sacked LG workers drag Kogi before Ombudsman

Plateau PDP denies receiving Dariye, Tallen

Plateau: FIRS seals 16 fi rms over N110m debt Representative of Wife of Bauchi State Governor, Hajia Talatu Barwa, vaccinating a child during the launch of 2014 Maternal New Born and Child Health Week in Bauchi, yesterday

Katsina spends N2bn on federal varsity

JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

Contrary to media reports that Pla-teau State chapter

of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had received former governor Joshua Dariye and deputy gover-nor Pauline Tallen into its fold, the state party chairman Raymond Dabo yesterday said no such re-

ception took place.It would be recalled

that the party had few days ago received over 63 returnees at a ceremony in Pankshin local gov-ernment area of the state during which both Dariye and Tallen were present.

But the state PDP boss told National Mirror in Jos yesterday that the duo were not among those the party received into its fold

at Pankshin council area.His words: “All we have

been saying is that any-one who wants to join the party should follow due process but we discovered that some people want to boycott this constitutional provision and that is what the party is resisting.

So those who went through the process be-ginning from their wards, LGA and to the state lev-

el, and were cleared for membership were those that the party received at Pankshin LGA.

“As a party, we are not aware of Dariye or Tal-len going through this process, which is why we did not receive them during the event though they were present. Until they do the right thing, we cannot receive them,” he said.

JAMES ABRAHAMJOS

The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, yesterday

moved against 16 compa-nies in Jos, the Plateau State capital and sealed their premises over non-remittance of tax owed it by the affected companies amounting to over N110 million.

The affected companies located within Jos North and Jos South local gov-ernment areas of the state include the state-owned Hill Station Hotel, Magnum Night club, Lamonde Hotel, Dadinkowa microfinance

bank, HBC Resort and health body clinic, Elim Top Suites and Anderson Drilling Nigeria Limited, a borehole and water engi-neering company.

It was gathered that the FIRS task force carried out a two-day enforcement in all the companies with-out hitches except at the Dadinkowa Microfinance Bank and Hill Station Ho-tel where they faced some resistance from bank staff and officers of the Spe-cial Task Force, whose headquarters shares same boundary with the hotel.

It was further gathered that at the Dadinkowa Mi-crofinance bank, which

allegedly owes over N20 million, the staff and man-ager of the bank refused to vacate the premises and were locked up in the bank while armed officers of the STF threatened the team including the FIRS zonal coordinator for north east, Zakari Isa Husaini at the Hill Station hotel.

The FIRS agreed to hand over the keys of the hotel to the STF with a warning that the hotel must not be opened for business.

Managing Director of Dadinkowa Micro Finance Bank, Irimiya Jatau Mam-man, however called a press conference shortly after the bank was sealed where

he addressed journalists through the window.

Mamman said there was no prior notice before the action except for a de-mand notice for tax liabil-ity, which he claimed was handled by its tax consul-tant who doubles as one of the external auditors.

He said: “When the bank commenced operation, we had a profit of N66 million and we paid N11.5 as tax. In 2012 our profit was N13.8 million, and our external auditor told us our tax was N23.5 million, which became the source of the problem because how can you pay tax of N23.5 million from a profit of N13.8 million?”

However, the state gov-ernment did not obey the order nor make any effort to appeal the judgment.

Following disobedience to the court order, the same High Court it was learnt issued an order of enforcement on February 28, 2012 compelling the state government to obey its judgment which the government again refused

to do.The workers then took

their case to the state House of Assembly with-out recording any success, and thereafter petitioned the Public Complaints Commission to look into their plight.

When the case came up for hearing yesterday, no government official invit-ed over the case turned up

except one from SUBEB who agreed that the staff were sacked unjustly, but said it was only the state government that could give directive to pay the affected staff.

Narrating their ordeal, the affected workers said over 15 of their members had lost their lives due to lack occasioned by non-payment of their salaries,

with many of them suffer-ing one ailment or the oth-er with many of their chil-dren having also dropped out of school.

They, however, ap-pealed to the state gov-ernor to quickly come to their aid by obeying the court judgment and pay their salary arrears, to check their needless suf-fering and deaths.

JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

Katsina State gover-nor, Ibrahim She-ma, on Tuesday said

the state spent about N2 bil-lion on Federal University, Dutsinma, in the area of in-frastructural development.

Shema disclosed this when Minister of Educa-tion, Mallam Ibrahim Shek-arau, visited the state on assessment tour of some federal institutions.

He said state govern-ment had since 2007 given priority to development of education sector, and that all of the education projects inherited from previous administration had been executed before the com-mencement of new ones.

He said it was in this re-gard that the current gov-ernment completed and named the state university project which the past ad-ministration of late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua begun, af-ter the late president.

He said about 700 stu-

dents have been sponsored by the state to study science-related subjects abroad, with tuition and other fees paid upfront to ensure un-interrupted study period for the students.

He said the state had in the last seven years con-structed 252 secondary schools and 130 primary schools to boost enrolment of students.

Shema, who commended the federal government for establishing the university, said the state would contin-ue to contribute to make the institution a better place of learning.

Shekarau, on his part, said his ministry had de-cided to visit federal insti-tutions across the country every Tuesday, to assess things on ground and what should be improved.

He said his team visited Federal College of Educa-tion, Katsina, and Federal University, Dutsinma, with call on contractors to speed up work at permanent site of the latter institution.

World NewsNational Mirror

www.nationalmirroronline.net 51Thursday, November 27, 2014

Zimbabwean vice president may lose party position

A Cameroonian army operation has freed 16 hostages, including Polish Catholic priest Mateusz Dziedzic, who were abducted by rebels from Central African Republic last month, Cameroon’s govern-ment said yesterday.

“A special operation of Camer-oonian defence and security forces permitted the liberation last night of 15 Cameroonian hostages ...as well as the Polish priest Mateusz Dziedzic,” the statement said.

The head of the organization that runs Poland’s overseas Catholic missions had said a rebel group known as the Democratic Front of the Central African People (FDPC) abducted Dziedzic on the night of Oct. 12 in neighbouring Central African Republic.

Cameroonian army frees 16 hostages, including Polish priest

US issues travel warning for Djibouti over terror threat

‘Top UN aid official, Amos to step down’

The United States has issued a warning to travellers citing “specific threats from terrorism” aimed at Western and local interests in the east African nation of Djibouti.

Djibouti hosts U.S. and French military bases and is an ally in the U.S.-led fight against militant Islam.

Somali al Qaeda-linked militants have previously attacked Djibouti, saying it was to punish the east African state for contributing to an African Union force in Somalia.

“Attacks may target official govern-ment facilities, including embassies and military installations, as well as soft targets such as restaurants, clubs, hotels and other commercial entities,” the U.S. advisory said.

“While Djiboutian officials continue the pursuit of those responsible for previous terrorist attacks, many of those involved remain at large and still operate in the region,” said the advisory, released on Tuesday.

The top UN official for humanitar-ian aid, Valerie Amos, who oversaw international relief efforts in Syria and other trouble spots, is stepping down, Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday.

Amos had been in the key post for more than four years, oversee-ing major aid operations in Syria as well as in South Sudan, Iraq and the Central African Republic.

Her departure comes as the United Nations is struggling to cope with a record 50 million people displaced from conflict.

Amos will stay on in her post as under-secretary general for humani-tarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator until March.

WORLD BULLETIN

war, and Justice Minister Em-merson Mnangagwa, nicknamed “Crocodile”, have long been seen as the top contenders to step into Mugabe’s shoes when he retires or dies.

Mujuru has denied charges of planning to oust Mugabe, the southern African country’s sole leader since independence from Britain in 1980.

On Tuesday several of her allies, including cabinet minis-ters, lost central committee elec-tions in their regions.

Mugabe has not publicly shown a preference on who should take over from him, but last weekend he changed the ZANU-PF constitution to allow him to appoint his deputies and anoint a successor.

ECOWAS is deploying a three-pronged strategy of prevention, containment

and eventual elimination in its response to the Ebola outbreak in the region that has killed some 5,444 people in three Member States of the Community, Presi-dent of the ECOWAS Commis-sion, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo has said.

In a speech at the opening of a five-day training workshop for some 150 volunteer health offi-cers from seven of the region’s 15 Member States, the President said the three strategies were de-signed to respond to the various dimensions of the outbreak and urged the officers to see them-selves as soldiers in this regional fight against the disease.

The officers who are from Be-nin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali,

Niger, Nigeria and Senegal, are being trained ahead of their de-ployment to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to reinforce ongoing national, regional and interna-tional efforts to deal with the out-break in those countries.

The President used the oppor-tunity to acknowledge “remark-able solidarity demonstrated by ECOWAS Member States” since the outbreak in March 2014 and paid tribute to the memories of thousands of those that have fallen victims, including local and foreign health workers who paid the ultimate price in helping the region confront the epidemic.

He assured that the Com-mission would take all relevant measures to comply with the di-rectives of Heads of State and Government of the region, who have been resolute in their com-

Ebola eradication remains ECOWAS’ priority –Ouedraogo

PAUL ARHEWEWITH AGENCY REPORTS

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s ruling ZANU-PF party has barred

his embattled deputy Joice Mu-juru from contesting a seat in its highest decision-making or-gan, further undermining her chances of succeeding the vet-eran leader.

State media has accused Mu-juru -- who until recently was considered one of the front run-ners to someday take over from the 90-year-old Mugabe -- of plot-ting to challenge her boss at a party congress set for next week.

Yesterday Wonder Mashange, the acting ZANU-PF chairman in Mujuru’s home province of Mashonaland Central, said the party had rejected her bid to vie for a central committee seat.

The ruling party selects its two vice presidents and mem-bers of the politburo, the ex-ecutive organ that runs its daily affairs, from the 245-member central committee.

“The Vice President’s CV (curriculum vitae) was rejected because as a province, we do not want to be seen to support people who go about plotting against the President,” Mashange told

L-R: Zimbabwean Vice President Joice Mujuru and President Robert Mugabe, in Harare, in 2012.

Ouedraogo

Reuters.Mujuru could not be immedi-

ately contacted for comment.Her fate now lies in the hands

of Mugabe, who is allowed un-der the ZANU-PF constitution to appoint 10 people to the central committee.

Mujuru, 59, who assumed the nom de guerre “Spill Blood” dur-ing Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation

Russia vows support for Syria’s Assad to combat terrorism 52

Nine people have died in Benin from Lassa fever, but so far no Ebola cases have been

confi rmed in Benin–Benin Republic Health Minister, Dorothee Kinde Gazard

mitment to its eradication, in dealing with the outbreak.

“Today’s meeting to kick-off the training for regional health officers to be deployed to fight the Ebola virus disease in the three most affected countries, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, is in-deed a demonstration that we are committed to responding collec-tively to this regional challenge”, the Commission President stated.

Speaking in the same vein, Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, whose coun-try currently chairs the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, highlighted the grim statistics associated with the outbreak which has affected some 14,000 persons with Liberia alone accounting for more than 2,800 of the fatalities.

The Ebola virus disease has no

borders; the first case recorded in Guinea spread rapidly to neigh-bouring States, while countries outside the continent such as the United States, Spain and Norway also recorded victims, “clearly demonstrating the global nature of the fight”, the Minister con-cluded.

52 National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014World News

The son of a jailed activist in the United Arab Emirates was himself sentenced to prison and fined Tuesday after being convicted over messages sent on social media and of joining an illegal group.

The verdict against Osama al-Najjar follows a crackdown by Emirati authorities on suspected Islamist sympathizers in the wake of the Arab Spring.

His father, Hussain al-Najjar, was one of 69 people convicted last year of plotting to overthrow the government. Many of them were members of al-Islah, an Islamist group suspected of having ideo-logical ties to the Muslim Brother-hood. Both groups have since branded terrorist organizations by the Emirates.

Osama al-Najjar was arrested in March after tweeting to the Gulf fed-eration’s interior minister to voice concern about his father’s alleged mistreatment in prison and to ask for a response to an earlier letter, according to Amnesty International, which criticized the verdict.

Beloved for her powerful voice and brazen in the conservative Arab world for her multiple marriag-es, Lebanese singer, actress and entertainer Sabah never seemed far from the limelight during her six-decade career.

And even while playfully mocked in her later years for clinging to youth through plastic surgeries, flings with far-younger men and garish outfits, Sabah remained cherished for her love of life and positive outlook even into old age.

“I’m proud that I’m a village girl but I had a lot of ambition,” Sabah once said in 2008.

Sabah, whose real name was Jeanette Feghali, died yesterday morning at age 87, the Lebanese National News Agency reported, without offering a cause of death. Her health had been declining in recent years.

land.The last round of talks be-

tween Damascus and the opposi-tion collapsed in February over rifts over Assad’s role in any transition out of the conflict.

The main Syrian opposition in exile and its Western and Arab backers want him to go.

But Moscow says advances made by Islamic hardliners mean fighting “terrorism”

should be the top priority for all “healthy” forces now and says that is not possible without co-operating with Assad.

Lavrov criticized the United States for refusing to do that.

Russia said yesterday it would support President Bashar al-Assad to com-

bat “terrorism” in the Middle East, indicating there was no new room for compromise on one of the key contentious is-sues in the Syrian conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks with Assad’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moualem, on the Black Sea as part of Moscow’s renewed diplo-matic push to restart peace talks on Syria.

“We share the view that the main factor driving the situa-tion in the Middle East is the ter-rorist threat,” Lavrov told a joint news conference with Moualem. “Russia will continue support-ing Syria ... in countering this threat.”

Russia has been the key in-ternational ally of Assad in the conflict, which is in its fourth year and where the situation on the ground has deteriorated as Islamic State, an al Qaeda off-shoot, grabbed large swathes of

Emirates jails man over social media posts

Lebanese singer Sabah dies at 87

WORLD BULLETIN Russia vows support for Syria’s Assad to combat terrorism

L-R: Syrian Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moallem and his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, prior to talks in Moscow

Abbas

Palestinian president against Jewish state billIsraeli Prime Minister Ben-

jamin Netanyahu is promot-ing a bill to have the country’s constitution declare it a Jewish state.

Critics of the bill say it dis-criminates against Israel’s Arab minority who make up about a fifth of the population of 8 million.

Abbas is on a three day state visit to South Africa, where he met with President Jacob Zuma to discuss security in the Middle East, including ten-sions at the al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

The South African govern-

ment recognized Palestine as a state in 1995, soon after the country’s first all-race elec-tions and has historically lob-bied for Palestinian self-deter-mination.

Zuma said Netanyahu’s sup-port for the bill showed Israel’s refusal to find a solution to the conflict with Palestine.

“From where we stand, it looks like Israel is saying ‘We don’t care. We do whatever pleases us,’” said Zuma, who is advocating a two state solu-tion. “I don’t think that’s how the business of global relations should be conducted.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that he sup-

ports Israeli members of par-liament who oppose the plan to formalize Israel’s status as a Jewish state.

Speaking in the South Af-rican capital, Pretoria, Abbas said it is important that Israel consider what the proposed law may mean for the region.

“We need to ask this ques-tion to the Israeli people and to ask this to the Israeli govern-ment: What does this bill mean for peace?” Abbas said, speak-ing through a translator.

CHANGE OF NAMEOBASI: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Obasi Juliet Ifeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwachukwu Juliet Ifeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Apugo Onyebuchi John and Apugo Onyebuchi refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Ejogbamu Efe Aghogho and Ejogbamu Efe refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Willy Tarelayifa Godbless and Willy Tarelayifa refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Aluku Godgift Happy and Aluku Godgift .W. refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Philip Charity and Philip Azibanepe refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Nnoduo Gideon Samuel, Nnoduo Samuel Gideon and Nnoduo-Sam Gideon .S. refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Okah Goodnews Ibroma .T., Goodnews Okah, Okah Goodnews Ibroma and Okah Goodnews Ibroma Tender refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Onojeruo Cynthia and Onojeruo Cynthia Erhovwo refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Stephen Scholar and Fawedikumo Scholar Stephen refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Itewaru Atreye Bala, Atreye-Bala Itewaru, Bala Itewaru Atreye, Bala .A. Itewaru, Bala Itewaru .A. and Itewaru A. Bala refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMEThis is to confi rm that the bearer of these names Amaremor Edisemi Stella and Amaremor Edisemi .D. refers to one and the same person. All documents remain valid. Niger Delta University and the general public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

This is to inform the general public that approval has been given by Anambra state Government, Ministry of fi nance to dispose by Public Auction Sales of unserviceable Vehicle. Starting from 4th December , 2014. By 10am prompt. Interested buyers are to inspect the allotted items during working hours at the SSG’s offi ce, Government House, Awka and Anambra Liaison offi ce, Abuja.

Prince G. O. Okoli Global Resources Government Licensed Auctioneer

08033436829.

Announcer

AUCTION AUCTION AUCTION

Thursday September 4, 2014 53National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net


AFCON miss:

SportThe healing process has gone on well. But I cannot put a specifi c

date to my return–Arsenal midfi elder, Mesut Ozil

Siasia tasked on U-23 invitations 55

PAUL EREWUBA WITH AGENCY REPORTS

Former Green Eagles left winger, Chief Ado-kiye Amasiemaka, has

criticised the quest by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to hire a foreign coach sequel to Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations fi-nals in Equatorial Guinea next January.

In a qualifying group that comprised South Africa, Congo Brazzaville and Sudan, Nigeria fell short winning two games, drawing two and losing two, placing third behind South Africa and Congo. There have been calls to replace Coach Stephen Keshi, amidst sugges-tions that the NFF favour hir-ing of an expatriate coach.

ible to run our football than our indigenous coaches are to manage our football teams,” ‘Chief Justice’, as Amiesima-ka is fondly called, asked in an interview monitored in Lagos yesterday.

“Why do they keep on talk-ing about foreign coaches? Why don’t they ever talk of for-eign administrators,” he fur-ther asked.

“We should actually give Ste-phen Keshi, Daniel Amokachi,

But Amiesimaka, who was a member of Nigeria’s AFCON-winning team in 1980, believes Keshi has not been accorded enough respect.

The respected lawyer que-ried the credibility of NFF leadership and called for for-eign administrators to run its affairs if the federation was interested in hiring a foreigner for the Eagles.

“What makes the football administrators more cred-

Sylvanus Okpala and the rest of the crew much more credit than is being given to them.

“Don’t forget that for so long we were in the doldrums in terms of Nations Cup results until the trio came around and won the cup for Nigeria in 2013.

“We are aware of the run-ning battles that Keshi has had with the NFF in recent months. Yet we hear is ‘sack Keshi, sack Keshi’. For me, this is unfortu-nate.”

Sibusiso Vilakazi (10) and other Bafana Bafana players exposed Nigeria’s weakness the Super Eagles’ failed bid to defend the AFCON 2013 title

Amiesimaka faults foreign coach chase

Reports yesterday said Su-per Eagles winger, Victor Moses, will be sidelined

by what Stoke City FC officials called “a significant thigh inju-ry” for the rest of the year.

The officials said Moses, who is on loan at the Britannia Sta-dium from Chelsea, is facing “at least six weeks on the sidelines” after picking up the injury in the 2-1 loss to Burnley on Satur-day.

“He has a significant thigh injury which is likely to keep him out for several weeks,” As-sistant Manager, Mark Bowen, said.

“At the moment we’re decid-ing with Chelsea whether Mo-ses will go back and have the rehab there or stay with our team,” Boqwen added.

The on-loan Chelsea player limped out of a 2-1 loss to Burn-ley after 56 minutes on Saturday when he was replaced by Marko Arnautovic.

Fellow Nigerian at the club, Osaze Odemwengie, has also been sidelined by a long-term injury since the early weeks of this season.

PAUL EREWUBA

Super Falcons and Osun Babes FC defender, Ami-nat Alani, has said that

the senior national female team will stop at nothing to improve on their past record, saying that the team can win the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

The Lagos State-born player, whose club, Osun Babes, is third on the Nigerian Women League (NWL) log, also said hard work and team work would aid Fal-cons’ march in Canada next year.

“Women football in Africa has greatly improved and much will be expected from Nigeria at the World Cup,” Alani said.

“I expect an improved perfor-mance from what we’ve done before at that stage and to ulti-mately make Nigeria proud.

“I want to make a personal pledge to help Falcons surpass past record at the world stage if I make the team.”

Injury: Moses faces lengthy sideline

‘Falcons can win World Cup’

54 Sports National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netThursday, November 27, 2014

Cote d’Ivoire’s midfielder, Yaya Toure, and Mo-rocco’s defender, Mehdi

Benatia, have been nominated for the 2014 UEFA Team of the Year.

The Manchester City and Bayern Munich playersare the only two African players in-cluded in the 40-man shortlist for the prestigious award.

Fans have until January 6 to vote on the UEFA official web-site for their top players of the calendar year, with 4 goalkeep-ers, 12 defenders, 12 midfielders and 12 strikers to choose from.

Toure has been instrumen-tal in City’s second Premier League crown in three years last season, scoring 20 goals for the Citizens in the competition, while Benatia helped AS Roma to an impressive runners-up fin-

Former Chelsea midfielder, Michael Ballack, says the London club is capable of

winning this season’s Champi-ons League after the Blues’ 5-0 thrashing of Schalke in Gelsen-kirchen on Tuesday.

Manager Jose Mourinho said his side produced a very mature display in the win which he de-scribed as superb.

The win signaled not only Chelsea’s safe passage through to the last 16 of Europe’s pre-mier club competition, but also the leadership of Group G with a game still to be played in the section.

“I cannot yet see any weak links in Chelsea, they

Bafana Bafana Coach, Shakes Mashaba, says there is no permanent

selection in his team and he will keep choosing new players.

Mashaba, who spoke ahead of the Mandela Challenge with Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday, said his resolve was due to the need to prevent selection problems in future.

“Yesterday, today and tomor-row won’t be the same so it’s im-portant to look at other players because if a player does well to-day, there’s no guarantee of that tomorrow,” Mashaba said.

“The player that comes in now doesn’t mean they won’t play above the other player, so that’s why we have this open door policy.

ish in the Italian Serie A before joining Bayern in the summer.

The awarded team will be an-nounced early next year.

NomineesGoalkeepers: Beto (Sevilla),

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)

Defenders: David Alaba, Me-dhi Benatia, Jerome Boateng (all Bayern), Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid), Ezequiel Ga-ray (Zenit), Diego Godín (At-letico Madrid), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Vincent Kompany (Manchester City), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Miranda (Atletico Madrid), Ser-gio Ramos (Real Madrid), Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City)

Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Bayern Munich), Arda Turan

are really solid and if you judge them after the game with Schal-ke, they can win it,” Ballack said yesterday.

“And if you judge them after the whole season, then they can win it too! But it was not the right opponent today, and they know it too, and Mourinho is too experienced to get too eu-phoric.”

Ballack, however, reckoned that tougher tests awaited Chel-sea in the knockout rounds.

“They will try hard to beat Bayern Munich and Real Ma-drid,” the former Germany cap-tain added, stressing, “But they are one of the teams that can win the Champions League for sure.”

(Atletico Madrid), Angel di Ma-ria (Manchester United), James Rodríguez (Real Madrid), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Paul Pogba (Ju-ventus), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelo-na), Marco Reus (Borussia Dort-mund), Arjen Robben (Bayern Munich), Yaya Toure (Manches-ter City)

Forwards: Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Diego Costa (Chel-sea), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain), Robert Lewan-dowski (Bayern Munich), Lio-nel Messi (Barcelona), Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich), Ney-mar (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Jonatan Soriano (Red Bull Salzburg), Carlos Tevez (Juventus)

Blues can win Champions League –Ballack

Why I’ll shuffl e team –Mashaba “Selection is not permanent

and you’ve got to be in the team based on your performance so we’re looking at all the players that we keep selecting are help-ing to widen the base.

“With time we won’t have a problem of so and so is not there, we have to struggle, if you’re not there, bye-bye, we’ll get another player and move on.”

Although the match is not within the FIFA calendar, the coach will hope PSL clubs re-lease the players for the chal-lenge.

Toure, Benatia fl y African fl agsfl y African fl ags

UEFA Team:Chelsea players jubilating at Schalke on Tuesday

Yaya Toure

National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 55Thursday, November 27, 2014 Sports

ADEOLU JOHNSON

Indian wom-en whose children are

participating in the ongoing 46th Asoju Oba Table Tennis Cham-pionship have applauded or-ganisers of the competition.

A parent, Anita Menon, said the

organisers had per-formed creditably.

“It is good to watch my child play in this competition and this is wonderful,” she said.

Another parent, Sangeeta Dadlani, said that the competi-tion had her ward’s table ten-

IFEANYI EDUZOR

Final of the maiden VCN Sports U-15 Football Tour-nament will hold tomor-

row at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Lagos.

Tournament sponsor, Chief Victor Nwaribaku, told Nation-al Mirror yesterday that the fi-nal match between Smart Strik-ers FC of Ifako Ijaiye and Media Sports FC of Maryland would provide thrilling experience.

Winner will take home N200, 000 and a gold trophy while run-ner-up will get N100, 000 as the third place team wins N50, 000.

“There will also be special prizes for Best Goalkeeper,

AFOLABI GAMBARI

Winner of the 2nd Nige-ria Corporate Soccer Championship, Eti-

salat, will meet Ghana champi-on Samsung in Accra at a yet to be decided date next month.

Etisalat defeated Chevron 2-0 at the Nigerian challenge final staged at Campos Square last week.

Etisalat had also defeated EMTS Group 2-0 in the semifi-nal before lifting the giant gold trophy.

Chevron made the final after edging debutant Kings Pride Group 5-4 via penalty shoot-outs.

Meanwhile, Etisalat captain, Andrew Enebeli, has expressed delight at his team’s success in the competition.

“I look forward to going to Ghana and making Nigeria proud,” Enebeli said.

“I also must commend organ-isers of this championship for the initiatives and the success recorded,” he added.

Chief Executive Officer, Cor-porate Soccer Nigeria (CORP-SON), Onome Obrute, also com-mended participating teams and officials while promising what he calls upgraded compe-tition next year.

“The experience this year has been amazing and I believe we can only grow in strength,” Obrute said.

JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

Less than two weeks to the 2014 FINA World Swim-ming Championship, offi-

cials of Nigeria Aquatic Federa-tion (NAF) are grappling with inadequate preparation ahead of the competition scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar from December 3 to 7.

National Mirror gathered from a top NAF official who craved anonymity that effort to access funds from the National Sports Commission (NSC) and other means had yielded no re-sults.

“We are banking on luck to get to Doha,” the official said.

“The important thing is that the swimmers are ready and we have encouraged them to excel.

“But first thing first. The fund should be ready as soon as possible.”

ADEOLU JOHNSON

Former Nigeria interna-tional, Waidi Akanni, yesterday cautioned

the national U-23 team Coach, Samson Siasia, to build his side around young and energet-ic players as Nigeria prepares for the Rio 2016 Olympics.

Akanni told National Mir-ror that the success of the

team would be guaranteed only with youth talent that would be identified

and groomed. “If I may advise

Samson, I think he

nis skill.“I was here during last year’s

edition and I really enjoyed the competition,” she said.

“This year is more competi-tive compared to the last edi-tion and the organisers are commended for the improve-ment,” Dadlani said.

Smitha Madathil, whose child is a participant, de-scribed the competition as a platform for budding talents to hone their skills.

“I have been coming with my child for the competition since 2013,” Madathil said, stressing, “The young players are really benefitting from the championship by gaining more exposure.”

She, however, urged officials of the competition to be time conscious, saying that there was need to work on proper timing.

Highest Goal Scorer and Best Coach of the tournament,” Nwaribaku said.

The sponsor, who is also Chief Executive Officer of VCN Sports Limited, said the need to boost youth football had mo-tivated his resolve while com-mending the organisers for the competition’s orderliness.

According to Nwaribuka, for-mer chairman of Surulere LGA of Lagos State, Hon. Tajudeen Ajide, veteran sports journal-ist and CAF instructor, Etubom Paul Bassey, former Super Ea-gles assistant coach, Joe Erico, as well as ex-internationals, Henry Nwosu , Etim Esin and Peter Nikietien, will attend the final.

needs younger players from the ages of 17 to 18,” he said.

“Basically because the tour-nament is in 2016, even though the qualifier is in 2015, so you want players that will fit un-der the ages of 20, 21 before the tournament starts in Brazil.

“The most you can get prob-ably 20 year-olds who would re-ally be energetic and will want to play for Nigeria. That’s what I think he needs for now.”

Akanni was a bronze medal winner with the Flying Eagles at the Moscow ’85 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He was promoted to the senior national team short-ly after.

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IFEANYI EDUZO

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Winner will 000 and a gold tner-up will get third place team

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ADEOLU JOHNS

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Siasia tasked on U-23 invitations

Rio 2016:Corporate Soccer:Etisalat for Ghana Challenge

Uncertainty trails swimmers’ outing

Fringe Super Eagles wing back Solomon Kwambe is one of the players with whom Samson Siasia hopes to build the new U-23 team

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd: Head Offi ce: Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street, Lagos Tel: 07027107407, Abuja Offi ce: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor, Central Business District Area, Abuja Tel: 08070428249, Advert hotline: 01-8446073, Port-Harcourt Offi ce: Suite 115, NICON Hotel, 6, Benjamin Opara Street, Off Olusegun Obasanjo Rd, GRA Phaze 3, Phone: 07032323254 Email: [email protected].

Editor: SEYI FASUGBA. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos. Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Akure. ISSN 0794-232X.

Vol. 04 No. 992 Thursday, November 27, 2014 N150

WORLD RECORD

Excluding non-copyright works such as the Bible (with an estimated 6 billion copies sold) and the Koran, the worlds all-time best-selling

book is Guinness World Records

Best selling copyright book

The security challenges facing Nigeria include armed robbery, kidnapping, human trafficking

and terrorism. It is indisputable that the nation’s territorial integrity has never faced a greater threat than now since 1914. It is pertinent, however, to recall that the General Ibrahim Babangida and General Sani Abacha juntas were asso-ciated with terrorist attacks on politi-cal opponents through state-sponsored bombings, assassinations and arson. The late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) was almost killed in 1987 for demand-ing the prosecution of the terrorists, who killed a prominent journalist, Dele Giwa, by a parcel bomb.

The official manipulation of religion, which commenced under the Babangida junta, has continued unabated. Indeed, it is the root cause of terrorism in the coun-

try. Whereas it is stipulated in section 10 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) that the state shall not adopt any official religion, the federal, state and local governments have adopted the Islamic and Christian religions. In 1986, General Babangida surreptitiously registered Nigeria as a member of the Or-ganisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). As if that was not enough, he built a mosque in the Presidential Villa and appointed an Imam to man it. Similarly, President Oluse-gun Obasanjo erected a chapel in the Villa and appointed a chaplain to manage it.

On January 27, 2000, the Sharia Law was introduced in Zamfara state by Governor Sani Yerima. Not less than 15 other gover-nors in the North followed suit. Believing that Nigeria had become an Islamic state, many misguided persons set up private militias to promote the policy of the state governments. There were violent attacks on Christians, while churches were destroyed in many states in the North. Thousands of people were massacred in various ethno-religious clashes.

In 2011, the Goodluck Jonathan adminis-tration set up a panel of inquiry, headed by Ambassador Usman Galtimari, to investi-gate the insurgency in the north east region. In a painstaking investigation, the panel traced the genesis of Boko Haram and other private militias to politicians, who set them up in the run-up to the 2003 general elec-tions. According to the Committee:

“The militias were allegedly armed and used extensively as political thugs. After the elections and having achieved their primary

purpose, the politicians left the militias to their fate since they could no longer continue funding and keeping them employed. With no visible means of sustenance, some of the militias gravitated toward religious extrem-ism, the type by Mohammed Yussuf...

“The roots of terrorism, especially in Borno, Gombe, Yobe and Bauchi States, could be traced to groups or associations such as ‘ECOMOG’, ‘Yan Kalare’ and ‘Sara Suka’, which have links to prominent poli-ticians in these states. However, similar to the militant groups in the Niger Delta area, the groups usually grow out of control and become a threat to the politicians that sup-ported and financed them.”

In line with its terms of reference, the Com-mittee recommended that the politicians, who “sponsored, funded and used the militia groups that later metamorphosed into Boko Haram”, be brought to justice. Although the recommendation was accepted in May 2012 by the Federal Government, the suspects have been treated like sacred cows as they are said to be highly connected to the powers that be.

Recently, a former Borno State governor, Alhaji Modu Ali Sheriff, was named as one of the sponsors of Boko Haram by a Dr.

Stephen Davies, the Australian negotiator recruited by the Federal Government to dialogue with the terrorists. Unlike the ne-gotiator, whose indictment was not substan-tiated, I issued a press statement wherein I provided detailed evidence of Alhaji Sher-iff’s links with the dreaded Islamic sect. In particular, I stated that the ex-governor appointed Alhaji Buji Foi, a leading Boko Haram member, as the Borno State Com-missioner for Religious Affairs to compen-sate the sect for supporting his re-election in 2003. My press statement was supported by the Maiduguri branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, which threatened to drag the ex-governor to the Special Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.

As the Federal Government was disturbed by the revelations of Dr. Davies, the State Se-curity Service announced that the ex-gover-nor was under investigation for his alleged links with the Boko Haram sect. But few days later, the suspect was a member of the delega-tion of the Federal Government to Chad when President Jonathan met with his Chadian counterpart, Mr. Idriss Derby, to review the war on terror in the north east region.

Notwithstanding the sacrifice of the ill-equipped members of the armed forces, Boko Haram appears to have gained upper hand in the war on terror. Large towns like Bama, Gwoza, Mubi and Michika and hun-dreds of villages have been captured by the terrorists. Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced while not less than 13, 000 have been killed by the criminal gang. Not less than 16 local government areas in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states have been annexed; the combined land mass occupied by the terrorists is said to be 21, 545 square kilometers. The terrorists have hoisted their flags in the occupied territory, which has been named the “Caliphate Republic”.

To be continuedThis is the abridged text of paper recently de-

livered by Falana (SAN), a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, at the 7th Annual Professor D.A. Ij-alaiye Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State

Sport Extra

Cote d’Ivoire Coach, Herve Renard, has announced his squad to face Bafana Bafana

for the Nelson Mandela Challenge billed for the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday.

Both sides are clashing for the second time in the challenge after a 1-1 draw in 2011 and meeting for

the first time since the passing of the former South African presi-dent, Dr. Nelson Mandela.

The Ivorien delegation arrived in South Afrixca yesterday and the team was scheduled to raise funds for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital.

The children’s fund CEO, Si-bongile Mkhabela, said the annual tournament not only represented an enduring partnership between SAFA and the NMCF but was also a platform to bring a message.

“Staged within a week of of the first anniversary of Madiba’s

Mandela Challenge: Mandela Challenge: Elephants set to battle Bafana BafanaElephants set to battle Bafana Bafana

Renard

Femi Falana

Guest Columnist

The legal challenge of Nigeria’s insurgency

THE COMBINED LAND MASS OCCUPIED BY THE

TERRORISTS IS SAID TO BE 21, 545 SQUARE

KILOMETERS

passing, the challenge helps to keep in mind Madiba’s use of sport as a tool to promote human solidarity,” Mkhabela said.

“With the challenge, we hope to kick-start the 20-year anniver-sary of the NMCF next year,” she added.

Thursday, november 27, 2014

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