-
Fani-Kayode, ACN fault Jonathan on Boko Haram, Odi invasion
TOLA AKINMUTIMI AND ROTIMI FADEYI The nations real gross
domestic product growth
rate grew by 6.48 per cent in third quarter of the current year
as against
the 7.37 per cent record-ed in the corresponding quarter in
2011.
This is just as efforts by government to keep infla-
P.5,6SFU arrests six MDs over N24.6bn subsidy scam
Vol. 1 N0. 115 Tuesday, June 7, 2011 N150 Vol. 2 N0. 495
Tuesday, November 20, 2012 N150
FG revokes Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concessionROTIMI
FADEYIABUJA
The Federal Govern-ment yesterday ter-minated the conces-sion of
the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway granted to
Bi-Courtney Consortium on May 8, 2009 by the late President
Umaru Musa YarAdua for poor perfor-mance.
Addressing State House correspondents in Abuja,
DMO says nation needs more loans for faster growth
CONTINUED ON PAGE 50>>Jonathan
Alison-Madueke
Total sells Nigerian offshore oil stake for $2.5bn
I wont reply critics over private jet Oritsejafor
Fasholas ex-aide shot dead
CJN vows to deal with corrupt judges
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>
P.4Budget 2012: Senators angry with Okonjo-Iweala
GDP growth drops to 6.48%, infl ation rises to 11.7%
P.21
P.7
P.10
P.8,10
P.2,4
FG must clean up oil sector Ribadu
Enugu govs aide dies of poisoning
Contract re-awarded to Julius Berger, RCC FG blames education
woes on poor research
L-R: Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Niyi Otunla;
Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Vice-President
Namadi Sambo, during the Debt Management Office meeting in Abuja,
yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
-
the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, said that the
termination of the concession agreement was due to the failure of
the company to close financial agreement among other reasons.
The concession was for N89.53bn for a period of 25 years under a
Design, Build, Operate and Trans-fer, DBOT, scheme.
The minster announced that the Federal Govern-ment has engaged
the ser-vices of Julius Berger Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited to
commence work immedi-ately on the reconstruction of the
expressway.
According to him, due to the senseless carnage on this important
expressway, which is part of Arterial Route A1, the Federal
Gov-ernment has also decided to embark on the emergency
reconstruction of the ex-pressway.
Onolememen, who ad-dressed journalists along-side Minister of
State for Works, Bashir Yuguda and Special Adviser to the President
on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, further said: While
Ju-lius Berger would handle Section 1: from Lagos to Shagamu
interchange, RCC Nigeria Limited will be responsible for Section
II: from Shagamu to Ibadan.
The Federal Govern-ment wishes to assure that while it will
continue to uphold the sanctity of con-tracts entered into by the
Federal Government, it will not shy away from imple-menting
provisions of the contract agreement dealing with non-performance
on the part of the contracting party, Onolememen said.
President Goodluck Jonathan had on Sunday during the
Presidential Me-dia Chat aired live on the network of the Nigerian
Television Authority, NTA, and radio gave the hint that government
would take de-cisive action on the conces-sion agreement.
Jonathan said, On the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Bi-Courtney lacks
the ca-pacity to carry out the job. The country is held to ran-som.
We cannot continue that way. Well intervene on that road, adding
that the government would also fix the Benin-Ore road.
That road has been with Bi-Courtney since we came
on board in 2007 and I think we are going to take the fi-nal
decision on the matter because it is like the com-pany is not in
position to do it and I dont think as a responsible government, we
can allow Nigerians to continue to suffer.
It is the busiest road in this country and it is beyond the
South-West. Because that is the busiest road in this country and
all of us in government, we feel pained that the country is held to
ransom because of a transaction that prob-ably was not handled
prop-erly because of some kind of issues. But we cannot continue
like this, we will intervene on that road, Jonathan had said.
While speaking on the legal implication of ter-minating the
concession agreement yesterday, On-olememen said: The legal
implications of this termi-nation have been carefully considered by
both the Fed-eral Ministry of Works and indeed the Federal
Govern-ment. If you recall we have been on this issue for quite
sometime now and we have meticulously followed the concession
agreement, the provision of relevant claus-es of the agreement.
We have complied fully with the provisions of this agreement. We
have had cause even in the past to write the concessioner to detail
the breaches which it had committed in this agreement in this
particu-lar transaction and we have also followed the minimum and
maximum number of days the contractor was expected to remedy the
situ-ation but failing which the Federal Government had no
alternative but to take this course of action.
In terms of percentage payment so far, this is a con-cessioned
project. In other words, it is different from the normal EPC
contracts, so the Federal Government in a sense did not make any
direct payment to Bi-Courtney in this particular transaction.
Bi-Courtney was supposed to raise fund, he would have been able to
raise the fund from the private sector and apply it to the
construction of this expressway and toll it for as many as 25
years, to recoup his investment and this has not happened, and that
is why today the concession has been terminated.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
FG revokes Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>
CJN vows to deal with corrupt judgesL-R: Executive Secretary,
Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission, Pastor John Kennedy Opara;
President Goodluck Jonathan; wife of visiting President,
International Full Gospel Businessmens Fellowship, Vangie and her
husband, Mr. Richard Shakarian during their visit to the State
House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: STATE HOUSE
EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, has
threatened to deal with magistrates and area court judges found to
have compro-mised their judicial oath of office.
Justice Mukhtars warn-ing was contained in an address she
delivered yes-terday at the opening of the 2012 biennial conference
of the All Nigeria Judges of the Lower Courts, organ-ised by the
National Judi-cial Institute, NJI, Abuja.
The CJN said that mag-istrate, area and customary courts were
the closest to the masses and the most pa-tronised by the
public.
She, however, regretted that reports concerning some judges of
the courts left much to be desired as allegations of corruption and
bribery especially in
exchange for grant of bail are almost becoming ram-pant.
The CJN, who is also the Chairman, NJI Board of Governors,
threatened that Commissions of various jurisdictions will not
hesi-tate to administer appropri-ate sanctions to any judge of the
lower courts found wanting.
Heads of courts receive reports and petitions con-cerning some
judges of low-er courts which are rather difficult to believe.
There have also been complaints regarding some of you on
laziness in the discharge of judicial du-ties, lateness in sitting
and non-sitting at all and so on, she said.
As a way out, Justice Mukhtar stressed the need for reform as
captured in the theme of the confer-ence: Judicial reforms and the
administration of Jus-tice.
This is even as she in-
sisted that we should let the reform start from the hearts of
individuals con-cerned
You reform yourself and allow yourself to be re-formed by
amending your conduct that bring dishon-our to the Judiciary as an
institution. Let your con-duct be seen to be both ethi-cal and
impeccable.
She said: Sit promptly, be fair to litigants and other patrons
of your courts; lead your staff by example and by so doing, the
image of the Judiciary will continue to receive high rating in the
opinion of the public.
NJI Administrator, Justice Umaru Eri (rtd), stressed the
importance of technology to the dispensa-tion of justice in the
country.
He said: The increased use of ICT among judi-ciaries around the
world evinces to us that our judi-ciary must be in a position to
respond to the techno-logical, socio-economic, cul-
tural and political chang-es, which impact on the growth and
development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 21st
century.
On the issue of remand, Justice Eri wondered why courts give in
to requests for remand on mere presen-tation of First Information
Report by the Police.
The administrator noted that the judiciary is partly responsible
for prison con-gestion, warning that this development must
stop.
Year-in-year-out, we are gathered to talk-shop about congestion
in our prisons. The truth must be told, that we share in the blame
as well and this must stop forthwith.
From statistics, and my practical knowledge of the prisons, 50
per cent of the warrants of those awaiting trials are signed by
judges of the lower courts, that is to say Magistrates, Area Courts
and Customary Court Judg-es, Eri disclosed.
For your information, under this concession the construction
period is sup-posed to last for four years and the four years will
come to a close in about six months time and right now there is
nothing on ground to suggest that the company is capable.
On whether it was a mis-take giving the concession to
Bi-Courtney, the Minis-ter said: I would not want to say that it
was a mistake, because though I was not in the office as at that
time, perhaps at that time they had the most responsible bids, the
details are best
known to the then Minister of Works and his team that handled
the project. But again it is not out of place to give Nigerian
companies opportunities to handle projects of this nature. This is
our country, whoever has the ability and the capacity to do
projects of this nature we believe should be en-couraged.
On the percentage of work done on the road, On-olememen said: I
will leave that for those who use the road. As far as we are
con-cerned, the terms of work have not been complied with.
The poor condition of the road has been a major concern to the
Federal Gov-ernment and governors of the South West states
con-sidering the frequent rate of accidents on the road re-sulting
in the loss of many lives.
The governors had met with the President in May over transport
infrastruc-ture and Lagos-Ibadan ex-pressway expressing
disap-pointment with the state of the road and had called for a
review of the concession agreement.
The road, which is a vital link between the nations
commercial capital, Lagos and other parts of the coun-try, was
handed over to Bi-Courtney on May 26, 2009 to expand, modernise and
maintain for a period of 25 years.
Its scope of work involves the full reconstruction of the
existing carriageway from Lagos to Ibadan; the provision of two
additional lanes in each direction be-tween Lagos and Sagamu
Interchange, making it four lanes.
The reconstruction was in four phases and planned to last four
years.
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net2 Tuesday, November
20, 2012News
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National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3Tuesday, November
20, 2012
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L-R: Vice-President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Isa
Aremu; Financial Controller, United Nigerian Textiles Ltd, Mr. Leo
Poon and NLC Legal Adviser, Comrade Femi Aborisade, at a roundtable
and presentation of research report to mark 2012 African
Industrialisation Day, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
L-R: Netherlands Ambassador to Nigeria, Bert Ronhaar, United
Nations Special Envoy on Financial Inclusion, HRH Princess Maxima
of Netherlands and Managing Director of Hasal Microfinance Bank,
Mr. Rogers Nwoke, during the envoys meeting with some customers of
the bank shortly after the launch of National Financial Inclusion
Strategy in Abuja, recently.
L-R: Group Managing Director, Skye Bank Nigeria Plc, Mr. Kehinde
Durosinmi-Etti; Deputy Governor, Ekiti State, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka
and Mrs. Olufemi Ogun, at the investiture of Ogun as the ninth
President of the Professional Ladies Insurance Association of
Nigeria in Lagos, at the weekend.
L-R: President, Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria,
Mrs. Bunmi Oke; Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria Plc, Mr. Mabe
Thabo; representative of the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs.
Mosunmola Junaid and Brand Building Director, Unilever, Mr. David
Okeme, at the re-launch of Vaseline in Lagos, at the weekend.
ble to work based on the funds available to us, the minister
said.
But Ibrahim said: If the money is not available, why does the
Ministry of Finance keep lying to us that 75 per cent has been
released. This is a difficult thing to understand.
He expressed fears that projects might not be com-pleted by
December.
Ibrahim added that though the National As-sembly had received a
N22 billion proposal for the Ministry of Lands, Hous-ing, and Urban
Develop-ment, it appropriated and passed N41 billion for it to be
able to execute projects listed in its 2012 budget.
The Ministry of Fi-nance, however, made re-leases not up to what
was
WOLE ADEDEJIILORIN
Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC, Mal-lam Nuhu Ribadu, yester-day said the problem in the oil
sector could only be solved if there was a general clean up in the
system.
Ribadu spoke with jour-nalists in Ilorin when he went to
commiserate with the family of the late Dr. Olusola Saraki.
He said: In the (oil) in-dustry of course, some im-provements
and changes must be made. Hopefully,
with what we have done in the probe, implementation will take
place and I be-lieve changes will come to the industry. The
govern-ment wisely came up with reforms, part of which is that it
invited people to come and contribute and participate like we
did.
Ribadu also spoke on the nations polity and its inherent
problems.
He said: There is hope for the country. If you see the
enthusiasm, the inter-est that is around, you will definitely
conclude that there is hope for this coun-try. People believe in
Nige-ria. People are worried, people are concerned.
appropriated by the Na-tional Assembly.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Uche
Chuk-wumerijie, expressed dis-appointment over the low level of
implementation in his speech when the Ministry of Education
appeared to defend its 2013 budget.
He said: It is regret-
table however that the level of implementation of budget has
remained below 50 per cent. While this holds true for all the
sectors, its impact on the educational sector is most severe. It is
there-fore of utmost impor-tance that the executive appreciates the
impera-tive of releasing funds as at when due.
They want a better life and if you have a popula-tion like that
with inter-est and passion, certainly you will say there is hope.
We are working hard and if you work you will see result. Today, all
of us are concerned; all of us want to see a better tomorrow for
Nigeria. This is why I say there is hope. The be-lief is that
tomorrow will certainly be a better day than today and that we will
work hard to make tomorrow better than yes-terday.
Certainly, there is hope in the sense that people want a change;
they want something better and I am
encouraged daily. I believe if we clean up the rot in the
sector; if we do what is right and proper; if the in-discipline in
the sector is removed, I believe it is big enough to go round.
Eulogising the late Saraki, he said: As a fa-ther, he did his
own part to build the democracy that we are enjoying today. We are
proud of him. We owe it a duty to celebrate his life by way of
condolence. We are also to testify that he did extremely well. We
have seen clearly through his offspring by what they are doing;
those are the people that he brought up, his political
associates.
FG must clean up oil sector Ribadu
Budget 2012: Senators angry with Okonjo-IwealaAs MDAs decry low
funds release
GEORGE OJI AND EMMANUEL ONANI
Ministries, De-partment and A g e n c i e s , MDAs, which
appeared before the Senate yester-day to defend their 2013
appropriation proposals decried the insufficient release of funds
for the implementation of the 2012 Appropriation Act by the Finance
Ministry.
The allegation was lev-elled by the ministers of Education, and
Housing and Urban Development.
This was as senators also frowned at the way the Coordinating
Minister for the Economy and Min-ister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, disregard-ed the 2012 Appropriation Act, a
development which accounted for the low bud-get performance of
below 50 per cent recorded by the MDAs.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing and Urban
Devel-opment, Bukar Abba Ibra-
him, while querying the Minister of Lands, Hous-ing and
Urban
Development, Mrs. Ama Pepple, sought to know why the minis-try
could not realise the completion of projects to a performance
figure well above 50 per cent be-fore the expiration of the fourth
quarter.
He said: I dont un-derstand why your min-istry has been able to
execute only 43 per cent of projects at this time, and we are in
the fourth quarter now.
Responding, Pepple ex-plained that the ministry was hindered by
releases not yet received in the fourth quarter.
She also said that quarterly releases made were not in line with
quarterly figures appro-priated in the 2012 Ap-propriation Act.
We dont give out projects until the mon-ies are made available.
Presently, we have not received any money. We also try as much as
possi-
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, November
20, 20124
National News
Photo News
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Representatives of the sacked concessionaire had blamed the slow
progress on the construction work on delays in getting final
ap-proval for the project design from government, which was finally
approved on May 10, 2011; difficulties in securing the Right of
Way; the long period required for the mobilisation of materi-als
and equipment; involve-ment of banks and techni-cal partners to
make the project a success.
The concessionaire had mobilised four gangs for the immediate
rehabilita-tion of the highway last December following bicker-ing
between it and the Ogun State Government over the ownership of the
site of its Asphalt Plant Site located in Shagamu; and two
weeks
after the Minister of Works, issued an ultimatum to the firm to
complete the repairs of the expressway within 60 days. The company
had patched some bad spots of the road at that time.
The Federal Government had been considering the cancellation of
the conces-sion since the beginning of the year but was slow in
act-ing for fear of incurring huge legal penalties enshrined in the
concession contract.
The Infrastructure Con-cession Regulatory Com-mission, ICRC, had
in a March 7 presentation to the Federal Executive Council, FEC,
concluded that virtu-ally all public infrastruc-ture concession
granted in recent times were perform-ing poorly and should be
reviewed.
Other concession proj-
ects noted for poor perfor-mance in the presentation made by the
Director-Gen-eral of ICRC, Alhaji Man-sur Ahmed, include the TBS
National Facilities, Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and
Apapa Ports among others.
The DG had told the FEC that three years after the signing of
Bi-Courtney agreement the project was yet to achieve financial
close.
He had identified inade-quate project development,
non-competitiveness of the procurement process, lack of design or
evidence of fi-nancing during the signing of agreement as part of
the problems for which lessons must be learnt and taken into
account in granting similar concessions in the future.
He had also pointed out
that there was not enough due diligence (technical and
financial) by grantor and that roles of other stakeholders were not
tak-en into account at project development.
On the way forward for poor performance of PPP projects in
Nigeria, Ahmed had advocated that adher-ence to guidelines for PPP
(development, procure-ment, and implementation) must be made
mandatory, while project selection and prioritisation should be
consistent with the Nation-al Planning Framework.
He had also urged that project procurement must remain
transparent and com-petitive to sustain confidence in the Nigeria
PPP market and that risk analyses must be undertaken for every
proj-ect and properly allocated.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
FG revokes Lagos-Ibadan Expressway concession
Fani-Kayode, ACN fault Jonathan on Boko Haram, Odi invasion
L-R: Administrator, National Judicial Institute, Justice Umaru
Eri and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, at the
Conference of All Nigeria Judges of the Lower Courts in Abuja,
yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 5Tuesday, November
20, 2012 News
AYODELE OJO AND FELIX NWANERI
Loyalists of former Pres-ident Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday
faulted President Goodluck Jonathans claim that the 1999 Odi
military operation did not solve the killing of security person-nel
and innocent civilians in the Niger Delta area by militants.
They said that the Presi-dent must have forgotten the facts or
he was misin-formed.
The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, described the conflicting
statements emanating from the Presi-dent and his spokespersons as a
credibility deficiency syndrome that raises ques-tions over who
indeed is in charge.
President Jonathan had during Sundays presiden-tial media chat
said the mil-itary operation in Odi, Bay-elsa State, by soldiers on
the order of former President Obasanjo did not solve the problem
and stopped the crisis in the oil-rich region then.
He added that what he saw in Odi after he went there on an
official visit as the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State then were
dead bodies of old people and children.
The President added that none of the militants re-sponsible for
the killing of the soldiers and policemen, which led to the
military invasion was killed by the soldiers.
But the former Minis-ter of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, in a
statement made available to National Mirror faulted the claims.
He said: With the great-est respect to Mr. President this is
factually incorrect. He has either forgotten the relevant facts or
he has been misinformed.
Whichever way he is mistaken and it is im-portant for those of
us that proudly served the Obasanjo administration to respond to
him in order to clarify the issues, clear the air and set the
record straight for the sake of his-tory and posterity.
I had the privilege of being briefed about all the facts by
President Oluse-gun Obasanjo himself and Col. Kayode Are, the
former Director-General, DG of the State Security Service, SSS,
immediately after the Presi-dential Media Chat and I
believe that it is appropri-ate to share some of those facts
with members of the Nigerian public given the grave assertion and
serious charge that President Jona-than has made. Those facts are
as follows.
Five policemen and four soldiers were killed by a group of Niger
Delta mili-tants when they tried to en-ter the town of Odi in
Bay-elsa State in order to effect their arrest. This happened in
1999.
After the brutal killing of the security person-nel, President
Olusegun Obasanjo asked the then governor of Bayelsa State,
Governor Diepreye Alami-eyeseigha, to identify, lo-cate, apprehend
and hand over the perpetrators of that crime.
The governor said that he was unable to do so and President
Obasanjo, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces,
took the position that security personnel could not be killed with
impunity under his watch without a strong and appropriate response
from the Federal Government.
Consequently, he sent the military in to uproot and kill the
terrorists and to destroy their operational base which was the town
of Odi.
The operation was car-ried out with military pre-cision and
efficiency and its objectives were fully achieved. The terrorists
were either killed and those that were not killed fled their
operational base in Odi, were uprooted, were weakened, were
demor-alised and were completely dispersed. That was the purpose of
the whole exer-cise and that purpose was achieved.
The truth is that the killing of security agents and soldiers
with impunity by the Niger Delta militants virtually stopped after
the operation in Odi and re-mained at a bare minimum right up until
the time that President Obasanjo left power eight years later in
2007. I advise those that doubt this to go and check the
records.
Fani-Kayode also re-called that the same thing was done in Zaki
Biam, Benue State, in 2001 after 19 soldiers were murdered by some
terrorists from that area.
He said that the Odi expe-rience was akin to the Feder-
al Governments strong mil-itary response in Zaki Biam which
stopped the killing of security personnel with im-punity in the
area.
Fani-Kayode said: The objectives of the military operations in
both Odi and Zaki Biam were to stop such killings, to eliminate and
deal a fatal blow to those that perpetuated them and to discourage
those that may seek to carry out such barbarous butchery and
mindless violence in the future.
Those were the objec-tives and nothing more and clearly those
objectives were achieved. There is no doubt that after Odi there
was still unrest, agitations, protests, kidnappings and the blowing
up and sabo-tage of oil pipelines in the
Niger Delta area but there were hardly any more at-tacks on or
killing of sol-diers and security person-nel by the terrorists and
militants because they knew that to do that would attract a swift
and forceful reaction and terrible retri-bution from the Nigerian
military.
The former minister said that Obasanjo had no other objective in
sending soldiers to the areas than to stop and deter attacks and
killings of security person-nel, which was achieved.
He saidL: President Goodluck Jonathan was therefore in error
when he said that Odi did not solve the problem of killings in the
Niger Delta area by the Niger Delta militants.
He added: Not only did
the action stop the killings, it was also an eloquent tes-timony
of how to deal with terrorists, how to handle those that kill our
security personnel with impunity and how to deter militants from
killing members of our civilian population and thinking that they
can get away with it.
If President Obasanjo had not taken that strong action at that
time many more of our civilian popu-lation and security person-nel
would have been killed by the Niger Delta militants between 1999
and 2007. By doing what he did at Odi and Zaki Biam, President
Obasanjo saved the lives of many and put a stop to the killings and
terrorism that had taken root in the Niger Delta area previous to
that
time. On of Boko Haram, Fani-
Kayode said it was unfortu-nate that Obasanjos com-ment was
misconstrued. .
What he said was that a solution ought to have been found or
some sort of action ought to have been taken sooner rather than
allow the problem to fester over time like a bad wound and get
worse.
There can be no doubt that he was right on this because,
according to Presi-dent Jonathans own Chief of Army Staff, no less
that 3,000 people have been killed by Boko Haram in the last two
years alone, he said.
This figure, he further stated, represents approxi-mately the
same number CONTINUED ON PAGE 50
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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
anchored on the adminis-trations transformation agenda.
The forum said it be-lieves that President Jon-athan has a lot
more to offer Nigerians and called on all citizens to join hands
with the President to move Nigeria forward.
The forum prayed God to grant President Jona-than excellent
health,
courage and many more years of selfless service to Nigeria and
humanity.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan leaves Abuja today for
Islam-abad, Pakistan, to attend the summit of Heads of State and
Government of the Group of Eight Devel-oping Nations (D-8) which
opens tomorrow.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on
Media
and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that Jonathan would be
accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Ambas-sador Olugbenga Ashiru, the Minister of Trade and Investment,
Dr. Olusegun Aganga and the Governor of the Central Bank of
Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
Besides participating in the summit of the D-8 which was
established in
1997 to foster developmen-tal cooperation amongst
member-countries, Jona-than would also hold bi-lateral meetings in
Islam-abad with the Presidents of Pakistan, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran
and Egypt, whose countries also be-long to the D-8.
The President would also meet with Nigerians living in Pakistan
before returning to Abuja on Fri-day.
6 News Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Jonathan at 55: Expect more dividends of democracy, NSGF tells
NigeriansROTIMI FADEYIABUJA
The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF) yesterday paid
tribute to President Goodluck Jonathan, who turns 55 today, just as
it asked Nigerians to expect more dividends of democ-racy.
Chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu
Baban-gida Aliyu, said within a space of two and a half years,
President Jona-than has touched the lives of Nigerians in many
positive ways and has stamped a seal of excel-lence in all the
spheres of
our national life.In a statement signed
by his Chief Press Sec-retary, Danladi Ndayebo, Governor Aliyu
said the forum is proud of Presi-dent Jonathans land-mark
achievements and remarkable leadership qualities which he has
wonderfully exhibited in accelerating the growth and development of
Nige-ria and the African conti-nent as a whole.
The statement made reference to the progress made in critical
sectors of the economy as agri-culture, wealth creation, education,
citizen diplo-macy and other laudable programmes that are
L-R: Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike; Peoples
Democratic Party National Women Leader, Dr. Kema Chikwe and
Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, at the inauguration
of the National Education Innovations Exhibition in Abuja,
yesterday. PHOTO: NAN
FRANCIS SUBERU
The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) yes-terday said it has arrested the
Managing Director/Chief Execu-tive Officers (MD/CEOs) of the six
oil companies referred to it by the Presi-dential Committee on Oil
Subsidy.
The arrested MD/CEO include MD Eurafric Coast-al Services, Mr.
Odjegba Onoriode; GMD Caades Oil & Gas Ltd; Mr. Ejiofor Inno-ma
Chikadibia; MD/CEO Prudent Energy & Services Ltd; Mr. Sowami
Abuwasin Olatunde; MD Somerset Oil & Gas Ltd; Mrs. Gladys
Amaefule; MD Imad Oil & Gas Ltd; Mallam Bashir Ad-amu Gusau and
MD Dozzy Oil & Gas Ltd, Sir Daniel Chikwudozie.
In a statement released by SFU Public Relations Officer, Ngozi
Isintume-Agu, investigations have re-vealed that the companies
benefitted in an illegal oil subsidy at different times between
2010 and 2011.
According to the state-ment, a total subsidy amount of N6.130
billion was paid to Eurafric Coast-al Services Ltd; based on 85,
519 million litres of fuel im-ported between November, 2010 and
2011, in six trans-actions.
The statement reads in part: A total amount of N9.935 billion
was due to Caades Oil & Gas Ltd, based on 13.501 million litres
of PMS imported in Decem-ber 2011 which comprises two
transactions.
A total subsidy payment of N1, 360, 898,638.10 was paid to
Prudent Energy & Services Ltd; based on a single importation of
18, 316, 767 million litres of PMS.
A total subsidy payment of N2.690 billion was paid to Somerset
Oil & Gas Ltd; based on 40.165 million li-tres of PMS imported
in two transactions.
N24.6bn subsidy scam: SFU arrests six MDs
EMMANUEL ONANIABUJA
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday, adjourned till
November 23, ruling in an applica-tion brought by an
inter-vener/applicant, Olalekan Bayode.
The intervener, through his counsel, John Olufemi, had filed a
motion seeking to be joined as interested party in the ongoing suit
to determine the owner-ship of the $15 million al-legedly offered
as bribe
to the Economic and Fi-nancial Crimes Commis-sion, EFCC, by
former Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori.
Ibori, who is serving a jail-term in the United Kingdom, was
said to have offered the said amount with the inten-tion of
compromising inves-tigation on money laundering allegations by the
anti-graft agency.
However, when the matter came up yesterday for argu-ments on the
motion for join-der, counsel to the intervener/applicant, Olufemi
was absent in court, having written a let-
ter to other parties and the court, asking for an adjourn-ment
on health grounds.
The presiding judge, Jus-tice Gabriel Kolawole, while warning
counsel to desist from addressing their corre-spondence to the
judge, as Olu-femi did in the instant case, sought the opinion of
respec-tive parties in the suit on the letter seeking
adjournment.
While the Attorney-General of Delta State, Mr. Charles Ajuyah
(SAN) and counsel to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ogar
Obeyah, urged the court to deem the appli-
cants motion as properly adopted, as provided for under Order
22, Rule 9 of the Federal High Court rules, prosecuting counsel,
Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) asked the court to strike out the
motion.
Iboris $15m bribe: Court to rule on application for joinder, Nov
23
KAYODE KETEFE
The Lagos Division of the Court of Ap-peal yesterday or-dered
the Nigerian Mari-time Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to
pay into the account of the court N6.8 billion being a judgment
debt be-longing to Hensmor Nige-ria Limited.
In a unanimous ruling
by the three justices, the appellate court ordered NI-MASA to
pay the sum into the Registrar of the Court on an interest-yielding
account domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria, Plc; within seven
days of this ruling.
NIMASA had on March 14, 2006, arrested the com-mercial vessel
belonging to Hensmor Nigeria Ltd. laden with kerosene and had kept
it in custody, this
had prompted Hensmor to institute the suit it eventu-ally won at
the lower court.
In the ruling delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, to which the
other two jus-tices concurred, the appel-late court ordered NIMASA
to pay the judgment sum into the banks account while it adjourned
the mo-tion for appeal filed by NI-MASA against the substan-tive
judgment of the trial court till February 11, 2013.
NIMASA gets seven days to pay N6.8bn into courts accountEMMANUEL
ONANIABUJA
Attempts by the Governor of Osun State, Rauf Are-gbesola, to
have a Fed-eral High Court sitting in Abuja to dismiss a suit
al-leging insanity on his part failed yesterday.
A Non-Governmental Or-ganisation, NGO, had insti-tuted a suit
where it claimed that Aregbesola is insane, and
so not fit to govern Osun State.In his ruling yesterday,
the trial judge, Justice A.R. Mohammed, held that; The court
cannot entertain the first defendants application to strike out the
suit, because hearing notice was not served on the plaintiff as
ordered.
Counsel to the governor, Mr. Ebuka Nwaeze, while moving the
application to strike out the suit, informed the court that the
plaintiff and its legal representatives
were absent in court, even when they were aware that the matter
was slated for hearing.
Nwaeze urged the court to apply order 19 rule 3 of the Federal
High Court proce-dure to strike out the suit.
Before adjourning hearing on the matter till December 10,
Justice Mohammed re-quested that the bailiff, who failed to serve
processes as directed by the court, be transferred.
Alleged insanity: Abuja court refuses Aregbesolas
application
As President leaves for D8 meeting in Pakistan
Ibori
-
KAYODE KETEFE
A judge of a Federal High Court sit-ting Lagos, Justice
Okechukwu Okeke, yes-terday rejected a contract document sought to
be tendered as evidence to support the case of two accused persons
standing trial for unlawful importa-tion of firearms to Nigeria
from Iran, Azim Aghajani (Iranian), and Ali Jega.
The accused persons are standing trial on a five-count charge of
unlawful importation of firearms
and explosives to Nigeria.At the proceedings yes-
terday, the defence lawyer, Mr Chris Uche (SAN), sought to
tender a docu-ment which he said was a proof of a contract
agree-ment between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of
Gambia.
Uche sought to ten-der document through the first witness of the
defence, Mr. Bavharan Mohsen, (an official of the Iranian Ministry
of For-eign Affairs) as he opened the defence of the accused
persons yesterday.
In his evidence-in-chief,
FEMI OYEWESOABEOKUTA
The ancient city of Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, yester-day
stood still as the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedo-tun Aremu Gbadebo,
hon-oured the National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN),
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with chieftaincy title of Aare Ago of
Egbaland.
Asiwajus wife, Sena-tor Oluremi Tinubu, was also honoured with
the chieftaincy title of Erelu
Aare Ago of Egbaland at the ceremony held at the Alakes
palace.
The conferment of the chieftaincy title on the former governor
of Lagos State formed part of the activities lined up to
com-memorate the 7th anniver-sary coronation of Alakes ascension to
the throne.
Eminent Nigerians that thronged the Alakes palace to rejoice
with the Tinubus included the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
presidential candidate in the April 2011 general election, Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari,
IJEOMA EZEIKEABUJA
Federal Government yesterday admitted that there are myri-ad of
challenges in the na-tions education sector.
The government, how-ever, attributed the phe-nomenon to poor
research and innovations churned
out by tertiary institu-tions nationwide.
President Goodluck Jonathan spoke while opening this years
edition of National Education In-novations Exhibition in Abuja.
He decried the dearth of home grown research in the education
system, a trend, he said accounted
L-R: President of the National Industrial Court, Justice
Babatunde Adejumo; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal; author of the book, Legislative Drafting in Plain English
and the Director, Legal Services National Assembly, Mr. Daniel
Tongvadem and Senate President David Mark during the public
presentation of the book in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI
OSASONA
Buhari, Ribadu, others storm Abeokuta, as Alake honours
Tinubu
FG blames nations education woes on poor research
Mohsen told the court that there was an agree-ment for the
importation of firearms between Iran and Gambia which was re-duced
into writing.
He added that the arms were meant to be trans-ported to the
Gambia government for use by her military, but had to be shipped
through Nigeria as a transit point before onward transfer to the
fi-nal destination.
Mohsen said: It is very rare to find a ship in the ports in Iran
going direct-ly to Gambia. Therefore, you will need a port of
transit between Iran and Gambia
Mohsen also defended the concealment of the arms on the grounds
that if they were not so con-cealed they were would be at risk of
through the onslaught of pirates and terrorist, whom he said
usually confiscates such ammunitions at sea.
After that, Uche sought to tender the contract document as
evidence of the transaction between the two countries, but the
measure was opposed by the prosecution repre-sented by the Director
of
and the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Also present on the occa-sion were former Speaker of the House
of Represen-tatives, Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, ACN National
Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; Senate Minor-ity Leader, Senator
George Akume; House of Repre-sentatives Minority Leader, Hon. Femi
Gbajabiamila, as well as former governors of Lagos and Ogun states,
Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Aremo Segun Osoba.
Speaking at the event, Osoba said the chieftaincy title of Aare
Ago of Eg-baland would have been conferred on Tinubu since seven
years ago, but for the non-disposition of the administration in
power which opposed it.
for huge budgetary alloca-tions to the sector in the last few
years.
The President, repre-sented by the Minister of Education, Prof.
Ruqa-yyatu RufaI, said stake-holders ought to entrench a system of
innovations right from the basic school level, if the quest for a
dynamic and eco-
nomic driven society must be achieved.
He said: Fellow Nige-rians, my administration recognises the
challenges that the Nigerian educa-tion sector have been fac-ing
over the years, it is for this reason that we have consistently
continued to improve budgetary alloca-tion to the sector.
Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs. Fumilayo Fatunde.
Fatunde argued that the alleged contract document between the
two nations does not bear the signature and seal of either
nation.
She, therefore, said the document was not legally admissible and
urged the court to reject it.
Fatunde said: Although a letter of authorisation allows a
witness to testify on behalf of a country be-fore the court on
certain documents, but it is not this type of document.
Under Section 149 of the Evidence Act, pre-sumption does not
come into play unless and un-
til parties ratify that this document would be ad-missible in
their country of origin without proof of seal and signature
authen-ticating it.
There is no such proof of authenticity before my lord and as
such, my lord is not in a position to ac-cept this presumption. I
urge my lord to reject this document in its entirety
In his short ruling, Jus-tice Okeke said the docu-ment was not
relevant in the case as it showed that the agreement was be-tween
two companies in Iran and Gambia, and not between the government of
the Iran and Nigeria.
The Federal Govern-ment has pledged to build better sys-tems and
procedure that would strengthen the ca-pacity of relevant agen-cies
and halt mismanage-ment, inefficiency and lack of transparency in
the extractive sector.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who stated this yesterday at the
opening of the retreat for members of the National Stake-holders
Working Group (NSWG) of the Nigerian Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative (NEITI) held at the Le Me-ridien Hotel and
Golf Re-sort, Nwaniba, noted that his administration was ready to
actualise trans-parent extractive sector, where the revenues are
accounted for and used for the benefit of Nigerians.
Dr. Jonathan, repre-sented by Akwa Ibom State
Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, hinted that in the weeks
ahead, he would strengthen the Inter-Min-isterial Task Team (IMTT)
by re-inaugurating it with senior government offi-cials identified
as a key to the reforms of the extrac-tive sector to implement the
remedial issues aris-ing from the NEITI audit findings.
The President lauded the theme of the retreat: From Transparency
to Accountability, urging NEITI to move from its present position
of en-throning transparency to recording measurable and visible
impacts in the lives of Nigerians.
He said: I consider this theme very fundamental in the view of
the impor-tance of our natural re-sources to the economic and
social well-being of Nigerians.
KAYODE KETEFE
Tribute has con-tinued to pour in on the demise of the late
former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kayode Eso, as a
renowned lawyer, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN), de-scribed the deceased as
his mentor.
Sagay said the Supreme Court of Nigeria during Eso tenure was
among the best in the World.
Sagay, who spoke in an interview with National Mirror, lauded
the intel-lectual capacity of the departed jurist and be-
moaned his death, which he described as a great loss to
Nigeria.
He said men like Eso come in short supply in Nigeria.
Another Senior Advo-cate of Nigeria, Chief Bo-laji Ayorinde,
described the late Eso as a great legal icon who believed in using
law as an instru-ment to make the society better.
Sagay said: Those who know me well will read-ily say Eso is my
mentor. He was a jurist par excel-lence and of the best jus-tices
that had ever sat on the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
We target transparency in extractive industry Jonathan
SCourt in Esos time among worlds best Sagay
Arms importation: Court rejects suspects evidence
Gbadebo
National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Tuesday, November
20, 2012 News 7
-
FEMI OYEWESO AND MURITALA AYINLA
Former Special Ad-viser to Lagos State Governor on Health, Mr.
Toyin Hamzat, was late Sunday night assassi-nated in Shagamu by yet
to be identified gunmen.
He was said to have been shot dead by the as-sailants in front
of his female friends house at about 9:30pm in Shagamu while
preparing to return to his Lagos home.
Though the motive be-hind his assassination was yet to be
established by security agents, National Mirror gathered yester-day
in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, that the kill-ing might not be
uncon-nected with his persistent visits to the female friends house
which had previous-ly brought him into open
confrontation with the womans husband.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr.
Muyiwa Ad-ejobi, confirmed the death of Hamzat, but ruled out
political assassination as being speculated.
Adejobi said the inci-dent was purely a murder case that has no
political undertone.
He said that five per-sons, including the female
friend, her husband as well as three drivers of the taxi owned
by the husband were already in the police custody in Abeokuta.
Adejobi told journalists that evidences available to the police
indicted the hus-band of the female friend, hence the need to
arrest him for interrogation.
In a related develop-ment, Adejobi confirmed the death of two
police of-ficers killed yesterday in Abeokuta by armed rob-bers who
attacked cattle
dealers in Olodo Interna-tional Market in Ayetoro in Yewa North
Local Govern-ment Area of Ogun State.
He added that two other officers were injured when the robbers
attacked the police post at the market and dispossessed the cat-tle
dealers of undisclosed huge sum of money.
Decrying the uncoopera-tive attitude of the cattle dealers to
strictly adhere to police advice on move-ment of cash at the
market, Adejobi said the Commis-
Ex-Fasholas aide assassinated in friends house
L-R: Guest Speaker, Dr. Jerry Wolcson; Presiding Bishop of The
Redeemed Evangelical Mission, Dr. Mike Okonkwo and his wife, Peace,
at the opening ceremony of Kingdom Life World Conference 2012,
tagged: Grace, Grace, at the TREM Cathedral in Lagos, at the
weekend.
ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI
The Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has called on
the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Abuba-kar,
to transfer the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sotonye
Wakama.
The PDP Media and Communications Director General in the state,
Chief Gboyega Aribisogan, said the call became impera-tive to
arrest violence in the coming days.
Aribisogan told jour-nalists yesterday in Ado-Ekiti that the
inability of Wakama to rise to the spate of violent activities
perpetrated by the sup-porters of the ruling Ac-tion Congress of
Nigeria (ACN) showed that he has abdicated his responsibili-ties
and continued to play politics with the lives and property of the
people.
He listed the crimes to include disturbances over chieftaincy
matters at Ilasa-Ekiti and Egbe Iro; the disruption of meetings
organised by former Governor Ayodele Fayose; the attack on Fay-oses
driver on Ire-Ekiti Road and the accident and death that
culminat-ed in the closure of the state-owned university.
PDP wants Ekiti CP transferred
Dugbe market. Coker said: What
baffled us more was the burgling of our stores and the carting
away of our wares by the YES-O cadets on Sunday afternoon. The
goods were bought with loan obtained from SEAP and LAPO which was
yet to be repaid.
It is at Dugbe Market that we make money to finance our students
ed-ucation. Many of these traders are widows and single mothers who
fend
for their families. Now, where do we go now?
Governor Abiola Aji-mobi must not scatter Dugbe market during
his administration. His late mother once traded in the market. We
closed down the market when he came to campaign. He removed his
shoes and promised that he would never dis-turb us. In turn, we
mo-bilised our members to vote for him. Now, he has pounced on us.
God is watching.
identified injustice as the major causes of conflicts in human
societies.
The governor warned that any attempt to forc-ibly deny the
people their rights could por-tend danger for the na-tion, adding
that there was the need to ensure equity among the peo-ple, while
the rich must refrain from oppressing
the poor.He said: A situation
in which 90 per cent of societal resources are concentrated in
the hands of one per cent of the people is gross injus-tice that
can only breed class antagonism and escalation between the rich and
the poor and the rich risks violent re-volt from the poor.
Oyo traders protest alleged demolition, looting
Aregbesola advises judiciary on responsibility
ABIODUN NEJOADO EKITI
The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, Most Rev Felix Femi
Ajakaye, has decried the spate of fetish sac-rifices in some parts
of Ekiti State, describing it as waste of resources and taking the
state back to the stone age.
Ajakaiye, who noted that the numerous sac-rifices at junctions
and crossroads were baffling, said: It is primitive and does not
portray us as civilized people who have total belief in God.
The cleric, who spoke at the thanksgiving service of Ekiti
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Week 2012, also decried the
ritu-als that local government workers and teachers en-gaged in
during their dis-agreement with the state government.
He said: I saw a whole ram at a junction in Usi-Ekiti in Ido/Osi
Local Gov-ernment Area, garnished with salt and palm oil. Apart
from being unsightly and un-healthy, I see it as a waste of
resources because I believe there must be people in that community
who had not eat-en meat for some time.
such a violent end.Former Lagos State
Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, decried the rising insecurity in
the country, even as he described as shocking the killing of Amzat
by gunmen.
He said: Early this morning (yesterday), I re-ceived the
shocking news of the death of one of our most illustrious sons and
progressively minded poli-ticians, Hon. Toyin Amzat, former
chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area.
Urging relevant au-thorities to arrest Amzats killers, Tinubu
asked secu-rity agencies to wake up to their responsibilities.
sioner of Police, Ikhemefu-na Okoye, had directed the Area
Commander in Ilaro as well as all the Divisional Police Officers
(DPOs) in the state to ensure that the robbers were
apprehended.
Meanwhile, Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN)
yesterday described the incident as shocking, saying it was a
supreme irony of life that such a man of peace who gave so much in
the service of his nation and community could come to
Too many rituals in Ekiti Bishop
Lams death, Oyo people suffer; YES-O steal after demolition;
ACN, call Ajimobi to order, defied the police barricade at the
entrance to the sec-retariat and chanted war songs.
Led by the Otun Iya-laje of Ibadanland, Chief (Mrs.) Victoria
Coker, the traders lamented the non-service of demolition notice to
them before the government mobilised its agents to pull down their
means of livelihood at
versal purpose at the swearing in ceremony of the state Acting
Chief Judge, Justice Gloria Er-hioyovwe Oladoke.
Aregbesola pleaded with judges, who he de-scribed as
representa-tives of God in their vari-ous courts, to ensure that
the purpose of justice is served in all their pro-nouncements, even
as he
KEMI OLAITANIBADAN
About 200 traders yesterday dis-rupted activities at the Oyo
State Govern-ment Secretariat in Agodi, Ibadan, protesting the
al-leged demolition of their stalls and looting of their goods by
agents of the state.
The traders, carry-ing placards with vari-ous anti-government
in-scriptions such as After
WALE FOLARINOSOGBO
Osun State Gover-nor Rauf Aregbe-sola has urged the judiciary to
always dis-charge its responsibilities as expected.
He spoke yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, while
delivering a speech entitled: Justice is a uni-
Governor, Tinubu mourn
Fayemi
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netTuesday, November
20, 20128 South West
-
L-R: Acting Chief Judge, Justice Gloria Ethieyorwe Oladoke; Osun
State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and state Chairman of the Christian
Association of Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Abraham Aladeseye, at Oladokes
swearing-in-ceremony in Osogbo, yesterday.
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP)
and the Olusola Oke Cam-paign Organisation have ac-cused Governor
Olusegun Mimiko of evading service of notice of the petition filed
by the governorship candi-date of the PDP at the tribu-nal.
In a statement released by the Special Adviser on Me-dia and
Publicity of Chief Olusola Oke, Kunle Ade-bayo, the organisation
berat-ed the governor for evading service of the notice of the
petition three times, which should have signified the beginning of
the trial.
Adebayo described the action of the governor as contempt for the
rule of law and an uncharitable con-duct.
The PDP candidate and his party had earlier ap-proached the
tribunal to challenge the victory of Mimiko on account of
mal-practices, manipulation
of INECs vital documents and substantial non-compli-ance.
Adebayo said on three occasions, the court bailiff had met a
brick wall in an effort to serve both the La-bour Party (LP) and
Gover-nor Mimiko the petitions. On these occasions, he said the
governor was reported to be busy with state matters while the
offices of secretar-ies and officials dedicated for the governors
mails were re-portedly under lock and key.
Efforts by the court bailiff to also serve the LP through its
state secretariat in Akure and its national secretariat in Abuja,
Adebayo said also proved abortive as both offic-es were reportedly
deserted.
According to Adebayo, the reason why Governor Mimiko and the LP
are dodging notice of service is to enable them work on the
petition which Adebayo said was allegedly leaked by Wole Uzzi,
Director of legal services of INEC to Chief
Tunde Atere, of the Ondo State Law Commission to enable them
beat the 14 days deadline.
This is regrettable and unacceptable as according to him, It is
an act of cow-ardice and panic fueled by the guilty conscience of a
governor who allegedly procured victory under the basest, most
corrupt and most shameful circum-stances ever seen in history.
Which state matter should be more important than defending the
legitimacy of government? Adebayo asked.
One would have expect-ed the man who claimed victory with clean
hands to jump up with genuine ex-citement and enviable con-fidence
and walk up to the temple of justice with dis-patch and pride, he
said.
We are not surprised at all because the truth about all the lies
perpetrated dur-ing the election is oozing out like smoke before
fire.
AROWOSOLA TOSIN
The Lagos State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
has lambasted the Peoples Demo-cratic Party (PDP) in the South-West
for alleging that Governor Babatunde Fashola and the ACN are
manipulat-ing the appeal case in the Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA.
The party said it is not sur-prising that such falsehood is
coming from the South-West PDP, which it advised to warm up to the
fact that its imposed reign in the South-West is done and over for
good.
In a release signed by the party in Lagos, the state Publicity
Secretary, Joe Ig-bokwe, said the party un-derstands why it is
arduous asking PDP to substantiate its allegation since the party
believes in forging and mar-keting falsehood for its
exis-tence.
The ACN said the PDP in the South-West is founded on such
falsehood and has ceased to surprise anybody by the intensity and
hollow-ness of their falsehood.
Our reaction to the latest falsehood is to laugh it off as yet
another smear effort by the PDP to cash in on the intelligence of a
people that have proved for the ump-teenth time that they are
ACN blasts PDP over allegation of manipulation of LCDA appeal
case
Ondo guber: Mimiko dodging notice of petition -PDP
Lagos begins child health intervention
Labour Institute honours Fayemi, Orji, others in Ilorin
Institute lauds FG over stance on Boko HaramMURITALA AYINLA
The Institute of Strate-gic Management of Nigeria (ISMN)
yes-terday lauded the Federal Government for ignoring the
negotiation offer by the deadly Boko Haram sect, de-scribing the
move as a good strategy meant to resolve the countrys security
chal-lenges.
The experts argued that there was no way the Feder-al Government
would have a favourable deal with the sect since its members still
operate under cover, adding that dealing with unknown sect such as
Boko Haram re-quires strategic approach.
Briefing journalists at the Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Alausa, on
the end of year activities of the institute, the Registrar and
Chief Execu-tive Officer of the institute, Adeyemi Mapaderun,
said
the Federal Government might not likely have the up-per hand at
the purported negotiation table.
According to the regis-trar, the outcome of the ne-gotiation
might not favour the Federal Government since the members of the
sect still remain largely un-known.
His words: Negotiation is not the answer to Boko Haram
insurgency because the members of the sect have upper hands than
the Federal Government. Also, since nobody has been able to pin
point their members, they will be in control of the
negotiation.
So, we have to adopt a better strategy to tackle insecurity
problems in the country.
The institute called on the Federal Government to adopt a
strategic issue on the array of problems confront-ing the
nation.
WOLE ADEDEJIILORIN
Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, is to be conferred with
the fellow of the Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour
Studies (MINILS) this week at an annual la-bour relations summit of
the institute in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The summit, which will also feature the Kwara State Governor,
Abdulfatah Ahmed; Abia State Gover-nor, Chief Theodore Orji, as
well as the Labour Minister, Chief Emeka Wogu, is said to be in
recognition of their immense contribution to sound labour relations
in the country.
National Mirror gathered that the summit, with the theme; Social
Policy, Labour Relations and Transforma-tion Agenda: Extending
So-cial Protection in Nigeria is to focus on the contribution of
critical stakeholders in la-bour matters in the country.
The former National President of the Academic Staff Union of
Nigerian Universities (ASUU), Prof. Festus Iyayi, will among other
prominent speakers, speak on the topic and the Issues, Prospects
and Chal-lenges of Social Protection in Nigeria.
The former Director of International Labour Or-ganisation (ILO)
Regional Office for Southern Af-rica, Harare, Zimbabwe, Prof. Tayo
Fashoyin as well as the pioneer Direc-tor-General of MINILS are
also billed to be award-ed, the source added.
As the second round of this years Mater-nal Newborn and Child
Health week celebra-tion begins in Lagos State, the state
government says it has designated 729 health posts made up of 287
fixed posts and 442 outreach posts for the statewide exercise.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr Yewande
Adeshina, who disclosed this at the week-end, urged families and
care-givers to visits these posts along with their un-der five
children during the week-long celebration to avail themselves of
the ser-vices that would be provid-ed, which she described as
high-impact, low-cost ma-ternal, newborn and child health
interventions.
Her words: The ma-ternal newborn and child health week was
introduced with the objective of im-proving the healthcare
seek-ing-behaviour of the whole family, especially mothers and
care-givers of children under the age of five years.
The week is being cele-brated with the provision of an
integrated, high-impact preventive and promotive services to the
whole family and these services include routine immunisation,
Vi-tamin A supplementation with growth monitoring and promotion as
well as
wiser than their antics. When we saw the body of
their allegation and noticed that there was nothing link-ing
either Governor Fashola or the ACN to the laughable allegation, we
felt vindicated in our age-old contention that PDP in the
South-West is a huge aberration.
We would be expecting more from them if we expect them to prove
their allega-tion, for that is the lifeblood that sustains the
party at present.
For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Fashola and the ACN give no
heck about Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA going
to the PDP in a free and fair contest, but we feel that PDP
cannot just be patronised be-cause they are very desperate.
Even in our contention, we feel the judiciary still re-mains the
best institution equipped to settle every elec-toral dispute, which
is why we are still submitting to the primacy of the court in this
matter.
Neither Governor Fashola nor the ACN has done any-thing to
sabotage this process and we remain firm that the lower tribunal
erred by disal-lowing our legitimate votes and approving PDPs own
votes.
screening of under five chil-dren for malnutrition.
She added that other specific objectives of the celebration are
the need to promote the utilisation of health facilities by
preg-nant women, newborn and children and to mobilise pregnant
women to attend four focused antennal care visits.
It is also to deliver teta-nus toxoid to eligible women of
productive age, provide children six to 59 months with vitamin A
every six months, distribute and pro-mote the use of long lasting
insecticide treated nets for under five children, preg-nant and
lactating women.
National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Tuesday, November
20, 2012 South West
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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10 Tuesday, November
20, 2012South East
Eze Nri, His Majesty, Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoh (right), exchanging
greetings with the Special Adviser to the Senate President on
Sports and Women Affairs, Dr. Peter Deshi, after conferring him
with the title of Ezinwanne Na Nri, in Nri, Anambra State, at the
weekend.
APGA crisis: Umeh accepts CANs dialogue offer with Obi,
BiancaDENNIS AGBOENUGU
The National Chair-man of All Progres-sives Grand Alliance
(APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, has accepted the offer by the Christian
Association of Nigeria (CAN) to dialogue
between him and Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and
Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu on the partys linger-ing crisis.
Umeh, however, warned that his acceptance of the of-fer should
not be interpreted as a sign of weakness or sur-render, but as a
mark of re-
Ex-APCON boss, Nzeribe, is dead
300 Nigerians protest deportation from Bostwana
Anambra varsity denies owing govt N8m taxesCHARLES OKEKEAWKA
The management of Anambra State University has denied that it
owed the government N8 million unremitted taxes de-ducted from
workers salaries.
The universitys Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, said all
the de-ductions made from
workers salaries were being remitted to rel-evant agencies and
that he was not aware that the school owed such an amount.
He repudiated the claim that the univer-sity was in default of
remitting taxes to the appropriate authori-ties when he spoke with
journalists on various issues affecting the in-stitution in Awka,
the
state capital.The vice-chancellor,
however, said the uni-versity would admit 3000 fresh students
for next academic session.
He decried the situ-ation whereby the uni-versity does not have
enough money to pay salaries, adding that at times, the management
was compelled to bor-row money to pay sala-ries.
ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI
A former chair-man of Advertis-ing Practitioners Council of
Nigeria (AP-CON) and the only black African recipient of the
International Advertising Association (IAA) Medal of Merit, London,
Dr May M. Nzeribe, is dead.
He died at the age of 75.Nzeribe 75 was the
chairman and founder of one of the earliest indige-nous
advertising agencies, Sunrise Darcy.
He was described as a man who devoted large portion of his
working life to assisting in internalis-ing practice standards in
the advertising industry.
He contributed to pro-moting an enabling envi-ronment for
adequate con-sumer protection.
Reacting to his death,
the chairman of Troyka Group, Mr Biodun Soban-jo, described it
sad news. Sobanjo said: Very, very sad. I picked the news this
morning (yesterday). May his soul rest in perfect peace.
APCON Registrar, Alh-aji Garba Bello-Kakanrofi, said the
association would make a public announce-ment as soon as the
council finishes discussion with the family.
DENNIS AGBOENUGU
No fewer than 300 Ni-gerians living in the Republic of Botswa-na
have been deported to Ni-geria in the past few months after the
authorities refused to renew their permits.
The angry deportees want President Goodluck Jona-than and the
National Assem-bly to quickly look into the re-lation between
Bostwana and Nigeria in order to ascertain the true conditions of
Nigeri-ans living in that country.
The deportees, most of whom had lived and worked in the Southern
African coun-try, said since Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, assumed
office, Nigerians living in Bostwana had been subjected to
dehumanising conditions and racial abuses.
Alleging that Gen. Khama planned to get rid of innocent
Nigerians do-ing genuine businesses in Bostwana, efforts to make
the countrys authorities understand that they were peace-loving and
not inter-ested in criminal activities
fell on deaf ears.The Bostwana Govern-
ment was only interested in sending us out without any reason,
they said.
Speaking on the ordeals of Nigerians in the hands of the
Botswana officials, Mr. Kingsley Ndubuisi, an indigene of Anambra
State, who returned to the country without his belongings in
September, said all Nigerians whose permits expired were forcefully
deported, leaving their property, wives and chil-dren behind.
The most annoying of
all the troubles Nigerians are facing in Bostwana is the
incessant stamping of (PI), meaning Prohibited Im-migrant on the
passport of Nigerians by the Bostwana authorities. The implication
is that such a person cannot enter that country again, Ndubuisi
said.
He said some of the vic-tims of the flush Nigerians policy were
doctors, phar-macists and businessmen.
Ndubuisi claimed that all these Nigerians were escort-ed to the
airport in handcuff and leg chains like criminals.
SOLA ADEBAYOWARRI
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN,
Pas-tor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday declined comment over the
insinuations that President Goodluck Jonathan bought a private jet
for him as a gift to mark the 40th anniversary of his call to
service.
The General Overseer of the Later Rain Bible Church, Pastor
Tunde Bakare, also called for a bloody revolution to deal with some
clerics, who have acquired expen-sive private jets.
Oritsejafor, in a telephone interview with National Mirror,
yesterday, how-ever, said that he was not ready to glorify his
critics with a reply.
National Mirror recalls that Oritsejafor joined the elite league
of Nigerian clerics, who own private jets on Saturday, Novem-ber
10, 2012 when his church, Word of Life Bible Church, announced a
gift of a Bombardier Jet in honour of the flamboyant cleric, who
marked 40th anniversary of his call to evangelism.
Jonathan was on hand at the churchs headquarters in Warri, Delta
State, when the announcement of the multi-million dollar gift was
made by the leaders of the church.
The plane, valued at over $40million, according to re-ports, is
a Canadian-made
Bombadier Jet with US reg-istration number N431CB. The reports
further indi-cated that the jet was manu-factured in 1994 and
hitherto owned by two individuals in the United States.
It was gathered that the plane was used in New Jer-sey by CR
BARD IN of Mur-ry Hill, New Jersy, before it was listed for sale in
July 2012.
Bakare stirred controver-sy over the jet when he called for a
bloody revolution be-cause some religious leaders have acquired
private jets.
The controversial cleric said that a bloody revolu-tion that
would consume re-ligious leaders, who acquired private jets, would
soon break out in the country and called on their congregations to
challenge the clerics to ex-plain to them where and how they raised
the money to pro-cure such expensive jets.
Already, CAN has cleared Oritsejafor, describing the critics of
Oritsejafor as evil minds.
But the Oritsejafor, who was contacted by National Mirror
yesterday to speak on the lingering controversy over his private
jet, said he was not ready to take issues with his critics.
I have no comment. I cant be talking about such matter at this
level. Please leave me alone over that matter. I cant glorify
any-body with a comment over such matter, he said.
I wont reply critics over private jet Oritsejafor
spect to the Christaindom.He commended CAN, par-
ticularly its Chairman in the South-East, Bishop Emman-uel
Chukwuman, who Chief Umeh said has consistently remained passionate
on is-sues affecting Ndigbo and Ni-geria in general.
Umeh said that CANs of-fer was the first time a credi-ble group
would be offering to dialogue among the warring factions in the
party crisis,
adding that since the gladia-tors are predominantly chris-tians,
I and my colleagues, including the non-Christians have agreed to
present our-selves to dialogue by CAN.
The APGA chieftain said that he was emotional about the party,
having recorded second term victory for Gov-ernor Obi, first term
victory for Rochas Okorocha in Imo, and others in the National
Assembly in the 2011 general
elections.People have just started
trooping into the party after the victories and the crisis
started and if peace now returns to the party, it will become even
stronger. And I can assure you that after the crisis, our people
will get the kind of leadership they desire, Umeh told journalists
yesterday in Enugu.
He, however, urged Obi
and Bianca to open their hearts to the dialogue, re-calling that
without his leadership of the APGA, the party would have long
ceased to exist.
I am ready to forgive and they too should be ready to forgive
too. I thank Bishop Emmanuel Chuk-wuma for being outspoken on
issues of Igbo interest and I encourage him to restore peace in
APGA, Umeh said.
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National Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11Tuesday, November
20, 2012 South-South
The Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the Niger Delta on
Monday described as false and baseless allegations that its
personnel were bribed by oil thieves in the area.
Some members of the public had alleged that personnel of the JTF
had been compromised by oil thieves to regain freedom and carry on
with their escapades.
Brig-Gen Tukur Bura-tai, the Commander, 2 Bri-gade of the Army
and Sec-tor 2 of the JTF, denied the allegation in an interview
with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt, the Rivers
State capital.
Buratai denied the alle-gation on the sidelines of a
12-kilometre road race organised in the state by the Nigerian
Army.
He said soldiers of the
JTF had always main-tained discipline without any form of
prejudice and corrupt practices in car-rying out their duty of
eliminating illegal bun-kering in the region.
``Im hearing this alle-gation for the first time; I dont believe
men of the JTF will do that (collect bribes).
N o t w i t h s t a n d i n g , since you brought it to my
notice, I will investigate; but I dont believe our Sol-diers will
do that.
Anyone (illegal bun-kers) that is arrested and brought to my
notice, no-body goes free. We take them straight to the court
through the Nigerian Se-curity and Civil Defence.
Buratai called on the public to report anyone involved in oil
theft and il-legal refining of crude oil to security agencies in
the state.
TONY ANICHEBEUYO
Youths across the five local government ar-eas of Oron in Akwa
Ibom State yesterday rose from a stakeholders meeting to laud the
effort of the Rec-tor of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Mr.
Joshua Okpo, in his determination to reposition the
institution.
The group condemned a recent petition by some peo-ple from the
area to black-mail and cause disaffection
between the school and the Federal Ministry of Trans-port.
The petition, according to the group, was skewed to cause
distraction in the on-going reforms and transfor-mation programme
being implemented by the rector.
President of Essu Nlap Oro Development Organi-zation Apostle,
Etim Ante, said in the past one year, the rector had impacted
positively on the people of the area and had brought his wealth of
experience to
bear in the management of the school.
The Oro youth leader, who stressed that the ad-ministration of
Mr. Joshua Okpo had taken steps in en-suring relative peace among
members of the schools host community, described the rector as a
patriotic and philanthropic Nigerian who should be encouraged
rath-er than being vilified.
He listed the achievement of the rector in the last one year to
include provision of steady power and water to
the institution, increased se-curity, provision of hostels,
building new staff quarters, construction of modern Jetty, building
of new class-rooms, construction of med-ical centre for both
students and staffs and installation of modern Simulators for
training of Cadets.
Apostle Ante added that apart from the physical de-velopment,
the rector also provided regular local and international training
pro-grammes for junior and se-nior workers of the school.
L-R: Member, Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and
Rehabilitation, Hajia Fatima Abdulrahman; Edo State Governor Adams
Oshiomhole; Co-Chairman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and spokesman for the
displaced persons, Mr. Omogbako Amabi, when the com-mittee visited
the displaced persons at Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government
Area of Edo State, yesterday.
Tambuwal
JTF denies taking bribe from oil thieves
Youths hail Maritime Academy rectors performance
SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN
The Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Reha-bilitation
yesterday visited camps of displaced per-sons in Edo State,
donating relief materials worth mil-lions of naira to them.
Co-Chairman of the Committee and President of Dangote Group of
Com-panies, Alhaji Aliko Dan-gote, who led the team, said Edo was
the first in the list of affected states to be vis-ited.
Sympathising with Gov-ernor Adams Oshiomhole
and the people of Edo State over the devastating im-pact of the
flood, Dangote said: This committee is made up of heavyweights from
the various profes-sions. They are not here to make money out of
the situation. We are trying to see if we can raise one hun-dred
billion naira.
We had a fundraising at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and we
have actu-ally raised twelve billion. I want to assure you that the
displaced Nigerians would not be left to suffer. We will come to
their rescue. We will make sure that they would be better off
than
they were before.Responding, Oshiom-
hole thanked President Goodluck Jonathan for providing the
leadership necessary to galvanize support for the displaced persons
on the face of an enormous challenge posed by the flood.
Oshiomhole said: I want to appreciate Mr. President for putting
up such a high-powered com-mittee whose members have laboured to
get to the level where they are and whose compassion to share part
of their resources in a coordinated effort towards mitigating the
sufferings
of those affected and giv-ing them hope is not in doubt.
Mr. President has done extremely well. He has helped to tell us,
as Nigeri-ans, that we should be our brothers keepers in our time
of need.
The challenge of the flood is enormous. In the short run, we
want to make sure that our brothers and sisters are not allowed to
die of starvation, after having been displaced al-ready by the
flood; their farmlands and livestock destroyed and family life
destabilised.
Expressing joy over the
CHINEDUM EMEANAPORT HARCOURT
A Non-Governmen-tal Organisation (NGO) in Rivers State, Peoples
Encouragers Initiative (PEIN), has called for the removal of the
im-munity clause for Presi-dent and governors from the nations
Constitution.
Speaking on the ongoing debate on the review of the
1999 Constitution, the Ex-ecutive Director of the or-ganisation,
Mr. Chukuma Abraham, told journalists in Port Harcourt that the
removal of the immunity clause became necessary to curb the
widespread cor-ruption among all catego-ries of public office
holders in the country.
He said that recent de-velopments in the country demonstrated
that gov-ernors should be probed while in office.
Abraham said: Remov-ing the clause may not to-tally eradicate
corruption, but will definitely reduce the brazen embezzlement
going on in the country.
The practice of true federation and resource control has become
impera-tive in Nigeria to facilitate healthy competition among
Dangote to fl ood victims: We wont allow you to suffer
Group demands removal of immunity clause
positive reaction of Nige-rians, Oshiomhole said he was
encouraged by the way Nigerians have so far reacted across the
length and breadth of the country.
He said: This is a posi-tive indication that Nige-rians have
shown that we are one and the same. It is important in terms of the
politics of national unity.
The governor com-mended Dangote for show-ing a personal interest
in the industrialisation of Edo State and for devoting time to his
humanitarian efforts.
He said: I am confident that the additional relief materials,
which I hear is quite a lot, will go a long way to make the
camps
more comfortable. I want to assure you
that only those who de-serve to benefit will ben-efit. Your
visit will give them a lot of psychologi-cal relief that the people
they have heard of and have not seen, but which this disaster has
brought, have been to the local communities.
The committee donated 1, 500 bags of 5kg rice; 1, 500 bags of
5kg gari; 1, 500 cartons of noodles; 3, 000 bags of 1kg bags of
salt; 2, 000 bags of water; 1, 500 1 li-tre packs of palm oil; 7,
500 1kg bags of sugar; 750 sani-tary packs; 250 mattresses; 1, 000
blankets; 700 clothing materials for men and 700 ankara
materials.
the component units of the federation.
The present system not only deprives states of au-tonomy, but
reduces them to beggars.
The federating states do not enjoy the autonomy they deserve to
have con-trol over their resources and how they are
adminis-tered.
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WOLE ADEDEJIILORIN
Former Nigeria mili-tary rulers, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and
Abubakar Abdulsalam, yesterday paid condolence visits to the family
of the late Kwara State political icon, Dr. Abubakar Olusola
Saraki.
They were accompa-nied by Alhaji Babagana
Kingibe, former Chairman of the defunct Social Demo-cratic Party
(SDP) and Sec-retary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who
broke down and wept openly during the visit.
Earlier in the day, another former military Head of State,
General Mohammadu Buhari, was in the house of the Sarakis,
accompanied by the former Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari with Mallam
Nuhu Ribadu, who came shortly after.
In his condolence speech, Babangida, who spoke in Hausa to beat
the curiosity of journalists and the crowd of the political family
of the late Saraki on behalf of the entourage, said the late Kwara
politi-cian was a man of honour
and dignity who lived an ex-emplary life with a unique style of
politics.
His words: Waziris (Saraki) death is not a loss to the people of
Ilorin alone, but to Nigerians at large. He has touched so many
lives. In fact, Im a beneficiary of the late Sarakis humour, he
tried so much. He said; That is the only thing that one can be best
remem-
bered for after ones death.Saraki came into this
world, we saw what he did, people talked about his deeds and it
is my belief that with these testimonies, God will grant him
eternal rest, he added.
The immediate past Act-ing National Chairman of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abuba-kar Kawu Baraje, who gave
the vote of thanks on be-half of the Saraki family, described
the two former military of Heads of State as great men of
honour.
He particularly extolled the humanitarian lifestyle of General
Babangida who like the late Saraki, had also touched the life of
poor people through personal sponsorship of their educa-tion.
INUSA NDAHIMAIDUGURI
United Nations Chil-dren Fund (UNI-CEF) Field Office in Bauchi
has expressed wor-ry at the increasing case of defecation in open
places, advising the country to put an end to the menace as it has
the potential of causing serious health-related dis-eases in the
society.
In a press release issued by UNICEF Communica-tions Officer, Mr.
Sammuel Kaalu, at a one-day work-shop marking the World Toilet Day,
with the theme: Ending Open Defecation is Possible, said lack of
toilet remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among
children.
He said in Nigeria, it is estimated that diarrhoea kills about
194,000 children under five every year and in addition, respiratory
infec-tions kill another 240,000. These are largely prevent-able
with improvement in water, sanitation and hy-giene.
Globally, he said, UNI-CEF is supporting 50 coun-tries,
including Nigeria to implement the Community Approaches to Total
Sanita-
JAMES ABRAHAMJOS
The Federal Govern-ment yesterday al-layed the fears of
Nigerians that there will be food shortage in the country following
the re-cent flood that wrecked havoc in different parts of the
country.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon.
Bukar Tijani, who gave the as-surance while flagging-off the Food
Relief Materials to Families of Flood Vic-tims in Jos, said
Presi-dent Goodluck Jonathan has approved N17.6 billion for flood
affected states to address the immediate challenges of displaced
persons.
The minister further said that in order to alle-viate the
problem of the flood victims, the Presi-
dent, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development, has put in place a National Flood Recovery Food
Pro-duction Plan, adding that they will ensure that the immediate
food security needs of the affected area are guaranteed as efforts
will be made to address and double up production to ensure that
national food security is not threat-ened.
The minister further said that the Federal Gov-ernment will
procure and distribute fertilizers to farmers at a highly
subsi-dised rate.
According to the minis-ter, a total of 40,000 metric tonnes of
food items that include maize, sorghum, garri and millet are
ex-pected to be distributed to victims affected and that Plateau
State will receive 1, 500 metric tonnes.
HENRY IYORKASEMAKURDI
Indication emerged yesterday that the crisis between Fu-lani
herdsmen and Tiv peasant farmers in Guma Local Govern-ment Area of
Benue State is not yet over as the parish priest of Sacred Heart
Catholic Church, Udei, Rev. Fr. Christopher Utov, told National
Mirror yester-day that scores of vio-lence leading to the kill-ing
of innocent peasant farmers are still taking place silently by
invad-ing Fulani herdsmen.
Utov narrated how the farmers are still being traumatised as
suspect-ed Fulani herdsmen in-vaded the villages at the wee hours
of the night armed with dangerous
weapons where they wreck havoc on unsus-pecting peasants.
The parish priest told National Mirror that se-ries of efforts
aimed at resolving the lingering crisis appears to fall on deaf
ears as the herds-men still carry on their attacks unmolested
lead-ing to the loss of many lives and destruction of property.
The cleric said despite concerted efforts by in-dividuals,
including the Benue State government to resolve the issue, the
problem has defied solu-tion.
Several attempts to get the comments of the Benue State commands
police public relations officer on the hostilities could not yield
any re-sult as he was not avail-able for comment.
tion (CATS) such as com-munity-led total sanitation aimed at
empowering com-munities to identify their sanitation challenges and
take necessary actions to end open defecation.
According to a joint UNI-CEF and World Health Or-ganisation
report of 2012, it is estimated that 34 million Nigerians practice
open defecation and that Nigeria is among the top five coun-tries
in the world with the largest number of people defecating in the
open.
Community-led total sanitation aims to make all
communities free of open defecation by focusing on social and
behavioural change and the use of af-fordable, appropriate
tech-nologies.
The emphasis is on the sustainable use of sanita-tion facilities
rather than the construction of infra-structure and the approach
depends on the engagement of members of the commu-nity ranging from
individu-als, to schools, to traditional leaders.
Communities use their own capacities to attain their objectives
and take a
central role in planning and implementing improved
sanitation.
He added that in Nigeria alone, UNICEF in partner-ship with
relevant govern-ment ministries, depart-ments and agencies, as well
as donors such as the European Union and the UK Aid, is supporting
the implementation of commu-nity-led total sanitation in 30 states
and over two mil-lion people living in more than 3,000 open
defecation free communities are esti-mated to be using toilets as a
result.
IJEOMA EZEIKEABUJA
Some students of the University of Abuja yesterday protested the
failure of the university authorities to secure ac-creditation of
the three pro-grammes suspended by the Federal Government with the
six months of grace.
The protest disrupted se-mester examinations in the main campus
of the uni-versity, along Airport road, Gwagwalada.
This is even as the au-
thorities have dismissed