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Friday, May 18, 2012

Nigeria, India top global maternal deaths – UN

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India and Nigeria together accounted for a third of the deaths of pregnant women globally in 2010, latest UN figures said, even as maternal deaths declined by nearly half in the past two decades due to improvement in health systems and increased female education.
Globally, an estimated 287,000 women died in pregnancy and childbirth in 2010, a decline of 47 per cent from levels in 1990, with Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia accounting for 85 per cent of the those maternal deaths, according to a report on trends in maternal mortality between 1990 to 2010 released by UN Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organisation, UN Children‘s Fund and the World Bank.
At the country level, India and Nigeria accounted for a third of global maternal deaths, with India at 19 per cent (56,000) and Nigeria at 14 per cent (40,000).
The global Maternal Mortality Rate, MMR, in 2010 was 210 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, down from 400 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990.
Another eight countries , Democratic Republic of the Congo (15,000), Pakistan (12,000), Sudan (10,000), Indonesia (9,600), Ethiopia (9,000), Tanzania (8,500), Bangladesh (7,200) and Afghanistan (6,400) , account for the nearly 40 per cent of the global maternal deaths.
The report said every two minutes a woman dies of pregnancy-related complications like severe bleeding after child birth, infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy and unsafe abortion.
However, there has been some progress in providing improved health care to pregnant women which has resulted in deaths being cut by half over the past two decades, the report added.
“In addition to improvement in health systems, other factors outside the health sector such as increased female education and increased physical accessibility to health facilities could be contributory factors,” it said.
The Millennium Development Goals report of 2011 indicates that improvement in the past two decades is also due to the proportion of deliveries attended by skilled health personnel in developing regions rising from 55 per cent in 1990 to 65 per cent in 2009.
Similarly, the proportion of women who were attended to by skilled health-care personnel at least once during pregnancy increased from 64 per cent to 81 per cent, while the proportion of women aged 15-49 years who use any method of contraception also increased from 52 per cent to 61 per cent.
More recently, the rapid roll-out of antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa to HIV-positive women, from 10 per cent in 2000 to 55 per cent in 2010, improves the chances of surviving the additional demands of pregnancy.
“Improvement in the coverage of these health-care interventions over the past two decades may have contributed to improved outcomes. However, disparities exist, within and across regions,” the report said, adding that Eastern Asia, which experienced the greatest MMR decline, has a contraceptive prevalence rate of 84 per cent as opposed to only 22 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, the region with one of the lowest MMR declines.
“Efforts to improve maternal health and reduce maternal deaths should be focused on addressing inequalities across and within countries,” it said.
Of the 180 countries and territories that were covered in UN analysis, between 1990 and 2010, 154 countries experienced total MMR percentage declines, while 26 countries had an increase.
Notably, 10 countries have already experienced 75 per cent reduction in MMR between 1990 and 2010, much earlier than the target year of 2015.
These countries are Estonia (95 pc), Maldives (93 pc), Belarus (88 pc), Romania (84 pc), Bhutan (82 pc), Equatorial Guinea (81 pc), Iran (Islamic Republic of) (81 pc), Lithuania (78 pc), Nepal (78 pc) and Viet Nam (76 pc)

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S-East PDP blasts Buhari

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ENUGU—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South East zone, yesterday, joined other Nigerians in condemning recent comments by former military head of state, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, in which he threatened bloodshed if the 2015 elections were rigged, saying his statement was “incendiary and bereft of patriotic intent.”
A statement by the National Vice Chairman of PDP in the zone, Col Austin Akobundu (rtd), applauded the prompt response from the Presidency and the party to Gen Buhari’s unfortunate outbursts.
It also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for showing restraint against the heckling of opposition politicians aimed at distracting him from prosecuting his transformation agenda.
The party said Gen Buhari’s unwarranted and provocative statement was capable of inciting more violence in a country already racked by serious security challenges.
The statement read: “We in the South East have good reason to be apprehensive anytime political leaders try to stoke up sectarian violence through inflammatory speech. Given our bitter experience, those who employ violence to serve political ends are never caught in the crossfire.
“Their victims, regrettably, have mainly been south easterners, youth corps members, church worshippers, business people or innocent bystanders.
“We call on our political leaders to guard their utterances and eliminate the rhetoric of violence from their repertoire, so that peace will reign. We need peace for development and progress.
“The South East PDP leader advised General Buhari to continue to lend his voice to matters of national importance but should do so with the measured tact of an elder statesman.
“Politics apart, it is impolitic for a person of his stately standing and someone who has fought for the unity of this country to descend into the arena of tendentious demagogy.”
The party, however, noted that since the 2011 elections were over, everyone must now join hands with the man who won the popular vote, President Jonathan, to move the country forward.

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2015: Northern govs unite for Presidency

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KADUNA – Ahead of the 2015 elections, the 19 Northern Governors, yesterday, expressed determination to sink their differences and unite to produce the president from the region in 2015. This was the outcome of their quarterly meeting held in Kaduna.
Speaking the minds of his colleagues at the opening session of the meeting, chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu said the northern governors, this time around, will not allow what happened in 2011 to repeat itself in 2015 as they will unite against candidates from the south.
According to Governor Aliyu, “we must be united more than ever to go into the 2015 elections as one entity with the aim of producing the president”. He then advised all governors and politicians in the north to remain focused and pursue issues of development rather than trivial issues that have led to the retrogression of the region in recent years.
L-R: Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna State with chairman, Northern Governors Forum, Dr Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State at the Northern Governors Forum meeting in Kaduna, yesterday.

Meanwhile, following the war of words between former head of state, and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari and the presidency over the general prediction of a bloodbath should the 2015 election be rigged, the forum admonished political leaders in the country to be cautious about their comments on important national issues that may polarise  the country.
In a communique issued  after the meeting, the forum said, “we want to caution eminent Nigerians against inflammatory statements capable of affecting our fragile unity and security.  We must be concerned about the unity and development of the country in all ramifications”
Chairman of the Forum, Babangida Aliyu who was asked by  newsmen after he had read the communiqué  to state the position of the forum on the comment credited to Gen. Mohammed Buhari had this to say:  “May be those who may be too concerned have not looked at what other eminent Nigerians have been talking about. I saw one that said Nigeria is going to be Somalianized;  I saw another one who has been talking  like there would be war tomorrow. So, for me, that statement should be taken on its own value -  do not go and do bad election.
“ I think that is the whole thing I will take there. All of us who are involved in elections, political parties, contestants and voters themselves, we must all be careful about what we say. But, again, like I said certain people in that position, certain vocabularies they use  should be chosen  carefully. So, both ways let’s take it on our own stride and ensure that future elections are seen to be transparent and are seen to be good”, he said.
On  security in the North, the communiqué reads: “The level of insecurity in the northern states is alarming. The forum resolved to  intensify efforts to find lasting solutions to the problems by reaching out to all stakeholders”.
On the major economic issues affecting the northern states,  the communiqué said   various committees have been set up to address them accordingly. The committees have been set up on agriculture, Textile industries and the New Nigeria Newspapers whose workers have been on strike for more than three months.
Speaking before the commencement of the meeting,  Muazu Babangida Aliyu stated that the Northern governors would stake their mandates together as a united team in 2015..
He however noted that 2015 was still too far to become the main topic of discussion among serious elected leaders.

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Armed Forces ready for any crisis – Minister

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ABUJA—Defence Minister, Dr. Bello Mohammed, said, yesterday, that the Armed Forces were in a state of combat readiness needed to surmount all issues of insecurity, internal or external. He said government has ensured this by funding the requirements of the different arms of the military.
Soldiers operating an armour tank during Combat Arms Training Week at Victor Kure Firing Range in Bauchi on Thursday (17/5/12). NAN Photo

Speaking at the ministerial platform organised by the Ministry of Information and Communication in Abuja, the minister noted that the state of combat readiness was achieved following the repairs and upgrading of a number of Armoured Fighting Vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers for the Nigerian Army.
He also said the acquisitions of the warship, NNS Thunder, and a number of Shaldag Fast Patrol Boats for the Navy, in addition to existing weaponry for the two services, had made them combat-ready.
The minister said the F7Ni Supersonic Jet fighter had been acquired by the Nigeria Air Force, even as M-35-Helicopters had been retrofitted, while Super Puma Helicopters and Alpha-jets had undergone upgrading and re-inducted.
Mohammed said: “We (Ministry of Defence) have also refurbished some of our C-130H Aircraft in the NAF inventory.”
He noted that the ministry placed great emphasis on the welfare of personnel of the armed forces.

By Kingsley Omonobi
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Amuka tasks Uduaghan on security

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WARRI — PUBLISHER and Chairman, Vanguard Media Limited, Mr. Sam Amuka, Thursday charged Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State  to tackle the security challenges facing the state.
He also asked the governor to explain why over N7.4 billion would be spent on clearing mountains of sand at the Asaba airport, saying Deltans need to know to be more informed on the matter.
Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan with Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers during a retreat for top government officials of Delta State at Hotel Excel in Effurun Thursday. 

Speaking  Thursday evening as the chairman of a retreat in Warri entitled “Landmarks and Legacy” organised by the Delta State Government in collaboration with Tas and Associates, Amuka said he accepted to attend the retreat as chairman because he was assured that the retreat would not be a jamboree where the governor would not be asked the necessary questions agitating the minds of the people because it would amount to biting the finger that feeds them.
He charged the participants to put all their questions in writing and submit same to him or Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Managing Partner/CEO of Tas and Associates signed or unsigned, promising that they would confront the governor with all the biting questions.
The three-day retreat  would be closed to newsmen today and tomorrow with the resolutions submitted to the governor for action.
The retreat was designed to review and  propose solutions to identified problems to guide the governor in the remaining part of his tenure.

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N44m bribe scandal: Hembe arraigned, refuses to mount dock

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ABUJA — Trial of the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Other Institutions, Mr. Herman Hembe, kicked off on a dramatic note, yesterday, as the lawmaker declined to either mount the dock or enter his plea to a charge he said was grossly incompetent.
The embattled lawmaker, who was marshalled into the court room by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at exactly 9:11 a.m, insisted that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to okay him for trial, saying the proof of evidence tendered against him by the commission failed to disclose a prima-facie criminal case capable of warranting his prosecution.
Former Chairman, House Committee on Capital Markets, Rep. Herman Hembe being led by EFCC Officials when he appeared at the High Court on charges of fraud in Abuja on Thursday

Consequently, he urged the court to firstly determine the legal propriety of the leave it granted to the EFCC on May 10 to try him and the erstwhile vice chairman of the House of Reps panel that commenced investigation into alleged rot in the Capital Market sector of the Nigerian economy, Mr. Chris Ifeanyi Azubogu, vis-a-vis the provision of section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC.
Though counsel to Hembe, Mr. Jibrin Kutekpa, SAN, told the court that his client appeared in court yesterday on protest and to show respect to the judiciary, however, trial Justice Abubakar Ishaq Bello ordered the accused person to proceed to the dock to enable the court to take judicial notice of his presence in court.
“Where are the accused persons, you can’t hide them, let me see them at least to make sure they are present in court today,” the judge insisted.
Judge berates 2nd accused
At this juncture, counsel to the 2nd accused person, Mr Emeka Etiaba, told the court that his client was unable to appear for trial, yesterday, saying he travelled to his village in Nnewi, Anambra State, after he got a call that a member of his family was kidnapped.
Not satisfied with the reasons adduced for the absence of the 2nd accused person, the judge said the action of the lawmaker amounted to a deliberate affront on the authority of the judicial institution.
“The business of the day is for the arraignment of the accused persons, it is not about the EFCC but about showing respect to the institution of the judiciary. Is he not a lawmaker? If a lawmaker chose to disrespect the court what do we then expect from a layman on the street? Except on grounds of ill-health, the 2nd accused person had no reason whatsoever not to appear in court today” the judge stated.
Hembe queries competence of EFCC charge
Meanwhile,  Hembe, through his counsel, condemned the absence of the 2nd accused person in court yesterday,  he, however, pleaded with the court to go ahead and determine whether the totality of the proof of evidence entered against him by the anti-graft agency, disclosed any element of criminality regarding allegation that he collected monies from the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, to travel to the Dominican Republic but failed to do so.
Likewise, counsel to the 2nd accused person also challenged the leave that was granted to the EFCC to try him, insisting that the charge was grossly incompetent and ought to be dismissed.
Meantime, EFCC lawyer, Mr O. Uket, said he was served with the preliminary objection of the accused persons on Wednesday and would need time to respond. He, however, pleaded with the court to look into the bail status of the accused persons.
EFCC refuted allegation that it did not furnish the accused persons with copies of the proof of evidence against them, saying it had as early as May 14, served them the requisite processes through the Clerk of the House of Reps.
After listening to all the parties, Justice Bello said he would consolidate the separate objections of the accused persons for hearing, though he noted that they were not ripe for hearing yesterday.
Consequently, he adjourned the case till May 28, just as he ordered the accused persons to ensure their presence in court on the next adjourned date.
According to the judge, “it is in the interest of justice to determine the issue of jurisdiction the accused persons have raised. The accused persons are to appear on the next adjourned date, they are to remain on EFCC bail pending the determination of their objections to the trial.”
Immediately the case was adjourned yesterday, Hembe, who appeared pensive throughout the proceeding, was whisked away by EFCC officials in a Coaster Bus marked Abuja-BR-739-BWR.
Specifically, EFCC had in a 2-count charge it filed against the two lawmakers, alleged that they had at various times, collected gratifications from SEC.
The agency said it has evidence to prove that the accused persons, while presiding over the House committee probing alleged irregularities in the Capital Market, demanded bribe to the tune of N44million.
The commission said it uncovered the illicit deal of the accused persons while digging into an allegation that the Director General of SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, lavished N30million on hotel bills alone.
It would be recalled that Oteh, in the heat of the ongoing probe into the stock market, insisted that Hembe was “unfit” to head the investigative panel, saying he was corrupt.
The SEC DG alleged that SEC gave Hembe estacode and a first class ticket to attend a capital market conference in the Dominican Republic but failed to attend.
However, in a swift reaction, Hembe, who disqualified himself from heading the probe panel on the basis of the allegations, presented documents to the lower legislative to prove that it was SEC, with Oteh’s approval, that offered N30m to the committee, contrary to her allegation that the lawmakers demanded bribe.
His evidence led the SEC DG to release a letter detailing requests she said was sent to the commission by the House probe committee.
She claimed that the agency was already processing the request for electronic payment but “smelt a rat” when it was approached a day to the hearing with another N5m cash request, which she claimed was a personal cut for Hembe as Chairman of the probe panel, saying allegation that she recklessly spent a whooping N30m on hotel bills in eight months, was false.
Besides, Oteh was accused of spending N850, 000 and N85, 000 on feeding on separate days in the same hotel.
Sequel to the controversy, the House of Reps, ordered the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to within 21 days investigate the allegations, even as it mandated Hembe to submit himself for investigation by the EFCC. Likewise, the House constituted an eight-member panel to re-start the capital market probe.
The 2-count charge against the lawmakers reads: “That you Hon Iorwase Herman Hembe sometime in October 2011 in Abuja within the Judicial Division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $4095 (Four thousand, Ninety Five Dollars) being money given to you by the Securities and Exchange Commission as your travelling allowance to PUNCTA CANA, Dominican Republic to attend a conference which you did not attend and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004 and punishable under section 309 of the same code.
“That you Hon Azubogu Chris Emeka Ifeanyi sometime in October, 2011 in Abuja within the Judicial division of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of $4095 (Four thousand, Ninety Five Dollars) being money given to you by the Securities and Exchange Commission as your traveling allowance to PUNCTA CANA, Dominican Republic to attend a conference which you did not attend and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004 and punishable under section 309 of the same code.”

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Don Jazzy Finally Breaks Silence: ‘My integrity was never damaged’

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Since his shocking break-up with his erstwhile partner, and co-owner of Mo’ Hits, Dapo Oyebanjo a.k.a D’banj, prolific music producer, Don Jazzy whose real names are Collins Edjereh has maintained  sealed lips until last week when he  floated a new record label called Mavin Records. The label parades the brightest and the best acts from the defunct Mo’hits including Wande Coal, Dr Sid, The Prince  and  the new entrant, Tiwa Savage. In this interview, Don Jazzy reacts to series of  rumours and speculations that trailed his over-piblicised break up with D’banj. Members of his new label also share their dreams and expectations as far as Mavin Records is concerned.

What is MAVIN all about and what inspired it?
It is spelt MAVIN Records and not Marvin. If you check the dictionary it simply refers to somebody that is a genius or a champion, a sensation, hotshot, superstar, wizkid or whatever . So basically, we decided to call the company that name because we are all geniuses in our different fields coming together in a record company.
How much would you say the event of the past few weeks have  helped in the emergence of Mavin Records?
Basically, we do not believe in channeling our energies towards what has  happened in the past. But basically to put up your energy to transform our future. We won’t say we don’t have the memories of things that has happened but we just pray to God that as we move forward such situations will never occur again and we pray for the best.
What have you been able to put in place to ensure that what happened in the past does not repeat itself?
We can’t really say  what happened, we can’t really put a hand on what went wrong so there is nothing one can do. Individually, we  will  just have to do  our best and keep praying that it doesn’t happen again. It’s not that anyone planned it, it happened and we are not in any position to say it’s not going to happen again. Nobody is God.
*Don Jazzy

Do you in any way feel demystified about what happened, because the impression of the people out there is that you are invulnerable, not penetrable?
Demystified!  I don’t really get it
(Cut in) There is this notion about Don Jazzy being somebody that is invulnerable, cannot give in, (so to say)?
Demystified? I don’t really think my integrity or my person has been damaged in any way, I believe that once you cannot hide the light, a gold fish has no hiding place.  Whatever you are is like time will tell who you are. I can’t really say that people who think  that  they know who I am know who I am,  just like some people that want to assume they know  who I am by what they read or what they want to hear.
I’m not in any position to start convincing you or anyone to believe otherwise or believe anything. I just believe that at the end of the day God will vindicate all of us and you will see who we are.
What do you think will change in your transition from MO’HITS to MAVIN?
It has been a moving trend from MO’HITS to MAVIN, the only thing that has changed is the name
From MO’HITS to MAVIN and the addition of new people and basically we will keep moving. So, obviously when you are moving you hope to move from point A to point B. So we got to a point we stop we change gas, we refill and we are still going to get to point B at the end of the day.
*Don Jazzy and his Mavins

Are you surprised about the loyalty of Wande Coal,  D’Prince and DR. SID?
Am I surprised?  No, I don’t see any reason I should be surprised. I’m not surprised , there  is no need for me to be  surprised just like I have said nothing has changed, we are still the people that we are, we are still ourselves as we dey before,  na so we dey,  we  still dey  here , and there is no cause or time to doubt any body’s  loyalty.
You have a new addition to the boys, Tiwa Savage, what’s the attraction? Is she the female artiste you have always wanted on board in Mo Hits?
I have been talking about a female artiste for a long time and Tiwa Savage and I have been talking about adding a female artiste to MO’HIT Records for a long time now. It’s not that we didn’t know we will end up together at some point.  We knew from day one when she came into this country that this was going to happen but at that point she was not ready.
Obviously, she can’t wait and I have to encourage her to go ahead and make some things for herself and which she did wonderfully as an artiste. Now there is room for an addition and so we will continue from where we stopped.
Now let’s talk about MAVIN what is special about it and what are we expecting?
Basically, I will say that we have all seen that situations can change just like the way people perceive you, the way people accept your music, the way people talk about you and whatever. So, we  know now that we need to all work harder, gather more momentum to create more music and stuffs  so everybody is gingered, everybody is more fired up now to work and we don’t see anything stopping us  as we are just going to put  in all our energy. Now in MAVIN Records everybody is concentrating on the work and we intend to put out as much as many tracks and albums as possible. Trust me, I’m going to flood the market.
What I thought is perhaps MAVIN will introduce one artiste, one album but you are coming out with a collective album?
It’s not a group. You can tell everybody here is an individual artiste and successful on his or her own.  I must say everybody have at least one to three singles already in the past so we just want to bring them out.  I didn’t take part in this album, I only produced the album. This is Mavin Records everybody, please meet us; this is what we are for now.  Individual album is going to follow any moment from now and  there is no time to wait at all .
(Cut in) There were no singles before the release of this album?
No, there is no self formula at the moment so like I said, I don’t really like to give people that publicity stunt being anticipated. When you see it, you see it, when you see it, you take it.
Will Don Jazzy be a sole artiste on MAVIN Records or an in- house producer and  the CEO?
I’m not going to say I’m never going to be an artiste but I don’t see it any time soon.
Who are you looking up to as the cash cow?
Everybody. Basically, the record label is not built in a way one person supposed to be the leader.  Everybody is giving equal opportunity to grow and it all depends on how the crowd sees you. People have their opinions about what they like and stuffs like that so how you appeal to your fans will determine how they take you but we intend to put more push and more backing into everybody even the new people that we will add tomorrow.
There were so many insinuations about life in MO’HITS, that life was regimented such that when someone talks others keep quiet, how democratic is MAVIN going to be this time around?
A lot of stuffs that you guys have heard about MO’HIT Records trust me, they are really wrong, but I wouldn’t  talk about MO’HIT Records because we are talking about MAVIN Records  and moving forward now and I will say we would try as much as possible to communicate a lot of the truth to you guys  before people insinuate all sorts of stuff like in the last three months  I have seen different kinds of interviews and blogs and whatever that people have  written and they say that they spoke to me.
Like I was reading a blog the other day and I saw Exclusive Phone Interview by Don Jazzy bla bla bla and they wrote like a full conversation. The person said this and I said this and that I said this and the truth is I have not had such interview with anyone. I have not spoken to any reporter this year.
Could that be true?
Yes, they are not quoting anybody they were quoting themselves may be they have one imaginary Don Jazzy they were talking to or the other because the Jazzy they quoted is not me, I really do not speak to anybody regarding any situation or any issues, I have not put out any press statement saying whatever on this issue  so people just really assumed. They were quoting themselves.
Jazzy what lesson would you say you have learnt from your past experiences that may likely help you in this new movement?
DON:  They are not lessons that are new.  Change, like they say is the only constant thing in life and I  have just confirmed  again that really things happen, relationship ends, good things must come to an end they say, one will just try much as possible to see that good things that we have last for  long but sometimes they do happen we just pray GOD to help us live as  long as possible to see more of the good things than having the good things to end and then  because I  have already known there is nothing much to say now  about that past. Really, my entire mind is focused on moving ahead.
Basically to put up your energy to transform our future. We wouldn’t say we don’t have the memories of things that has happened but we just pray to God that as we are moving forward that such situations never occur again and we just pray for the best.
What do you think will change in your transition from MO’HITS to MAVIN?
It has been a moving trend from MO’HITS to MAVIN, the only thing that has changed is the name.

By OGBONNA AMADI
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How to achieve Vision 20:2020, by experts

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LAGOS – Nigeria must address the issues of competence, capacity and come up with a national document on enhancing training management, if it must attain its Vision 20: 2020.
Mr. Jide Adetunmbi, TBS Consulting Team Leader, at a workshop on enhancing training management in Nigeria, organised by Centre for Management  Development, CMD, in Lagos, said the workshop was aimed at reviewing training practice in the country by identifying what had gone wrong, why budget was dwindling, among others and proffering the way forward.
For Dr. Kabir Usman, Director-General, CMD, training as a capacity-building and change-initiative had either been relegated to the background by organisations or was not impactful on employee- performance and productivity in Nigeria.

By UDUMA KALU & EBELE ORAKPO
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Jonathan now eats locally produced rice from Abakaliki – Maku

3:12 PM 1 Comment

Abuja – President Goodluck Jonathan now eats locally produced rice and bread made from cassava as part of efforts to encourage indigenous production and stop capital flight, says Minister of Information Labaran Maku.
Maku disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday at the Ministerial Platform where the Ministries of Science and Technology, Defense, Niger Delta Affairs and the FCT presented their performance sheet in the last one year.
“The President is emphasising made in Nigeria products; if you go to the President’s house today, he eats rice produced in Ebonyi State – Abakaliki – Ofada Rice; the imported rice is not eaten in the Presidential Villa.
“Also there, he eats Cassava Bread that has just been introduced, which is saving Nigeria almost N300 billion in imports.
“From what is going on, if we emphasise and urge Nigerians to patronise the things that are researched and produced here, the country will develop.”
He said that the country would develop only when Nigerians begin to patronise goods researched and manufactured locally.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology for its research-based development efforts, Maku said a new Science, Technology and Innovation Policy was required to promote national development.
Maku called on all stakeholders in the country to take advantage of the vast opportunities in science and technology to develop the country.
“The new Science Technology and Innovation Policy remains what is going to be the prop for the development of science and technology in our country.
“We never can develop as a nation until we pay attention to science and technology; the difference between America, Europe, Asia and us is the emphasis on science and technology and human capital development.
“I want to assure you from what you have seen that intellectual property, creativity, is what we need to advance the development of our country.”
The minister urged the science and technology ministry not to relent in promoting scientific and technological research and development, so that by 2015, a lot of the demands in Nigeria would be met.
Maku also called for collaboration between the defense and science and technology ministries for the local production of military boots.
According to him, Nigeria has a large market, which has always attracted investors. He, however, urged Nigerians to play significant roles in meeting the needs of the market. (NAN)

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Anambra to feature over 200 masquerades for 2012 New Yam Festival

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Abuja – Chief Martin Ezeh, the Idu II of Igboukwu, on Thursday said that the 2012 New Yam Festival in Anambra would feature over 200 different masquerades.
He said this when a delegation of the Mbido Igbo Association visited the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) in Abuja.
“The festival will showcase the different masquerades in Igboland. The aim is to attract tourists to the event,” Ezeh said.
He solicited the support of the corporation to sensitise governors of states in the South-East to partner with communities in the region to promote the festival.
The traditional ruler recalled that the building known as “Yam House” was built three years ago in Igbo-Uku, Anambra by the NTDC and had since been attracting a lot of tourists to the area.
He said that there was the need to build a fence round the building to properly secure it.
Ezeh called for the training of inhabitants in the area to act as tour guides, saying, “the guides will need to imbibe best practices in attending to the expected tourists.”
He said that the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) in Umudike, Abia had indicated interest in creating an international yam museum and yam research centre in the Yam House.
Ezeh said the yam museum would exhibit over 76 different species of yam in Africa, adding that history had traced its origin to Igboland.
Responding, the Director-General of NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, pledged the corporation’s support for the New Yam festival.
He said that a delegation would be sent to the Yam House to ensure the fencing of the facility.
“We want the Yam House to remain a symbol of unity to the Igbo people and a tourist delight to the world,’’ Runsewe said.
The festival is slated for Aug. 25 and is expected to showcase the Igbo culture to the world.
Meanwhile, the organisers of Nupe Day Festival, led by Mr John Akaya, the organising committee chairman, have solicited the corporation’s support in making the 2012 festival a success.
“The committee has lined up series of cultural activities that will attract tourists from far and beyond,” he said.
Akaya said that the event would feature the organisation of lectures  and a scholarship award scheme for Nupe indigenes.
Runsewe also pledged to support to the Nupe Day Festival, adding that the 2012 event would be enlarged to attract both local and foreign tourists.
He said that Nupes high respect for culture was a virtue every ethnic group should emulate to promote and market their culture to the international world.
“We are managing over 150 festivals across Nigeria. What we see in Nupe is a high standard festival which everybody should emulate,’’ the NTDC Director-General said.
Runsewe commended the Nupe people for maintaining peace within their community and assured that the NTDC would help them to discover some hidden potential that are in their youths.(NAN)

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Fuel subsidy report: Nigerians must take action – Prof Adeyeye

3:10 PM No Comments

What have been your challenges in the National Assembly?
I left the House more than four years ago, May 2007. So my experience in the Senate versus the House of Representatives, first, the challenges are different. When I was in the House of Representatives, we were not facing for example, this issue of oil subsidy, Boko Haram, perhaps the biggest problem we faced at that time was the attempt by the then president to subvert the constitution by his attempt to have a third time for himself.
Issues like Boko Haram are not issues that you can talk about as freely as you wish because  security problems are not the issue any one can talk about flippantly.
The whole issue is just shrouded in a crowd of the unknown.As we are talking right now, nobody can say clearly who are the brains behind Boko Haram, even the issue of subsidy, it’s just being defrocked, that is stark naked for us to see what is beneath it. So for that reason, there has been a measure of caution.
*Adeyeye

In fact, before the issue of Boko Haram was discussed for the very first time by the Senate, if you watched the proceeding that day, you will see that the Senate President first called for an executive session and we were warned, and I believe correctly, that this was not a matter people can just plan to play to the gallery because if you misspeak in that kind of place, you might become the target of death.
You remember that the man  former President Obasanjo visited to try to negotiate was killed within 24 hours and when we had the debate on Boko Baram, some of our loved ones called me and said Prof., this is not the matter to blow grammar on and I don’t blame them.
Discretion, they say is the better part of valour especially when you don’t know the enemy about whom you are going to be talking about.
Again, When you look at the character of the Senate anywhere in the world, the Senate usually comprises of people who are older than those of the other chamber. I don’t call the House of Representatives the lower chamber because the two chambers are actually co-equal.
The Senate cannot pass any law without the House of Representatives and if there is a deadlock between the House and the Senate, I can assure you there will be a joint session in which the House will always win because in a joint session, it will be  one-man, one-woman vote. That is why the state itself is careful not to precipitate a situation where there would be conflict in the House of Representatives.
In fact, when we were in the House of Representatives, we enjoyed it because we knew that we must surely win when it comes to joint session.
However, in the Senate  you are older, senators also tend to be less emotional. For example, often times in the House of Reps when I would speak, people will clap and I will enjoy their applauds. You cannot afford that in the Senate, it’s not allowed. So the style is different, the procedure is partly different and the tradition is different despite the fact that even when you look at the rules of the Senate and the House, they are almost the same.
Now, as for the challenges  we are facing, the issue of fuel subsidy came because there was a motion by Senator Bukola Saraki to look at the fact that the budget of our republic voted N245 billion a year for oil subsidy and that from investigation we were spending four or five times that amount.
I happened to be one of the principal co-sponsors of that motion, was debated and in the end referred to a committee to look into it. It so happened that the House of Reps later brought the same motion and we couldn’t go into action because right now all that you are seeing is what have come from the House of Reps when in fact the Senate had also met on the same issue.
We read in the newspaper,  some explanations from the chairman of the  committee on Petroleum on why the Senate has not come out with its own findings. He said they were trying to be sure that everything is sorted out. I am convinced that it is too late for anyone to try to hide anything, I believe nothing will be hidden, now I don’t want to prejudge what the outcome of the Senate finding would be but they may find the same thing that the House of Rep has found, there might be slight differences.
Now, as a Nigeria citizen, I am free to comment on what the National Assembly has found. I have no reason to doubt the integrity of those in the House of Representatives who are in that committee. In any case, how can it be that between one year and the next, the amount that was spent on subsidy was curtipled? Is it because the number of cars and on that account the volume of petrol consumed was curtipled over a 365-day period? I don’t believe so!
I believe that there is no how you are going to get to the bottom of this subsidy issue without finding some rots and I am glad that the National Assembly has done it duty in bringing the facts to the open, we don’t have the power to prosecute, all we can do is to tell the nation what we have found.
It’s up to the executive to prosecute, it’s also up to the citizenry to bring appropriate pressure on the political process to ensure that no one can be a sacred cow in this matter. Once the citizenry is alive to his civic responsibility, we who are your servants  have no choice but to bend to your wishes.
I believe that what would happen in the end will not depend on the apathy, indifference, zeal, enthusiasm, whatsoever of politicians alone, to a large extend, it will depend on the Fourth Estate of the realm- the press, the civil society,  labour, and the citizenry at large, who must say N1trillion or N2trillion is not a small sum of money.
If we bring that money to capital development, we can create enough jobs that will fast occupy our young people and arrest this orgy of violence from jobless youths who are being misdirected, by organization such as we have found in Boko Haram. It will create infrastructure that will make our lives better, it will create better schools for our children.

By GBENGA OLARINOYE
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Buhari’s statement treasonable – Arewa Youths

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ABUJA —THE Arewa Youth Forum yesterday slammed the former Military Head of State and 2011 Presidential candidate of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General Muhammadu Buhari over  his prediction of a bloody revolution if 2015 election is rigged. The youths in a statement  described General Buhari’s outbursts as misguided, treasonable and uncalled for.
According to the group, Nigerians must ensure that the prediction of General Buhari of imminent bloodletting does not see the light of the day as such will not only bring disunity, but has the tendency of producing numerous widows and orphans.
In a statement signed by the group’s President, Abdulkareem Tijani, the group while calling on Nigerians to shun Buhari’s call for violence and embrace peace and unity, said, ‘’Buhari’s recent statement that in 2015, violence that will follow the election will make the 2011 violence a child’s play, is uncalled for, misguided and treasonable.

Gen Buhari

“Buhari by the statement he made before the election in 2011 precipitated the violence that followed the 2011 presidential election and till now Nigeria has not recovered from the same.
‘’We call on all Nigerians irrespective of their states and religious back ground to see Buhari for what he truly is.. We hereby call on Nigerians to shun Buhari’s call for violence and embrace peace and unity.”
Also yesterday, the National Council for Peace and Unity stressed the need for leaders to control their anger and sentiments at all times especially at difficult periods like what Nigeria is going through at the moment.
The group in a statement signed by its Chairman and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Engr. Muhammed Abba-Gana, said that there was the need for Nigerians to put heads together to ensure speedy and happy resolution of all crises particularly that of insecurity so that we move on to bring progress and prosperity to our people.
According to Abba-Gana, the National Council for Peace and Unity will be setting up a peace and security committee that will be holding public hearings in major geographical zones in Nigeria starting with Lagos.
According to the statement, “Instead of Nigerians to vent their anger on the pages of newspapers or on fellow Nigerians, the committee shall provide a platform where people can discuss their grievances and it shall be documented. Nigerians are tired of losing their friends and loved ones as a result of violence. The number of orphans and widows in the northern part of Nigeria is on the increase. We must say no to disunity.”

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FG doctors to join striking colleagues in Lagos

3:06 PM , No Comments

IKEJA – The face–off between the Lagos State Government and sacked 788 doctors, yesterday, took a dramatic turn, as doctors in federal hospitals in Lagos,  said they will today embark on an indefinite solidarity strike.
The federal hospital doctors called on the National Assembly to urgently wade into the crisis between the Lagos State Government and the sacked doctors for speedy resolution of same to prevent further loss of lives.
Patients who may want to go to federal healthcare centres and hospitals may have to go elsewhere to get treatment, as the strike will affect admission of new patients into all the hospitals in Lagos.
The hospitals include; Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH; National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi; Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Meta; Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, among others.
The striking doctors under the umbrella body of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Branch, said the indefinite strike was necessitated by the failure of the state government to recall the sacked doctors under its employment.
At a briefing, in Lagos, President of Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, Branch of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH- ARD, an affiliate of NMA, Dr. Adetunji Adenekan, said all emergency units will be locked, clinic will not hold and no new patients will be admitted, explaining that only patients on admission will be attended to.

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Keshi snubs Mikel, Osaze, Yakubu

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Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi yesterday named Skipper Joseph Yobo and 10 other overseas-based professionals for the three 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying matches coming up next month.
He however overlooked EPL’s trio of Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwengie and Yakubu Aiyegbeni.
Yobo, who stars for Fenerbahce of Turkey, is one of only three defenders, with Israel-based Efe Ambrose and Portugal-based Elderson Echiejile the other names.
Mikel, Osaze and Yakubu

Goalkeepers Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide are called, as well as midfielders Victor Moses and Fegor Ogude, and strikers Omatsone Aluko, Ikechukwu Uche, Ahmed Musa and John Utaka. Keshi explained at the world press conference in Abuja that the overseas contingent will be joined by 18 of the 22 players who will travel to Lima for the international friendly against Peru taking place on May 23.
Musa and John Utaka. Keshi explained at the world press conference in Abuja that the overseas contingent will be joined by 18 of the 22 players who will travel to Lima for the international friendly against Peru taking place on May 23.
THE FULL LIST:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva (Israel)
Defenders: Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Elderson Echiejile (FC Braga, Portugal), Efe Ambrose (Ashdod MS, Israel)
Midfielders: Victor Moses (Wigan Athletic, England), Fegor Ogude
(Valerenga, Norway)
Strikers: Omatsone Aluko (Rangers, Scotland), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Ikechukwu Uche (Granada, Spain), John Utaka (Montpellier, France)
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