Nov 27, 2012 - Nigeria World News

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

PDP, ANC move to unite Nigeria, S/Africa

ABUJA—AS part of moves to boost the economy of Nigeria and South Africa, Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, and African National Congress, ANC, have both agreed to come together.

Speaking, yesterday, in Abuja, at his private residence when he received the delegation of ANC, led by its Treasurer-General, Dr. Mathews Phosa, PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, called on the South Africa ruling party to come to Nigeria and invest in infrastructure, solid mineral exploration, agriculture, refineries, among others.

According to him, it had become imperative for both parties, as ruling parties in their respective countries, to come together and build what he called a United States of Africa to beat the United States of America, Japan, Russia and other developed countries of the world.

Tukur said it was time ruling parties in Africa helped in strengthening Africa’s peace as well as fortify trade and investments across the continent.

He said trade and investments remained the most potent way of harnessing the resources of the continent.

Tukur said: “We believe that ruling parties in Africa must build stronger ties and have a common platform to articulate the challenges facing African continent and stimulate a peaceful United States of Africa.

“We must also explore the potentials of trade and investments across the countries in Africa as it remains a viable tool in harnessing the potentialities in the continent.”

Earlier in his remarks, Phosa explained that he was in Nigeria with his team to return PDP‘s visit of a few months ago to South Africa, disclosing that the visit was also an avenue to exploit the potentials of both countries, especially in the areas of trade and investment.

Phosa added that both parties stood to learn and gain a lot from each other.

Some notable South African businessmen on the entourage of Dr. Phosa included Robert Gumede, Executive Chairman, Guma Group; Ivor Ichikowitz, Executive Chairman, Paramount Group; Mario Pikan, Executive Director, Guma Group; and Eric Ichikowitz, Executive Director, Paramount Group.

Source - Vanguard news

2013 budget: Senate bemoans paltry allocation to military pension board

6:54 PM News No Comments

ABUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, said that if the military pension board must perform effectively, its budgetary allocation must be improved upon, just as it expressed dissatisfaction with the allocation of N199.343 million in the 2013 budget for the board.

This came as Chairman, Military Pension Board, Rear Admiral Bala Mohammed, told the Senate while defending the 2013 budget before the Senate Committee on Establishment that N90 billion was needed in 2013 to enable the board address its needs, adding that these include payment of pensions, settlement of pension arrears in the on-going year as well as recurrent expenditure.

The Senate, however, promised that it would ensure that the board’s budget was increased to give pensioners a befitting life.

Speaking, yesterday during the budget defence, Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Services, Senator Aloysius Etok, PDP, Akwa Ibom North-West, however, described the budget as grossly inadequate, adding that the committee will assist the board to obtain N10 billion against N15 billion being sought for the construction of its permanent office.

Also, yesterday, at the budget defence before the Senator Barnabas Gemade-led Committee on National Planning, Deputy Chairman/Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman urged the Senate to make it mandatory for all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to submit their audit report as at when due especially when the Senators go out on oversight functions.

He also told the Senators that the Score Card agreement signed by the Ministers with President Goodluck Jonathan should be used in assessing budget performance of the Ministers and heads of parastatals, just as he disclosed that the vision 2020 document was ready, but lack of funds was the reason why the documents have not been printed.

Speaking further, Senator Etok noted that the board needs to be relocated as soon as possible to its new office complex in a barrack that provides a conducive military environment for the pensioners, however regretted that only forty seven percent the capital vote for the 2012 budget was implemented against the eighty percent of recurrent expenditure while the fifty three percent increment on pension has also not been paid.

The Senator who warned that government must take the case of military pensioners very seriously especially against the backdrop of the present security situation, however stressed that those who are experts in the handling of arms and ammunition should not be allowed to resort to the use of weapons as means of livelihood.

According to him, “I once had that experience in the hand of armed robbers who told me they are ex-service men.

The way they handle the guns showed that they are professionals. So in my own opinion, it will augur well for the country to allowed our retired servicemen to resort to such kind of thing because they have no other source of income.”

He said any retiree who falls sick while appearing before the board for clearance or whatever was a responsibility of the board and they may not be able to do this if the facility was not provided.

Adding, “During the pension probe I have had a cause to pay the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand naira for the treatment of a pensioner who appeared before us to present a position paper.

We saw it as our responsibility because he was our guest and we pay the money so the same applied to the board too.”

Source - Vanguard news

Bandits bomb banks in Auchi

5:04 PM News No Comments

BENIN CITY— DARE-devil armed bandits took over Auchi town in Edo State, Monday, robbing banks, after using bombs and dynamites to blow up the banks.

It was gathered that the robbers invaded the town with sophisticated weapons and blocked all exit points before launching the attack on the banks.

Three new generation banks on Poly Road and a first generation bank at Igbe Road were said to have been attacked by the robbers.

An eyewitness told Vanguard, that security operatives, including members of the Joint Military Task Force, were overwhelmed.

Vanguard learnt that soldiers attached to Army School of Electrical Engineering in Auchi, were unable to move against the robbers because they had no orders to do so.

A student of Auchi Polytechnic, who spoke to Vanguard, said: “They are still shooting every where and the bombs are shaking the houses and roofs. Some roofs have been blown off and no body knows what is happening outside for now because every body has run inside their houses. The entire place is like ghost town now.”

Edo North Area Commander of the police, Mr. David Jimwan, could not confirm the news that a police station was bombed, saying “we cannot tell the situation now until things settled down.

At press time, the robbers were still operating with no resistance from the police. Security doors of the banks and ATM machines were not spared during the attack as they were destroyed by explosives.

Residents of the area ran for their lives on hearing the explosions. No death was recorded so far, but the robbers had a field day as they were not challenged by security operatives, who were no where to be found.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr Anthony Arhuoyo, did not pick his call.

Source - Vanguard news

New electricity tariff coming soon – NERC

4:54 PM News No Comments

ABUJA — The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has announced impending review of the newly deployed Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO.

It said this was necessary following a series of complaints from electricity consumers, especially Small and Medium Enterprises, about high fixed fee they must pay every month irrespective of the power situation within any particular month.

Executive Commissioner, Government and Consumer Affairs at the NERC, Dr. Abba Ibrahim, confirmed this to newsmen on the sideline of Power Consumers Assembly in Dutse, Jigawa State by the commission.

Abba said having received the complaints, the commission had put a process in motion to resolve the complaints of the SMEs, adding that the new tariff regime provided for review mechanism in case of such complaints.

He said: “There have been quite a number of complaints that have been raised. MYTO in itself has a mechanism for review. It is a multi year tariff order that has safety guards within it. Wherever there are issues raised by customers or even a service provider, the commission has the responsibility to sit down, listen and review where necessary.

“MYTO already has a six-month window for regular reviews. Also within it, if there are complaints regarding the implementation of the tariff order and the complaints were brought in within sixty days of its deployment, then the commission is also obliged to sit.

“We have had complaints from commercial operators, specifically, Small and Medium Enterprises, complaining about high fixed charges, equivalent to industrial categories. It is a complaint that was laid and met these criteria for review within 60 days of the MYTO order. We are now in the fifth month of the implementation of the tariff.

“These complaints were made within the 60 days of implementation and we have sat down with all the stakeholders. My chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, is meeting with the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises on this particular issue as we speak. We have consulted the distribution companies. We have met severally and we are in the process of addressing this particular issue.

“So it is a review that is already being taken care of. It is unfortunate that some particular group has suffered this long but I can assure you we are putting all efforts to ensure that this is redressed.”

DISCOs must provide meters to all customers

He also insisted that the distribution companies across the country must provide meters to all customers in the next 13 months as ordered by the regulatory agency in June.

Abba said: “We are insisting on that. It is an order of the commission. It has not been withdrawn. An order is an order. We are operating a rule-based sector now. We believe that with the coming in of private operators, they will even be more aggressive in terms of revenue drive.

“One of the success stories is what has happened in Dutse. Our team had monitored the metering in Dutse and they report that over 60 per cent of the areas they had covered have prepaid meters already installed. They were also installed free of charge as ordered by the commission since June 1 and this is what we expect throughout the whole country.”

Source - Vanguard news

Kebbi uncovers 9,258 ghost workers

4:49 PM News No Comments

Birnin Kebbi— Kebbi State Verification Committee on Local Government Staff has uncovered 9,258 “ghost workers” in the 21 local councils, an official of the workers union has said.

Alhaji Bello Barade, state Chairman of the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, told newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, yesterday, that the figure included workers that failed to appear for clearance.

Barade said the exercise, conducted two months ago, had cleared 24,126 workers “as genuine staff of the councils.

“The records of such workers were studied and they were cleared. The exercise was not aimed at witch-hunting any worker.”

He disclosed that 12,830 of the workers verified “were beneficiaries of political patronage.

“Such categories of staff would not be considered as workers due to the nature of their recruitment on political grounds, but they would continue to enjoy their salaries and allowances.”

The chairman, who was part of the verification team, said the committee had recommended the retraining of some 1,830 secondary school certificate holders, who were employed as teachers.

He said such workers would be fully absorbed into the service after the retraining.

According to him, genuine workers who were unable to attend the screening exercise would be given another opportunity.

“The committee has also strongly recommended that all serious omissions be reviewed,” he added.

Source - Vanguard news

Senate, minister disagree on closure of some foreign missions

4:48 PM News No Comments

ABUJA — THERE was a sharp disagreement, yesterday, between the Senate and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, over whether some of the foreign embassies should be closed down for lack of funds.

This came just as Ashiru told the Senators during the defence of 2013 budget that the ministry and the embassies were handicapped as they lacked funds to carry out major administrative activities required of them.

He also stressed that if there was inadequate funding, there was nothing the embassies could do.

According to him, it was the prayer of everyone that nothing very serious as tragedy breaks up outside the country because the embassies and missions would be incapacitated.

The argument on whether some of the embassies or missions be shut came up when the Senators made it clear that it had become imperative to do that since they lacked funds to operate.

But responding, the Foreign Affairs Minister who noted that closing foreign embassies would not be better for the country in the international community, was however, quick to add that it would create more enemies for the country among nations, just as he canvassed the reduction of staff of the various embassies to reduce the cost of funding the embassies across the world.

Speaking earlier during the defence, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, PDP, Imo North advised the minister to close down some embassies to address the problem of inadequate funding facing the foreign missions.

Olugbenga informed members of the committee that there was financial provision for any Nigerian stranded in foreign countries as he also expressed concern over bad and off the road cars being used by the country’s ambassadors in their places of primary assignment. He urged the committee to jerk up the budget of the ministry if it must solve these problems.

When asked on the deportation ofNigeriawomen fromSaudi Arabiaduring hajj, the minister, however, advised that there was the need for Nigerians to plan ahead, even as he described the situation as very unfortunate. He said it was not foreseen by the ministry, but added he met the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia and resolved the issue.

Source - Vanguard news

Reps summon Anenih over N2.3bn road contract

4:47 PM News No Comments

The House Committee on Public Accounts, on Monday, summoned former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih, to appear before it within one week to answer questions on the N2.318bn road contract which the House of Representatives said “failed” in Nasarawa State.

Chairman of the committee, Mr. Solomon Adeola, said the Federal Executive Council reportedly acted on a memo Anenih, a former minister, sent to it to approve for the contract.

A report from the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation, however, queried the contract after it was discovered that payments were made to the contractor for a job not done.

At a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Works in Abuja on Monday, Adeola stated that the contractor was paid “over N552m” after the contract failed and the Federal Government terminated it.

The committee also found out that the same contractor, Torno Internazionale Nigeria Limited, later sued the government and won a judgment of N1.3bn.

Adeola said, “We are looking at the details of this failed contract. How was N1.8bn paid to a man who did not do any work for government?

“He collected N552m for a contract that had been terminated. He still went to court to win a suit of N1.3bn.

“Let the former minister, who was in charge, Tony Anenih, come and brief the committee.”

The committee also summoned the contractor, but the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Abubakar Mohammed, claimed that he might have absconded.

Adeola said the House would enlist the support of Interpol to trace him.

“This company has Nigerian directors; who are they? If the contractor has absconded, we shall use Interpol to bring him here.

“The committee will go to the Corporate Affairs Commission to find out the names of the Nigerian directors,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has cautioned heads of agencies against pleading with lawmakers to increase their 2013 budgetary allocations.

The ministry has a budgetary proposal of N81.41bn for 2013.

Adesina, in a letter to the agencies, stated that they should work within their budget and desist from approaching lawmakers to ask for more funds.

The letter was dated November 20 with a reference number FMA/DFA/3415/1/117, and signed on behalf of the minister by one Mr. Idris Mamman.

However, at a budget defence meeting with the House Committee on Agriculture on Monday, the Chairman of the committee, Mr. Mohammed Monguno, kicked against the content of the letter.

He argued that the minister’s threat was an attempt to interfere with the constitutional power of appropriation of the legislature.

Source - Punch news

Amaechi orders seizure of lecturers’ salaries

4:45 PM Education, News No Comments

RIVERS State Governor Rotimi Amaechi said on Monday that he had directed the Ministry of Finance to stop paying striking lecturers of the State University of Science and Technology.

The lecturers had been on strike since August 13, 2012 over the reappointment of RSUST Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barineme Fakae, by the state governor.

Speaking during a town hall meeting in Port Harcourt, Amaechi declared that his administration would embrace a no-work, no-pay principle for the striking lecturers.

He said, “The university (RSUST) is not on strike. The school is open, but some teachers decided not to come. I have directed the Ministry of Finance not to pay the teachers.

“Lecturers are to teach and not to appoint a VC. I have appointed the VC whether they like it or not. The law said it is the governor that appoints VCs and not lecturers.”

Responding, the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, RSUST chapter, Dr. Felix Igwe, said in Port Harcourt that the striking lecturers of the institution were already being owed three months salaries.

He recalled that the state government had not called the lecturers for a dialogue on the crisis since ASUU went on strike over the matter, adding that the circumstance leading to the lecturers’ industrial action had nothing to do with members’ salaries.

Source - Punch news

Nigerians abroad to remit N3.28tn in 2012 — W’Bank

4:41 PM Business, News No Comments

World Bank
| credits: File copy

Officially recorded remittance flows to developing countries are estimated to reach $406bn in 2012 with Nigeria topping the list of recipients in Africa with $21bn (N3.28tn), a new report by the World Bank has indicated.

The report prepared by the Migration and Remittances Unit of the World Bank’s Development Prospects Group, stated that Nigeria would top the list of recipients of officially-recorded remittances for 2012 with a likely $21bn.

This will be a 91 per cent increase over the $11bn remitted to the country last year.

The bank said remittances to developing countries were projected to grow by 7.9 per cent in 2013; 10.1 per cent in 2014, and 10.7 per cent in 2015, to reach $534bn in 2015.

The World Bank pointed out that it had revised its methodology to estimate remittances for Kenya and Nigeria.

It said, “In the past, data on Kenya’s remittances reported in the IMF Balance of Payment’s statistics were significantly smaller than data cited by government officials. We currently report the data provided by the IMF BoP. By contrast, in the past Nigeria data reported in the IMF BoP showed a significant upward revision, raising questions as to the definition used; to maintain consistency with the previous data series; we estimated remittances to Nigeria by applying the growth rate of the new data series to the old data series.

“For both countries, we now use data from the IMF BoP Statistics. Remittances data for Nigeria are the same in BPM6 and BPM5. This change effectively doubles the level of remittances received by Nigeria, making it the fifth largest recipient among developing countries.”

It noted that there were several countries, notably Ghana, where data reported in IMF BoP statistics were still grossly underestimated.

The country was among the top 10 recipients of migrant remittances in 2011 with $11bn remitted by Nigerians in Diaspora.

Nigeria has a strong and growing Diaspora community, especially in the United States, Europe and Asia, many of whom are responsible for the remittance flows.

According to the report, other top recipients of remittances among developing countries are India ($70bn), China ($66bn), the Philippines ($24bn) and Mexico ($24bn).

It stated, “Our estimate of remittance flows for the current year is based on available monthly and quarterly data released by central banks and the International Monetary Fund’s balance of payments. We estimated growth for the remaining period of 2012 based on the year-to-date growth rate in 2012.

“For countries that have not released any data for 2012, we estimated remittance flows based on the forecast model described in Sanket Mohapatra and Dilip Ratha (2010), ‘Forecasting migrant remittances during the global financial crisis.’ This model relies on migrant stocks, remittance inflows and growth outlook of the economy to forecast remittance flows.”

Among the developing country regions, South Asia, Middle East and North African saw the strongest growth, driven primarily by strong economic activities in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the report added.

It said, “Remittances to Egypt have surged since 2010, perhaps driven by increased support by migrants to their families in the face of political uncertainty or savings brought by returning migrants. Remittances to Latin America and Caribbean were supported by a recovering economy and moderately improving labour market in the US, but were moderated by a weak European economy.

“Countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States neighbouring Russia have also benefited from a booming Russian economy driven by high oil prices. Eastern Europe and Central Asian countries that send migrants to Western Europe have seen weak remittance flows due to weak labour markets in destination countries.”

Source - Punch news

National Stadium in ruins as festival begins

4:40 PM News, Sports No Comments

As the opening ceremony of the 18th National Sports Festival begins on Tuesday (today) in Lagos, it is shocking to note that the main bowl of the National Stadium, Surulere, venue of field events, has not been given a facelift by the organisers and officials of the festival tagged Eko 2012.

The Local Organising Committee of the festival has been involved in last-ditch efforts to put facilities in most venues in place but the National Stadium – which has been abandoned for several years – seem not to catch the eye of the organisers.

While workers were seen working vigorously to ensure that every facility was in top shape at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, venue of the opening and closing ceremonies of the event, on Sunday night, the reverse was the case inside the opposite National Stadium.

Close observers felt the long-abandoned stadium, which hosted the first two editions of the festival, would breathe a new lease of life because of the festival but a close look at the facilities there indicate that nothing has been done.

Rather, the stadium is bubbling with commercial life with potential sellers during the festival flocking the arena and setting up their stands here and there. Kazza, a fast food outfit, and several others have been renovated awaiting potential customers.

But on entering the main bowl, the tartan tracks inside the facility are in tattered shape while most of the seats have turned heaps of dirt after a long neglect. Apart from managing to get the grass of the football pitch cut, nothing seems to have been done by the organisers of the festival.

Also, unlike other facilities, the weather-beaten edifice was not painted or given a facelift. Apart from the AstroTurf pitch, other venues like the indoor sports hall and the table tennis hall were equally not looking ready for the festival.

Though the table tennis hall had new roofing, which was reportedly put in place by Lagos State, the facility has been noted for its poor lighting over the years.

During an earlier inspection of the facility, one of the inspectors had complained of the lighting but a top official of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation told him to write ‘Work in progress’ in his report.

But no work seemed to have been done on the facility apart from the roofing as the festival begins today.

However, it was learnt that the poor state of the stadium for the games may not be unconnected with division over who handles the renovation of the edifice.

“The National Stadium is under the care of the National Sports Commission, meaning they should have taken care of the renovation of the facility for the festival. If the Lagos State Government was given the directive to refurbish the facilities, I believe they would have done it,” an official of the games, who pleaded anonymity, said.

In stark contrast, the Main Organising Committee on Monday confirmed that all facilities were in the right frame to host a befitting sports showpiece.

The MOC secretary-general, Abba Yola, said, “From the MOC, I want to say we are satisfied that Lagos is ready to host the 18th National Sports Festival with all the equipment in place. This is the first time in recent years that a state will match its words with action by ensuring that all what they promised were ready even before the kick off of the game.”

Source - Punch news

NSF: NSC fights for games relevance as Eko 2012 starts

4:38 PM News, Sports No Comments

President Goodluck Jonathan
| credits: nigerianbulletin.com

The opening ceremony of the 18th National Sports Festival tagged Eko 2012 will take place on Tuesday (today) at the Teslim Balogun Stadium as the Main Organising Committee expresses worry over the problems militating against the games objectives.

President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to declare the competition open as he did in the 2011 edition in Port Harcourt, while state governors and National Sports Commission officials are expected to play different roles.

More than 8000 athletes from all over Nigeria will fight for medals at the Eko 2012 and Secretary General of the Main Organising Committee for the games, Abba Yola, said on Monday that 11,549 persons made up of athletes, officials and state delegates would be involved in the staging of the festival, where athletes that will represent Nigeria at the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will be selected.

The 18th edition is returning to Lagos after Nigeria disgracefully came back from the London 2012 Olympic Games without a medal.

The major problem militating against the festival since inception in 1973 is poaching, where athletes switch allegiance from one state to the other for financial gains. Elite athletes who have done well in past editions are known to have dumped the states they represented in order to compete for other states who promise huge financial package.

The problem has defeated the essence of the initiative which is to give opportunity to younger talents to develop in a competitive atmosphere. Instead of developing in a professional way, athletes have become mercenaries as Nigeria’s status in global sporting events nose-dives.

Yola acknowledges the negative effect of the antics employed by states to win medals by all means, urging them to protect the objectives of the competition.

“We know that poaching exist but we are also ready to ensure that states desist from doing this as we have realised that it is only the lazy states that poach athletes from other states,” he says.

“For any athlete to represent any state at the festival, such athlete must have resided in that state for one year. While athletes that are fond of representing different states will also be penalised if found guilty. We believe that any athlete that has competed in three Olympics, Commonwealth and All Africa Games is not expected to take part in the festival because it is meant for amateur athletes,” he states.

Source - Punch news

Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: Major reconstruction may start Jan. 2013

4:37 PM News No Comments

Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen
| credits: File copy

One week after the Federal Government announced the cancellation of the concession of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to Bi-Courtney Highway Services and the award of an “emergency reconstruction” work to two firms, indications have emerged that no serious work will begin on the road until next year.

Instead, Messrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited are expected to use the three weeks before Christmas to repair the worst portions of the road.

Our correspondent gathered that serious work might not begin on the road until next year because the details of the contract were still being finalised.

At the moment, the cost of the project has not been determined, while the contract procurement process has not been complied with by subjecting it to scrutiny by the Bureau of Public Procurement in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007, before final approval by the Federal Executive Council.

A source said, “The whole thing is still complex. Provision was not made for the road in the 2012 budget and many questions are being raised: When were the contractors pre-qualified? Has the contract gone through BPP? What is the contract sum?

“The contractors will need time to do their costing and mobilise to site. Usually, they buy new equipment for such kind of job, and this will take some time. The government and the contractors are talking about using standard rates, but the law does not provide for this.”

However, this is causing anxiety among stakeholders, who feel the road may not get the attention it required from the Federal Government.

A source in the Federal Ministry of Works, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the subject, gave an indication that the contract given to the two construction firms might not be for the reconstruction of the road.

The source said, “Though the details are still sketchy, I think the contract is not for reconstruction of the road. Bi-Courtney was supposed to rehabilitate the road first due to its bad state before reconstruction it, as reconstruction will take some years, that was why it mobilised Borini Prono and CCC to site recently.

“If Julius Berger and RCC are to reconstruct, then the Federal Government will have to introduce tolls on the road, and I can confirm that that is not in consideration at the moment. So, I think the contract is just for rehabilitation of the road.”

The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, had last Monday while announcing the cancellation arrangement with Bi-Courtney, said, “Due to the senseless carnage on this important expressway, which is part of Arterial Route A1, the Federal Government has also decided to embark on the emergency reconstruction of the expressway.

“Consequently, the Federal Ministry of Works has engaged the services of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and RCC Nigeria Limited to commence work immediately on the reconstruction of the expressway. While Julius Berger will handle Section 1 from Lagos to the Shagamu Interchange; RCC Nigeria Limited will be responsible for Section II from Shagamu to Ibadan.”

However, Julius Berger has promised to move into site before the next Christmas.

The Public Affairs Adviser of the company, Mr. Clement Iloba, confirmed the development to one of our correspondents in a telephone interview, although he could not say whether the contract was for repair or rehabilitation of the road.

Source - Punch news

Ex-banker bows to pressure, suspends hunger strike

4:34 PM News No Comments

Odunaro being attended to inside Lagos State ambulance ... on Monday. Photo; Temitayo Famutimi.

Olubiyi Odunaro, the 53-year-old former employee of Hallmark Bank Plc., protesting against non-payment of his terminal benefit, on Monday suspended his 14-day hunger strike.

The suspension of the protest followed spirited appeal by a representation from the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and officials from the Lagos office of the Public Complaints Commission.

Senior Special Assistant to Fashola on Justice Sector Reforms, Lanre Akinsola, who led a team of legal, welfare and medical officials to the tent Odunaro had turned to his home on Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Lagos, promised to intervene.

Akinsola said, “The attention of the Lagos State Government was drawn to the various media reports about the protest being embarked upon by Odunaro and it’s quite pathetic.

“Governor Fashola who was worried about his state of health formed an inter-ministerial committee comprising medical, legal and welfare officials and directed me to lead the team to persuade him to end his hunger strike.

“As a responsible government we don’t want a dead casualty in our hands as a result of this protest. Once he ends this protest, we would first provide him medical service while the Lagos State Directorate of Citizens Rights would engage the authorities concerned in a comprehensive dialogue.”

Akinsola said the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, had given him his word on free legal services to Odunaro and other ex-workers of non-consolidated banks seeking the payment of their entitlements if the negotiations become unfruitful.

“We will mediate and talk to the right people and we believe reason will prevail in this matter and if not, lawyers from the Lagos State Ministry of Justice will work in conjunction with the lawyer of the group and ensure that justice prevails and everyone of them gets their entitlement,” he added.

John Ogunniyi, who led a legal team from the Public Complaints Commission, implored Odunaro to end the hunger strike.

He said, “The Lagos Commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission, Funso Olukoga, sends his word that you end this protest and go back home while we look into your complaints.

“We’ve listened to the complaints and we are going back to report to the commissioner and see the best we can do concerning it.

“We are making this appeal because of your health and the negative consequences it may have on you. The commissioner has given us the authority to ensure that the matter is resolved.”

After persuasion and engagement by the state officials and consultation with members of the Association of Ex-Staff of Non-Consolidated Bank, who had gathered at the site which lasted for about three hours, Odunaro who clocked 53 on Monday announced the suspension of the protest.

He said, “This struggle is not only about myself; it’s about the right of over 14,000 ex-workers of non-consolidated banks who are ably represented here today.

“The Lagos State Government and the PCC have given me and my people their word and I would hold on to it. My other colleagues too have appealed to me to give the state government the opportunity to play their part in this matter.

“In view of this, I announce the suspension of my hunger strike for two weeks to enable me to go for medical treatment and allow the state government play its part in this debacle.”

President, Association of Ex-Staff of Non-Consolidated Bank, Magnus Maduka, said, “We will be leveraging on the clout of the state government and the promises of the Public Complaints Commission to get our entitlements which we have been fighting for for about seven years.”

As soon as he announced the suspension, the medical team from the Lagos State Ambulance Service who had been waiting for hours led him into an ambulance marked LA 167 A08 at about 3:09pm and took him to the Medical Emergency of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

Source - Punch news

Plumber’s son emerges FUTA’s best student

4:31 PM Education No Comments

Nurudeen Adegoke
| credits:

Twenty-six-year-old son of a plumber whose mother is also a trader in Iseyin, Oyo State, Mr. Nurudeen Adegoke, has emerged the overall best graduating student at the 24th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, on Saturday.

Adegoke, who read Mathematics, shone like a star at the occasion as he won other awards and had to shake hands on different occasions with special guests and other principal officers of the university to receive his prizes.

He told our correspondent that the road to his success was rough and challenging as he had to put in personal efforts to get himself through his degree programme at FUTA.

He said, “I really worked very hard. No unserious student can survive the rigour at the Mathematical Science department from where I graduated. I was very prayerful too.

“Right from my first day in FUTA, I was determined, focused and diligent. I was humble too because humility is very essential in anything one is doing.

“I was at the Osun State College of Technology, Esa Oke, for my Ordinary National Diploma in Statistics. I got direct admission to FUTA, doing everything on my own.

“My dad is a plumber while my mother is a petty trader. I am really from a humble background. Being the first child of my family, I made up my mind to be serious and hardworking so that I could help my parents in taking care of the academic needs of my younger ones.

“I always had it at the back of my mind that I must pass very well if I really wanted my certificate to be useful to me and I was always prayerful and focused.

“I used to get involved in tutorials. I didn’t play with my academics. I am not sure I had any social life because I didn’t want any form of distraction,” Adegoke submitted.

He advised students to face their academics instead of engaging in activities that would not add value to their main reason of being in the university in the first instance.

The Chancellor of the institution, who is also the Emir of Lafia, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Isa Mustafa, described the five-year degree programme at FUTA as stimulating and intellectually enriching.

He congratulated the graduates for attending an institution with world-class academic curricular which made it the best university of technology in Nigeria.

He admonished the graduates to be entrepreneurial and creative and to tap from the vast natural endowments and economic resources in the country instead of looking for salary jobs years after graduation.

He said, “I exhort you to be lawful, peaceful, and God guided in your pursuits of livelihood. I beseech you to follow the path of honour, integrity and righteousness at all time.”

The pro-Chancellor, who is also Chairman of the Governing Council, Brig.-Gen. Raji Rasaki, said FUTA would remain focused in its determination to contribute towards the development of quality human capital to meet local and global needs.

He also pledged that the university would continue to intensify efforts to attract indigenous and foreign students at both undergraduate and post graduate levels by acquiring facilities that meet their demands.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, said 15 out of the 1,960 students that graduated had a first class degree while 561were in the second class upper division.

He added that 998 graduates were in the second class lower division; 331 in the third class; while 55 of them graduated with a pass.

Daramola said the university agreed to confer honorary degrees on Lt. Gen Theophilus Danjuma and Prof. Daniel Mireku-Gyimah from Ghana because of their generous contributions to human capital development.

He reiterated his determination to “take FUTA to the market place” by focusing on policies and programmes that would lead the institution to a higher height of global recognition for excellence.

He said, “We are also going to harness, package and market the great potential of the university to be financially solvent.

“We are starting by focusing on completing all on-going projects, upgrading our entire infrastructure to international standards. It is a daunting task that requires a lot of reforms, system re-engineering and economic utilisation of human and material resources,” he added.

Daramola also explained that through the introduction of entrepreneurial training to the students, electrical and painting jobs that were usually contracted out were now being handled by the university’s works and services personnel with the active participation of students, saving the institution, millions of naira.

He commended the Ondo State, Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, for his efforts when the university was in the process of acquiring one of the state’s housing estates near the campus for its centre for continuing education which is responsible for pre-degree programmes and short-time certificates.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who was represented on the occasion by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie, charged the university to focus more on research which he described as a veritable tool for development.

Mimiko, who was also represented on the occasion by his deputy, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, pledged the continuous support of the state to the institution and provision of an enabling environment for the members of staff and students at all times.

Source - Punch news

Eko 2012: Jonathan to declare festival open

4:20 PM Sports No Comments

President Goodluck Jona-than is expected to declare open the 18th National Sports Festival, Eko 2012 today at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The President who will witness the highly anticipated opening ceremony is said to be very keen on seeing the success of the games which he hopes will kick-start preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

TORCH OF UNITY: Steve Olarinoye carries the torch while, Dr Kweku Tandoh(l) and Hon Lawrence Babatunde Ayeni, Chairman Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Sports march along at the weekend

The opening ceremony which has been touted to ‘replicate’ that of the London 2012 Olympics will witness the culture and tradition of the host state, Lagos – its aquatic splendour and tourism potentials will be showcased at the ceremony.

A member of the Main

Organising Committee hinted that the president’s address will harp on the return to the very essence of the sports festival which is to foster unity and discover budding talents for the country.

Apart from the President, members of the National Assembly, top government functionaries and other prominent members of the public, including corporateNigeriawill be in attendance.

The ceremony is also expected to attract some state governors including the host Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, top ministry officials.

Secretary of the Main Organising, Abba Yola, yesterday disclosed that 11,549 athletes, coaches and officials have been accredited for the 2012 festival, making it about Nigeria’s biggest national sports festival in history. Over 350 journalists have also been listed for the festival.

The events of the games kicked off yesterday with male and female football matches played at Onikan Stadium and the Agege Stadium.

Source - Vanguard news

SEC bribery scandal: EFCC re-arraigns Hembe, Azubogu

4:19 PM News No Comments

ABUJA — Former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Other Institutions, Herman Hembe and his deputy, Chris Ifeanyi Azubogu, yesterday, took fresh plea before an Abuja High Court sitting at Apo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, re-docked them before Justice Peter Kekemeke, on a two-count charge bothering on fraud.

Hembe and Azubogu

Specifically, EFCC, in the charge read in court, yesterday, alleged that the lawmakers had at sometime in October 2011, converted to their use, $4095 being money given to them by the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, as travelling allowance to Puncta Cana, Dominican Republic to attend a conference.

The anti-graft agency alleged that the accused persons pocketed the money though they did not attend the said conference.

It said their action ran contrary to section 308 of the Penal Code Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (Abuja) 2004 and is punishable under section 309 of the same code.

The re-arraignment of the two embattled lawmakers followed the decision of Justice Abubakar Sadiq Umar to hands off the case owing to a petition written against him by the EFCC accusing him of bias in the prosecution of the case.

EFCC had while challenging the resolve of the former trial judge to handle the case objectively, queried why he allowed the accused persons to stand beside the dock and take their plea rather than stepping into the dock as required by the extant procedure in prosecution of such criminal cases.

Consequently, the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary, Justice Lawal Gummi reassigned the matter.

Meanwhile, when the matter was mentioned, yesterday, prosecuting counsel, Onjefu Obe, made an oral application for the case to commence de-novo in line with the Criminal Procedure Code, CPC.

Though, both counsel to the accused persons, Mr. Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) and Emeka Etiaba, did not object to the prosecution’s prayer, they, nonetheless, urged the court to allow the lawmakers on the bail terms earlier granted to them by Justice Umar, a request that was accordingly granted.

After the two accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charge, Justice Kekemeke adjourned the matter till January 23 and 24, 2013 for accelerated hearing.

Source - Vanguard news

Nursing mother stabs husband to death in Ebonyi

4:18 PM News No Comments

ABAKALIKI— EBONYI State police command, weekend, arrested a 24-year-old nursing mother, Mrs. Edith Okoji, for allegedly stabbing her husband to death after a quarrel revolving around infidelity.

The incident which occurred last Sunday at No. 8 Eze Street, Abakaliki, generated lots of insinuations as bewildered neighbours in the area were seen discussing the matter in small groups.

Briefing newsmen on the incident, Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr. Sylvester Igbo, said the deceased, Mr. Oyenel Okoji, was an Assistant Superintendent of Immigration attached to Ebonyi State Headquarters of the agency.

According to him, investigation so far conducted by the police on the matter indicated that the accused, who already had three children for the man, may have carried out the act on the ground that her husband was suspecting her of infidelity.

The police spokesman revealed that the accused, who was a law student of Nigeria Open University, had admitted committing the crime but blamed it on the devil.

The body of the deceased, who hailed from Ahoda-East local government area of River State as the wife, had been deposited at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, for autopsy.

Source - Vanguard news

Fuel subsidy scam: We’ve enough evidence to nail suspects, EFCC tells court

4:18 PM News No Comments

ABUJA — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Monday, told Justice Olasumbo Goodluck of an Abuja High Court that it has gathered enough evidence to nail the trio of Helyn Aninye, Chizobam Ben-Okafor and Pon-Specialized Services Limited over their alleged involvement in the illegal diversion of about N1.4 billion through fuel subsidy scam.

The anti-graft agency is prosecuting the accused persons on an 18-count criminal charge bothering on forgery and obtaining money under false pretence.

Mr Oluwaseun Ogunbambo with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) officials during the arraignments of the fuel subsidy scam suspects at Ikeja High court, Lagos., recently . Photo: Diran Oshe.

Though EFCC made frantic moves to dock them, Monday, however, the plan was thwarted by their counsel, Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, who opposed their arraignment on grounds that the proof of evidence did not disclose a prima facie case against his clients.

He said:“My lord, assuming there are offences to be disclosed, they have not in any way been linked to the applicants, and these links must have a prima facie elements to the applicants.”

It was his contention that in a case of forgery, the EFCC ought to have produced the original maker of the alleged forged document.

However, EFCC, through its counsel, Mr Steve Odiase, while seeking for leave to prefer criminal charges against the accused persons under Section 185 (b) of the Criminal Procedure Code, maintained that the proof of evidence contained enough prima facie evidence capable of nailing them to the fraud.

He told the court that the prosecution had formulated three issues for determination in granting the application which, according to him, included whether the proof of evidence discloses an offence known to law and whether there is a linking of the charge to the applicants.

“My lord, the statement of one (name withheld) of Quality Marine Services Limited is enough link to the accused persons. Besides, it has been established that in a case of forgery, the accused must not be the maker of the said document before being liable,” Odiase said.

The judge who advised counsel not to jump the gun by addressing issues in the substantive case, adjourned to February 21, 2013 for ruling on both applications.

The accused persons were said to have on or about March 3, 2011 atAbujawithin the jurisdiction of the High Court of theFederalCapitalTerritory,Abujawith intent to defraud, conspired to obtain N1.413,507,951.50 under false pretence from the Federal Government of Nigeria as subsidy for the importation Premium Motor Spirit under the Petroleum Support Fund.

The offence according to the charge sheet was contrary to Section 8(a) and punishable under Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act. 2006.

Source - Vanguard news

OKADA BAN: Mixed blessings in Delta

4:13 PM News No Comments

Amaize in this report looks at how the restriction order on okada in Delta State has brought considerable pains on the commuting public while the keke transport system is yet to be patronised by erstwhile okada riders because of its high cost.

SINCE November 1,2012 when he restriction on commercial motorcycles (Okada) transportation took effect in three prime cities of Delta State, namely Asaba, the state capital, Warri and Effurun, the response has been opinionated, depending on who is speaking and his/her perception of the new development.

*Some commercial motorcyclists during operation

However, that it has had both positive and negative impact on the people is unmistakable. To some people, the restriction is good riddance to bad rubbish, while to others, the government has only shown that it is abhorrently insensitive to the pains of the governed, particularly those in the lower social hierarchy, who eke out a living through okada transportation.

Like most policies of government, the discharge of the restriction order on the first day in Warri, Effurun and Asaba was a disappointment. There were insufficient tricycles on the roads and many wondered whether the policy was to worsen or alleviate the plight of the people.

It was later learnt that some leaders of the motorcyclists’ association, who collected the tricycles at a subsidized rate of N150,000 per tricycle from government for distribution to their members, turned it to a business venture by selling them at N250,000 and above to merchants.

The merchants, in turn, sold at between N380,000 and N400,000 to the real users. Government bought it at about N300,000 and the Ministry of Transport recommended that should be sold at N200, 000, but the governor, Dr. Uduaghan, brought it down to N150,000.

Registration fees charged

Motorcyclists objected to the rip-off by refusing to pay more than the N150,000 approved by government and additional N20,000 registration fee charged by their association. That was why there was inadequate tricycles on the roads on November 1, 2012.

Investigations, however, show that given the bad roads, the tricycles look fragile for transportation in the difficult terrains of the three cities.

The most common problem is that the tyres pull off while in motion putting the users at risk. Vanguard had seen some broken-down tricycles in Warri. Some commuters do not even want to step on the tricycle on grounds that it is not safe.

The Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Ben Igbakpa, admitted in an interview with Vanguard: “What government owes the people are the basic infrastructure and when you talk about infrastructure, you talk about transportation and the basic infrastructure is road.

The governor has given that marching order. He read the riot act recently, authorized and given marching order that between now and December 15, it is the contractor shape in or you shape out. So the contracts have been awarded. He is ready to pay. As soon as you work, you get your money, and it is now the business of the contractor to work

“And let me appeal to my brothers out there that a contractor who is working in your area you should be the one to protect that contractor to actually make sure they work. If you go there and disturb the contractor, it is wrong; we do not have enough time.

This is Niger Delta; it is quite expensive to construct roads here. Again, by March, the dry season is gone and the rains will take over again. The Direct Labour Agency, DLA, has the fundamental work to maintain roads and His Excellency has asked them to do that.”

Vanguard went to town to sample opinion.

Okada is like coffin on two wheels - Ogeah

Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chike Chike Ogeah, who spoke to Vanguard in his office at Asaba, said: “Definitely, it (restriction) is to alleviate the plight of the people, not only to alleviate the plight of the people, but to increase the standard of living of the people if you ask me.

That is why government, in its wisdom, has to replace the much higher and dignified mode of transportation. You were all there when we launched the Marco Polo buses. These buses are supposed to be doing intra and inter-cities.

The reasoning of government is that our children were being maimed on a daily basis and enough is enough. Both the riders and the carriers of these okada, almost like a coffin on two wheels, ply the road without protection, without helmet and all that. Again, in cases of kidnapping, we know the role okada has played in kidnapping and armed robbery. So they use it to commit crime.”

Welcome development – Adimkpaya

Public Relations Officer, PRO, Sports Club, Asaba, Mr. Obi Adimkpaya, in an interview, said: “It is a welcome development, but the connecting roads in Asaba should be repaired to ease transportation”.

Govt should fix the roads – Chair, Labour Party

Chair of Labour Party, LP, DeltaState, Comrade Emeka Nkwoala told Vanguard: “okada should not be the source of earning a living for our people. Where are the industries? It is a good development. However, we expect our government to fix the roads to enable the Keke ply them. We also expect the government to provide enabling environment for businesses to thrive, especially textile and garment. This will go a long way to absorbing the people displaced by this policy in guaranteeing dignity of labour”.

Our problem is bad road – Driver

Peter Afamefula, a commercial taxi driver, who pleaded anonymity said: “Nobody is quarrelling with the ban on okada, but look at the roads. Do we have roads? Instead of government to repair road, they brought out big buses, which roads will the buses pass? Our problem is bad roads.

Good and bad- Civil servant

A civil servant, Miss Blessing Oformiyan, asserted: “To me, the ban on okada is a very good thing when viewed from the associated rate of accidents it has caused. If you go to hospitals, you will see many patients who are victims of Okada accidents. However, I think the timing is wrong because the keke are inadequate. Also, the roads are not good enough. The ban has caused many pains because in the area I stay, there are no taxis and buses. So, we have to trek a long distance with loads, particularly when returning home from market and work. In addition, it has caused displacement in the life style of people, aside the hardship it has brought.

To me, the government should have flooded the towns with thekeke, repair the roads, buy more buses before the ban would have taken effect. The ban is not helping us to exercise in any way; it is pains and hardship, cost of boarding a cab has increased because okada is no more.”

Source - Vanguard news

FG needs N40.7bn to boost infrastructure – Minister

4:08 PM News, Technology No Comments

WARRI — Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, yesterday, disclosed that the Federal Government needed to invest N40.7 billion in infrastructure between now and 2015, even as plans have been concluded to commit $15 million in venture capital to boost the Information Communication Technology, ICT.

She also berated telecommunication operators for poor services and warned them to invest more in infrastructure to enhance their services.

*Communication Technology Minister, Omobola Johnson

The minister who disclosed this at the Capital Market Committee, CMC, retreat in Warri, Delta State, said: “Government is planning to launch a venture capital by committing about $15 million in the first instance to enable talented youths have access to funds to boost the telecomm sector since these youths cannot access capital from the banks because of their inability to provide the needed collaterals.

Warns telecom operators

“The mobile telephone can be used to democratize the Nigerian capital market if well harnessed. So, my ministry is really in talks and engaging the telecommunication operators to commit more funds in boosting their infrastructure to meet the increased capacity of their network.

We are also working and ensuring that some bottlenecks militating against their services are eliminated so that they can give Nigerians the best services like what obtains in other jurisdictions.

“We also want the telecom operators to modernize their network as most of their facilities have become outdated and need to be upgraded to be able to serve the increasing number of network users in the country.”

She disclosed that her ministry could not force the telecom companies to go to the capital market, saying: “There has been talks with my ministry, the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, and Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE.

Though there is need for the telecom companies to list on stock exchange but there must be a holistic approach to bring these companies to the stock market.

“So there should be rules, laws or standards that must be set up for certain size of companies either in terms of capital, employees, etc to be listed on the Exchange.

It should not be restricted to telecom companies but to other companies across all sectors of the economy. In doing so, it will make sense so that it will not appear that they are being forced to do so.”

In her welcome address, Director General, SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, said: “There is need to have a strong institution, be it SEC, NSE and operators, to deliver service efficiently.

We should tap the abundant resources we have to develop the capital market and the economy in general.”

There are opportunities we need to tap in agriculture, infrastructure, housing etc.”
To this extent, she charged operators to use the capital market instruments to help pursue the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

Source - Vanguard news

First batch of Dangote graduate drivers to complete training January

4:07 PM News No Comments

Abuja – The first batch of the 2,000 Dangote Graduate Drivers Training Scheme will conclude their training in January, 2013, an official has said.

The scheme was launched in November at the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT).

The Director-General of the Institute, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf, disclosed this in an interview with in Abuja on Monday.

He said 2,000 graduates of various disciplines were expected to be trained under the scheme to become professional truck drivers.

Yusuf explained that the training would be done in batches of 100 participants on quarterly basis over a period of four years which would end in 2016.

He said the institute was carrying out the training in conjunction with the Federal Vehicle Inspection Officers and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

“These graduates, which include women from the Dangote Group, will undergo a three -month training because they have no knowledge of driving before being certified as drivers.

“They have graduated from different universities but have never driven vehicles before.

“After being certified as drivers at the end of the training, they will be licensed immediately.

“These drivers will be different from other drivers because they are not illiterates and their training is sound,’’ he said.

According to him, the Dangote Group drivers will be taught theoretical and practical training which includes orientation, simulation and test track driving before being exposed to highway driving.

He said the institute was focused on achieving its mandate to provide human capital development in the transport industry.

“It is our inherent duty to provide human capacity for the entire transport industry through training and retraining, orientation skills and development and professional training.

“We feel that we should extend our services to lower cadre especially our middle level and top management training institute.’’

Yusuf added: “But because of frequent demands from organisations for customised training programmes for drivers, we have now designed and customised such programmes.’’

He recalled that the institute, before the Dangote Group project, used to train an average of 300 drivers yearly.

Yusuf said the institute was being funded by the government to develop its staff abroad in rare fields of knowledge which was not available in Nigeria.

Yusuf was recently conferred with the Dr Kwame Nkrumah African distinguished Public Service Order of merit Award 2012.

The award was instituted after the former Ghanaian President and foremost Pan-Africanist, whose life time was synonymous with unparalleled virtues, achievements and service. (NAN)

Cech says Benitez must be given a chance

4:04 PM Sports No Comments

LONDON (AFP) – Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech says Rafael Benitez must be given a chance to make his mark at the club, ahead of a potentially stormy Premier League derby with local rivals Fulham on Wednesday.

Benitez can only hope the club’s dissenting supporters eventually accept him, although the evidence of the new interim manager’s first game in charge suggests that is unlikely to happen soon.

Benitez will take charge of his second game since succeeding Roberto Di Matteo when Fulham visit Stamford Bridge, three days after Chelsea were held to a scoreless home draw by Premier League champions Manchester City.

The Spaniard wasD given an early indication during that game of the depth of resentment held towards him by some of the club’s fans, who have not forgiven him for his role in the intense rivalry that has existed between Chelsea and Benitez’s former club, Liverpool.

Some supporters have suggested the protests will continue, ensuring another difficult atmosphere for the home side as they attempt to revive their flagging season.

“I think there’ll always be a resentment,” said Tim Rolls, a shareholder in Chelsea Pitch Owners, the fan-led group that owns the freehold of the Chelsea ground.

“If he has a lot of success in winning games, then I think there’s likely to be a solemn acceptance, but the supporters aren’t going to sing his name.”

Chelsea’s performance against City offered few distractions and Benitez will expect an improvement when his side confront the club’s near neighbours and attempt to revive their title ambitions.

Lying fourth, five points behind leaders Manchester United, Chelsea can ill afford to drop points and Cech admits they cannot afford a bedding in period.

“We, as players, need to adapt quickly and start thinking positively in order to work with the manager and give him what he needs to help get results,” he said.

“We need to put things right. We got a good point (against City), and hopefully on Wednesday we’ll win our game and push on from there.

“(Benitez) is here to change things, to put us in a winning mode, and he needs to be given a chance.”

Cech insists there were positives to be drawn from Chelsea’s display against City.

“We’ve been on a spell where we haven’t been winning games and we’ve been losing, so we wanted to stop that,” he said.

“We played the champions, it was an interesting performance in a way, but we kept a clean sheet and, at times, we were a danger, so it was a good start.

“It’s never easy when a new manager comes in because he doesn’t have time to work, so it’s good to start with a positive result.”

Fulham will attempt to claim a first win at Stamford Bridge in 33 years on the back of successive defeats and a run of five games without a win.

That has left them in mid-table after an enterprising start to the season and they will again be without influential centre-back Brede Hangeland, who serves the second game of a three-match ban after being sent off against Sunderland.

Fulham manager Martin Jol felt his side had been overwhelmed by Stoke City’s physical presence in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat, but the Cottagers will be presented with a different type of test when they face Benitez’s team.

“A few weeks ago I was there, and I saw Chelsea against Juventus. It was my first time at Stamford Bridge and it was a good game,” said Sascha Riether, the Fulham right back.

“I thought, ‘Yes, soon you will play there.’ It will be my first time playing there and I hope we get a good result.

“I’m not really aware yet of how big a game it is for Fulham, but it’s nice to know we will be big heroes if we win there.

“Every game is special, but if it’s a derby, it’s a little bit more.”

LASU gets new Gov Council

4:03 PM Education, News No Comments

Ikeja – The Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola has approved the constitution of a new Governing Council for the Lagos State University (LASU).

Mr Adesegun Ogunlewe, the state`s Head of Service, announced the approval of the 12- man council in a statement made available on Tuesday in Ikeja.

The statement named Mr Olabode Agosto, a foremost financial expert, as the Chairman of the council, and also listed Mr Leo Ekeh, Chairman ,Zinox Computers and Dr Leke Pitan, a former Commissioner for Health, as members.

Other members, according to the statement, are Mrs Ibikun Awosika, Mr Yomi Hotonou, Mr Sam Omatseye, Prof.Shafideen Amuwo, Mr Jide Adeoye, Mr Karim Olaseinde, Mrs Fatima Wali-Abdulrahman and Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya.

The statement said the governor also approved the replacement of three members of the Governing Council of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), whose tenure had expired.

It listed the new council members as Mr Abiodun Ogunleye, Mrs Victoria Peregrino and Mrs Oludapo Odunlami.

While commending the outgoing council members of the two institutions for their dedication to service, Ogunlewe enjoined the appointees to do their best to further move the institutions forward.(NAN)

NUPENG shuts down Shell operations nationwide

4:02 PM News No Comments

…Protests sack of 1,500 workers

AGGRIEVED members of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, protesting alleged unfair labour practices, yesterday, shut down the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, nationwide.

This came as a nationwide strike by NUPENG looms following alleged assault on members by security operatives at Shell locations across the country, which prompted the Warri and Port Harcourt zones that serve the South-South states and eastern states to begin immediate strike.

Locations in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country, Vanguard gathered, had been directed to also down tools between today and tomorrow.

Barricade

The aggrieved workers were said to have stormed Shell’s offices in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt and Abuja between 2am and 3am and effectively barricaded the offices with tankers and prevented people from gaining access to the offices.

It was gathered that immediately the protesting workers came, they were confronted by security operatives and were said to have battled with the law enforcement agents for several hours as the law enforcement agents tried in vain to dislodge them.

At press time, the tankers were still at the Shell office in Lagos. Vanguard gathered that the tankers were towed away at 10am in the Warri and Port Harcourt offices, when the protesting workers left for a rally across major streets in the cities.

Grievances

The workers, who picketed Shell office in Lagos, were led by the Lagos Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, who vowed that the action would continue today.

He accused Shell’s management of several unfair labour practices including casualisation of workers and contract staffing.

Speaking, the Acting General Secretary of NUPENG, Mr. Isaac Aberare, deplored the attitude of the security operatives and claimed they assaulted harmless and unarmed workers, who were fighting for their rights, saying that their action was unbecoming of law enforcement agents in a democracy.

He confirmed that members in Warri and Port Harcourt zones had begun an indefinite strike to protest alleged ill-treatment and said Lagos and other parts of the country would join in the industrial action should the harassment continue.

Earlier in a statement, Aberare said the picketing of Shell formations nationwide was due to the recalcitrant posture of the management towards the issue of unfair labour practices.

He said: “The issue of casual, contract staff or service contracts staff without conditions of service had been in the front burner with Shell in recent times without any headway. The issue had become a social phenomenon and a hydra-headed evil in labour relations with Shell.”

Source - Vanguard news

SARS attack: No suspected terrorist escaped – police

3:59 PM News No Comments

ABUJA— Gunmen, yesterday, launched an attack on the headquarters of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Abuja believed to be holding suspected Islamist extremists, killing two officers and leading to the escape of 30 detainees.

Police authorities, however, claimed to have re-arrested 25 of the 30 escapees and said no one being held on “terror-related charges” was freed.

The attack on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad compound in the pre-dawn hours resulted in a gun battle, with police claiming to have repelled the assailants and arrested two of them.

SARS GATE—Gate of the Headquarters of Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) which was attacked by gunmen in Abuja, yesterday.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. The raid was similar to others carried out by Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram.

However, a statement signed by Force Spokesman, CSP Frank Mba reads: “In the early hours of today, November 26, 2012, at about 2am, unknown gunmen in large numbers attacked the premises of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Federal Territory Police Command.

Policemen on duty responded swiftly and engaged the gunmen in a gun battle that lasted for some minutes, at the end of which the gunmen were successfully repelled.

“However, in the confusion that ensued, about 30 suspects in the detention facilities of SARS broke out of the cells and attempted to escape. Tactical and coordinated efforts to re-arrest the fleeing suspects yielded instant result.

So far, 25 of the suspects have been re-arrested, while five suspects originally being held in relation to robbery related offences are currently at large. Two Policemen died during the operation while two of the attackers have been arrested.

“It needs to be emphasized here that no suspect held for terror related charges, escaped from SARS detention facilities. No explosive or IED-related materials were used in the botched attack”.

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has personally visited the scene of the incident to assess the situation. He has equally ordered a high-powered investigative panel headed by a Senior Police Officer to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Members of Boko Haram have carried out scores of attacks in northern and centralNigeria, including police stations and sometimes with the intent of freeing jailed members.

A visit to the scene, revealed that the main gate outside the police unit was heavily guarded. There were two armoured vehicles, six police trucks and more than a dozen armed policemen.

It was not immediately possible to determine whether the complex had suffered damage.

On Friday, the military offered hundreds of thousands of dollars in reward for information leading to the capture of leaders of Boko Haram in a statement that listed 19 alleged senior members of the group.

The rewards ranged from N50 million ($317,000, 245,000 euros) for the suspected leader, Abubakar Shekau, to N10 million for various Boko Haram “commanders”.

Jaji Bombings: Army Chief orders board of inquiry

Meanwhile, 24 hours after terrorists struck at theMilitaryProtestantChurchof the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika has ordered a board of inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding the bombing even as he noted that the bomb attack should have been avoided.

Said General Ihejirika: “The bombing attack of yesterday (Sunday) was a very sad event. A board of inquiry has already been instituted to unravel what happened which we believe could have been avoided”.

The Army Chief who was speaking in Asaba at the opening of the Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference, vowed that despite incessant attacks on the Army, no amount of distraction will deter the Nigerian Army from achieving its objectives as assigned it by the Federal Government which is ridding the nation of terrorists and other elements bent on causing destabilization of the polity.

Disclosing that the Army will remain professional in the conduct of its operation, Ihejirika said: “We will always keep strictly to the rules of engagement” adding “despite the level of propaganda of the Boko Haram terrorists in the plot to discredit the army, we will not be deterred in our resolve to address the current internal security challenges in partnership with other security agencies.

“In the incoming year, our focus is to ensure the mass production of locally manufactured Armoured Personnel Carriers to meet our operational requirements. Equally, we hope to strengthen the capacity of the Nigerian Army Engineers through acquisition of necessary equipment so that it can take up bigger challenges outside the Nigerian Army”.

Continuing, Ihejirika said: “The outgoing year has indeed been both eventful and challenging for the Nigerian army especially in the fight against terrorism and other criminal activities in the country. This is in addition to maintaining significant presence in troubled spots in the African region e.g.Liberia,Darfurand lately, Guinea Bissau .

“As we speak, elements of ‘Operation Sanity’, coveringKogiState, Damaturu and Mubi, have led to the recovery of 901 assorted weapons, 89, 142 rounds of assorted ammunition, 11 hand grenades, 150 bombs and 555 IEDS”.

General Ihejirika also announced that he and the IGP have agreed to take far reaching measures that will enhance the current efforts at addressing terrorism and other related internal security challenges”.

Similarly, the IGP has ordered water-tight security around all government and Police related facilities nationwide.

“The Police High Command uses this medium to appeal to Nigerians for calm while reassuring them of the Force preparedness to perform its constitutional and statutory responsibilities of providing adequate security for the State and the entire citizenry”, Mba said.

He added: “The Force therefore, enjoins the public to continue to go about their lawful duty without fear or intimidation as adequate strategies have been put in place to guarantee the general security and safety of all Nigerians”.

Boko Haram member sends letter offering dialogue

A purported senior member of Islamist militant group Boko Haram has distributed a letter requesting talks with the government, a day after a double suicide bombing blamed on the sect killed at least 11 and wounded 30 in an army barracks.

The letter, according to Reuters was signed by Sheik Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, a man known by security sources to be a sect member but considered to be a moderate.

If the letter is genuine, it would appear to mark a change of tact for the Islamists that fits ill with a spate of violent episodes, including the bombing of the military church on Sunday.

That bombing showed a degree of sophistication not seen from Boko Haram for months.
Nearly 3,000 people have died violent deaths related to the conflict since the sect launched its uprising in 2009, according to a count by Human Rights Watch.

Boko Haram has replaced militancy in the oil-rich Niger Delta over that time to become the biggest security threat to Africa’s top energy producer.

The letter was handed to the national head of the union of journalists, Aba Kakami, who has often received and distributed statements from the sect, usually claiming attacks against high profile targets or warning of them.

Source - Vanguard news

Jaji church attack: Death toll rises

3:56 PM News No Comments

KADUNA –The death toll in last Sunday’s bomb blast at St Andrew’s Anglican Church at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, AFCSC, Jaji, Kaduna State has risen to 15. Jaji is about 40 kilometres north of Kaduna city.

The Commandant of the College, Air Vice Marshal Ibrahim Abdullahi Kure, gave this hint while conducting the state Governor, Patrick Yakowa round the church amid tight security.

JAJI BLAST—Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna State with the Commandant of Command and Staff College, Jaji, AVM Ibrahim Abdullahi Kure when the governor visited the scene of the bomb blast at the military barrack church in Jaji yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

The Director, Nigeria Air Force, NAF, in the college, Air Commodore Alechenu Ekagbo, and some children were alleged to be among those who were seriously injured.

Kaduna State Governor, Patrick Yakowa who visited the scene of the bombing at Jaji, yesterday, described the inci dent which occurred inside a military establishment as ‘’a devastating event that calls for sober reflection.”

His words: “The bombing of a church within a premier institution like AFCSC is a wake-up call to all security agencies within the country to continue to sit up so as to fashion out a solution on how to curb the incidents of bombing or terrorism. The biggest project now inNigeriashould be the search for peace so that the enormous potentials ofNigeriacan be fully harnessed. Religious bigotry or terrorism will only destroyNigeriainstead of building it.”

The Governor also said that the state government would pay the medical bills of the victims.

Kurehad told Yakowa that some of those who died included children, without giving further breakdown of those who were either dead or injured.

At least 50 people were said to have been injured during the bomb attack, even as unofficial sources claimed that no fewer than 30 died.

This was even as the Military, placed security cordon of about one kilometre radius from the church and all the hospitals where the victims were rushed to for treatment in the area with clear instructions barring newsmen from coming near such areas.

Journalists, others barred

Journalists who accompanied Governor Yakowa and other non-military officers were also barred from both the scene of the bombing and the hospitals.

Governor Yakowa, was allowed into the Jaji barracks with limited number of his cabinet members but journalists were bared from following him into the devastated church building, as they were diverted into a conference hall about a kilometre from the area and warned not to aim their cameras at any object in the barracks.

Officials of both the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the Red Cross who spoke to Vanguard expressed anger over the refusal of the Military to allow them into the barracks to ascertain the number of casualties and the needed relief materials for victims and their relations.

Air Commodore Ekagbo’s family

A source in Ekagbo’s family who described him as an affable gentleman that loves to play golf, said the military officer was in his house about 10 meters away from the church, when the second explosion occurred.

“He was severely injured, even as part of his house came down on him. He also had some visitors, who also sustained severe injuries. The entire brigadiers’ quarters to the end of diamond Bank, was badly damaged.

“I counted about 20 burnt cars and even more motor-cycles. When the Air Commodore was taken away, we all thought he was dead. And we the Idoma Community here (Jaji) had started mourning him deeply, until we were assured this (yesterday) afternoon, that he had very bad injuries but is alive. The problem is that even we his family members are not allowed to see him.”

The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Bola Koleoso, in a text message to Vanguard on the issue also simply stated: “It is either you believe me or you believe lies. As of now 5:45pm, (yesterday) Monday, November 26, 2012, there is no information like you are saying. Investigation panel has been set up and only the panel can specifically say what is authentic concerning the unfortunate incident beyond my press releases. Thank you.”

Governor Yakowa who was accompanied to Jaji by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ismaila Yakawada, the Commissioner for Information, Saidu Adamu, his counterpart in the Ministry of Water Resources, Mr Sunday Marshall Katung spoke tersely to reporters waiting at the hall where they were told to wait.

Yakowa said, “It is a devastating event that calls for sober reflection…Kaduna state will work with all security agencies in the state to continue to provide security. All medical bills of those affected will be settled by the state. I prayed for healing of those still in the hospital and asked God to give the families of the dead the fortitude to bear the loss.”

Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum’s, ACF, National Publicity Secretary, Mr.
Anthony Sani who spoke in an interview in Kaduna yesterday, on the level of insurgency which has heightened since the Federal Government placed ransom on the leaders of Boko Haram, said that there was need for government and the insurgents to end hostility.

Sani said, “I do not even know and do not understand how they broke into the whole arena of the military command. It shows clearly that our military are not using their intelligence. How could they have broken into the fortress of the military Command. Could it be that our intelligence community are not living up to expectation; though some people have been saying that our intelligence is not up to standard.

It is a failure of our military intelligence. I want to believe that the Federal Government took its recent decision to place ransom on the leaders of the insurgents, is to make Boko Haram to be very serious about the offer and to embrace dialogue. But, when people say the offer of ransom and dialogue are mutually exclusive, I refuse to agree.

I want to believe that the Federal Government did that so that they can make Boko Haram to be serious about their offer. I do not want to believe there is a confusion. But I would suggest that while we as a Forum, we want dialogue, but, at least we should be able to know the sources of who is making the offer”.

Source - Vanguard news

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