Nigeria, he said, is backward today because its workers do not put in their best in their various places of work, stressing the need for reorientation for the nation’s workers, as well as regular training and retraining of workers especially those manning the human resource department, in private or public sectors.

Ezea, made this known during a “Free Peak Performance Workshop” organised as part of its corporate social responsibility by an Enugu based human resource management consultancy firm, AMPG  Nigeria, in which over 50 personnel managers from the public and private sector organizations in Enugu state participated.

He further noted that as the driving force of any organization, managers of human resource units  in any outfit should  be adequately empowered to enable them attain peak performance level  “because effective human resource management is the key to high productivity in any organization”

While applauding AMPG management, for the initiative, Ezea, identified poor productivity among workers in the public sector as one of the factors militating against  the development of the  nation’s  economy.

A director, in charge of education department in the  organization, Mrs. Abigail Okoro,   during her presentation  explained that the free training exercise was informed by the alarming low and poor performance among the nation’s workers in various sectors.

Mrs. Okoro explained that the sole aim of the training workshop  with the theme:  “Maximizing Our Potentials in the Workplace”  was to help people to embrace peak performance in their various places of work, adding that the company was born with a view to contributing its quota towards the development of the nation’s economy.

Participants were drawn from Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Coca Cola PLC, various state ministries, parastatals, and departments among others.

President of the group, Capt. Balarabe Usman (rtd),gave the commendation in a statement made available to The Tide source in Lagos.

Usman noted that the country’s airports had suffered infrastructure decay in the last 15 years.

He said that the intervention of the federal government had suddenly turned the sector into a huge construction site, due to the ongoing airport remodelling projects.

“The airport remodelling project is the second most significant airport development project of the country so far.

“This is coming after the Aerodrome Development Programme of the mid-1970s that led to the creation of the then Nigerian Airports Authority, the precursor of FAAN.

“It was regrettable that rather than receive commendation for bringing about tangible improvements in the industry, the minister of aviation, was being castigated by some industry stakeholders, “ he said.

Usman called on the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, not to be distracted by the antics of detractors in the industry, but to continue with the transformational work.

He advised government to recruit fresh hands into the system to strengthen the aviation personnel.

Usman also urged government to create designated terminals for perishable and non- perishable cargo.

The NPA General Manager, Public Affairs, Capt. Iheanacho Ebubeogu made this known at a media interaction in Lagos.

“Traffic is getting higher; we can no longer continue to operate manually. We are trying to computerise everything.

“In the area of development in technology, the authority is stepping up its ICT capability with the establishment of integrated Port Community Information System (ISPCIS).

“It will also develop the Vessel Traffic Management Information Services (VTMIS),’’ Ebubeogu said.

He said that the organisation was advocating strong collaboration with other stakeholders to build an electronic “one-stop shop network”.

The general manager also said that the authority, in line with its monitoring and compliance function, would ensure that concessionaires improve on ICT compliance and modern equipment for cargo handling.

Ebubeogu said that the public had misinterpreted the role of NPA in the ports operations in respect of ports concession.

He said that it had become imperative to distinguish between the ports operations being handled by NPA and the one handled by the terminal operators.

Ebubeogu said that NPA would comply with the international and global best practises.

He said that NPA would only concern itself with the provision of safety, security, environmental protection and efficient services at competitive cost.

The President of Maritime Association of Nigeria (MARAN), Mr Bolaji Akinola, urged NPA management to support journalists in the discharge of their duties.

Kim also stressed the need to improve the lives of the most vulnerable people living in developing countries in this drive.

To reach that goal, Kim said the world would have to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line of 1.25 dollars per day to three per cent globally by 2030, and raise the per capita incomes of the bottom 40 per cent of every developing country.

The three per cent target marks a new goal for the World Bank, which did not provide directly comparable numbers for the current rate of extreme poverty.

The goal would help the World Bank prioritise development projects that have the biggest impact on the poorest and reduce inequality, Kim said.

“Now is the time to commit to ending extreme poverty,” he said in a speech before meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund on April 19 and 20 in Washington.

“We are at an auspicious moment in history, when the successes of past decades and an increasingly favourable economic outlook combine to give developing countries a chance – for the first time ever – to end extreme poverty within a generation,” he added.

The World Bank’s board will consider a new country strategy for India next week that is aimed at reducing poverty by an additional 300 million over the next several years.

An estimated 50 million people were lifted out of poverty in India over the past five years.

Economists have estimated the poverty rate for the developing world in 2012 at about 19 per cent, representing about 1.1 billion people. That is down from 21 per cent in 2010, or about 1.2 billion people.

The overall poverty rate has been falling by about one percentage point a year from 1981 to 2010, according to World Bank data.

The rise of countries like China, India and Brazil has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, according to the World Bank and the U.S.

However, most of the success in reducing poverty has been in China, while regions such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa still struggle with high poverty levels.

Fragile states, such as Afghanistan, are also still mired in poverty.

World leaders have called for an end to extreme poverty, including U.S. President, Barack Obama and Malawi’s new leader, Joyce Banda.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, said last month Brazil was close to eradicating extreme poverty through a flagship cash transfer programme for the poor that is being replicated in other countries.

The focus on poverty targets comes as a high-level panel is working on a new global development framework that looks beyond the 2015 UN Millennium Development Goals of halving global poverty and hunger.

Kim said economic growth was important but not enough to cut poverty and shrink the growing gap between rich and poor.

In Germany, Bayern Munich put one foot in the semi final stage with a 2-0 victory over Juventus.

It was a Zlatan Ibrahimovic led fight back that saw the French millenarians still having a chance to make progress in the competition. Prolific Lionel Messi had given the visitors a first half lead when in the 38th minute, he escaped his markers to angle a shot beyond PSG keeper.

The visitor held onto the lead until the 79th minute when Ibrahimovic, a former Barca man bundled a rebound past keeper Victor Valdes for the equalizer.

With Messi substituted due to injury at the beginning of the second half, Barcelona still dominated possession but struggled to create clear cut chances.

However, when Xavi Hernandez converted a penalty kick in the 89th minute to give the Catalans a 2-1 lead with the final whistle being awaited it looked like PSG would go to Camp Nou with a huge mountain to climb.

But Ibrahimovic, Matuidi and a wicked deflection combined to deny Barca victory and  give the Parisians a chance to fight for the ticket to the semi final stage when they visit Spain.

In Germany, it was fireworks all the way as Bayern Munich and Juventus did battle. In the end an Alaba long range shot and a Thomas Mueller goal ensured that the old lady of Turin left Germany empty handed with a massive disadvantage for the return leg.

The men were said to have been arrested at different locations across the state days after they carried out the robbery which threw the entire international airport into pandemonium.

Commissioner of Police Airports Police Command, Bayo Ajileye, who confirmed the development, said the arrests were made by policemen from the Lagos and the airports commands within Lagos command where they came from and returned to after the bloody robbery operation.

“Our men and officers have arrested six of the armed robbers who came to rob in the airport recently. The arrest was carried out in conjunction with men from the Lagos command. The men are already in the custody of the Lagos command and I think they would soon be paraded,” the Commissioner said

Ajileye, who assumed duty shortly before the robbery took place in the nation’s busiest airport, assured airport users across the country of the safety and security of their lives and properties within and outside the airports at all times.

He explained that the police had improved on surveillance, patrol and intelligence gathering in all airports across Nigeria.

He said that no Bureau de Change operator would be allowed to operate outside the areas designated for their operations in the airports.

He warned that anyone caught violating the regulations would be arrested and charged to court immediately while the money would be impounded.

“We are assuring all airports users and passengers that the security situation in all airports across the country has been improved on. We have improved on surveillance, patrol and intelligence gathering around the airports. We are insisting that no Bureau de change operator would be allowed to operate outside the areas designated for their operations anyone of them who violates the directive would be arrested and charged to court immediately while the money is impounded,” Ajileye assured.

The blast, which occurred early last Monday evening in an area near an outlet of popular fast food chain, Mr. Biggs’ threw the entire vicinity into panic with many running away to save their lives.

Our correspondent gathered that some customers on queue to withdraw money from an ATM machine in a bank located in the very busy commercial area as well as revelers at numerous open air gardens around the area abandoned their mission and ran away. In the atmosphere of confusion which followed the blast which was heard several metres away, panicky motorists furiously drove out of the vicinity while panicky passersby took to their heels.

The explosion which led to thick smoke shattered windows of buildings and shops in Karu Shopping Complex, Mr. Biggs’ as well as those of the other buildings nearby.

However, police took control of the situation at the scene later with the Divisional Police Officer, Karu Police Station, Mr. Dauda Buba, leading the team of policemen and later, the police anti-bomb squad coming to sweep the area.

Addressing a news conference in Abuja, yesterday, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the FCT, Femi Ogunbayode who confirmed that no life was lost, said the command has commenced investigations into how the explosives were stored at the site.

Mr Ogunbayode, however, assured residents of the city of their continued safety, saying the police are more than ready to discharge their primary duty of protecting lives and property.

The Police Public Relations Officer, FCT Command, Althine Daniel, also told journalists that the explosion was from a gas cylinder, adding that nobody sustained injury or died from the explosion.

The firm, in a statement  in Yenagoa, last Monday, attributed the frequent spills to oil theft by vandals and said that it had decided to shut down operations to prevent  further damages to the environment.

Eni, which operates in Nigeria as Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), said it authorised the suspension of operations on March 22 and subsequently declared ‘Force Majeure’ on its oil output from the facility on March 23.

“Eni confirms that during the  night between 21 and 22  March, the company has declared force majeure and ordered  the closure  of its onshore activities in the Swamp Area, located in Bayelsa State in Nigeria.

“The decision was made due to the intensified  bunkering , consisting in the sabotage of pipeline and the theft of crude oil, which has recently  reached unsustainable  levels regarding both personal safety and damage  to the environment. Sustainability is for Eni  a priority in Nigeria, as in all the countries in which it  operates, the statement said.

According to the statement, the firm produced about 40,000 barrels of crude oil equivalent daily from the shut facilities.

It expressed regret that about 7,000 barrels of its daily crude production was lost to oil thieves in Bayelsa, a development the firm described as unsustainable and compelled it to shut down.

Meanwhile, the boundary dispute between the Enugu-Otu Aguleri and their Ashonwo/Odeke neighbors in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State has escalated as about seven persons are said to have been killed and over 52 houses burnt, yesterday.

Since the commissioning of the Orient Petroleum Resources facilities in Aguleri-Otu late last year by President Goodluck Jonathan for exploitation of the oil wells in that area, the Ibaji people have been laying claim that the area belongs to them.

However, when contacted over the latest attack, the image maker of the Anambra State Police Command, Emeka Chukwuemeka said though the command is aware of the dispute between the communities, he however, was not aware of any casualty.

But a community leader in Enugu-Otu Aguleri, who gave his name as Anekwe Arinze, said the people of Ashonwo/Odeke invaded their community at about 1:30am yesterday while they were asleep and started shooting sporadically in their area and set some of their houses ablaze.

He said, “We were sleeping suddenly we started hearing gunshot everywhere and when some of us came out to know what was happening we saw our houses in fire. Our children and women who tried to escape were shot and many were wounded.

“We heard them saying the land belong to us, you cannot take it. That was when we knew it was Kogi people. Some of our men who summoned the courage to pursue them away could not get them because when they noticed our prompt response they ran away. Already, we have counted seven corpses.

“They kidnapped three of our men. But we cannot fold our hands while they kill them. They must release them to us hale and hearty”, he maintained.

Similarly, Governor Wada Idris of Kogi State has expressed concern over deteriorating security situation in oil bearing communities in border areas between Kogi and Anambra states.

Wada expressed the view in Lokoja yesterday while reacting to the alleged killing of four people and abduction of two others in attacks on Odeke and Echeno communities in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi by unidentified persons.

He said the situation in the border communities required urgent attention of the affected states and the Federal Government.

He said the situation must be brought under control immediately.

The two communities have been at loggerheads with communities in Anambra over the location of four oil wells now being refined by Orient Oil.

The governor appealed to leaders of the two communities who came to his office to protest the attacks to remain calm and promised to get in touch with his Anambra counterpart to find a lasting solution to the problem.

He also promised to ensure that the two men abducted by the attackers regained their freedom as soon as possible.

He directed the deputy governor to immediately take up the matter with the appropriate quarters.

Wada promised to ensure immediate supply of food, water and other basic items to the people displaced from their homes by the attackers.

He said all necessary support would be given to the police for the maintenance of law and order in the communities.

The Spokesman for the communities, Mr Daniel Omatola, told the governor that four of their people were killed in series of attacks recently launched by some persons suspected to be from Anambra.

He also said that two other persons from the communities were abducted by the attackers whom he said had also destroyed homes and farmlands, thereby displacing hundreds of people from their homes.

Omatola called for urgent intervention of the state government, saying that his people were finding it increasingly difficult to stand the unwarranted attacks and killings of their kinsmen.

A release signed by Amaechi’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, says the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ was a clear indication of the love of God for mankind, and urged Christians to always emulate Jesus Christ and imbibe the virtues of love and forgiveness.

“Let me call on Christians to always pray for the growth of Nigeria. We should also remember that it was out of love that Christ died and forgave us of our sins, so we should also learn to love and forgive one another. That’s a sure path to building a better nation,” Amaechi said.

In his message, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, urged Nigerians to embrace love and peace, as exemplified by Jesus Christ.

Jonathan gave the advice in his goodwill message delivered at a service to mark Easter at the Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos.

“We are here today because Christ was killed, buried and rose from the dead. We have hope that he will come again,” he said.

Jonathan said he decided to celebrate 2013 Easter with Lagosians, and to sincerely thank all Christians for their prayers.

“Through the various intercessory prayers, God has continued to stabilise the country. If not, it would have been worse,’’ Jonathan said.

He said that the country had challenges, “especially in these days of terrorism’’.

The president said the government was working hard to check terrorism, adding that such incidents should make Christians wonder the kind of social environment that existed during Jesus Christ’s time.

He said that as a mortal, he would do his best within the nation’s limited resources, to fix infrastructure such as railways and roads, as well as stabilise the power sector.

Also speaking, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), urged Christians to continue in the faith.

Gowon, who is the leader of ‘The Nigeria Prays’, told the President that, if he continued in the faith, things would be well with him.

“Trust in the Lord. He is all sustaining. He did, when l was ruling the country,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, yesterday urged President Goodluck Jonathan to rise above the challenges facing the country and deliver his electoral promises to Nigerians.

The prelate gave the charge at a media briefing where he condemned the level of insecurity, corruption and unemployment in the country.

Martins urged the president to address the contending issues of good governance and commit all available resources to address them.

“Nigerians are tired of mere promises, they want concrete action.

“They want to see in practical terms that this government is committed to fighting insecurity and restoring the country to its past glory.

“Events of the past few weeks, particularly the spate of insecurity in the land, leave much to be desired.

“A specific reference is the callous bombing of a South-bound luxury bus, in which several people were sent to their early grave. This is clearly inhuman, ungodly and unacceptable.

“I want to join other people of goodwill to condemn this dastardly act and to pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased, that they might find lasting peace in the bosom of our Lord,” he said.

Martins commended security operatives for the discovery of lethal bomb-making materials and ammunition in Lagos, and urged Nigerians to be vigilant and to pay attention to events and activities around them.

He also advised landlords to pay attention to those they hired out their properties to.

“I believe this is a way by which we can, as citizens, help to secure ourselves and our environment,” he said.

In the same vein, the Northern States Governors Forum has urged Christians to imbibe the ideals of perseverance, sacrifice and commitment to the will of God which characterised the Lenten season.

The Chairman of the forum and Niger Governor, Dr Babangida Aliyu, yesterday congratulated Christians and all Nigerians, who are alive to witness this year’s Easter.

“We are alive today only by God’s grace and favour and not that we are in any way special before the Almighty,’’ he said.

In a statement signed by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, the forum urged Nigerians to continue to render selfless service to humanity.

He said that this underscored the essence of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The forum urged citizens to use the opportunity of the Easter celebrations to pray for the quick resolution of the security challenges confronting the nation.

It urged Nigerians to pray and work for peace, stability and progress of Nigeria, while supporting the actualisation of the nation’s transformation agenda.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has prayed for peace in the world during his first Easter Sunday message, delivered from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

Addressing an audience of about 250,000 people from around the globe, the pontiff specifically prayed for reconciliation in places of conflict including the Korean peninsula, Mali, the Middle East, and Nigeria, saying that hostage-taking, senseless killings, and bombing by Boko Haram Islamic sect were unnecessary.

“Yes, Christ is our peace and through him we implore peace for the world. Peace for the Middle East, and particularly between Israelis and Palestinians, who struggle to find the road of agreement, that they may willingly and courageously resume negotiations to end a conflict that has lasted all too long. Peace in Iraq, that every act of violence may end, and above all for dear Syria, for its people torn by conflict and for the many refugees.”

After the Easter Mass, the Pope was driven around the square in an open vehicle. He kissed babies and handicapped children along the way and waved to the cheering crowds.

Christians around the world celebrated Easter yesterday. It is the holiest day of the liturgical year that marks the resurrection of their savior Jesus.

United States President Barack Obama and his family attended an Easter service yesterday morning at an Episcopal church near the White House.

In his weekly address Saturday, he said Easter provides an opportunity “to rededicate ourselves to interests larger than our own.”

Many Christians traveled to the Holy Land to visit places where Jesus preached and was crucified.

In Syria, Christians observed Easter in a somber mood, many of them attending mass in areas devastated by conflict.

Iraqi Christians attended churches amid tight security.

In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino said that just as Jesus rose from the dead, hope has been resurrected among Filipinos against the forces of graft and corruption.

In Australia, on Melville Island in the Tiwi Islands group, worshippers observed Easter with a unique blend of indigenous culture and Catholic influences.

Not all Easter celebrations are strictly religious. Hundreds of New Yorkers participated in the annual Easter Parade that features the city’s residents clothed in their best finery topped with elaborate hats.

Last week, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu said Nigeria loses $12 billion to crude oil theft annually, a figure which when converted at as low a rate as N150 to a dollar, amounts to a whooping N1.8 trillion, although, Chief of Training and Operations, Defence Headquarters, Maj-Gen Lawrence Ngubane, said last week that the Joint Task Force (JTF) has been able to reduce crude oil theft from 60,000 barrels Per Day (BPD) to 23,0000bpd.

In a country where dependable statistical data management still remains a mirage, these figures can hardly be relied upon, but they nonetheless, help tell the sad story of how a national malady which years ago was a privileged trade for an influential few has become an all-comers occupation. Sadly, it now includes uniformed personnel depended upon to check the illicit trade.

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba attested to it recently when he accused some of his men assigned to crucial sea borders of being compromised, only to aid illegal oil-theft, with the warning that anyone caught would be dealt with decisively. That would not be the first time such high ranking security chief would be sounding such warning, yet the situation remains the same.

Last week Friday, at about 5pm, Okrika bound sea passengers were shocked to their marrows to find two outboard engine boats, coated in black substance suspected to be used for oil theft, carrying armed personnel wearing Nigerian Military camouflage, openly sharing money mid-sea off the shores of the Abuloma Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

That was barely a day after Maj-Gen. Ngubane had warned men of the JTF in Bille, Degema Local Government Area of the state against aiding and abating oil theft, commonly called illegal bunkering.

But what is bunkering? When is it illegal? Or Legal.

The word bunkering is derived from the word ‘bunker’. According to the Collins’ Web Dictionary, ‘A bunker is a place, usually underground, that has been built with strong walls to protect it against heavy gunfire and bombing”. But the closest in meaning is a second definition which states, ‘A bunker is a container for Coal or other fuel’.

Understandably, the act of conveying products contained in such containers to a marine vessel, mid-sea is what is now re-coined as bunkering.

Bunkering, by itself was not always an illegal business, as some companies are licensed to own tank farms through which products are loaded and conveyed to large sea vessels that cannot berth in shallow rivers. Even at the Okrika Jetty, a ship as mighty as Baco-liner would have problem berthing and would have to anchor at the high seas for product purchase and loading. Bunkering is thus a major bridge.

Today, some of the same foreign vessels, owned by citizens from countries that near frequently tag Nigeria, as the most corrupt in the world, prefer to buy crude oil from illegal sources, sometimes in exchange for fire arms, at other times for peanuts. Even when it is officially loaded by say NNPC at a given jetty, officials assigned still under-quote their sales and share proceeds between Nigeria and their own pockets.

Unfortunately, such official crooks are not alone. This is why only very trusted staff are assigned roles at pump sites, as usually obtained at Police check-points, Immigration border posts and Naval Sea Control areas.

Understandably, just as some insects become more resistant, the more pesticides are used, oil theft has become a vicious cycle not limited to those who burst oil pipelines, or oil company officials who open pipe valves for thieves or uniformed men detailed to prevent the illicit trade but who end up joining the party.

Otherwise, how can a foreign ship illegally find her way into Nigeria’s sea borders, and for days, load stolen Nigerian crude, for peanuts and leave as easily as she came without the knowledge of the Nigerian Naval personnel detailed to be on guide duty?

What then is oil theft in general terms? The following categorisations may appear legitimate to many, but illegal refinery owners, today known as ‘Kpo-fire, are petty thieves, the others are armed robbers, So, when is oil said to have been stolen?

When oil blocks are shared among a cabal without recourse to the values of equity, fairness and justice. When as much as 83 per cent of oil blocks are owned by a few from the non-oil producing Northern part of Nigeria while, the rest of the forced amalgamation have barely 17 percent.

When a protest against such injustice, in course of debate on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the Senate, the Upper Chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly, died as easily as it was raised because, on account of uneven numbers, illegal beneficiaries still remain judges in their own case, or in protection of their kith and kin.

Oil is said to have been stolen when oil bearing communities are denied any reward for the oil prospection and production activities in their land even if they suffer all manner of environmental degradation and denial of their traditional occupations of fishing and farming.

Oil is said to have been stolen when non-oil producing states determine what percentage must go to the oil producing states by way of derivation. When a paltry 13 percent of that is still made an issue by those who contribute little or nothing to the general pool.

Oil is said to have been stolen, when mining of countless minerals is condoned by those who should bring proceeds to the table for general use, and instead look the other way either for fear of the influential few behind the business or just to be seen to be fair to them, while all set their sights on crude oil from the Niger Delta.

Oil is said to have been stolen when the East-West road, the key gate-way that links the South-South geo-political zone to the rest of the nation, is left in a bad state for years at high risk to vehicular movement, even when Nigeria’s capital city with its mega roads was built from proceeds from the same oil from the Niger Delta.

Oil is said to have been stolen when the oil bearing states are denied control of their God-given resources, while in the days of the great groundnut pyramids, the opposite was true. It is even a bigger example of armed robbery when such beneficiaries, turn-around to say, one form is agriculture and the other, natural-gift to the entire nation.

But perhaps the biggest example of oil thieves are the NNPC and other multi-national oil firms who not only determine their own jumbo salaries, engage carpenters and brick-layers as expatriates and also under- report their daily production to a very gullible Nigerian State. Even worse is the huge surveillance contracts they award annually, ostensibly to check oil theft only to cry-wolf daily of the same problem and what Nigeria loses to that illicit trade.

Unfortunately, all these facts are known to most uniformed men regularly posted to high flash-points to prevent oil theft and so cannot live like non-Romans in Rome.

Such is the vicious cycle the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to halt. And Nigerians expect government to do just that, afterall, it was part of the problems Jonathan elected to solve when he put self forward to become President.

My Agony is that those daily being arrested, and paraded as oil thieves, are the ordinary petty thieves of the illicit trade while those of the armed robber grade still determine whose right it was, is, and ever shall be, to steal the crude oil from the Niger Delta.

Isn’t there a way to directly involve the oil bearing Communities and States in the protection of oil facilities rather than letting NNPC and multi-national oil firms award surveillance contracts to themselves, using cronies who themselves become the legal thieves?

Or must we continue to do the familiar: recycle of security operatives to secure oil production sites for each to have a bite of the pie?

In a country where, a 17-year old teenager spends eight months in jail for wandering while a multi-millionaire drug baron bags 10 years in jail but serves his prison term in the comfort of his home, it will require more than cries of huge losses and repeated warnings to security personnel to check oil theft. The cleansing must start with the top.

This is because, there are so many things flawless oratory in high places can cover-up, corruption, like pregnancy is not one of them. It requires the top-down approach not the bottom-up, this time.

President Jonathan And Diezani Alison

In a statement in Yenagoa, last Saturday, Media Coordinator of Operation Pulo Shield, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the vessel was arrested during its anti-oil theft and pipeline vandalism operations.

Nwachukwu said that the operation took place between March 19 and March 29.

He said that the arrested vessel, MV Buyus with fake clearance documents, was secured at the Nigerian Navy Dock Yard in Brass Local Government of Bayelsa.

The suspects, according to the statement have been handed over to the appropriate prosecuting agencies for further investigation and subsequent prosecution.

It added that a fishing trawler christened Bolajoko with five crew members on board was also impounded by troops of the JTF at the NPA Jetty, Bonny in Rivers.

It said that the fishing trawler was impounded, while trans-loading suspected stolen crude into large plastic tanks and drums with the aid of water pumping machines.

The statement said that the suspects were currently undergoing preliminary investigations at the JTF Sector 2 Headquarters in Port Harcourt.

“Arrested alongside the vessel were 55 assorted boats conveying stolen petroleum product, along Otumara and Araton general area of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta.

“During the operation, five camps, where stolen crude oil was being refined illegally, were discovered and destroyed in Akassa, Sangana, Igbematoru and Ogbia creeks of Bayelsa.

“Also, 59 assorted open boats, 451 drums, 12 illegal oil refinery camps, 88 plastic tanks, six outboard engines and 18 pumping machines were seized.

“They were seized along Elume in Warri North, Escravos , Saghara Creeks in Warri South and Benneth Island in Delta,” Nwachukwu said.

He said that the land patrol squads of the JTF had also intercepted four tanker trucks conveying suspected stolen petroleum products along Enugu–Port Harcourt Express Road.

The drivers and tanker trucks were arrested when they failed to produce documents certifying them for lifting of the product.

They have been handed over to the Imo Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for prosecution.

The JTF, however, urged oil firms operating in the Niger Delta region to collaborate and evacuate the reservoirs used by the oil thieves to deter the oil thieves from returning to the illicit trade.

“This call was necessitated, following the finding that most of the illegal oil refinery camps discovered during the operation had earlier been scuttled by JTF troops.

“But were later resuscitated as the reservoirs were not evacuated from the crime scene,” it said.

Our correspondent  recalls that Shell Petroleum Development Company had threatened to shut its Nembe Trunk line because of rising incidents of oil theft through its pipeline network in Bayelsa.

The Managing Director of SPDC, Mr Mutiu Sumonu, on March 4, urged the JTF to step up its activities to reduce oil theft, currently standing at about 60,000 barrels daily.

Meanwhile, The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), says the country loses $6 billion annually to crude oil theft.

PENGASSAN’s President, Mr Babatunde Ogun,  made this known at a joint forum with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Lagos yesterday.

He said that Nigeria also lost N105 billion to theft of refined products.

“This is a threat to our national security and our democracy. If this kind of huge amount of money gets into the wrong hands, it can destabilise our democracy and national security,’’ Ogun said.

He blamed the incessant loss of billions of money on vandalism of crude oil and petroleum products’ pipeline.

He express regrets that security forces had been unable to arrest the unwholesome practise which led to fire disaster in Arepo and Ogun and the subsequent shut down of Nembe Creek Trunk line by Shell.

“An estimated 60,000 barrels per day of crude oil is stolen at Nembe Creek. Agip also suspended production in Bayelsa because 60 per cent of its production of about 90,000 barrels is stolen per day.’’

He said it was sad that no one had ever been caught or prosecuted even when the miscellaneous offence Act provides for life imprisonment for anyone who stole crude oil, petroleum product or vandalised pipelines.

He advised government to beef-up security and warned that the oil and gas sector would suspend production of crude oil and supply of petroleum products if nothing was done.

Ogun called on government to deal with the insecurity problem in view of the resurgence of kidnapping and continuous bombings.

The president urged governors and local government chairmen to channel their security votes to step-up intelligence gathering and surveillance to nip crime in the bud at the planning stage

Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi (left),with members of University of Port Harcourt Alumni Association, during the inspection of project sites in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The JTF spokesman, Cpt. Ikedechi Iweha, told newsmen that the JTF was attacked during a search operation to fish out suspected terrorists in the area, adding that some gunmen opened fire on sighting the JTF personnel.

Iweha said “14 of the suspected terrorists were shot dead and a number of arms and ammunition were recovered during an exchange of fire between the gunmen and the JTF.

“However, one member of the JTF was killed and another wounded in the process.’’

The JTF spokesman added that the JTF recovered 14 AK47, one pump action rifle, large quantity of Improvised Explosive Devices and a Golf car at the scene.

He, however, did not give details of people arrested at the scene.

He said two buildings suspected to be the hideout of the terrorists were also destroyed in the area by the JTF.

Our correspondent  reports that the operation near the ever-busy Zaria-Kano expressway started in the early hours of Sunday and lasted for more than three hours.

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), with former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) (2nd left) and other dignitaries, at the Easter Church Service at Our Saviour's Anglican Church, Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, yesterday.

The Harambee Stars of Kenya were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Super Eagles in Calabar at the weekend and the Kenyans said they were robbed of victory by the amount of added time played by the referee.

But Maigari has said that the Kenyans would see the true Super Eagles when both teams clash again. He said that the Eagles were desperate to be at the 2014 World Cup and will go all out to redeem themselves in Nairobi.

According to him, the Super Eagles may have been weighed down by the celebrations of becoming African Champions in South Africa few weeks ago.

Besides, Kenya came to Calabar to frustrate Eagles with defensive game and would be under pressure to score when they host Nigeria.

One of Super Eagles coaches, Sylvanus Okpalla MON, on his part believed that the Eagles were over confident and apparently understated the  Kenyans.

He  however, said that the bottom line for the  Eagles is to be in Brazil in 2014 and must ensure that they pick up the necessary points to ensure their qualification.

Meanwhile, Vice President of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Chief Mike Umeh, said yesterday that Super Eagles had chances of qualifying for the World Cup in spite of the home draw with Kenya.

Umeh told newsmen in Calabar that Nigeria was still topping its group and had chances of winning more matches.

He said the Eagles did not raise their game against Kenya and that made them to pay dearly for equalising in the last minute of the encounter.

Umeh urged the Eagles to be focused in the return match as they could win the match

‘’ It is okay. Football is not mathematics. When we go to Kenya too, they will be playing under pressure and we will take up the game.

‘’ There is no hell, I mean, it is eleven to eleven man’s game , so promising hell on earth , that is, we should write that one off, Nigeria is too matured for that kind of threat.

‘’ Well, we are still topping the table. We have five points now and we are still topping the table.

‘’ The implication is that we are still on top. All hopes are not lost. ’’

Umeh said he was optimistic that the Eagles would turn the table against the Kenyans in Nairobi despite the home draw.

He said the Kenyans would be playing under pressure at home and would be forced to open up, a situation, he said, would make the Eagles to also attack them.

The NFA vice president urged the Eagles to adopt same attitude and pattern they used during the nations cup for their remaining matches.

‘’ I believe that with the right attitude, we will win some matches. ’’

They made public their stand during a solidarity visit to the governor at Government House, Port Harcourt. They were led by Chairman of Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and Ogoni Traditional Rulers Council, King Godwin Giniwa.

Chief Giniwa who made the introductory speech before handing over to Justice Peter Akere (rtd) who read the address of the group said the visit was to pledge support to the governor and thank him for all he had done for the Ogoni people, and his outstanding achievements after his second term elections.

Justice Akere had in the address commended the governor for the appointment of Ogoni sons and daughters into sensitive government positions, noting that so far, the governor had not sidelined them in governance.

Against this backdrop coupled with the numerous projects sited in Ogoni land, Justice Akere declared, “we have therefore come to re-iterate that the Ogoni Ethnic Nationalities have resolved to support and stand by Your Excellency in your pursuit to bring development to Rivers State and Ogoni and resist all attempts to short-change the people of Rivers State and Ogoni.’’

According to the Ogoni spokesman, the mandate given to Governor Amaechi in 2011 elections is “ uncontestable, incontrovertible and irrevocable’’ adding that, “ it is for this reason that Ogoni Ethnic Nationalities are awakened by current developments in the polity of this nation to challenge the efficacy and sustainability of the mandate of people of Rivers State and resist all attempts to short-change the people of Rivers State and Ogoni.’’

The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Chris Olakpe, who confirmed the killing in Jos yesterday, told newsmen that a policeman was affected in the incident that took place in Ganawuri District of Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

Olakpe identified the police officer, who lost his life in the attack as Corporal Manuru Jibril. He stated that no arrest has been made o the incident but added that investigations were on to tracking the perpetrators.

The attack came barely one week after about 10 persons lost their lives in a similar attack in Mavo village in Wase Local Government Areas o f the state.

It would be recalled that the state capital, Jos, was plunged in a pool of blood on March 7, 2010, when members of local Muslim and Christian communities clashed in revenge for previous killings.

The state has recently witnessed some bomb blasts and constant rifts between Berom and Fulani herdsmen, with many especially, women and children, murdered in clod blood.

Atuche was charged before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High Court on nine count charges of forgery.

He was arraigned alongside two employees of the Central Shared Services Centre of Keystone Bank Ltd., Joachim Nnosiri and Uguru Onyike.

EFCC counsel, Mr Ben Ubi alleged that the accused had on March 4, in Lagos, forged board resolutions, purportedly emanating from Futureview Securities Ltd.,Tradjeck Ltd. and Extra Oil Ltd.

Ubi said the board resolutions were said to have been duly signed by the Managing Director of the three companies, Mrs Elizabeth Ebi and addressed to Keystone Bank.

He said the forged board resolutions, was the request of a N10.9 billion credit facility from the bank.

According to him, Nnosiri and Onyike, acting on behalf of Atuche, had attempted to smuggle the board resolutions into Keystone Bank headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ubi said the documents were allegedly forged by the accused persons to weaken EFCC’s case against Atuche in another criminal matter that alleged he granted hoax loans to the companies.

He said the offence contravened Sections 361 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

The accused all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the accused, Chief Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Clement Onwuenwunor and Bamidele Adewunmi, urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

Ubi told the court that he was served the bail applications in court and needed time to respond.

The judge, therefore, directed the accused to go home and come back for arguments on their bail applications.

He, then, fixed today, for hearing of Atuche’s application for bail while those of the other two accused would be heard on March 28.

Our correspondent  recalls that Atuche is standing trial in two other cases before the Ikeja High Court.

He is being prosecuted alongside his wife, Elizabeth Atuche and a former Chief Financial Officer of Bank PHB, Ugo Anyanwu, before Justice Lateefat Okunnu.

The EFCC alleged that Atuche and his co-accused had allegedly stolen N25.7 billion, belonging to the bank, through the granting of hoax loans, including the N10.9 billion transaction.

The former bank chief is also being tried before Onigbanjo for allegedly conspiring with two former directors, Funmi Ademosun and Lekan Kasali, to steal N4.2 billion and N7.2 billion from the bank.

Ambassadors of the three European countries to Nigeria made this known when they paid a courtesy visit to Governor Chibuike Amaechi last Tuesday in Government, Port Harcourt.

They expressed their desire to commence cooperation in the three sectors, which they believe, would boost multinational relations between Nigeria and their respective countries.

Finnish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Riita Korpivaara remarked that education held huge potentials through which her country could provide support, “ we plan to visit the University of Port Harcourt to discuss education development in Rivers State and how our countries could partner with the state in the field of education, which is an area that is dear to me and to my country, Finnish”, she said.

On trade and commence, Mrs Korpivaara said more areas had to be exploited considering the fact that some of her country’s companies had established in Rivers State. “We are interested, especially in offshore business, energy and education which I already mentioned and I’am very glad that we have this opportunity now to come and see with our own eyes’, she said.

The Finnish envoy also indicated that the delegation while in the state would meet with Shell and visit the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, non-governmental organisations to discuss environmental protection matters.

On his part, Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Rolf Ree lauded Amaechi’s administration for utilising state resources to develop education, adding that as the centre of oil industry in Nigeria, he was impressed, ‘to see how Port Harcourt is developing and using the resources of the oil industry to expand”.

Besides that, he noted that his country had benefited hugely from oil exploration in the country hence it would like to meet with representatives of environmental rights groups to explore areas of understanding.

In the same vein, Austrian Ambassador, Mr Joachim Oppinger expressed his country’s willingness to commence bilateral relations with Rivers State to develop the education sector.

Said Oppinger, “I see there is great investment in education going on, we just spoke about that in Rivers State and I think at the end of the day even a country which has such potentials in raw material, the real raw material in any country is the brain and I see that there is a stronger investment in the brain here”.

In his response, Governor Amaechi thanked the ambassadors for their visit, and assured that the Rivers State Government would partner with them in the area of education.

The governor observed that security has greatly improved which is responsible for the relocation of many oil companies headquarters back to the state, while blaming insecurity to poverty.

Amaechi said the state government is working hard in creating a social environment that caters for the wellbeing of everybody, and that agriculture provides a ready tool to check the menace of unemployment.

He used the visit to make appeal for more opportunities for Rivers State indigenes sent on scholarship in European countries.

‘I have already briefed you that we send about 300 children every year to United Kingdom and Canada and that we have tried to exploit the free opportunity in Germany, that we were able to send only 15, then we tried to exploit the one in Brazil when the Ambassador spoke to us, out of the 50 chances, they gave us, we were able to send only six.

Abubakar also extended the directive to all zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs).

The directive is contained in a statement issued by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, yesterday, CSP Frank Mba in Abuja.

“Police Officers nationwide have been directed to commence a massive operation aimed at enforcing all existing laws bordering on tinted glasses and the use of unregistered/unlicensed vehicles,’’ it said.

The statement quoted the IG as describing as alarming and unlawful the use of such vehicle by some motorists across the country.

It also noted with “grave’’ concern the use of unregistered/unlicensed vehicles by some motorists on the highways in spite of repeated warnings from police authority.

“This unbecoming attitude has the capacity not only to heighten criminal activities, but to place unnecessary pressure on security agencies and law abiding citizens,’’ it said.

The statement noted that their indiscriminate use posed danger as security reports indicated that “criminal elements including suspected terrorists’’ hide inside them to execute their nefarious activities.

“The IG wishes to remind Nigerians from all walks of life, including politicians, military and security personnel that the ban on unlawful and indiscriminate use of tinted glasses and legislation forbidding the plying of unregistered vehicles are still in force.

“He wishes to clearly state that the Nigeria Police will no longer tolerate few misguided Nigerians who abuse the use of tinted glasses and unregistered/unlicensed vehicles, it said.

The statement said that the habit complicated the challenge of effectively policing the country and endangered the lives and property of law abiding citizens.

“Similarly, owners of unregistered/unlicensed vehicles are advised to immediately register them and obtain appropriate licences or withdraw them forthwith from public roads.

The Tide learnt that problem started in the area when some indigenes of B-Dere accused their neighbours K-Dere of whisking one of the community leaders and reportedly killing him.

But barely 24hours after the allegation by B-Dere, their neighbours (K-Dere community) accused B-Dere of kidnapping and killing their kinsman culminating into crisis.

The two neighbouring communities have been enemies for ages

The last communal crisis involving the two communities was in 2011 when one person was killed and several houses burnt and destroyed

The crisis last Tuesday recorded casualties on both sides, even as armed security operatives were drafted to   quell the situation.

Confirming the incident, Chairman of Gokana Local Government Area, Mr. Demua Ledee Demua, explained that there were indications that the two communities may have lost one member each to the clash.

Demua stated   that a bag belonging to one of the victims was found by the police, adding that the security outfit was still investigating the matter.

When The Tide visited the area on Wednesday, the two communities were deserted as anti-riot police operatives took over the area.

It was also learnt that properties were also destroyed in the two communities.

According to the chairman, “there are signs that two persons had been killed, but nobody has brought out their bodies.

The two communities have been involved in communal clashes for some time now,” the Gokana council boss said.

Spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, who confirmed the incident to The Tide on telephone said the situation had been brought under control, but said there was no evidence to prove that two people died.

He said, “The claims that two persons died during the clash between the two communities are mere conjectures, because there is no evidence to that effect. But as I speak with you the Police have brought the situation under control.”

The confirmation, which was contained in a statement issued by the BPE, came ahead of yesterday’s deadline for preferred bidders for the successor companies to make the mandatory 25 per cent payment of the offer value of their bids.

The statement reads, “The BPE, on March 21, 2013, received $31million from 4 Power Consortium; being the mandatory 25 per cent of the bid value for Port-Harcourt Distribution Company; $31.5 million from Interstate Electrics Limited; being the mandatory 25 per cent of the bid value for Enugu Distribution Company; and $27,913,633.50 from North-South Power Company; being the mandatory 25 per cent of the bid value for Shiroro Power Plc.

“Earlier, Vigeo Consortium, the preferred bidder for Benin Distribution Company, had paid USD $32.25million; Transcorp/Woodrock Consortium, the preferred bidder for Ughelli Power Plc, paid $75 million; CMEC/EUAFRIC Energy JV, the preferred bidder for Sapele Power Plc, paid $50,249,965; Kann Consortium, the preferred bidder for Abuja Distribution Company, paid $41 million; Aura Energy, the preferred bidder for Jos Distribution Company, paid $20,464,968.15; Mainstream Energy Ltd, the preferred bidder for Kainji Power Plc, paid $59,467,500; and Sahelian Power SPV, the preferred bidder for Kano Distribution Company, paid $34.25million.

“Other bidders are: Amperion Power Company Limited, the preferred bidder for Geregu Power Plc, which paid USD$33 million; Integrated Energy Distribution & Marketing Company, the preferred bidder for Ibadan and Yola Distribution Companies, which paid USD$42.25 million and USD$14.75 million for Ibadan and Yola Discos respectively; NEDC/KEPCO, the preferred bidder for Ikeja Distribution Company, which paid USD$ 32.75 million; and West Power & Gas, the preferred bidder for Eko Distribution Company, which paid USD$33.75 million.”

Recall that the final approval of the preferred bidders by the National Council on Privatisation, NCP, and its announcement for the successor companies was done on October 23, 2012.

The Nigerian electricity industry has been unbundled into generation and distribution companies and a single transmission company with a view to encouraging private sector participation and attracting foreign and local investment into the Nigerian power sector to ensure economic and reliable electricity supply.

Benedict officially steps down at 8 p.m. end of his papacy will be marked by the closure of the gates of the palace of Castel Gandolfo, the papal residence on the outskirts of Rome where he is to relocate over the coming weeks.

He told cardinals that he would pray for the Holy Spirit to assist them in the choice of a new pope, to whom “I promise my unconditional reverence and obedience.’’

Elected on April 19, 2005, Benedict is the first pontiff to resign in almost 600 years. His decision had raised questions about how the Catholic Church will deal with the unprecedented situation of having a former pope alive alongside his successor.

Cardinals will hold preliminary meetings on Monday, with a view to set a date for the conclave, the closed-door assembly held in the Sistine Chapel tasked with electing a successor.

The aim is to have a new pope by Easter, which falls on March 31 this year.

During his papacy, Benedict had to deal with the alleged cover-up of child sex abuse by priests and the VatiLeaks affair – the publication of confidential papal papers which shed light on suspected cronyism, corruption, power struggles and scheming inside the Vatican.

He insists his decision to leave the papacy was dictated by his diminishing strength from old age and had nothing to do with Vatican scandals.

Echoing remarks made about the ups and downs of his papacy during his last public audience, Benedict told the cardinals that he had gone through “wonderful moments of shining light as well as moments in which some clouds gathered in the sky’’.

He did not refer to the alleged Vatican intrigues, but he said that for all its diversity, “the College of Cardinals should be like an orchestra following a superior and concordant harmony.’’

Benedict also struck an optimistic note about the future of the Catholic Church, describing it as “a living being animated by the Holy Spirit,’’ as he recalled the large crowds that had turned up to hear him in St Peter’s Square last Wednesday.

During yesterday’s farewell ceremony, the 85-year-old pontiff made a brief speech and then stood up for over half an hour while cardinals took turns to pay their respects.

Appearing frail but alert, he stopped the process briefly to drink a glass of water.

United States Cardinal Roger Mahony was among those who greeted the pope, in spite of an online petition that had urged him to stay away from Rome due to his past attempts to shield priests who sexually abused children. Because of this, he has already been stripped of all public duties.

“Holy Father, with deep love we always tried to accompany you along your path,’’ Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals said.

Obada said this in an interview with the newsmen on the sideline of the on-going 42nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Yamoussoukro.

President Goodluck Jonathan arrived in Yamoussoukro last Wednesday morning to join other ECOWAS leaders for the meeting.

Obada, who was on the President’s entourage, said that she was pleased that the Nigerian government had successfully deployed the troops promised to AFISMA.

Nigeria’s participation in the peace keeping operation in Mali was part of the ECOWAS African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA).

“I am very happy to let you know that Nigeria has completed deployment.

“Even s we speak today, the last batch of 138 men have gone to Mali and we have only 20 left who are protecting and guiding equipment on ground; and of course today, our Chally (Military Airplane) that is our C130 has already landed today in Bamako with the equipment of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“I also want to let you know that even the British Government has been very kind. They have provided us with transportation to also move our equipment to Mali. I think the aircraft will be on ground by 5 oc’clock in Mali.

“So, our Air Force troops are fully deployed, 300 of them, they were deployed to Niamey.

“So, you can see that we have fulfilled our international obligation to assist in the recovery of the sovereignty of Mali.’’

Our correspondent recalls that the Senate in January approved Jonathan’s request to increase the number of troops for the military expedition in Mali from 776 to 1,200.

The 1,200 contingent for the operation in Mali were drawn from the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Army.

Speaking in a separate interview, the Nigerian Ambassador to Mali, Alhaji Iliya Nuhu, said the Nigerian troops were already on ground and putting their logistic in order.

Nuhu said that the troops were at the moment consolidating before their deployment to the various areas of operations.

Speaking on the reported human right abuses in the war prone areas in Mali, Nuhu said that the ECOWAS and the UN were dispatching global human rights observers to monitor the situation.

He said the observers would play important role in assessing the human rights situation and would profer measures to be taken to address the abuses.

Nuhu also said that that there was no report of any Nigerian casualty in Mali and that the embassy had taken measures to protect the Nigerian population in Mali.

The ambassador ruled out the possibility of evacuating Nigerians in Mali, adding that the situation of threat to civilian population had wane since the French troop moved into Mali.

Governor Amaechi spoke during a Town Hall meeting with the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of the state at the council headquarters in Omoku last Wednesday.

“The only responsibility in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the governor has is the responsibility he swears to on oath that ‘I will secure lives and property’. That is my responsibility to you. I promise you as I stand that I will continue to do that, to protect lives and property. We will continue to give all the necessary support to security agencies to restore law and order in ONELGA.”

“You know, there are two angles to this. One angle is me, I will give my necessary support but the police must also be ready to do their work. We believe that the new Police Commissioner is equipped like the former one to deal with the situation. But before you boo at your chairman, know that he does not have powers to arrest the situation, only the police can. In fact, it is the Federal Government’s responsibility to secure us but we as governors must work with our Commissioners of Police to ensure that you are secure but give us just one month to sit down and arrest the situation”, he said.

Amaechi said his administration had completed five primary healthcare centres in the local government with the sixth one under construction at Akabuka.

He listed the five model primary healthcare centres already in use to include the one in Ase Azagah, Omoku, Mgbede, Okwuzi and Ebocha.

The governor said, “You know, I promised to tell you the truth all the time. So here, out of six, five of them (primary healthcare centres) are completed and in use, so here we have done 90 per cent”.

He assured that his administration would complete ongoing road projects in the local government and reconstruct internal roads and drainages in the council headquarters, Omoku.

On education, Amaechi disclosed that funds had been disbursed to the State Ministry of Education to complete all model primary schools under construction in the local government.

“We assume that 60 per cent of the primary schools we started in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area are yet to be completed and what we have done, I can tell you is that we have released money to Commissioner for Education to start the completion of all primary schools we have not completed, so Omoku and all those areas will benefit”.

He listed the completed model primary schools in the local government to include Community Primary School, Ndoni, Community School, Obiede-Erema, State School, Obrikom, St. Stephens Primary School, Omoku, amongst others.

Amaechi reiterated that primary and secondary schools in the state were free and warned school heads not to collect any fees from students and pupils.

According to him, the state government had also awarded scholarships to 118 students from the local government to study in universities abroad.

He promised to build a model secondary school in the local government once the land was provided by the council and the people and spoke about plans to establish an agricultural investment in the area. He also urged the youths to be disciplined.

Earlier, Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Raymond Nwokocha in an address of welcome praised Governor Amaechi for the Town Hall meeting initiative and commended him for his developmental strides.

”Indeed, His Excellency’s vision of periodically fraternising with the people of Rivers State aimed at acquainting the people with the policies and programmes of government, as well as identifying their pressing needs is highly appreciated. This is because, holding wider consultation, identifying the plight of the people and responding swiftly to them are the hallmark of sound democratic practice.

“Your Excellency Sir, there is no gainsaying the fact that you have recorded an indelible mark on the sands of time in terms of your giant development strides in the state. These various projects, ranging from model secondary schools, model primary schools, model health centres and roads etc., are all located throughout the length and breadth of the state, while most of these projects have been delivered, some of them are at various stages of completion. In addition, a good number of scholarship awards have been given to our students both at the undergraduate and post graduate levels, within and outside Nigeria. Above all, your swift intervention in the various crises that threatened the corporate existence of our area averted an impending breakdown of law and order that was cleverly masterminded by some social miscreants”.

Alao, son of Ibadan-based business mogul, Alhaji Azeez Arisekola-Alao; Opeyemi Ajuyah and Olarenwaju Olalusi are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before Justice Lateefat Okunnu of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja.

The three oil marketers and their companies— Majope Investment Ltd. and Axenergy Ltd. were charged with N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

At the proceeding, EFCC counsel, Mr Francis Usani, called two officials of the agency to testify against the defendants.

The witnesses are: Head, Lagos Zonal Office, Mr Victor Chidok,  and Mrs Omolara King, a senior field officer of the PPPRA.

Chidok, in his testimony, confirmed that the set of 37 documents used by the defendants to obtain the subsidy payments from the Federal Government were verified by the PPPRA.

He said the documents were also verified by other agencies including the Department of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Navy and the customs before they were signed by the agency.

Also testifying, King said she was informed that the defendant’s vessel, MT Brig had berthed at Lister Jetty in Apapa on January 21, 2011.

The witness said she participated alongside other agencies in inspection of the vessel which was aimed at knowing the quantity and quality of the product brought in.

King said: “The haulage quantity was about 15,000 metric tonnes.

“The hoses were then connected to the vessel for discharge to the shore tank.

“After that I left because it is not humanly possible for me to be there throughout the duration of the discharge because it can take days”.

The witness said she did not participate in the dip to determine the quantity of the products discharged into the shore tank.

“For this particular transaction, we did not dip the tank but we signed the shore tank certificate on January 25, 2011.

“The shore tank certificate is very important because it determines the amount that will be paid to the marketer as subsidy”, she added.

Under cross-examination by Ajuyah’s counsel, Mr Oludare Falana, the senior field officer admitted that she did not know whether the 15,000 metric tonnes were all discharged.

King further admitted that the former head of Lagos zonal office of the agency, Mr Tope Ogundola, approved the transaction after checking the relevant documents.

The matter was adjourned till March 27 for continuation of trial.

The two clubs have been fighting over the ownership of the players, whose ratings blossomed with their participation in the just concluded South Africa 2013 CAF Nations Cup.

Disclosing the inauguration of the committee to journalists in Abuja, NFF President, Aminu Maigari said the decision to find out the true owners of the players became necessary because the federation would not sit down and allow the two clubs ruin the future of the two players.

He revealed that the committee, which is expected to commence work today, would work with officials of the NPL to examine the claims of the two clubs on the players.

“We believe the NPL is part of the whole case because it deals directly with the two clubs and the players as well. We expect them to tell us the true position. The committee will commence work tomorrow (today) because I just inaugurated them to start up the process,” he said.

Meanwhile, Maigari has reminded the board of the Nigeria Nationwide League of the task ahead of it as it begins its congress in Abuja to herald the kick of the 2012/2013 NNWL season.

While insisting that NNWL can put its house in order to produce more stars for the various clubs and national teams, the NFF president, however, reminded the board that the league would not succeed if it failed to attract sponsors for its programmes.

“This is just to draw your attention to the many challenges your league has. Of course, you are the greatest league that we have in Nigeria, considering the number of clubs that are involved in the Nationwide League. With over 300 clubs in Nigeria, your expectations will be high. So we want to challenge you to discover and produce stars for the use of the higher leagues in the country and beyond.

“We want to see you produce more Sunday Mbas, Oboabonas, Omeruos, Ogenyi Onazis and quite a number of them. We at the NFF will never relent in supporting you.

“Let me also urge you to touch a few areas, like money. Money does not come easily to football. It cannot come while you are folding our arms. You have to be up and doing, you must collaborate with the NFF to support you in driving the process of sponsorship.

“The respect, which Nigeria enjoys today in football worldwide is because we have the products of the Nationwide League that have matured into the bigger leagues in the country and other countries.

“ We have the opportunity to produce more stars from the Nationwide League and be proud to say these are the stars we have produced from the various leagues,” Maigari charged the board.

The Portuguese forward became the first player to score in six straight ‘Clasicos’ away from home when he picked himself up after being felled by Gerard Pique in the 13th minute and struck a powerful low penalty into the corner past Jose Manuel Pinto.

Barca dominated possession but rarely threatened and Ronaldo doubled the lead when he collected a rebound from a 57th-minute Angel Di Maria effort and stroked the ball into the net with Pinto stranded.

It was his 12th goal in 18 appearances against Barca since joining Real in 2009 and his second double in as many games at a stunned Nou Camp.

Real rubbed salt in the wounds of their arch-rivals when Raphael Varane, who netted the equalizer in the 1-1 draw in last month’s first leg at the Bernabeu, rose above the defense at a 68th-minute corner and sent a header arrowing into the net off the crossbar.

Jordi Alba pulled one back in the 89th minute but it was far too late for Barca who conceded three goals to Real at home for the first time since a 3-3 draw in March 2007.

They had not lost to the Madrid club by two goals at their giant arena in more than a decade.

“We are coming away with the feeling that we have done a very good job,” Real captain Sergio Ramos said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus after his side went through 4-2 on aggregate.

“You always suffer against Barcelona because they look for the spaces and they make things hard for you but we fought very well,” the Spain international added.

“I have always said that he [Ronaldo] is the best in the world and he always does the business in these games.”

Real’s thumping victory will give them a huge boost ahead of Saturday’s La Liga clash at home to Barca and Tuesday’s Champions League last 16 second leg at Manchester United.

Barca, 12 points clear of Atletico at the top of La Liga but facing Champions League elimination after losing 2-0 at AC Milan last week, need to pick themselves up for Saturday’s trip to the Bernabeu and the return leg at home to Milan on March 12.

Their World Player of the Year Lionel Messi went close in the first half with a low free kick but otherwise cut a forlorn figure and barely mustered a shot on goal.

Real are through to the Cup final for a record 38th time and have won 18 and lost 19 of their previous 37 appearances.

Atletico Madrid will seek to protect a 2-1 advantage from last month’s first leg when they play at Sevilla today.

Nigeria Football Federation President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari (middle), displaying a team he picked during the draws of the Nigeria Nation-wide League in Abuja, yesterday. With him are the Chairman of the League, Mr Ahmed Kawu (left) and Secretary, Mr Emmanuel Adesanya.

The sector two Command of the Joint Task Force, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, is located along the Otiotio Road.

Our correspondent gathered that scores of innocent people were wounded in the violent protest organised by the ex-militants to denounce allotment of slots in the third phase amnesty.

During the protest, which lasted about three hours, the ex-militants burnt 11 vehicles with windscreens of other smashed, while stores and shops within the vicinity were looted.

It was also gathered that during the protest, a hawker whose name was not immediately known, was seriously injured by the protesting ex-militants while traders along the road hurriedly closed their shops to avoid being attacked.

The incident, which started at about 10 am, caught most residents unawares, thereby  causing traffic gridlock on both sides of the road as drivers and commutters scampered for safety.

But, with the intervention of  operatives of the Joint Military Taskforce(JTF) ,Anti-Riot Policemen ,State Security Outfit,”Operation Doo Akpor “and Nigerian Security and  Civil Defence Corps to the tensed scene, the situation was brought under control.

When The Tide correspondent in Bayelsa State visited the scene of the incident, broken bottles, including the burnt and smashed vehicles were littered on the road.

Trouble was said to have started when the Inter-Agency Task Force headed by Air Vice Marshall Gbum currently on a verification exercise of ex-militants in the state, reportedly notified them that 15 guns submitted by a militant camp would be entitled to one amnesty slot training.

The ex-militants rejected the controversial slot allocated to them, describing it as meager and inhuman.

Spokesman of the Presidential Amnesty Office, Daniel Alabrah ,condemned the violent protest by the ex-militants, saying that the destruction of innocent people’s property was a misplaced anger.

Alabrah said that the Amnesty Office had no hand in the allocation of slots to the ex-militants, stressing that the Inter- Security Agency would only recommend number of slots to them after its verification exercise.

It was learnt that the taskforce was appointed by the Chief of Defence Staff  to determine arms submitted by the reformed militants.

The Head of the Inter- Agency  Security Taskforce could not be reached to comment on the issue as his mobile phone was switched off.

In a telephone interview, one of the ex-militant leaders, Tonye Bobo, rejected the proposed  15 guns to each slot, arguing that all the ex-militants that surrendered arms  to embrace amnesty should be given a slot in the amnesty programme.

He said, “the Federal Government should abide by the agreement reached between late President Umaru Yar’Adua and the ex-militant leaders.The proposed 15 guns to one slot is unacceptable to us.”

Another ex-militant leader ,General Ebi John, expressed reservations over the controversial slots proposed to the ex-militants ,as he threatened that more mayhem awaited the Federal Government.

“We cannot condone this shabby treatment from the Federal Government after  surrendering our arms and ammunition in order to embrace the amnesty programme,”John added.

Spokesman of JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu ,confirmed the incident, saying it had been brought under control, adding that the security outfit had no hand in the protest.

It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan last year approved  3,642 ex-militants for training under the third phase of the amnesty programme.

Students of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt expressing shock over the fire that gutted the female hostel of the university, yesterday.

Other principal officers convicted include the Deputy Leader, Hon Goodlive Whiegbe, the Chief Whip, Hon Onwudiwe Abraham and the Clerk of the House, Mr Aaron Ikechukwu Odum.

Ruling on the application of committal of the principal officers as part of the reliefs sought by the applicant through his counsel, Barrister A.B Ihua-Maduenyi, the trial judge, Justice Omereji George last Monday said the court found the councillors guilty for not showing respect to the order of the court which restrained them from impeaching the Vice Chairman of the council from office.

According to him, the act undermined the integrity and honour of the court and its processes, noting that continuing with the impeachment of the applicant after being fully aware of the existence of the suit which substantially challenged their actions was contemptuous.

Justice Omereji noted that the court had on the 27th of June, 2012 given an order restraining the respondents from impeaching the applicant following the determination of the matter before the court and rather than complying with the order, they proceeded to impeach the Vice Chairman, and ordered the withholding of his entitlements, allowances and remunerations.

The trial judge posited that the  councillors had contemptuously insulted the court by describing its processes as ‘ mere pieces of paper”, while declaring that the Assembly was superior to the court in any matter pending before the Assembly.

He warned that the court can not fold its hands and watch its processes being abused with impunity or its awful orders flouted, adding that the court was not only entitled in the circumstance but bound to commit  the respondents contemnors to prison in order to preserve its honour, integrity and dignity.

Justice Omereji, however, granted the accused persons bail to the tune of N2million each with two sureties in like sum. The sureties according to the order, must deposit two passports each and must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court, which must be verified by the police prosecutor.

He further ordered them to reinstate the Vice Chairman as well as ensure that all his salaries, allowances and emoluments were paid to him before the new adjournment date, adding that the opportunity of bail granted them was to know if they did the impeachment willingly or not.

He said that if they fail to reinstate the Vice Chairman, the court would formally pronounce their sentenced on the  next adjourned date.

The case was adjourned to April for proper sentencing.

Earlier in an interview, the counsel to the applicant, Barrister Ihua-Maduenyi said the ruling was in order, adding that justice had been done to the applicant.

Wife of Rivers State Governor, Dame Judith Amaechi (left), with wife of Chairman, Tai Local Government Area of the state, Mrs Diana Gberekanu, during the First Lady’s visit to Tai Local Government Area, last Friday

The petitioner alleged that those in management positions at the agency use their relatives and friends to get contracts and pay inflated sums of money, stressing that private accounts were used to pay monies realised from fines and administative charges.

“Mr Chinda equally accused the TIMARIV boss of squandering funds released by the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) meant for special operations.

“There was a special operation that started around July, 2011 . It was paid for by SSGs office but our Comptroller General was still using money from the authority to pay for the special operations, where is the money from the SSG office? How much has he collected?, the petitioner queried.

He also alleged that the leadership created a lot of annexes that did not have  any agreement paper with the authority, noting that any officer or area boy can arrange a yard where offenders’ cars could be taken to and money extorted from victims as fine and the demurrage shared.

The brother and sister to the Comptoller-General are contractors whose companies were allegedly used to siphon funds from the agency, the petitioner indicated. It added that Mr Sojiye who is the former head of procurement resigned and took away the authority’s official Kia car and other property since December 2012, alleging that no effort had been made to recover the items because he is Jaja’s lawyer and friend .

According to to him, “we were told that probation will be six months but today it is almost three years, and we have not been confirmed, our pension and taxes have been deducted from our salaries but have not been remitted since.

The petitioner urged the state Assembly to intervene and rescue the workers from bad management at TIMARIV and save the authriorty.

Speaker of the Assembly, Rt Hon Otelemaba Amachree directed the Public Complaints and Petitions Committee to investigate the issues raised in the petition and report back to the House within two weeks.

Coach Oyonomunude who made this remark in a telephone interview with Tidesport in Port Harcourt yesterday while reacting on the ban said that the decision of the international Olympic committee executive board to ban wrestling from the games was wrong.

He insisted that the news from the IOC is extremely disappointing and embarrassing to the coaching crew as well as the practitioners, pointing out that wrestling has been in every game since the history of the event.

The Rivers State wrestling coach also told Tidesports that the news of the ban had impacted negatively on the wrestlers in the state.

He however, disclosed that the body incharge of wrestling worldwide had taken necessary steps to register their displeasure over the IOC decision.

“We will be hopeful that IOC may give wrestling another chance to remain part of the games”, Oyonomunude expressed.

He urged wrestlers in the state to remain clam while the issue was being addressed, adding that it was  not individual or state fight but worldwide issue.

It would be recalled that international Olympic Committee Executive board recently announced the banning of wrestling from Olympics games after assessing the performance of all the 26 sports at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Isaac Nwankwo

Lampard’s goal in 2010 World Cup that was not awarded due to lack of goaline technology

Chief of Staff, Rivers State Government House, Chief Tony Okocha said this last Sunday in an interview in Omerelu, Ikwerre Local Government Area, shortly after the convention/empowerment of some members of the Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM) by member representing Ikwerre Consttuency in the state House of Assembly, Hon Azubuike Wanjoku, the local government Chairman, Hon Welendu Amadi, and Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Chief Ezemonye Ezekiel-Amadi.

Okocha said it would amount to greed if any Ikwerre indigene picked the governorship ticket to contest election in 2015, having produced the state governor since 2007.

The chief of staff, who doubles as Secretary-General of IYM, regretted that some Ikwerre politicians had been parading themselves as political leaders of Ikwerre ethnic nationality, accusing them of undermining the leadership of Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

He explained that the former chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Hon Emeka Woke, was removed as chaiman of IYM in Emohua for acts of insubordination and misconduct capable of undermining the objectives of the IYM.

President General of IYM and member representing Ikwerre Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Hon Azubuike Wanjoku, Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hon Ezemonye Ezekiel-Amadi and Hon Lucky Worluh, who spoke in separate interviews, ruled out the possibility of any Ikwerre indigene contesting the position of the governor of the state in 2015.

They argued that since an Ikwerre man would be completing his second term by 2015, it would be only natural for Ikwerre people to rally support for credible candidates from other Rivers ethnic nationalities to aspire for the office of governor of Rivers State during the next election.

According to them, the interest of Ikwerre ethnic nationality overrides any individual’s interest and ambition, adding that for this reason, IYM would continue to pay attention to efforts to empower the people to be self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the state.

In his remarks, Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Hon Ezemonye Ezekiel-Amadi, commended the members of IYM and the Ikwerre LG chairman for the opportunity given him to felicitate with them, and pledged to continue his support for the consolidation of the movement.

Ezekiel-Amadi, who was chief host of the event, charged Ikwerre youths to shun any criminal acts, and strive to pay more attention to those things that would enhance their empowerment and build capacity of the ethnic nationality to compete favourably in all sectors with other parts of the state.

Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of business starter-packs, including welding machines, grinding machines, computers and accessories, among others, to 200 indigent Ikwerre sons and daughters.

Minister of Information, Mr Labara Maku (right) with Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, at the Good Goverance Tour Team in Port Harcourt, recently

In his judgement, the presiding judge, Justice Lambo Akanbi insisted that the payment should be made within twenty-one days. Out of that amount, N20billion should be paid as general damages while N17.6billion would be for ordinary damages.

Describing the action of the military as genocidal and gross violation of the victims right to life and property, Justice Akanbi in suit No FHC/PH/CP/11/2000 debunked the notion that the troops were in Odi to flush out secessionist militants who killed seven policemen.

He submitted that President Goodluck Jonathan’s recent statement on Nigeria Television Authority was glaring that no so-called militants were killed but innocent victims during the Odi invasion. He also acknowledged the President’s acquiescence to the rule of law.

The plaintiffs had , through their counsels, led by Lucius Nwosu, (SAN), Ifedayo Adedipe (SAN) and Lawal Rabana (SAN) asked the court to  declare that invasion of Odi by the military was a gross violation of the people’s’ right to life and personal liberty.

Subsequently, Justice Akanbi ruled that the Federal Government’s soldiers utterly violated the fundamental human rights of the victims. He also issued a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from invading the community again.

”It would be recalled that five policemen and four soldiers were killed in 1999 by a group of Niger Delta militants when they tried to enter the town of Odi in Bayelsa State in order to effect their arrest. This happened in 1999.

After the brutal killing of these security personnel, President Olusegun Obasanjo asked the then Governor of Bayelsa State, Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to identify, locate, apprehend and hand over the perpetrators of that crime and when it was not possible, he (Obasanjo) moved in the military.

“The Governor said that he was unable to do so and President Obasanjo, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, took the position that security personnel could not be killed with impunity under his watch without a strong and appropriate response from the Federal Government. Consequently, he sent the military in, to uproot  the militants and to destroy their operational base which was the town of Odi. The operation was carried out with military precision and efficiency and its objectives were fully achieved.

L-R: Vice-President Namadi Sambo, President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, David Mark, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President, John Kufour of Ghana and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, at a Presidential Summit on Water in Abuja, on Monday.

The governor stated this last Saturday in Port Harcourt at a stakeholders meeting held as part of the National Good Governance Tour of Rivers.

According to him, actions taken by the forum are in the interest of the Nigerian masses.

“The governors are people-oriented. The governors defend the interest of the masses and will continue to stand by the people.

“No matter how much they (detractors) sponsor articles in the newspapers we do not listen.

“We can only listen if these things are coming from the people. The moment we hear the people’s voice, the governors will listen,” he said.

Amaechi said a peer review mechanism had been set up by the forum.

“We are going to Anambra and Ekiti very soon because they are ready and we have a committee chaired by Justice Mohammed Uwais that will first do all the necessary work before the governors will go there.

“There are governors who do not receive as much as we receive. There are governors who do not receive enough to pay salaries,” he said.

The governor said his administration had built schools and hospitals in various communities in the state.

He said one of the hospitals, the Kelsey Harrison Specialist Hospital for Mother and Children is free for Rivers people and Nigerians resident in the state.

Amaechi urged the Minister of Information to persuade the Federal Government to refund the money the state spent on constructing some federal roads in the state.

He also said that security had been restored in the state, and urged investors to come to the state as government would assist them to settle down.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Emmanuel Chindah, who said this in an exclusive interview with The Tide, said that the plantation was attacked by hoodlums last month.

Mr Chindaha said that  government has  launched an investigation into the incident.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has said that discussions on the resuscitation of the state-owned Delta Rubber Company at Okomoko, Etche, are on-going.

The commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Emmanuel Chindah, who disclosed this in an interview with The Tide at Buguma headquarters of Asari-Toru Local Government Area, said that government intend to bring in the private sector in the management of the company.

He said that once that was done, the company would come back to full production, and will generate a number of employment opportunities for the people of Rivers State.

Mr Chindah also said that government put in place programmes that provide opportunities for smallholder formers to move away from their level of subsistence to a level of entrepreneurship.

“The truth is that, the most important project that I will say, the administration has embarked on, is being able to define an Agric Policy.

“Our Agric policy said that, we must return Agriculture to the extent that it is seen as business. It therefore means that, we must bring the private sector to be key players in the sector,” he stated.

The commissioner argued that the situation has led to the emergence of plantation agriculture across the state, and listed some of these plantations to include the new Risonpalm, the Fish Farms in Buguma, Andoni, Opobo/Nkoro and Ubima and the Rivers Songhai Farm project, amongst others.

Minister of State for Power, Hajiya Zainab Kuchi (left), with the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, at the Nigeria Power Sector Reform Roadmap Technical Retreat in Abuja, last Friday.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku gave the directive yesterday when he led members of the National Good Governance Tour (NGGT) team to inspect progress of work at the airport.

Maku said it was regretable that the contractor failed to deliver the project by December 2012 as it promised, warning that the government would not be happy if the firm fails to deliver by April.

He said; “The Port Harcourt Airport was supposed to be delivered by last December, the same period Lagos local airport was completed. We are worried over the slow pace of work in the airport.

“We are tired of excuses. The masses who use this airport are suffering. You must deliver this project by April because, we don’t want any further extension. We need to see more activity in this place.”

The minister stated that a total of 11 airports were being reconstructed in line with the transformation agenda of the Goodluck Jonathan-led administration.

He said; “Before now, some of our airports looked like secondary schools. President Goodluck Jonathan believes that our people deserve the best. Time has come for us to look at life differently.

“ The Nigerian economy is growing and Nigerians must understand that. Let’s leave politics out of it. Because of the growth in the economy, we believe that we should give our airports a face-lift.

“We now have 100% coverage of the Nigerian airspace. With that, we can control emergencies. We have a lot of changes that have taken place. There is a wholesale transformation in the aviation industry.”

Maku disclosed that some of the airports that have already been delivered include; Lagos, Owerri, Kaduna, Benin and Enugu while Calabar and Port Harcourt are on-going.

According to the minister,‘’ Port Harcourt is the oil and gas destination for Nigeria and indeed , the gulf of Guinea., And so, what the President wants to achieve here, is to take this airport to the next generation by recreating it completely.

‘’ And, you can see the huge work that is going on here . It is a lot of work that is going on. By the time this airport is  completed , you will not recognize this place.

‘’ The purpose is simply that the Nigerian economy is growing, our economy is growing and I want Nigerians to understand that the economy is growing,’’ he said.

Maku said international investors that come to the country, especially, to the oil and gas zone in Rivers, use the airport to bring in materials and equipment.

He said government decided to upgrade the airports to support business and  growth in the economy .

The minister commended President Jonathan for initiating the transformation agenda in the aviation sector.

He also said that work had commenced in 12 Cargo airports in some parts of the country.

‘’ The purpose of cargo airports is to make it easier for people to export, because of the new agricultural policy, we need to have airports that can export goods easily out of Nigeria.

‘’ Port Harcourt is one of the destinations. Asaba Enugu, Jos Makurdi and Lagos. We are seeing a new thing in aviation that has never happened before,’’ he said.

In his remarks, Mr Okechukwu Ndika, technical manager of Inter Bau Construction Limited said the company would deliver the terminal building of the airport in April this year.

He also said work had gone far in the construction of the airport.

L-R:Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olugbenga Ashiru, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, President, Association of Retired Ambassadors, Amb. Isaac Sagay and former Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Jibrin Chinade, at the launch of the Maiden Edition of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Annual Report in Abuja , recently.

“I actually died. I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.” “I am not Lazarus but my experience was similar to his. My doctors said all hope was lost. It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I will return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days,” she narrated. Mrs. Jonathan’s remarks at the church service, was the first time the presidency would admit the First Lady was seriously sick as widely speculated in 2012. Mrs. Jonathan was on admission at the Horst Schmidt Klinik in Germany for an undisclosed ailment although multiple reports suggested she was treated for lungs and abdominal problems.

While the news circulated, the presidency ensured an anxious public remained in the dark about her condition, repeatedly insisting Mrs. Jonathan travelled for a “deserved rest”. The thanksgiving service was delayed for two months, after the initial schedule was moved due to the helicopter crash which claimed the lives of former Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, and the former National Security Adviser, Owoeye Azazi. President Goodluck Jonathan, ministers and top government functionaries attended the event on Sunday. During a stirring session, the First Lady narrated how she went through “hell” while in hospital and said she had dedicated her life to serving the needy.

“It is the Lord’s doing that I returned alive,” she said. “When God says yes, nobody can say no. People are always afraid of operation (surgery). But in my own case, while my travail lasted, I was begging for it after the third operation because I was going to the theatre every day. It was God who saw me through. I did eight or nine operations within one month.” While she lay dying in Germany, friends and associates who hoped she would not be making it back to Nigeria with life, scrambled for her properties, selling those they could,” Mrs. Jonathan said. She accused some of those she trusted of leaking information to the public that she had passed on.

“I know that some people somehow leaked the information that I was dead. They are people that I trust and rely on. To them, I was dead and I would never return to the country alive,” she said. “Some of them even sold my things off. “I won’t say everything here.” She said she believed she had not completed her assignment on earth, which was why God spared her. “It was not an easy one. The day I came back, I said God I have nothing to say, I offer myself to you. I will be doing things that will touch the lives of the less privileged. God gave me a second chance because I reached there. He knew I had not completed the assignments He gave me that was why I was sent back,” the First Lady said.

About 5000 guests, including 18 state governors, had overrun Abuja for a lavish thanksgiving party thrown for Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan, at a cost of N500 million.

Although she had previously denied being in hospital in Germany, Mrs. Jonathan opened up yesterday at a special service at the Aso Rock Chapel, stunning worshippers with the admission her medical condition had been very serious.

“I actually died,” Premium Times quoted her as testifying. “I passed out for more than a week. My intestine and tummy were opened.”

She said her doctors had actually given up hope, although she did not specify her diagnosis. “It was God himself in His infinite mercy that said I will return to Nigeria. God woke me up after seven days.”

During her six weeks away from Nigeria last year, the presidency refused to say anything to the country about her condition. Upon her return to Abuja on October 17, Mrs. Jonathan denied having been in any hospital. “I don’t even know that hospital they are talking about…” she said on that occasion. “I do not have any terminal illness or cosmetic surgery.”

For today’s thanksgiving merriment, an organising committee chaired by Mr. John Kennedy Okpara raised over N500m, which would most likely be presented to Mrs. Jonathan as a gift, as the presidency is bankrolling the event.

The thanksgiving, which is being broadcast live on the National Television Authority’s (NTA) local and international channels, has such dignitaries as President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo and his wife, Haj Amina; former Ghana President John Agyekum Kufour; former Nigeria Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; and Aisha Babangida, who is representing her ailing father and former military president, General Ibrahim Bademasi Babangida.

Also in attendance are members of the Federal Executive Council; wives of state governors; the wife of Senate President; the Deputy Senate President; Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha; members of the National Assembly; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; the Head of the Federal Civil Service, Alhaji Bello Sali; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria; and several members of the international community.

The function, which commenced at 3p.m. Nigerian time, is expected to go on into the late evening.

There were early invitations for 3,000 people, but the Banquet Hall of State House was quickly filled to capacity, with several guests unable to find a place to sit down.

Several trucks bearing gifts from government officials and contractors lined the streets of the presidential villa waiting to deliver gifts to the First Lady.

Our reporter said luxury official cars parked everywhere around the Presidential Villa, from the Supreme Court to the Villa in Asokoro area of Abuja. Many of the guests parked their cars at the Eagle Square, where buses were provided to convey them to the venue of the event.

In 2012, Mrs. Jonathan suddenly became ill and was evacuated in a medical emergency to Germany.

The presidency neither confirmed nor denied any of the reports, until Mrs. Jonathan, upon her return, issued her own denial.

In a November 2012 Media Chat, President Jonathan told reporters his wife had been ill and needed treatment.

Four weeks ago, , Mrs. Jonathan was again flown out to Germany on another emergency

A scheduled appearance at a presidential event for foreign ambassadors was cancelled.

In her church testimony yesterday, an apparently humbled Mrs. Jonathan revealed the extent of her suffering, including having “eight or nine operations” within a period of one month.

Of the future, she said, “I will be doing things that will touch the lives of the less privileged. God gave me a second chance because I reached there. He knew I had not completed the assignments He gave me that was why I was sent back.”

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan says the recovery of his wife, Patience from a life-threatening illness ends the mystery of death of a leader or spouse at the Presidential Villa.

Jonathan, said that the insinuation of the mystery of death at the seat of power in Aso Rock was rife during his wife’s illness.

He expressed gratitude to God for keeping the life of his wife, saying, “If anything had happened, there would have been different stories from different people, false prophets and many other things would have followed.

“You all know I came to the state house through providence and divine arrangement but because of past ugly coincidences, people said one of us will go. None of us will die.

“We all know we will die someday but the best time to die is not when you are serving your nation.

“Today is a special day for me, all I can say is a special song in my local dialect, that’s the only expression I have, the first two lines of the song interprets “God I thank you, for all you have done,’’ Jonathan said.

He further predicted that the year would be a good one which had already began with the recent performance of the Super Eagles at the AFCON tournament.

In her address, the First Lady, who said she was confident that it was the various intercessory prayers by some Nigerians on her behalf that worked effectively for her, said that Nigerians should learn to lift their leaders in prayers always so that things would go according to God’s plan for everyone.

“We must continue to regard Aso Rock Villa properly as our nation’s centre of power and authority and not the devil’s playground. It is our spiritual duty to sanctify and declare it the city of God where only the will of God will prevail.’’

Quoting the scriptures from 1st Corinthians 13, which says “where there is love, everything is possible’’, she appealed to all Nigerians to “show love to one another and continually preach the gospel of love, this is because in an atmosphere of love, there will be peace and progress.’’

L-R: Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi and his Deputy, Engr Tele Ikuru, at the stakeholders meeting held at the Alfred Diete-Spiff Civic Centre for the Good Governance Team, last Saturday.

This assertion was made yesterday by Prof Anya O Anya while delivering the 29th Convocation lecture of the University of Port Harcourt.

He lamented that the collection of half educated political jobbers with no commitment to any vision or values have driven the country into the  paradox of being ruled by cabals and other private interest in an otherwise democratic dispensation.

Prof Anya who is recorded as the first Nigerian experimental and basic scientist to win the Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) noted that while the political leaders might inveigh against corruption, the current system was being driven by greed, deceit and dishonest maneuvers by scammers of all varieties as 419ers, credit card scammers and even ex-convicts which he said the presidential powers had inflicted on the polity despite indicted malfeasance.

“A former DIG of Police who transformed into Senator, once cried out in obvious embarrassment on the floor of the Senate that many of his distinguished colleagues in the hallowed chambers of the Senate of the Federal Republic were those whom he had the unfortunate duty to investigate for indictable criminal offences”, he said.

Prof Anya remarked that the assumption that was popular in the 1970s that resource rich countries enjoyed a comparative advantage in their efforts for long term economic development has been upstaged by an emergence of a new idea that countries can enjoy some comparative advantage in their effort for economic development on the basis of their human capital development of expertise, skills and education in general.

In his topic, titled: the Idea and Uses of the University in the 21st Century, the academician stated that by the law, the National Universities Commission had the responsibility to regulate and oversee the  development of universities in the country but regretted that the rapid explosion in the number of universities in the last 20 years have created strains and stresses in the NUC’s ability and capacity to satisfactorily discharge its responsibilities.

Prof Anya, a one time chairman of NUC committee on the objectives, academic and administrative structure of the universities of Technology maintained that under provision of financial resources to the underdevelopment of needed infrastructure as well as lack of  trained manpower particularly of academic teachers, the story is one of criminal neglect and called for adequate funding of universities across the country.

Physical facilities for teaching and learning in public universities, he said were inadequate, dilapidated, overstretched and improvised, adding that there was much pressure on existing facilities  due to unplanned expansion of programmes.

Chris Oluoh

The committee was also mandated to work in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Works to find out the current state of the bridge and to take urgent action to rectify all the structural damages.

The Senate’s resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Gbenga Ashafa (ACN- Lagos) on the urgent need to investigate the imminent collapse of the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

Ashafa said that the 3rd Mainland Bridge is a national monument on which not less than 70,000 vehicles ply daily, and stressed the need for ‘comprehensive’ repairs to be carried out on its foundation.

He told newsmen at a briefing later, that an independent assessment showed that repair works carried out in October 2012 by the Ministry of Works did not meet the required standard.

In his contribution during the debate, Sen. Shola Adeyeye (ACN –Osun) said the motion required urgent action.

He said that holding public hearing on the issue would delay the process of rehabilitation.

“When you build a bridge and don’t maintain it, no amount of prayer can save you.

On his part, Sen. Barnabas Gemade (PDP-Benue) urged the Senate Committee on Works to impress it upon the ministry to accelerate work on the bridge.

He advised against holding public hearing, and said that the experts would not be willing to provide the solution to the problem at such a forum.

Senator Babafemi Ojudu (ACN–Ekiti) cautioned that the assessment work should be handled only by experts from within and outside the public service.

“We should find a way to get experts from within and outside the Ministry of Works to give us unbiased assessment.

“We should stand up and do something urgently and should not leave this critical matter to public officials,” he advised.

In a related development, the Senate yesterday urged the Federal Ministry of Works to undertake immediate reinforcement, repairs and rehabilitation of the River Niger Bridge at Onitsha.

The Upper legislative chamber said the resolution was to avoid the tragic consequences of the possible collapse of the bridge, which links the South-East, South-South and some Northern States of the federation.

It also enjoined the Federal Ministry of Works to take immediate action to commence work on the second Niger Bridge project before the end of the first quarter of 2013.

Moving the motion, Senator Hope Uzodinma (PDP- Imo) said that the poor state of the bridge led to the conception of a second Niger Bridge project as a permanent structure to contain the heavy traffic across the bridge.

“The River Niger Bridge is in a horrifying state of decay with imminent threat of collapse sooner than later.

“The second Niger Bridge has remained on the drawing board for too long with no manifest practical step towards its actualisation as the River Niger Bridge may collapse without notice.

“This could result to a major national catastrophe and tragedy of unimaginable proportions,” he warned

In her contribution, Sen. Margery Okadigbo (PDP-Anambra) expressed concern that the issue of the second Niger Bridge project had been turned into a campaign promise.

“Till date nothing concrete has been done about the second Niger Bridge. It seems the issue has become a political campaign thing.

“We are hoping that the bridge would materialise by the first quarter of this year as promised by the Minister of Works,” she said.

Also speaking, Sen. Chris Ngige (ACN-Anambra) said the issue had made the people of Anambra to view their elected officials as fraudulent.

He decried the long delay in the commencement of the second Niger Bridge, and said that the government should give priority attention to its actualisation.

“This matter has taken too long that those of us from Anambra are now seen as fraudsters, who use the issue of the bridge for vote procurement,’’ he said.

The Senate President, Sen. David Mark, said it was paramount that prompt action should be taken to rehabilitate the River Niger Bridge.

He stressed the need for the Federal Government to take issues of infrastructural development seriously to enhance the nation’s economic progress.

“The most important thing is that the bridge, which is currently in use should be rehabilitated.

“The second Niger Bridge is important, but the one we have at the moment should be made operational. We should be very serious about infrastructural development,” Mark advised.

Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari with President General, Trade Union Congress (TUC),Comrade Peter Esele, during the 4th Triennial Delegates Conference at the Hotel Presidentia, Port Harcourt, recently

The police orderly was said to have been arrested last Monday, and is currently under detention at the Criminal Investigation Bureau cell at the headquarters, Moscow Road, Port Harcourt for interrogations.

The Tide gathered that the suspect was accused by the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly for stealing an iPad and other accessories belonging to him.

An authoritive source close to the Speaker told The Tide that, trouble started when the Deputy Speaker noticed that the iPad was missing in the Christmas gift sent to him by the Speaker, Rt Hon Otelemaba Amachree through the police orderly.

The source further disclosed that when the Deputy Speaker accosted the suspect, he denied knowledge of the missing items.

The Tide learnt that the Ipad was contained in the Christmas packs given to members of the State House of Assembly by the state Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, last year.

The Tide further learnt that the Deputy Speaker became furious when he learnt that other members of the House had their own Ipad intact in their packs. This forced him to report the matter officially to the police for investigation.

However, luck ran out of the police suspect, when one of his colleagues saw him with the Ipad in Jerusalem during the last pilgrimage and came back to Port Harcourt to report him to the Deputy Speaker and other staffers of the speaker.

Although, the police officer was said to have made frantic efforts to secretly return the said Ipad to the Deputy Speaker office, was rebuffed by the high surveillance mounted by the security team attached to the Deputy Speaker.

When contacted on phone, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Ben Ugwugbulam declined to speak but said he would contact the reporter later.

However, a close source from the police headquarters said the suspect has given confessional statements on the matter.

According to him, the orderly admitted stealing the Ipad just because he wanted to use it to capture events of his interest at the Holy land, Jerusalem during the pilgrimage.

Also reacting to our reporter’s enquires, the Special Adviser to the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Mr Jim Udede-Opiki confirmed the matter, saying an  internal investigative mechanism has been out in place. He said that the police suspect would be reprimanded if found culpable.

President Goodluck Jonathan (left), being received by President Mohamad Morsi of Egypt on his arrival for the 12th session of the Organisation Of Islamic conference in Cairo on Wednesday

This is in spite of  claims by the near-extinct leadership of the institution’s chapter of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), that the six-month old strike embarked upon by the union was still on.

The Tide investigation reveals that full academic work has commenced in all departments and faculties of the university, with about 90 per cent of the lecturers   now actively involved in teaching their assigned courses without any intimidation or harassment from the union officials.

A visit to most of the lecture halls revealed that a great number of the lecturers were fully discharging their duties and responsibilities to both the students and the institution, as most lecture halls were packed with students while the lecturers were seen teaching in a convivial atmosphere.

Some of the lecturers, who spoke with The Tide on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that about 90 per cent of the lecturers, who are also ASUU members, have shunned the alleged strike, and resumed normal academic activities.

They disclosed that although some of their colleagues have resigned their appointments as employees of the institution following the face-off with management and the state government over the re-appointment of Prof Barineme Fakae as Vice Chancellor, they had decided to resume normal work because they could not continue with the unjustifiable strike.

The lecturers claimed that having been owed salaries for five months, they resolved to resume and teach the students, so they could be paid their salaries following government’s implementation of the no-work, no-pay policy.

One of the lecturers claimed that the newly employed lecturers were not engaged to replace any of the hardened ASUU leaders’ loyalists, but were recruited to bridge the yawning gap in the teaching portfolio of the university.

“Those who were employed fell within the lower cadre. They were not deployed to replace any staff who had resigned as a result of the ASUU strike. In fact, no lecturer was sacked. Their salaries were only withheld. Those employed were engaged to boost the teaching capacity of the academic staff”, he said.

A cross section of the students, who spoke with The Tide in separate interviews, acknowledged that normal academic activities had commenced since about a month ago.

A 200-level Engineering student, Amos Ibe, told The Tide that he has been attending lectures regularly, adding that the lecturers were currently teaching, including the newly recruited ones.

Another student in the Faculty of Technical and Science Education, Ima Georgenia, noted that she and all her colleagues were happy to be back to the new session, with full academic activities.

She expressed optimism that things would get better this academic session, but regretted that only a few of the results of last semester’s examinations had so far been made public.

However, a deflected ASUU Chairman in RSUST, Dr Felix Igwe, claimed that the strike was still on, as according to him, “no effort has been made by the government, governing council or university management to address the anomaly that led to the strike.”

He claimed that members of the union, who were on strike, were still being harassed, intimidated, attacked  and embarrassed in and outside the campus, alleging that some of the lecturers, who were on strike had been sacked by the authorities.

Fielding questions on the resumption of normal academic activities, the institution’s  Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Mr Desmond Wosu, dismissed insinuations that any lecturer was being harassed or owed salaries for working.

Wosu also acknowledged that normal academic activities had since commenced after resumption for the 2012/2013 academic session last month.

He expressed satisfaction with the response of lecturers to their duties and responsibilities, arguing that if the lecturers were on strike, normal academic activities would not have been going on within the campus, clarifying that there was never any strike by academic staff in the university as claimed by ASUU.

The public relations officer corroborated the lecturers’ assertion that about 90 per cent of the lecturers were presently discharging their official duties to the school as they had continued to teach students without let or hindrance.

Wosu recalled that the university’s recent recruitment of lecturers was designed to boost the academic  manpower capacity of the institution, saying that the rationale for the exercise was to replace those who had either retired or died, and therefore, were no longer on the service of the institution.

“We advertised for vacancies like any other university. People applied, and they were interviewed. Those who were successful were employed. Other universities are employing, so we have to also employ to bridge existing gap,” he said.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

R-L: Vice President Namadi Sambo, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru, Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi and Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Musa Ibeto, at the meeting on a Draft for Mass Transit Framework in Abuja, yesterday.

The Commands highest import duty for the year was recorded in June, amounting to N3,593,961,202.42, while in March, it was N2,041,402,527.30 only.

The Tide Correspondent in a statement signed by the Customs Area Controller, Dan Garba Kuffi and the Area Accountant, Mr. E.A. Essien gather that the command realised the sum of N1,497,232,949.62 in April, and in May, N1,674,416,897.02 while the figure rose to N3,593,961,202.42 in June.

It was also gathered that in July, 2012, it raked N1,144,925,086.26 from its import duty collections, and N1,546,504,337.75 in August. In the month of September, the Port Harcourt Area One Command generated N1,241,084,060.24,  and in October, N1,787, 766,756.24 in November it realised N1,020,327,410.70, while in the month of December, the Command made N1,602,570,042.90 from its import duties.

It would be recalled that the Nigeria Customs, Port Harcourt Area One Command generated the sum of over N48bn as its revenue for the year 2012.

The Tide gathered that the figure surpassed the revenue target of N48bn by the Federal Government, with over N456m.

The achievement was made possible by the able and focused Comptroller of the Area, Mr. Dan Garba Kuffi and his obedient officers and men of the Command.

It took this decision following a debate on the motion sponsored by Senator Andy Uba (PDP-Anambra), concerning the issue.

Uba in his lead debate, disclosed that on January19, some villagers of Amansea Community of Anambra State found 30 dead bodies, mostly males, floating on the Ezu River.

He added that between January 23 and January 24, four more dead bodies were discovered on the River.

The lawmaker expressed concern that up till date, no explanation had been given as to the possible origin of the corpses.

He also expressed worry that the Ezu River, which was the only source of water for domestic and other uses for the people of five communities of the state, had been contaminated.

According to him, the autopsy ordered by the Anambra and Enugu governments had yielded no result.

He, however, observed that the incident could be an extra-judicial killing capable of giving the nation a bad image.

Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (PDP-Delta) in his contribution blamed the poor security situation in the country for the sudden development.

He said it was very disturbing that more than 30 bodies, mostly men had been found on a river and no security agency could explain what had happened.

“If our security system is working well, we would have been able to know exactly what this is all about.

“For the bodies to have started decomposing, it means they must have stayed in water for at least seven days.”

He said that seven days would have been enough for security agencies to get information on the incident.

The senator expressed concern that the people of the affected communities had to resort to getting water from tankers to accomplish their chores.

Okowa advised that qualified pathologists be engaged to find solution to what would have happened and unravel the mystery.

The Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi (PDP-Bauchi), also described the situation as a tragedy of monumental proportion.

“If this happens in another country, that country would be at a standstill, but here in Nigeria, people seem so unconcerned.

“Are we saying we are too many in this country and then decide to systematically kill some people to reduce our number?” Ningi asked.

Senate President David Mark said that it was a thing of great worry for 30 dead bodies to be found in one community and yet there was no report of a missing person.

“If the police is inefficient, how about the families or the communities? The question is where did these bodies come from?’’

He urged the senators to enquire from their constituents if there were any missing persons in their senatorial districts.

Mark also appealed to the committees to work very fast on the investigation and bring back their report at the earliest time possible.

The Controller-General of TIMARIV, Nelson Jaja, who disclosed this to The Tide said “I am waiting for the report. Those responsible will be brought to book”.

The TIMARIV officers, whose names were given as Wigodo Token and Emmanuel Omeh were Wednesday beaten up  by Naval men at Stella Maris College roundabout, Port Harcourt while on official duty.

The Tide gathered that there was a total blockage of the road by tankers and trailers and that a distress call was made to TIMARIV for remedy.

It was gathered that TIMARIV Zone A command immediately responded by sending Base Patrol Officers to arrest the situation.

In the process of trying to ease the traffic gridlock, The Tide further gathered that Navy officers, numbering seven from the Naval Shipyard, Reclamation Road pounced on the two TIMARIV officers and beat them to stupor.

Although, the cause of the action could not be immediately ascertained, an eyewitness said it was due to TIMARIV’s order, stopping their convoy.

The official uniforms of the victims were torn to shreds and bruises inflicted on them. The said TIMARIV officers were said to have been rushed to an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt for treatment.

Chris Oluoh

In spite of the fact that Dana Airline has restored its operations some months back, the National Assembly also directed that the airlines’ current AOC should be revoked on the ground that it was not originally issued in accordance with the NCAA regulations 2009.

The Senate at plenary on Tuesday, gave these directives following the findings of the joint committee (Senate and House of Reps) after its investigations on the remote causes of the June 03, 2012 crash of the ill fated Dana aircraft which claimed over 150 lives.

The joint Committee led by Senator Hope Uzodimma had in its report on November 29, 2012 indicted both the Dana Airline operators and the NCAA management.

The report as read and considered at the Senate chambers showed that the ill-fated aircraft had not been air worthy and had been involved in five out of 14 air returns due to system failures recorded in the airline between October, 2009 and May, 2012.

The actual age of the ill-fated aircraft according to the report was 22 years , an old generation air craft (MD83) “that has been decommissioned by the manufacturer and phased out by many airlines”.

Amongst anomalies that played out during the investigation , the lawmakers found out that Dana airline has no credible insurance certificate as there was no evidence to authenticate their claim to have been insured by the Lloyd of London while families of the aircrash victims petitioned the committee over the failure of the airline to pay due compensation on victims.

The poor condition of both the management of the NCAA, Accident Investigation Bureau(AIB) , Airport Fire fighting and search and rescue department of FAAN whose low capacity were said to have made way for such huge losses of lives as some could have been rescued if prompt action was taken .

While Dana failed to avail the committee of some useful documents, the committee also found out that the N200 billion Aviation Intervention Fund was only used to refinance existing facility with banks instead of improving the services of airlines in Nigeria.

Equipments and facilities in the airports were also found to be in abysmal conditions .

The committee therefore amongst others recommended that MD83 aircrafts be phased out and the AIB (FAAN) , NAMA be properly equipped.

The lawmakers demanded that the management and operations of NCAA remain autonomous   and insists that every other investigation reports on air mishaps including Bellview, Sosoliso be revisited and made public.

During the consideration of the committee reports, the Senate was almost unanimous on the rot in the aviation sector as occasioned by notable corrupt practices .

Senator Chris Ngige noted that due to corruption , aircrafts which were not air worthy were certified to fly Nigerian air space

“We lost 153 persons on board the airline . This is a situation of culpable homicide , people went and brought an aircraft that is not worthy for any air space in the world to fly in Nigeria,” Ngige said

On the termination of the appointments of Dr Dumoren and Engr Akwuh , Senator Aidoko Attai Ali bluntly made it clear that all those indicted in the remote causes of the monumental loss by now should have resigned.

Briefing Senate correspondents after plenary , the chairman of the joint Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodimma, noted that there were attempts by some groups to scuttle the report of the committee but insisted that the committee’s insistence on the interest of Nigerians prevailed.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja

Moses calmly slotted the spot kicks into the corner of the net on 79 and 90 minutes to earn the Super Eagles a last-eight showdown with title favourites and Group D winners Ivory Coast on Sunday.

It was a sad exit for bottom team Ethiopia, back in the big time after 31 years, as they finished the game a man short because goalkeeper Sasay Bancha got a late red card.

Ethiopian coach Sewnet Bishaw reacted to a 4-0 hammering from Burkina Faso in Nelspruit four days ago by making eight changes — the most by a team so far in the competition.

Bancha was the third goalkeeper chosen for the Walias Antelopes in three games with Jamel Tassew sent off during the opening round against Zambia and Zerihun Tadelle found wanting against the Burkinabes.

Nigeria made three changes as they sought the maximum points and a guaranteed place in the knockout stage — a regular occurrence for the Super Eagles with only two first round exits in 16 previous appearances.

The two-time champions had the better of a goalless first half before a big, lively crowd in this north-western mining town with a mass of Ethiopians on one side of the ground and almost as many Nigerians on the other.

Despite having far more of the ball, the Eagles only threatened to break the deadlock from set pieces with Efe Ambrose, the Celtic full-back returning after a one-match ban, heading wide when unmarked at the far post off a free kick.

Ikechukwu Uche was also off target with a header and came even closer from another header off a Moses corner that the partly unsighted Bancha pushed away and the ball was cleared.

While Nigeria came forward patiently and favoured getting the ball out wide, Ethiopia adopted a more direct approach, on the odd occasion, they attacked as they tried to play passes over the defence to dangerman Salahdin Said.

Nigeria were looking equally ineffective in the second half as they tried to break down the Walias Antelopes defence until a crude Alula Girma tackle on Moses earned them a penalty 12 minutes from time.

Moses recovered, took his time, and calmly struck the ball low into the right corner of the net as Bancha dived in the opposite direction.

Ethiopia almost equalised before Bancha fouled Moses to concede a second spot kick and picked up a red card. Addis Hintsa went into goal as the east Africans had used their three substitutes and Moses converted the kick.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s African Cup of Nations defence ended at the group stage after a 0-0 draw with Burkina Faso was not enough to progress them.

The goalless stalemate seemed to be enough to send both sides through until two late penalties saw Nigeria move into second place in the group with a 2-0 win over Ethiopia.

Having drawn all three of their contests, the 2012 Cup winners finished below group winners Burkina Faso and Nigeria, with each having earned three points against Ethiopia to finish on five points apiece.

Nigeria must meet Ivory Coast in the last eight, while the Group D runners-up  to be decided on Wednesday  await Burkina Faso.

Fans celebrating Eagles victory, yesterday in Port Harcourt.

The forum’s Chairman and Governor of Rivers State, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, said yesterday in Abuja that the body would seek “a final resolution from the Supreme Court” on all matters relating to the controversy.

Amaechi said this was because the NGF had been dissatisfied with the “present attitude of the Federal Government on the Excess Crude Account’’.

The governor, who read to newsmen the communiqué at the end of the governors’ first meeting in the New Year, said the forum had taken a firm stand on the issue.

“The NGF, therefore, resolved to take no further adjournments in the subsisting case in court over the issue,’’ he said.

Our correspondent  reports that the forum at its meeting of September 20, 2012, had resolved to challenge Federal Government’s deductions from the excess crude account.

The deductions had been used to offset the cost of the fuel subsidy.

The two parties had since then been in court over the matter, even though the litigation had been plagued with frequent adjournments since it was first listed for mention.

Amaechi said the 36 state governors who form the forum‘s membership remained resolute in ensuring the development of their states for the benefit of the nation and its citizens.

He added that the forum had also agreed to hold a two-day retreat on a date yet to be fixed to deliberate on the current state of the country‘s security.

The Rivers State governor also said the forum had resolved to institute a monthly polio campaign to be headed by state governors.

“This is to promote routine immunisation and healthy environment across the states of the federation,’’ he said.

Amaechi added that the forum resolved that governors from states not affected by the polio scourge would support their counterparts in the affected states.

“They will do this by joining in the national campaign against the scourge,’’ he said.

The governors, according to Amaechi, would also meet with the presidential task force on polio eradication to identify funding gaps and challenges against the scourge’s eradication in the country.

He, however, pointed out that the forum was not forming itself into an opposition against the Federal Government.

“The forum is only concerned about the unity and progress of the nation and its citizens,’’ the NGF chairman said.

Our correspondent reports that the meeting, which was held at the Rivers State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, was attended by, among others, the governors of Rivers, Ekiti, Ogun and Imo.

Others at the meeting included governors of Lagos, Kano, Plateau, Anambra, Bauchi, Adamawa, Gombe, Yobe, Jigawa, Delta, Ondo, Abia, Kogi and Oyo states.

The forum is an umbrella body of the 36 elected governors of the federation.

R-L: Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi, Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr Yomi Awoniyi and Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, addressing a news conference after the National Economic Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

The agency’s zonal coordinator, Mr Emenike Umesi, who said this in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Port Harcourt also said 133,837 persons were displaced while 12 died as a result of communal conflicts in the zone last year.

He also said that 230 were killed and 2,076 displaced by fire while rainstorm also displaced 1,541 and killed 12 in the zone.

Umesi put the  number of those injured and killed  by accidents within the period under review at 27 and 18 respectively.

The coordinator said that relief materials were given to states for distribution during the flooding, and stressed the need for state governments to visit the affected communities with a view to improving their condition.

Umesi stressed the need for  Rivers and Edo States to take more action on the passage of the bills on the formation of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) while government  in the zone should make conscious efforts to improve emergency management services in view of the  zone’s vulnerability to natural disasters.

He further called for the collaboration of stakeholders on emergency response, while conscious efforts be made to desilt all rivers and creeks across the zone in view of the fast approach of the rainy season.

The NEMA coordinator who advised the people to be careful with the handling of electrical appliances also urged state governments to beef up their fire response mechanisms.

He assured that the agency would continue to collaborate with stakeholders to improve the emergency management procedures and preparedness in the zone.

Super Eagles players led by Victor Moses (right) celebrating their winning goal against Ethiopia, yesterday during their last group match at the ongoing Orange Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. The Eagles will play the Elephants of Cote D’ Ivoire in the quarter finals stage of the competition, on Sunday.

On Tuesday, 26th September, 2006, the 26-man Ekiti State House of Assembly (ESHOA) passed a motion to serve a notice of impeachment on the Ekiti State governor Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose (of Afao-Ekiti) and his deputy Mrs. Abiodun Christine Olujimi, (nee Ariyo, of Omuo-Ekiti), alleging gross misconduct against them. In all, there were five charges against Fayose and two against Olujimi. 24 out of 26 of the ESHOA were in support of the motion. The House informed the world that it delivered the notice by express mail to the accused duo on Friday, September 29 (giving them 14 days to respond), although the governor indicated that he did not receive his own copy until Tuesday, October 3.

Figuring that it had received all the "answer" that it would ever get from the accused duo, the ESHOA went ahead on Thursday, October 5 to instruct the Chief Judge Bamisile to announce a seven-man panel to conduct the formal impeachment investigation of the Governor and his Deputy. Constitutionally, the CJ - who barely 3 months earlier had just been sworn in by Governor Fayose on Friday, July 21, 2006, and leap-frogged over a more senior judge - had seven days to do so.

On Monday, October 9, Governor Fayose, in an anticipatory volley, wrote to Chief Judge Bamisile, completely denying all the charges against himself in the impeachment notice.

On Tuesday, October 10, 2006 , the CJ announced his seven-person panel - and more: a group headed by Remi Bamigboye (Chairman) and comprising Alli Apanisile, Sesan Adesuyi, Segun Da-Silva, Olu Alade, Solomon Ajisafe and Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olukogbon came into being. By allegedly packing this panel with family relations and cronies of Fayose, Bamisile initiated a seeming vertical cocktail of illegalities, the consequences of which he himself could not contemplate. He swept aside the objections of the Speaker and his ESHOA - giving the excuse that as a judge with limited contacts with ordinary folk, he was not expected to know everybody's backgrounds - and dismissed them all as "jokers." The Bamisile panel went ahead to be inaugurated by the CJ – even after the Speaker forced his way in to the arena to object to its composition.

For refusing to re-constitute the rigged panel, as well as refusing to appear before the Assembly on Wednesday, October 11, the ESHOA promptly suspended CJ Bamisile on that Wednesday – taking care not to "remove" him and hence not violating Section 292 of the Constitution. It moved to fill the vacuum by appointing an Acting CJ Jide Aladejana, again not violating of constitution Section 271(4) which stated that the most senior judge should step in as Acting CJ [The other senior judge Fasanmi had declined; after all accepting any position is not "by force."]

On Thursday, October 12, the Bamisile panel still went ahead to meet on the impeachment matter - for a total of about thirty minutes. It promptly discharged the Governor and his Deputy from all allegations without taking a single oral evidence for and against the accused persons. Also on this day, Justice Bamisile filed a case before a High Court in Ado-Ekiti, challenging his suspension by the House of Assembly. The case was adjourned to be heard on Thursday, October 19.

Aladejana went ahead to announce, on the Friday October 13, a new panel with people of unquestionable integrity and impeccable credentials, headed by Mr. Emanuel Bamidele Omotosho as Chairman, and comprising Deacon Olajubu Solomon Obaleye, Mr. Ismail Olowolafe Daisi, Mr. Kayode Filani, Dr. [Mrs.] Funmi Adeniyi, Rev. F. F. Ijasan and Major J.O. Odunsina (Rtd.). Later on that same day, a letter from the Chief Justice Belgore in response to Aladejana's own October 12 letter to Belgore of notification of his new elevated status was made available to the Press – but apparently not directly to Aladejana. In fact, there is still a running rumor that it was a forged letter. In any case, the Belgore letter warned that Aladejana's appointment as Acting CJ was in violation of Section 271 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. However it was silent about the constitutionality of the dismissal of the Chief Judge Bamisile himself.

On Friday October 13 and Saturday October 14, the Aladejana panel took evidence from Morakinyo Ogele, the maverick lawyer whose zillion petitions stirred the EFCC; from Goke Olatunji, the multi-embattled Personal Assistant of Fayose; from the EFCC itself represented by one Mr. Madaki; and from a lawyer representing DG Olujimi. There was no representation from Governor Ayo Fayose.

At Ado-Ekiti on Monday, October 16, at exactly 9:17 am , after receiving the Aladejana panel report and calling for a vote, the Speaker of the EHOA's gavel fell in the House, formalizing the impeachment of Fayose and Olujimi. Fayose and Olujimi became ex-Governor (having served May 29, 2005 to October 16, 2006 ) and ex-Deputy Governor ( December 7, 2005 to October 16, 2006 ) respectively. The House also formalized the acting judgeship of Aladejana, who immediately proceeded to swear in the Speaker as Acting Governor.

Later on that same day (October 16), now suddenly finding his voice, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Bayo Ojo, weighed in with an opinion that the State House of Assembly had no power to suspend the Chief Judge of a state, nor (echoing the Chief Justice) to appoint an acting CJ. He warned that "Federal Government will not fold its arms and allow the breakdown of law and order in any part of the country" and that it would "take appropriate steps to fulfil its responsibility of maintaining law and order in Ekiti State and indeed in all parts of the Federation." It turned out to be a promise, not a threat. The new national president of the NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, also stridently weighed in on the side of the AG, brazenly storming into Ado-Ekiti to interfere without the courtesy of waiting for an invitation by Ekiti State's chapter of the NBA, or consulting with the two Ekiti indigenes Femi Falana (president of the West African Bar Association) or past NBA President Wole Olanipekun (SAN).

Also on October 16, the deposed deputy governor Olujimi filed a suit at an Ado-Ekiti High Court challenging her removal from office. On that same day, ex-governor Fayose disappeared from the scene, some kind of fugitive on the run up until this day, leaving his Deputy Olujimi to fight the battle on, still claiming to be Deputy Governor while acting as Governor on behalf on her "departed" Governor. Demonstrating quite some chutzpah - and seemingly from a political script written elsewhere - she even held a "cabinet meeting" at the Old Governor's office.

And that is where we are now.

An Awful Prelude: And Why Not The Courts?

This State of Emergency step was the crowning one of the vertical cocktail of illegalities, and has been condemned by many segments of Nigerian society, including many Ekiti indigenes at home and abroad. The irony – and dilemma - is that the SOE is opposed for various reasons, even contradictory:

1. the pro-Fayose group believes that it precludes the (early) return of Fayose to his governorship, and so should be quashed.

2. the anti-Fayose group, happy that Fayose was impeached by hook or by crook by the Legislature, believes that the courts should have been left alone to resolve the impasse, while Speaker Aderemi remains as Acting Governor. [It must be added here that there is an anti-Fayose group that is happy with the SOE, since it assures at the very mimimum six months of Fayose-less administration, and who are prepared to deal with the situation six months hence.]

3. the anti-Third-Termers, as well as strict constitutionalists, who see a dangerous trend in using dubious constitutional provisions and hasty procedure to remove governors and precipitate crisis throughout the country, with a possible end point being the need for a state of emergency in the entire country – and hence a sneaky extension of the term of this administration by the back door.

The fact of the matter is that I also join in expressing serious objection to President Obasanjo's double-standard in declaring a State of Emergency over my native Ekiti State . The calm situation on the ground did not give sufficient justification for that hasty action, and one is fully aware of other states in Nigeria with worse socio-political situations which did not receive similar treatment.

Moreover, nothing in our 1999 Nigerian Constitution – confusing and confusionistic as it is - translates a declaration of a state of emergency into the destruction of the democratic structures of the State Executive and the House of Assembly, and the appointment of a "Sole Administrator", an-ex military person for that matter. These particular steps are completely alien to the Constitution. The President therefore assumed powers not given to him – the same accusation that has been made against the Ekiti Legislators in suspending Bamisile and appointing a new CJ. One wonders what would happen to the Presidency and the National Assembly if a State of Emergency were to be declared in the entire nation as allowed by the same Constitution. Would it mean suspension of the national democratic structures (National Assembly) and the appointment of an ex-military Sole Administrator from neighboring Togo ? Is the situation of Ekiti State therefore a prelude to such an unfortunate and untenable circumstance?

We would have expected the courts to be allowed to settle the constitutional questions between the now displaced persons at status quo ante of the declaration of state of emergency: that is, between the acting Governor Kayode Aderemi; the ex-Governor Ayo Fayose and his ex-deputy, Olujimi, as well as the status of the ex-CJ Bamisile vis-a-vis the present CJ Aladejana.

In the coming days, the State of Emergency will be fully discussed in the National Assembly, whether to give it ratification or to reverse it. The questions the legislators would have to answer in their deliberations include: what status quo (ante) would Ekiti State return to in order to know whether Aderemi, Olujimi or Fayose is to be governor or acting Governor, and whether Fayose's and/or Olujimi's return would not spark a riot in Ekitiland?

We are not told of the reaction of his subjects to such a reversal of misfortune.

That is what Ekitiland demands. That is what would be conducive to peace, justice and public order in Ekitiland - that Fayose not return to Ekiti State as governor even for one more day. Ekitiland no longer deserves him.

188. (1) The Governor or Deputy Governor of a state may Removal of Governor be removed from office in accordance with the provisions or Deputy Governor of this section. from office.

(2)

Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the House of Assembly.

(b)

stating that the holder of such office is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified.

the speaker of the House of Assembly shall, within seven days of the receipt of the notice, cause a copy of the notice to be served on the holder of the office and on each member of the House of Assembly, and shall also cause any statement made in reply to the allegation by the holder of the office, to be served on each member of the House of Assembly.

INTRODUCTION

Currently, a crisis is brewing between the Education Ministry in Nigeria and the Nigerian Labour Congress over moves to "privatize" the 102 federal government colleges, aka Unity Secondary Schools, in the country. The controversy has led to the possibility of all staff of such schools going on indefinite strike [see attached news item] to protest the development. In an announcement by Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili, she disclosed that while only 120,718 students and 27,200 staff are in the 102 federal Unity Schools – out of a total national population of 6.4 million secondary school students and about 300 secondary schools - a whopping 78 per cent of Federal Government's budgetary allocation to the ministry goes into the Unity Schools.

If that were the case, then in fact, there is a serious disequilibrium in financial resource allocation with respect to these unity schools which must be looked into and corrected immediately. As a result, a new public-private partnership might indeed ameliorate the situation.

But what is the true situation?

I went looking at the 2006 budget to answer that question.

THE 2006 BUDGET AND EDUCATION

For those who have the patience, the full 1190 page-budget will be found in:

http://www.budgetoffice.gov.ng/pub/020.pdf

whose publication on the Internet for any one who cares to read it must be regarded as one of the dividends of transparent democracy, a legacy left behind by former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The summary Appropriation bill approved by the National Assembly in February 2006 will be found in:

http://www.budgetoffice.gov.ng/pub/appbill2006.pdf

However, Table 1 below is a re-formatted version of this NASS document for easier reference.

More specifically, the Education Budget section of the 2006 budget will be found in:

http://www.budgetoffice.gov.ng/pub/education.pdf

which again has been summarized in Table 2 below.

SO WHAT ARE THE TRUE FIGURES ?

Table 1 shows a total 2006 budget of N1.9 trillion, out of which the Education sector is N166.6 billion or 8.77%. This is far below the recommended 26% UNESCO international target, an issue which the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has been plaintively asking to be corrected for years now, and which continues to be a sore point between it and successive Nigerian governments. Thus, in fact, on a macroscopic scale, the Minister of Education should actually be loudly demanding for a doubling to tripling of the education budget.

Next, Table 2 shows that of that N166.6 billion for Education, payroll takes a whopping 69.5%, with capital projects taking only 22.4% and overhead rounding out the rest. The Table however shows that Unity Schools take up only about 11% of the total Education budget., with its own payroll (53.6%) and Overhead (27.9%) both taking up a Recurrent total of 81.5%, with the Capital project being about 18.5%..

It is ONLY this recurrent total of the Education budget that comes ANYWHERE close to the 78% mentioned by the Minister of Education, an observation that needs to be quickly clarified. One hopes that she has not been misinformed in her new position as Education minister.

WHITHER THE UNITY SCHOOLS?

The above disclosures must be looked at separately from the desirability of the federal government to give up all of these Unity Schools onto new administration. Granted that the historical mission of the unity secondary schools has been to provide an early educational forum in country where young minds can interact with those from other parts of the country, as well as to provide models of excellence to other secondary schools, one questions whether it is ONLY the federal government that can ensure those desirable outcomes. After all, secondary education is really a remit of states in our 1999 Constitution rather than the federal government, and states too understand why unity schools are important.

Thus, rather than give the unity schools up to PRIVATE persons to manage or to own outright, one believes that the right of first refusal should be given to STATE GOVERNMENTS, since the 102 schools mean on average about 3 schools per state. This additional number of new schools under state administration will therefore not be an unusual burden to the states, particularly if a significant take-off fund is provided to the states by the federal government.

Finally, while we are discussing a change in management of unity schools, we might as well discuss reversal of management of mission and other private schools that were taken over in the fever of over-centralization of the late 1970s and 80s. As many as possible of those too should be handed back to their former owners by state governments – as has been done by Lagos State and more recently Rivers State - with possibly five-year transition agreements worked out so that staff salaries and pensions as well as the inevitable increase in students' fees will not lead to deleterious effect on the various stakeholders.

NEWS ITEM: FROM "THE NATION" NEWSPAPER

_____________________________________________________________________________

For an earlier version of this Bill, see also:

http://www.nigerianmuse.net/important_documents/Nigeria_Appropriation_bill_2006.htm

SUMMARY

SCHEDULE

PART A - STATUTORY TRANSFERS

SCHEDULE

PART B - DEBT SERVICE

SCHEDULE

PART C - RECURRENT (NON-DEBT) EXPENDITURE

SCHEDULE

PART D - CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Signed by the Senate and House February 16, 2006

Assented to by the President February 21, 2006

Re-compiled from the PDF version by NigerianMuse.com

TABLE 2: Education Budget 2006 (In Naira)

Source: http://www.budgetoffice.gov.ng/pub/education.pdf

October 6, 2006

Over the past three years, we undersigned members of  EKITI-PAG (Ekiti Political Action Group, a Diaspora-based group), in a number of prior publications, have joined other groups and individuals inside and outside Ekiti State to warn the nation that the administration of Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose will and has proved to be a blight to the sensibilities and reputation of all Ekiti people both at home and abroad.  It has been an all-round embarrassment and worse since the administration came on board on May 29, 2003.   The recent dastardly assassination on August 14, 2006, of Dr. Ayo Daramola - a man in his prime whose murder is yet unsolved - unfortunately provided a deadly re-inforcement to those warnings.

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria's 46^th  year-celebration this October 1, 2006 would not have   been a particularly remarkable one, except that it is the fortieth year after the military imposed itself on us since 1966, and changed the course of a country that might have solved its teething post-independence problems without military intrusion.   With significant earnings from oil, vast tracts of arable land, a friendly physical environment and a vibrant and large population, we should have been an industrial giant rivaling many countries in the world by now.

Alas, we are not, and we need to begin again to work towards it.  Here is how.

"STEM" EDUCATION

The first step is a serious revitalization of our Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education.  When we look around, we are surrounded by a world transformed by those who have been inquisitive as scientists; who have provided technological solutions to human needs; who have a fundamental engineering understanding of those technological solutions; all within the context of using mathematics as the lingua franca.   Unless we stimulate STEM education in Nigeria beginning at the primary school level; and build an army of qualifiable and qualified STEM graduates at various levels of our educational pyramid, we will continue to be raw materials providers – essentially crude oil – to the world, and   consumers of other nations' expensive technological output.  The economic equation will be continue to be loaded against us, and economic prosperity will elude us.

Focus therefore must be on ensuring quality ready-to-learn student entrants, faculty and staff, STEM curriculum relevant to a developing country in a hurry to catch up with the world, world-class physical learning environment (classrooms, laboratories, libraries) and tools (books, computers, etc.) that show that education matters.

RELIABLE & STEADY ENERGY

The quality and quantity of food to a human being determines his productivity, all other things being equal.  Ditto for a nation – its economic productivity is a direct function of the quality and quantity of its energy output, particularly electricity.   With our current maximum electricity output at 6,000 MW, our production epileptically hovering between 3000-4000 MW, and hopes expressed of getting that to 10,000 MW by 2010, our energy production and availability profile is anemic, and our industrial output will remain stunted. A comprehensive energy policy that includes a national energy audit;  that takes into consideration energy conservation as well the exploitation of renewable energy resources (solar, wind) is essential.  Geographically spreading the energy sources and limiting the size of each (eg to 300 – 1000 MW) must be considered.   There is also need to deliberately build a few zonally-dispersed industrial parks with near 100% electricity availability, accessibility, affordability and reliability – and to explore the use of nuclear energy wherever possible.

IRON & STEEL

Iron and steel are the raw materials needed for building basic physical infrastructure in industry:  they are the catalyst for industrialization.     Nigeria is blessed with most of the raw materials necessary to make steel – iron ore, coal, limestone - and yet until recently, despite billions of dollars spent over the years in Ajaokuta, local iron and steel manufacture has been virtually non-existent.   No stone should therefore be left unturned in ensuring that we supply most if not all of our internal needs for iron and steel.  More importantly, the ability to make small tools – via the tool-and-die intermediate industry, with its intermediate technologists' needs – most be considered essential.

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

The use of computer-based decision making and data processing for speed, accuracy and efficiency cannot be gainsaid.   Familiarity with hardware and software is critical, as well as with digital transmission of all kinds of data (text, audio, voice, video).   Familiarity with the Internet and the World Wide Web is a sine qua non.  The distinction between computer science (algorithms and software); computer engineering (components and hardware) and information systems (end-use of computer technology for specific purpose) – and the necessity for local involvement in all of these aspects of ICT – need to be emphasized.

ROAD & RAILWAY NETWORK

The importance of being able to move Man and material from Point A to Point B in a safe, timely and efficient manner cannot be over-emphasized.  Inspection of a map of our current national road network - un-nomenclatured as the highways and interstate roads are - does not exhibit any significant national planning or coordination.   Our rail network has not progressed  beyond what obtained at Independence in 1960.  Yet no nation has developed its industrial base without a rail network that virtually rivals its road network;  India is a case in point. Nigeria must get on with both, and justify the billions of naira that have been spent on both particularly in the past seven years.

EPILOGUE

Meshing all the above recommendations together to lead to an industrialized Nigeria can only be achieved within a stable political environment, guided by a visionary, competent and accountable leadership.   It is that kind of leadership that our citizenry must demand as we enter into the 46^th year of our country  - and arrive at the critical year 2007 when in May a new administration will be ushered in.

Happy 46^th Birthday, Nigeria !

Mobolaji E. Aluko, PhD

alukome@gmail.com

Burtonsville , MD, USA

INTRODUCTION – AN EMBARRASSING FIASCO

alukome@gmail.com

Burtonsville , MD, USA

On August 29, 2006 INEC finally announced the key dates towards Nigeria's crucial 2007 elections as follows:

      - October 7, 2006 for beginning of voter (re-)registration;

      - April 14, 2007 for Gubernatorial and State Assemblies Elections;

      - April 21, 2007 for Presidential and National Assembly Elections

The order (presidential last) and grouping (state, national) are commendable and are as recommended earlier by this writer, particularly in respect to avoiding any band-wagon effects an early presidential election might engender.   However,  bearing in mind the window of dates March 30  to April 29 that INEC had to work with,  the announced dates were the second worst (after April 28/29) that INEC could have chosen.

Why does one write so?

First, INEC still exhibited a wedding to use of Saturdays as election days, rather than week-days, which could have made it possible to run the elections much earlier.  

Secondly, by making the presidential election as late as April 21, even if the results of any election are announced as fast as within a week (say by April 28), then the Electoral law legally allows petitioners 30 days after such an announcement to file a petition – which would be a day before the hand-over date of May 29 !  

In fact, the issue becomes more complicated in the events of run-offs, which theoretically can be as many as two, each to be conducted within 7 days AFTER the announcement of the earlier one.   If the April 21 presidential election is announced (fast) on April 28, and a run-off is necessary, it must be done by May 5.  If that first run-off is run on May 5 and the result is reported by May 12, and if another run-off is necessary, then that must be conducted by May 19.   Results would then have to be announced on May 26 – three days to hand-over date of May 29!

Furthermore, the Constitution allows the results of EACH of these elections to be petitioned against within 30 days – which means that under the best of circumstances, the petition for the May 26 election (if there is to be a second run-off) can be held-off until June 26 – AFTER the president might have been installed on May 29.   [See Table 1]

The upshot of these criticisms is that one would have preferred the Gubernatorial and Presidential Elections to be held on April 3 and Wednesday April 4, 2007 respectively as recommended earlier, which, working back on the dates, would have given at least 10 days for Tribunals to hear all the petitions, including at least for Run-Off #1, which is more probable than Run-Off #2. [See Table 2.]

Consequently, unless the principle of "Sleeping on your Rights" is invoked – which would make the filing of petitions AFTER a remedy has been worked out moot – we may have a crisis on our hands come next year.  

In any case, if these dates are not changed, we are now left to watch VERY CLOSELY each of the deadlines AUTOMATICALLY created by the announcements put forward by INEC.  These deadlines are set forth in Table 3, where a clear distinction should be made (as implied in the Electoral Act 2006)  between "General Election" date (which is April 21, the first date of two elections), and each of the election dates (April 14 for Gubernatorial/State Assembly) and April 21 for Presidential/National Assembly, each of which triggers a different set of deadlines.

But we shall see, and in the time being,  let us pray.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://www.nigerianmuse.com/important_documents/Electoral_Act_2006_Harmonized.doc

Nigeria's Electoral Act 2006

http://www.nigerianmuse.com/essays/?u=MWE_Interrogating_Harmonized_Electoral_Act_2006.htm

MID-WEEK ESSAY:  Interrogating the New Harmonized Electoral Act 2006 - and Some Recommendations

[Mobolaji E. Aluko, June 14, 2006 ]

http://www.nigerianmuse.com/essays/?u=SM_Update_on_Recommended_dates_2007_Elections.htm

SUNDAY MUSINGS:  Update on Recommended Dates for 2007 Elections   

[Mobolaji E. Aluko; June 11, 2006 ]

http://www.nigerianmuse.com/essays/?u=MWE_Recommending_Dates_ballot_system_for_2007_elections.htm

MID-WEEK ESSAY: Recommending Dates and Ballot System for the 2007 Nigerian Elections [Mobolaji E. Aluko, May 31, 2006]

TABLE 1: CONSEQUENCE OF PRESENT INEC ANNOUNCEMENT

April 14 – Gubernatorial Elections

April 21 – Presidential Election

{April 28 – "Fast Track" Announcement of Results of Presidential & Gubernatorial Elections

May 5– Run-Off Elections #1

May 12 – "Fast Track" Announcement of results of Run-Off Elections #1

May 19 – Run-Off Elections #2

May 26 – "Fast Track" Announcement of results of Run-Off Elections  #2

May 28 Last day to file Petition Against Presidential Election Results}

May 29 – Hand-Over Date

{June 12 -  Last day to file Petition Against Run-Off # 1

June 26 – Last day to file Petition Against Run-Off # 2

TABLE 2:  PREFERRED INEC ANNOUCEMENTS

April 3 – Gubernatorial Elections (Monday)

April 4 – Presidential Elections (Tuesday)

April 7 – Announcement of results of Presidential/Gubernatorial Elections (Saturday)

April 14 – Run-Off #1 (May not be necessary, but quite possible)

April 21 – Announcement of results of Run-Off # 1

April 28 – Run Off # 2 (May not be necessary; quite improbable)

May 5 – Announcement of results of Run-off # 2

May 7 - Last day to file Petition Against Presidential/Gubernatorial Elections

May 14 – Last day to file Petition Against Run-Off # 1

May 15-25 – Tribunals hear all Petitions

May 29 – Hand-Over Date

June 5 – Last day to file Petition Against Run-Off # 2