The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria

  • The Dana dilemma

    The Dana dilemma

    •Govt might have fulfilled legal righteousness, but will it find passengers for the airline?

    We must state upfront that an air accident need not be the end of the operation of an airline as has been witnessed in Nigeria in the recent past. But on the other hand, the lifting of the operating licence of Dana Airline barely three months after a horrendous crash which cause has yet to be determined, and which pieces have not been picked, is bound to raise eyebrows and trigger pathos, and understandably so.
    A Dana Airline commercial plane had crashed in the Agege suburb of Lagos last June 3, killing all 153 passengers and crew as well as 10 persons on the ground. The Federal Government had promptly grounded the airline, ostensibly to keep it from flying while investigations and remediation went on. The Accident and Investigation Bureau (AIB) is yet to turn in its report, less than half of the bodies of the victims have been so far identified and retrieved by family members while a good number are still in the mortuary, caught up in identification controversy. Compensation issues are also still embroiled in forensic details with only $30,000, a small fraction, paid to few families. Interments and memorial services for victims are still going on across the country and the pall of mourning is yet to dissipate.
    It is under this circumstance that the aviation minister, Ms Stella Oduah announced the lifting of the suspension of the operational licence of Dana Airline. She said the “action is based on our satisfaction, after carrying out a technical audit of the operator, that the airline is airworthy.” As if to mitigate the uproar that action was expected to cause, the minister explained that it shared the pains of the family members of the victims of the crash and that the decision was taken with every sense of responsibility. It said further that none of the reports so far released on the June 3 crash had indicted the airline, noting that it was not usually the practice in the industry to ground the operations of an airline whose plane was involved in an accident but added that the step had to be taken because of the sentiments in Nigeria.
    We agree with the minister that an airline need not crash and go into oblivion just because of one accident as has been the case in Nigeria. Airlines like Bellview, Sosoliso and ADC have ceased to exist largely on account of long suspension of their licenses after a crash. This need not be so. On the other hand, we think the government has behaved most insensitively not only by giving Dana a clean bill of health while the major accident report was yet to be turned in, but by making what comes across like a gleeful pronouncement in lifting the suspension of the airline’s licence. A little more tact and sensitivity was required in handling such an emotive matter.
    The Dana affair is yet another example in which though the government may have fulfilled legal righteousness, it totally neglects the feelings and sentiments of the people in its approach and implementation. Given what we knew about the ill-fated air plane, that accident might have been avoided if the airline had not been carefree in its operations.
    We offer that Dana should not hurry back into Nigeria’s airspace; even though it already has the go-ahead from the government. And if it does without putting its house in order, hoping to circumvent the pervert system, Nigerians also have their way of voting with the choice of airlines to fly after such disasters. Countries where the regulatory authorities are up and doing can afford the luxury of not stopping airlines involved in crashes; we cannot vouch for our own regulators here.
  • On regional integration and state police

    On regional integration and state police

    SIR: Regional Integration is not national disintegration. A nation is a system that has many parts in which any malfunction or dysfunction of a part will affect the other parts and the whole system. Nigeria is not functioning, and this is glaring, because the regions are not functioning well due to poor financing, maladministration at the centre and lack of visionary and transformation leaders. Regional integration will will turn around the fortune of the nation. Regional integration means the coming together of components regions in a state to benefit from economy of scale.
    The present administration has neglected security as a critical component of national transformation. The country is today in fear of attacks by terrorists who are bent on running the country down. Nigeria is endowed with vast natural resources like iron, lime, tin, gold, petroleum, water sources, arable land and highly informed human resources, yet we lack food security and other infrastructures that can make life meaningful because of dearth of visionary and transformation leaders.
    The central government lacks the capacity to influence the regional parts on the kind of development necessary to move the region and the country forward. While states like Edo, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Rivers, Oyo and Ogun are doing well, the central government refuses to show signs of development. Regional integration will ginger developments and healthy competition among the regions like we had in the first republic.
    The establishment of state police will improve the security of the country and help to prevent crime. The recent disapproval in some quarters, especially the elites, who should know better, is expected and welcomed. In 1822, Robert Peel, a wealthy member of the Britain’s Parliament, strongly believed that London’s population, crime rate and crime nature merited a full-time, professional police force. But many English, especially the politicians, objected to the idea. They feared possible restraint of the liberty and atrocities.
    They also feared a strong police organisation because the criminal law was already perceived harsh (by the early 19th century there were 223 crimes in England for which a person could receive capital punishment). Indeed, Peel’s efforts to gain support for full-time, paid  police officers failed for seven years. Peel finally succeeded in 1829. His bill to Parliament – entitled “An Act for Improving the Police In and Near the Metropolis”, which culminated in the establishment of the Metropolitan Police – was popularly known as the Metropolitan Police Act of 1829.
    The intention of policing a community is the prevention of crime. Nigeria has changed socially, economically and demographically from the time the Nigeria Police Force was created by the colonial masters. Nigeria is an amalgamation of different states with different cultures.  Creation of state police is inevitable if we want to maintain peace and other and care for national development.
    Different states have some different security challenges and different states have different priorities for crime prevention and control. A state that is ready to spend more for its security should be allowed to do so.
    • Ademola Adebayo
    Lagos
  • Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd) at 80

    Justice Mustapha Akanbi (rtd) at 80

    Honourable Justice Mustapha Adebayo Akanbi (CFR) (rtd), a father, Wakilin of Ilorin, an elder (non-partisan) statesman, a man of impeccable integrity, an intellectual by all measures and an untiring judicial activist turns 80. His globally acknowledged courage, patriotism, pan Africanism and above all compassion for human advancement are worthy of celebration. The cliché is; not how long, but how well.
    Remarkably, it’s been well, worthwhile and long for Justice Akanbi. Activists of alternative social order are often critical of state judicial officers in particular and men and women of “law and order”, in general. History is rich with abundant evidences of how laws, some lawyers and indeed many judges were parts of the strong links in the chain of class oppression, exploitation and tyranny against the weak. Judges sentenced Nelson Mandela (himself a lawyer!) to life imprisonment. His crime: dare to fight against apartheid. Madiba spent 27 years of his precious life behind the bars “legally”. “Rule of (apartheid) law”once prohibited what turned out to be icons like Nelson Mandela (of royal extraction), Desmond Tutu, and Winne Mandela from making use of White Only toilet.
    Unjust apartheid laws for a century criminalized and segregated toilet usage!
    The apartheid “laws” were certainly drafted by some “lawyers”. Some “judges” also enthusiastically enforced the “laws” with all the brutality associated with them! Here at home, not few Judges, lawyers and judicial officials enlisted on the side of injustice and dark dealings. It was a judge who granted the infamous injunction putting on hold a process of free and fair elections in 1993. The annulment of June 12 election by IBB dictatorship was “”legitimised”” by “legal” drafters of draconian laws of that dark era of our life. It was a Judge who judicially murdered Ken Saro Wiwa, a globally acknowledged writer and poet.
    It is important to recall these others and their sordid legal misdeeds to underline the significance of the dignity, courage and honour Honourable Justice Mustapha Akanbi brought to bear during his eventful tenures both at the bar and the bench. Record shows that retired Justice Akanbi is an acknowledged judicial officer with integrity, steadfastness and fairness in the process of adjudication on the bench even under a hostile military regime. Following the brutal murder of four ABU students in 1986 by Mobile special Police on the order of the university authority led by Professor Ango Abdulalhi, students crisis erupted which degenerated and assumed national dimension. ASUU, NLC and NANS were united in protest in protest against the Abisoye Panel set up by the regime to whitewash the administrative mess of Ango Abdullahi leadership of ABU. The crisis of confidence that rocked the Abisoye panel compelled the regime to set up a more credible judicial commission headed by Justice Akanbi. His commission restored confidence such that National Association of Nigeria’s Students, (NANS) and other civil society organizations freely and confidently participated. The perception was that with Justice Akanbi on the bench, there would be justice for all. The commission’s problem solving (not persecution methodology) characterized by openness allowed for free expressions. The high point was the courageous sensational testimony of the intelligent police officer, Alozie Ogbubuaja who freely offered suggestions on students-police relations with a call for the improvement on the conditions of service of the police in general. He made a case for reform of the police and made his historic damning pepper soup remark and coup plotting.
    Honorable Minister of Communication and Information, Labaran Maku (then NANS PRO) owes his university graduation from Jos to the historic sense of justice of the commission’s findings which were reformist not punitive as the military regime desperately desired. As the founding chairman of the ICPC, in keeping with the mandate of the commission to apprehend public graft in 2003, ICPC intensified its search light on the activities of senators among other public officers. Some senators under the leadership of Senator Pius Ayim moved to weaken the ICPC through a belated review of its enabling Act in a way that would insulate senators from accountability and prosecution. Remarkably the retired Honourable Justice Akanbi made a case for anti-corruption at the chambers of the Senate insisting that any attempt to tamper with the ICPC Act means truncating the anti-corruption crusade. He was even determined to resign his chairmanship of the commission rather than allowing the commission to be compromised by the legislators. The public sympathy was in favour of Justice Akanbi-led commission, largely on the account of the integrity of the chairman.
    Justice Akanbi is a living library of progressive and spiritual ideas for the younger generation. His life shows that, age is no barrier to value addition, hard and smart public work. Within a short spell, with maturity and determined systemic approach, he mainstreamed ICPC from nowhere as an institutional bulwark against public graft. Notwithstanding the limitations of resources and political hostility, ICPC under him investigated and arrested some judges of the High Court, customary court and Sharia court for collecting bribes. The judges were eventually dismissed by the NJC. To the credit of his legendary modesty Justice Akanbi bowed out of the commission in 2005, even when he had the right of tenure extension. Here Justice Akanbi shares the great value of resignation with great leaders like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania.
    Mandela said:” I must step down when there are one or two people who admire me”- Justice Akanbi actually stepped down when many actually admired him. On retirement, he set up Mustapha Akanbi Foundation (MAF). Inaugurated in Ilorin, Kwara State on September 12, MAF has added value to national discourse within a short time. Out of simple and enduring noble objective to serve as “…a veritable platform for promoting democratic values and fostering sustainable and viable democratic development in Nigeria”, MAF has left bold imprints in areas of Education, Human empowerment, health, Anti-corruption campaign and Good governance. The Foundation is acting local but thinking global through high profile public agenda setting lectures. The singular commitment, passion and courage of Justice Akanbi manifest in yearly topical themes that elevate public debate from the pedestrian. Today Mustapha Akanbi Foundation (MAF) is giving so much in a country of official non-giving, official grabbing, elite greed and state denials of roads, light, water and security of lives and property. To understand Justice Akanbi’s tremendous contributions to jurisprudence, national and continental development we must come to terms with his roots in Islamic jurisprudence of the great ancient city of Ilorin that has produced other equally great jurists like retired Justice Alfa Moddibo Belgore and Justice Ayo Salami. Significantly too, we must appreciate his profound ideological and historical grounding dating back to the progressive ideas of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana in the 40s and 50s, Sekou Toure of Guinea and Julius Nyerere of Tanzania. Justice Mustapha’s contribution has shown that spiritual/ideological/political consciousness is indispensable for lawyers to maintain and sustain integrity both at the bar and on the bench. We recall with nostalgia ideologically conscious lawyers like late Aka Bashorun, late Gani Fahemihin SAN Femi Falana SAN among others. A visit to the Africa’s Peoples Hall, the Head Quarters of MAF in Ilorin says it all. An inventory of the consciously arraigned portraits of the great African Leaders and trade unionists from Kwame Nkrumah to Nelson Mandela, Gamel Nazer to Tom Mboya, Patrice Lumuba to Sekou Toure will attest to the ideological preferences of the role model, Justice Mustapha Akanbi. With uncommon valuable service at 80, he is ageing gracefully but also mentoring a new generation to take over. His recent bold comments on national issues such as state police and independence of anti-corruption agencies underscore his intellectual clarity and sincerity of purpose at 80.
    • Aremu, mni (issaaremu@yahoo.com)
  • Nigeria tightens security after US Embassy attacks

    Nigeria tightens security after US Embassy attacks

    Obama: justice will be done

    NIGERIA rose yesterday to the likely security challenges thrown up by violent demonstrations in some parts of the world sparked by a United States film believed to have been religiously offensive.

    The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, ordered tight security around police formations, embassies and foreign missions.

    Deputy Force Public Relations Officer Frank Mba said yesterday in a statement: “Consequently, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, has placed all police formations across the federation on red alert. In this regard, the IGP has directed all zonal AIGs and Command Commissioners of Police to ensure a 24-hour water-tight security in and around all Embassies and Foreign Missions in Nigeria as well as other vulnerable targets.

    “In addition, the AIG in charge of Intelligence and Commissioners of Police in charge of the various Police Special Squads, such as the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Special Protection Unit (SPU) have been directed to ensure that their personnel are strategically deployed to prevent and nip all potential crises in the bud.

    “While assuring law abiding citizens of the readiness and capacity of the Nigeria Police to provide adequate security for life and property, the IGP warned potential trouble makers to stay off the streets of Nigeria as the nation’s security agencies will bring to bear the full weight of the law on all laws breakers.

    “The IGP also advised parents and guardians to monitor their wards closely to protect them from negative influences of mischief makers who may want to lure them into criminal and unwholesome acts.”

    The UN Security Council condemned the killing of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff.

    Ambassador Christopher Stevens and the others were killed in an attack by unidentified armed men.

    The Security Council’s condemnation was read by Ambassador Peter Wittig, the President of the Security Council during the Council session at the UN Headquarters in New York.

    “I am sure that I speak for all of us in strongly condemning the killing of the U.S. Ambassador to Libya and three other embassy staff and expressing our heartfelt condolences to our U.S. colleagues here and to the families and loved ones of the victims,” he said.

    The attackers stormed the grounds of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi overnight, angered by a video produced in the U.S., which was said to have insulted the Prophet Muhammad.

    The United States said it was taking measures to protect its citizens worldwide.

    In Libya, witnesses say members of a radical Islamist group, Ansar al-Sharia, protested near the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, where NATO jets established no-fly zones last year to halt ground attacks from then-Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

    The group then clashed with security forces in the city, blocking roads leading to the consulate, witnesses said.

    The US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said in a statement.

    “Our hearts go out to all their families and colleagues,” Clinton said.

    “All the Americans we lost in yesterday’s attacks made the ultimate sacrifice. We condemn this vicious and violent attack that took their lives, which they had committed to helping the Libyan people reach for a better future,” she added.

    In an earlier statement, Clinton said she condemned the attack on the U.S. facilities “in the strongest terms” and that following Tuesday’s events, the U.S. government was “working with partner countries around the world to protect our personnel, our missions and American citizens worldwide.”

    Libya’s General National Congress also condemned the attack in Benghazi, saying it “led to the regrettable injury and death of a number of individuals.” Lawmakers said in a statement Tuesday night that they were investigating.

    President Barack Obama, delivering a statement in the Rose Garden, with Mrs Clinton at his side, said: “The United States condemns in the strongest terms this outrageous and shocking attack.” He said the US was working with the Libyan government to bring the attackers to justice.”Make no mistake, justice will be done,” Obama said, pausing slightly to underscore the declaration.

    The President said Ambassador Stevens had played a crucial role in the liberation of Libya and that he was an indispensable source of knowledge about what was happening in Benghazi, where he had been posted during the overthrow of Gaddafi.

    The President repeats a line from Clinton’s address: “There is absolutely no justification for this type of senseless violence. None.”

    United States officials say some 50 Marines are being sent to Libya to reinforce security at U.S. diplomatic facilities.

    The Marines are members of an elite group known as a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team, whose role is to respond on short notice to terrorism threats and to reinforce security at U.S. embassies. They operate worldwide.

    The officials, who disclosed the plan to send the Marines, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly.

     

  • Power generation still 4,439.5mw

    Power generation

    Power generation has hit 4,439 megawatts, the government said yesterday.It also announced its plan to surpass the promised 4,500mw by December.
    The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Mrs Dere Awosika, denied that power generation had dropped by 1,000 mw as claimed in a report yesterday.

    According to her, the current generation mark was attained on September 5. It has not reduced, she said.
    In a statement yesterday, the ministry said: “The attention of the Ministry of Power has been drawn to a report alleging that power generation has dropped by 1,000megawatts.

    “ The fact is that there is no iota of truth in the publication. At present, the peak generation has remained 4,439.5 megawatts. This peak status was gained on September 5 and since then, it has been steady.

    “We have tried as much as possible to be transparent and provide relevant and accurate data. Our door remains open.”
    According to Mrs Awosika, Minister of State for Power Darius Dickson Ishaku has assured Nigerians that the recent gains in the power generation “will not only be consolidated, but will be improved upon.”

    Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) Dr. Sam Amadi told reporters yesterday in Abuja that there must be generation of 4,500 megawatt in the Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO) , as justification for a new tariff regime.
    He explained that the 4500mw projected for December was an outcome of all the worst and best scenarios that could be experienced by the Transmission Company of Nigeria, generation companies and National Integrated Power Projects..
    Amadi said in order to sound realistic, the commission pegged its benchmark at 4500mw instead of the 5000 mw projected by the Ministry of Power.

    Amadi said: “The idea here is that gas to power would have also gone far. The idea here is that if you look at it from the 4500mw in the market, we are very sure that by December 2012 we would have been able to meet that projection. The idea here is that the generation capacity influences the tariff. If suddenly we have a windfall of 9,000 megawatts, we are going to reverse the tariff because the average cost is going to be lower for every consumer.

    “So, let’s bear in mind that this is a day to day market. Before we got the projection, we got NIPP, we got TCN, we got the generation companies to give us their best and worst case scenario.
    “But we took 4500mw and from hindsight it seems we were more accurate to take 4500mw. We already had improvement of 4,300 in the last two weeks. So it is possible we have improvement for the price that is being scheduled. But we expect to do better than 4500mw.”
    He said the sector would witness a soaring power generation of 7000mw when the NIPPs would have harvested their inputs by next year.
    That year, said the chairman, all the IPPs and NIPP that are now down would have been operating at full capacity.
    Also yesterday, the Minister of State for power said Lagos is currently getting 1,124 megawatts supply of electricity which is about one quarter of the total electricity wheeled into the national grid.

    He spoke at the inauguration of the Ikeja Forum for Electricity Consumers. He said the recognition of Lagos as the country’s commercial hub necessitated the high premium being placed on the state in the supply of power.

    He said: “As at Monday, power delivery to Lagos alone is 1,124mw. This is because it is the commercial heartbeat of the nation. If I have to do anything, it has to be Lagos first, followed by Abuja and others.” The current power supply to the state is the highest in the history of the country, he added.

    He said electricity supply has been on the increase because the Alaoji power plant, being built under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), will be synchronized into the national grid soon as two of its units are already fired.
    Lagos State Governor Babatunda Fashola expressed concern about irregular power supply and customer complaints. He urged the Federal Government to ensure that necessary measures are taken to guarantee sustainable power supply in the country adding that it is the gateway to move from poverty to prosperity as power is critical to the success of other sectors of the economy.

  • Buhari: PDP must be stopped in 2015

    Buhari

    Former Head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari has accused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of making Nigeria difficult to stabilise because of what he calls its penchant for rigging elections.

    The 2011 presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) vowed to join forces with other well-meaning Nigerians to ensure free, fair and credible elections in 2015.

    Speaking with our correspondent in an interview in his Kaduna home, Gen, Buhari said opposition parties’ merger plans were on course so that they could defeat the PDP in 2015.

    Besides, he said the Boko Haram insurgency, in which many have been killed, was caused by injustice.
    His words: “The type of rigging pattern perfected by the PDP must be stopped. People must be allowed to vote for candidates of their choice. If our election processes are free, fair and credible, there will be no problem in Nigeria. But the PDP government is making the country very difficult to stabilise with its rigging pattern.

    “This is the evil that we have to fight in this country to move forward. I have said it so many times that multi-party democracy system is the best.

    “Elections must be free and fair. That is what the CPC is all about. I couldn’t get it done in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), but God willing, we will realise this ambition.
    “The only thing that will stabilise this multi-party democracy system is to have free and fair elections. All hands must be on deck to ensure this; unless that is done, those who are in government will not sit up and ensure social justice.
    On Boko Haram, the former military ruler believes injustice is at the root of the problem. “The PDP has said that they will rule forever and I know this is not possible, Gen. Buhari said, adding: “I am sure if you go down memory lane, you will see what we have gone through. In 2010 when opposition parties tried to merge and form an alliance, there was no time. And there must be understanding from parties to accept an alliance.

    “Now, the time is on our side. The ACN, the CPC and the ANPP have realised now that to defeat PDP, opposition parties must come together. The merger is on course.”

    In a swift reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, welcomed Gen. Buhari’s call for opposition parties to form an alliance to defeat the PDP.

    Metuh, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone yesterday, encouraged Gen. Buhari and his allies in the opposition parties to go ahead and form the mega alliance against the PDP, stressing that if the PDP loses in a free and fair election, the party will accept defeat.
    He said: “We encourage as many opposition parties as possible to form alliance against the PDP to fight future elections. If they win in a free and fair election, the PDP will respect the will of the people.

    “We are not against free and fair elections. We are not against alliance against the PDP. What we are against is violence and distortion of facts. We are against inciting the people against constituted authority in the land. We are against threats and tendencies that tend to heat up the system.”

    According to Metuh, the PDP has delivered on its electoral promises and that the ruling party “would continue to deliver on its manifesto”.
    He said the party had made it clear to its political office holders at all levels that their chances of securing tickets for the 2015 elections will be based on performance.

  • Anyim’s Ebonyi community boils over town union polls

    Anyim

    Ebonyi State community where Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim hails from is boiling over town union elections.

    A faction has accused the former Senate President of taking sides in the crisis.
    He has also been accused of influencing the security blanket on Ishiagu in Ivo Local Government Area of the state.
    Some community leaders are urging the authorities to withdraw the over 100 armed soldiers, policemen and plain-clothed security men said to have been deployed in the town.

    Two people- Chief Anyim Stanley and Chief David Aja are laying claims to the leadership of the Ishiagu Community Development Union (ICDU).
    Aja fled to Enugu from where he is calling for the removal of security men from the community. He is also blaming the SGF from the crisis.

    The fleeing leaders said they were running for dear lives because security men remained in the town after the former senator departed the community yesterday.

    But an ally of Senator Anyim, Mr. Godfrey Ajah, dismissed allegations against the SGF, saying he had no hand in the crisis.
    He said: “Anyim was here for the elections and has always returned home anytime there was ICDU election. It is not the first time and I must tell you that he is a peaceful man and would always want the best for his people in Ishiagu.
    “He is just as another Ishiagu man in the election of the town union executives. He never instigated any crisis.”
    The fleeing leaders insisted that the former senate president wants to hijack the leadership of the town union without following the constitution.

    Chief Aja who spoke on their behalf said: “I discovered there were about ten trucks of soldiers and riot policemen in the community for the election he claims to be conducting; I saw them running towards my house and I ran for refuge in Enugu.

    Aja, who claimed to have been accompanied by chairmen of 12 out of the 18 villages that make up Ishiagu, noted that the town union election which should constitutionally hold a month before the expiration of the tenure of the outgoing executive was conducted in August by the acting President of ICDU, Chief Linus Ukachukwu.

    He expressed regrets that Ebonyi State acting Governor Dave Umahi, allegedly jettisoned the recommendations of an investigation committee set up by government and fixed another election for Monday during which soldiers were mobilised to terrorise the people.

    But Godfrey Ajah said a peaceful election was conducted and new ICDU executive elected.
    He dismissed claims that an election was held in August and insisted that he was the only person legally qualified to conduct the elections.

    He said: “Our distinguished son, Anyim, is not causing any problem in Ishiagu; he was there when the elections were conducted and he has always returned home for the ICDU election. The government in its own wisdom, decided that the best for the community was an election and that’s what we did yesterday. However, a committee set up by government to supervise the election could not come after they were attacked by gunmen, yet they told us to go ahead with the election.”

    A community leader, Mr. Boniface Aja, told reporters yesterday that the community is thrown into fear, panic and uncertainty whenever the town union poll is to hold. He said in 2001 and 2006, many lives were lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed following a disagreement on the authentic leadership of the town union.

    Mr. Aja said the community was also thrown into panic and apprehension when on Sunday, a team of soldiers, riot policemen and plain-clothed security men, numbering over 100 besieged the community in respect of the ICDU election.
    He said: “It is painful and sad that a common town union election would witness a deployment of more than 100 security men. We are a peaceful people but top politicians from the community have turned the place into a war zone, who deployed security and under whose instruction are they working?”

    Another community leader, Mr. Njoku Igwe, urged the immediate withdrawal of the soldiers and riot policemen to avert any confrontation with the community youths.

    “The election has been conducted and winners emerged, though unfortunately two factional executives emerged but we believe it is high time the soldiers and policemen were withdrawn from the community to avert any unnecessary confrontation with the youths”.
    “We are living in perpetual fear and apprehension because of the presence of the security men, though they were deployed to ensure the peaceful conduct of the election but since the election is over, they should be withdrawn because still allowing them stay in the community may become counter productive”.

    A youth leader in the community, Mr. Anayo Okoronkwo, described the military presence in the community as uncalled for adding that the presence of the military prevented the people from coming out to vote for the candidate of their choice.
    He said there was no election in the community on Monday and urged the government to disregard any video clip or photographs presented to it by Senator Anyim as evidence of the election.

    But factional Chairman of the town union Chief Stanley described the continued crisis in the community as worrisome, adding that his administration would work assiduously to ensure that peace returned.

    He promised judicious use of the royalties accrued to the Community, pointing out that his administration would embark on projects that will be beneficial to the community.

    The community is endowed with enormous solid mineral resources, especially limestone mined by CrushRock Company of Nigeria and Setraco Nigeria Limited.

  • Access Nigeria, World Bank partner

    world-bank

    Access Nigeria in collaboration with the World Bank have concluded arrangement for a two-day National Jobs Fair.
    The fair commences tomorrow at the National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos.

    In a statement, World Bank said the event will serve as platform for the organiSations and potential employers to recruit young, skilled and competent employees into their workforce.

    “A broad range of employers from various sectors of the economy such as Information & Communication Technology (ICT), Telecommunications, Banking, Insurance, Private sector, Media, etc. are expected to participate at the event,” it said.
    The World Bank had in 2010, supported Access Nigeria programme during which Skills Gap Analysis conducted showed a distinct gap between what employers need and what they end up getting. It was discovered that most youth lack the fundamental skills required to succeed in the labour market, such as communication skills, cognitive skills and computer skills. This insight led to the formation of the Access Nigeria skills programme.

    The programme has in the last two years assessed more than 3000 youth on globally-benchmarked fundamental skills for Information Technology-enabled services economy.

  • CBN to assess auditors, compliance officers

    •CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said there is need to assess skills, qualifications, experience and competencies of staff currently occupying controlled functions in banks.

    Auditors, compliance officers and other bank staff involved in ensuring that due process is followed in banking operations fall within this group.

    These were conained in a CBN circular tagged: ‘Assessment of competencies in the Nigerian banking industry’ signed by Y.B Duniya for Director, Financial Policy and Regulation.

    He said such exercise will enable Bankers’ Committee identify at the preliminary stages, gaps that would impede the effective implementation of the Competency Framework for the Nigeria Banking Industry being appraised by the apex bank.
    Duniya said that the list of controlled functions is not exhaustive as other important roles and responsibilities may be added.
    However, he said the apex bank has directed the banks to furnish the CBN with names of staff manning the controlled functions, academic and other relevant qualifications, number of years’ experience on the control function; post qualification and general banking experiences; other competencies that support the performance of the control functions. They are also expected to supply details of identified deficiencies in skills, qualifications, experience and competences as well as measures envisaged to remedy positions within 18 months of the approval of the framework.

    The CBN had earlier issued a competency framework that will guide banking operations in the country. The apex bank said the recent global financial crisis exposed the inadequacy of skills and dearth of executive capacity in the banking industry.
    The skill gap, it explained manifested in, among others the lack of in-depth knowledge of core banking functions and poor understanding of basic banking operations; poor understanding of banking regulations and poor risk management and corporate governance practices.
    The framework is expected to address the competency challenges in the banking industry, explore growth opportunities as well as critically facilitate improvement in the quality of the industry’s human capital. Under the framework, successful banks will be those that distinguish themselves by according high priority to continuous enhancement of human capital and lifelong learning.

    “With stability now restored to the Nigerian banking system following several measures and initiatives taken by the CBN under the on-going banking sector reforms, it is imperative that immediate steps be taken to consciously re-direct the banking industry towards the path of entrenching a sequenced competency development programme,” it said.

    The banking watchdog said the exercise is predicated on the need for banks to accord high priority to the continuous enhancement of human capital and lifelong learning. This is expected to instill banking professionals with the requisite skills and expertise not only at the strategic and management levels, but also at the technical and operational levels.

    The apex bank also said it will maintain a central database for approved persons and maintained at the CBN. By this directive, all banks as reporting institutions will update the database with details of approved persons and access it as part of their due diligence prior to the engagement and appointment of persons within the industry.

    The proposed framework leverages on the practices in other jurisdictions such as Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Dubai which provide a useful guide and template for the Nigerian banking industry. “To ensure that only fit and proper persons man the different job roles and control functions within the banking industry, all persons for the position of Assistant General Manager and above as well as critical operational positions shall be approved for appointment in line with the Assessment Criteria for Approved Persons Regime issued and reviewed from time to time by the CBN,” it said.

  • Northern traditional leaders battle polio

    •Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar

    The Federal Government has stepped up its effort to eradicate wild polio virus (WPV) in the country, with focus on endemic states in the North, but it was traditional rulers in the region who drove the campaign.

    The government kicked off the latest activities in Sokoto State through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) whose personnel were in the state capital to sensitise residents on the need to immunise their children.
    Personnel of development partners such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organisation (WHO), among others, were also at the seat of the caliphate to help halt the spread of the polio virus in the region.

    Traditional leaders, however, played a leading role, with the respected Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III coordinating activities.

    Emirs and chiefs from the region, under the auspices of Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on the Eradication of Polio, were actively involved, with no fewer than 35 of them present at the one-day sensitisation session which held at the Sultan’s palace.

    The committee questioned the exclusion of some children under five years old from polio vaccination and routine immunisation programmes.
    The 10 endemic states under the committee’s focus are Kano, Kaduna, Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger and Zamfara.
    Sultan Sa’ad asked: “Are some people hiding under polio eradication to feed fat at the expense of our collective effort to fight it? The welfare and health of our subjects are fundamental to us. We are role models to them.”

    Head of Immunisation and Polio vaccine unit of the NPHCDA, Dr. Zubairu Mahmud, urged concerted efforts to stamp out the scourge.
    Dr. Ado Muhammad, Executive Director of the NPHCDA, said optimistically that Nigeria will halt the spread of the WPV by 2015.
    He noted that the major challenge of the crusade lies with local government areas where prevalence is high.
    “We want to vaccinate those settlements by ensuring maximum coverage,” he said.

    The Sultan told reporters that all necessary mechanisms were being put in place to ensure effective implementation of the crusade, which he said “cuts across 209 ward settlements”.