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March 30, 2006
Nigerians Witness Solar Eclipse
Thousands of Nigerians, including foreign tourists yesterday witnessed the solar eclipse in the country.
By Our Reporters, 03.30.2006
The 5th in about 106 years, the first, being in 1898, second in 1947, then 1959 and 2001 before yesterday's eclipse was total in some parts of the country and partial in others.
Reports from across the country indicated that anxious Nigerians gathered in open fields and spaces to catch a glimpse of the eclipse, using special filter goggles.
FCT residents, who viewed the partial eclipse of the sun, expressed gratitude to God for giving them the opportunity to experience the natural phenomenon.
Miss Tina Ukoh, a resident of Abuja said she was excited with the development, saying: 展ao! God is great.・BR>Others were seen praying and exchanging views on the eclipse and other worldly issues, which they said called for prayers and sober reflections.
Reports from affected states across the country indicated that everything was normal, as people went about their businesses devoid of panic and disturbances.
Solar eclipse occurs when the moon is caught in between the sun and the earth, while each of them move along their fixed paths.
Some States in the Southwest and Northwest zones of the country experienced total blackout.
States where total eclipse was observed include Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna and Kano, while other parts of the country and the FCT had partial darkness.
The eclipse, according to officials of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) in Abuja, started at about 9.30 a.m. Nigerian time and lasted up to 11 a.m. within the country.
The total eclipse phase, it was gathered, began at a point in northeast Brazil and later in the evening terminated at a point near the Russia-Mongolia border.
The eclipse was visible in areas covering Brazil, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, north-western parts of Chad,
Libya and North-Western tip of Egypt. Others countries covered by it included Turkey, North-Western parts of Georgia, south-western parts of Russia, Kazakhstan, the southern tip of Russia it was envisaged to terminate in the northern tip of Mongolia.
In Nigeria, not even the nation's rulers were spared the anxiety of catching a glimpse of the eclipse. Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ministers took time off to watch the eclipse shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that was presided over by him in the absence of President Olusegun Obasanjo who was away on official visit to the United States.
Wearing special protective spectacles, Atiku in company with his aides came out briefly from the Council Chambers shortly after the end of the weekly Economic Team meeting to watch the spectacle himself from the fore court of the Presidential Villa.
Speaking to State House Correspondents just before going back into the Council Chambers to preside over the weekly FEC meeting, the Vice President described what he saw as a very interesting sight to behold.
Although acknowledging that that was the first time that he would personally see the eclipse because as a child he, along with his siblings were always locked in the room when an eclipse occurred, the Vice President prayed that everybody had the opportunity to see the eclipse.
的t is quite interesting. We are not expected to see total eclipse here in Abuja but I think that there are other places in the country where they are expected to see a total eclipse of the sun.・BR>The Vice President added, 的 cannot remember. You know, when I was a kid they used to lock us up in the room and not would allow us to come out. I wish everybody is aware of this so that they can come out and see how it is.
But I know that there are a lot superstitious beliefs surrounding this・
The ministers were not also left out as they appeared in groups to watch and discuss the eclipse while sharing the use of the special spectacles provided solely for the purpose.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Frank Nweke, expressed satisfaction with the level of awareness created on the eclipse saying that it has gone a long way to stop undue panic.
Like Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Ministers, doctors and paramedical staff at the State House Staff Clinic, Abuja, today abandoned their work to view the partial solar eclipse experienced in the capital city.
THISDAY reports that most of the personnel were seen viewing the eclipse in the old traditional way by putting water in a container for that purpose in spite of warnings against the practice.
Others resorted to the use of sun glasses and handset cameras to view the eclipse. The scene was a beautiful sight to behold as patients were not left out of the excitement in spite of their desperation to see their doctors on time.
Most of the people gave praises to God for sparing their lives to see the solar eclipse, while the older ones recounted their past experiences of 1947, the last total eclipse in Nigeria.
One of the doctors simply identified as Nasir was so excited that he viewed the eclipse several times and prayed God to spear his life to see the next one expected in 34 years time.
Also the personal physician to the vice president, Dr. Ndukwe could not hide his feelings as he came out of his office and to watch the eclipse with admiration.
Like in Abuja, the story was the same in Lagos. At about 10.25am, the beautiful moving sun had given way to a mild darkness, which particularly turned homes, offices and schools into darkness. Outside glowed leaving no one in doubt that the moon had overshadowed the sun.
In excitement, people poured into the streets to watch with dark glasses, and water in basins. Mary claimed to have taken photographs of the momentary eclipse, which lasted for less than five minutes, with their GSM phone cameras.
In Kaduna, both old and young, temporarily abandoned their chores and businesses to watch the eclipse.
The event was characterised by unusual enthusiasm from jubilant Nigerians, who openly expressed appreciation to God for being alive to witness one of nature's mysteries.
Open-air Interdenominational prayers led by the State Governors and clergymen and celebrations were even held in some states.
Normal activities, however, went on smoothly in Kaduna, but some motorists put on their head lamps. Generally the meteorological department for its accurate forecast of the eclipse. Some lawyers, litigants and workers at the state high court watched the eclipse with their eclipse filters.
Lokoja and other parts of Kogi also witnessed partial eclipse between 10.00 a.m. and 11.25 a.m., with most residents initially ascribing the unusual darkness to signs of impending rainfall.
Partial eclipse also occurred in Enugu, with some residents improvising glasses to watch the occurrence.
Nwaefido, used candle flame to darken the surface of a plain louver glass with which people clearly viewed the super-imposition of the moon on the sun.
A NAN photographer Nathan Nwakamma who was able to pick the scene as it occurred, described the "translucent screen'' as a "wonderful improvisation'' as it enabled his camera lens to capture the eclipse.
Commercial activities in Minna, Niger state, where there was partial eclipse, were momentarily halted following the occurrence.
The eclipse began at about 9.45 a.m. as predicted by meteorologist, and continued till about 12.51 p.m..
In Kano, where the people witnessed the partial eclipse for about an hour beginning from 10 a.m., a resident, Mallam Mustapha Imrana, thanked God for sparing his life to witness the occurrence, which he described as 殿 gift of God・
Prayers were offered in mosques in the city both before and during the eclipse, in which Imams and their followers asked God for forgiveness.
The solar eclipse occurred in 20 of the 34 local governments of Katsina State. In Batagarawa Local Government, the eclipse started at about 10 a.m when the sun disappeared.
At exactly 10.30 a.m, it was dark in Almun Jama'a, Tsanni and Yargamji villages of the area, and the darkness remained for eight minutes before the sun reappeared.
The people of Yargamji and Almun jama'a villages prayed in mosques for restoration of the sun.
A 75-year old man in Yargamji, Malam Umaru Harmo, one of those who prayed, said: "The last time I witnessed the solar eclipse was more than 50 years ago, and now I am witnessing it again. I thank Allah.''
Another resident, Mr. Idris Almun Jama'a, described it as ``the work of Allah''.
In Katsina metropolis, people observed prayers in mosques.
Residents of Osun state were not left out of the solar eclipse. Prayers were said, in various Mosques by Muslim faithful across the 30 local government councils of the state.
As early as 9 a.m , Muslims were seen at various praying grounds in the state capital to thank Allah for His Grace and to seek for Allah forgiveness.
Also, many Christian brothers and sisters were offering prayers to herald the sighting of the eclipse in the state. By 11. oo a. m when the eclipse was sighted in Osogbo, all the places looked like night and people started expressed fear of the situation.
In Ogun State, public and private schools were shot down while pupils and students stayed at home to prevent the occurrence of any unforeseen situation as a result of the eclipse.
Commercial and social activities were also paralyzed for the greater part of the day, especially in Abeokuta, the state capital.
People kept off the major roads, and markets and shops were permanently locked, leaving only civil servants at the state and local governments in their offices.
The eclipse was witnessed in such areas as Abeokuta, Imeko/Afon, Idofa and Ota areas of the state.
Though, it was not the a case of total darkness in Abeokuta, it was, however, glaring that such a strange thing did take place.
At about 10.am, the bright day, which characterized the city in the early hours of the day, gave way gradually to partial darkness. It became more pronounced at exactly 10.15am when the entire city was covered with partial darkness, looking like the period between the hours of 6 and 7.pm on a normal day.
People became excited.
Those, who had ventured out very early in the morning, were seen rushing back home, leaving very few commercial and private cars on major roads of the city.
Strictly complying with warnings that people do not look directly into the sky, they were seen in front of their houses, viewing the eclipse from bowls of water.
However, the eclipse, which did not last more than 10 minutes started fading away after some time until the weather became clearer as it used to be in the normal again.
Like in Ogun State, social and economic activities were paralysed in the village of Saki, Oyo State, as the community like such others Kontagora, New Bussa and many other villages in Niger State, Katsina and Kazaure in Jigawa State experienced total eclipse.
The town witnessed a large number of visitors, including foreign tourists and scientists, who stormed the place to watch the eclipse.
However, despite the wide enlightenment that had attended the expectation of the eclipse, residents of Saki stayed indoors, refusing to open their shops, markets and schools for fear of the unknown.
To ensure proper control of the situation, the State Government shifted the seat of government to Saki temporarily.
Saki, headquarters of Saki East Local Government Area, had been predicted alongside nine other local councils in the Oke area by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) as physical locations, where total eclipse would be recorded.
The other Local Government Areas were Iwajowa, Itesiwaju, Atisbo, Saki West, Oriire, Olorunsogo, Irepo and Kajola.
According to NASRDA, apart from the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, where the total eclipse was expected, six other states in the country notably Ogun, Kwara, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara were to experience total eclipse of the sun.
Oyo State Cabinet led by 'Governor' Chrsitopher Adebayo Alao-Akala moved en mass to Saki on Tuesday evening purposely to monitor the natural phenomenon from the town, just as the entire Oke Ogun area had witnessed festive mood, with the teeming number of tourists, who besieged the area.
The State Government appealed to the people not to panic and provided over 10,000 spectacles free to members of the public who thronged Saki to view the eclipse.
From as early as 7 am, thousands of people moved into the OYSADEP stadium, which was designated as an official viewing centre by the government in collaboration with NASRDA.
The Special spectacles were distributed free to the people inside the stadium. However, from about 10.21am, the streets were completely deserted as the moon started to move gradually over the sun, drawing loud shouts of " God is great " from the people.
At about 10.44am, the sun was completely covered by the moon, resulting in total darkness. As this happened, some people burst into fervent prayer, asking for protection and posperity from God.
Akala, who later led the people in prayer, said, "As we are praying for God protection, I am happy that this spectacular phenomenon occurred during my time. It will remain part of history".
The state weekly executive council meeting was later held at the OYSADEP secretariat in Saki.
Also in Ibadan metropolis, a very scorching sun preceded the partial eclipse. At 9am, the intensity of the sun gradually diminished to give way to the partial eclipse, which started around 10.12am and ended at 10.45am. Major streets in the metropolis like Bodija Market, Agbowo Shopping Complex, Mokola, Dugbe, Agodi Gate, Oke-Padre, very well known busy places, were deserted even though the government did not declare any holiday. Teachers were seen in their schools with no pupils to teach. However, at noon, when the eclipse had subsided, people trooped out in their thousands to resume the day's activities.
Kontagora, New Bussa as well as many villages in Niger State witnessed total darkness for about five minutes.
The state capital, Minna, Bida, Mokwa, Zungeru Tegina, however, experienced partial darkness, which lasted for about 30 minutes. The bright, sunny day had unexpectedly caved in at about 9:57am, as most towns in the state were thrown into darkness, particularly New Bussa and Kontagora.
An eye witness in New Bussa told THISDAY on telephone that partial darkness set in at about 9:57am, before the entire town was enveloped in darkness at about 10:20am for about five minutes.
Also in Kontagora, where the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, went to personally witness the phenomenon, the sun sets over the town at about 10:30am.
But unlike Saki, Oyo State, where the event was greeted with fanfare, the day went in Niger State uncelebrated as people went about their normal businesses, while some schools were closed to make children stay indoor while the eclipse lasted.
At the Federal Information Centre, Minna, only 50 pieces of spectacles were available for sale to the public to watch the eclipse while many people, who had no assess to the spectacle resorted to the use of water in big bowls to capture the images of the sun and moon.
Kazaure, Jigawa State, also witnessed total eclipse.
As early as 7 am, there was sudden change in the weather with the initial sunny early morning becoming cloudy.
Soon, it became hazy and motorists had to put on their headlights to wade through the darkness.
However, within two minutes, that was at about 10:39 am,
the sun started becoming visible again and people, especially children, who gathered at the Emir of Kazaure痴 palace, were excited at the development.
Within 10 minutes, the sun shone brightly again though the
hazy weather remained pervasive.
Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu, in a
chat with newsmen, who went to the town to witness the
eclipse, said, it was one of the signs of God to his creatures about his existence.
No incident was recorded in the town as a result of the eclipse as adequate awareness of it had been created in the people.
Posted by Publisher at 03:48 PM | Comments (0)
Reps threaten Masari with impeachment
MEMBERS of the House of Representatives on Wednesday expressed disappointment with the Speaker, Aminu Bello Masari’s handling the debate on the recent controversial motion of commendation of President Olusegun Obasanjo and have threatened to impeach him if he continues to violate the House rule on voting methods.
Members, who claimed to be over 150 in number, disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday. Spokesman of the group, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, stated that the conduct of the Speaker while ruling on the said motion left much to be desired.
Gbajabiamila, who was flanked by Hon (Dr) Usman Bugaje, Hon. Temi Harriman and Hon C.I.D Maduabuwen, said the Speaker deceived members into believing that he was going to call for a division of the House, saying such promise went a long way to calm members.
“Unfortunately, when we came to vote, the voice vote was not clear enough and the Speaker gave it to the supporters of the motion. This was contested but the Speaker reneged on his promise and refused to allow a division,” the group alleged.
The members pointed out that they wished to register their disappointment with the Speaker who they accused of manipulating the voice votes and reneging on his promise. The group said its concern now was what might happen in the forthcoming bill on constitutional amendment which included the vexed third term clause.
They said that the Speaker should be compelled by House rule that states that for any constitutional amendment to pass, it must enjoy the vote of two-thirds of members of the National Assembly. “We must make it very clear that we shall not accept anything less and we want every Nigerian who will ultimately bear the brunt of third term disaster to insist that due process be observed in all but especially in respect of this third term matter,” the members declared.
Posted by Publisher at 03:43 PM | Comments (2)
Taylor trial 'may move to Hague'
Sierra Leone's war crimes tribunal has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to host the trial of ex-Liberian leader Charles Taylor.
The ICC said Sierra Leone's request to use The Hague as a venue was being considered, but stressed the African tribunal would still control the case.
The request has been backed by Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Mr Taylor, who was captured on Wednesday in Nigeria, faces charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The 11 counts, including responsibility for murder, rape and mutilation, relate to his alleged role fomenting war in Sierra Leone.
The former president's spiritual adviser, Kilari Anand Paul, has said Mr Taylor would be happy to face a trial in The Hague.
Instability fear
ICC spokesman Ernest Sagaga told the BBC News website that the ICC was examining the request from the Sierra Leone war crimes tribunal to hold proceedings on its premises.
"It would be still under the jurisdiction of the Special Court for Sierra Leone," he said.
Dutch Foreign Ministry spokesman Dirk-Jan Vermeij said the Sierra Leone tribunal was concerned that if Mr Taylor's trial was held in the capital, Freetown, it could lead to instability in the region.
The Netherlands was willing to co-operate with a trial at The Hague provided certain conditions were met, Mr Vermeij said.
US President George Bush said on Wednesday that he was keen for the trial to be moved, but to do so would require a UN Security Council resolution.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice believed it could be passed "relatively quickly", he added.
Guerrilla support
In a radio address to the nation, President Johnson-Sirleaf supported the moves to hold Mr Taylor's trial outside neighbouring Sierra Leone.
"We still expect a resolution from the Security Council that will allow a change in venue to a more conducive environment, such as the international court at The Hague," she said.
Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf said she had stressed that the UN had to ensure Mr Taylor was allowed "the right of a vigorous self-defence".
Others alleged to have committed war crimes in Sierra Leone are already on trial in Freetown.
However, observers fear Mr Taylor may still be able to mobilise a guerrilla army, capable of attacking the court in Freetown from the surrounding hills.
His supporters argue that a trial in Freetown could not be fair, even if the judges were international, because of the hatred felt by many Sierra Leoneans towards the man accused of starting their country's decade-long civil war.
Posted by Publisher at 03:10 PM | Comments (1)
US says Nigeria Must Answer on Missing Taylor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nigeria faces "consequences" for the disappearance of exiled former Liberian leader Charles Taylor if he is not handed over to stand trial on war crimes charges, the United States said on Tuesday.
Mar 28, 2006 — By Tabassum Zakaria
White House spokesman Scott McClellan would not say whether President George W. Bush would still meet with Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as scheduled on Wednesday.
"Right now we are looking for answers from the Nigerian government about the whereabouts of Charles Taylor," McClellan said.
Nigeria, which has been pressed by Washington to end Taylor's asylum there, said during the weekend that Liberia was free to take the former warlord into custody.
But on Tuesday, just as Obasanjo was scheduled to leave Abuja for Washington, Nigerian officials said Taylor had disappeared from his residence in the southeastern part of the country on Monday night.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said it was Nigeria's responsibility to hand over Taylor for prosecution, warning of "consequences" if it did not happen.
"We consider it a very serious matter, senator, if he has indeed escaped, very serious," Rice told Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Leahy pushed Rice to cancel Obasanjo's meeting with Bush, a request Rice did not address.
Rice stressed Obasanjo had promised to closely monitor Taylor and turn him over once a new Liberian government was in place.
"If we are no longer on course for that then we will have to examine why this happened and have consequences accordingly," said Rice, without specifying what the consequences would be.
Taylor had lived in Nigeria since 2003 when he stepped down as president and after Obasanjo helped broker a peace deal to end Liberia's 14-year civil war that spilled over into nearby countries. Taylor is wanted on war crimes charges by a special U.N.-backed court in Sierra Leone.
"It is the responsibility of the Nigerian government to see that he is conveyed to the special court for Sierra Leone," McClellan said. "We expect the government of Nigeria to fulfill this commitment."
Sen. Barack Obama, an Illinois Democrat, said Bush should cancel his Obasanjo meeting to send a message that "the United States stands unequivocally for bringing Charles Taylor to justice."
"The inability of the government of Nigeria to provide adequate security around the residence of Charles Taylor, one of the world's worst war criminals, is inexcusable," Obama said.
Republican Rep. Ed Royce of California, a member of the House of Representatives International Relations Committee, said countries should not consider giving Taylor sanctuary.
"Such action will be met with stiff opposition in the U.S. Congress — including serious sanctions," he said.
Rep. Chris Smith, the New Jersey Republican who chairs a House subcommittee on Africa, said the United States "must review our relationship with Nigeria in light of Taylor's escape and should immediately authorize a substantial financial bounty" to help ensure his capture.
Taylor is accused in Sierra Leone of supporting rebels notorious for hacking off the limbs of civilians, in exchange for diamonds to finance the Liberian conflict.
The two conflicts claimed an estimated 300,000 lives and spawned a generation of child soldiers.
(Additional reporting by Vicki Allen and Sue Pleming)
Copyright 2006 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Posted by Publisher at 12:44 PM | Comments (0)
March 29, 2006
Nigeria returns ex-Liberia leader
Exiled former Liberian president and war crimes suspect Charles Taylor is being removed from Nigeria after being caught trying to escape custody.
A jet has taken off from Nigeria and is flying him to Liberia - ending his exile of nearly three years.
He is, however, primarily wanted by the war crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone and could arrive there later on Wednesday.
The UN-backed tribunal's top prosecutor Desmond da Silva told the BBC he was delighted he had been arrested.
The BBC's Mark Doyle reports that it is likely UN peacekeepers in Liberia will arrest Mr Taylor immediately after his arrival, then send him on to the tribunal.
If and when he arrives in the Sierra Leone capital, Freetown, a cell is waiting for him, our correspondent adds.
He faces 17 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over his alleged role in the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone where he is accused of backing rebels notorious for mutilating civilians.
Border check
Mr Taylor, in exile in Nigeria since 2003 after a deal ending Liberia's civil war, went missing on Monday from his southern villa after the country announced Liberia was free to detain him.
The departure of the jet from Nigeria was confirmed by a police source and officials, as well as eyewitnesses.
Mr Taylor was detained earlier by security forces in the town of Gamboru-Ngala, close to the Cameroon border in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Borno.
The former Liberian leader had arrived at the frontier in a Range Rover jeep with diplomatic corps number plates, a trader working at the Gamboru-Ngala border post told AFP news agency.
"He was wearing a white flowing robe," said Babagana Alhaji Kata.
"He passed through immigration but when he reached customs they were suspicious and they insisted on searching the jeep, where they found a large amount of US dollars.
"After a further search they discovered he was Charles Taylor."
Nigeria has arrested Mr Taylor's Nigerian guards and has launched an investigation.
'Vindicated'
News of Mr Taylor's capture came just before Mr Obasanjo left for a visit to the US for talks with President George W Bush.
American indignation at the disappearance of the war crimes suspect had been threatening to overshadow the meeting.
Speaking in Washington before meeting Mr Bush, Mr Obasanjo said he felt "vindicated" by the capture.
Those who had suggested Nigeria may have been complicit in Mr Taylor's initial escape were wrong and owed him an apology, he added.
Posted by Publisher at 02:44 PM | Comments (0)
Charles Taylor caught in Nigeria
Exiled former Liberian president and war crimes suspect Charles Taylor is being removed from Nigeria after being caught trying to escape custody.
A jet has taken off from Nigeria and is flying him to Liberia following an order from Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo to repatriate him.
He is then due to be transferred to the war crimes tribunal in Sierra Leone.
He went missing on Monday from his southern Nigerian villa after Nigeria said Liberia was free to detain him.
Mr Taylor went into exile in 2003 in a deal ending Liberia's civil war.
He faces 17 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over his alleged role in the brutal civil war in Sierra Leone where he is accused of backing rebels.
Mr Taylor is accused of selling diamonds and buying weapons for the Revolutionary United Front rebels
The rebels were notorious for hacking off the hands and legs of civilians during their decade-long war.
Tens of thousands of people died in the interlinked conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The BBC's Mark Doyle reports that it is likely United Nations peacekeepers in Liberia will arrest Mr Taylor immediately and then send him to the tribunal in Sierra Leone.
If and when he arrives, a cell is waiting for him, our correspondent adds.
Border check
The departure of the jet from Nigeria was confirmed by a police source and officials, as well as eyewitnesses.
Mr Taylor was detained earlier by security forces in the town of Gamboru-Ngala, close to the Cameroon border in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Borno.
The former Liberian leader had arrived at the frontier in a Range Rover jeep with diplomatic corps number plates, a trader working at the Gamboru-Ngala border post told AFP news agency.
"He was wearing a white flowing robe," said Babagana Alhaji Kata.
"He passed through immigration but when he reached customs they were suspicious and they insisted on searching the jeep, where they found a large amount of US dollars.
"After a further search they discovered he was Charles Taylor."
Nigeria has arrested Mr Taylor's Nigerian guards and has launched an investigation.
Escape scare
President Obasanjo ordered Mr Taylor to be sent back to Liberia immediately to be placed in custody there, Information Minister Frank Nweke told reporters.
TAYLOR TIMELINE
1997: Elected Liberian president after leading rebellion
1991-2002: Alleged role in Sierra Leone's civil war
June 2003: Arrest warrant issued by Sierra Leone tribunal
August 2003: Begins exile in Nigeria after civil war at home
March 2006: Detained by Nigeria while fleeing
News of his detention came an hour before Mr Obasanjo was due to leave for a visit to the US where he is to meet President George W Bush.
Mr Bush had been facing calls to cancel the meeting in protest at Nigeria's failure to place Mr Taylor in custody after approving his surrender to Liberia at the weekend.
The Nigerian president had been "very shocked" by Mr Taylor's disappearance from his villa in Calabar, Mr Nweke told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
Desmond de Silva, chief prosecutor of the war crimes court in Sierra Leone, had warned Mr Taylor could use his vast wealth and contacts to organise his escape.
He described Mr Taylor as one of the three most important wanted war crimes suspects in the world.
Posted by Publisher at 02:42 PM | Comments (0)
Explosion near Mantu’s house: I was the target’
An explosion suspected to be from a hand grenade, yesterday rocked an uncompleted building behind the Asokoro, Abuja residence of the deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ibrahim Mantu.
by Habeeb I. Pindiga, Shehu Abubakar & Isa Sanusi / 2006-03-28
No life was lost but the man suspected to have detonated the grenade was badly wounded.
The police in Abuja confirmed the incident to Daily Trust and said it was not targeted at anybody.
A twist was however, added when Mantu alleged that the explosion emanated from a building belonging to the chief security officer to Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and that he was the target.
The blast, according to Mantu, happened at about 1.30pm yesterday.
Witnesses told Daily Trust that a sudden bang was heard from the building, sending smoke billowing into the sky.
Security personnel attached to Mantu rushed into the building and found a man in a pool of blood, apparently wounded by the explosion.
Commissioner of police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Lawrence Alobi, told Daily Trust that “the report I have before me said a construction worker by name Salisu Umar, went to a bush about 1,000 meters away from the deputy Senate president’s house at Asokoro to ease himself. He saw a hand grenade and picked it. He was curious to know what it was. He removed the pin and it exploded and injured him.
“It was not an attack on anybody. It was just an incident and the only casualty was the person who found the grenade in the bush and tried to see what it was. We have recovered the exploded grenade and the victim is re-sponding to treatment.”
But asked why he thought the blast was targeted at him, Mantu said, “My house is my house, who else is important in my house than myself?”
A witness, Malam Yakubu Musa, told Daily Trust at the scene of the incident that contrary to Alobi’s statement, Salisu came with the grenade to the place.
Immediately after the incident, the witness said, the police rushed and took Salisu to a hospital. But he admitted not knowing who Salisu’s target was.
Recounting how he heard the blast, Mantu told newsmen at the National Assembly that “there’s a house adjacent to my house, it’s uncompleted, in fact it’s slated for demolition. I understand that the house belongs to the chief security officer to the vice-president. That’s what they say. And people have been staying in the uncompleted house. There are many people there. The house is overlooking my house. So I went upstairs to keep something. I just heard a blast—bang! Then there was smoke all over the place that’s in the compound where the people are staying and my window is very close, may be in an attempt to throw the thing, it exploded on the man and he is now in the hospital.”
Asked if the purported attack on him had links with his role in the third term agenda, he said “I don’t know. Different things are done for different reasons. Possibly those who think if I give way, maybe I stand before them. I don’t want to blame anybody since God has sent it to the sender.”
The deputy Senate president said he was not moved by the blast. “My security is in the hands of God. I don’t really give a damn about this because I thank God for the life I live.
This will spur me into doing great things for Nigeria,” he said.
Yesterday’s blast is coming in the wake of impeachment moves against Mantu for his role in the alleged extra-budgetary spending as Amirul hajj of 2005.
He is also being investigated in the third term controversy as chairman of the National Assembly Joint Constitution Review Committee.
Reacting an associate of the Vice President, Malam Garba Shehu said “I want to say that the Chief Security Officer to the Vice President does not own a house anywhere in Asokoro.”
Garba Shehu added: “So Mantu should cross check and if this is an attempt to link the incident to the Vice President for political reason, it will not succeed,” adding that “Atiku Abubakar is a civilian democrat and these are not his ways.”
He further said, the bomb may be the commencement of a plan to set up the vice president.
Posted by Publisher at 02:39 PM | Comments (0)
Obasanjo summons stakeholders' meeting on Niger-Delta * Oil: Nigeria loses $1.4b in 40 days to shut-in production
ABUJA— PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo has convened a meeting of stakeholders in the Niger Delta for the purpose of resolving the protracted problems of the region. The meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday at the State House, Abuja. It will, among other things, discuss how to rebuild the wholesome community spirit in the region.
By Charles Ozoemena & Hector Igbikiowubo
Posted to the Web: Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Senior Special Assistant to President Obasanjo on Media, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo, said yesterday that the parley followed Monday’s release of all the oil workers held hostage in the Niger Delta.
Her words: “The meeting of the Leaders of Thought of the Niger Delta coastal states will deliberate on issues of engagement with the relevant groups in the region, dialogue, confidence building, employment creation and the rebuilding of the wholesome community spirit in the region.
“To this end, the President has invited all stakeholders including traditional rulers, elected officials, community leaders, youth leaders and other relevant leaders and stakeholders within the community to the high level-meeting.”
Glad to be home, says released hostage
Meanwhile, a British oil worker released by Ijaw militants on Monday spoke yesterday about his “huge relief” to be back home in Britain and thanked those who played a part in securing his freedom.
Security expert John Hudspith (Briton) and US oilmen Cody Oswald and Russell Spell were released to officials in Warri, Monday, after holding them captive in the swamps of the Niger Delta for more than five weeks.
Hudspith said: “My release is a huge relief and I am glad now to be home in the UK with my family. Knowing how much my family would be thinking of me helped me through this difficult time. My thanks go to all those responsible for securing my release and all those that played a part, however small.”
In a statement released by the Foreign Office, the former hostage added: “I ask now that you afford me and my family some privacy so that we can move forward with our lives.”
The hostages were among nine foreign workers who were kidnapped on February 18 by heavily-armed militants fighting for control of the Delta’s oil resources. The other six captives were released after just a week.
Nigeria loses $1.4bn
The Nigerian economy incurred a loss of $1.4 billion in the 40 days of shut-in of over 620,000 barrels as a result of damage to crude oil and gas production facilities and kidnapping by militants in the Niger Delta.
Federal Government yesterday also gave indication that plans were in the works for a radical intervention to restore confidence while noting that up to 370,000 barrels per day of the affected shut-in production could be recovered within the next one month, with 120,000 barrels capable of coming on stream in one week.
Dr Edmund Daukoru, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, had said during the 40-day period, about 24 million barrels of crude oil valued at about $1.4 billion were deferred. This figure represents about nine per cent of the N1.8 trillion appropriated for 2006 fiscal year.
Posted by Publisher at 02:36 PM | Comments (1)
Senate Passes Electoral Bill
The Senate yesterday approved the 2005 Electoral Bill, even as it pegged financial contribution to political parties by individuals at N10million.
From Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja, 03.29.2006
The upper legislative house, however, awaits the concurrence of the lower house, before the bill will be passed into law.
Before the bill was passed, Senator Joy Emordi (PDP, Anambra) had canvassed ban of masquerades during electioneering campaigns, but the Senate opted for a provision that masquerades should not be used to intimidate opponents.
In permitting Section 96 (1) of the bill, which provides N10million limit as individual contributions to political parties, the Senate weighed the arguments of Senators Farouk Bello-Bunza (ANPP, Kebbi); Uche Chukwumerije (PDP, Abia); and Idris Kuta (PDP, Niger) who held the views that such amount would allow for hijacking of the political processes by moneybags.
Senators Udoma Udo Udoma (PDP, Akwa Ibom) and Patrick Osakwe (PDP, Delta), however, said the N2million limit is low, compared to political spending in the country, while Senator Ike Ekweremadu (PDP, Enugu) argued that INEC be allowed to vary the limit based on economic conditions.
Udoma, who spoke with newsmen in the company of senators David Brigidi (PDP, Bayelsa); Umar Dahiru (ANPP, Sokoto) and Nicholas Yahaya Ugbane (ANPP, Kogi) said "today was a milestone for the Senate. The Electoral Bill which for the last three or four weeks which the Senate has been deliberating upon was finally passed by the Senate."
Asked to comment on a statement credited to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu, that the commission will use electronic voting system in spite of the ban imposed by the new Electoral Bill as passed by the Senate, Senator Udoma said "the function of the National Assembly is to make laws, and once we have made the law, our responsibility ceases and once we have made the law it is for everybody to obey."
There were 176 clauses presented by the Committee to the Senate, out of which 171 clauses were adopted.
INEC had submitted the bill to Senate in 2004, and Brigidi, who was then Senate Committee Chairman on INEC, embarked on public hearing in the six geo-political zones.
Posted by Publisher at 02:35 PM | Comments (0)
March against third term holds today at the White House
ON the sideline of his visit to the United States (U.S.) today, President Olusegun Obasanjo may have to address a group of Nigerians based in that country over the worries concerning their fatherland, particularly the third-term controversy.
From Laolu Akande, New York
The group, called Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora, has already secured
a period to hold protest march in front of the White House while President
Obasanjo and his U.S. counterpart, George W. Bush, meet.
The U.S.-based Nigerians under the umbrella of Concerned Nigerians in the
Diaspora are up in arms against Obasanjo who is billed to meet Bush today at
the White House.
The Nigerian Democratic Movement (NDM), led by Prof. Bolaji Aluko has
already secured a permit to demonstrate in front of the White House.
A strongly worded letter has been forwarded to Obasanjo and copied to
President Bush. Both efforts are aimed at showing the displeasure of
Nigerians in the U.S. to move to extend the tenure of the Nigerian president
and governors.
The citizens are also particularly concerned that the Nigerian government
could not prevent President Charles Taylor from fleeing Nigeria after the
government had acceded to the request to have him extradited.
The former president of the Nigerian Lawyers Association (NLA), in the
U.S., Mr. Shamsey Oloko pointed out that the pursuit of a third term was a
"dangerous precedent" arguing that term limit remained the only way
Nigerians could effect a change of government since it is generally viewed
that elections in Nigeria are corrupt.
The Nigerian professionals addressed a letter to President Obasanjo,
declaring an unambiguous rejection of the third term. Copies of the letter
have also been sent to the U.S. Congressmen in the Senate Foreign Relations
and House International Relations committees on Africa.
The letter read in part: "We the undersigned Nigerian citizens in North
America write to express our outright and implacable opposition to on-going
legislative moves in our country Nigeria to amend the constitution to allow,
inter-alia, the executives in Nigeria (president and governors) three four-
year terms, which is being widely interpreted as intended to immediately
benefit the affected incumbents, including yourself."
It continued: "Prior official denials of the amendment move are no longer
tenable, now that the Nigerian National Assembly's Joint Committee on
Constitutional Review (JCRC) has recently approved it, despite widespread
opposition at various zonal public hearings. We are fully aware that the
amendment still requires approval by two-thirds of members of the National
Assembly and two-thirds of our 36 state assemblies, but the tension arising
from the very possibility of the extension of terms is causing ripples, heating
up of the Nigerian polity, and holding up the political process towards an
orderly transfer of power in 2007."
Signatories to the letter, besides Aluko who is the President, Nigerian
Democratic Movement, include Okop Usem Leadership Council, represented
by Mr. N. H. Ibanga; President, Nigerians United for Democracy and
Development led by Mr. Patrick Okigbo; President, World Igbo Congress led
by Ichie Igwemazi, as well as the group's Chairman of the Board, Forum for
the Advancement of Nigeria led by Dr. Emmanuel Dada, and the President of
the South-South Peoples Assembly in North America, Dr. Igho Natufe.
Others include the President of the Zumunta USA Inc., Dr. Mohammed
Ladan, President of the Egbe Omo Yoruba in North America, Mr. Adeola
Odusanya, and the Chairman of Pronaco-USA, Dr. Baba Adam.
Some of those who signed on self recognition are Tony Nammor, Oloye
Awojoodu, Samuel Ayodele, Muminu Badmus, Clement Ikpatt, Omoyele
Sowore, Ezekiel Macham, Olu Oreofe, Titus Folayan and Ebenezer
Adewunmi.
The letter insisted that "all the governors and yourself who have sworn
twice (in 1999 and 2003) to uphold the two-term limit of the 1999
Constitution must respect and obey it. ﾒThe question of leadership of any
country is a continuous process. No one leader can see a country's
development to its logical end. In a democracy, each leader makes his or her
contributions and leaves the stage to others according to the constitution."
The U.S.-based Nigerians argued that Obasanjo's visit to the U.S. "presents
another opportunity in the glare of the whole world to right matters.
They added: ﾒNothing will aid the strengthening of democratic institutions
in our country more than your eschewing of an unconstitutional move that
lacks integrity.ﾓ They pleaded: ﾒPresident Obasanjo, please seize the
opportunity; redeem the moment; do the right thing. During this visit, we
urge you to publicly denounce these campaigns and unequivocally dissociate
yourself from any scheme that will enable you and some others to contest for
a return to power in 2007."
Commenting further Oloko said third term would "open the door to future
leaders to amend the constitution as they wish and that is the end of
democracy." He added that an extension of tenure for Obasanjo would
"upend all the work that he has done all this years." According to him, "if
Obasanjo leaves at the appointed time, his place in history is set whether you
like him or not. But what we are seeing today with all the clamour against
him, is the harbinger of what will happen when he eventually leaves power."
Oloko continued: ﾒIf Obasanjo loves Nigeria he should step down in 2007
and refuse to change the constitution or elongate his tenure."
The flyers promoting the planned demonstration in front of the White
House yesterday read: ﾒDemonstration in front of the White House,
Washington DC As President Obasanjo Visits President Bushﾓ!
ﾒNo! To Obasanjoﾕs Third-Term in Nigeriaﾓ and ﾒAny other thing that
aggrieves you! Bring Your Own Placards! Date: Wednesday, March 29, 2006;
Time: 12:00 noon - Assemble at Lafayette Park (in front of the White House)
Time: 12:30 p.m. - Marching Demonstration on White House Sidewalk (1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, Wash DC, NW). Time: 1:00 p.m. - Deliver Letters at
White House Gate to President Bush Time: 1:15 p.m. - Disperse.
National Park Service Permit for Demonstration at White House Obtained
by Nigerian Democratic Movement (NDM).
Posted by Publisher at 02:34 PM | Comments (1)
ACD TO BUSH: Tell Obasanjo to forget third term
The Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) has thrown its weight behind the March 26, 2006 editorial of the New York Times, urging the United States President, George Bush to dissuade Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo from going for a contrived third term.
By AYO FALODUN
In a press statement by its spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in Lagos yesterday, ACD argued that the New York Times editorial had vindicated its position and those of prominent Nigerians from all walks of life condemning the said third term agenda.
Against this background, ACD calls on President Bush to convey the position of the American people as expressed by the New York Times to President Obasanjo when he visits Washington DC this week as the success of the third term plot will not only worsen the crisis in the Niger Delta but will also spell doom for Nigeria as a nation with its attendant consequences for the West African sub-region.・br>
The party pointed out that the same argument being advanced today in favour of perpetuating President Obasanjo in office were the same ones used to justify Yakubu Gowon's stay in the 1970s that, that there is need for continuity and consolidation of policies for the unity of Nigeria or that he is the only one who could rule Nigeria and avert chaos.
The prime mission of the pro-third term sycophants is simply to entrench autocracy in the Nigerian constitution and dress it in democratic garb.
Even if the records of President Obasanjo in office in the last seven years is excellent, a claim only those in third term camp can make, he still has a moral and civic obligation to leave office in May 2007. What Nigeria needs is not a country of one wise man who has the solutions to all our problems and without whom the sun will not rise but a country of strongly established structures and institutions.
Posted by Publisher at 02:31 PM | Comments (1)
Supporters of Adedibu, Ladoja clash in court
Suspected loyalists to the former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, were again on Tuesday manhandled by supporters of his opponents inside the courtroom of the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, in the full glare of policemen.
Akin Oyedele, Ibadan
The incident, which occurred minutes before the court session began, became the second since the proceedings involving Ladoja and his opponents started at the Court of Appeal.
It will be recalled that some of the former governor痴 supporters were stripped naked within the precincts of the court in a similar attack on February 21, with the police unable to salvage the situation.
A Peoples Democratic Party leader in the state, Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, had shortly before the Tuesday incident arrived at the courtroom with a retinue of aides.
The incident occurred when opponents of Ladoja, who before the incident had taken a standing position, ordered some of the former governor痴 loyalists to vacate their seats in a bid to secure seats for themselves in the crowded courtroom.
When it appeared that the order was rebuffed, the men resorted to pushing and shoving.
Security was tight outside the courtroom with the presence of about 50 riot and regular policemen who denied many people entrance to the court premises.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal has dismissed the objection raised by the 18 lawmakers loyal to Adedibu against the application of Ladoja in which he sought the leave of the court to be joined as an interested party in the pending appeal by the former Speaker of the House, Mr. Adeolu Adeleke, and another lawmaker, Mr. Titilola Dauda.
The former speaker had appealed the December 28 ruling of Justice Olagoke Ige of an Ibadan High Court, which dismissed the suit by Adeleke challenging the impeachment process initiated by his colleagues to remove Ladoja from office.
Relying on the provisions of Section 188 (10) of the 1999 Constitution, which ousted the jurisdiction of the court on impeachment matters, Justice Ige declined jurisdiction in the matter.
While the proceedings lasted, the former governor did not join as applicant/respondent.
The former speaker headed for the appeal court, which gave rise to the application by Ladoja to now be joined in the matter as an interested party.
In a unanimous ruling on Tuesday, Justices John Afolabi, Aminat Augie and Ifunanya Udom-Azogu, held that Ladoja痴 application was in order as he was the aggrieved party in the matter whose interest was central to the entire suit.
Justice Augie, who read the leading ruling, set the tone for others when she punctured the arguments canvassed by the counsel to the 18 lawmakers, Mr. Christopher Ayanlaja (SAN), including those put forward by Mr. S. Ajewole on behalf of the House of Assembly.
Upholding the arguments of the counsel to Ladoja, Mr. Yusuf Ali (SAN), the judge said that the further affidavit filed by Ali to correct the initial inadvertent error on the date cited as the date Justice Ige delivered his ruling was in order at it was deemed to have corrected the defective one.
She also dismissed the argument suggesting that Ladoja jumped the gun by not applying first to the lower court for joinder before coming to the higher court and that he chose to seek political solution to stave off the impeachment saga while others fought his brief.
Augie said, 展hether he (Ladoja) was sleeping while the proceedings lasted at the lower court or whether he filed application for joinder after one or 100 days after the case was decided at the lower court will not deter this court from doing justice to it.・
She added that Section 243, which confers the right of appeal on an applicant from the decision of a high court, did not specify a time frame within which such appeal could be filed.
By virtue of the pending appeal before the court in respect of the proceedings and processes of the lower court, she again faulted Ayanlaja痴 argument that the application was defective because the ruling of the lower court was not attached to Ali痴 application.
She said, 典here is no pressing need to have the ruling attached to the application. The era of lording technicalities over substantiality is over. The path of technicalities had so far been overgrown by weeds.・
As the central figure in the impeachment saga, Augie held further that Ladoja had shown sufficient proof that his interest was pivotal to the pending appeal, saying the respondents had not convinced the court on how their interest would be jeopardised if he were joined.
She said, 展ithout him (Ladoja), there would have been no case brought before Justice Ige. There is no reason why he should be shut out. The application is granted.・
In a related development, the appeal by three pro-Ladoja lawmakers against the ruling of Justice Moshood Abass was on Tuesday struck out by the appellate court following the withdrawal of the suit by counsel to the lawmakers, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN).
The lawmakers had earlier withdrawn the application for stay of further proceedings filed before Justice Abass to prevent him from going ahead with the case pending the determination of the appeal.
The decision of Justice Abass to assume jurisdiction in the case reassigned to him from Justice M. Bolaji-Yusuff had given rise to the appeal by the lawmakers before it was terminated on Tuesday.
In withdrawing the application of stay filed before Justice Abass, Olanipekun said his clients had decided to abide by his decision to press on with the case and would want it done expeditiously.
Justice Afolabi of the Court of Appeal did not however award any cost demanded by counsel to the Acting Chief Judge, Mr. Tunde Oluponna, who was represented by a lawyer from his chambers, Miss. F. Aderemi.
The Punch, Wednesday March 29, 2006
Posted by Publisher at 02:27 PM | Comments (0)
Presidency queries Mantu over bomb blast
THE Senate deputy president, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, was on Tuesday questioned by President Olusegun Obasanjo for dragging the name of Vice President Atiku Abubakar into the explosion incident which rocked his neighbourhood on Sunday.
Mantu, who was said to have met with President Olusegun Obasanjo, was said to have blown the issue out of proportion as the incident did not pose any threat to him. Mantu visited Aso Rock Villa early Tuesday in company of a senator from the North West.
Besides the issue of dragging the name of the Vice President into the matter, the discussion during the short visit also centred on how the opposition senators working for Mantu’s impeachment could be calmed down.
A source said that at another meeting on Monday night. chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had concluded plans to save Mantu from impeachment.
It was gathered that besides the meeting held with the leadership of the Senate at the National Assembly on Monday by the leaders of the PDP, another meeting at the instance of the leadership of the party which also had the deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Olabode George, in attendance, agreed to save Mantu of the impeachment imbroglio.
But another source said that the opposition senators had garnered 76 signatures on Monday, they needed only 74 to remove him. Meanwhile, youths from the Middle Belt have thrown their weight behind Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu and accused the core North of being at the vanguard of the campaign to impeach the deputy senate president.
The youths, who met under the aegis of the Middle Belt Youth Organisation (MBYO), said at a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday that the way the aggrieved legislators were going about their move and the calibre of the person targeted was quite disturbing as their parliament had a history of removal of principal officials.
National President of the MBYO, Mr. Victor Dio Anawo, said most of the principal officials removed in the past were “victims of selfish, parochial, eccentric and sectional politicians in the National Assembly.”
Posted by Publisher at 02:26 PM | Comments (0)
11 States To Witness Total Eclipse
Nigerians have been advised not to entertain fears about the rare eclipse of the sun expected today.
By Sule Lazarus (Yola)
Chinwedu Nnadozie (Minna)
Dele Moses (Ilorin) and
Onche Odeh (Lagos)
A lecturer in the department of geography, University of Ilorin, Paul Tokun Fabiyi, said there is “no cause for alarm because an eclipse happens from time to time. It has no negative environmental impact on the people”.
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation has said that there will be total eclipse in 11 States – Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Adamawa, Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto.
The rest of the country will witness partial eclipse.
Solar eclipse is a natural phenomenon which occurs when the moon comes between the sun and the earth.
The ministry advised the populace to protect their eyes with special filter glasses recommended by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)
Fabiyi explained that “every part of Nigeria will experience one form of eclipse or another but only the states along the centre line of the movement will witness total eclipse.
“In other words, the intensity of light will be deeper in the areas outside the centre line of the movement than in the areas on the center line”.
The eclipse would last between five and seven minutes.
It will also be visible in much of Asia, Turkey, and Brazil, with Libya experiencing the best and longest view.
Adamawa State has put security agents on red alert to deal with miscreants who may breach the peace during the event.
Information Commissioner, Kobis Ari Thimnu, said “some people would like to take advantage of confusion like this either to loot or to cause disaffection, and the government will not fold its arms and simply watch”.
An eclipse occurred in Nigeria in 1898, 1947, 1957 and 2001.
Niger State Meteorological Inspector, Abiodun Obaro, recalled that “in the olden days it was taking as a spiritual thing. However, an eclipse does not have effect on human beings or criminals neither does it have any effect on the weather, it is just like when you have a rainbow”.
Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) President, Gabriel Ogunmola, added that only Kishi and Shaki in Oyo State would experience total darkness, which “would last for a few minutes. There should be no reason for panic”.
Posted by Publisher at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)
Cheaper International Calls Underway
Cheaper international calls are underway following the removal of restrictions on gateways by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
By Aaron Ukodie
I.T Telecom Editor
(reporting from Abuja)
On Tuesday, it told GSM operators who have built gateways to enable them transport their own international traffic that they could now carry third party traffic.
The announcement thrilled the operators who began the first GSM Africa conference in Abuja.
Until now, GSM operators with own gateways were restricted from carrying third party international traffic, especially those of fixed wireless operators, who pass their traffic through the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL).
NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Ernest Ndukwe, explained that the liberalisation is part of unified licensing which removes entry barriers and make telephony cheaper.
International call rates, which hover between N45 and N75 per minute, are likely to slide considerably; for the benefit of both users and operators who garner additional income.
Ndukwe said unified licensing aims at removing onerous and complicated licensing requirements that create artificial barriers to market entry and hinder competition.
The main concern of NCC is to make phone services affordable, improve operator’s freedom to innovate and expand networks as well as freedom to react fast to technology and market changes, and extend services to rural and under-served areas.
Global practices require that Nigeria adapt regulatory practices that will encourage innovation, Ndukwe stressed, as advances in technology are gradually dismantling the notion that different services be obtained from different operators.
He quoted global experts on the convergence of services, regulation and technology, and said converged licensing – driven by technology – offers solution to a number of issues confronting regulators.
Communications Minister, Cornelius Adebayo, in his keynote address at the conference, which ends on Thursday, said local manufacturing of handsets will begin before the year runs out, to cut costs.
“We here in Nigeria will soon begin to produce locally manufactured handsets as a Chinese company, ZTE, is working round the clock to commission the factory in Abuja hopefully before the end of the year”, he stated.
To him, mobile phone costs and its payment scheme need to change in order to address the problems of low income users.
The average price of the prepaid recharge card is still too high for low end users, Adebayo noted.
He added that tariff reduction is fundamental to encouraging consumption – and cheaper recharge cards, market promotions, discounts and special offers will further enable more customers to avail themselves of mobile usage.
The number of prepaid subscribers in Africa grew to 70.5 million at the end of 2004, an increase of 73 per cent, with Nigeria and South Africa providing 55 per cent of it.
Nigeria’s prepaid subscriber base grew from 10.7 million in 2004 to 16.8 million at the end of September 2005. South Africa’s level was 7.3 million.
Adebayo said although the United Nation (UN) has set a goal of 50 per cent mobile access by 2015, a new report from the World Bank notes that 77 per cent of the world’s population already live within the range of mobile network.
Ghanaian Communications Minister, Albert Tarfa, said the best way to grow the African economy much faster is to involve the private sector which knows how best to go about it.
According to him, global mobile subscription is expected to rise from the current 1.8 billion to three billion by 2010, about 50 per cent penetration level.
GSM Africa Vice Chairman, Chioke Ogugua, sought a reduction of multiple taxation to speed up development and ensure affordable services.
Posted by Publisher at 01:47 PM | Comments (0)
March 27, 2006
No going back on third term - PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday reaffirmed its support for a third term for President Olusegun Obasanjo, governors and other elected public office holders.
Dotun Oladipo and Olamilekan Lartey
The PDP said through its National Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, that Obasanjo's achievements, particularly in the liquefied natural gas sector and debt relief were enough grounds for him to continue in office.
Ali spoke in Asaba, Delta State, in an interview with journalists after a private visit to the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien.
His comments came barely 48 hours after former military President Ibrahim Babangida said the controversial third term would not work.
The PDP chairman took a swipe at journalists and columnists, saying their opinions on third term did not represent those of the public.
He said, there is no backlash. It is just a few editors in 10 or 12 papers that are trying to force the nation to accept their views. All the newspaper columnists are writing what they like. They are not the public. The National Assembly can amend the constitution. And that is entirely a constitutional position.
的 can tell you that I don't know about third term. I know about extension of tenure of chief executives. And this can be done by amending the constitution from the two terms of four years to three terms of four years. That is for continuity of governance, for improvement of social economic quality of life in Nigeria.・
Stressing that only the Obasanjo regime had rescued the nation from the abyss, Ali insisted that the President deserved to continue in office because he had also transformed the country from a pariah state to a nation of great importance in the world.
For goodness sake, all the debts that our great-grand children would have been owing the white man have been cancelled under this government. We need more of this kind of good governance to move the nation forward. This is why the amendment to the constitution must be supported by every reasonable Nigerian,・he said.
Ali was accompanied on the visit by the Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, and his Delta State counterpart, Chief James Ibori.
Meanwhile, the report of the National Assembly Joint Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution may be tabled before the federal legislators next week.
It was learnt that copies of the proposed amendments are already being rolled out to enable each lawmaker have a copy for proper study ahead of the debate.
It was gathered that if the nation was to meet the May 2006 proposed date for the commencement of the new constitution, the debate must be concluded in the next two weeks.
This, according to sources, is to enable the states Houses of Assembly to consider the document before it is sent to the National Assembly.
Top members of the JCRC who disclosed these to our correspondents on Friday, said, however, that debate was not expected to commence immediately as the lawmakers would be given time to consult with their constituencies on the proposed amendments.
The source also revealed that every lawmaker would vote individually (division) on each proposed amendment.
Said the source, now, it is not going to be a matter of voice vote. It is going to be each person standing up to be counted on every single amendment being proposed. It is not going to be a matter of dispute. And then we'll see clearly the positions of all.・
The debate on the issues comes amid a strong battle for the control of the state Houses of Assembly by elements who favoured and opposed the third term bid.
It was gathered that the Presidency, the National Assembly governors and other interest groups have started reaching out to the state lawmakers.
It was learnt that the meeting of the speakers of the 36 state Houses of Assembly, earlier scheduled to take place in Lafia, Nasarawa State, is being reconsidered for next week ahead of the presentation of the proposed amendments to the state assemblies.
The Punch, Monday March 27, 2006
Posted by Publisher at 04:20 PM | Comments (2)
Dispute over Taylor extradition
Nigeria and Liberia are in disagreement over the extradition of the exiled former president Charles Taylor.
Liberia's new leader says she wants her predecessor sent directly to the UN-backed war crimes court in Sierra Leone and does not want him in Liberia.
But Nigeria says that it had agreed to hand him over to Liberia, who should now come and get him.
Nigeria says Mr Taylor is free to leave his exiled home and has not received an arrest warrant from Sierra Leone.
Mr Taylor left the presidency in Liberia for exile in Nigeria in 2003 in a deal to end the civil war, but there is uncertainty over whether he still remains in his luxury residency in Calabar.
Job done
President Olusegun Obasanjo's spokesperson Remi Oyo told Reuters news agency that Liberia's President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf had been told she "is free to come and take President Taylor into her custody".
"Our job is done, and it is done - Taylor is not a prisoner here," she was quoted as saying.
But Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf said she wanted her predecessor to be sent directly to Sierra Leone from Nigeria.
"Taylor should rather go to Sierra Leone rather than coming to Liberia," she told religious leaders at her official residence in Monrovia, according to AFP news agency.
"Mr Taylor was not indicted by a Liberian court and therefore he is not needed by a Liberian court."
Desmond de Silva, chief prosecutor of the war crimes court in Sierra Leone, has called for Mr Taylor's arrest in Nigeria, saying he was worried that the former Liberian leader may flee.
He also described Mr Taylor as one of the three most important wanted war crimes suspects in the world.
'Reneging on deal'
A number of Mr Taylor's supporters have been detained in Liberia amid fears they may stage an armed uprising.
A warrant was issued for Mr Taylor's arrest three years ago on 17 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the civil war in Sierra Leone.
The 15,000 United Nations peacekeepers in Liberia are under instructions to arrest and transfer him to the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone if he ever sets foot on Liberian soil.
A spokesman for Mr Taylor said Nigeria's move was in breach of the 2003 peace deal, which ended 14 years of civil war in Liberia, of which Mr Taylor's exile was a crucial part.
Human rights activists accuse Mr Taylor of breaking the terms of the agreement by continuing to meddle in Liberian politics.
Tens of thousands of people died in the interlinked conflicts in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Mr Taylor is accused of selling diamonds and buying weapons for Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front rebels, who were notorious for hacking off the hands and legs of civilians during a 10-year war.
He also started the Liberian civil war in 1989, before being elected president in 1997.
Posted by Publisher at 04:17 PM | Comments (0)
IBB’s Declaration Not Welcome – CDHR
It was one up, one down for Ibrahim Babangida on Sunday, the former President whose come back bid has stoked passion less than a week after he confirmed his quest.
By Felix Offou and
Rafiu Ajakaye (Lagos)
The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) said his declaration for the Presidency evokes memories of how he used state power to repress dissenters.
It pledged not to sit and watch “Maradona” return to Aso Rock.
Yet Babangida found an ally in former Cross River State Governor, Clement Ebri.
He described him as “an intellectually endowed leader, a good listener, a team player, a humane personality” capable of evolving a greater Nigeria”.
It did not wash with CDHR leader, Shina Loremikan, who warned in a telephone interview that his comeback would be a setback to the society. He claimed that Babangida’s era witnessed the use of state power to murder people. “We remember how Dele Giwa and some others were killed.
The declaration, according to him, is an unwelcome development, pointing out that Major General Bansa was gruesomely murdered during his regime. “All the youths killed during an anti-June 12 rally would have been contributing to the development of the country.
“And if not for Babangida, Sanni Abacha would have retired into agriculture. But Babangida invited him and brought him to power. And see what Abacha did to Nigerians. The problems we are facing today are the fallouts of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) which was his policy”.
Pressing home his own point, nonetheless, Ebri said Babangida, like any Nigerian, has the right to contest any position and that his desire for the plumb post is no insult to Nigerians, as argued by Afenifere and Lagos lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi.
He expressed disappointment at Gani, whose “anti-Babangida statement was made out of personal hatred”, not from a legal view point.
His words: “Like every other Nigerian, Babangida has the constitutional right to vie for any other office in the land. My interpretation of his statement on 2007 Presidential election is that he is willing to throw his hat in the ring if eventually the contest is flagged off.
“How does this constitute an insult on Nigerians? The power to stop Babangida resides in the hands of the electorate and it is only they, through a free and fair election, who can determine whether or not his electoral quest is an insult.
“Gani and others who feel otherwise are free to oppose his candidature, but I know they can’t stop him because most Nigerians believe he can deliver them from their current bondage.
“Indeed, Gani’s NCP (National Conscience Party) is free to field a candidate to contest against Babangida rather than attempt to browbeat him into relegating his rights as a Nigerian citizen.
“With due respect, I would have expected that a lawyer and patriot of Gani’s standing would never allow sentiment to becloud constitutionality and due process in matters of this nature”.
Ebri insisted that Babangida’s preoccupations are to “to put Nigerians, particularly the obliterated middle class, back to work; guarantee food on the table and make this fast depreciating country run firmly on its feet again.
“Even in the fight against graft, Babangida will make it a collective battle, involving all Nigerians rather than a select few. For Babangida, fighting corruption should be a way of life rather than ‘spasms of condemnation’”.
Babangida said last Wednesday that he hopes to succeed President Olusegun Obasanjo, a few months after he had told journalists that he had no strength to do so.
The declaration has triggered different reactions, most dismissing him as lacking the moral right to rule Nigeria once more, his regime having quashed Hope 93 and allegedly killed government’s opponents.
Posted by Publisher at 04:15 PM | Comments (3)
Nigeria militants release workers
Nigerian militants have released three kidnapped Western oil workers held hostage for more than a month.
The two Americans and a Briton were handed over to government officials in Warri, 340km (210 miles) south-east of the commercial capital Lagos.
The men - all unharmed - were among a group of nine foreign workers kidnapped on 18 February. The other six were released after a week.
Their kidnappers want Nigeria's oil wealth to be shared more fairly.
The kidnapping was part of a wider recent campaign of attacks on Western targets in the main Niger Delta oil producing region.
The three released men, Americans Cody Oswald and Russell Spell and Briton John Hudspith, work for US engineering firm Willbros under contract to the Anglo-Dutch energy giant Shell.
Said to be in good health, they are expected to be flown out of the country shortly.
'Intense mediation'
The militants, from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), said they would now stop taking hostages, in order to concentrate on attacking oil installations, reports the Reuters news agency.
Mend snatched the nine hostages in a gun battle on an oil company barge.
The final three captives were released five weeks later under cover of darkness, brought in by boat from the creeks of the Niger Delta to Warri, says the BBC's Alex Last in Lagos.
He says the kidnappers held on for longer to what they called the "high-value" hostages because they wanted guarantees that there would be no military retaliation after the men were freed.
They have not given a reason for the timing of the release but there has been intense mediation by leaders of the local Ijaw people, including former militants, to secure their freedom, our correspondent says.
A member of the mediation team told the BBC that the militant group had understood that talks with the government could only proceed once the hostages were freed.
Delta state governor James Ibori denied that any ransom had been paid.
"Now that they have been released, the pertinent issues raised by the youths on the Niger Delta condition will have to be addressed," he said.
Mend is demanding an end to military operations in the Niger Delta, greater local control of the area's oil wealth and the release of two prominent local leaders.
The militants also want $1.5bn (£860m) compensation from Shell for pollution in the Niger Delta.
Mend has threatened to carry out more attacks on oil industry targets if its demands are not met.
The group has already managed to cut Nigerian oil production by 25%, our correspondent says.
Posted by Publisher at 04:14 PM | Comments (0)
Census: Soldiers deployed in Enugu
ENUGU — SOLDIERS from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu have been deployed in the streets of the Coal City to check further disruption of the National Population and Housing Census by youths, who unleashed terror on residents at the take-off of the exercise.
By Tony Edike, Kingsley Omonobi, Victoria Ojeme & Luka Biniyat
Posted to the Web: Monday, March 27, 2006
Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Samuila Makama, said yesterday that 95 per cent of Nigerians had been enumerated.
But the Alliance for Democracy (AD) pronounced the exercise a national disappointment.
Vanguard learnt that the decision to deploy the soldiers to beef up security during the remaining days of the exercise was taken at a meeting between Governor Chimaroke Nnamani, security chiefs and chairmen of local government areas last Friday following reports of incessant attacks on enumerators and other census officials by youths believed to be members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
The soldiers drove round major roads in Enugu in three trucks, weekend, to send signals to the youths that they were ready to contain their excesses. They later mounted roadblocks in different parts of the state capital, checking vehicles and apprehending those who violated the restriction of movement order.
About 16 soldiers were also stationed at the NPC state secretariat to assist the police and men of the Civil Defence Corps in providing security for census officials and materials.
The NPC Commissioner, Dr Suleman Bello, told reporters that the security reinforcement which led to the deployment of soldiers in the streets was part of the security procedures aimed at ensuring the safety of the materials and census officials.
“We do not want any security breach that may affect the work of the Commission especially now that we have reached this level in the exercise. The soldiers are here to provide security and guarantee the free movement of census officials and materials,” Bello said.
‘95% Nigerians eenumerated’
Chairman of the NPC, Chief Makama, giving an update on the Census yesterday in Abuja said 95 per cent of Nigerians had been enumerated as at yesterday and promised that all payments to enumerators and other service providers for the exercise would be handled transparently.
Besides, the Police said 82 persons who committed census offences and attempted to instigate violence during the enumeration were arrested across the country and would be made to face the law.
“All the supervisors and enumerators that have undergone the training must be paid. Payment will start immediately after the exercise and all the names have been forwarded to the appropriate banks,” Chief Makama said, adding: “There is no way an outsider will get money when his name is not on the list or has never gone through the training.”
He said the Commission had addressed all the complaints associated with the exercise assuring that it will end on a successful note. “With the extension of the census exercise, I’m very optimistic that the census is going to be a success. We are getting to the bridge and we will cross it,” he said.
Makama also said enumeration would end at midnight today to enable those who may not have been enumerated to be counted.
It’s a national disappointment — AD
However, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) reviewing the census, yesterday, dismissed it as a national disappointment.
In a statement, the AD through its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said: “As we write (Sunday,26/03/06) less than 50 per cent of the national population has been counted, according to media reports. The exercise is riddled with complaints galore. The complaints ranged from shortage of personnel and materials to non-payment of the recruited and trained enumerators and daunting logistic problems. In many cases, lack of adequate information and publicity has resulted in the hostility of certain communities, while shameless, selfish manipulations by politicians have led to violent clashes and loss of lives by protesting communities.
“The picture after six days of the exercise is of dismal failure and national shame. The European Union, EU and other sponsors of this project must be utterly disappointed. Before the international community, Nigeria’s head is once again down and our face covered with shame.
“This is a national tragedy. Yet the Obasanjo administration had enough resources at its disposal. It had more than enough time to do the planning. The planning for the census had commenced at least six years before. Indeed the exercise ought to have taken place a year ago, according to the original timetable. It was postponed at the last minute to allow for more time to tighten loose ends as they said. The result of all that and the huge financial commitment of the international community is this wishy-washy exercise."
Posted by Publisher at 04:14 PM | Comments (0)
Telecom operators in N80b drive for new licences
A QUIET revolution is currently going on in the Nigerian telecommunications sector. It promises vast improvements in service delivery and a deepening of the finances of the operators.
By Sonny Aragba-Akpore, Asst. Communications Editor
Barely one month after the Unified Licensing (UL) was introduced, Private Telecommunications Operators (PTOs) have succeeded in raising their investment portfolios by about N80 billion ($600 million), much of which is foreign.
The investments are tailored towards meeting the new conditions for the licensing regime introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
To qualify for a UL under the new conditions, an operator should be able to spread and expand its services to six geo-political zones of the country.
The new regime is akin to consolidation in the banking sector. Under it, an operator can offer more and flexible multi-services, including mobile and fixed lines, broadband Internet and fixed wireless.
It was introduced at the end of the five-year exclusivity period granted Global System of Mobile Communications (GSM) operators, which ended on February 9, 2006.
The N80 billion new funds, injected in the last one month, came in form of equity participation, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Initial Public Offer (IPO) and private placements.
The largest single investor so far is Miko Rwavitare, chairman of Global Vision Telecoms (GV Telecoms), the investment and holding company of Telecel International with operations in 11 African nations, including Egypt.
Rwavitare's company has invested $125 million for 60 per cent equity in Prest Telecommunications Limited (Prestel) based in Benin City and parts of the Niger Delta and $137 million in Intercellular Nigeria Plc in over 70 per cent equity participation.
Both companies, based on this acquisition, have been merged as U. Com.
Another big investment is in 21st Century Technologies Limited. With close to $150 million new investments through private placements and foreign investments, this PTO has begun to expand its services to other parts of the country.
Its executive vice chairman, Mr. Wale Ajisebutu, in an interview with The Guardian, declined comments on the amount of new investments in his company. He, however, confirmed that the company was fully prepared for the new licence, "we have already applied to the NCC for the multiservice licence, including International Data Licence (IDA), a gateway service licence, among others."
He said that 21st Century Technologies hoped to remain the country's number one PTO and declared: "We are sure of getting there."
The chief executive of VGC Communications Limited, Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, said his company had set aside $2 million for the licence and hoped to spend another $150 million for new infrastructure which unified licensing demands.
However, he added that his company had not applied yet. "We are still on the drawing board thinking of where to go to," he said.
Adebayo explained that since the new licensing regime did not have room for micro players, the onus was on the PTOs who did not have the required funds to consider the options of merger or be ready to be acquired.
"Micro-players cannot survive the new regime. It is therefore better for them to come together to form a consortium or bow out with dignity because small players will not survive the next level."
According to Adebayo, unified licensing will be a leveller because many of the current PTOs do not have the infrastructure that could be upgraded to meet the new regime.
"Operators will need to invest heavily in networks to meet the demands of unified licensing."
The executive director of Multilinks, Chief Ezekiel Fatoye, also confirmed that his company had made over $70 million new investments in its new optic fibre ring round the country in preparation for unified licensing.
He said: "We have begun our outward Lagos expansion and we are opening our networks in Ilorin, Abeokuta, Jos, Abuja in preparation for unified licensing."
Fatoye explained that the $70 million new investment was through foreign investment.
Starcomms Limited recently got a lifeline of $20 million from Actis, a venture capital company based in Europe and the Lababidi Group.
Its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Maher Qubain, confirmed this in an interview with The Guardian, saying: "It is in preparation for unified licensing."
The $20 million was a follow-up to the $23 million it got from China Export Import Bank (China Exim) brokered by Huawei Technologies and Zenith International Bank Plc.
Although there are strong indications that many of the PTOs may go under, the NCC chief executive officer, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, told The Guardian that unified licensing was for only those who want to upgrade their network operations.
Ndukwe said that the current licences held by the operators were still valid. "If they like it that way, they could continue but if they must upgrade, then they need the new permits, so they should apply."
He also explained that the unified licence had no deadline, saying: "It is open ended."
The NCC boss also confirmed that at least 10 companies had applied for permits. They include two current mobile operators, five PTOs and some foreign companies.
He would not say for sure what kind of mergers would happen in due course.
"The NCC has not been told by any company about mergers or outright acquisition. Once the licences are issued, such situation may be assessed.
"Market forces will determine all that," Ndukwe added.
Posted by Publisher at 04:12 PM | Comments (0)
Alams: Minister dissociates self from fake contracts
Science Technology Minister Professor Turner Isoun has dissociated himself from alleged fake contracts awarded by former Bayelsa state governor D.S.P Alamieyeseigha for the Niger Delta University.
by Hamisu Muhammad / 2006-03-27
It would be recalled that in 2002, one Mr. Olatunde Kahinde of the Independent Corrupts Practices and other related offences Commi-ssion (ICPC) filed a petition which alleged to the chief justice of the federation that Niger Delta Wetlands Centre (NDWC), a non-govern-mental organization, which the minister and his wife served as directors, was one of the eight organizations that shared N1.9bn released by governor Alamieyeseigha for the contract of Niger Delta University.
Mr. Olatunde also alleged that NDWC was a fictitious company.
The registered trustees of the NGO challenged the case in court and the petition was dismissed by the chief justice of the federation.
Two years later, a report on a national daily challenged the NDWC of not being amo-ng the five companies that filed a case against ICPC for accusing them falsely of being unregistered companies.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja last week, Prof Isoun said NDWC was duly regis-tered and had been in existence for ten years.
He said even though the allegation against him and his wife preceded his becoming a minister, he felt strong enough to prove himself innocent.
He said the company was registered in 1995 as an environmental NGO and had been providing services in the areas of environmental conservation, capacity building and training for companies and individuals in the Niger Delta.
The minister accused the writer of the article of not disclosing his source, but rather distorted the letter written by his solicitors in a bid to further deceive the public to cause more embarrassment to him and the registered trustees of the NDWC.
He described the article as false, unfounded and libe-lous and designed to defame his character and integrity.
Prof Isoun said he and the trustees of the NDWC had already filed a case in court against the newspaper for defamation of character.
Posted by Publisher at 04:09 PM | Comments (0)
Makama: We Can't Count All Nigerians; Exercise, a total failure, says Afenifere
In a tacit acceptance of the low score card for the 2006 national population and housing census by most Nigerians, National Popu-lation Commission (NPC) chairman, Chief Samu'ila Makama, yesterday said it was impossible that all Nigerians would be counted in the on going exercise.
By Our Reporters, 03.27.2006
Makama who spoke in Abuja on Friday said there was nowhere in the world that a 100 per cent enumeration had been attained.
Makama's claim immediately drew the ire of the Pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, whose National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumaki, at the weekend dismissed the census as a collosal failure. But insisting that the NPC's inability to enumerate all Nigerians was not a problem peculiar to the nation, Makama who also said the Federal Government had approved an additional N2billion for the exercise, said as at Friday, the commission had achieved 70% enumeration. "There is nowhere in the world where you have a 100% enumeration and there are no exactitude in any human endeavour", he said.
He said the commission was working hard to ensure that everyone living in Nigeria was counted during the period of census, adding that it was not impossible that a project of such magnitude as the national census could witness some shortcomings in execution. The NPC boss said while steps had been taken to prevent avoidable mistakes in the enumeration exercise, there was every possibility that some bad eggs in the system might commit some errors. He, however, said the commission had put in place some checks and balances to check-mate such errors or foul play that might occur.
For instance, he said, the data collated by enumerators were to be subjected to post-enumeration survey tests and would be read by computer scanners which would confirm their authenticity. The NPC chairman said the commission had no premeditated census figure to foist on the country. He also refuted an allegation that NPC forms were being sent to neighbouring countries, saying that there was no truth in the assertion.
He said such reports if not corrected could erode the integrity of the census and the data to be generated therefrom. "It is not true that the commission has a target population it is working towards. The 2006 population and housing census will be based on a total count of the population", he said. Makama said the assessment of 70% coverage of the enumeration he gave last Friday was based on situation reports from the field as well as the number of forms issued to the states.
"The fact that some of these states had exhausted these forms and are asking for more is enough evidence to show that 70% coverage have been achieved by NPC", he said. He, therefore, put the success rate of the enumeration as at yesterday at 95%, saying that the exercise had taken off on a faster rate in most states of the federation after the initial problems were resolved. And following its decision to extend the census period by two days (Sunday and Monday), the Federal Government yesterday approved an additional N2bn for the NPC to take care of allowances of field workers during the extension.
The FG had earleir released the sum of about N20bn being its share of the counterpart fund to NPC while another N20bn was provided by the Euroupean Union and it development partners for the census operation. Makama, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja, also said that government had made available helicopters to help distribute census materials to different parts of the country.
As the complaint over shortages of materials to persisted yesterday, the chairman said he had ordered an immediate inventory of the material stock at the state and local government offices of the commission. "Our offices in the states and local government areas have been directed to take stock immediately of all materials supplied and the extent of distribution", he said, adding that the measure was to enable the management to address cases of genuine shortages.
Makama said the additional allowances that would be paid census functionaries for the two days weould be N1,285 per day for enumerators, while supervisors would get N1,714 each day. He said the total amount to be paid to the two categories of ad-hoc staff at the end of the census exercise would now be N11,570 for enumerator and N15,428 for supervisor. But reacting to the widespread complaint about the enumeration, Afenifere, said the NPC had only succeded in wasting the nation's funds.
The group regretted that despite Nigerians' compliance with the stay-at-home order of the government at the expense of their jobs and well-being, the NPC had failed to enumerate most Nigerians. Afenifere said reports of insufficient enumeration materials and boycott of the exercise by many trained enumerators showed that the headcount had failed. It's National Publicity Secretary, Odumakin, in a statement regretted that the exercise, despite the huge sum of N54 billion voted for it, fell below expectation because of government's shoddy preparation.
The statement read: "Despite the enormous sacrifices made by the Nigerian people, most of whom rely on daily income, to stay at home and be counted, the first-five days of the exercise have been a failure as reports from across the country indicate non-availability of enumeration materials, dearth of enumerators and inadequate security for the exercise. "Despite Afenifere's strong objections to non-inclusion of ethnicity and religion in the census data, we decided to allow the exercise to take place so that the infant will die on its mother's laps as our people say.
We cannot see the magic the (National Population Commission) NPC will perform in the 2-day extension granted by president Obasanjo having failed to count well over 70 per cent of Lagosians, for instance, from random samplings in the first five days. "It is safe to conclude that the census exercise has joined the string of failures recorded by our 3rd-term-seeking presidency despite over three years of preparation and N54b down the rain. "At the core of this failure is the refusal to come to terms with the fact that the Federal Government as presently constituted cannot successfully organize a cold tea party. "Even at the level of football, we have seen the hasty preparation and usual failure at the world cup despite having four years to get ready and abundance of talents.
We normally start scouting for a Technical Adviser three months to the mundial. Conversely, we have witnessed the successes of club sides like Enyimba managed at the state level." Odumakin lamented that whereas, big countries like India and China thrive on daily census through accurate records of birth and death rates, it was doubtful Nigeria had a record of its former rulers. Meanwhile, Chairman, National Examinations Council (NECO), Alhaji Maieka Bello Mohammed, has described the census as a very crucuial means of generating addititonal data for planning strategies for the examination body in the coming years.
He told newsmen in Abuja, shortly after the census officials enumerated his household, that a reliable census data was part of what NECO needed in its concerted planning strategies aimed at turning the five year-old indigenous examination body into a respected world class institution. According to him, the outcome of a nationl headcount of children presently in school will enable NECO appraise its statistics for updating and would also afford the council the opportunity of knowing how many children will be of school age in the coming years. While advising parents to give accurate information on their children, he said that statistics in NECO's possession had shown that the figures of prospective candidates for examinations had been growing astronomically.
He said about 26.5 million pupils were presently in Nigerian primary schools while the first batch of the Universal Basic Education Scheme was expected to proceed to the first level of the Junior Secondary School at the end of this year. Mohammed hinted that the council had gone far in its plans to hold its first national stakeholders' workshop where various creative ideas and issues on the council's future would be thoroughly addressed, collated and compiled as a workable blueprint for its growth and progress.
He praised the federal government for the on-going census exercise, saying it showed the commitment, caurage, vision and determination of government to provide the nation with accurate data, which is crucial for the planning and development of every nation.
Posted by Publisher at 04:02 PM | Comments (0)
Census chief sells materials for N1m
AN Assistant Controller of the National Population Commission (NPC) in Benue State has been arrested by the police for allegedly selling five cartons of NPC 01 forms for N1 million.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibezimaka Aghanya, who disclosed the arrest of the assistant controller, said he was arrested at the Ogbadigbo Local Government Area where he was said to have committed the alleged offence.
Mr. Aghanya told the Nigerian Tribune that the police arrested of the assistant controller following a tip-off, but stated that he had refused to disclose who he sold the forms to.
During the monitoring of the census by the governor of Benue State, Chief George Akume, a controller at Ohinmini Local Government told the federal commissioner in Benue State, Mr. Peter Nayhe, who was on the entourage of the governor, that he received a report from the State Security Service (SSS) that the NPC 01 forms were being sold at Onyegede village in Ohinmini.
It was at that point that the federal commissioner raised the alarm on the suspected sale of forms in the area. The state commissioner of the NPC at an interactive session told the governor on Saturday night that one of his officers committed the act.
Similarly, Chairman of Tarka Local Government ara and Chairman of ALGON, Mar Barer Dzeremo, reported that his local government suffered adversely from the non-release of adequate forms.
Meanwhile, a female enumerator was killed by an Okada rider while conducting the ongoing headcount in Cross River State, chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Chief Samu’ila Makama, disclosed on Sunday.
Chief Makama, while briefing journalists on the situation reports from states across the federation, declared that the unfortunate enumerator would not be compensated because she was not covered by any insurance package.
Chief Makama also stated that the headcount was 95 per cent completed, adding that from expert’s assessment and reports on the field across the states of the federation, the exercise in most local government areas had been completed.
He pointed out that from situation reports in all the states, the earlier problems encountered in the course of the headcount had been surmounted as at Saturday.
Chief Makama stated that the census was going on and continuing smoothly and steadily, saying that everyone and every place must have been counted and covered 100 per cent by today.
He, however, expressed dismay at some reports in the media on the distribution of materials for the census, adding that such publications that still emphasised shortage of materials were not correct.
He said: “In spite of the explanations that have been offered on the reported shortage of materials and the steps taken by the commission so far, it is unfortunate that some media still publish incorrect information on the distribution of materials for the 2006 census.”
He explained that it was true that a shortage of materials, particularly form NPC 01, was reported in some states, but stated that the claims were verified and appropriate action taken to address it promptly.
Chief Makama said consignments of materials were sent to some of the states where the shortage of materials was proven. Chief Makama has also described as “illegal and unconstitutional, the parallel census being conducted by the Lagos State government.
He said it was unacceptable for Lagos State to conduct such an exercise.
Though, the NPC boss said he was yet to get such reports, he, however, stated that it was unconstitutional and would not be accepted.
According to him, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gave the power to conduct census to the NPC alone, adding that there was no other agency or parastatal of government that was given such a power, not to talk of a state government.
The NPC chairman also debunked the allegation that the commission was working towards a specific target of figures which they expect to get at the end of the exercise.
In another development, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lawrence Alobi, has directed all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to ensure that suspects being detained in their cells are counted during the ongoing census.
Alobi gave the directive in Abuja on Sunday when he visited some police divisions in the territory to assess the security arrangement put in place for the census.
He told the DPOs that suspects being detained in their cells must be counted as they were part of the police community at the time of their detention.
Alobi said that the suspects were Nigerians, hence, they must be counted. “You must make adequate arrangement for the suspects to be enumerated outside the cells, do not deny them, because they have the right like any other Nigerian,” he directed the DPOs.
In all the areas visited, there was no report of breach of the peace and security in the territory since the exercise started on Tuesday. Commenting on the exercise, Alobi commended FCT residents for their continued support and cooperation to the command.
Posted by Publisher at 04:01 PM | Comments (0)
...Stop Katsina ACF meeting
Police in Katsina at the weekend barred members of the Katsina state chapter of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) from holding its meeting.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the ACF members, including a former head of state, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Gen. Kanti Bello and Gen. Abu Ibrahim were prevented from meeting.
The venue of the proposed meeting, Gidauniya Jahar Katsina, was surrounded by the police at about 11a.m. on Saturday to prevent the proposed meeting from taking place.
In a reaction, Coomassie, who is the secretary of ACF in the state, told newsmen he was highly surprised by the police action.
“We are surprised because the governor, Alhaji Umaru Yar’adua, was informed about the ACF meeting and he even promised to attend.
“We do not know why the police prevented the meeting from holding,’’ he said.
However, the state Police Public Relations
Officer, ASP Adamu Yusuf, told newsmen that the police did not receive any written application for a permit from the ACF.
He further said that the police were drafted to the venue of the proposed ACF meeting in order to ensure security, “as the police command had learnt that some people who were against the ACF meeting may cause trouble’’.
Posted by Publisher at 03:05 PM |