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The Anambra State government is set to partner with a
South Africa-based company, Eagle Structured Finance Consortium on the
establishment of an independent power plant (IPP) to address the power
needs of the state.

Top officers of the South African firm were in Awka
yesterday to make a presentation on the building of a barge mooring
infrastructure for the generation of power by Anambra State.

The project, to be powered by natural gas, will use
two GE frame PG9171(E) gas turbine generators to provide regulation
services to the state and will come in two stages. While stage one
involves the construction of two floating barges of 120 megawatts (MW)
capacities each, the second stage has to do with earthworks.

In his response, the state governor, Peter Obi, said
the state was enthusiastic about the project since, according to him,
availability of power would help attract industries to the state. He
added that it would also improve prospects for Small- and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) of the people of Anambra State who are noted for
their entrepreneurial spirit.

On the cost of the project, Mr Obi said that funding
is not the issue but the federal government giving approval to the state
which would ensure that the generated power was usable in the state.

He noted that he was keen to pursue the project,
estimated to take less than one year to complete, because most companies
he was negotiating with to come and build their facilities in the state
were particular about power.

In his reaction, the Anambra State commissioner for public utilities,
Emeka Nwankwu, assured that the state government was doing everything
possible to sustain the improvement in the general infrastructure in the
state for better living and improved economic activities.

As the Plateau State
government, on Monday, inaugurated a 39-person committee to oversee
preparations for a celebration of Democracy day on May 29, the state’s
House of Assembly is still in a state of inactivity five months after
members proceeded on Christmas break.

The last official
sitting of the House was on December 18, 2010 when the state governor,
Jonah Jang presented the 2011 appropriation proposal to the
representatives for debate and subsequent approval. Speaker of the
House, Caleb Istifanus Mwansat, however adjourned the House immediately
for Christmas break. It was obvious at the time, with the build up to
2011 elections heating up, that the House was bitterly polarised between
the governor, Mr Jang, and his deputy, Pauline Tallen.

Intrigues in the
House worsened and paved way to the subsisting impasse when 16 of the 24
lawmakers defected, in solidarity with Mrs Tallen, into the Labour
Party early in January ahead of last April’s elections. Leading his 15
colleagues into the opposition camp, the deputy speaker, Baba Hassan,
was reported to have launched a plot to remove the speaker whom they
accused of not only being loyal to the governor, but was also
frustrating efforts by the house to check the executive.

2011 budget

Since January, the
speaker has, in turn, failed to reconvene the House to consider the
budget and other matters pending on the legislative calendar. One of
such outstanding matters is the consideration and approval of the 2011
budget, as the executive arm, since January, has been working without
oversight checks.

At odds with one
another, there was no indication at press time whether the speaker will
reconvene the House before the legislative year ends, as a majority of
the members who defected to the Labour Party, except the deputy speaker,
Mr Hassan, lost their re-election bid and will not be part of the next
legislature, which will be sworn in next month.

During a visit to
the House of Assembly complex along Old Bukuru road, Jos yesterday, some
of the staff were seen discussing the re-election of the speaker and
deputy speaker, who are returning in the next legislative year on
different political platforms. Mr Mwansat won his election on the
platform of the PDP while the deputy is now a lawmaker of the Labour
Party.

The Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday, issued certificates of
return to all the victorious candidates in elections held to fill
political positions due to be vacant in Oyo State on may 29 Speaking on
behalf of his colleagues, the state governor-elect, Abiola Ajimobi,
vowed to engineer a new beginning for the state as he take up the mantle
of leadership.

The ceremony was
held at the premises of the Oyo State INEC, where he and other 49
elected candidates to the seats in the state House of Assembly and
National Assembly were present to get their certificates of return.

Mr Ajimobi called on
his co-contestants in the election, especially, Adebayo Alao-Akala, the
state governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as
well as Rashidi Ladoja, the former governor and candidate of Accord
Party, to rally round him in efforts to lift the state to greater
heights.

The governor-elect admonished his colleagues not to disappoint the electorate that gave them their mandates to represent them.

Describing his
opponents in the election, Messrs Alao-Akala and Ladoja, as brothers and
friends, Mr Ajimobi declared that there were no loser nor vanquished in
the polls.

Great expectations

He called on those
elected to put in their best to ensure that dividends of democracy are
well delivered to the people in their time, saying ‘to whom much is
given, much is expected.”

According to him,
the expectation of the people of the state in the in-coming government
is too high to be dashed, promising to do his part to make the people
the focus of his government.

The National
Secretary of INEC, Abdullahi Kaugama, expressed appreciation to the
political stakeholders in the state for their conduct in the election,
which he said was peaceful.

The state Resident
Electoral Commission, Ayo Adakeja, also said he felt fulfilled for
superintending over credible election in the state, maintaining that
there was room for improvement.

He commended the
losers of the poll for being gallant as, according to him, they
demonstrated spirit of sportsmanship in spite of the tension arising
from unfounded rumours and false alarms that reigned during the
pre-election period.

Mr Adakeja also gave kudos to all members of the National Youth
Service Corps (NYSC) used as ad hoc staff as well as members of the
academia who served as supervisors, collation and returning officers
during the exercise.

The Delta State
government yesterday asked residents not to embark on panic buying of
fuel as a result of the fire incident at the NNPC loading depot in
Warri.

The Commissioner
for Oil and Gas, David Ekereokosu while speaking to journalists
yesterday at the scene of the NNPC Depot explosion said that there was
no cause for alarm over the incident, saying he had been assured by the
management of the Petroleum Pipelines Marketing Company (PPMC) that
supply of fuel will not be affected.

The Commissioner
who was conducted round the scene by Sunday O. Edegbo, the Depot
Manager, PPMC and Joseph E. Edeamrere, Community Relations Officer,
PPMC said: “We want to urge all Deltans not to panic, what has
happened, for now; nobody can tell what caused the fire incident. But
investigations are on-going; it will be hasty on the part of anybody to
jump to conclusion as to what caused the fire. For now, we want to
assure Deltans that very soon the depot will bounce back to full
operation and there should be no panic buying.

Sufficient products

“There is
sufficient product to go round for all those who want to get the
product, so the Delta State government calls on all Deltans not to be
discouraged over what has happened. Governor Uduaghan is aware of what
has happened and that is why he has sent this delegation to PPMC to
ascertain what has happened.” He expressed gratitude to God that the
fire incident did not extend beyond the scene just as he thanked all
Deltans, including fire services for their efforts in ensuring that the
fire was put off timely.

Explaining the
incident to the commissioner, the PPMC Depot Manager, Mr Edegbo said:
“What I will just say briefly is that, I was in the office yesterday
when we heard a large explosion. We evacuated our staff; the whole
place was engulfed with fire. We are still investigating the actual
cause; we have not been able to establish what caused the fire
incident. Committees have been set up and we are trying to get back to
operation as soon as possible.

“I want to assure
the public that there is no need to panic for now because we are
working for early resumption of our operations.” It was observed
yesterday that the loading depot that used to be busy was empty and the
four petroleum tankers razed at the scene were yet to be removed.

As part of its efforts to reduce cases
of accidents and casualties on the nation’s highways, the Federal Road
Safety Corps (FRSC) has entered into a partnership with the Ministry of
Health to actualise the United Nations’ ‘decade of action’ on road
safety.

The corps marshal and chief executive of
the FRSC, Osita Chidoka, said yesterday in Abuja that his commission
had developed a national strategy, which had already been adopted by the
relevant agencies, towards the actualisation of the goal.

The action plan, which is slated for
launch tomorrow, and which Nigeria as a member of the United Nations is
fully committed to, will enable an improvement in the condition of the
nation’s highways, the regulation of license issuance, drivers’
training, as well as post-crash care.

Mr Chidoka said inter-agency support had
helped the commission in achieving the reduction of deaths on Nigerian
roads. In 2010, the country recorded a 33 percent reduction in the
fatalities on its roads, and a 30 percent reduction in automobile
crashes. This year, a 23 percent reduction in road-accident deaths had
already been recorded.

“If more effort is not committed to
reducing the menace of accidents on Nigeria roads, the percentage of
casualties from road accidents will rise to 65 percent in 2015,
overtaking malaria as one of the leading causes of deaths,” he said.

Mr Chidoka said some of the commission’s
efforts at ensuring the reduction of roads accidents in Nigeria
included the sensitisation of motorists, the training of road safety
officials and partnership with bodies such as the World Bank.

Cause of mortality

The minister of health, Onyebuchi
Chukwu, commended the FRSC on its efforts to curb the carnage on the
roads but noted that traffic injuries were a major cause of morbidity
and mortality in the country.

The minister, who described trauma as a
serious health issue that leads to so many other diseases, stressed the
need for more attention to be placed on it. He said the federal
government was working towards improving the three hospitals which had
the requisite skills to handle trauma cases.

Mr Chukwu also called for the thorough
medical examination of potential drivers before licenses are issued to
them and enforcement by the relevant law enforcement agencies.

The representative of the World Health
Organisation (WHO), David Okello, noted that part of the objectives of
the ‘decade of action’ is to change the perception about the problem.

“Though road crash injury is mostly
predictable and preventable, it can only be solved by multi-sectoral
cooperation and action,” he said.

Poor remuneration
and low appreciation for professionalism are some of the problems
hindering legal practice and the delivery of justice in Nigeria, a
senior lawyer, Funke Adekoya said yesterday while delivering a lecture
at the Nigeria Bar Association, Ilorin Branch 2011 Law Retreat.

Mrs Adekoya, who is
also the president of the Nigeria Chapter of the Federation of
Arbitrators, said following poor remuneration of staff by the
principals of law firms in Nigeria, the legal profession has lost its
best brains to multinational firms over the years.

“The practice of
law is a profession, but a law practise is also a business,” she said.
“It should have a clear and consistent structure. The owners need to
give thought to the opportunities and clients available in the chosen
practice area, and determine how to focus on the markets you want to
practice in. Get into the habit of having an annual business plan where
you lay out your key objectives for the year. What do you want to
target in the year? How much money do you need to make to cover your
overheads?” She said although having technically competent and
motivated lawyers is important, that alone does not guarantee success.

“Where the take
home salary of the associate does not take him or her home, we have a
problem to contend with,” Mrs Adekoya said. “I hear lawyers saying
their practise cannot justify paying associates a larger salary. How
then does the practise justify paying a driver the same amount as an
associate, or even more? Associates are the primary asset of any firm
and the effective management of the asset should be one of the highest
priorities of the firm.”

Show some respect

The chairman of the
Kwara State branch of the Nigeria Bar Association, Salman Jawondo,
attributed the failure of some chambers in Nigeria to a lack of
professional conduct by the owners and associates of the firm.

“I believed that
this lecture would go a long way to resuscitate and guide the existing
legal practice firms in Nigeria,” she said.

The Chief Judge of
Kwara State, Salihu Durosilohun Kawu, stressed the need for owners of
law firms to treat their associates with sincerity.

“I wish I had
listened to this lecture a long time ago, I would have also loved to
own a law firm and nurture it to a greater height,” he said.

Pakistan may let US
investigators question the wives of Osama bin Laden, a US official
said, a decision that could begin to stabilise relations between the
prickly allies that have been severely strained by the killing of the
al Qaeda leader.

However, senior Pakistani government officials in Islamabad said Tuesday no decision had been taken on the US request.

Bin Laden was shot
dead on May 2 in a top-secret raid in the northern Pakistani town of
Abbottabad to the embarrassment of Pakistan which has for years denied
the world’s most wanted man was on its soil.

The government is
under pressure to explain how the al Qaeda leader was found in the
garrison town, a short distance from the main military academy, and
faces criticism at home over the perceived violation of sovereignty by
the US commando team.

Pakistani
cooperation is crucial to combating Islamist militants and to bringing
stability to Afghanistan and the US administration has been keen to
contain the fallout.

US investigators,
who have been sifting through a huge stash of material seized in bin
Laden’s high-walled compound, want to question his three wives as they
seek to trace his movements and roll up his global militant network.

“The Pakistanis now
appear willing to grant access. Hopefully they’ll carry through on the
signals they’re sending,” a US official familiar with the matter said
in Washington.

There was no immediate comment from the White House.

A Pakistani
government official denied that permission for the US questioning of
the women had been given, saying local investigators had yet to finish
their inquiry.

“It’s too early to even think about it,” said the official, referring to the US request to question the women.

Pakistan says the
three wives, one from Yemen and two from Saudi Arabia, and their
children, will be repatriated and Pakistan was making contacts with
their countries but they had yet to say they would take them, the
official said.

Bin Laden’s
discovery has deepened suspicion that Pakistan’s pervasive
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, which has a long history
of contacts with militants, may have had ties with the al Qaeda leader,
or that some of its agents did.

US legislators have
been asking tough questions, with some calling for a cut in billions of
dollars of US aid to the nuclear-armed Muslim country.

But the United States has stopped short of accusing Pakistan of providing shelter to bin Laden.

“We believe it is
very important to maintain a cooperative relationship with Pakistan,
precisely because it’s in our national security interests to do so,”
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday.

NATO
Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Western governments had no
alternative to cooperating with Pakistan in the fight against Islamic
militants.

“If we are to
assure long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan and beyond, then we
need positive engagement with Pakistan,” Rasmussen told the World
Affairs Council in Atlanta Monday.

In a reminder of
Pakistan’s own struggle against al Qaeda-linked militants, a bomb
outside a court in the northwestern town of Nowshera killed a
policewoman.

“Absurd”

Pakistani-US
relations were already at a low ebb after a string of diplomatic
disputes over issues including a big attack by a US drone aircraft in
March and CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who shot dead two Pakistanis in
January.

Potentially
stirring tension further, a Pakistani TV channel and a newspaper have
published what they said was the name of the undercover CIA station
chief in Islamabad.

US officials said the name disclosed in Pakistani media was wrong and the station chief would remain at his post.

They said they
believe the leak was a calculated attempt to divert attention from US
demands for explanations of how bin Laden could have hidden for years
in Pakistan.

Last year, after
the chief of the Pakistani ISI was named in a US civil case over
attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai, the then-head of the CIA’s
Islamabad station was named by Pakistani media and forced to leave the
country.

Pakistan Prime
Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, in his first major address since bin
Laden’s killing, rejected suggestions of incompetence or even
complicity in hiding the al Qaeda leader.

“Allegations of
complicity or incompetence are absurd,” Gilani told parliament Monday,
saying it was disingenuous for anyone to accuse Pakistan of “being in
cahoots” with al Qaeda.

US President Barack
Obama said Sunday that bin Laden likely had “some sort” of a support
network inside Pakistan, but added it would take investigations by
Pakistan and the United States to find out the nature of that support.

Pakistan’s main
opposition party has called on Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari to
resign over the breach of sovereignty by US special forces who slipped
in from Afghanistan on helicopters to storm the bin Laden compound.

Pakistan has launched its own investigation and the military is due to brief parliament in a closed session on Friday.

The
Contracts/Consultancy Review Committee (CCRC) set up by the Ekiti State
government has recommended the ousted governor, Segun Oni, for criminal
prosecution by anti-graft agencies.

The committee said
it uncovered that over N5.4 billion was embezzled under his watch
through the award of various contracts during his three-and-half-year
tenure.

In a draft white
paper on the report of the panel released to the media yesterday, Mr Oni
was allegedly discovered to have defrauded the state in 11 contracts
awarded by him while he was governor.

The contracts, as
contained in the paper include: Dualisation of Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Road,
Igede-Eyio-Iworoko Road, cross-boundary roads, construction of five new
state secretariat buildings, new House of Assembly complex, cassava
revolution scheme and purchase of 600 cows from South Africa for Ikun
Dairy Farm.

The panel also
discovered fraud in the award of contracts for the Ado-Ekiti solar
powered street lights, boundary roads with neighbouring states, designs
of most roads and housing projects.

Responding to the
allegation, the Media aide to the former governor, Wale Ojo-Lanre, said
it is painful that Ekiti State is obviously in the hands of people with
little knowledge about governance.

“If not, they won’t
be making allegations of fraud against a government that they took over
from seven months ago. More so that the government it took them seven
months to find their concocted evidence of fraud against was terminated
abruptly with no opportunity for any official of the government to tidy
up their records,” he said.

Mr Oni was also
alleged to have defrauded Ekiti people through the Government House
water reservoir project, the Deputy Governor’s Office project via
inflation of contracts, among others.

Make him pay

The panel led by its
chairman, Eben Alade recommended that the Kayode Fayemi-led
administration must use all legal means to compel Mr Oni to refund a
total sum of N5,419, 506, 264.55 to the coffers of the state government.

Sequel to this, the panel had recommended that government should
involve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission
(ICPC) and the courts of law to recover all outstanding monies in the
hands of Mr Oni.