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A Johannesburg
Magistrates’ Court yesterday deferred judgment to November 30, in an
inquiry being conducted on Azuka Okah over the ringing of her cell
phone in court.

On October 21, Mrs.
Okah was attending the bail application hearing of her husband, who is
facing terrorism related charges in connection with the October 1
bombings in Nigeria, when her cell phone rang during proceedings.

The Magistrate,
Hein Louw, had last week fixed judgment in the case for November 18, on
the expectation that he would have delivered judgment in the bail
application of her husband, Henry Okah, before then.

The Magistrate had
said that due to the closeness of Mrs. Okah to her husband, he chose to
give judgment in her case, after dealing with her husband’s matter.

However, the court
was unable to deliver its verdict in Mr. Okah’s bail bid at the last
sitting on November 12, and has fixed it for tomorrow, November 19.

Mrs. Okah’s lawyer,
Rudi Klause, had during the inquiry, told the court that she was under
pressure, and had actually placed her phone in silent mode until the
court stood down the case. He, therefore, apologised for the error,
which he said was not intentional, though negligent.

Shaun Abrahams, the
prosecution counsel, had said the court should use its discretion in
the matter, as Mr. Klause had referred to it as a case of negligence.

The judge had said
his court had never had such huge number of disruptions before, and he
had even overlooked some of them. He said he understood the pressure
Mrs. Okah was under, but added he would give judgment in the matter.

Judgment in the
bail application was stalled on November 12, as the Magistrate handling
the case said CD recordings of proceedings were retrieved from him for
transcription while he was preparing his verdict.

Mr. Louw,
therefore, fixed today, November 19, to deliver the judgment, by which
time, he said, he would have finished with two other outstanding
judgments he is working on, which also demanded urgent action.

The Magistrate said
apart from the CD request, another issue which affected the delivery of
the verdict was that he lost access to his electronic library with
which he tried to review some case laws, and he was told it was a
national problem.

Mr. Okah is
presently held in a single cell at the Johannesburg Prison. He is,
among other issues, charged with delivering, placing, and detonation of
explosives, and conspiring with others to do so, in connection with the
explosions which claimed no fewer than 12 lives.

Mr. Okah, who
maintains he is innocent, is asking the court for bail while the state
is opp osing the application. He has been in custody since October 2, a
day after the explosions, and first appeared in court on October 4.

NAN

The Kano State
Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau has called on all Muslims in the country to
treat the forthcoming voters’ registration as a jihad that require the
participation of all those desirous of change in the country.

The governor warns
that the forthcoming voters’ registration scheduled for January 8-22 is
compulsory for every Muslim, stressing that, “it is a religious duty
that no one should be excused.” “It is only through the process that
credible leaders can be elected.” He therefore claimed that “the
process must be treated as a jihad.” Mr Shekarau made this known while
receiving the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero at the state government house
for the eid Kabir celebration.

Corroborating the
governor’s stand ,the Emir also mandated that “no faithful (Muslim)
should be excused from the voters’ registration exercise, as long as
he/she is hale and hearty during the exercise,” adding that it is part
of religious duty to make the national exercise a success.Mr Shekarau,
noted that “it is compulsory for all faithfuls to partake in the
national exercise.” He explained that democracy has come to stay in
Nigeria and the only way to elect leaders of choice starts with the
impending registration processes.

The governor also
said that the introduction of sharia law in the state has helped
“stabilized Kano social circle,” stressing that moral decadence has
been on steady decline compared to what it was before his ascension to
power in 2003.Mr Shekarau evaluating his two terms in office as the
governor of the state since 1999 noted that he has elevated the state’s
moral standard through the societal reorientation programme of his
administration, pointing out that it is of hope that those that will
succeed him will improve on the record.

The Emir commended the governor for the support to the emirate
council during the last 7 years, adding that ‘he hopes that the gesture
will be improved on outside the office.” He urged the citizenry to
imbibe peace which he claimed is essential for “a society to record
progress.”

The Ghanaian
Ambassador to Benin Republic, Modestus Ahiable, has urged the Nigerian
government to ensure free, fair and credible general elections in 2011.

Mr. Ahiable told
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Cotonou on Monday that credible
polls would engender peace and stability in Nigeria and the entire West
African sub-region.

“For elections to
be successful, first of all, the judges or those who are overseeing the
elections must be fair. They must be seen to be honest people who are
ready to be sure and be clear in their minds that only the winner is
declared the winner.”

In my father’s
stories of his posting to Karazau, a remote location in Northern
Nigeria, during his job as a station master with the Nigerian Railways
in the 1950s, was an account of how Fulani herdsmen would emerge from
the bush and the villages asking for ‘sweet water’.

“Esh Em, a bamu
ruwa mai dadi” (S.M., please give us some of that your sweet water).
They were referring to clear, boiled water, free of harmful bacteria,
guinea worm and other parasites that my mother drew from the well,
treated and stored in their quarters situated between the train station
and the village. My parents’ home was the only source of clean water
for miles around.

Ironically, 60
years on, the search for ‘sweet water’ continues. At home, the Water
Corporation bills us monthly for mains water supply, yet we have been
buying our supply from private water tankers for over six months.

Most of my
neighbours have boreholes. Yet, the cost of sinking and maintaining one
is so high. Securing water for our uses costs a LOT of money.

At the recent Commonwealth Regional Law

Conference in
Abuja, one of the speakers asked whether water is the new oil; not just
for us, but for the world. We are contending with a natural resource
that is being consumed at a greater rate than it can renew itself;
communities migrating across international boundaries to follow
shrinking lakes; declining rainfall that most rural population rely on,
urban spread and struggling water utilities.

Do we realise how much drinking water costs?

Think about it. One litre of bottled water costs more than a litre of petrol!

How many of us, like me, pay the Water Corporation monthly not to supply water?

How many, like me,
have bought new water pumps and paid for new lines to be laid, with no
results? We should prioritise water security above the elusive 6,000
kilowatts that the Ministry of Power has been promising us. We are
buying both water and diesel, and while our industry and businesses
will become moribund without reliable and cheaper power supply, our
health and bodies will become impaired without reliable and cleaner
water supply.

More importantly in
comparing oil and water, people have died in fights over access to
water. Access to water continues to be a matter of life and death
between farmers and herders.

Aah! Sweet water!
In the developed world, drinkable water is truly sweet. It is available
everywhere for free – at water fountains on the streets and from taps
in restaurants, offices and homes. For more discerning palates, there
is a selection of waters. What strikes your fancy? Still water from the
French Alps? Sparkling water from Scottish highlands? Water that tastes
sterile, or slightly salty. Don’t like the taste of plain water?

You can opt for a
variety of flavoured waters-lemon or strawberry perhaps? Feeling weak?
Go for vitamin-infused water, or water with an energy boost. Need a
bottle that is pleasing to the eye and decorative for your table? Go
for the designer bottles in cones and cylinders, or water presented
like wine.

A natural refreshment

And where do we
find ourselves on this continuum between no potable water, abundance,
and designer water? Day after day, the poor still trek for miles to
fetch water. Each day, the mass of our urban citizens get their
drinking water from ‘pure water sachet’ sellers by the roadside. The
bulk of office workers get their drinking water from water dispenser
suppliers.

The majority of
homes have supplementary water storage facilities that they pay private
contractors to fill up. Cart pushers plying our roads with six to
twelve 25kg kegs of water are common sights.

Bottling companies
that used to make their money from bottling imported spirits and wines
for the local market, are now largely bottling water! Our own Nigerian
Bottling Company, the makers of Coca Cola went so far as creating their
own brand of water – leveraging their existing distribution networks
for sales.

The developed world
has moved on from water purely as a necessity to water as also a
desirable and fashionable consumable and accessory. Water resources for
basic needs are managed, conserved, and rationed. More sophisticated
technology to desalinate water is being developed.

Our technology is
ramshackle water tankers creaking, rattling, and leaking their way
between their depots and private deliveries to the water storage tanks
of homes and offices. The streak of darkened wet tarmac marks the trail
of their passage on our roads.

The criminals have also gotten in on the act.

While the
government and civil society are fighting to ensure the availability of
basic potable water, the established bottled water brands and
distributors are combating ‘pirates’ who refill used bottles with
untreated water, recreate the seal, and resell them as genuine.

More than one glass of red wine a day is injurious to the health.
Other alcohol clouds our minds. Packaged fruit juices, minerals and
sodas are fattening. The caffeine in tea and coffee over-stimulates our
hearts. It is best to go the natural route. Drink clean, odourless,
sweet water!

President Goodluck Jonathan has announced that the
federal government is determined to re-establish agriculture as the
economic mainstay and put Nigerians back to work on the farm and in
areas of sustainable fisheries and pastoralism.

Mr Jonathan stated this at the third annual National
Consultation on Environment, ‘The Politics of Hunger’ in Abuja. The
president, who was represented by Ken Saro Wiwa (Jnr), his Special
Assistant on International Affairs, said that the government will
resist any attempt to introduce any unproven systems and technologies
that will have negative impacts on the people and the environment. “As
far as the way food is produced, how it is produced, has direct
relationship with the ecosystem and our safety; the task of ensuring
that it is safe, not contaminated, and not unwholesome requires all
hands to be on deck,” he said.

Polluted farms

The president also pledged his government’s continued
support to farmers and research in areas of agro-ecological agriculture
suitable to the nation’s environment and shifting away from toxic
chemicals and technologies that seek to degrade the environment. “I
will be the first to agree that environmental pollution, including
those from the oil sector has grossly impacted our capacity to produce
the foods that we need,” he said. “While oil produces national wealth,
it has paradoxically also caused human misery among our people.”

The two day environmental consultation, which had
experts within and outside Nigeria, dwelt on issues of hunger, food
aids, genetically modified crops, and philanthropic roles of capitalist
organisations.

Puppet governments

In his welcome address, Nnimmo Bassey, the Executive
Director of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth
Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), noted that African countries have been open to
manipulation by international financial institutions as well as aid and
development agencies. “Such bodies draft policy directions and foist
them on African countries including Nigeria,” he said. The idea of
fighting hunger, according to him, has also become big business for the
corporations involved. “Food aid, with the connotation of philanthropy,
has become nothing short of big business and a tool for crass
manipulation and intimidation of those who are adjudged to be hungry,”
he said. “We are forever domesticating policies that are dubious to our
agriculture or poverty combating needs.”

The conference also featured the presentation of the Comrade Che
Ibeawura award, an initiative of ERA/FoEN to recognise inspiring works
of environmental activism, to 70-year-old Juliana Odey, food campaigner
for the Nigerian Cassava Growers Association. Mrs Odey, while receiving
the award and the accompanying N100,000, said that genetically
engineered cassava, which is currently undergoing a trial in Nigeria,
should be rejected in its entirety. “We are tired of GMO (genetically
modified organism) and nobody should force GMO into our throats,” she
said.

Dana Air, one of
Nigeria’s newest domestic carriers, on Thursday, announced that it
recorded a loss of about N270 million to a recent bird strike on one of
its aircraft.

Bird strikes, or
Bird Aircraft Strike Hazards (BASH), are collisions between birds and
man-made vehicles or aircraft. According to the airline, the
Lagos-bound aircraft, from Abuja, was grounded for three weeks as a
result of the mishap inflicted on it by the incident. “Incidents like
this, which can be prevented, are causing airline operators great
losses and are equal potential risks to flights,” said Jacky
Hathiramani, the Managing Director of the carrier, in a statement made
available to journalists at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

In April, 97 air
travellers aboard one of Dana Air’s 9am Abuja-bound flights from Lagos
escaped a crash after one of the engines of their aircraft suffered
bird strikes minutes after takeoff. The aircraft, which took off from
the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2), Lagos, had to effect an
emergency landing at the international wing of the airport when sparks
resulting into smokes emanated from its affected engine. Mr Hathiramani
called on the affected authorities to address the issue of bird strikes
across airports in the country, before more harm is done both on
aircraft and passengers. “We hope that the authorities in charge would
take up the challenge as soon as possible and reduce it not eliminate
the incidents of bird strikes in our airports,” he said.

Preventive efforts

Speaking on the development, John Obakpolor, a retired group captain
and expert in Nigeria’s aviation sector, urged the Federal Airports
Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to take as important the need for an
airport free of animals, so as to minimise the effects of bird strikes
on aircraft. According to him, domestic carriers are losing hundreds of
millions of naira to the hazard, which could lead to possible air
accident. “It is standard industry practice of FAAN to compensate
airlines for the losses they suffer on account of bird strikes,” he
said. “It is the responsibility of the airport authority to put
measures in place that will reduce the menace of birds at airports
across the country.”

The Southern
Nigeria Defenders Forum, a pressure group, has advised politicians to
approach the next election with decorum and avoid comments that would
amount to drumming war songs in the country.

National Chairman
of the group, Andrew Yanga, said statements credited to politicians who
pledged to make the country ungovernable unless the presidential office
is zoned, is capable of fragmenting the nation. He said the south south
zone of the country should be the one to produce the next ruler for the
country on the basis of equity and justice.

He argued that in 50 years of the nation’s existence, the North had
ruled for 35 years, so there is no basis for the group led by Adamu
Ciroma to be clamouring for zoning. “We thought we now have one Nigeria
where political campaign should be based on developmental issues and
ideas. Unfortunately, Adamu Ciroma and people like him believe in
tribal politics, of Southern Nigeria versus Northern Nigeria,” he said.
“We challenge Ciroma and his group to a public debate on political
zoning in Nigeria. The debate will be moderated by the mass media; we
are waiting for them to take up this challenge.”

Dissident officers
declared a takeover of power in Madagascar on Wednesday, but the
island’s military leadership vowed to crush any rebellion and security
forces dispersed a crowd that had gathered to back the rebels.

Witnesses said
about a thousand people erected a roadblock and set tyres ablaze near a
barracks housing the rebel soldiers, who said they had formed a ruling
committee to take power on Wednesday as Madagascar voted on a new draft
constitution. The security forces stepped in and fired tear gas,
chasing the protesters away. Flanked by the country’s military top
brass, Prime Minister Camille Vital told reporters the security forces
would ensure the rule of law was upheld after what appeared to be an
attempt by the dissident officers to torpedo the referendum. “We will
apply the law to those who flout it,” he said.

Rebel leader,
Charles Andrianasoavina, earlier at the barracks near the airport said
that a “military council for the welfare of the people” had been formed
to run the world’s fourth largest island. Mr Andrianasoavina was one of
the main backers of President Andry Rajoelina’s power-grab in March
last year when he toppled Marc Ravalomanana. Another senior officer
behind Rajoelina then was also in the rebellious group. Mr
Andrianasoavina told France 24 television that the group had not yet
suspended the government, but intended to seize the presidential palace
and ministries. “We are close to the international airport,” he said.
“Depending on the situation tomorrow, the airspace will be closed.
Tomorrow we intend to take the airport and stop anybody leaving
Madagascar,” he said. The country’s military has suffered from rifts
since the 2009 coup. A group of dissident military police briefly
seized control of a military camp in May, before being quashed by the
security forces.”

Young president

Mr Rajoelina
scrapped the old constitution after ousting unpopular leader, Mr
Ravalomanana, with military backing, creating turmoil on the island.
International mediators brokered a series of power sharing agreements
between the duo, and two other former presidents, but they all
collapsed in bickering over the allocation of ministerial posts. Voters
cast their ballots peacefully at more than 18,000 polling stations
which closed later than scheduled at 1500 GMT because of delays caused
by issues with some voter lists. Some opposition supporters said they
had taken to the streets near the barracks to vent their anger at
Rajoelina’s failure to end the political impasse that has hammered the
Indian Ocean island’s economy.

The new
constitution lowers the minimum age for a president by five years to
35, which would regularise 36-year-old Rajoelina’s rule and allow him
to renege on a previous pledge that he will not contest the next vote
slated for May 4,

2011. The proposed law also sets no deadline for presidential
elections, which critics say could allow Rajoelina to remain
indefinitely in power.

The vice president,
Namadi Sambo, yesterday appealed to Nigerian journalists not to
compromise the security of the country while exercising the freedom of
the press, but to concentrate more on factors that would secure and
unite the nation.

He also stated that
the success of the 2011 elections is closely tied to media
practitioners in the country, calling on them to utilise their
profession to educate politicians as well as the electorate on free and
fair elections.

The vice president
made this appeal when he had an interactive session with State House
correspondents in Abuja. He said that the role of the media was very
crucial – especially during the nation’s march towards the 2011
elections.

He, however, thanked the media for the professional manner in which they had reported issues concerning the country so far.

“You must ensure
that you are always very fair, very frank, and that you will tell
Nigerians the truth about what is happening, and the efforts that our
president, Goodluck Jonathan, is making towards ensuring the rapid
development of Nigeria.

“You have the
onerous task of informing Nigerians about what we are doing. That, as
you know, is a very important responsibility. It is a fact that you
have a role to play in the security of this country and this is an
important area really, that needs to be watched at all the time.

“You need to know
also that there are matters of reporting that affects the security of
the nation. Of course, you are all aware that Nigeria operates at the
highest point of press freedom; but that should not mean that you will
go to the extent of exposing our country, especially the security
aspect. I want to assure you of our support at all times. I assure you
of our cooperation in helping you report what we are doing to the
world,” he said.

The vice president
reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring free and fair elections,
as well as the role of the media in educating Nigerians on the
seriousness of Mr. Jonathan’s one-man-one-vote campaign.

“For the
achievement of this objective, you have the biggest role to play
because Nigerians need to know the truth. They need to be educated, and
we cannot achieve this without the co-operation of all the parties.
Politicians and the general citizens need to be sensitised, and it is
only through you that people can be educated to understand the new
democratic spirit and the need for free and fair election, come 2011,”
Mr. Sambo further said.

Building the nation

The vice president
said the federal government was working to ensure growth and
development of the nation, adding that the issue of power is being
addressed, to ensure that Nigeria enjoys uninterrupted power supply.

“We are right now
prepared to match our talks with action. We must also through you
appeal to all Nigerians for support, as we work to ensure that this
country is developed to take its rightful place amongst the community
of nations.

“This is the first
time that Nigeria will have two well-educated people at the helm of
affairs of the nation. President Jonathan, a scientist, a doctorate
degree holder; and myself, an architect; we are designing and building
the economy. We are determined that we must provide jobs and pay
salaries that are above poverty level. This is what we assure
Nigerians,” he said.

A House of
Representatives report has cited Anthony Ani, the minister of finance
under the regime of Sani Abacha, for culpability in a multibillion
naira loan which remained unserviced for over a decade, leaving high
interest bill for the government to clear.

Between 1994 and
1998, according to the summary of the report just made public, Mr. Ani,
as the finance minister, approved over N7billion loan for federal
housing projects, but failed to insist on the repayment of the loan.

The major
beneficiary of the funds, the Federal Housing Authority, the report
adds, also made no effort to service the loan. The managing director of
the FHA at the time, Ibrahim Ali, was scolded along with Mr. Ani by the
lawmakers as acting not “in the best interest of the nation.” Efforts
made to speak with Messrs Ani and Ali during the holidays were not
successful.

“Henceforth, public
officials who commit government into any business or agreement that end
up in loss, through their action or inaction, should be prosecuted,”
the report, authored by the House public accounts committee, recommends.

Full details of the
committee’s routine examination of the financial papers of government
establishments, which are yet to be discussed by the whole House, have
remained unclear.

Its summary on the FHA, carrying with it the commitee’s recommendations, has not yet been approved too.

Invite the EFCC

The committee,
headed by Adamu Mohammed, faulted Mr. Ani for his role in the
transaction. The lawmakers said the former minister acted in breach of
the loan agreement.

“Anthony Ani, who
signed the agreement, did not act in the best interest of the nation
for failing to demand the repayment of the loan,” they concluded.

The committee
recommends that a 12-month moratorium be allowed the FHA before a
repayment plan, which would begin at N500 million per annum, is
instituted.

It also goes further to state that the subsequent management of the
FHA has shown “obvious unwillingness and insensitivity” in repaying the
money, suggesting that anti-corruption agencies be invited to help
recover the cash if the agency refused to pay the loan.