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The World Bank yesterday commenced its annual review
of STEP-B projects in the different educational and research institutes
in Nigeria.

Irajen Appaasamy, task team leader of STEP-B project
at the World Bank, who led the delegation on a visit to the Minister of
Science and Technology in Abuja, stated that the bank, having funded
the projects in the country within the last few years, need an
on-the-spot assessment to ascertain the level of impact on the lives of
Nigerians.

Part of the objectives of the review is to know the
challenges the project is facing and how to discuss and agree on a set
action that will lead to the project impact at the end of the day.

“Basic areas we are looking at has to do with
increases in the number of students trained in Science and
technology-related areas; improvements in quality (like more
publications, more collaborations between researchers in the public and
private sectors, and between institutions in education and in research,
and between Nigerian institutions and their partners internationally);
improvements in teaching and learning of Science and technology and
improved relevance of S&T education and relevance to the needs of
Nigeria,” Mr. Appaasamy said.

STEP-B Project is a World Bank sponsored Nigerian
project supporting Science and technology education at the post-basic
evel. The idea is to catalyse the activities of Science and technology
in Nigeria so as to meet the development objectives of Nigerians.

The total value of grant for the project is 180
million dollars and half of this has been disbursed for different
projects in education and Science and technology ministries.

Tunde Adekola, senior education specialist at the
World Bank, Nigeria, said, “once in a year we go round to see the
status of the project; to see what is ground and how much we have been
able to achieve in terms of disbursement, impact and developmental
outcomes. We will be going to the field to visit some of the
educational and research institutes.

“But according to the data we have, 50 per cent of
the project has been executed and the project life has been extended
for another two years. It gives opportunity of better things to be
achieved. ”

Mohammed Abubakar, Minister of Science and
Technology, earlier stated that with the extension of the date of
completion of all STEP-B projects, there is need for more funding.

Mr. Abubakar also commended the STEP-B team for
assistance on some projects of the ministry, insisting that more
collaboration with the ministry would help in the expansion of the
scope of coverage, especially to its research institutes that were yet
to benefit from the assistance.

“You cannot encourage the teaching of Science
without the development of the ministry of science because we are
largely responsible for the development of Science and technology
policies and researches in the country.

“We have been collaborating, but we feel that the scope of
collaboration is not sufficient enough. There is, therefore, the need
to expand the scope and funding of Step-B project with the Ministry of
Science,” Mr. Abubakar said.

Inspector-General
of Police Hafiz Ringim has said that the Boko Haram crisis is a
challenge to the police and other security agencies. He stated that the
police must therefore do all in its power to find a solution to the
security challenges in the country. Addressing senior police officers
from the rank of commissioner of police upwards at the IG Conference at
the Force Headquarters, Abuja yesterday, Mr. Ringim said that “the
police was most challenged by the Boko Haram crisis in Borno and Bauchi
states as well the social upheaval in Plateau State.”

“The police must
remain resolute and should not be dragged into the political/social
crisis in the different parts of the country,” he said.

Mr. Ringim also
said that the federal government has resolved to end the crisis in a
short time, through the provision of 450 vehicles and motorcycles to
security agencies in the area for enhanced operations and intelligence
gathering. The vehicles, he added, would be delivered to them within
one week, even as he assured that normalcy would return to the troubled
states very soon. He explained that the conference of senior officers
was called to brainstorm on the security situation in the country and
proffer ideas and strategies on how it could be addressed, noting that
the solutions to the crisis in parts of the country depended on good
thinking and performance of security agencies. The police boss
therefore tasked the participants to suggest ideas and strategies that
could help the police to combat the security problems in the country.
Mr. Ringim however praised his officers for their classic performance
during the nationwide party primaries, particularly the People’s
Democratic Party convention in Abuja, in which, according to him, no
police officer was indicted for partisanship.

Borno Killings

However, less
than 24 hours after a senior police officer was killed in Maiduguri,
another officer was shot dead on Tuesday night in Biu, Biu Local
Government Area of Borno. The officer, a constable, was shot dead at
about 11.00 pm while on duty at the residence of the divisional police
officer in the area. Lawal Abdullahi, the public relations officer of
Borno Police command, confirmed the incident in Maiduguri on Wednesday,
saying that the constable was shot by gunmen on motor bikes who had
attacked the DPO’s residence at night. A deputy superintendent of
police, simply identified as Gadzama, was also shot dead by gunmen on
Tuesday in Maiduguri at about 12 noon. His 6-year-old daughter, who was
with him at the time of the attack, sustained injuries.

Bauchi Arrest

The Bauchi State
Police Command has also arraigned 28 suspects for allegedly
participating in the killing of some victims and destruction of
property during the Jan. 27 mayhem in Tafawa Balewa, Bauchi. The
suspects, led by Paul Luka and 27 others, were alleged to have
conspired and killed some innocent victims and destroyed property worth
millions of naira. The prosecutor, Sabon-Kasuwa Husseini, told the
Chief Magistrate’s Court that the suspects committed the offence with
the connivance of one Mustafa Adamu, alias “Black”, Usuman Musa and
Dang Ayuba, all of Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area, now at large.

He said the three
suspects, who were in possession of dangerous weapons, arms and
ammunition, conspired with 25 others, currently in prison custody, to
commit the crime. All the accused declined to enter any plea, and Mr.
Husseini urged the court to adjourn the case to a later date to enable
the police to conclude their investigations.

The Chief Magistrate, Aliyu Usman, adjourned the case till March 1, and ordered that the suspects be remanded in prison custody.

The national chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists,
Mohamed Garuba, on Tuesday, said that the call for the declaration of a state
of emergency in Plateau and Borno States is not right.

Speaking with journalists at the presidential wing of the
Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Mr Garuba explained that the declaration of
state of emergency in Plateau State in the past did not bring about peace in
the land, adding that the government should be proactive and work towards
unearthing the cause of the anarchy in the affected states. “We believe that
the issue state of emergency should not be the solution to the problems,” he
said.

“Because we remembered vividly that some time ago, when this
crisis continued in Plateau State during the time of [former governor] Dariye,
President Obasanjo then declared a state of emergency, but unfortunately the
crisis and the problems still persisted. Therefore the best way as far as we
are concerned to address this very serious problem is for government to look
inward and find out the root courses of these unfortunate incidents.”

Political repercussions

Mr Garuba noted that the upheaval in the two states may not be
as a result of religious intolerance, adding that the government should act
quickly before the level of security in the States deteriorate beyond what it
is presently. “As far as we are concerned, it has more to do with politics than
religion,” he said. “I am afraid to say that if the government allows such
insecurity to continue, it maybe virtually very difficult for us to experience
the April 2011 elections. People are already scared. If you look at the number
of turn-out on the review of the voters registers in Plateau and Borno, they
have recorded the lowest in terms of participation and I am sure it is going to
be same thing when it comes to 2011 elections.”

“Most importantly I believe there are lot of committees that were formed by
the government to investigate this incident in Jos and Maiduguri, but up to
this time nobody has been arrested and no culprits have been prosecuted and I
think that is the major problem. Government has to implement the recommendation
of all the committees that were formed. There is no reason why the government
should not expose the findings of these committees and then try as much as
possible to implement the recommendation of these committees. If the government
fails to do this, I want to assure you that this crisis will continue; and
indeed it is going to be unfortunate in this part of the country. Why we are a
little bit concerned is that if we are not careful, gradually this crisis will
escalate to other parts of the country,” he added.

Ten months after they were suspended by their colleagues, former
speaker and deputy speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Taofiq Olawale
Abdusalam and Mayowa Akinfolarin yesterday resumed parliamentary sittings.

The two lawmakers were suspended over allegations that they were
in custody of the Assembly’s properties despite the fact that they had been
removed from office. The duo fought the suspension by seeking legal redress at
the court but the court did not rule in their favor. Mr Abdusalam and Mr
Akinfolarin were expected to resume last week at the end of their suspension
however they could not because of the vacation by other members of the House.

They said that their resumption was based on the series of
announcements that were made in the state-owned radio and television stations
that the impeached officers should appear before the parliamentary session
yesterday.

Aside from the fact that their constituencies were not
represented on any of the decisions taken on the floor of the Assembly, the two
lawmakers did not receive salaries and emoluments throughout the period they
were on suspension.

Speaking with reporters, Mr Abdusalam said they are back in the Assembly to
contribute their quota to the development of the state and their
constituencies.During the sitting, the Speaker introduced the former deputy
speaker, Mr Akinfolarin, as ‘honourable’ without attaching the prefix ‘Rt.
Hon’normally accorded to old speakers.

The People’s Democratic Party, on Tuesday, described the
alliance talks between the Congress for Progressive Change and the Action
Congress of Nigeria as a mere roadshow which was bound to fail.

According to Ahmed Alkali, national publicity secretary of the
PDP in a statement: “As for the ACN and CPC, we wish them well as they continue
in the wilderness of alliance. If these two political parties could not allow
their followers an ordinary choice of who flies the flag in their respective
parties, we dare say that they have nothing to offer to Nigerians as far as
democracy is concerned.”

Mr. Alkali said that the party was not surprised when the ACN
national secretary, Lawal Shuaibu, announced a few days ago that talks had
collapsed, adding that he (Mr. Shuaibu) was merely echoing what Nigerians
already knew.

“It is all a question of one party trying to lord it over the
other,” he said. “This again did not come as a surprise as none of the two
political parties has ever made any pretences as to how greater its selfish
interest is to that of the nation.”

According to him, “While the ACN, in perpetual indulgence of
name change, could not after all change in its hatred for internal democracy
and democracy as witnessed in the charade that went for its congresses and
primaries, with impunity and imposition as the order of the day, the CPC with
its cult heroism has been devastated by internal divisions.”

Mr. Alkali said that the conduct of the PDP primaries has re-affirmed the
party’s position as the only sure vehicle for the entrenchment and growth of
democracy in Nigeria.

The Federal High Court has restrained the People’s Democratic Party,
Oyo state, from presenting Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala and other contestants
who emerged at the party’s primaries in the state last year, as its candidates
for the 2011 elections.

The court, on Tuesday, ordered the suspension of results of the
congresses and restrained the party from presenting the beneficiaries to the
Independent Electoral Commission pending the determination of a suit against
the legality of the shadow elections.

Three governorship contestants in the party – Wole Oyelese,
Azeem Gbolarumi and Yekeen Adeojo, and 34 other party faithful, including Lekan
Balogun, had approached the court to seek an ex parte motion against the
state’s PDP primaries held to pick candidates to contest for members of the
state House of Assembly, National Assembly and the governorship elections.

Umpires’ Whistle

Giving the ruling yesterday, Justice Johnson Shakarho, ordered a
halt to presenting the governor and other emerging aspirants to the INEC as the
party’s candidates to allow the court to determine the merit of the substantive
suit.

The judge, however, refused the plaintiff’s prayer to restrain
the INEC from receiving, accepting or in anyway acting upon any nomination of
any person or persons for any election purportedly elected at the congress,
saying it has been overtaken by event.

Contending that the congresses fell short of the provisions of
the nation’s constitution, Michael Lana, counsel to the plaintiffs, had sought
for an order to restrain the PDP and the governor from acting on the results
produced there.

The plaintiffs joined the INEC, PDP, Dejo Afolabi, party state
chairman, and the governor, Mr. Alao-Akala in the suit. Mr. Shakarho had
adjourned till February 10 for the hearing of the substantive case. But the
court order came a few hours after the news of acceptance of the governor’s
nomination by the INEC hit Ibadan, the state capital.

The state had been thrown to confusion early Tuesday when the
report of INEC’s rejection of the governor’s nomination came as the exercise
closed on Monday. A statement from Dotun Oyelade, special adviser to the
governor on public communication, described the story as wishful thinking,
saying “the candidature of Governor Alao-Akala is unassailable and cannot be
taken away”.

“We hereby submit that the story is false and a continuation of
the serial desperation of the opponents to plant confusion when they could not
succeed through legitimate means,” the statement read. “The national
headquarters of the PDP successfully submitted the list of PDP candidates in
Oyo State, including our governorship candidate to INEC and there is no problem
whatsoever with the list.

“As a matter of fact, INEC has issued acknowledgement receipt to
all our candidates whose names were submitted by the National Headquarters of
the PDP. We seize this opportunity to appeal to the citizens of Oyo State, who
have been thrown into confusion by this publication to discountenance it and go
about their normal duties.”

Mr. Oyelade described the injunction as ‘height of frivolity’.

Vice president, Namadi Sambo, on Tuesday in Abuja, warned that
the federal government will expose and try any one found guilty of corruption
in the country, no matter how highly placed in the society.

Speaking at the occasion of the foundation laying ceremony of
the new Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters building at Jabi,
Abuja, Mr. Sambo said good governance is a major product of diligent and robust
anti-corruption work, therefore urging all Nigerians to strive and work to
attain that goal. He said that democracy and development will be at great risk
if corruption continues to prevail in public life.

The vice president promised that the federal goverment will
continue to support the fight against corruption through aiding the anti-graft
bodies.

He commended the EFCC saying that “it remains one of the most
respected institutions of goverment today, domestically and internationally.”

He also said the commission has strengthened the country’s
democracy and helped changed the perception of Nigeria as a fee fraud nation,
citing the continuous improvements in the Transparency International global
corruption index.

He said on completion of the new EFCC headquarters, which cost
about 18 billion naira, it will provide conducive environment for the crucial
work of combating corruption in all ramifications.

Recovery strength

Meanwhile, the chairman of EFCC, Farida Waziri, also said that
the commission has recovered 11 billion dollars in the period of seven years
from corrupt people in the country.

She said that if the commission is provided with a befitting
edifice like the one proposed, and also with modern gadgets, it will perform
better.

The managing director of Julius Berger, Wolfgang Goetsch, promised that its
company will meet the time stipulated in the contract and do a good job which
will meet international standards. The project is expected to be completed in
two years.

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, on Tuesday, said that
the high level of youth unemployment prevalent in the state will be addressed
by the agricultural empowerment scheme in the N450billion appropriation bill
for 2011.

Mr Fashola, at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed
Airport, Lagos, told journalists that the recently passed budget has provided a
better opportunity for the government to take agriculture more seriously.
“Education has always been our priority,” he said. “Agriculture was also a
priority. So, I wasn’t saying that for the first time. What I tried to
emphasize there was that the budget has given us the capacity to address more
seriously the problem of youth unemployment through the agricultural youth
empowerment scheme. There is a special provision in there.”

The governor explained that the budget gives room for graduates
to be involved in the cultivation of crops and rearing of animals, adding that
the state government is working towards getting the youths involved in
agricultural activities. “There are general provisions for adult farmers and
all of that, but there is a special provision for youth unemployment through
the agricultural youth empowerment scheme for graduates,” he said. “We are
moving them to an area where clearly young graduates have not looked enough.
There are enormous opportunities there; become young farmers, provide food for
this country and earn a respectable living from there.”

Fixing Lagos roads

Mr Fashola also promised residents of the state the government
plans to fix roads that are deteriorating, adding that people should express
confidence rather than talk down the administration. “Now, there is a plan to
fix all these roads and I can assure you that the road you are talking about is
already within our radar and I am the last person to want to say ‘go and do
this person’s road’ and all of that,” he said.

“Let the system work. We will get to you because if we start the
practice of running from this local government to that local government, it
becomes a fire fighting approach that does not yield the developmental result
that we want. I assure you, take my words for it, there is a plan and they are
already in your neighbourhood. So, if they haven’t got into your street, it doesn’t
mean they won’t get there.”

Describing ethno-religious violcence as a
threat to democracy, Atiku Abubakar, the former vice president, has
said that as long as previous killings and assassinations remain
unresolved, the perpetrators of these wicked acts will be emboldened to
unleash more mayhem on innocent people.

Mr. Abubakar, however, called on Nigerians to shun violence in any form as a means of redressing perceived grievances.

Reacting to the current spate of
violence, political assassinations, and ethnic/religious conflicts in
some parts of the country, the former vice president in a press
statement issued by his media office, said that the entire country
should know that “no nation can achieve development and stability under
the atmosphere of intolerance and frequent resort to violence to settle
scores.”

According to him, Nigerians should avoid
tendencies that could undermine the foundation of the country’s hard
won unity, adding that no sensible person should take stability for
granted. “Economic development, political stability, and social order
cannot be achieved when violence becomes an easy tool for resolving
misunderstandings.

“I have said it before and I need to say it again that since, as
human beings, we are incapable of creating life, nobody under any
circumstance should take human life,” Mr. Abubakar said.

The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole yesterday signed the
state’s 2011 budget of N112.7 billion into law.

Promising a commitment to even distribution of amenities in the
state, Mr Oshiomhole while signing the 2011 budget said, that “the challenge
for the executive branch for which you have oversight function is to ensure
that both the spirit and letter of this budget are truly translated.”

According to a statement signed by Peter Okhiria, the chief Press Secretary
to the Edo State Governor, he stated that “Mr Oshiomole assures the good people
of Edo State that this budget, essentially designed to ensure that we complete
the projects that we have started and where possible, we initiate new ones.
With this instrument in place, I have no doubt in my mind that a number of
projects would be completed.”

He commended the state House of Assembly’s Speaker and members for the
timely passage of the bill, stating that “since my assumption of office, this
is the first time that we are concluding and signing the budget into law within
the first month of the year. It has not happened before. In my first year in
office, the budget was passed towards the end of April and by that time, the
rains had started and this had clear implications for capital projects.”

“That under your leadership for the first time the House was able to pass
the budget within January and complete all formalities for the budget to be
signed into law by the end of January, I believe Mr Speaker, you have made
history.”

Presenting the bill earlier, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly,
Bright Omokhodion said the timely passage of the bill was to facilitate the
smooth implementation of government policies and programmes.