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Almost twice the worldwide average According to Instant Offices, Londoners have the longest at 74 minutes every day – almost twice the worldwide average of 40 minutes. According to a recent poll, two-thirds of Londoners found using public transport as the most stressful part of living in the capital. Commuting is considered an unpleasant activity, and when you factor in the time it takes to travel to work in London, it is not surprising that many professionals and businesses are looking for alternative ways of working. Based on official figures from the Department for Transport, crowded trains are carrying almost double the number of passengers they were designed to take. Demand for rail services into London has increased by 12% over the last six years, and it is forecast that by the early 2030’s, Waterloo trains in peak hours could be comparable to 5.4 passengers cramming into an average-sized phone booth. A Rail Delivery Group report found that the number of rail journeys was up from 800m in the late 1990’s to 1.6bn in 2015, meaning that the number of train journeys made each year has more than doubled since that time period. Commuters are deserting trains Commuters are becoming frustrated with the long commutes, high fares and often unreliable services of rail travel. Many people are slowly deserting trains and opting to work from home, while Londoners are changing the way they work to avoid the use of the railway. In 2017 alone, rail fares rose by an average of 3.4%, the largest increase since 2013. Cheap train tickets now seem to be a thing of the past as train fares have risen twice as fast as salaries over the past decade. How businesses can help employees combat long commutes Many rail executives argue that Brexit is to blame for falling traffic, although a more likely reason, given by industry experts, is the high fares and unreliable services. But thanks to more flexible hours and locations being implemented by companies, as well as the increase in part-time jobs and sophisticated technology, going to the office every day is becoming less of a burden. Businesses can help their employees enjoy shorter, cheaper and less-stressful commutes in a number of ways: Season ticket loans and discounts Commuter concerns are not isolated to the time it takes to get to and from work. Due to the increased cost of travel, primarily by rail, many commuters face fares of more than £3,000 – £5,000 a year, depending on the route. Businesses can assist employees by offering season ticket loans, which will help those staff members who are unable to pay upfront for a monthly or annual pass. Not only will employees enjoy cheaper rates, but they will be able to pay them back over an extended period. Implement ‘Cycle to Work’ schemes The ‘Cycle to Work’ scheme is a government tax exemption program that allows employers to loan bikes and safety equipment to their staff as a tax-free benefit. Employees are also able to ‘buy’ the bike at the end of the repayment. The scheme allows employees to spend up to £1,000 on bikes and equipment, which will be tax-free and result in a saving of 42% on the overall value. In addition to the financial benefits, the scheme aims to encourage people to make healthier and more environmentally friendly lifestyle choices. Offer flexible and/or remote working Flexible working has been known to have a positive impact on both an employees’ physical and mental health as well as their productivity. In fact, according to a recent survey, 30% of people would choose flexible working over a pay rise if they were given a choice. Remote working could be considered if employees are struggling to make it to the office due to time or money constraints. If full-time remote working is out of the question, consider occasional remote working where employees can work from home or flexible office space near them once or twice a week. In this way, the pressure is alleviated as employees do not have a long commute every day, and companies can save costs on office space and electricity bills.

Here’s why Business confidence has fallen back into negative territory, reversing the gains made in Q2 2017, according to the latest ICAEW Business Confidence Monitor (BCM). A snap general election, the hung parliament and the hesitant progress of negotiations with the EU has meant British businesses are now adopting a more cautious, wait-and-see approach. Key findings for Q3 2017: The Business Confidence Index is now back in negative territory, falling from 6.7 in Q2 to -8 in Q3, similar levels to the first quarter of 2017 GDP growth for the third quarter is forecast at 0.2 per cent, after 0.3 per cent in the second quarter Input prices continue to rise at 2.5 per cent year-on year Household incomes will continue to be squeezed as businesses seek to control overall cost rises by holding wage growth to a rate below inflation The depreciation in the value of Sterling hasn’t led to faster growth in exports Businesses are not investing at the level needed to generate faster UK economic growth. Expectations are for investment growth to remain well below the rates of 2014 & 2015 A shortage of non-management skills is a growing concern by a record-equalling number of businesses whilst investment in staff training remains weak Mathew Rideout, ICAEW Director of Business said: “The fall back into negative territory is not unexpected. Since the announcement of the general election, a vacuum has been left with Government’s attention swallowed by a hung parliament and the start of EU negotiations. The industrial strategy has been lost in the void, coupled with no clear signal towards post-Brexit policy. As a result, businesses cannot see through this haze of uncertainty and are struggling to look further than the end of the next quarter in terms of their decision making.”

Take a look Not every founder starts a business intending to hand it over someday. But for many ambitious entrepreneurs, exit is often the end-game. Mergers and acquisitions are often the most lucrative ways to cash in on the success of a venture. Translate plus is a great example of how going down the acquisition route is helping the founders scale up the business. Compared to many start-ups, translate plus has gone about things differently. And not entirely by choice. The language services provider – now one of the world’s top 50 – was founded in 2008, when funding wasn’t exactly in plentiful supply. The two co-founders got their business off the ground with some fairly stringent bootstrapping. They paid themselves nothing for the first six months, living off their personal savings. “We didn’t go down the classic start-up route, taking on debt and developing the business to profitability over several years,” says Co-Managing Director Robert Timms. “We made sure the firm was making money at the outset.” An international offering Given the nature of its proposition, international growth has been a natural part of the firm’s journey. London-based, translate plus initially moved into Germany and Denmark, as the founders were familiar with these markets. By 2015, business had expanded to 50 countries. Robert highlights how the Mayor’s International Business Programme has been a key support to this aspect of the translate plus growth story. “For example, joining Sadiq Kahn’s US trade mission was hugely beneficial,” he says. We didn’t go down the classic start-up route, taking on debt and developing the business to profitability over several years. The pivotal point Re-investing profits kept the founders in complete control of the company for the first seven years. It wasn’t until 2015 that they decided to seek funding – and decided to look for a buyer. “The business reached a point where it was time for a transformative leap,” Robert explains. “While for us as founders, it was time to de-risk, and gain some reward for our hard work. ”While looking at various funding options, they discovered that cross-media marketing production company Prodigious – part of communications giant Publicis Groupe – wanted to add language and adaptation services to its offering. “Being acquired by Prodigious was the ideal solution,” Robert explains. “It had the ready-made global scale that could transform translate plus. Strategically, there was no overlap of services. And it offered the right level of de-risking, as an established and financially secure global business.” Acquisition The two firms entered early discussions “to see if they were both serious,” as Robert puts it, and to explore the cultural fit between them. The conversations proved positive, and soon progressed to giving Prodigious a more detailed view of translate plus: its procedures, plans, forecasts, sales pipeline, and so on. The next step was to negotiate high-level terms: the price and financial structure of the deal. Once these were agreed, the companies signed a Letter of Intent. Due diligence followed, then contracts were drawn up by lawyers, and signed by the directors of both firms. translate plus became part of Prodigious in July 2017. The process was straightforward, but that doesn’t mean it was easy. “It was nine months of incredibly hard work,” Robert cautions. “Huge amounts of prep were required, and we still had to keep the business running. “You must understand what’s involved before going into an acquisition. Then ask yourself: are you ready for it?” Scaling up The plan is now to scale up the business, by capitalising on the significant international network that Prodigious has. With Asia-Pacific a key focus, translate plus has opened an office in Tokyo. Looking back on the experience, Robert has two valuable pieces of advice for start-up founders considering selling their business. “Sell when you want to, not when you have to,” he says. “And know what you want from the acquisition. “For example, is your aim to exit the business, or stay involved in growing it? The two scenarios will make for very different deals – and very different buyers.” Download this report, which looks at the more mature end of the funding journey and provides you with everything you need to know about later-stage financing and exit. It draws on the expertise of the mentors and delivery partners on the Mayor’s International Business Programme which helps London’s entrepreneurial businesses to accelerate their international growth.

Take a look Spring is traditionally the time when many owners think of selling, and put their property on the market. However, with average new seller asking prices failing to show a year-on-year rise for the seventh consecutive month, would-be sellers seem more reticent to come to market with prices still lower than they were a year ago. According to Rightmove, the number of newly-marketed properties is down by 3% this month compared to the same period in 2017. While prices have increased by 0.6% (+£4,060) month-on-month, they remain 0.6% lower than a year ago. Miles Shipside, Rightmove director and housing market analyst comments: “There is a lack of spring in the number of new sellers stepping onto the market. With an annual rate of price decrease as opposed to increase being a constant factor for the last seven months, it is bound to be a deterrent to some potential sellers. Even though fewer properties are coming to market, the slower rate of sales means stocks of unsold property are growing, leading to subsequent downwards price pressure. This is good news for potential buyers as it strengthens their negotiating power, but means some potential sellers are putting off their marketing given the reduced chances of selling at their desired price.” Take a look at London boroughs that saw the biggest annual change in house prices:

For final progress to be made between the two blocs EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier has suggested that “more clarity” is needed from the UK for final progress to be made between the two blocs. During a speech in the German city of Hannover, Barnier said: “Once we have more clarity from the UK, we will prepare a political declaration on the framework for the future relationship to accompany the withdrawal agreement in the autumn.” Barnier added: “The European Council has made clear that, if the UK’s red lines were to evolve, the Union would be prepared to reconsider its offer. We are flexible, never dogmatic. We are open for business. “But of course any change from the UK must respect our principles, the principles we have built with the UK over 45 years. In particular, the four freedoms of the single market go together. They are all indivisible. “You cannot have free movement of services without free movement of goods, and so forth. And you cannot have free movement of goods without free movement of people.” His comments come as Theresa May has ruled out membership of the customs union and single market.

Take a look In its latest study, Emolument.com analysed compensation data from 3,694 UK contractors. Results show that the best paying contracting jobs are mostly in the finance, change and IT sectors, with an additional premium for contractors with strong technical skills (quant, modeling) or experience (programme management, IT senior management). Rank Job family Job Daily rate 1 Finance Risk Modeling / Quant £760 2 Change Management Risk Change £730 3 Management Programme Management £640 4 Finance Model Validation £610 5 Change Management Finance Change £570 6 IT IT Senior Management £570 7 Consulting Strategy Consulting £570 8 Finance Credit Risk Management £520 9 Data Business Analysis £505 10 IT Enterprise Architecture £505 11 Finance Operational Risk Management & Risk Analytics £505 12 Management Project Management £500 13 Finance Corporate & M&A Strategy £495 14 IT IT Service Delivery £485 15 Change Management Operational Change £475 16 Product Product Manager £475 17 IT IT Security £450 18 Outsourcing Procurement & Purchasing £445 19 IT Software development £430 20 Data Data Analysis £425 Highly skilled, highly paid: Risk modelers/quants combine both advanced mathematical knowledge and a high paying industry such as banking. Thanks to this winning combination, they are some of the highest paid contractors, at up to £760/day. Risk modelers/quants combine both advanced mathematical knowledge and a high paying industry such as banking. Thanks to this winning combination, they are some of the highest paid contractors, at up to £760/day. Seniority pays off in IT after all : Despite the headlines about technology ‘wonderkids’ being offered eye-watering pay packages, the highest paid IT contractors are still the ones with substantial experience (IT Senior Management, at £570/day & Enterprise Architecture, at £505/day) Despite the headlines about technology ‘wonderkids’ being offered eye-watering pay packages, the highest paid IT contractors are still the ones with substantial experience (IT Senior Management, at £570/day & Enterprise Architecture, at £505/day) Change management : High stakes, short time: Change management jobs are well-represented among the best paying contracting jobs (Risk change, Operational change, Finance Change). While stakes are high, as change projects can dramatically impact a company’s bottom line, these jobs are temporary by nature. Alice Leguay, Co-Founder & CMO at Emolument.com said: ‘More and more, companies require specific skills and competencies at a given point in time which make the contractor model particularly attractive for employers, prepared to pay up for a targeted solution. Contractors also enjoy the freedom and job variety afforded by a consulting model, though rates vary widely, with some specialism affording much more financial security and visibility than others as our study shows.’

Business welcomes the ‘milestone agreement’ After a weekend of intensive talks, Britain and EU have agreed to a “large part” of the 129-page draft treaty that will lead to the “orderly withdrawal” of the UK. Both the UK and the EU hope the terms of an agreement on the transitional period can be signed off by PM Theresa May’s fellow leaders at the EU summit this week. Commenting on the agreement, Dr Adam Marshall, Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “This is a milestone that many businesses across the UK have been waiting for. The agreement of a status quo transition period is great news for trading firms on both sides of the Channel, as it means that they will face little or no change in day-to-day business in the short term. “While some companies would have liked to see copper-bottomed legal guarantees around the transition, the political agreement reached in Brussels is sufficient for most businesses to plan ahead with a greater degree of confidence. Many companies will now have the clarity they require to proceed with investment and hiring strategies that would otherwise have remained in question. “In the interests of business across Europe, both sides must now do everything in their power to ensure that the transition does not become a political football later in the negotiation process.” Earlier today, EU’s chief negotiator Michel Barnier told media with Brexit Secretary David Davis that none of this is legally binding until a whole treaty is ratified before Brexit a year from now. However, he described the agreements as a “decisive” moment for efforts to avoid Britain crashing out without a deal.

Exclusive chat with Anne Boden Two reasons you should be watching Starling Bank’s CEO Anne Boden. I have a long track record of innovating in the financial sector — I built a bank from scratch in 2014 with just £20mn capital and in 2018 it was named Britain’s Best Bank. Starling’s offer is expanding every day and we have now formally launched Starling for Business for to SMEs and entrepreneurs across the UK. How did you help pioneer Britain’s first same-day payment service? I kicked off my career on the Lloyds Banking Group graduate scheme. While there, I was lucky enough to be part of the team of engineers to design and delivers CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System). Tell me about your latest venture — the mobile-only current account app Starling Bank. In my second year as Chief Operating Officer at Allied Irish Banks in Dublin, I realised that I couldn’t make the changes I wanted to in a legacy bank and decided to start a new bank. At Starling, all the systems were built from the ground up, all 100 per cent digital and designed to empower customers and help them manage their money in a simple, efficient and cheap way. I wanted to make sure that technology and customer experience were at the core of every user’s experience with no administrative burdens. Now customers can download an app and securely open a personal or business account in just three minutes. Who helped bankroll this challenger venture? How do you make money now? Starling is grateful for our investor Harald McPike - an algorithmic trader. Harry put £48mn into Starling in 2016 which was one of the largest early-stage investments for a tech company in the UK at the time. As our product has developed we have three key sources of revenue: Starling Payment Services - including SEPA, BACS, Merchant Acquisition amongst others that will service business and personal accounts; the Starling Marketplace where we are aiming to host 25 partners by the end of the year; and our in-app Overdrafts. What advice do you have for other entrepreneurs trying to secure that kind of finance? It’s never going to be easy but don’t give up and never take no for an answer. Take feedback on board and persist until your proposition is too good to refuse. Do you have any expansion plans? What do you believe the key to growing this business? Our plan is to develop our Euro account and then open Starling to consumers in Ireland and across Europe. We are aiming for Starling to be available in 10 countries across Europe by 2020. The launch of the Starling for Business account creates huge opportunities for us to disrupt the small business banking market as we have the retail market, and we will be applying to the RBS state aid fund to help us grow this area further. The RBS fund has a chance to help truly disrupt the market by supporting real innovators but with large banks like Santander signalling their intent to bid, digital challenger banks risk being locked out of a unique opportunity to increase access for businesses and diversify the sector. Starling Bank works with hundreds of growing SMEs. How do you secure their sensitive data and information? Building the bank from scratch means that all the systems and technology are controlled and owned by Starling. We are not blighted by legacy IT problems like we have seen at TSB. All our data, both from personal and business accounts, are secured within our systems and upholding our obligations to keep it secure will always be our priority. Your biggest business regret so far? I would say not starting Starling sooner but the technology that makes what we do possible has only allowed us to build Starling when we have. As a fintech entrepreneur, how do you see London performing in the next five years? London has fuelled the UK’s fintech revolution. It is the home of our Government and regulators, an ever-growing source of investors, and it remains the destination for talent. The growth we’ve seen in London is only going to continue and I hope this spreads across the UK to other budding tech hubs. Any London start-up/s you watching, and why? I am always watching new start-ups, and through our marketplace we are lucky to partner with some great innovators in the fintech space. Companies like Wealthsimple and Habito are the sort of innovations that are challenging incumbents in financial services. Beyond my sector, the health and medical industry has long been in need of shaking up and there are some fantastic teams working on products to do this.

The scale of this fire is ‘exceptional’ The massive moorland fire at Saddleworth is now being investigated as arson by UK police. Chief Superintendent Neil Evans, Territorial Policing Commander for Tameside, said: “The moorland fire is now being investigated as arson following information from local witnesses and initial inquiries. The scale of this fire is exceptional and we are treating it with the utmost seriousness. “That said, we are under no illusion that solid evidence as to where the fire started and what was the cause, will not be easy to establish. The areas we have been able to look include dusty ash, burnt peat and grass and, because of this, our work with the fire service will be painstaking. “We recognise the incredible support that the emergency services have received and we now hope that the local community can help us further by getting in touch with any information that could help our investigation. “Were you on the moors last Sunday and did you see anything that could help us understand exactly what happened? If you know anything, no matter how small, it could help our investigation so please get in touch.”

Find out more The nature of online shopping is ever evolving with savvy shoppers always looking for the next best thing to enhance their shopping experience. Cashback sites and same day deliveries are now old news thanks to Boom25.com, the latest innovation in online shopping. The UK-based company is disrupting the online shopping world by gamifying the shopping process and refunding every 25th shopper on their purchase, no matter the value of their shop, whether it’s a hotel stay in Paris worth £1400, the latest smartphone valued at £500, or a £20 take away for two. The company has already awarded refunds to 3,976 people to the value of £149,160. The record win so far was awarded to a user who booked received £3,670 cashback. With over 500 of the UK’s favourite online retailers already on-board including Boohoo, JustEat, Currys PC World, Ticketmaster, Expedia and M&S and most recently Argos, the company is on its way to changing the way the world shops. Shoppers simply search for their favourite retailer on Boom25, click on the link then shop as normal. The retailer will notify Boom25 as soon as a purchase has been made and the 25th person in line will win a full refund. Not only will shoppers have the opportunity to win cashback, there is also the chance to earn bonus points and a leaders table where you can see how much you have won. Giora Mandel, Boom25 Co-Founder said: “We want to put the thrill back into online shopping by giving people the opportunity to win back the cash they’ve spent online. Traditional cashback sites are boring, we want to change it! “There’s no extra cost and you have the highest chance of winning a decent amount of money. It’s a completely new purchase experience – you’re just buying what you would have anyway with the chance to win big refunds.” Boom25 offers winners the highest chance of winning big cash refunds than any other site in the industry, with zero membership or extra cost to the consumer.

One to watch Three reasons you should be watching this company: 1. FIT FCK (short for Fitness Connection Kingdom) aims to redefine the way fitness enthusiasts find love and companionship and create a genuine fitness community in a socially isolating industry 2. Although only launched officially earlier this year, FIT FCK has now had 50,000 downloads 3. The app has been endorsed by fitness influencers and celebrities alike VITAL STATISTICS Company: FIT FCK What it does, in a sentence: The app helps connect fitness enthusiasts with dates, likeminded individuals and training partners. Founded: December 2016 Founder: Jamie Wykes- Hobday Size of team: 10 Your name and role: Jamie Wykes-Hobday, Founder and CEO THE NEED-TO-KNOW What motivated you to found FIT FCK? I have been hugely passionate about fitness for many years and after competing professionally in body fitness competitions, I experienced how detrimental a commitment to fitness can be on your social life. Competing professionally means you can’t go out to bars and clubs, you can’t eat out due to your strict diet and you have to be asleep early every night; making it extremely difficult to meet anyone. I couldn’t train with any friends because they didn’t train at the same intensity as me, and it made me think, ‘there has got to be a way for people to meet likeminded partners to date and train with’. This lightbulb moment led to the launch of FIT FCK. What problem are you trying to solve? Our goal with the business is to create a genuine fitness community in what can be an extremely social isolating industry and lifestyle. The app is designed to facilitate relationships across the fitness community- whether that be love, friendship or just someone to train with. What change do you think you can make to the industry? Whilst we recognise the hard work, dedication and commitment that goes into fitness; we feel that we can add a social aspect to this. It is evident how hard people in fitness push themselves on a day to day basis, so why not share this experience with someone or have them push you every step of the way. Whether it be in the form of a relationship, training partner or fitness friend; we believe that fitness can be a whole load more beneficial if it is shared as a fitness community. How do you make money? At the moment, the service is free of charge for users as we are focusing primarily on building our network. The more people using FIT FCK, the more diversity we have on our books and as a result, the higher the quality of matches for our users. How many people currently use the app? Since launching we’ve attracted over 50,000 users on the app. The reaction from the fitness community has been overwhelming. I think people are genuinely excited to have a networking app that helps rather than hinders their fitness focus. We’ve had some well-known fitness enthusiasts organically endorse the app for this reason. What’s the next step? Our focus is to continually grow the app across the UK fitness community, followed by a specific European campaign launching this October. We will then be launching in the USA in Spring 2018. The next targets after this are South Africa and Australia. Where do you see the company in five years’ time? I truly see FIT FCK having a global presence and helping connect the fitness community across the world. What do you think the major trends currently shaping the fitness industry are? One major trend shaping the fitness industry is influencer engagement. Fitness on social platforms, such as Instagram, is huge and it is something that we are fortunately in the thick of. Celebs, TV personalities, Bloggers and Vloggers (Video bloggers) have mastered the art of engaging with audiences based on their passions and there are a great number of huge fitness influencers on platforms like Instagram. When we work with influencers, we can grasp how successful it will be based on how relatable that influencer is to their audience. Whilst dedication to fitness is important, personality is key in sustaining growth. Successful influencers know how to engage with their audience, based on their dedication to fitness and using their personalities to communicate effectively. This is something that we have also tapped into at FIT FCK, with 25,000 followers on Instagram. What distinguishes FIT FCK from its competitors? Our biggest USP is the relationship we have with our audience and how we leverage that through social media. Our development road map for the FITFCK app focuses very clearly on building a social fitness community. Towards the end of this year and going forward, we will be introducing more and more features to help fitness enthusiasts, professionals and other like-minded individuals; connect with one another and share their experiences, expertise and day-to-day progress. Our focus is very much targeted on bringing the fitness community together and helping busy individuals connect. What is your business mantra? Consistency is key. For me, being an entrepreneur is non-stop business. You can never sit back and stop; it’s an all-day everyday situation. My top piece of advice would be to be as consistent as you can, every day and keep your daily actions aligned with your long-term goals. I also think it’s important to take advice, whilst staying true to your own vision. It’s always good to absorb other’s experience whilst trusting your own instinct.

New figures show According to the latest EY Financial Services Brexit Tracker, a total of 10,500 UK financial services jobs, including many front office roles, could be relocated to the continent in time for Day One of Brexit, with Dublin and Frankfurt emerging as the most popular relocation destinations. To date, 68 of the largest financial services companies in the UK have said they are considering or have confirmed they will move some of their operations and/or staff out of the UK as a consequence of Brexit. In 2016, 12 financial services firms publicly estimated that 12,500 jobs would move out of the UK as a consequence of any type of Brexit, but a year on, while the number of firms has risen to 26, the total has dropped to 10,500 jobs. In many cases, details of the types of roles that will be relocated is yet to be provided, but the Tracker data confirms they are not primarily back office or support functions; 18 companies have specified the types of work that might move to Europe and, of these, 14 are client facing ‘front office’ roles. Omar Ali, EY’s UK Financial Services Leader, comments: “Contingency plans have developed significantly over the last year, putting firms in a stronger position to estimate how many UK jobs they need to move. Firms are working hard to find viable solutions that will allow them to continue to serve their customers and satisfy regulators with the minimum disruption. As a result, many of the jobs that are moving are client facing, ‘front office’ roles to ensure that companies can continue to serve their clients under EU law from Day One. “The extent of broader strategic restructurings and relocation plans will of course ultimately depend on the specifics of any long-term UK deal with the EU, but a drop in the volume of jobs moving will be welcome news for the City. Whilst the relocation of this number of roles will have a significant impact on the smaller financial services centres on the continent, it is unlikely in the short term to threaten London’s role as Europe’s main financial hub.”

North Korea, the latest Mike Pence the Vice President of the US said on his visit to South Korea that it would be unwise for North Korea to test the “resolve” of Trump. Pence has agreed to the early deployment a missile defence system in the Korean region. He said that the US commitment to South Korea is “iron clad and immutable” he then again said that “all options are on the table” for Pyongyang. He said that the threat of North Korea to use any of their nuclear weapons would be met by “overwhelming and effective response.” “Just in the past two weeks, the world witnessed the strength and resolve of our new president in actions taken in Syria and Afghanistan.” “North Korea would do well not to test his [Trump] resolve or the strength of the armed forces of the United States in this region.” Pence voiced his impatience over the North Korean regime saying that it has been quarter of a century since the US first confronted them over their attempts to build nuclear weapons. He added “But the era of strategic patience is over.” “President Trump has made it clear that the patience of the United States and our allies in this region has run out and we want to see change.” “We want to see North Korea abandon its reckless path of the development of nuclear weapons, and also its continual use and testing of ballistic missiles is unacceptable.” Pence said to reporters that Trump is hopeful that China can use their “extraordinary levers” in pressuring Pyongyang to finally drop their weapons program.

Find out here Santander has posted a better-than-expected 10 per cent rise in first-quarter net profit. The Spanish-owned lender said it had booked £60m in credit impairment losses between January and March, compared to £13m in the same period last year. This year “has started well, with the group generating double digit profit growth driven by strong results in Brazil, Spain and Mexico, and improved performance in the United States,” Ana Botin, Santander’s executive chairman, stated today. Meanwhile, Santander UK said its first quarter pre-tax profits were hit by 21 per cent due to a slower economy and weak interest rate environment. UK pre-tax profit fell to £414m from £525m in the same period of 2017. Chief executive, Nathan Bostock, said: “Our first quarter results have been impacted by ongoing competitive pressures in the UK. He added: “Cost discipline remains an area of particular focus for management, with targeted actions expected to reduce the cost run rate over the year and deliver operational efficiencies.

By Baba Yusuf The Senior Pastor of God’s Grace Revival Gospel Mission Inc, Nyanya-Gwandara, Karu local government area of neighbouring Nasarawa state, Johnpraise Ben, has called on Christians to “resurrect and be focused like Jesus Christ.” Pastor Ben made the call yesterday during his Easter Monday service in his church. He said “Christians should wake up from resurrection for their prayers to be answered by God,” adding that churches did not follow the original purpose of Jesus Christ “and that is why the Christians don’t serve God in true ways.” According to him, most pastors charge adherents to pay heavily before they can see them for prayers, and that “all this is because they have no purpose of Christ Jesus who prayed and delivered people freely.” “As Jesus Christ resurrected, may the Altar resurrect to life so that we can preach the truth; we need to be holy, we are supposed to be the light of the world to show people the right way to follow; that is what Jesus Christ came to show us and then he resurrected.” The cleric called on the nation’s leaders to always fear God and use the opportunity given to them to occupy that position to help people. “The problems of our leaders are that they don’t know that they are there for the people; that is why corruption is rampant; they don’t the spirit of helping the less privileged ones.”

The federal government has recorded over N7 trillion in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the end of March 2017, the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, has said. In an interview with Economic Confidential in Abuja, Idris said the amount “represents monies belonging to different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) put in portal in such a way that government can view the entire balance as one.” “When we say we have over N5 trillion in TSA, it does not mean free funds for spending. No! no! no! These monies belong to various ministries, departments and agencies put in a portal in such a way that you can view the entire balance as one. “The movement is now over N7 trillion. But as I explained earlier, these are not free money. People should not be thinking of why is government borrowing to fund budget? These are budgeted monies for MDAs for projects and developments,” he said. He said the federal government, through the implementation of the TSA, had saved additional N4 billion monthly which could have been held by banks, noting that a total collapse of government activities would have occurred were it not that TSA was in place. “But let me also make a strong and important point. If not because TSA is in place and now that the recession is here, only God knows what would have happened. A monthly drain of over N4 billion and yet no revenue coming in and leakages continued. It could have been a disaster. It was government’s foresightedness and focus even as TSA was in place before the recession. And that is why we are floating and not sinking, and we will not sink God willing.” Speaking on the transparency in the disbursement of federation account monthly, the AGF said “transparency and openness are key to the present administration.” According to him, the government “cannot be trusted if it says one thing and does another.”

By Jerry Uwah Lagos A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Emirates Airline, and four airport officials to open their defence in the $1.63 million theft charge instituted against them by the federal government. Justice Mohammed Idris gave the order after dismissing the no-case submission filed by Emirates Airline and Abayomi Abiola, Isiaka Adedeji, Awonubi Abayomi and George Ikpekhia, the four airport officials arraigned alongside the airline. The defendants were arraigned in 2009 by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Justice Minister over allegation of theft to the tune of $1.63m owned by a businessman, Prince Ikem Orji. The defendants were said to have carried out the act on December 19, 2007, at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. When the prosecution concluded its case on October 18, 2016, and shortly after the defendants were called upon to open their defence, they made a no-case submission. They argued that the evidence led by the prosecution was manifestly unreliable, and that many of the evidence given by the prosecution witnesses had been discredited under cross-examination. The defendants then prayed Justice Idris to dismiss the charges against them and also discharge them. However, in handing down his ruling on April 7, 2017, the trial judge dismissed the no case submission filed by the defendants, insisting that the prosecution had made a strong case against them to warrant them to defend themselves. Justice Idris declared: “The prosecution called witnesses and tendered a number of exhibits, which I have thoroughly examined. “Going through the evidence of these witnesses, it appears that if taken as unchallenged and uncontroverted, some link might be established between the defendants and some of the content of exhibits A1, A2, A3, A4 and A5. For the reasons contained herein, I am of the view that the defendants have some explanations to make. “The no-case submission is, therefore, overruled.”

By Bashir Mohammed Kano A former member of the House Representatives from Borno state, Dr. Haruna Yerima, has said the culture of corruption is well entrenched in the National Assembly, adding that it would be difficult to fight the cankerworm among the legislators within a short time. Yerima, who stated this yesterday at the 34th Aminu Kano Annual Memorial Symposium in Kano, emphasized that “there is nothing one can do at the moment to stop corruption in the National Assembly.” The ex-lawmaker, who is currently a public administration lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, spoke on the topic “Politics after Malam Aminu Kano: The Role of the Legislature in Nigeria’s Democratic Development”. However, he said, the major problem that was aiding corruption at the National Assembly was that majority of the lawmakers lacked the basic knowledge about the duty and functions of the Assembly; hence, they could not help the country out of the mess. He said House of Representative members and senators had to be made to understand what democracy was all about and had to also understand the rules of the House and the Constitution “even if they cannot read and write.” Yerima also accused former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of giving N50 million bribe to each member of the National Assembly that supported his third term bid. He said although some members had turned down the money, others collected it. Speaking in the vein, the discussant, Barrister Festus Okoye, said National Assembly is faced with challenges, especially in the areas of oversight functions and understanding the functions of the legislative arm of government by the legislatives themselves. He said there is a serious confusion in the NASS, as many of the members did not understand their duties. However, former Jigawa state Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, blamed the electorate, noting that “those whom were accused of being corrupt were elected into public offices by the electorate and they (electorate) know what they were given prior to the election”. Former National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Fagge, said “Nigeria is faced with three major problems that included policy making, insincerity and lack of consistency on the part of government”. Fagge said one of the lessons the late Malam Aminu Kano taught his disciples was to educate the people, but because leaders had deviated from his teachings, “many Nigerians are not educated”.

The dust raised by the comments of Abba Jimeta, Chief of Staff (COS) to Governor Jibrilla Bindow, is yet to settle, having polarised the state chapter of the ruling APC, still threatening unity in the party ahead of the 2019 general elections. IBRAHIM ABDUL’ AZIZ, reports Already the political temperature in Adamawa known to be one of the complex states in the federation has continued to rise with gladiators warming up in preparation for the 2019 elections. To this end, some key members of the ruling APC in the state averred that the state governor Sen.Muhammadu Jibrilla Bindow and his cohorts are free to leave following the salvo fired by his Chief of Staff (COS), AbdurRahman Abba Jimeta, when they accused the national leadership of the party of undermining their administration. It could be recalled that the COS to the governor recently said his principal and his supporters may leave the All Progressives Congress (APC). Jimetta, who spoke during a visit by the APC national delegation led by Senator Abdulkadir Jajere, said the federal government had been treating Adamawa like an opposition state just as he also spoke on the state’s position on the presidential ambition of former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar. “We are loyal but tell the national secretariat of APC that there is limit to loyalty and that party business is optional. In fact, you have the right to change even your religion. So, tell the national APC, we are very loyal. “But there is limit to that, especially if they are not recognising us since we are the army of the party that are supposed to enjoy the fruits of the party or, out of frustration, we join the opposition,” he said. On the political alliance between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Mohammed Umar Jibrilla, Jimetta said he did not regret a recent statement in which he said the governor and his cabinet would support Abubakar’s presidential bid. However, he blamed the media for misrepresenting his statement at the launching of N4.6 billion Pariya-Malabu road in Girei where he wished Atiku success in his presidential bid. “Everyone knows that Atiku is ambitious. We said we wished him success over his ambition to become president of this country. But the newspapers reported that we said it was either Atiku or nobody. “I was called by the Director SSS that my speech caused alarm because I said I wanted Atiku to become president. “I would say that a hundred times. If you are arresting people who say they want their own, you will arrest the whole of this country. Katsina for Buhari, Kano for Kwankwaso and Lagos for Tinubu,” Abba said. Jimetta alleged that the funds for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) projects allocated to the state were diverted by some powerful individuals within the federal system. However in what could be described as swift reaction, some party stakeholders in the state lambasted the state -led APC government for daring to speak that way pointing out that the position of the government is not the position of the party in the state. Alhaji Mohammad Iliyasu Gamawa described as unfortunate the threat to quit APC, averring that the development clearly exposed Bindow and his chief of staff as opportunists, “When they came from the then new PDP to join those of us in legacy party that formed APC, many accused them of being opportunists and now they have proofed that. “People say leopard will never change its spots; they are like adopted stray cats that will never change and we are not surprise at their antics. “I have warned governor Bindow against his chief of staff who has been dragging his administration from one controversy to another. This chief of staff he hold so dear as an asset is more of a black scorpion in his (Bindow) trouser and the day he will hit Bindow with his final sting, the outcome to Bindow’s political career will be better imagine,” Gamawa said. Also berating Bindow, another APC chieftain, Alhaji Uba Dan Arewa, said its pettiness and sign of ungratefulness for the administration to criticized the national APC and the APC led government of Muhammadu Buhari alleged marginalization of the state. Dan Arewa said that with appointment of SFG and Minister of FCT from Adamawa alongside other federal appointments as well as federal projects going on in the state, governor Bindow and his administration must be ungrateful to criticized APC and FG. “It is petty and unrealistic for Bindow to be expecting Mr President to consult him before appointing anybody from Adamawa,” Arewa said. “ the statement by Bindow Chief Of Staff is not coming to us as a surprise because we have First Class information from our party secretariat that the governor and his aide have visited the party secretariat for time without number pressing for dissolution of the state working Committee. Since the National secretariat of the party did not honour it’s request that is why they come out with a new tactic of defection believing that they could intimidate the party hierarchies to succumb to their demonic demand. “ To us as APC chieftain in the state we are having a cordial relationship with our national secretariat. We keep on wondering why Bindow decided to draw dagger on the head of Adamawa APC exco who voted for him to become the standard bearer of the party. They even refused to collect Atiku annoited candidate’s N200,000. We don’t see reason why he will want them to be removed illegally.’’ The party chieftain insisted that Governor Bindow and his COS are more political liabilities to APC than assets. “if Bindow and his aide leave APC, it is not going to be a minus to the party rather it will be minus to them. They are the beneficiaries of the party, people of Adamawa supports APC not because of Bindow or Abba Jimeta. Adamawa electorates believe in Buhari and Former Governor Murtala Nyako, apart from these two political actors no other political actors in the state live or death that command respect in the minds of Adamawa electorate. “ I can tell you without mincing words that Abba and his principal are afraid to leave the party because they discovered the people of the state are no longer interested in their personalities reason they are trying to cause confusion in the hierarchies of the party.”Uba Dan Arewa. Though in a new twist, Gov. Bindow has distanced himself and his administration from the threat to quit APC. Bindow, who spoke through the Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Malam Ahmad Sajoh, told newsmen Saturday, in Yola, that the media, which ascribed the statement of the COS to the governor, were not fair to the governor, who had spoken at that occasion and declared his full support to the party. Political analysts in the state are of view that COS’ statements are true reflection of governor Bindow’s thoughts, the reason his COS was not reprimanded. They opined that the voice is of Jacob while the hand is of Esau and will not be surprised if eventually the governor and some of his loyalists defect to another platform ahead of 2019 general election. The new battle With the unfolding developments in Adamawa is very clear that the presidential ambition of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, particularly on the platform of the APC, may be dimming by the day. For now Atiku, has the state governor, Bindow as his main ally, and Bindow is said to have been pitted against former governor, Murtala Nyako; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. David Babachir, who collectively with the state leadership of the party, have made it known that the state has only one presidential candidate for 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari. Already, the other group of Nyako/Babachur have commenced campaign for the president and have informed whoever cares to listen that Bindow does not have their blessing for a second term. Sources say that the group is shopping for the governor’s replacement. Three names are on the table, Engr. Markus Gundiri who hails from the same local government with the SGF and Senator Ibn Na’allah, representing Adamawa South in the Senate as well as Mallam Nuhu Ribadu former EFCC boss. To put paid to their strategy, the Buhari group has ensured that congresses were not held to constitute the state executive committee of the party which has been operating without a substantive chairman and deputy chairman. The fear is that should there be a congress to elect a chairman as well as fill other vacant positions, the former vice president and the governor would be able to muscle their way through to install their lackeys. Binta Masi who belongs to the Nyako group was the state chairman of APC prior to 2015 when he resigned to contest the senatorial election and won. He was subsequently replaced by Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal who prior to his emergence as state chairman was one of the three vice chairmen of the party in the state. Sources claimed that he was schemed into the position by the Nyako group in collaboration with the leadership of the party in Abuja, which allegedly granted him an acting tenure for six months. “Masi was replaced by the current chairman and he assumed that office without due process. There was no congress or election. He claimed to have been endorsed by the national headquarters in Abuja,” an insider has said. The source maintained that the current chairman’s acting tenure was supposed to have terminated in September 2016 having allegedly gotten an initial six months acting regime that commenced in March. Besides the chairmanship position, the office of the deputy chairman is till vacant following the death of the incumbent, Ibrahim Yamusa. Last month, the state APC in collaboration with the Nyako group endorsed the candidature of Buhari /Osibanjo for reelection in 2019, an action that practically sealed the chances of Atiku getting the party’s ticket. However, the endorsement was a response to the pronouncement by the COS to the governor. It could be recalled that, Bindow emerged the governorship candidate of APC through the active support of Nyako who ensured that Atiku’s choice and current commissioner for Lands and Surveys, Ibrahim Mijinyawa, was defeated at the primaries. The governor ran into troubled waters few months after he became governor when he dumped Nyako’s camp for Atiku and purportedly informed the public that his decision was due to an alleged ‘gift’ of N500million from the former vice president. This was not taken kindly by the Nyako Supporters Group (NSG), which called on the State House of Assembly to impeach the governor for supposedly flouting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s regulation on funding during the governorship campaign of 2015 general elections. Well, for now, only time shall tell where the pendulum will swing.

By Tajudeen Ahmed Documenting a strategy or strategic plan, has almost become a fad in the modern business era. In fact, organisations these days describe their strategic plans with catchy phrases such as “our 3-year robust strategic plan”, “our well-articulated strategy”, “our 5-year comprehensive strategic plan”, etc. Similarly, others ‘launch’ theirs with media fanfare. A strategic plan is necessary; in fact, in certain sectors, it is compulsory on account of regulation. However, there are issues in its conceptualisation, documentation, and execution; and organisations need to consider these to avoid unnecessary wastage of resources. First, organisations should answer the question: why are we documenting our strategy/strategic plan? Are we documenting it just for its sake? In answering, they must determine if it was a regulatory requirement, a tool for sustainable profitability, deliberately stating product and/or service boundary, delineating areas of focus, etc. The second issue is to avoid the mistake of considering a strategic plan as “management’s headache”. This is one of the reasons for failure of strategy. When management dominates idea-setting, documentation, execution, and performance measurement, without engaging employees, the strategic planning process is bound to fail! Third; the commitment for documenting and executing the plan must be shared by all stakeholders, including Board of Directors, CEO, and all employees. In order to address the ‘staff-engagement-challenge’ in big organisations, employees have to be engaged well ahead of project commencement via meetings/briefings, focus groups, intranet pop-up messages, CEO’s email, etc. Another major reason for failure of strategy is informing staff a few days to project commencement. Fourth, organisations should never see the process as a task for only staff of Strategy, Corporate Planning, Corporate Transformation (or by whatever name called) and external consultants. Encouraging this view is akin to an airline allowing the pilot to determine his route because he would be measured against the number of miles flown! Therefore, it is worth reiterating that documenting and executing strategy is the duty of all employees. Fifth, organisations should not “file off” the plan among documents in the CEO’s office or in the Board Room. A strategic plan should be taken as a “live document”, constantly subjected to reviews in line with competitive levers, operating environment, economic conditions, etc. It is not a trophy to be displayed in a shelf for public affirmation; it should act as a charter for current and future plans, and sustainable existence. Further, the organisation should be wary of “quantitative obsession”, meaning management’s excessive focus on variance analysis and figures, in managing the strategic plan. Whereas I agree that a strategy without measurable targets is watery, I also know that excessive focus on them is counter-productive. When management becomes figure-fixated, it loses track of important qualitative issues, such as strategic fit, current and future capacity, operating environment, competition, staff welfare, etc. Hence, a balance should be maintained between figure-monitoring and softer themes, without necessarily permitting poor performance. Seventh, a strategy should include deliverables and milestones with officers responsible for milestones identified. There is no better affirmation of the saying that a task for whom everybody is responsible is bound to fail, than in strategic planning. When responsibilities are clearly indicated, finger-pointing, acting the laggard and other undesirable outcomes, are avoidable. Eighth, ‘momentum of enthusiasm’ should be maintained. Another tip is to convince employees that although client meetings, conference calls, business dinners, etc are important, these activities cannot occur if the organisation did not exist, hence, they should execute their deliverables promptly. A third tip is to create an incentive around execution. It may include recognition at meetings, issuance of letter of commendation, attribution in internal publications or intranet. Ninth, organisations should entrench their strategy in the minds of their employees. This is not advocated as a way of ‘showing off’ or being ‘trendy’, but in a very objective consideration for goal congruence. On the issue of entrenching strategy, cases abound where amongst senior management, a simple enquiry about the strategy, strategic objectives, or strategic thrust of the organization elicited as many diverse responses as are the number of respondents! How such organisations seek to execute their strategy may likely remain a mirage. The tenth and arguably the most important challenge in strategy/strategic planning, is execution! A clear oxymoron! Experience has shown that organizations write beautiful strategic plans, with colorful phrases, highfalutin words, couched in attractive power-point slides; but the plans are either not executed or executed very poorly. Strategy, as easy as it is to pronounce and flaunt, is a difficult area of organizational management. Often times, enthusiasm and commitment levels from management and employees rise and wane intermittently. Hence, strategic planning should be put at the core of the organization’s business, management of people and other resources, corporate governance, and the organization’s fidelity to stakeholders, including government, regulators, customers, suppliers, host community, and the general public. Unlike the “once-upon-a-time” fate that befell themes such as ‘Total Quality Management (TQM), ‘lean manufacturing’, ‘Six Sigma’, ‘personnel management’, in Nigeria; any forward-looking organization should never trivialize strategy and strategic planning, in terms of organization-wide commitment and shared sense of urgency and execution. To do otherwise could engender sheer waste of scarce resources of time, energy, and funding. Ahmed is General Manager/Group Head Business Development at BUA Group, Lagos

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By Joshua Egbodo Abuja Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called on the people clamouring for conduct of population census in 2018 to exercise patience till after 2019 elections when there would be no political pressure to manipulate its outcome. This was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, yesterday, in Abuja. Dogara said conducting population census in an election year may generate unrealistic results, and, therefore, advised that the next administration should conduct the census at the beginning of its tenure when there isn’t so much at stake. “I won’t advise anyone to conduct national census in 2018. I said it before that if we are not going to achieve it in 2017, then we should just forget it until after 2019. “If you conduct census at the niche of elections, there will be so much pressure, crisis and the lure for people to manipulate the figures for political reasons”. “It is better for a fresh administration to conduct this exercise from the beginning of that administration when we do not have any pressure of elections in sight,” he said. Continuing, he said: “I can bet you if the census is conducted in 2018, the outcome will be doubtable. “Seriously speaking, because I know who we are and I know the kind of litigations, backlashes, the pressure and we don’t need that now to be candid.” He said it’s better to empower the agencies to keep building on the blocks that they will leverage on in the future. “Doing it in 2018, honestly it is nothing I would advocate.” Director-General of the National Population Commission, Ghaji Bello, recently indicated the Commission’s preparedness to conduct a census in 2018 if necessary logistics were provided. Bello also said the proposed 2018 census would cost an estimated N272 billion. He said the exercise should have been conducted in 2016 in line with international practice. “We should have conducted the last census in 2016 but for a variety of reasons outside the control of the population commission, we were unable to do it,” he said. To meet the UN 10-year benchmark, Bello said the commission was working for a constitutional amendment that would allow for scheduled conduct of the census. He also argued that conducting a census in the Muhammadu Buhari administration would give it credibility. He added that the conduct of the census under the present administration would give the exercise a deserved national and international credibility and reliability. “We are of the firm belief that if it is conducted under this government, that there will be a lot of international credibility for the exercise. This is given the persona of the president that is there presently. “And then people take advantage of climes and environment and chances and there are times when everything works in your favour. “We believe firmly in the National Population Commission that census conducted under President Muhammadu Buhari would go a long way in actually achieving the credibility that we want.”

Recently, Nigerians living in Libya returned home. According to them, the suffering over there was what necessitated their home coming. Unfortunately, here at home, Fulani herdsmen, hardship, police brutality and so on await them. I must appreciate their decision because it is better to die at home than to die far away from home. I hope that they won’t regret coming home. During their arrival at the airport, journalists were there to interact with them on their ordeal while in Libya. Some of the returnees said that they were back and would love to have their jobs back. I laughed and asked rhetorically, where are the jobs? Are they not aware of the unemployment dilemma in the country? However, it is right to let the returnees know that, for now, Fulani herdsmen are killing people continuously but only lip-service is being paid to the issue by the government. The returnees should also know that jobs are scarce, especially the white-collar-jobs. Our leaders have hijacked and reserved good jobs for their families and friends and left jobs like mortuary attendance, gardening, cleaning, laundry, night guard job, security and so on for other citizens. Notwithstanding, the returnees should also know that hardship is what we are experiencing currently. We don’t have good hospitals in the country and that’s why the president is always travelling to abroad for treatment. There is no stable power supply and that explains why our economy is not growing. No potable water and other necessities of life. The returnees should also know that injustice is a common phenomenon in this country, and bad leadership and corruption can be found everywhere. Nevertheless, I know that there is no place like home. Awunah Terwase, Mpape, Abuja

The crisis that engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can best be described as the creation of the party or the leaders of the party, who invited Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to be its National Chairman. How can a person, with so many unpleasant things, be made national chairman. Today, the same man, who bestrode the landscape when PDP and former President Goodluck Jonathan was in the saddle, is now walking out on the former leader and other stakeholders just because he was not given the chance to speak. Those that brought Sheriff, in the first place, as PDP national chairman have not done any good for the once flourishing party that had ruled Nigeria for sixteen years since the advent of democracy. A chameleon does not easily change its spot. As such, Sheriff may not cave in and make peace for the overall benefit of PDP. A lot of people opine that PDP made a very grievous mistake by giving the party on the platter of gold to Sheriff. Sheriff wants was to use cronies, who can assist him to actualize his ambition to fly the flag of the party in 2019, though he dismisses it. But no matter what, it is incumbent on all the stakeholders to see that the party remains a very strong and active opposition in order to forestall any unforeseen circumstances that may thwart the gains recorded so far. Therefore, it is necessary for the PDP to reorganize itself for the challenges ahead of it in 2019. Right now, the struggle is beginning to take shape geared towards capturing the soul of the nation. It is also imperative for the party to strengthen its fold and for the stakeholders to bury their differences so that the party can play the role of opposition effectively. The stakeholders, which include those at the helm of affairs in states, National Assembly and ex-ministers, should, as a matter of necessity, play a crucial role in seeing that the once vibrant party is reawakened. Honestly, what led to the defeat of the party was the recalcitrant disposition of Jonathan, who refused to allow competition for the party’s ticket in 2015 presidential general election. Also the non-challant attitude shown to nip in the bud Boko Haram facilitated the defeat of PDP, especially in the north. Therefore, for the party to forge ahead, it is necessary it cleanses itself from people who have a lot of questions to answer like Senator Sheriff. The party needs to go back to the drawing board and do things accordingly. As humans, individually we have desires and ambition. Therefore, Senator Sheriff wants to test the waters, making it impossible to accept genuine reconciliation to make the party a formidable opposition in the 2019 election. Usman Santuraki, No2, Santuraki Close, Jambutu, Jimeta, Yola 08032333546

By Salamatu Sule Title: Don’t Die on Wednesday Author: Michael Afenfia Pages: 258 Publishers: Origami Books [Parresia Publishers Ltd] Year: 2014 Something there is that stares and doesn’t love Wednesdays, it is called the friction in Micheal Afenfia’s Fiction—reading this gives us a picture of a book well written with a striking title, like Don’t Die On Wednesday. I think the whole title is a string of suspense woven up in a nest construction like a spider’s web that only reading can detangle. Don’t Die on Wednesday is a work of sport fiction. The novel tells us a story of the life of a rising Tottenham FC top striker, Bubaraye Dabowei’s rising career which unfortunately is wreck by one game he visions to win against one of the finest club in England. Against this backdrop, Mango as he is fondly called picks up his pieces to go back to his country home and grow young professionals after he finds out he will not be able to play professional football for life. In the middle of it all, his life drifts and tears apart by his South African Model Wife, Nikiwe Dlomo, her repulsion to return with her family to Nigeria comes to foreplay through betrayal, infidelity and shared game of criminal antics. For Afenfia, the game of life is there on the pitch as determined by the small round leather ball as the massive crowd focuses on one star—Tottenham FC’s top striker, Bubaraye ‘’Buba’’ Dabowei aka Mango. The book is unique in its narrative, style and content as Michael tells us the story of fame and shame, of desperate dirty desires and of love, lust and loss, including the gain and pain that lead to a sour tragic end of the games that we play. Nikiwe is desperate to get a production job so she plays dirty with Nareej when she meets him at secret places. “He slipped his key card into a slightly open side compartment in her bag and asked her to go up ahead of him”. p 90 “When she opened her eyes, the large smile on his face told her everything. Nareej purred like the cat that got the cream, another beauty queen in his jar of hearts” p. 91 The goals we score in the game of our lives matters as they place us firmly within history’s frame—some are wooed because of our good qualities and others booed for their deceits, fouls, on the pitch of life. Consequently, Buba’s wife, Nikiwe, pays the price for working against her husband to achieve her goals. Buba follows his dreams and Sese will not succumb to his father’s wish at the detriment of his career, the one he dreams most, even if it were the last thing he did on earth. The characters in Afenfia’s novel all act out their moves in the two halves of the Beautiful but dreadful game, as he creatively captures their injuries, yellow and red cards. All of this whish not to happen on a Wednesday! The author puts it succinctly this way, seeking to capture the fever of the game— Come today That’s all I say Any Monday, Tuesday, but please no, Not Wednesday This novel is a socio-realistic fiction with all the events tied to everyday life, the struggle and hustle as opposed to the greed that attenuates it. Afenfia draws our attention to the critical conditions of the social structure of the society. As fictional as this novel is, we cannot shy away from the existential fact that the themes of its concerns are contemporary. Truth is stranger than fiction but if fiction must make any sense, then don’t die on any day at all without reading this book. Sule wrote from Abuja

The recent hacking to death of a pap seller by a mentally-ill man while on her early morning routine sale of her commodity in Mgbakwu town of Awka Local Government Area of Anambra state has once again revived the debate about the care of the mentally-challenged people in our society. According to eyewitnesses, the 40-year-old victim named Theresa Obalum was descended upon by her assailant, Mmadubueze Orakwulu, who hacked her to death with a machete. Angry villagers swiftly responded and meted out jungle justice to the attacker by killing him before setting his cadaver ablaze. Mmadubueze, aged 38, was said to have been deported from Morocco on the grounds of drug abuse. Reacting to the tragedy, the Chairman of Abogu National Youth Association of Mgbakwu, Mr. Christian Chukwuma, said that it was the second time the community was witnessing such an incident in recent months and pleaded with the relevant authorities and the law enforcement agencies to help confine mentally-deranged members of the society in the appropriate places. It is a regular experience encountering filthy-looking men and women wandering the streets of major towns and cities, some of them appearing half naked, accosting motorists and pedestrians alike. The recent rise in population with its accompanying social problems has brought greater levels of insecurity and tension on the populace, resulting in an increase in the number of people suffering from anxiety, depression and mental illness. However, what remains of the country’s mental policy has failed to keep pace with the change. The existing mental health legislation is archaic, dating back to the colonial era. In 2003, a bill for a mental health act passed a public reading and was passed by the Senate but failed to be adopted into law. Only recently, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), speaking through its President, Dr. Mike Ogiri, expressed concern over the absence of a mental health policy in the country, noting that such lacuna has left the sufferers of the ailment vulnerable. It has, therefore, resolved to work closely with the National Assembly to pass a comprehensive bill on mental health in Nigeria. This was just as a mental health specialist, Dr. Vincent Udenze, who is the Medical Director of Synapse Services Resource Centre, Lekki, Lagos, revealed that one out of every four Nigerians is living with one form of mental disorder or another. We commend the NMA for its initiative and urge it to follow it through. The menace of the mentally-challenged citizens has become a worrisome phenomenon that requires urgent attention. Most towns and cities have their own fair share of insane people living among sane members of the public. During the colonial era, asylums for lunatics were established in different parts of the country to cater for all categories of mentally-challenged persons. Today, many of such institutions have vanished. There seems to be no clear-cut demarcation between psychiatric wards in hospitals and asylums. We, however, know that wards are meant for patients whose cases may be within redemption, while asylums are used to quarantine those who have slipped into permanent insanity. Some of them that are on the loose look harmless, but there are others that constitute public nuisance along the streets, at worship centres, motor parks, social gatherings and market places. Some beggar-lunatics go violent when denied alms or when the alms fall short of their expectations. There have been incidents of lunatics attacking motorists or smashing their vehicles’ windscreens unprovoked. It is common knowledge that most of the victims of mental ailment do not have access to modern therapy. Many patients are subjected to undignified treatment, such as being chained to trees or beds, locked in a cage, left without food for hours, deprived of family support and adequate personal hygiene. Mentally-challenged persons deserve to be pitied and helped. Government at all levels can help. It has the responsibility of ensuring the wellbeing of all citizens, lunatics inclusive. Some mental disorders are inherited, but insanity could also be triggered off by socio-economic challenges. These days, some Nigerians are seen talking to nobody in particular, at the top of their voices, while walking along the streets. Some pedestrians, lost in thought, cross roads without minding vehicular movements. Some drive dangerously. Any of these is a manifestation of mental imbalance. Psychiatric patients should not be stigmatised. They should be treated as people suffering from any of the numerous non-communicable diseases around us. At the first sign of trouble, patients or their family members should seek medical attention and treatment. However, they should be wary of spiritual homes and herbalists that lay claim to curing insanity by subjecting their patients to all manner of physical tortures as a way of casting out demons in their bodies. Many of such patients have been sent to their early graves through battering. We call on the various governments to consider bringing back lunatic asylums as a means of curbing the public nuisance that lunatics constitute. There is also the need for public enlightenment campaigns that would discourage our youths from embracing such habits that lead to mental derangement.

By Aideloje Ojo Minna The Forum of Ward Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Suleja Emirate of Niger state has commended Senator David Umaru, who represents Niger East Senatorial District for executing people-oriented projects in the constituency. The forum gave the commendation yesterday during a Thank You visit to the senator at his residence in Minna. Chairman of the Forum, Alhaji Ibrahim Baba, said the APC ward chairmen were satisfied and overwhelmed with the various projects executed by Senator Umaru in the area. The chairman said the people of Suleja were happy with the performance of the senator in bringing the dividends of democracy to the Emirate and the constituency. He said the people of Suleja Emirate, comprising of Suleja, Gurara, and Tafa local governments, would particularly remain grateful for the construction of Kurmi Sarkin road also known as Jubilee Road in the city. He advised the lawmaker to remain focused in his efforts to bring development to the constituency, adding that “we appreciate the much the senator has done for us and for the state in general, he is truly our representative at the Senate.” In his response, Umaru thanked the ward chairmen for the visit and called on the people to be patient with the President Buhari administration “in the face of the prevailing challenges.”

By Najib Sani Bauchi Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has enjoined Christians in Bauchi state to imbibe the teachings of Jesus Christ who admonished his followers to imbibe the fear of God, peace, honesty and love for one another, especially in their dealings with their fellow human beings “irrespective of their religious inclinations”, especially in this most trying moment in the nation’s political history. The governor who stated this in his Easter goodwill message also charged Christians to be good ambassadors of their religion, saying “as we are witnessing this year’s lent period, let me call on our Christian brothers and sisters to put into practice the lessons of the let which teaches patience and self-denial from evil acts and its associates in the society”. While wishing them a peaceful Easter celebration on behalf of the government and people of Bauchi state, Governor Abubakar extended his “warm and sincere message” of goodwill to good people of Bauchi state and appealed for “sober reflection and self-evaluation by all with a view to knowing how well we related with our creator and fellow human beings during the last one year and make amends where necessary”. On the challenges of insurgency, insecurity, kidnappings and economic recession and lack of jobs currently ravaging the nation, the governor noted that Bauchi state and the nation need prayers to overcome the various challenges that have retarded their development, stressing that the challenges have no religion, tribe, or political party saying the nation must now get it right as it cannot afford to be divided on account of religious or ethnic affiliations. In a press statement signed by the press secretary to the governor, Abubakar al-Sadique, the governor therefore appealed to the people of the state to bury their ethnic, religious or political differences to imbibe the spirit of “love for one another, forgiveness, and mutual respect, and see ourselves as one and the same people irrespective of our different backgrounds”, while reiterating his administration’s commitment to the maintenance of law and order, maintaining that necessary measures have been taken to ensure peaceful celebration of the Easter in the state.

Cabal has been recurring word in our political system since the return of democracy in 1999. It became a household word during the late Yar’adua’s presidency when some few powerful elements capitalized on his illness to hold nation hostage. They rendered the then VP Jonathan powerless and the rest they say, is history. Few months into the President Buhari’s administration, the word crept back into our consciousness. Tongues began to wag that men that hold powerful posts in the presidency and who constitute his inner caucus are mafia-like cabal. Due to Buhari’s popularity with the masses, most of these talks weren’t given much attention as they were easily waved. The moment the wife of the president granted that much celebrated but controversial interview, where she painted a picture of Buhari, her husband, as a man at the mercy of these cabals, I knew something is brewing and wrong somewhere. The frustration and set back encountered by acting EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu in the senate against his confirmation are clear handwriting of Aso Rock cabals. Any political pundit would know that a power play is in sight. Some powerful elements are not at home with his chairmanship and want to get him out by all means. The stroke that broke the camel’s back is the trending memo by the Kaduna state governor, Mal. Nasir El-Rufa’i, a key follower and loyalist of the president. This explosive memo centered around how cabals, who did not work for the emergence of Buhari, have hijacked him and sidelined all others from having access to him. In all these three instances, one thing common to all is the frustration in which they poured out their outburst. If the president is to succeed, he should review the activities of men he is staking his presidency on. For history and posterity will only remember and judge a man only- Buhari-and not all those he entrust with enormous power. Since it is people closer to him than this so called cabal that are raising alarm, the president should check their activities before it is too late. Sometimes, it might not even rest on corrupt practices or financial mismanagement but abuse of power and privileges. The truth is that he has conferred power on some close associates that he trusts and that is very dangerous. They are blocking out people they think are not on their sides from accessing the president including family members such as his wife. I hope someone will get Mr. President to read this and reflect upon. The cabals must not hijack the mandate of 15 million Nigerians that came with much struggles and sacrifice. This project is even more than Buhari himself. It is a Nigerian project. Abdulateef Usman Abiodun, Lagos

In our series of letters from African journalists, novelist and writer Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani looks at whether a culture of blaming everything on destiny is holding Nigeria back. The recent meningitis outbreak, which has so far claimed almost 450 lives in Nigeria’s north, may have exposed one of the reasons why that region of the country continues to have some of the grimmest statistics in almost every area of development. Even before the Boko Haram militant Islamist insurgency, there was alarmingly high figures on infant and maternal mortality, poverty, child marriage, children out-of-school, to mention but a few. The region is also one of the few in the world that is yet to be certified free of polio, the infectious disease that often cripples children. When it comes to the meningitis outbreak, Zamfara state has suffered the most deaths and hospitalisations out of all those affected. While addressing journalists recently, State Governor Abdulaziz Yari absolved his administration of any responsibility for the disease’s spread in his state. Instead, he said the problem was that people have been sinning against God. “People have turned away from God… that is just the cause of this outbreak as far as I am concerned,” Governor Yari said. “There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured.” In accordance with his belief about the health emergency’s origin, Mr Yari proffered a solution which has nothing to do with any action or inaction on the part of his government. “The most important thing is for our people to know that their relationship with God is not smooth,” he said. “All they need to do is repent and everything will be all right.” These comments have drawn criticism from many Nigerians, notably from Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the emir of Kano, who is one of the country’s most important Muslim leaders. But Mr Yari merely amplified an attitude that is not uncommon in the country. In the 2011 post-election violence that broke out in parts of northern Nigeria, nine recent university graduates assigned to work with the electoral commission in Bauchi state were killed. Isa Yuguda, the state governor at the time, ascribed the young people’s deaths to a higher force. “They were destined to experience what they experienced,” he said. “Nobody can run away from their destiny.” He added that human beings should always accept their destiny, whether or not it was “in our favour or against our interest”. Thus, Governor Yuguda implied that there was nothing his administration could have done to protect the young lives from their ghastly fate. He was not to blame. In January, I met a 21-year-old woman in Maiduguri, north-east Nigeria, one of the millions of people displaced from their homes by Boko Haram. While living in a camp for displaced people, she was befriended by a man who works with the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a group of that was formed to help oust Boko Haram. One night two years ago, he locked her up in his official vehicle, muffled her screams and raped her. A few weeks later she discovered that she was pregnant. Her family, his family and the local CJTF boss intervened. They decided that the victim would marry her rapist. That was the best way to save her from the shame of being a single mother, they believed. ‘Islamically incorrect’ She told me that she did not imagine any better alternative herself and so willingly went along with their decision. Thus, she became the third wife to a man who was paid by the government to protect her and other refugees; a man who raped her and fathered her first child in the official vehicle he had been provided to carry out his job of protecting her and other vulnerable people. I was keen to know what her husband felt about what he had done to her, how he had so brutishly altered the course of the woman’s life forever. “He told me that is the way Allah wants it,” she replied to me. “He said that is my destiny.” This attitude of attributing life circumstances to forces beyond people’s control is antithetical to progress and development. It is impossible to cultivate a spirit of innovation and transformation when people believe themselves helpless about their plight. Some northern Nigeria leaders are, thankfully, starting to speak out against such regressive beliefs. The Emir of Kano described Governor Yari’s comments as “Islamically incorrect”. “When we talk about a difficult environment, we realise that 90% of that difficulty, we can address, because it is self-inflicted,” the Emir said. Source: BBCNews.com

By John Nwokocha Abuja Former governor of Delta state, James Ibori, has revealed how he was instrumental in the emergence of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in 2015. According to him, Okowa’s emergence was based on justice, equity and fairness. Ibori stated this when he received a delegation of Ndi Anioma led by Dr Emmanuel Efeizomor, the Obi of Owa, and Chairman, Delta Council of Traditional Rulers, in his home, in Oghara on Saturday. He commended the Delta North (Anioma) people for the visit and for their prayers which made freedom possible. He said the massive support he received from the people of the area in his quest for governorship in 1998 prompted his choice of an Anioma indigene as his deputy. “My belief in justice, equity and fairness informed my firm support for an Anioma governor which has come to pass with Governor Ifeanyi Okowa in the saddle”, Ibori added. He promised to continue to identify with the Anioma people and urged them to remain united and support Okowa to succeed. Earlier, the Owa monarch had commended Ibori for his disposition to advance the political course of Anioma people. He said that the five years absence of the former governor was greatly felt by Deltans, particularly the political class and members of the Peoples’ Democracy Party (PDP). The monarch added that Ibori’s return would change the political landscape of the state ahead of 2019 elections. Others on the delegation were Chief Benjamin Elue, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, Dr. Chris Agbobu, Chief Theodora Giwa-Amu, traditional rulers, legislators and members of the State Executive Council from Delta North.

By Stephen Osu Jalingo Governor of Taraba state, Arc Darius Dickson Ishaku, has said the state government had enough fertilisers for distribution to farmers after the Easter festivities. Ishaku disclosed this in Karim Lamido local government area yesterday while addressing the people on his Thank You visit to the area. According to him, the state has the capacity and potential to ensure food security in the country and is, therefore, committed to providing farmers with the incentives to boost their production. On the activities of dry season farming, he directed the Ministry of Agriculture to, as a matter of urgency, supply the farmers with the thrashers procured by the state to end their suffering. Presenting their problems to the governor earlier, the people of Karim Lamido, through their spokesman, Alhaji Yakubu Ankamata, requested the governor to construct Karim Lamido Lau road to ease transportation. He said the governor had practical experience of the road during the dry season, but that when the rains set in the local government is cut off from other parts of the country.

To help challenge the increasing cases of young female suicide bombers in the country, students of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) under the auspices of Women Against Violent Extremism (WAVE) last Wednesday organised a security sensitisation workshop for 150 young girls in Yola. The workshop, led by security and counter-terrorism expert Lionel Rawlins and AUN Senior, Amina Bamalli, sensitised the girls, who are all registered in AUN’s Feed & Read programme, on how to avoid being used as suicide bombers or as agents for detonating explosives. Ms Rawlins and Bamalli said Boko Haram terrorists were always on the lookout for young girls that they could indoctrinate and use as suicide bombers, warning the girls to be vigilant, to say NO and ensure they report any suspicious overtures and packages to their parents, teachers or security agents. “You must never accept or help to deliver strange packages from strangers,” Rawlins warned, adding that “you must value yourself and your life; you are important, you are somebody.” WAVE organises the security training session for girls registered in AUN’s Feed and Read programme, in response to the growing cases of child suicide bombers in Nigeria. According to a 2016 report by UNICEF, one in every five suicide bombers is a child and 75 per cent of all child suicide bombers are girls as young as eight years old. In Nigeria, Boko Haram has waged a violent insurgency since 2009 that has taken more than 50,000 lives, mostly women and children. More recently, the sect has resorted to using mostly female suicide bombers to attack markets and city centers in Borno state and other parts of North-east Nigeria. WAVE’s core campaign message, tagged #IAmABeliever2, aims to promote religious tolerance in Nigeria by inspiring women and girls in the country to value their beliefs and to take action against extremism everywhere. The WAVE campaign was developed in the course, CMD 412, ‘Public Diplomacy and Strategic Media Intervention’ in the Communications and Multimedia Design Program of American University of Nigeria. It is part of the Peer to Peer Facebook Global Digital Challenge – a global inter-university competition. Students registered in the competition develop social and digital campaigns to challenge hateful and extremist narratives using the power of social media. The competition, held every semester, is sponsored by Facebook and managed by EdVenture Partners.

By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab Ilorin Herdsmen migrating to communities in Baruten local government area of Kwara state would, henceforth, be subjected to registration before they would be allowed to settle in any community. The chairman, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC), Alhaji Musa Gobir, who declared this yesterday, however, added that the Council was not “against any Nigerian willing to settle in the area regardless of ethic affiliations as long as they are ready to live peacefully with one another and such person must have traceable identity.” Baruten local government is an agrarian community that shares boundaries with Republic of Benin and had in recent time witnessed clashes between herdsmen and farmers which left some persons dead. Fielding questions from reporters in Baruten local government at the sideline of the 15th Gure Day celebration held in the Gure, the TIC chairman said the Council, would also this week convey a security meeting to resolves. He said the meeting would be attended by the leaders of the Miyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association in the state where issues relating to the recent clash with farmers would be resolved amicably. “Fulani know themselves even if you commit a crime here and run to Sokoko, they know them themselves,” he said. Gobir said the people of the community “have lived peacefully with herdsmen for over 30 years, some of their children now speak our language,” adding that the measure became necessary in view of the incessant clashes with farmers. “The problem is not with the owners of the cows but the herdsmen who were entrusted with the care of the cows.”

By Bashir Mohammed Kano Governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufa’i, has said that governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were not holding the nation’s democracy to ransom. He stated this yesterday as a swift reaction to the allegation by Sani Zoro, the member representing Gumel/Maigatari/Gagarawa Federal Constituency, at the 34th Memorial Lecture of the late Malam Aminu Kano which held at Mambayya House in Kano. According to him, no governor from the APC is totally controlling the politics of his state. He said in Kaduna, he was in frequent disagreement with the legislature, adding that most of them were abusing and criticising him. He added that whatever he did would receive criticisms from the chunk of the state’s lawmakers, noting that it was wrong that the governors were controlling legislators. “I don’t control legislature. Everybody knows that I am in frequent disagreement with my legislators. Whatever I do would be criticised. Even attending this memorial symposium would be criticised by them tomorrow. “It is wrong to say that because in Kaduna, I don’t do that. But I don’t know if other states are doing this. I can’t speak of the 36 governors of the country. But to my knowledge, APC governors are trying to uphold the ideal democracy,” he said. On federal appointments, El-Rufa’i said it was wrong to say APC governors were manipulating federal appointments. According to him, “even we the APC governors felt marginalised on federal appointments; we only see the announcement of the appointments in media.” “We also don’t control local government funds. We, in Kaduna, I challenge everybody to come and see the budget of the local councils. About eight of them do not pay their salaries from the federal grant. “We support them to pay salaries and gave them the autonomy to run their affairs. So, all these allegations are referring to the PDP, but APC is always trying to run a true democracy.” El-Rufa’i also extolled the virtues of the late Aminu Kano, saying he was the best politician before President Buhari. He also praised the late Aminu Kano for striving for education of the children and women, adding that the late political icon fought for the emancipation of the masses.

By AbdulRaheem Aodu Kaduna Kaduna state Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has condemned the herdsmen attack in Asso village, Kagoma Chiefdom of Jama’a local government area of the state, which led to the killing of 13 persons. Speaking in a statement issued by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, the Governor condoled with the family of the victims, and urged security agencies to redouble their efforts in fishing out the culprits and bringing them to justice. He called on communities in the area to support the military who would soon embark on a special operation in the area to flush out the bandits from their hideouts, to ensure that the exercise was successful. The statement said agencies responsible for emergency services had been directed to offer relief to victims of the attack. “The governor requested support from communities to the security agencies as the Nigerian Army gets set to commence a major operation tagged Operation Harbin Kunama II, including assisting the Nigerian Army with vital information that could aid a successful clampdown on elements responsible for this terror attacks on our citizens.” The incident took place about 7:30pm on Saturday, according to a source in the village, when the herdsmen, in their numbers, invaded the community and started shooting sporadically, killing and maiming at will. The source, who pleaded to remain anonymous, said apart from those that were killed, several people who were running for their dear lives sustained injuries from gunshots and were rushed to the hospital. He said the attackers were heavily armed, adding that the operation lasted for about 30 minutes without any help from the security agencies stationed in the area to secure the people and their properties. The source lamented that the attack in the midst of heavy security presence in Southern Kaduna, has made the people lose confidence in the ability of security personnel to protect them from the attacks.

By Najib Sani Bauchi Bauchi state Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, has bought 25, 000 exercise books for distribution to students and pupils in various government secondary and primary schools across the 20 local government area of the state. Flagging off the distribution in Ningi local government, last week, the governor, represented by his political associate in the area, Alhaji Abdulrashid Adamu Ahmed (Magajin DIG Ningi), said the gesture was part of the administration’s efforts to revamp education in the state. Abubakar, who said the exercise would continue in other local governments shortly after the Easter holidays, added that the nation’s children would be “better citizens and more patriotic leaders in the future if they get sound education and grow up with good values.” He, therefore, urged parents to complement government’s efforts through proper upbringing of children, adding that “only when they are well-mentored that the nation’s future may be bright.” He also charged people, “especially those in rural areas that still hold their children at homes or send them to work on farms” to enroll them in schools “so that they would be transformed into useful and more productive members of the society. Some of the schools that benefited from the first batch of the distribution were Government Day Secondary School (GDSS), Ningi, Government Secondary School, Ningi, Manu Memorial Primary School and Nasaru Secondary School, among others. In his remarks, the Principal of GSS Ningi, Malam Yahya Ningi, expressed appreciation to the governor for the donation, saying it would alleviate some of the challenges faced by the students. He, however, lamented that the school “lacks adequate instructional materials, chairs, benches, library, science laboratories and examination hall, thereby making students to assemble in classes while writing WAEC and NECO examinations.”

“If the amount of money stolen from Nigeria in the last 30 years was stolen from the UK, the UK would cease to exist”. Those were the words of David Cameron, the immediate past prime minister of Britain. Cameron drove home that point when in a hearty discussion with the Queen prior to the 2016 conference on corruption he casually remarked that Nigeria was “fantastically corrupt”. Cameron is not alone in his worries about corruption in Nigeria. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who presided over the fantastically successful banking consolidation exercise in 2005, only to bungle it by watching helplessly as bankers ran down the system through brazen insider dealings, also captured the magnitude of corruption in Nigeria with the following words: “Whoever wins 2015 (presidential election) will NEVER find it easy to govern. Over N30 trillion is mismanaged, unaccounted for or missing under Jonathan”. Many had dismissed those expressions as exaggeration until the whistle-blower scheme of the federal government started uncovering the huge sums stashed away in private vaults and secret bank accounts by public treasury looters. The CBN has a whistle-blower scheme designed to expose fraud within the banking system. But the apex bank scheme which has lasted almost a decade now could be assessed as a colossal failure because it lacked the incentive that gave fillip to the federal government whistle-blower scheme. Whistle-blowers are mostly cheated relatives, close associates and domestic workers of treasury looters who helped them to haul the loots to their hidden places. Most of them were getting little or nothing for protecting the stolen funds. They wallowed in the poverty imposed on the country by the looters who they know like their palms. The whistle-blower scheme has changed all that. Now a whistle-blower who leads the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to hidden landed property or cash stashed away by a corrupt public servant gets five per cent of the value of the recovered loot. The person who led EFCC to the recovery of N449 million in Lagos would casually smile to the bank with N22.4 million. He would never have earned that from the big thief he was protecting. The whistle-blower scheme is the most deadly weapon ever deployed in the fight against endemic corruption in Nigeria. Since its deployment the response by those who know where the loots are, has been tremendous. Aside from the huge caches of cash thrown up by the whistle-blowers, hitherto hidden landed properties are also being uncovered. An artisan, who maintained a fleet of government cars stolen and hidden by a former permanent secretary, led EFCC operatives to the discovery of 47 vehicles and 100 motorcycles. Another whistle-blower uncovered the hideout for 17 armoured sport utility vans (SUVs) hidden by a former comptroller-general of customs. The sum of $151 million was recovered in Abuja while $9.3 million was recovered in Kaduna from a former managing director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). America’s response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in New York forced Switzerland and other havens of stolen funds to open up their banking system thereby making it extremely difficult for public treasury looters to take their loots out of Nigeria. For some time they were hiding the loots in secret accounts in Nigerian banks. The bank verification number (BVN), introduced by the CBN has made it extremely difficult for anyone to operate a secret account in Nigeria. All accounts are mandatorily linked to someone’s BVN. Even the fraudulent bankers who were instrumental to the operation of secret accounts by public treasury looters can no longer aid and abate the fraudulent practice. Consequently, there are claims that close to one million accounts are waiting in Nigerian banks to be linked to their owners’ BVN. The basic fact that could be deciphered from that development is that those accounts contain the proceeds of crime. The CBN should set a deadline for all accounts in Nigerian banks to be linked to their owners’ BVN. After the deadline, the sums in any account that is yet to be linked to a BVN should be forfeited to the federal government as proceeds of crime. Besides, to sustain the current momentum in public response to the whistle-blower scheme, EFCC and the Ministry of Finance must ensure prompt payment of the incentives promised to those who provided information that led to the discovery of looted funds. Whistle-blowers must get their money as soon as the courts declare the recovered money or property permanently forfeited to the federal government. They must not be treated like retired civil servants who are owed several years of pension arrears. Such ill-treatment would simply take the wind off the sail of the scheme and encourage public treasury looters to return to business as usual. Above all, whistle-blowers need the protective shield of the law. The law that would give legal teeth to the scheme is yot be enacted by the National Assembly. The whistle-blowers bill should not suffer the misfortune of the ill-fated Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which has languished in the National Assembly for a decade now.

By Oyibo Salihu Lokoja Administrator of Ijimu local government area and the chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kogi state chapter, Toufiq Isah, has berated Senator Dino Melaye for “stage-managing an attack in order to cause unnecessary tension in the Council.” Isah also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Presidency to investigate how Dino Melaye in December, last year, moved items meant for IDPs to his house in Ayetoro-Gbede, Ijimu local government area. Addressing newsmen yesterday at Okoro – Gbede in Ijimu, Isah said he only heard that Dino entered Ayetoro with policemen shooting guns sporadically to scare people, and wondered why he turned around to claim that he was attacked. He said as chief security officer of the Council, it was his responsibility to protect the lives and property of the people, adding that “if Dino cannot improve on the living standard of the people of Ijimu, he should allow them to have peace instead of causing unnecessary distraction.” “I am using this medium to call on the EFCC and the Presidency to investigate how items meant for IDPs in the North-east got to the hand of a senator who ordinarily is supposed to contribute to ameliorate the sufferings of the people. “The items, according to information, were packed in his house at Ayetoro- Gbede. EFCC should also investigate and uncover the staff of NEMA who might have aided and abated Dino in that shoddy deal,” he said. Continuing, he said: “If you go to some villages, within our local government area, you will notice dearth of basic social amenities. The Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration has made it compulsory to all the councils’ administrators to go down to the hinterlands and touch people’s lives positively through the New Direction Agenda of the government, and that is exactly what I am doing in my council area.” While appealing to workers in the state to still exercise a little patience, he assured that after the exercise, they would have the cause to commend the administration.

By Raphael Ede Enugu Director-General of Centre for Black and African Arts Civilisation (CBAAC), Dr Ferdinand Anikwe, yesterday restated the commitment of his agency in “propagating the ideals of African culture by ensuring that the local artistes are exposed to higher levels in as much as their creative works are well appreciated.” Anikwe, who stated this in chat with some journalists, lamented that works of pirates frustrated many local artistes and musicians from promoting and projecting African culture, even as he assured that the ugly trend “will soon be curtailed.” Speaking ahead of four-day workshop to enhance the chances of creative artistes and inventors in Nigeria and other African countries to own and reap the benefits of their works/discoveries which begins today at Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Anikwe said the “workshop is being packaged by World Creators Society, an international non-governmental organisation based in France, in partnership with management of Godfrey Okoye University and the Centre for Black and African Arts Civilisation (CBAAC). The CBAAC boss expressed optimism that the seminar would provide solution on how to stop exploitation of local artistes and musicians by linking their creativity to a number of international organisations network for protection, projection and exposure. Briefing newsmen on the project, the representative of World Creators Society, Prof. Alain Soulemiac, assured that the Care Free project, a global initiative, had the capacity to protect creative artistes and inventors. According to him, the art of creativity and invention is very inevitable to bring in the necessary change and a new era in the globe. “Therefore, the organisation is seriously working out measures of ensuring that the rights and innovations of every artist and inventor is protected, projected, exposed and benefits also accruing to him or her,” he said.

By Donald Iorchir Abuja Three political parties in Oyo State yesterday said they are no longer part of the current Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in the state, but hope to participate in the next coming IPAC state election in September. The parties are the Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC), Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) and the African Peoples Alliance Party (APA). The secretary of the Association of Progressive Political Parties (APPPS), Oyo State Chapter, Mr. Oladuni Olaitan, also the state Chairman of the Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP) who disclosed this weekend, said they decided to pull out to save democracy and advance progressive politics in Oyo State and Nigeria. According to him “The type of IPAC leadership we have in Oyo IPAC is selfishness and self covetousness. We need a platform that is masses-oriented, the one that will put our Constituted Authority in check all times. The present crops of IPAC excos are too silent and they’ve disappointed us”. Mr. David Akinola, State Chairman of Oyo State APPPS who is also the Chairman of the Peoples for Democratic Change (PDC), said recent developments in IPAC in Oyo State forced them to quit the Council. According to him, “Mr. Waheed Oyewole led IPAC in the state have not invited us to a single meeting since their inauguration as Oyo State IPAC Exco. They run Oyo IPAC like a cult group only for some selected political parties. His tenure is worse than his predecessor, thousands of political calamities are currently rocking the Council in the state”. Also Mr. Tolulope Adedoyin, Oyo State APPPS P.R.O and the State Chairman of the African Peoples Alliance Party (APA) berated Oyewole led IPAC exco for its lack of sound and quality leadership. According to him “They are not in the good book of the Governor, the Governor do not know whether they exist or not. Even the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commissioner (OYSIEC) does not know they exist. Since their inauguration they’ve not added any visible contribution to the development of democracy in Oyo State. We have no option after several attempts for consultations but to leave IPAC and address our grievances as Association of Progressive Political Parties (APPP), Oyo State Chapter. We hope that the national headquarters of the IPAC would urgently do something to save the Council and we are extending our hands of friendship to other political parties in the state that are ready to join our course”, he said.

By Su’eddie Vershima Agema I was recently admitted into the new age spirit of an e-reader, a Kobo specifically. It took reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini to remind me that I still love that traditional smell of a fresh book that reaches to you like the smell of fresh fries on a hungry stomach. In The Kite Runner, we are introduced to a certain present time by the lead character narrator. He talks of a phone call in 2001 that has changed him. Then by the next page, he takes us on a ride through his memory lane talking of his entire life from childhood to the time when he got married and that very time – 2001. It took some 150 or so pages to get there so you can imagine that with the excitement of Hosseini’s narrative and flowery diction, I had to trace my way back to Page 1. Now, the e-reader wasn’t fast enough to get me there – or I didn’t want to waste time – so I jumped to one of my bookshelves and picked the paperback. I read the two pages in seconds and was back on speed with my book (Page 175). Oh! Did I mention that I am still reading the book? It is one you should. I think Khaled Hosseini is worthy of every praise he is getting. His story as I have read so far traces how we make decisions that haunt us. Our lead character out of childhood jealousy and a hope to impress his father betrays his best friend (Hassan) and does not stand up for his friend in a time of danger. This is despite Hassan being in that position because he had stuck to his ground retrieving a kite for the honour of our lead character (Amir). Hassan forgives Amir and begs him to play but guilt strangles any joy that Amir might have had. In the end, he sets Hassan up and makes him to be driven away. Okay, you don’t get the picture. There’s this caste system and Hassan is the son of the servant of Amir’s father. So, despite being born at the same time with Amir and sharing the breasts of a woman brought to suckle them (Hassan’s mother ran away and Amir’s mother died after childbirth), Hassan is to be Amir’s servant too. They become friends and Hassan is OVERTLY loyal. He is a strong boy who stands up for Amir always. Now, eventually Amir gets envious of his own father liking Hassan. He also wants to win the love of his father who doesn’t think much of children who prefer reading to playing soccer! Anyways, so, that is the point where this and that happens, Hassan still sacrifices a million times more for Amir and has to leave with his father breaking a relationship of many years. War and instability comes to Afghanistan. Amir leaves his native Afghanistan and migrates to America with his father (his mother is dead, by the way). Time rolls on itself and a lot happens; his father dies, he gets married etc etc. He hopes to have fresh starts but he discovers; the past never really leaves us. It cannot be really buried. Perhaps ignored sometimes but never buried in entirety. Like our shadows, this past clings to us and when day shines we find it walking beside us. Well, that’s most of what I have made of his position. As I read on, I think empathically of what Hassan’s life would be like at that point. How the pranks and nonchalance of the young Amir changed the destiny of Hassan and his father. I am thinking of how our acts of commissions and omissions end up being the decider on the making or breaking of people. I am thinking of my own childhood, decisions I have made and wondering if there aren’t holes to the past that I need to fill in whatever way. In some cases we have little or nothing to do but if we think deep we will discover that though we can’t right all wrongs, there are certain things we can do to make amends and be better. As Hosseini says, there is a way to be good again. Yes, there is a way to be good again. May the times give us the grace to be better each moment and work to right whatever wrong we can. We only live once, why don’t we make it worth it? Agema won the Association of Nigerian Authors Joint Prize for Poetry 2014. He blogs at http://sueddie.wordpress.com and can be reached at [email protected] @sueddieagema on Twitter.

By Lateef Dada Osogbo The relationship between the National Youth Service Corps and Ede, a town where the camp of NYSC is located in Osun state has been further strengthened with the recent donation of wheelchairs to some physically challenged individuals by the NYSC in the town. Osun state Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Attah, who led other officials of NYSC to the palace of Timi of Ede, Oba Muniru Lawal, disclosed that Ede had been known for a peaceful town since NYSC camp was situated in the town. Attah, who said the Director-General of the Scheme, Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, directed that the three wheelchairs be presented to three physically challenged who were indigenes, added that the choice of Ede was to further strengthen the love that had existed between the two decades ago. “And in honour and respect to our father, the Timi of Ede, Oba Muniru Lawal, Laminisa l, we cannot but to start with the host community with this three chairs to be given to the physically challenged. More of these chairs are still being expected to be distributed to other people. “We are here with three wheel chairs to be distributed. It is going on in all the state of the federation. We look in to the support of the town for the protection of lives of the corps member,” he said. However, Attah used the occasion to inform the people that another orientation camp would begin on May 15, 2017, urging the intending corps members to get prepared and do the things required for the orientation. Speaking, Oba Lawal expressed gratitude to the NYSC for choosing Ede as the first place, to begin the gesture, assuring that the town would continue to support the Scheme. “We extend our appreciation to the NYSC community for deeming it fit to start the programme in Ede. We are assuring you of our continuous support,” he said. Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Lukman, appreciated the gestures for the less privileged, praying that NYSC would not lose any of its corps members in the town.

By Bode Olagoke Abuja National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has revealed how he emerged as the party’s national chairman even as he laid to rest insinuations in some quarters that the former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, made him what he is today. Oyegun stated clearly that his emergence as the chairman of the APC “cannot be attributed to any single individual.” Speaking in a chat with journalists yesterday on the allegations that he betrayed Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who masterminded his emergence, Oyegun said everybody assisted him in becoming the national chairman of the party. He, however, threatened that “in the coming days,” he would tell Nigerians the true story of how he emerged as the national chairman of the party. “Everybody assisted me to this position and I am grateful to all of them. The only thing is my personality and integrity; I don’t joke with these two things because they are the only currency that I have and I will defend them at any time. “I don’t believe one particular person solely assisted me to this position; everybody assisted me and someday, the story of how I became chairman of APC will be told. You will then see that everybody did assist me to become National Chairman. This means that I am there for everybody. I don’t belong to any camp in the APC,” he said.

At 5:13 a.m., an earthquake estimated at close to 8.0 on the Richter scale strikes San Francisco, California, killing hundreds of people as it topples numerous buildings. The quake was caused by a slip of the San Andreas Fault over a segment about 275 miles long, and shock waves could be felt from southern Oregon down to Los Angeles. San Francisco’s brick buildings and wooden Victorian structures were especially devastated. Fires immediately broke out and–because broken water mains prevented firefighters from stopping them–firestorms soon developed citywide. At 7 a.m., U.S. Army troops from Fort Mason reported to the Hall of Justice, and San Francisco Mayor E.E. Schmitz called for the enforcement of a dusk-to-dawn curfew and authorized soldiers to shoot-to-kill anyone found looting. Meanwhile, in the face of significant aftershocks, firefighters and U.S. troops fought desperately to control the ongoing fire, often dynamiting whole city blocks to create firewalls. On April 20, 20,000 refugees trapped by the massive fire were evacuated from the foot of Van Ness Avenue onto the USS Chicago. By April 23, most fires were extinguished, and authorities commenced the task of rebuilding the devastated metropolis. It was estimated that some 3,000 people died as a result of the Great San Francisco Earthquake and the devastating fires it inflicted upon the city. Almost 30,000 buildings were destroyed, including most of the city’s homes and nearly all the central business district.

Two people lost their lives yesterday in an auto crash that occurred at Gbagada Bus Stop, around Anthony area of Lagos state. Premium Times gathered that tragedy struck when a Volkswagen commercial bus with registration number GGE716XM had a head on collision with another vehicle, identified as a taxi Sources said the incident occurred at about 3 p.m. When contacted, the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, LASEMA, said 14 persons were rescued and had been taken to the Gbagada General Hospital and Trauma Centre by LASAMBUS and the LASEMA Paramedics. The rescued passengers sustained different degrees of injuries, the agency said. LASEMA, however, said two lives were lost to the unfortunate incident, adding that bodies of the victims have been moved to the Lagos Mainland Hospital Mortuary. the agency’s General Manager, Adesina Tiamiyu, said the damaged vehicles were recovered with the aid of the agency’s towing truck to facilitate free flow of traffic in the area. Tiamiyu, however, advised motorists, especially commercial bus drivers, to drive within the speed limit to avoid loss of lives.

By Sanusi Muhammad Gusau The federal government has commiserated with the Zamfara state government over the recent Cerebro Spinal Meningitis outbreak which killed over 340 people within the last two months in the state. Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan’ali, who led the delegation during a courtesy call on the Deputy Governor, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, at the Government House, Gusau, yesterday, said President Muhammadu Buhari was worried about the incident and condoled with the state government and the families of those who lost their loved ones. He said adequate measures had been taken by the federal government, through the procurement of assorted drugs worth billion of Naira to Zamara free-of-charge, to “kick out the epidemic in the affected local government areas.” Dan’ali said the federal government was committed to ensuring the security of lives and property of citizens, and commended Zamfara for inviting peace talks with armed bandits and cattle rustlers “which ended the killings and incessant attacks on communities. According to him, the federal government will continue to give the necessary logistics support to Zamfara and other states to ensure relative peace in the country. Responding, Wakkala lauded the federal government’s concern for the state and pledged to complement all good policies and programmes of President Buhari’s administration that would have direct impact on Nigerians and the people of Zamfara. He described the epidemic as “an act of God,” and called on Muslims and Christians in the state to supplicate to the Almighty God “and see the end of the epidemic.” He also called on communities across the state to always avoid open defecation within their areas in order not to have conducive environments for re-occurrence of the disease and others.

A ‘Thank You’ tour by Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, across Taraba state, turned out to be a platform for the electorate to score their representatives on performance. STEPHEN OSU, reports that the people of Karim Lamido Local Government, weighed their political gains and misfortunes, during the visit with a no confidence vote on a senator After the difficulties getting across the River Benue, due to the deplorable condition of the roads, Governor Dickson Ishaku, settled down to listen to the complaints of the electorate. First to speak was the spokesman for Karim Lamido Local Government Area of the state , adjudged most backward local government area out of the 16, Alhaji Yakubu Ankamata, and top on his speech was the alleged non-performance of the senator representing the constituency. He told the gathering that Senator Sani Danladi was misrepresenting them and should be changed. According to Ankamata who spoke on behalf of the people of Karim Lamido, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), returned all their elected representatives in their area in the last elections, but wander why the senator will be absent during the governor’s visit to the local government. When Alhaji Ankamata raised this issue, all the people from Karim Lamido rose to their feet and gave him a standing ovation, senator Sani Danladi was conspicuously absent when governor Ishaku visited his local government. The spokesman of Karim Lamido told Blueprint that the election of the former acting governor of Taraba state was a wasted mandate as the Senator’s impact both at the senate and at home was not felt. He explained further that, two years after Senator Sani has been in the senate, he has not been able to influence any project in the national budget in his senatorial district, not even to influence any allocation in addition to the ones initiated by past senators. He requested the ruling PDP in the state to quickly source an alternative for Sanis in the forth coming elections in 2019, for effective representation. When contacted on the phone , Senator Sani Abubakar told Blueprint that Alhaji Yakubu was a member of the All progressives Congress and was only brought to “ come and course confusion in the PDP’s family in Karim Lamido”, he advise the governor to be wise as such people can go to any extent in destroying the party. Reacting to claims by the spokesperson of his local government that his absence at the visit meant he was no longer in PDP , Senator Danladi said “he is a Senator representing his people and do not need to follow the governor for his people to see him”, adding that he has organized such forums and interacted with his people , he also claims to have their problems in his palms and does not need to climb on the governor’s back to meet the people’s needs. “ Can you tell me how many politicians the governor left behind when he left Karim who remained to discuss with the people as their elected representatives” Danladi asked The senator further accused member representing the federal constituency at the lower chambers of the National Assembly, Hon Danladi Baido of bringing Alhaji Ankamata to what he called “achieve a political goal” but said the House of Representatives member got it wrong as he spoke with the governor on the visit. All attempts to reach Hon. Danladi Baido, member representing Karim Lau ArdoKola Federal Constituency, proved abortive as his handsets were switched off when our reporter called. “When Ishaku took his Thank You visit to Karim Lamido, Local Government, all was on ground apart from the Senator , ranging from state assembly members, state executive council members from Karim and the member House of Representatives, representing Karim Lamido, Lau Ardo Kola Federal Constituency, Hon. Danladi Baido”, a government official said. The were speculations that a political war between Senator Sani Danladi and Hon Danladi Baido before 2019 has started, because, the political arrangement that brought the dual on board as national assembly members was not properly calculated, as both lawmakers are from the Wurukum ethnic group and are also from Karim Lamido Local Government. And to worsen the whole matter, all the lawmakers are members of PDP, so one must be sacrificed in the next election for a balanced equation politically. But before now, the duo were good political partners, Baido almost became the flag bearer of the ruling PDP in the governorship contest of 2007 un till when former President Olusegun Obasanjo insisted he must be changed. It was also speculated that it was he who brought Senator Sani Danladi to deputize for Suntai who replaced him and by this, Sani became an acting governor in the state. But all is now history, as all is not well with the duo politically And to worsen the whole matter, all the lawmakers are members of PDP, so one must be sacrificed in the next election for a balanced equation politically

Adewale Recent disclosure about prostate cancer drew my attention to the danger posed by the disease in the society. Prostate cancer is said to be the one of most common malignancy diagnosed in men. Annually, over one million men are known to be diagnosed with the disease, out of which one-third could die. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland, which is part of the male reproductive system and constitutes part of the fluid that nourishes and protects sperm cells in the semen and behind the prostate is the seminal vesicles, which produces most of the fluid for the semen while the urethra is a tube that conveys urine and semen out of the body through the penis, via the prostate. Prostate enlargement could lead to cancer when not stopped on time. The disease has the potential to grow and spread quickly and sadly, most men with prostate cancer have no symptoms or foreknowledge, before it wreaks havoc. An opportunity presents itself for a discourse on prostate cancer recently, as a group of medical experts converged on the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, for a research retreat, to discuss prostate cancer, under the aegis of the Prostate Cancer Transatlantic Consortium (CaPTC). The research retreat was aimed at training investigators on the project in the areas of research tools and instruments, data collection, clinical data abstraction, use of Real-time Electromagnetic Digitally-controlled Analyser and Processor (REDCaP) for data management, analyses and research dissemination, among others. According to the Principal Investigator for the research, Professor Folakemi Odedina, who is from the College of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Florida, United States of America, the essence of the retreat was to form an alliance against prostate cancer in Nigeria and to work towards developing a study in the field. Professor Odedina restated the widely-acclaimed position that prostate cancer is a disease that affects mostly blackmen and that her research had focused on prostate cancer’s risk factors in blackmen in Nigeria, United Kingdom and United States of America. She stated that the number one risk factor of a man getting the prostate cancer disease is simply being black, while other reasons include family history and age, which would be further researched into. The Don noted that such research would take a holistic measure by looking at the genetic factors, epidemiological factor and clinical prognosis. Corroborating her, Professor Francis Chinegwundoh, a United Kingdom-based Consultant Urological Surgeon, also confirmed that prostate cancer is a disease that is common among one to four men, which most of the time, has its peak at the age of 50 to 60 years. He said the common symptoms of the disease include urinary problems; urinating frequently at night, poor flow of urine, inability to control urine and sometimes, passing of blood in the urine. According to him, the prostate cancer enlarges in the man and causes urinary problems and may sometimes be cancerous, advising every man of the age of 40 and above to endeavour to go for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA); which is a blood test that would detect the state of the man’s prostate. Professor Chinegwundoh added that the reason why the ailment is rampant in blackmen is yet to be ascertained, hence, the essence of the research retreat. He said that whitemen also have it, but at a very low rate when compared to blackmen. He encouraged the men not to be shy but, to always discuss freely and go for test from time-to-time because early detection saves life. Before the interaction at FUNAAB, findings by other medical experts had cautioned that the problem with the screening programme designed to reveal the status of the ailment, has been described as unpredictable, making many men to end up with further investigations, such as a Biopsy. As a way out, good dietary habits have been found to be very helpful in curbing the disease. Diet high in calcium has been known to increase the risk of having the ailment while the ones that are high in tomatoes and other red fruits that contain lycopene and sea foods, such as periwinkles and snails that required quantities of magnesium, manganese and selenium as well as regular exercise, green tea contained anti-oxidant and anti-free radicals, are useful. Further medical research seeks to find out if typical western diet could affect whether or not the cancer progresses in victims, who have early-stage prostate cancer. Hence, what seems to be acceptable to researchers is that right nutrition and healthy lifestyle tend to increase longevity and decrease the risks of having prostate cancer. On a final note, the cost of treatment of the disease in Nigeria appears to be exorbitant. Government should adequately fund healthcare. Considering the risks involved and the amount of money needed to treat the disease, it is wise that more energy should be deployed to the preventive measures since the ailment is preventable. Therefore, concerted efforts should be made to increase awareness and public enlightenment at all levels in order to keep prostate cancer under control in our nation.

Four unidentified gunmen have killed the newly sworn-in Ukanafun local government area Secretary, Ime Atakpa. Atakpa was shot while in his farm in his backyard at Ukanafun on Sunday. His wife, Imo, who disclosed this to newsmen, said they went to Ukanafun for Easter service. She said prior to the church’s service, they decided to check on some pigs in the farm, adding that while she and the children were in the house, she heard gunshots. She further explained that when she tried to find where the sound of the gunfire emanated, she saw four masked men walking away from the compound. The Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, Chukwu Ikechukwu, confirmed the incident. Okechukwu, a deputy superintendent of police, said four gunmen shot the late council secretary in the stomach, adding that he died on the way to hospital. “The man was in his farm in Ukanafun LGA when four unidentified gunmen shot him,” he said. (NAN)

By Chizoba Ogbeche Indication has emerged that the suspension of the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abuja Investment Company Limited (AICL), Dr. Musa Musa, by the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, may not be unconnected with the sales of Green Acres Estate located at Apo district. Allegations of fraudulent diversion and breach of extant procurement provisions to the tune of N1.1 billion have also been linked to the travails of the embattled company boss. Reports in a session of the media had indicated that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had beamed its searchlight on the activities of the company over the sales of some of the choice houses to top management staff of the company and other related matters. Our correspondent learnt that the anti-graft agency is not only investigating the alleged “ridiculous rebate” given to some management staff of AICL to acquire the property, but also carrying out detailed investigation on the financial status of some of the beneficiaries of the property and other matters therein. Further investigation showed that Musa was first invited by the EFCC on March 20, 2017, and was granted administrative bail three days later, before he was allegedly detained again on April 5, even as operatives of EFCC conducted a search of his property across Abuja. Worried by this development, the FCT Administration through the Department of Establishment and Training suspended the company boss to enable him face the anti-graft agency in the ongoing investigation. It was also learnt that other management staff of AICL, who are indicted in the on-going EFCC investigation, may be slammed with suspension or query depending on the degree of indictment. A source familiar with developments at the company, however, told our correspondent that the decision by the FCT Administration to suspend Musa was not to witch-hunt him, but to give room for investigation by the anti-graft agency. According to the source, the situation is no different from what happened last year that led to the suspension of AGIS Director, Mrs. Jemila Tangaza, and other management staff of Land Department. Speaking further, he said the FCT Minister had directed AICL Group Company Secretary, Mr. Salisu Abdulsalam, to act as the MD of AICL during the course of Musa’s suspension. Blueprint, however, gathered that despite the ministerial directive, battle for succession of the GMD was brewing between the company’s secretary and the Senior Service Vice President and Head, Real Estate and Infrastructure of AICL, Mr. Ibrahim Aliyu. When contacted, a spokesperson for the AICL, Segun Ogunsola, declined to confirm or deny the development.

By Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado-Ekiti Ekiti state Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of offering protection to national treasury looters within his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially those being compensated for funding the election of the president in 2015. Fayose stated this while reacting to the statement credited to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that looters had resorted to burying stolen funds in their backyards, deep forests and burial grounds. In a statement issued yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, he said “looters in the Muhammadu Buhari’s Presidency, especially those being compensated for funding the election of the President in 2015, bury their own loots in the Villa with presidential protection.” He said: “Should it be wrong for other supposed looters that do not have presidential protection like their All Progressives Congress (APC) counterparts to bury their loots in burial grounds probably for spiritual protection? “Nigerians can no longer be fooled with stage-managed loots recoveries, with no traceable owners (looters), especially when the loots are traceable to close associates of the president and his cabinet members. “Obviously, this so-called anti-corruption war has become a laughing stock with N49 million found in Kaduna Airport, N448 million discovered in a shop at Victoria Island, Lagos and N13 billion found in Ikoyi, Lagos, neither having owners nor the identities of owners of the properties where the money was found known.” Continuing, he said: “It is either the money belongs to members of Buhari’s government or it is being planted by the government to sustain its fake anti-corruption fight in the minds of the people. “Enough of stage-managed and fake anti-corruption war aimed solely at opposition figures, especially presidential hopefuls in the 2019 elections.” The governor noted that two different laws were now being operated in the country, with one law for the APC and those who defect to the party and the other for the opposition, especially those perceived as having presidential ambition. “The narrative they push daily is that only those in their government are saint, while other Nigerians, including those in the National Assembly, judiciary, opposition politicians and the civil servants are rogues while only Buhari’s appointees are saints. “To worsen matters, the cluelessness of the APC government in the last two years has plunged the country into debt without anything to show. “The cabals in the Presidency are also taking advantage of the President’s state of health, which is as a result of his age to oppress Nigerians. “Nigerians must therefore keep their eyes on the ball and not be carried away by the orchestrated distractions aimed at preventing them from seeing how the APC-led government has failed woefully.” He called on the international community to hold the country accountable on the recovered N13 billion cash found in that Ikoyi, Lagos apartment, saying “this must not be swept under the carpet.”

By Eric Teniola Crisis is not new to the Supreme Court in Nigeria. From inception, there has always been one crisis or the other, in that court. In 1958, the incumbent chief justice of the federation, Justice Stafford Foster Sutton was to retire. He had earlier served as attorney-general of Kenya from 1944 to 1948, and served also as attorney-general of British Malaya from 1948 to 1950. The expectation was that his number two man, Justice Samuel Olumuyiwa Jibowu (1899-1959) was to succeed him. Justice Jibowu was at that time the first Nigerian to be serving in the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He had rich credentials. He was called to the Bar in 1923 at Middle Temple in London. At a time, his father was the secretary of the Egba nation. In fact, if you look at the Nigeria Legal Practitioner’s enrollment list, you will see that Olumuyiwa Jibowu, who was sworn in on August 8, 1923 was lawyer number 69, while Justice Adetokunbo Ademola, who was enrolled on September 10, 1934, was lawyer number 121, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1909-1987), who was enrolled on December 24, 1946, was lawyer number 168 in Nigeria. A petition was written against Justice Jibowu that he made a political statement and therefore was not fit to be Chief Justice. When I was press secretary to three military governors in Ondo State (now Ekiti and Ondo states) between 1986 and 1991, his spouse, Lady Deborah Jibowu who later became chairperson of one of the government agencies usually came visiting and she told me expected great stories of her husband. Ten months after Justice Adetokunbo Ademola became chief justice, Justice Jibowu died on June 1, 1959. A street in Yaba, Lagos, not far from the WAEC office is named after him. The expectation was that Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson (1917-2008), the pioneer minister of information in Nigeria, who was lawyer number 190 and enrolled on September 9, 1947, like Chief Victor Babaremilekun Adetokunbo Fani-Kayode (1921-1995), would tell his own side of the story in the saga. He never did till he died on February 13, 2008. In 1972, Sir Adetokunbo Ademola gave notice of retirement, and General Yakubu Gowon quickly set in motion efforts to pick a candidate to succeed him. He appointed Dr. Taslim Olawale Elias (1914-1991) as the Chief Justice of the Federation. At the time of the appointment, Dr. Elias was not serving as a Justice of the Supreme Court. He was the first attorney-general and minister of Justice and later dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos. He was lawyer number 308 of the federation and enrolled on December 15, 1951. The appointment shocked many. The argument then was not that Elias was not qualified, but that he was not a serving Justice of the Supreme Court, although he was the incumbent attorney-general of the federation. On July 29 1975, while away at the Organisation of African Unity meeting in Kampala, Uganda, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed (1938-1976) toppled his school mate and senior in Barewa College, General Gowon. One of the first things he did was to fire Justice Elias as the chief justice of the federation. He too did the unthinkable and appointed a non-Nigerian, Justice Arthur Darnley Alexander (1920-1988) as chief justice. Justice Alexander was born in Casteries, St. Lucia in the West Indies, in the Caribbean. He had served as a crown counsel and legal draftsman in Jamaica and as a magistrate in Turks and Caicos Islands. He came to Nigeria in 1957 on the invitation of the premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who had appealed to the Colonial Office in London to help source a legal draftsman. Alexander then served the region in various capacities. He was legal draftsman of the Western Region, Nigeria, from 1957 to 1969, and was acting director of Public Prosecutions in 1958. In 1960, he was appointed the solicitor-general and permanent secretary of the regional Ministry of Justice; and in 1963, he was made a queen’s counsel. In 1964, he was appointed a judge in the Lagos High Court. In 1964, the then premier of Mid-Western region, Chief Dennis Chukwudi Osadebe (1911-1994) appointed him to head the Owegbe court tribunal, which was targeted at the deputy premier of the region, Chief Humphrey Omo-Osagie (1896-1977) who was eventually cleared of any wrong doing. Justice Darnley Alexander was appointed chief justice of the South Eastern State, now the Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. At the time he was appointed as chief justice of the federation, there were more than twelve serving justices of the Supreme Court who were his seniors. Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore had the shortest tenure, so far, as the chief justice of Nigeria since independence. He was the tenth chief justice, and served between July 2006 and January 2007 — for barely six months. His predecessor, Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais retired on June 12, 2006. The nearest to him is Justice Dahiru Musderphar, a close ally of General Sanni Abacha, who served between August 21, 2011 and July 16, 2012. Belgore was not to be the chief justice but for a peace meeting initiated by President Olusegun Obasanjo with Justice Uwais, Justice Belgore, Major General Abdullahi Muhammed (rtd.) – the then chief of staff to the president, and the then secretary to the government of the federation, Chief Ufott Ekaette, in May 2006 in the Villa. It was after the meeting that the National Judicial Council finally submitted Justice Belgore’s name via President Obasanjo to the Senate, presided then by Senator Ken Ugwu Nnamani. The thinking then was, why make Belgore the chief justice when he had only six months to serve? He fought back like a wounded lion with all his contacts insisting that if only for one day, it was his right to be chief justice. That is all I will say on this issue for the moment. We should not forget also that Justice Belgore is from one of the most powerful ten families in Ilorin, like the Sarakis, Abdul-Razaks, Sulu Gambaris, Barajes, Onikijipas, Oniyangis, Idiagbons, and Kawus, who are regarded as untouchable in that ancient city. As I said earlier, crisis is not new to the Supreme Court. Notwithstanding, it must be acknowledged too that the National Judicial Council has been implementing necessary reforms within the Judiciary in the last sixteen months. The council should be commended and encouraged. Teniola, a former Director in the Presidency, wrote from Lagos

By Rotimi Ojomoyela Ado-Ekiti In a bid to encourage exclusive breast feeding for new born in the state, the maternity leave period of women in Ekiti state Public Service has been increased from 12 weeks to 16 weeks. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Kola Ajumobi, who said this at a forum in Ado Ekiti, explained that the gesture was aimed at encouraging exclusive breast feeding for the first six months of birth and to promote good nutrition. He added that nursing mothers would, in addition, be granted two hours off duty everyday for a period of six months from the date she resumed from maternity leave. Reiterating the commitment of the Fayose-led administration to the reduction of mothers’ and children’s mortality and morbidity rate to the barest minimum, Ajumobi said the “crèche at the state secretariat has also been invigorated to boost bonding between mothers and their children during official working hours without undue hindrance to performance and efficiency at the workplace.” He lamented that the challenge of good nutrition, coupled with the question of poverty, hunger as well as lack of access to economic and political empowerment had, hitherto, largely contributed to the “double tragedy of high maternal and child mortality.” He, however, noted that the present administration in the state had rolled various palliative packages exclusively for women to empower and guard them from avoidable travails. Ajumobi listed the measures to include provision of N500million as revolving soft loan to promote small and medium Enterprises driven by women while women farmers would also be supported with various incentives. According to him, government has also encouraged women’s access to political power while harmful traditional practices to woman’s nutritional and sexual reproductive health such as widowhood rites and inheritance have been criminalised in the state where rapists and wife beaters now face life sentences in jail.

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Sinn Féin MP Elisha McCallion has urged Karen Bradley, to facilitate the immediate release of Derry republican Tony Taylor amid claims the Secretary of State was responsible for a parole hearing being put back until the autumn. She said Mr. Taylor, who has been imprisoned since March 10, 2016, when Mrs. Bradley’s predecessor, Theresa Villiers, revoked his release licence, has been denied his day in court in what she characterised as an abuse of due process. “It is now over two years from Tony Taylor’s arrest and subsequent imprisonment. I made it clear, once again to the British Secretary of State that Tony’s continued detention is wrong and is a violation of his human rights. “Sinn Féin has consistently stated that if evidence exists to show that Tony Taylor is a risk to the public, it should be put before him and his legal team in an open court so that this can be challenged. Over the course of the past two years, the British government has failed to produce any evidence which could in any way justify his continued detention,” she said. Mr. Taylor’s solicitor Aiden Carlin, meanwhile, has indicated that his client believes the Northern Ireland Office was behind a parole hearing being delayed until after the summer. Mr. Carlin stated: “Our instructions are that the Secretary of State appears to be delaying the proceedings. “Almost a year has passed since the last Parole Commissioners Northern Ireland (PCNI) hearing. Tony Taylor has already spent over two years in custody since his recall on March 10, 2016. “The NIO has publicly said it is for the PCNI to consider whether Tony Taylor should serve the remainder of his sentence in prison. The law provides for the PCNI to regulate their own procedure in dealing with any matter as they consider appropriate. Given the nature and extent of the PCNI’s general powers, it has been submitted that the PCNI should recommend Tony Taylor’s immediate release rather than go through a very lengthy process until autumn.” During her meeting with Mrs. Bradley last week, Mrs. McCallion, underlined the human toll Mr. Taylor’s incarceration has been having. “I reminded Karen Bradley of the considerable strain placed on his wife, family and parents by his continued detention. I have asked her to strongly consider the letter sent to her by Tony’s wife Lorraine and to re-visit his case a matter of urgency. “Sinn Féin will continue to raise this matter with the British Secretary of State.”

A pensioner who escaped death when a fire tore through her home in August has urged fellow citizens to make sure they have a working smoke alarm fitted as it could save their lives. Gemma McDaid, aged 77, narrowly escapaed death when a blaze destroyed her Iniscarn Court home and almost all of her personal belongings on August 21. Six weeks after the inferno, Mrs. McDaid has spoken of her experience as part of Fire Safety Week. She said: “I was heading to bed when I thought I’d put the electric heater on in my bedroom. I then went into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea and some toast. I noticed that the light was flickering and I went out into the hall to check what was wrong. “That’s when I saw the smoke from my bedroom. When I opened the door the flames were leaping up the walls. I couldn’t believe how quickly the fire started – just the time it took to make some tea and toast! “It was terrifying. I ran back into the kitchen and grabbed a wee bowl of water - I don’t know what I was thinking as there was no way it was going to put the fire out. When you’re faced with a fire like that, you panic. I couldn’t find my phone but thanks to my neighbour who flagged down a passing car, I was able to get out of the house safely. It was only then that I was able to call the Fire & Rescue Service. Thankfully they were able to put the fire out but my house was gutted. It destroyed almost everything I own – what has not been burnt is smoke damaged and blackened. I can’t get over how lucky I am to escape – everything else I can replace. “Later I found out that the electric heater had set fire to clothes that I had hanging over a chair nearby. That was a shock and a wake-up call. I also didn’t have a smoke alarm. I was fortunate to escape and now I want to ensure that no-one else faces the same experience. My message to everyone is to make sure that you have a working smoke alarm fitted in your home.” If you would like a free Fire Safety Check please visit www.nifrs.org.

Around 90 per cent of Derry Journal readers think we are better off remaining within Europe - with one in six Brexiteers saying they would now change their vote. A new Brexit survey shows 78 per cent of Derry Journal readers believe the UK will have a more prosperous future economically inside Europe. As well as this, 77 per cent said Britain and the north should continue to be part of the single European market. The Foyle constituency returned one of the highest ‘Remain’ votes in the British Isles in the Brexit Referendum of June 2016. Brexit is scheduled to take place in March 2019, although the EU has repeatedly warned the Tory government that the Irish border must be sorted out first. The new Derry Journal study, run in partnership with Google Surveys, was completed online by 1,100 people. Four in five of those surveyed on the site (81 per cent) said they were not happy with the status of Brexit negotiations at the moment, with just one in 12 saying they were happy. Regardless of how those surveyed voted in the referendum, they were more likely to be unhappy than happy. Among those who said they voted Leave, 50 per cent are unhappy with the status of negotiations. Leave voters were more likely to say they would not vote in the same way now, with one in six saying they’d act differently compared to one in 35 Remain voters. Of those surveyed, 84 per cent said customs controls at the border would not be acceptable. Among Leave voters, 36 per cent said customs controls would be acceptable, with 49 per cent saying they would not be acceptable. Among Leave voters, 22 per cent think Britain is better off economically in Europe and a third of these voters think we should continue to be part of the Single Market. Remain voters meanwhile are keener on maintaining ties with Europe, with 90% saying the UK is better off economically inside Europe, and 87% saying we should continue to be part of the Single Market.

County secretary Danny Scullion has warned changes to the GAA club calendar brought forward at Congress earlier this year makes a restructuring of the current Derry All County League set-up inevitable. In his annual report to county convention which takes place in Owenbeg on Thursday, Scullion called into question the benefits of introducing ideas such as the ‘Super 8’, saying they will only continue to marginalise the club game “The changes brought forward at Congress earlier this year, i.e. the introduction of a round robin (super 8s) phase of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the bringing forward of the All-Ireland finals in hurling and football, a condensed Christy Ring series and the introduction of the summer-based U20 football championship will combine in 2018 in a way that means changes to our current league structures are inevitable. “We no longer have the required number of weekends during the months April to July to complete, for example, a 16-team senior league,” explained Scullion. “Weekends freed up post-August are of no benefit to counties who wish to see county players take part in a majority of league games, hold a knock-out championship and also finish leagues prior to the championships beginning. “These three elements were key findings of our games review committee which surveyed all our clubs in detail in 2015. If we wish to preserve these three outcomes, then changes to our current league structures will have to be made,” he added.

She’s the new Vice Principal of the North West Regional College, but even occupying the second most senior position at the five campus College, Samantha Traynor insists that every day’s a school day. Proudly “Tyrone born and bred” Samantha says at its core, the college strives to educate and bring out the best in students from right across the North West, all the while maintaining strong links with key stakeholders locally and regionally. The institution still often referred to as “the Tech” has grown way beyond its old familiar title. The NWRC has placed itself at the centre of a strong education network in the North West, and positioned itself as a key economic driver, steadily producing thousands of graduates who Samantha hopes will base themselves in the North West region and contribute to the economy here. To stay relevant and to be effective as an education and skills provider, Samantha says connections with local stakeholders are key for staff and students at the local college. “We have strong links with Derry and Strabane District Council. They recognise and we recognise the contribution that education and skills will make to developing a thriving economy here,” she says. “We also have a strong socio-economic focus. We are regional, of course, but community is important to us too. We have three types of student, those leaving school at 16 plus who want to develop the skills to get a job; those already in work who want to upskill; and those furthest from the workplace who are economically inactive and have become disengaged.” Samantha, in the course of her career, has seen education from every angle. But her driving force is still the mantra instilled in her by her late father, Brian, as she explains: “He always said: ‘Be the best you can be’.” Samantha has taken this, and guidance from her mother Rosaleen into every aspect of her professional career, and she says, into the rearing of her three children Connor, Gavin and Aoife, together with her husband, Peter. She started out as a primary school teacher in a small rural school in Tyrone, before moving to what was then the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education in 2002. Initially an Early Years lecturer, Samantha was promoted to Head of School, and then Head of Department before taking up her current role. “As a young teacher, I saw that children can only be the best they can be if they are given the best opportunities, and our college gives that,” she says. Samantha’s philosophy on leadership, she says, is encouraged by NWRC Principal, Leo Murphy. Often credited with turning things around at the College, the new Vice Principal says her boss has done just that. “His style of leadership is fantastic and he’s been a great support to me in this role,” she says. Samantha describes her own approach to getting the balance right in a senior position. “I think as a leader, sometimes you stand in the middle of your team; sometimes you stand behind them and in challenging and difficult times, you stand in front of them. That’s the approach I take,” she says. In what she describes as an exciting era where NWRC has more on offer than ever before, Samantha says a world of opportunity awaits students who sign up for a course in Derry, Strabane, Limavady, Greystone or Springtown. She’s encouraging people to come along to the College’s Open Days on February 6,7 and 8 and see for themselves the resources which she strongly believes can tap into a need in the local economy. She refers specifically to the Professional Training Restaurant, the Foodovation Centre, and a state of the art Maths Centre called ‘The Cube’ where students are given tailored one to one support. The college can also boast a Design and Innovation Assisted Living centre as well as being a Curriculum Hub for Health and Social Care. Apprenticeships remain a key focus for the NWRC too, as Samantha explained: “Apprenticeships really drive a strong economy in the North West. “There’s an opportunity for people to earn while they learn and there are now white collar apprenticeships in software, IT firms and accountancy as well as the traditional apprenticeships in areas like motor vehicles.” For Samantha, and principal Leo Murphy, the focus is on equipping people with skills, and pouring that skills base back into the local economy. “People can stay in the North West, remain at the North West Regional College and train to Level 6 without having to get on a bus, train or plane to go to England,” she says. She’s mindful, also, of the challenges closer to home and says the college wants to “step up and be counted” and play its part in the delivery of the Programme for Government. On Brexit, the Tyrone teacher takes the same approach as she does to her own commute to the office every day. “Learning has no borders,” says Samantha. “Our college, with Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the Donegal Education and Training Board will maintain strong working relationships in the times ahead.” She’s also adamant that Further Education must be protected in the wake of ongoing cuts to the education budget. “When the Government talk about protecting education they must include Further Education as well as school education,” she says. For Samantha’s part, building on the College’s already strong reputation in the North West is paramount over the years to come, while acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead, she’s positive about the future. “It’s a really exciting time to be here and we’re ready to play our part in delivering a strong economy for the North West over the coming years.”

A Derry woman has raised over £2,000 for Alzheimer’s Research UK by decorating her eyebrows with glitter in honour of her dad, who has frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Grainne McGowan, who studies biology at Queen’s University Belfast, heard about Alzheimer’s Research UK’s glitterbrows initiative in December when it was launched with the help of YouTubers and bloggers. She decided to don glitterbrows over the Christmas season at Metro Bar in Derry where she works to help raise funds for dementia research. Grainne took on the challenge because there are currently no treatments that can slow or prevent the development of FTD, the rare form of dementia that her father has. The condition – which is caused by damage to cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain – is a progressive condition that primarily affects behaviour, personality and speech. The glitterbrows challenge added some festive sparkle to Grainne’s life after what has been a painful few years for her and her family. Danny was only in his early fifties when he started showing symptoms of FTD. He started to struggle with conversation and behaviour, which ultimately led to him stepping away from his accountancy business. The symptoms were initially put down to depression by doctors, but Grainne and her family knew that there was something else going on. Her mother, Donna, pushed for more tests, which led to Danny being diagnosed with FTD at 56. It is now almost two years since Danny moved into a care home full-time, as the family were no longer able to cope with his care needs as his condition progressed. Grainne said: “Initially, we were relieved to know what it was, but it was really hard. He was so young, and so were we. My younger brother is only 15 now, so it’s all he has ever known.” “At the moment, he has no conversation skill left. You can get the odd word out of him, but that’s all. “The whole thing has hit Mum the hardest. Dad did everything for all of us. She has had to go from having a husband who provides for her to having to provide for everybody. But she has reached a point where she’s coping pretty well. “I decided to take on this challenge because I’m aware of how many people are affected by dementia. There is no cure, no prevention. We need research to stop this from happening to other families.” Matt Clarke, Northern Ireland’s Regional Fundraising Officer for Alzheimer’s Research UK said: “We would like to thank Grainne for her amazing fundraising efforts. Her unique challenge is a great way to raise awareness of the lesser known forms of dementia, such as frontotemporal dementia. “There are now over 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia, and by 2025, this is expected to reach over one million. Alzheimer’s Research UK is aiming to find the first life-changing treatment for dementia by 2025, and this would not be possible without the pioneering efforts of people like Grainne.” Those who want to fundraise in a glamorous way can purchase a glitterbrows kit from Alzheimer’s Research UK at www.shop.alzheimersresearchuk.org/product/aruk-glitterbrow-kit/

The issue of single-use plastics has become a hot topic. Some of the credit for that must go to Sky Television which launched an ‘Ocean Rescue’ campaign last year to highlight the impact plastic is having upon our seas globally. They illustrated the need for such a campaign with the story of a dead whale that washed up in Norway with a stomach packed full of mistakenly consumed plastic items. This campaign has helped to push the issue of plastic pollution to the forefront of public and political debate, with even the Conservative government talking recently about the need to tackle plastic waste. It has also found expression locally as Derry City & Strabane District Councillors has unanimously voted to phase out single-use plastics from its operations. Our society has been increasingly built around the availability and use of plastic - and for good reason. Plastics are multi-purpose materials that are cheap to produce, stable and lightweight, yet strong, and can be utilised in an extremely wide variety of roles. The problems began, however, when that flexibility and low cost led to durable products - made previously from materials like wood, metal and glass - being replaced with single-use disposable plastic alternatives instead. The plastics industry acknowledges that 40% of all plastic produced in Europe is used only once, which represents a huge waste of the energy, water and labour that goes into its production. The average family now uses 55kgs of plastics every year - enough to fill a bin lorry. And, as plastic takes between 100 and 1,000 years to break down in landfill, if the Vikings had been using it during their time in Ireland, we’d still be dealing with their waste even now. Given the disposable nature of much of modern plastic and the fact that it takes an eternity to degrade, it’s no surprise that the world’s oceans have become inundated with debris that endangers wildlife. And, closer to home, plastic waste is to be readily found littering many of Northern Ireland’s hedgerows, beaches, parks and town centres. So, whilst plastic may have had a positive and transformative impact upon modern life in general, its role in single-use items has been much less helpful – creating goods that are used only for minutes or hours but are then left as waste for the next millennium. Three prominent examples of single-use plastics that have fallen under the spotlight in recent years are bottles, bags and drinking straws. Anyone over the age of forty will remember the experience of having to pay a deposit to purchase drinks in glass bottles when they were younger, before returning the empty container to the shops for a refund. Deposit bottle schemes had disappeared here by the late 1980s, with flimsy plastic single-use alternatives taking their place. At the time, it probably felt like a positive step to no longer require people to return empty bottles. Until you consider that more than 13 billion single-use plastic bottles are now used in the UK every year - the equivalent of 200 per person. With less than half of those bottles getting recycled, a huge amount of landfill waste is, therefore, being created just by disposable plastic drinks bottles - with ratepayers like you picking up the bill for doing so. Deposit-backed return schemes involving sturdy reusable plastic bottles have been the norm in many other European countries for decades and it is probably only a matter of time before Ireland or parts of the UK follow suit (with Scotland already considering it). One single-use product where governments around the world have already taken action is the plastic bag. These items may feel like they’ve been around forever but were only invented in the 1970s – prior to which everyone used alternatives like paper or jute bags or those famous tartan-patterned trolleys which were once a common site. Plastic bags were an incredibly useful alternative but became a victim of their own success – being given away needlessly with any and every purchase as if they carried no cost to people or society. But, as they started to turn up tangled in trees and swirling around city streets –and in landfill where, despite their minimal size, they constitute 2% of all waste – they became the poster child for needless single-use plastics and the subject of levies to reduce their proliferation. The Republic was a pioneer in this by introducing a 15c tax on plastic bags in 2002, with every part of the UK having followed suit by 2015. That has led to six billion fewer plastic bags being handed out by major supermarkets in England alone every year, whilst Ireland experienced a 94% drop in the number of bags it was issuing almost overnight. Plastic drinking straws are another single-use product very much under the spotlight these days. Whilst plastic bottles and bags serve a purpose which, at least helps to explain their existence, it is hard to make a credible argument that straws are anything other than a frivolity. They are undoubtedly helpful for young children and others for whom sipping drinks presents a challenge - but for the vast majority they are an unnecessary plastic garnish added unthinkingly to the drinks we purchase in bars, restaurants and cafes, whether we wanted them or not. The useful lifespan of these plastic drinking straws is measured in minutes, whilst the remainder of their existence is counted in centuries. Of all the needless single-use plastic products in abundance throughout modern society, drinking straws are surely the most difficult to justify. Saturday (February 3) is ‘International Straw-Free Day’ in which people around the world are being encouraged to think twice about whether they really need a disposable piece of plastic in their drinks. Local environmental groups and students are combining to mark the event here in Derry with the launch of a ‘Say Naw to Straws’ campaign. The initiative is led by the Zero Waste North West group alongside the Eco-School Prefects at Thornhill College, and will see students approaching locally-owned cafes in the city centre to request their support in phasing out plastic straws. As well as doing their bit for the environment and saving their business a few quid, outlets that are willing to come onboard will be given posters and materials by the students to help explain the initiative to customers. Even before officially launching, the campaign has already signed up its first willing partner - with the Walled City Brewery in Ebrington agreeing to phase out its single-use plastic straws. It is hoped that more and more outlets will also ‘say naw to straws’. The Derry Journal is also putting its support behind the ‘Say Naw To Straws’ campaign and will be covering its progress over the coming weeks. If you run a business locally which currently offers disposable plastic straws to your staff or customers, let us know if you’re willing to phase them out. And, if you’re an ordinary customer, the next time you find yourself in a bar or a cafe, make a point of telling the staff there that you don’t need a straw in your drink. Say naw to straws and let’s all help to make it the last straw for Derry. Steve Bradley is a commentator and Regeneration Consultant from Derry. He can be followed on Twitter at @Bradley_Steve

The legal team behind the ‘Truth For Danielle’ campaign has launched an international plea for assistance following the murder of Danielle McLaughlin in India last month. The 28-years-old Buncrana woman was raped and murdered on March 13 in Goa, and her body was discovered in Palolem. One man has been charged with her murder. Monks gathered in Goa on Saturday The campaign, which “seeks truth and justice” has assembled an international legal team, headed by Derry solicitor, Des Doherty. Spokesperson Christy Duffy said: “We are making an international plea for help and assistance to all those who believe they can provide us with any information at all. “We are especially interested in any mobile phone or cellular device footage that you may have if you were present in Goa for the Holi Festival in the area of the Festival Valley at Palolem Beach and Collomb Bay on March 13, and the days leading up to it. “We are seeking to identify all potential witnesses from the footage and photographs that so many people have already sent to us. “If you feel that you can help at all, please upload what images or footage you have with date, time and location, identifying any person that you can. Any assistance will be invaluable and much appreciated.” Images, footage and information can be sent to [email protected], or Mr. Doherty at [email protected] Meanwhile, a special prayer ceremony was held on Saturday by 19 monks from the Pema Ts’al Sakya Monastery in Nepal. close to the site where Danielle’s body was discovered in Goa. Hundreds of locals and tourists joined the monks, who chanted the Samantabhadra aspiration prayers. Leela Fiorino, a patron of the monastery who is travellig with the monks, said the service was “very beautiful, very emotional but really healing.” “Before the service there was a palpable heaviness in that field; afterwards, it really felt the area was cleansed. “The senior monk also spoke about her mother, Andrea, and the rest of her friends and family. He prayed that they can find peace knowing her soul has been released,” she said. The monks will perform a Puja on their return to Nepal. It consists of prayers and rituals which are performed for 49 days after someone dies.

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Midfielder Nicky Low claims the Derry City players let down manager Kenny Shiels, the fans and everyone associated with the club in Sunday’s disappointing FAI Cup exit to Dundalk. The 25-year-old cut a frustrated and angry figure after the 4-0 drubbing at Oriel Park and said the players must respond. “It’s very disappointing. As a team we have let the manager down and everybody associated with the club; the fans and the people who work behind the scenes,” he stated. “To a man, we never turned up on the night. We had a good travelling support and we let them down. I can only apologise. “There’s no hiding the fact that the cup was a big thing and everyone is disappointed. Now that we are out now it’s not just a case of, ‘we’ll leave it here’. “Dundalk were by far the better team and it’s not good enough from us. The two times we have played them this season we have done well so I don’t know what happened on the night, but it wasn’t good enough. To a man, we never turned up on the night. We had a good travelling support and we let them down. I can only apologise. Nicky Low “We had big ambitions to go far in this cup and, yes, we still want to finish third but you don’t want to just finish third as a club. You finished there last year. Where are you going as club? You want to progress every year, so it’s hugely disappointing to be honest.” Low said the City players went into the tie confident having won their last four games without conceding a goal but he stressed that no one was arrogant. “We came in confident, but we didn’t come in arrogant,” he insisted. “We thought if we turned up as a team then obviously we could put on a show, give Dundalk a good game and maybe go through but, to be honest, it was miles from that. “Dundalk turned up and were miles better on the evening so there are no complaints at all from anyone in our changing room. “Dundalk deserved it and I wish them all the best but coming here the last time we drew and I felt we could maybe have nicked it that night. I don’t know if we came thinking about that last game, but we knew it was going to be a tough game. “I hope the boys didn’t come here thinking, ‘Oh we played well here the last time, it’s going to be the same again’ because football comes back and bites you.” The talented midfielder who extended his loan deal to City from Dundee until after this season’s FAI Cup final in November still feels there’s a big couple of months remaining. “When I spoke to Kenny (Shiels) about staying on, he talked about the FAI Cup as big and I wanted to be part of that and I thought we had a good chance of maybe going one better this season,” he said. “The last few weeks we have been playing well so that makes the defeat even harder to take. I don’t know where it came from to be honest. “Kenny was right to have a go at the players and give us a kick up the backside, because it’s going to be a tough week. We play Dundalk again and if play the same next Sunday then they’ll do the same to us again because they are a good team, they have good players and a good manager, so it’s up to us to bounce back from this defeat.” The Greenock man held his hands up, admitting Derry were under pressure from start after they conceded in the first minute and he conceded Stephen Kenny’s side could have won by a bigger margin. “When you concede stupid goals it kills you because you come with a game-plan. When you play any good team, your plan is not to concede right away because their fans get on top of you and their players get a major lift and your backs are against the wall. “After that we just never recovered. I know at 2-0 we had a few good chances and never took them, but we were still miles away even if we had scored a goal, as Dundalk could have scored a lot more.”

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DUP MP Gregory Campbell has paid tribute to the late, great English footballer Ray Wilkins by recalling an instance of unsung kindheartedness during a debate on homelessness in the House of Commons this afternoon. The East Derry MP drew attention to an extraordinary act of kindness shown by the former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Chelsea star, as it was recently recalled by a homeless man in the wake of his death earlier this month. Mr. Campbell, who would have cheered Mr. Wilkins on during his spell with Rangers in the late 1980s, said: "One of the most profoundly moving things I have heard - possibly he heard it too - was after the recent passing of the Rangers and Chelsea footballer Ray Wilkins. "On the radio, a moving tribute was paid live on air by a homeless man, who said that, when he was outside a tube station in London, the person who came to him, took him for a hot drink, gave him some money and changed his life was Ray Wilkins. "That man said in his tribute that the world might remember Ray Wilkins the footballer, but he will remember the man who saved his life."

Celtic fans have reacted after the club’s new 2018/19 kit was unveiled at an event in Glasgow last night. However, the famous hoops have been broken up, with a white band on each sleeve - and supporters are aghast at the break with tradition. As pictures emerged from the launch event featuring Scott Brown, Kieran Tierney, Moussa Dembele, Leigh Griffiths and Celtic ladies’ Kelly Clark, fans took to social media to air their views. Alternative View editor Matt McGlone wrote: “Love the socks and if the hoop on the arm wasn’t broken I’d love that also. “The hoop is our tradition, it’s always made us different, it’s us.” @EarlyCeltic backed up McGlone’s opinion, adding: “There are things in life which should never change and the green and white hoops are one. It’s our identity and part of our DNA. You can’t improve on green and white hoops.” There were a lot of references to Yeovil Town and Sporting Lisbon, with Stephen Carberry tweeting: “It looks like every Sporting Lisbon top you’ve ever seen. Nice, but not quite a proper Celtic shirt.” @smiffyago added: “Sorry, it looks like a Yeovil Town strip with a Celtic badge” while Joe Smith said: “They’ve went for the Yeovil Town look.” One fan fumed: “Worst Hoops I have ever seen in my entire life. We look like a second or third rate Yeovil Town. Embarrassing,” while Aidan added: “Makes us look like a glorified Yeovil Town.” Daniel Gallagher quipped: “Well, I look forward to following Yeovil Town home and away next season.” Gerry Miller commented: “After this season’s classic a very poor interpretation of our great kit. Massive let down.” Tony Green said on Twitter: “The sleeves are an abomination. Who are Celtic entrusting to design our kit and why are’t fans consulted?! At the end of the day it’s us that buy them.”

Ulster Bank All Ireland League Division 2B City of Derry 12, Navan RFC 37 Same result but a very different City of Derry as Navan left the Craig Thompson Stadium at Judges Road flattered by a 37-12 AIL Division 2B victory from which the home side should have at least secured a bonus point. Trevor Will was able to welcome back Simon Logue at scrum-half with backs coach Richard McCarter once again donning the 'green and black' despite a close season decision to retire and the experience duo made a huge difference to the young home team. Navan are one of the sides pushing for a top four finish and most likely arrived expecting a comfortable afternoon against a Derry side which has been brushed aside by side too often by side in recent months. Marooned at the bottom with relegation looking little more than a formality, it says everything about characters with the Judges Road dressing room that Derry have regrouped and, made themselves competitive once more. Yes, it was another defeat but replicate this performance and cut out some of the handling errors and there is at last reason for optimism. Young players like Killian Thornton and Thomas Cole have huge potential. It is not their fault they have had to be thrown into the All Ireland League mix very early in their development but they are growing in stature with every game and the return of McCarter and Logue provides them with perfect role models from which to learn. Derry's scrum was superb against a big Navan pack. The same couldn't be said about a misfiring line-out in which Adam Bratton was the only real target, and thus easy to negate, but the intensity and determination alone gave the home crowd something to cheer about at long last. Navan were ruthless, punishing almost every Derry mistake but that alone should give Derry hope. Cut out those rudimentary mistakes and this is a team they can at least compete against even the top sides in this division. It didn't start well. Navan back row Conor Farrell spotting a gap in defence and darting through for a fourth minute try which was converted by out-half William Staunton. Seven became 10 when Staunton added a penalty three minutes later but Derry's positive start was rewarded on 13 minutes when Logue intercepted in midfield and ran in from half-way to reduce the deficit to 5-7. Derry's approach was typified by a huge tackle from Jake McDevitt which denied Navan prop Brain McGovern his side's second try. McGovern's try wasn't far away though. Despite McDevitt's heroics, a loose Logue kick was seized upon by Ben McTaggart and while he was held up, McGovern was able to force his way over for 5-15. A needless yellow card for Derry's Davy Graham after a inexplicable shoulder charge on McTaggart didn't help the home cause and the visitors took immediate advantage as prop Leigh Jackson scored with Staunton converting. Full back Shane Walsh then got in on the act for Navana after a curious penalty decision to stretch the visitors lead to 5-27 but how Derry didn't score on the stroke of half-time only they will know. A textbook move saw the home team with four mean over but it was a case of 'too many cooks' as every left the final pass for each other and a certain try was lost. The second half started with the otherwise impressive Gerard Doherty spilling possession in midfield from which Navan second row Conor Hand ran in for a unconverted try and a 32-5 lead. A few weeks back that start would have floored Derry but not this time. The home side went on to dominate the half but too often got over excited close to the line or took the wrong option with a try beckoning. It was inexperience. They eventually did get the second try they deserved when, following a succession of scrum in the Navan '22, play was switched left to where Graham made a brilliant break. Held up he was able to recycle possession to McCarter. With Cole on his inside, McCarter's dummy was bought by the whole Navan back line as he ran in under the posts and converted himself for 12-32. Within minutes, an excellent driving maul put Navan hooker Sean Healy in for the game's final score but both side will have been reasonable happy at the final whistle. Navan got the bonus point win they would have expected while Derry provided a timely reminder that the club has some talented players and can be a force against any side. City of Derry: Ross Harkin, David Ferguson, Sam Duffy, Gerard Doherty, RodneyHill, Adam Bratton, Jake McDevitt, Craig Huey, Simon Logue, Richard McCarter, Tiernan Thornton, David Graham, Paddy Blenerhassett, Thomas Cole, Killian Thornton. (Replacements) Cathal Cregan, Barry Lafferty, Aaron Deery, Callum O'Hagan, Mark Craig. Navan: Brian McGovern, Sean Healy, Leigh Jackson, Ronan Scott, Conor Hand, Conor Ryan, Conor Farrell, Bryan McKeever, Robert Waters, William Staunton, Ben McEntaggart, Riaan Maile, Vaa Maile, Sean McEntaggrt, Shane Walsh. (Replacements) Fiachra Finegan, S O'Heir, Justin Whittaker, James Ring, Sean Vodden. Referee: Brendan Curtis (IRFU)

FORMER WORLD cruiserweight champion, Glenn McCrory is ‘excited’ to finally unleash big-punching Derry man, Sean McGlinchey, into the paid ranks this weekend. The 24 years-old Creggan pugilist is poised to make his professional debut this Saturday night at the Devenish Complex in Belfast and McCrory predicts big things for the former Oak Leaf clubman. He has got tremendous power - he’s got frightening power. He’s learned to survive against heavyweights and light heavyweights. Against middleweights he’ll be able to really hurt them. Glenn McCrory McCory, who has turned his hand to coaching at his family farm in Culdaff, Co. Donegal, has taken McGlinchey under his wing. Impressed by his brutal punching power and his willingness to learn and adapt his boxing style, McCrory believes the part-time door man can move along quickly and possibly secure an Irish title within 12 months. “Since we’ve been together he’s worked really hard and his training ethic has been fantastic,” said McCory who won the IBF world title in 1989. “He’s trained, listened, done everything and changed his style, he’s shifted a lot of weight and looks a different fighter altogether. “I’m really, really pleased with him. It’s his debut and a difficult one to get out of the way, but I couldn’t be happier with him and I’m expecting very, very big things from him.” McGlinchey’s pro debut is against 28 years-old Czech Republic native, Josef Obeslo who has 47 fights under his belt. However, McCrory reckons his fighter has more than enough in the tank and possesses ‘frightening power’ to easily dispatch his journeyman opponent. “He’s 25 next week and I think he’s coming to it at a time when he’s had a couple of years after his success in the Commonwealths. He’s had a couple of years where he’s realised it’s not going to happen and I think that’s made him a hungry fighter. “We can move along quickly and I think we can look for Irish titles within 12 months and then it’s wherever he wants to go. I’m not getting silly or carried away but I would expect him, if he went in with Liam Smith or Billy Joe Saunders to spar tomorrow, I would expect Sean to do really well. “We’ve changed him about.It’s getting him to box guys his own size and doing what he does, stand taller, getting his balance right and using that power. He’s got tremendous power - he’s got frightening power,” added the Englishman. “It’s getting him to use that power. He’s learned to survive against heavyweights and light heavyweights. Against middleweights he’ll be able to really hurt them. “I’ve got the body vest on and a big round pad and he’s punching the life out of me. I’m thinking, ‘there’s no way on earth a middleweight could stand that’.” The former Sky Sports boxing pundit says McGlinchey has been a ‘breath of fresh air’. “He’s been a breath of fresh air for me because it’s always something I wanted to do, move into training full time. And everything just fitted in nicely. The time was right and I couldn’t have met a nicer kid. It was first of all his personality which attracted him to me before I even watched him box. “And he’s ticked the boxes. When you’ve looked for heart, desire, training, commitment, he’s just been ticking them all. “I started getting excited when I saw how strong he was. He’s a very strong boy. He’ll be a super middleweight for this fight and then a middleweight down the line, but I have big hopes that he will give Derry something to shout about.” Sean would like to thank his sponsors, Granny Annies, Glenform Construction, Kular Fashion, Glenn’s Butchers, Thanksjosh Clothing and Signs Express. Anyone wishing to purchase tickets for Saturday’s fight should contact Seamus on 07730257777.

Police have released a photograph of Lu Na McKinney in a bid to retrieve information about her death at Devenish Island in Fermanagh earlier this year.. Mrs McKinney, 35, died in Fermanagh on Thursday 13 April. A 41-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Detective Inspector David McGrory said: “Police are issuing a photograph of Mrs McKinney today in the hope that people will come forward with any information they have about her. “I would like to hear from anyone who knew her or anyone who had contact with Mrs McKinney, who lived in Convoy, County Donegal, in the months preceding her death." He added that colleagues in An Garda Siochana "are working jointly with PSNI to investigate Lu Na’s death and anyone with information can contact either the PSNI on 101 ext 43373, confidential Crimestoppers number on 0800 555 111 or AGS at Letterkenny on 00353 749167100 or the AGS Confidential line on 1800 666 111".

Celtic’s hopes of signing Patrick Roberts in time for Wednesday’s clash with Astana have been dealt a fresh blow after the midfielder was named in Manchester City’s squad for a friendly with Spanish side Girona. The friendly will take place at 5pm on Tuesday, just over 24 hours before Celtic’s crunch Champions League play-off match and only six hours before the 11pm deadline to register the play in time to play. Celtic were hoping City would allow the player, who wants to move back to Parkhead on loan, to sign before the deadline. MORE: NI cafe offers Patrick Roberts 'free milkshakes for life' to sign for Celtic That now looks unlikely to happen with Pep Guardiola wishing to have another look at the 20-year-old as part of City’s 25-man first-team squad. City travelled out on Monday for their short summer break in Girona, a city in the north east region of Catalonia.

Ireland manager Martin O’Neill has backed James McClean to make the switch from West Bromwich Albion to Stoke City. O’Neill was speaking after the Creggan man was linked with a move to the Potteries over the weekend. James McClean It was reported that Stoke made a bid of £4 million for the winger, but West Brom were holding out for £6 million. The 29-year-old was relegated with the Baggies this past season. Yet, he could have moved during the season when new Stoke manager Gary Rowett was manager of Derby County. McClean wasn’t a regular starter at the beginning of the season before becoming a key player under Darren Moore as the club picked up form towards the end of the campaign. O’Neill is keen for the player to get regular football. “I think that particular manager when he was at Derby tried to buy him in January and for one reason or another it didn’t materialise,” he said. “I think James would feel this was a chance with a manager who liked his contributions to games and who could give him that opportunity to play more matches. “If that’s the case, I’m sure he’s definitely in favour of that. James is one of those players who definitely needs to play matches. “While he’s very, very fit, that would certainly give him a certain match sharpness that he needs, that all players need.” McClean, who has 59 caps, started in Ireland’s 2-0 defeat to France. They face the United States on Saturday.

A 22-year-old man who was identified to police by his mother has appeared in Derry Magistrate’s Court charged in connection with a break in at Christ Church in the city last month. James Anthony Kennedy of Glenside Park in the city faced two charges. He was charged with entering Christ Church as a trespasser on September 12 and stealing a priceless crystal decanter, a reader’s robe, communion wine and an organist’s surplice. He also faced a charge of criminal damage to a stained glass window, an organ, a Bible and a boiler room also on the same date. A police officer connected the accused to the charges and opposed bail. The court was told that on September 12 a member of the congregation discovered the burglary. A boiler house had been entered and the court heard that the perpetrators had defecated on the floor. They then used a chair to climb up and break a 19th century stained glass window. An organ that had been donated to the Church was damaged and it is estimated the damage will cost £50,000 to repair. The damage to the window was put at £10,000 and overall the cost of damage was put at between £75,000 to £100,000. Another item taken was a crystal decanter that a police officer said may have had a value but was priceless to the congregation having been donated by a family in memory of their daughter. CCTV footage from Brooke Park was viewed and two men were seen in the vicinity and then they appear to climb a fence at the rear of the church. The court heard after police released images of the men Kennedy’s mother contacted them identifying her son. At interview Kennedy admitted it may be him on CCTV but denied being in the church. He also made no comment to some of the allegations put to him. In response to defence solicitor Mr. Paddy McGurk the officer said Kennedy had co-operated ‘to a point’. Mr. McGurk said his client had expressed his ‘revulsion ‘ at this incident and said there was no suggestion he is sectarian. He added that Kennedy’s mother was married to a member of the Protestant faith. District Judge Barney McElholm said there seemed to be evidence putting Kennedy at the scene. He said if there was evidence of sectarianism it was ‘absolutely outrageous and rightfully would be punished severely ‘. But he added no matter how outrageous there was a presumption of innocence and released him on bail. Kennedy was released on his own bail of £500 and one surety of £750 with condition he does not contact witnesses or any co-accused. He is also not to go within 200 metres of Brooke Park or Christ Church. Kennedy will appear on November 2.

Dylan Wade isn’t one for letting life get him down. The Brandywell teenager has come through unimaginable trauma in his life, having been left paralysed after falling from a tree in St Columb’s Park in May 2016. In the weeks that followed his devastating injury, Dylan underwent major surgery and was hospitalised in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast for six weeks before spending a period at Musgrave Park Hospital for rehabilitation. Just over a year later, in June 2017, Dylan, joined by a thousand supporters, including friends and family, took part in a 5k in his wheelchair. The St Joseph’s Boys’ School pupil had been a keen runner before his accident. Wanting to continue to be a part of the running community and to take part in events locally, his teachers at school decided to fundraise to purchase a race chair. On Friday past, in a landmark moment after months of fundraising spearheaded by teacher Emmett McGinty with support from teacher Graeme Doherty, Dylan got to use his very own race chair for the first time in the grounds of his school. Supervised by Derry race chair expert James Divin, 16-year-old Dylan had his first taste of racing while his teachers looked on with pride. “It felt good but I was exhausted,” said Dylan, during a break in classes at St Joseph’s earlier this week. “I’d always been into running before the accident. I always found it a great way to clear my head, I think sport does that anyway. It’s a good way to stop overthinking. I’m glad now I’ll be able to train in the race chair.” Teacher Graeme Doherty said staff at the school have been overwhelmed with support for the fundraising effort, which included gestures from former St Joseph’s pupil Shane Duffy, and even the donation of a shirt from Usain Bolt. “Derry people are renowned for their generosity but it really was something else,” said Mr. Doherty “It was a £5 entry fee for the 5k and people were donating way more than that on the day itself. In the end, we know it was the biggest 5k in Northern Ireland last year. It was so well supported and it was a great event for everyone, including Dylan himself.” Dylan said he’ll never forget the number of people who turned up at the event last summer. “I was completely overwhelmed. There were just so many people and I’m so grateful for everybody who supported me,” he said. Last year, Dylan helped out at the finishing line of the Walled City Marathon. His goal now, thanks to his race chair, is to train and get to a point where he can compete in the marathon himself. “It’s hard work on the race chair and I’ll have to practise a lot but I’m looking forward to it,” said Dylan. While he’s looking forward to a sport filled future, the local teenager also has plans career-wise in an area which he feels is very important. “I’d like to help people like me,” said Dylan. “I’d like to work with people who aren’t able to use their legs because they’ve had an accident. When I was in Musgrave Park I remember for the first week I didn’t come out of my room. There was another patient there called Dean Doherty. He brought me out and introduced me to people and we played a bit of pool. Before long we were all having a bit of craic just and that made a big difference to me. “I think it’s so hard at the start when something like this happens. All of a sudden, I couldn’t use my legs anymore and I was worrying about the future all the time. It was hard at the start and I’d like to be able to help people who are going through that because I know exactly what they’re going through.” Dylan’s now hoping to do a 5k, using his race chair, as part of his coursework for GCSE PE, alongside two other sports. “Everyone in the school is very proud of him,” said teacher, Graeme. “Dylan has a quiet confidence and just gets on with things but he has inspired a lot of other students here at St Joseph’s.” Dylan’s mantra is simple. “When this happened to me, I had two options, either sit here and do nothing or get on with things. I try not to overthink things and take one day at a time. “I’m delighted to have my race chair now and I can’t wait to get out on it,” he added.

Irish Water issues a National Water Conservation Order - commonly referred to a hosepipe ban- in the south for all domestic water supplies and commercial premises for non-commercial activities. ofrom 8am on Friday, July 6 until midnight on Tuesday, July 31 as a drought continues across the country. The ban will begin this Friday, July 6 and continue until midnight on Tuesday, July 31, as a drought continues across the country. The scope of this Order is the same as the one applied to the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) on Monday, July 2.Irish Water said it may review the scope of both over the coming weeks and added that the order has been issued due to the continued drought conditions and to help protect water supplies now and over the coming months. Met Éireann has advised that there has been little or no rain over the last 30 days and predictions show no significant rainfall is likely for at least a further week, meaning deepening drought conditions. High levels of sunlight means significant evaporation levels on water sources. The average soil moisture deficit is currently 60mm nationally which means even if it did rain, no water would reach water sources as it would be absorbed by the ground. The continuation of these drought conditions nationally is putting pressure on water sources as rivers, lakes and groundwater levels drop. On average, demand across all water resources nationally has increased by 15%, and given the environmental pressures on the aquifers and waterbodies, this cannot be sustained for any period of time. Due to soil moisture conditions, smaller groundwater sites in particular may take many months to recover. The National Water Conservation Order has the potential to suppress any non-essential increases in demand during this period, and prevent increased abstraction at a time when the raw water sources are least able to support these volumes. Irish Water thanked the public for their conservation efforts to date and continue to encourage and support the public in their efforts to reduce usage. It added it is grateful for all measures that have been taken in homes and businesses. Irish Water said its top priority during the current dry period is to protect water supply for use in homes and businesses in the coming weeks and months. In a statement, it said: “As demand continues to outstrip supply and the warm weather looks set to continue, Irish Water has taken the extra step to use the legal options open to us. Section 56 (16) of the Water Services Act 2007 allows for an effective ‘hosepipe ban’.” The Water Conservation Order (hosepipe ban) will be in place until midnight on Tuesday, 31 July for domestic users and for non-commercial use by commercial bodies. Irish Water will keep the situation under review and may have to extend the period of time the order is in place. The prohibited uses are as follows:Use of water drawn through a hosepipe or similar apparatus for the purpose of :watering a garden; cleaning a private motor-vehicle using a domestic hosepipe; cleaning a private leisure boat; filling or maintaining a domestic swimming or paddling pool (except when using hand held containers filled directly from a tap); filling or maintaining a domestic pond (excluding fish ponds); filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain (with the exception of such use for commercial purposes); filling or replenishing an artificial pond, lake or similar application. The Irish Water Conservation Order (hosepipe ban) does not apply to private wells or private group water schemes. Working with the National Federation of Group Water Schemes Irish Water urged all water users to conserve water during this drought period and over the coming months to protect all water supplies. Speaking about the legal move, Irish Water’s Corporate Affairs Manager Kate Gannon said: “Imposing a national Water Conservation Order (hosepipe ban) reflects the serious need for water conservation now and over the coming months. It is essential that our water supply resources are conserved to help avoid further restrictions and outages over the coming weeks and months. “We are really grateful for the measures that people have taken to conserve water so far and we hope that placing a Water Conservation Order (hosepipe ban) will make people more mindful of their responsibilities and the impact their water usage is having on their neighbours and communities. “Irish Water is mindful of the impact that a Water Conservation Order might have on businesses and the tourist industry and for that reason the prohibition is mainly limited to domestic users but does include commercial premises for non-commercial activities e.g. watering gardens attached to a business premises. “The utility continues to be in touch with large commercial users who have committed to conserving water and we are very grateful to them for their efforts. We are also appealing to them to limit all non-essential water use and to avoid using hosepipes or power washers where possible, particularly if it is for cosmetic reasons.”

A leading health boss has warned that people should not be using GP Out-of-Hours service as an alternative to everyday doctor surgeries. Dr Margaret O’Brien, Head of General Medical Services with the Health and Social Care Board issued the warning ahead of the New Year. She said the holiday period proved a very busy one for our local GPs, nurses and other staff providing an out of hours service. Dr O’Brien said: “GP out-of-hours is offered by five different providers to everyone registered with a GP practice in Northern Ireland, and functions 365 days of the year outside of normal GP working hours. “The demand on these services also increases during the holidays when regular surgeries are closed. “This means out-of-hours GPs all across the region are handling very high volumes of calls, some from people with very serious conditions that require immediate attention. “The pressure is heightened when people treat the service as an alternative to their everyday GP services – this is not what out-of-hours is for.” Dr O’Brien cautioned that Out-Of-Hours was not there to be used for repeat prescriptions, minor ailments such as a cold, “treatment for hair lice or if people are just too busy to ring their GPs during the day”. She added: “Using the GP out-of-hours service inappropriately can prevent people who genuinely need help such as parents with a very sick child, a palliative care patient or an older person who feels very unwell from getting through. “Almost 600,000 calls made to GP out-of-hours each year and numbers are increasing year on year, which is why it’s important to only use the service for urgent and serious conditions. “My message to readers is to think before you call GP out-of-hours – is your situation urgent? Can you wait until your surgery opens in the morning? Should you be getting treatment elsewhere? These questions will help to reduce the large amount of calls from people that could be treated elsewhere and free up phone lines for urgent calls.” She added that the Public Health Agency and Health and Social Care Board are working together to urge people to ‘Stay Well This Winter’ and advise everyone to look after themselves and take the appropriate actions that will help them stay well. Find out about the different health service options available from self-care, community pharmacists, minor injury units and more www.nidirect.gov.uk/stay-well.

Martin McGuinness' son Emmett has named his newborn baby boy after his father. Martin McGuinness passed away in March this year after a short illness. Emmett McGuinness shared the news of his son's birth on social media on Sunday. "Baby Máirtín Rua McGuinness, born last night [Saturday]. Altnagelvin hospital brought back very mixed emotions but today is a good day. Over the moon," said Emmett. Replying to the good news, Sinn Fein Senator, Padraig MacLochlainn said: "Congratulations to you both. Wonderful news."

KENNY SHIELS admits he urgently needs to ‘fix the problems’ which have allowed his troubled Derry City side to slump to an alarming run of three successive league defeats - the biggest blip he’s experienced since taking charge. The Derry boss accused his players of ‘short-changing our supporters’ after a dismal defeat in the North West derby on Friday night and a performance which lacked character, passion and cohesion. The team is clearly experiencing a lull in confidence which can only be expected after the tragic loss of the late Ryan McBride whose leadership qualities and experience this young side are presently missing. Interestingly Shiels suggested in an interview on BBC Scotland’s ‘Sportsound’ programme recently that the players and staff almost feel guilty that the show must go on without their inspirational skipper as they try return to some sort of normality. “Because you’re grieving about something there’s a guilt complex where you don’t want to enjoy yourself too much because you feel as though it’s a betrayal of your captain,” explained Shiels. But he refuses to allow the turmoil and immeasurable loss of McBride and the grief which has hit the club so hard, to be used as an excuse for his side’s worrying losing streak as he attempts to steer his side through troubled waters. ‘Through adversity we get stronger together,” he said in the same interview. He’s done it before and no doubt he’ll do it again but Shiels has, so far, struggled to find a successful defensive formula in the past three games and they look particularly vulnerable on the counter. Before the tragic loss of McBride Derry conceded just twice in the opening four games of the season but since a return to action three weeks ago, the Candy Stripes have shipped eight goals in three games! But it was the home side’s lack of fight and a ‘flat’ performance which will have worried Shiels most on Friday night as they surrendered to their Co. Donegal neighbours who clinched a first ever ‘away’ league win over the Candy Stripes. Harps won the key battles on the pitch and set the tone with several crunching tackles on Ronan Curtis, who was clearly targeted, during the opening 15 minutes. Experienced campaigners, Ciaran Coll, Damien McNulty, Killian Cantwell and ‘man of the match’, ex City skipper, Barry Molloy showed a real desire and broke down City’s disjointed, sporadic attacks at every opportunity. During Derry’s eye-catching start to the campaign, they showed exactly those qualities which saw them rise to second in the table behind the formidable Cork City and they need to rediscover their hunger and fight in time for the trip to Sligo on Saturday. “Let’s see who’s got the necessary fight, commitment, character to come back and help us win our next game,” challenged Shiels afterwards. The fact that Derry could conceivably have been 2-0 ahead but for two gilt edged chances which went begging for Curtis and Mikhail Kennedy can’t be overlooked either. And BJ Banda’s fortuitous deflected strike summed up Derry’s recent spate of bad luck. Although Cork ran amok in Turner’s Cross last week, they also got the rub of the green for their second goal when Nathan Boyle was clearly fouled in the build-up. And it was a last gasp winner conceded from a corner kick which denied City a more than deserved point the previous weekend against Bray Wanderers. “We lost a game tonight with a deflected goal and we’ll address the problems as a team and as a club,” said Shiels . “It’s not the end of the world. We’re still healthy and fit to go again on Monday. “We’re disappointed for everyone in the city. It’s the biggest blip we’ve had since I’ve been at the club and we have to turn it around. We need to take the criticism that’s coming our way and we understand that and the plaudits we’ve had. Now it’s time to see how we respond and it’s a good time to test players because we find out about players in defeats. “It’s up to me to establish the reasons and to fix the problems. That’s what I’m here for and I take full responsibility. We have to pick each other up, It’s a team effort. We must lose together and hopefully in the not too distant future we start winning together.” Finn Harps meanwhile are fast becoming Shiels’ bogey team as the Ballybofey men have taken seven points from a possible nine in the past three league meetings. The Derry supremo reckons Harps can no longer hide behind the underdogs tag given the vast experience within their ranks and that experience was evident on Friday night - it won them the match!

Graeme McDowell admits he is suffering from the "scar tissue" caused by his recent struggles as he tries to show his kids the form which made him a major champion and Ryder Cup hero. McDowell became the first European winner of the US Open in 40 years when he won at Pebble Beach in 2010, the same year he secured the winning point in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. However, the 38-year-old's last victory came back in 2015 and the former world number four starts this week's Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at 175th in the rankings, having dropped outside the top 200 before finishing 12th in May's BMW PGA Championship. "I'm struggling with confidence," McDowell admitted at Ballyliffin. "It's that little bit of scar tissue that builds up over three or four years of not playing well. "You play your best golf when you don't care, when you practise really hard and really intensely and you get on the golf course and let it go and you play carefree. It's hard to play carefree when you've had three or four years of not playing well. "I feel like I'm one result away from having a lot of great results, but I just can't get that one result under the belt. "The desire's still there but my motivations are different. I'm out here because the legacy that I want to leave in the game, I don't want to go out like this. I'd really like another two or three years at the top of the game. "I have young kids and I have that visual of having my kids come on to the 72nd green of a tournament (after a win). That's what I want. "I want to show my kids that I am a great player and don't have to pull out the old DVDs. If they know what a DVD is, my kids. They probably don't. Pull it up on YouTube." McDowell has recorded just one top 10 in 16 appearances in the Irish Open and needs another in Ballyliffin to have a chance of claiming one of the three qualifying places on offer for the Open Championship at Carnoustie. But he will at least have his own clubs available after they were delivered to his hotel at 3am on Wednesday morning, having initially been lost in transit from Paris to Manchester, where McDowell had flown in order to contest the 36-hole Open qualifier at St Annes Old Links on Tuesday. "We established they were in Paris on Monday, but couldn't establish when they were going to get to me," McDowell added. "I had to withdraw from the Open qualifier on Monday night, much to the world of Twitter's dismay. They couldn't quite understand why I couldn't just go borrow a set of clubs and go shoot 65, 65 and qualify, which I could have done, I suppose. "The main point was it wasn't my last chance saloon. If it had then of course I would have went out there and gave it my best shot, but with three spots up for grabs this week and next week in Scotland, I felt like it was going to be an unnecessary risk to take with regards to preparing for this week."

Seventy-three social housing units are needed in the Waterside’s rural hinterland over the next four years with the vast majority of these scheduled for the semi-industrial Strathfoyle and Eglinton areas but only 24 have been programmed between now and 2020, Housing Executive boss Clark Bailie has confirmed. The Housing Executive projects that thirty social houses will be needed in Eglinton by 2021, with a further 20 required in Strathfoyle, 10 in Claudy, six in Newbuildings, four in Magheramason and three in Lettershandoney. But in a letter to Derry City and Strabane District Council, Mr. Bailie, has now confirmed that only 19 have been programmed for Eglinton, two for Strathfoyle, and three for Claudy between now and 2020. Three units were completed in Eglinton last year. A further seven were on site across Eglinton, Strathfoyle and Claudy as of March 31, 2017. And a further 14 in Eglinton have been planning approved and are programmed for completion over the next three years. The local housing authority does not believe any new social housing units are needed in Ardmore or Maydown at the moment. Mr. Bailie wrote to the local authority after personally outlining the agency’s plans to increase the level of social housing stock in the city at a meeting of its Governance and Strategic Planning Committee last month. In September Mr. Bailie explained that the Housing Executive projected 2,552 new social housing units would be needed in Derry and Strabane over the next five years but that only 1,161 were planned between now and 2020. At last month’s meeting Mr. Bailie was asked to provide a breakdown of the number of social units planned in Derry’s rural hinterland. Mr. Bailie promised the committee that while he didn’t have those details to hand he would write to the council and provide full details of rural housing need, new build completions, on-site and programmed schemes. Fulfilling this promise the Housing Executive boss has confirmed 111 social housing units are needed across the Derg, Sperrin and aforementioned Faughan District Electoral Areas. Within the Sperrin DEA 15 houses will be needed in Ballymagorry and four in Douglas Bridge but none in Artigarvan, Donemana, Park or in Plumbridge. In the Derg DEA 16 houses are required in Sion Mills and three in Clady but none elsewhere, according to Mr. Bailie, in his letter, which was presented to the committee on Tuesday.

Relatives of those killed on Bloody Sunday and in the Claudy bombings have joined politicians, clergy, aid workers and campaigners for a special cross-community church service in Derry. Those gathered for the special Sunday morning worship at First Derry Presbyterian Church were told that a route to strengthening peace here was possible for people of different faith backgrounds “standing together, praying together, singing together and then living together”. Rev Dr. David Latimer pictured with members of the Ambulance Service who attended the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. DER1718-117KM Reverend David Latimer said the invitation by BBC Radio Ulster to broadcast the service “was embraced as an opportunity to instil into the hearts and minds of people, not only in Derry/Londonderry but across the country that despite our many differences we are only ever as strong as we are united”. Among those who took part were Mayor of Derry & Strabane Maolíosa McHugh, who read the Old Testament lesson, and Gary Middleton DUP MLA who read the New Testament lesson, as well as UUP Alderman Mary Hamilton, SDLP Councillor and Deputy Mayor John Boyle and Sinn Fein National Chairperson Declan Kearney MLA. The Pink Ladies were in attendance alongside representatives from the Council for the Homeless, the House in the Wells, Bogside History Tours and Martin McCrossan Tours. Members of the Ambulance, Fire and Police Service also attended the service in uniform. Rev. Latimer, who conducted the broadcast service and preached on the subject, ‘Going a Little Further,’ said that the absence of a devolved government at Stormont, a fraught political landscape and uncertainty generated by Brexit were combining to subtly “suck us back into the dark valley of despair”. Members of the choir, from left, Irene Crawford, Dorothy Simpson and Iris McGregor enjoyed tea in the Maldron Hotel after the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. DER1718-125KM “Retreating into the safety of our tribal silos is not, however, the way to save our peace, strengthen our peace or build our peace,” he said. “If we can only remember that those whom we live with and from whom we can’t get away are our brothers and sisters who share with us the same short life then surely, in the words of Senator Robert Kennedy, ‘we can begin to work a little harder to bind up the wounds among us.’ “One way to help bring this about is for people with opposing political aspirations and different faith backgrounds standing together, praying together, singing together and then living together.” One way, he suggested, for people to go a little further involved praying for all politicians and not just those from their own communities, and for ministers and priests to go even further by publicly naming the leaders of political parties in prayers at services. Engaging in this practice, he said, would serve to slowly reinforce that we are, after all, one people, one family, much more alike than different. Rev Dr. David Latimer pictured with the Gary Middleton MLA and his wife Julie after the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. DER1718-116KM Reverend Latimer believed now was “as good a time as any for all of us to examine our achievements for peace and prosperity and, where necessary give ourselves permission to break new ground by going that little bit further by intentionally reaching out to friend and foe alike”. In a nutshell, he concluded, it is time to extend to others, whatever their creed or culture, the same grace God has extended to us. After the service ended everyone was invited to mingle at the nearby Maldron Hotel. Rev Dr. David Latimer chats to liitle Emily McMonagle and her mum Rachel after the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. DER1718-120KM Looking forward to tea in the Maldron Hotel after the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning were, from left, Jean Molly, Dorothy Thompson, Billy Molloy, Josie Dennison, Sylvia Dingley, Xuesong Jin and Yang Zhou. DER1718-126KM Rev Dr. David Latimer pictured with Rev Bert Tosh, Senior Producer, BBC Radio Ulster, after the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. DER1718-118KM Sherlyn Logue, Heather Scott, Avril Roulston and Karen Moore had tea in the Maldron Hotel after the service in First Derry Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning. DER1718-124KM

A Derry councillor has said that a new report claiming that one in three children are raised in poverty, was a “damning indictment” of Northern Ireland’s economic and social policy. SDLP Councillor Tina Gardiner was speaking after the Western Health Trust presented its Children’s Service Planning Report before the Council’s Health and Community Committee. The report by Kieran Downey, Director of Women’s and Children’s Services, outlines the challenges, priorities, programmes and measures being developed to try and ensure children have best start and care, and to promote better outcomes going forward. The report states that as of September, 2016, there were 337 children on the Child Protection Register in the West- a 30 per cent increase since 2011. The number of children in care also rose dramatically from 400 in 2011 to 588 by 2016. The western region also has the highest child poverty rates anywhere in the north. Speaking after the report’s presentation, Colr. Gardiner said this was “a damning indictment on economic and social policy” in the north. “While it is welcome that the Health Trust is developing its strategy to try to help with these problems, the real causes of poverty have to be addressed through regional economic and social investment,” she said. For that to happen, Colr. Gardiner said, the region needs a targeted economic strategy, implemented by government. “Everyone in the region knows that our roads and university are not adequate in a modern economy,” she added. “Without these in place we can’t get enough investment in jobs and we need investment in high quality training for people who are unemployed – no matter what their age. “Other European countries have training programmes for people at any age – why do we stop training unemployed people at age 25? The main way to address child poverty is by providing decent employment opportunities for their parents. “This should not be a region of poverty, it should be a region of job opportunities and growth. “There is a moral imperative to get the Executive and Assembly back to work so we can ensure our families can lift themselves out of poverty.”

A taxi driver has expressed disgust at finding a syringe and needle in the back seat after dropping a fare off from Derry’s city centre. The driver warned that a child or unsuspecting passenger could have found or sat on the needle, had it not been discovered inside the vehicle on Holy Thursday. The driver said that at around 9.00 p.m. on Thursday, two women, aged in their 30s, were driven from Derry city centre to the Brandywell area. “They were absolutely rubbered,” the driver claimed. “Just after I dropped them off, I went around the corner and heard something fall off the seat and hit the side panel. I got out, looked and found the needle and took a photograph of it. “I was disgusted because a lot of people don’t realise a taxi driver not only uses his or her car for businesses, but it is also a family car. “If I hadn’t seen it, what if one of my kids had found it or if it had fallen down the middle of the seat somebody might have sat on it? That could have meant three months of health checks to make sure there were no blood disorders. “In your taxi you could have people of all ages at this time of year. “You could have hundreds of people in your car each week.” The driver has discussed the size and style of the syringe and needle with various people and said that it seems unlikely it was used for any medical, cosmetic or fitness purpose and was most likely used for hard drugs, possibly heroin. “I don’t think they were using it in the back of my car, and it’s not about the girls using drugs, that’s their choice, but it’s the recklessness of leaving that in the car for anybody to find or anybody to sit on,” the driver said. “Junkies can go to local chemist and avail of clean, sterile syringes and if they wanted to use drugs they should have taken it back to the chemist to dispose of.” The taxi driver made certain that the syringe and needle were safely disposed of.

People in Derry are being asked to help light up the city at North West Regional College’s (NWRC) inaugural 5k event on March 9. Beginning at 7.30 p.m. at the Clock Tower at Ebrington, the 5k will see walkers and runners, complete with their glowsticks, light up the event route over the city’s iconic Peace Bridge, finishing at the College’s Foyle Building along the quayside. The event, which is the first of its kind in the city, has been organised by NWRC staff member Nicholas Mullan. Well known on the local running circuit and a veteran of events such as the London Marathon, this year Nicholas is looking forward to seeing his second batch of runners graduate from NWRC’s Couch to 5k programme. The 5K Glow Run on March 9 will be the NWRC group’s first official 5k – but the event is open to everyone in the North West. Chief Executive and Principal of NWRC Leo Murphy said: “We want as many local people as possible to come out and support what promises to be a fantastic evening. The event is not just for runners, we want to encourage walkers to get involved. It’s all about staying active and fit. At the same time the College will be promoting the community message of how important it is to stay safe whilst out running on the dark evenings.” The event costs just £10 to take part and every participant will have a chipped time, receive a finisher medal, and a GLOW goodie Bag, Refreshments will be served afterwards in NWRC’s Foyle Building. To register for the Walk/Run by followthe link below. https://register.primoevents.com/ps/event/NWRCGlowRun

Caleb Williamson’s mum describes him as a ‘crazy, loving, cheeky monkey’ with a passion for all things car- related. With his happy-go-lucky personality and beaming smile, you’d be forgiven for thinking he doesn’t have a care in the world. But little Caleb has been through more in 24 months than most of us will ever face in a lifetime. All smiles.... little Caleb At just two days old, doctors told his parents that there was a problem with his sight. His mum Jacqueline, who has sight loss herself, knew it was a possibility but the news still came as a massive shock. After lots of tests, Caleb was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer that causes tumours behind the eyes. In his short life, Caleb, who is the youngest of six children, has had multiple rounds of chemotherapy, laser treatment and cryotherapy to try and kill the tumours. Regular check-ups are required to track the progress of the disease, which could be life-threatening if a tumour spreads, and Caleb’s family have seen specialists in Belfast, Dublin, Birmingham and Switzerland. Sadly, the treatments also have an impact on Caleb’s sight and it’s thought he has no vision in his left eye and a visual acuity of just 6/76 in his right eye. Guide Dogs’ Children and Young People’s team became involved with Caleb in August 2017, after his case was referred from Altnagelvin hospital. Habilitation Specialist Sarah assessed him and began a development programme to help him meet his milestones. Her work included teaching him to ‘track’ (following objects with his eyes) and introducing him to different objects and textures. In January, he also got his first long cane and he’s learning to tap it on the floor to understand different surfaces and distances. “It’s been so lovely getting to know Caleb and his family’, Sarah says. “It’s quite challenging because Caleb’s vision is changing all the time and he can’t verbalise what he can see to us. But he’s right where he should be for his age and he does everything with such enthusiasm! It’s really exciting to watch him develop the skills he’ll need to be as independent as possible.” Mum Jacqueline adds: “He’s come on so much since Sarah started to work with him. I was so panicky at the start but now I let him batter on! I just want a normal life for him. “My advice for other parents who’ve just had a child diagnosed with a visual impairment would be ‘don’t panic’. I freaked out initially but you just have to get on and take whatever life throws at you. “Right now we’re looking forward to our first family holiday together in the sun. We can’t wait!”

Derry man and Republic of Ireland international, James McClean, has implored Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, to stand-up to an "offensive" and "unacceptable" Brexit. McClean and more than 200 people from the North sent an open letter to Mr. Varadkar warning him that Brexit "threatens to reinforce partition on this island". The letter was published in both The Irish News and The Irish Times newspapers. Olympic boxers Paddy Barnes and Michael Conlon also signed the letter. "The fact that a majority of voters in the north of Ireland voted to remain within the EU must not be ignored," reads the letter. "Against the stated will of a majority of voters in the north, and notwithstanding recent announcements, Brexit pushes us all into uncharted territory, with huge uncertainty for business and the economy, and continuing doubts about what this will mean in reality for Irish and European citizens living in this region. "We, our children and grandchildren should not be forced out of the EU against our democratic will. "All of this is offensive and unacceptable to us and many others." The signatories added that they had "no confidence" in the British government being able to impartially broker peace in the North. "We appeal urgently to you, Taoiseach, and to the Irish government, to reassure us of your commitment to stand for equality and a human rights based society and your determination to secure and protect the rights of all citizens in the north of Ireland," they said. "Despite the British government's co-equal and internationally binding responsibility for overseeing the peace process with the Irish Government, we have no confidence in its commitment to do so with impartiality or objectivity," they said.

DARTS STAR, Daryl Gurney was delighted to return to his old stomping ground at Lisneal College on Friday as he generously answered a call for help from the Waterside school. The World No.4, who is preparing for the PDC World Darts Championships, took time out of his busy schedule to visit pupils and offer much needed sponsorship for the school’s football and hockey teams. It was a much welcome gesture from the Tullyally man who sponsored four new sports kits but he was happy to give something back to his old school. “I still run about here whenever I have days off,” explained Gurney. “I’m always running about working with cars and passing the school so it just made sense when I heard they needed a bit of funding to help them out. “It’s just a simple thing which can help the children out and if we can help them out in any kind of way then it’s great. Something as simple as sponsoring kits can go a long way. I hope they enjoy their kits and especially in this weather I hope it can keep them warm,” he smiled. Gurney, who kicks off his World Darts Championships at the ‘Ally Pally’ next Monday night against Ronny Huybrechts, was greeted in the assembly hall by the school choir who sang a rendition of ‘Superchin’s’ walk on music, ‘Sweet Caroline’. Daryl 'Suyperchin' Gurney signs autographs for pupils at Lisneal College. And Gurney says he was bowled over by the welcome and is hoping his success will see more local children step up to the oche. “It’s a shock to me when I see the children’s reaction,” smiled Gurney. “I still feel like I’m the same player I was 10 years ago. The children roaring and screaming is more of a shock to me than anybody else. “I’m still the person I was 10 years ago. I’m still grounded, my feet are on the ground and I see myself as a darts player and that’s it. The enthusiasm from the children has been unbelievable.” And Lisneal College principle, Michael Allen insists Gurney is the perfect role model for aspiring darts players as he spent three hours signing autographs and playing darts with the children. Zack McGarrigle sporting his new Superchin shirt as Jason Canning and Dylan Boyd look on. “It’s great that we have a role model we can point to that we maybe didn’t have before Daryl. “We put an appeal as schools are finding it extremely difficult at the moment with finances so we put out an appeal on Facebook and Twitter that we needed four new kits for our pupils for football and hockey and Hayley, Daryl’s sister picked up on it and spoke to Daryl and within a few days we had an offer for sponsorship for all four kits. “We’re delighted, he’s a great guy, a really good fella. He spent hours today with our kids and has just blown us away. “He did the presentation then he walked down through the school meeting the kids and signing autographs. He then went into our wee darts room and he stood for two hours playing darts with the kids. It went down really well.”

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Small & Hyland Intermediate Football Championship Ballerin 2-08, Drumsurn 1-09 Drumsurns Pearse McNickle battles his way through Ballerins defence in Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon last. DER3317GS006 Ballerin burst into the Intermediate Championship Quarter-finals with an fast flowing display that had simply too much energy for a Drumsurn team who failed to build on a dream start in Celtic Park on Sunday. There were only one minute and 31 seconds on the clock when Pearse McNickle out-muscled Antoin Bradley for the long ball in which he broke down. Ciaran Mullan was supporting and managed to poke it back toward the full forward who fired a low finish into the Ballerin net for the game's first score. It was an ominous sign but Ballerin didn't blink. Instead they settled into a running game that Drumsurn struggled to keep pace with as half-back Shane Ferris in particular excelled in the wide open spaces of the Celtic Park pitch. Callum Bradley was the Sarsfields sweeper but the game-plan dictated he was never lonely as Mark Ferris and Stephen and Bobby Mullan joined in to act as the first line of defence but also - and more importantly - the springboard for almost every Ballerin defence. Of course it helps when you have a forward as reliable as Gary Keane and the big No. 14 was on the end of more than a few of his team's lightning quick breaks to finish with a personal tally of 1-06. A Keane free got Ballerin off and chasing that early McNickle goal but they didn't have long to wait to pass Drumsurn's tally and once in front they were never caught. It was only eight minutes after that opening goal, and a sign of things to come, as Ballerin countered. Shane McIntyre got himself on the end of the move and picked out the deep run of Paul Ferris who produced a lovely low finish to put Ballerin one point up. And it was about to get even better. Drumsurn were struggling to stifle the Ballerin running game and two minutes later another swift attack ended with Keane slamming home his team's second goal in off the underside of the crossbar for a 2-01 to 1-00 lead with only 11 minutes gone. Ciaran Mullan stemmed the flow with a fisted point and then a lovely point off the inside of the post but the plentiful service Keane was getting for Ballerin was in stark contrast to the scraps Mullan and McNickle was being made to fight for. Another Keane point left a goal between them but Drumsurn's prospects were improved when Ballerin midfielder Jarlath Mooney was black carded for a 25th minute challenge on Cahir Mullan. Yet one black card was quickly followed by another and this time it was Drumsurn's turn to suffer. Once again the problem stemmed from losing possession on the Ballerin 45m line. Mark Ferris grabbed the loose ball and sprinted off into the wide open spaces, pursued by Ruairi Rafferty. Ferris was flying and when he stepped inside his pursuer, he was sent flying and the inevitable black card was produced, even if Ferris still felt it necessary to wave an imaginary card in the referee's face to secure it. The excellent Christopher Harbinson and Ryan Deighan (free) swapped points as an eventful half finished with Ballerin leading 2-03 to 1-03. The second half was as fast moving as the first and Ballerin deserve credit for managing the physical challenge posed by Drumsurn. Two early points from Keane gave them vital breathing space and they needed it. That brace was answered by Ciaran Mullan and Harbinson but, again, Keane was able to respond and keep the lead at five points. Both sides had goal chances and both keepers made excellent saves - Steven Harbinson from Paul Ferris and Paul Keane from Ciaran Mullan as Drumurn became increasingly desperate in the knowledge that only a goal was going to close the gap. It never arrived and Ballerin deservedly progressed. If they produce this type energetic display no one will enjoy playing them in the last eight. Drumsurn: Steven Harbinson; Dane Mullan, Eoin Ferris, Daniel McNicholl; Christopher Harbinson (0-3), Oran Rafferty, Anthony McLaughlin; Cahir Mullan (0-1), Michael Mullan; Ryan Mullan, Martin Mullan, Aaron Butcher; Ruairi Rafferty, Pearse McNickle (1-0), Ciaran Mullan (0-4). (Subs) Daryl Mullan for A Butcher (inj), 16mins; Sean Butcher for R Rafferty (Black Card) 26mins; Ryan Twist (0-1) for S Butcher (inj), 30mins; Harry Foster for M Mullan, 50mins; Ballerin: Paul Keane; Mark Ferris, Antoin Bradley, Shane Ferris; Bobby Mullan, Callum Bradley, Stephen Mullan; Jarlath Mooney, Jarlath Bradley; Paul Ferris (1-1, Liam Brown, Damian Cassidy; Ryan Deighan (0-1, 1f), Gary Keane (1-6, 2f), Shane McIntyre. (Subs) Willie McGilligan for J Mooney (Black Card) 26mins; Shea Doherty for S Mullan, 55mins; Daniel Walton for A Bradley (inj), 56mins.; Shea Ferris for R Deighan, 60mins; Referee: Sean McGuigan

Social etiquette once stated no phones at the dinner table, now we’re documenting every meal. Bedtime was once for sleeping, now we’re wide awake with the glare of our smart-phone screens. Brits are in a serious, long term relationship with technology. UK adults spend an average of 21.6 hours online each week (not including work) according to the annual Ofcom Media Attitudes Report 2016. Nearly nine in ten (87 per cent) of all UK adults said they use the internet (on any device) either at home or elsewhere, 7 in 10 own and use a smartphone and a staggering 99 per cent of adults have taken at least once selfie (unofficial report). Evidently we’re a screen addicted nation. Our dependency on the internet, social media and technology is so great that a number of studies have seen a direct link to usage and an increase in anxiety and depression. Intense social media and internet use is distorting every day reality and ironically disconnecting us from the real world. Digital Detox We spoke with award winning digital entrepreneur and founder and owner of digital detox specialists It’s Time To Log Off, Tanya Goodin, to find out how we can reconnect with the real world. “Our use of technology has gotten completely unbalanced and we are now spending more time online than offline,” Tanya explains. “The evidence is mounting up through studies and research that this is bad for our focus, concentration, sleep and overall mental health.” Internet and social media addiction disorder is a relatively new phenomenon but isn’t one completely unheard of. In fact this new addiction is such a global problem that the Japanese ministry of education introduced internet ‘fasting camps’ for over half a million screen addicted children. It’s not just children glued to their phones though. “Adults now spend more than eight hours a day on screens, and check their smartphones more than 150 times a day. But you don’t really don’t need statistics to show you how bad it is, just walk down any street, look round any restaurant, everyone is on their phones - all the time!” Hit the switch Pressing the power off button might not be the easiest thing to do but the instant benefits of logging off will be immense. A digital detox will increase productivity, improve real life human relationships, help posture and most importantly boost mental health. Technology is so entwined in our lives how can we log off without feeling left out? “Set boundaries around time and boundaries around place to help you log-off occasionally. Technology is a wonderful thing but our always-on 24:7 digital lifestyle is what’s causing the problem,” advises Tanya. “Boundaries around time could be ‘no work email after 8pm at night’ and boundaries around place could be ‘no phones in the bedroom’ or ‘no phones at the meal table’.” To find out about It’s Time To Log Off visit www.itstimetologoff.com. How to detox from digital If you can’t get through a day without religiously checking your phone then it may be time to have a digital detox. Here are more tips on helping with your digital detox: Start with 24 hours It won’t be easy, in fact it might be the longest 86400 seconds of your life but by going cold turkey you will familiarize yourself with being technology free. Start with 24 hours, then do evenings, then the full weekend. Get a landline According to Ofcom 14 per cent of UK households live in a mobile only phone with no landline. If you have self-diagnosed hypo-vibro-chondria (phantom phone vibration), a household telephone is much better for families, doesn’t run out of batter and is useful in emergencies. Plus you’ll stop being so glued to your handset. Pick up a paper Reading off a screen will inevitably damage your eyesight so read the day’s new in depth whilst supporting your local paper by actually buying one. Remember your camera? Brits allegedly take 1 million selfies a day. In fact more people have allegedly died from taking dangerous selfies than from shark attacks. Drop the phone and pick up your actual camera. It is definitely a more enjoyable way to capture the moment. Unlike everything Have a social media cull. More than seven in ten (73 per cent) of internet users have a social media profile, according to Ofcom’s report, and to Mark Zuckerberg’s delight they are more likely to be on Facebook than any other social media site. Keep bedtime for bed The bedroom is for sleeping, so sleep! Forget scrolling aimlessly through Twitter and switch your phone off. Avoid temptation by using an actual alarm clock for your 7am wake up call.

Over 250 people have lost their lives on Irish roads over the past year, authorities on both sides of the border have confirmed. In the north, Roads Minister Chris Hazzard confirmed that 68 people have died during as a result of road tragedies during 2016, a slight reduction from the 74 killed in 2015. Mr Hazzard said that each person had a personal responsibility to behave appropriately as everyone shared the road. Minister Hazzard said: “Road traffic collisions are sudden, traumatic events, occurring in a moment but with consequences enduring for a lifetime. “This has sadly been all too evident over the Christmas break which has seen lives lost and families left heartbroken. I extend my sincere sympathies to all those who have lost loved ones and those who are suffering serious injuries through road tragedy in 2016. “Every day and every journey brings with it a new risk and we need to be on our guard at all times. I am personally committed to making road safety a priority. While six fewer people have died than last year, every death is one too many – we need to work together to make 2017 a better year on our roads.” The Minister added: “We will continue to focus on the main problem areas, such as drink driving, speeding, carelessness and inattention and seat belt wearing; and on groups which are over-represented in the casualty figures. “These are a key focus of the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, which was passed by the Assembly in January 2016. The Act provides for a new drink drive regime that will mean lower limits including a de facto zero limit for learner drivers, newly qualified drivers and professional drivers. Other changes will include a new graduated penalty regime, increased enforcement powers, and greater use of Drink Drive Rehabilitation Schemes.”

Graeme McDowell is confident he can put the saga of his missing clubs behind him in order to qualify for the Open Championship. McDowell was forced to pull out of final qualifying on Tuesday after his clubs failed to arrive in Manchester following last week's French Open, but the former US Open champion can avoid missing the Open for the second year in succession by claiming one of the three places on offer at either this week's Dubai Duty Free Irish Open or next week's Scottish Open. "My game is in good shape, I made 19 birdies last week in France but just a few too many mistakes," McDowell told a pre-tournament press conference in Ballyliffin. "I was able to flick the switch and start thinking about the Irish Open on Tuesday morning when I spoke to someone at Air France who was willing to physically go and locate my clubs. Before then we weren't sure if we'd ever see them again. "I'm very keen on putting this whole story behind me and I'll have to play well either this week or at Gullane to make sure I'm at Carnoustie."

Sinn Féin Leader in the North Michelle O’Neill has said that the Westminster election will be an opportunity for voters to oppose Brexit and reject Tory cuts and austerity. Michelle O’Neill said: “Sinn Féin opposed Brexit because it will be disastrous for the people of Ireland, our economy and our public services. “The people of the North clearly voted to see their future in the European Union in the referendum last June. We have been blatantly ignored by Theresa May since.” Ms O’Neill said the Tory party’s “reckless” Brexit agenda offers “nothing to the people of the North who are being dragged out of the EU against our will”. “The Tory party and their polices have been rejected by the people in the north in the past, and will be again in this election,” she said. “Sinn Féin is ready to contest this election and it will be an opportunity for voters to oppose Brexit and reject Tory cuts and austerity. “It is an opportunity to progress designated status for the North within the EU and for a future based on equality, respect, integrity and unity.”

Police forensic officers are in attendance at a house in Galliagh following the sudden death of a man this morning. Stunned family, friends and neighbours looked on as officers carried out investigations at the house in Dundrean Park following the, as yet, unexplained death. Local Independent Councillor Warren Robinson said he was shocked to hear of the death. “It’s a tragedy for the family and my heart goes out to them,” he said. A police spokesperson said they are examining the circumstances surrounding the death of the man, who was in his forties, and whose body was found in the Dundrean Park area this morning. At present the death is being treated as unexplained and a post mortem examination is due to be carried out.

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Comedian John Bishop was in Derry this week filming a new documentary on Ireland. The Liverpudlian funnyman dropped into both the Museum of Free Derry and the Apprentice Boys’ Siege Museum during his visit which coincided with a live stand-up performance at the Millennium Forum. Stuart Moore, of the Siege Museum, with John Bishop. John Kelly, of the Museum of Free Derry, said the comedian spent up to two hours in the Bogside talking about the area’s history and, in particular, ‘Bloody Sunday.’ Mr Kelly said he was very impressed with Bishop’s knowledge of events. A spokesperson for the Museum said: “Staff were delighted to welcome John Bishop to the Museum where he was filming for his in-depth new documentary series, ‘John Bishop’s Ireland’. “Our huge thanks to John, his son Joe and their lovely documentary crew for taking the time to visit and learn more about the city’s civil rights movement. Not to mention being so genuinely warm and welcoming to the few local residents who came asking for hugs or photos.” Stuart Moore, of the Apprentice Boys’ Siege Museum, said the comedian showed a huge interest in the history of the city. “He was here for about two hours,” he said. “I showed him round and then we went up onto Walker’s Plinth on the Walls and had photographs taken.”

Irish sportswear company, O'Neills, will open the doors of its new super store in Derry for the first time this week. The new Waterloo Place based store will open at 11am on Thursday. The new shop has created 40 new jobs for the local economy. "Celebrating 100 years in the sportswear business, O'Neills is proud to announce that one of the country's most historic, vibrant and dynamic cities, Derry, is to be the location of our latest retail venture, creating around 40 new jobs," said Stephen Thompson from O'Neill's back in March.

A Derry photographer has taken on a unique project to try and raise awareness about rescue dogs. Keith Rutherford and his partner Suzanne are passionate about rescue dogs, with Suzanne working with different charities for almost 10 years, and Keith volunteering his time taking photographs for rescue centres to help with appeals. “It’s something the two of us are passionate about, and this time of year it’s just about raising awareness. “Derry is a town of dog lovers, but there’s also the side of it that isn’t too good. “Going through a rescue centre you’re getting a dog that’s been checked over, socialised, assessed, vaccination, spayed or neutered. “You’re getting a complete dog. You don’t get the puppy side of things, but at the same time, how do people know that the puppy they get at Christmas is going to be suitable for their family,” said Keith. In recent months, Keith has taken on a new project alongside his rescue work; using flower crowns to show the softer side of Staffordshire Bull Terriers. Keith has followed the work of American photographer Sophie Gamad for quite some time, and she has pursued a similar project with Pitbulls in America. “It is about trying to engage as many people as possible, but it’s also about trying to change people’s perceptions of rescue dogs and Staffies in general. “Sophie has been doing it with Pitbulls, and in America they are found in rescues more than other dogs, and it takes longer for them to be rehomed. There is a stigma attached to them, and it is the same with Staffies. “Staffies stay for too long in rescues, and they don’t do well in kennel envrionments, they’re family dogs,” he said. After getting some helpful tips from Ms. Gamad, good fortune came into play, when local businesswoman and flower crown creater Aoife Doherty of Sass and Halo posted some of Ms. Gamad’s work on her social media account. “I had heard about Sass and Halo before, so I messaged Aoife to see if she wanted to work together. “She messaged back and said ‘absolutely, what do you need’, and we started working from there. “Aoife has been a massive help. As much as the project needs photographs taken, it also needs crowns. “She has donated her time and I think we have five crowns now to jump between for different sized dogs, and also a Christmas crown,” he said. Keith added that by working along with Aoife and Sass and Halo, the project reaches a different audience. “It’s about trying to reach different people and a different audience. “Aoife has her own following on social media, a trendier, predominantly female market, who wouldn’t necessarily be looking at a pet photographer. “They’re now getting to see these Staffies and the flower crowns, and the stories behind them. “It’s about trying to change people’s perceptions, and if it’s one person at a time so be it. The response we’ve had is fantastic. “We started off that it was going to be exclusively Staffies, and rescue Staffies at that, but as it’s morphed into something else, it’s taken on a life of its own,” he said. Keith said it is essentially “cross pollination” across different platforms, to get the message about Staffies and rescue dogs to a wider audience. He also praised Aoife at Sass and Halo for her support: “She has been a massive supporter of this from the day I mentioned it to her. “I think it’s going to be an ongoing thing, and it gives her something different to post to her friends and followers, it benefits everyone really.” Keith said he hopes the Staffies project will continue, with at least five more dogs lined up. He has also linked up with Northern Ireland Staffordshire Bull Terrier Rescue, and hopes to start working alongside them in the run up to Christmas. “They don’t rehome over Christmas, so it’s a good time to get down and touch base with them. “They have more of a specific audience than my page does, so it’s trying to engage as many people. “Rescue centres dont want to rehome during December, because the chances of those dogs being reutrned after Christmas are massively increased.” Keith’s partner Suzanne has also set up a rescue page to help people in Derry, but she has also had enquiries from people from across the North asking for help. “She has been involved in rescue for the last eight or 10 years, and between the two of us we have branched out into other rescues. This new project has taken on its own lease of life,” he said. As well as his work with rescue Staffies, Keith has also donated his time to work on the Pet FBI calendar for 2018. The idea was only put forward by the Pet FBI team in September, and the project came together in just a few short weeks. “I spent around a fortnight taking photos. We set up a studio in their centre, and then had an outdoor shoot for dogs that couldn’t get to the centre. It was pulled together in no time. “If the photographs sell more calendars and raise more money for Pet FBI, then it’s a job well done. “The rescue photographs, people ask me if it is paying me to do this. It’s a charity, I’m not going to contact someone and that I’ll take photographs, but it’ll cost you. “It’s not the way things are done. “You’re taking dogs that might be in the flesh be bypassed normally. some wee scruffy, scrappy looking thing that no one would really entertain. “With the photo of Lenny in the Christmas flower crown. Rainbow sent me a message asking if I could make Lenny look a bit cute, a bit softer. “He’s a five stone Staffie who’s nearly eye level with me when he stands up. “He’s dopey, you can show that he’s playful. “I find the dogs quirks and work with that. If it’s timid, I’ll show that it’s timid. “Let people see that this dog is absolutely petrified and you’ll get 20 comments online below it saying ‘poor wee dog’. If one of those people come down and take a shine to it, then job done,” he added.

Slaghtmanus, the moors above Eglinton, and the Ness Woods, are all to be swallowed by West Tyrone under a series of Boundary Commission proposals, published earlier this week. The Claudy and Banagher electoral wards will be moved from the East Derry Parliamentary and Assembly constituency, which is due to be axed, into an expanded West Tyrone, if a radical overhaul of the political map in the North gets the green light. Up until 2010 electors from Slaghtmanus to Park, when voting in General or Assembly elections, had returned MPs and MLAs to the Foyle constituency, which many would have consider their natural political home. But in 2010 both wards were transferred to East Derry. Now, as part of fresh changes proposed by the Boundary Commission, aimed at reducing the number of constituencies in the North from 18 to 17, Claudy and Park are on the move again. Bizarrely, because the Foyle constituency is already too populous, a large tract of East Derry, including the southern Eglinton uplands, is set to join West Tyrone. Paul Fleming, a Sinn Féin councillor for the Faughan District Electoral Area (DEA), which incorporates the Claudy ward, has questioned the Boundary Commission’s proposals generally. Two years ago in its provisional proposals the commission had suggested that Claudy and Park could form part of a new Glenshane constituency stretching from Lough Foyle to Louhg Neagh. But that’s now been scrapped throwing up some strange anomalies including one half of Dungiven’s main street being in West Tyrone and the other half in Mid Ulster. Colr. Fleming said the “radically redrawn report from the Boundary Commission would lead to significant inequalities and closely resembles proposals tabled by the DUP”. He added: “The Boundary Commission proposals mark a significant shift from the 2016 proposals and confirm our worst fears about the new boundaries. The Commission has moved away from its own rationale about ‘retaining closer alignment to existing boundaries’ with four constituencies disappearing altogether.” He concluded: “Given the history of discrimination and gerrymandering of the northern political system we have to ensure that any boundaries accurately reflect the electorate.” The propsoals are out for consultation: visit www.bcni2018.uk or email [email protected]