April 8, 2016 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Jubilation in Mirror, Newswatch as Jimoh Ibrahim clears salary arrears

taffers of National Mirror newspaper and Newswatch Times went on wild jubilation yesterday after the publisher, Jimoh Ibrahim , CFR, offset their arrears of salaries as they were seen smiling to the bank to deposit their cheques.

Vol. 6 N0. 1344

The global economic downturn had affected several media houses especially the print medium in Nigeria, leading to inability to pay salaries for months. But in spite of the lull in the newspaper industry and high cost of production materials, the

publisher has displayed rare commitment to make the workers happy by defraying the salary arrears. The publisher, who had ordered Newswatch Times to begin online publication last month, enjoined the workers to show more commitment at work to in-

FG urges NLC to shelve strike

crease productivity. He also charged National Mirror staff to key into the new commitment from the shareholders to make the brand a market leader in Nigeria through innovation and absolute desire to compete effectively. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

P.4

Ngige

National Mirror Online Friday, April 8, 2016

@NationalMirror N150

EFCC’ll get to root of Halliburton scandal –Magu Marcus Fatunmole ABUJA

hairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, has vowed that the commission would uncover the mystery surrounding the Halliburton saga. Magu made the pledge CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

L-R: 1st Vice President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Titus Ibekwe; President, Dr. Layode Obembe; President Muhammadu Buhari; Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole and Minister of State for Health, Mr. Osagie Ohanire, during a courtesy visit to the President by executive of the association at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Kachikwu involves tank farm owners, others to end P.4 scarcity FDC predicts inflation rate to stand at 12.1% P.4

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EFCC’ll get to root of Halliburton scandal –Magu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

yesterday when he hosted Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, headed by Prof. Itsey Sagay, SAN, in his office in Abuja. A statement by spokesperson of the anti-graft commission, Wilson Uwujaren, said Magu assured the committee that the organisation was restructuring its operations and weeding out its bad eggs. Magu noted that the anti-corruption crusade was being taken to the grassroots across the country. According to him, efforts of the agency had been yielding results. He maintained that EFCC was determined to get to the root of major corruption cases in the country, including the Halliburton case. “We are getting back the confidence we have been lacking,” he said. He reassured the committee of the commission’s resolve not to relent in its efforts, and used the opportunity to intimate the committee of some of the reforms he has initiated since he assumed office. He also informed the committee that the commission was facing accommodation problem, and that there was need for the commission to have an academy equipped to international standard. In his remarks, Sagay charged the commission not to relent in carrying out its mandate of ridding the country of economic and financial crimes. He stressed the pivotal role the anti-graft agency has to play in winning the war against corruption. He said the common interest of Nigerians was at stake, as according to him, corruption affects everyone, “and we have the same objective, therefore you can rely on us to give you support in all ramifications.” While commending Magu for rejuvenating the activities of the anti-graft agency, Sagay noted that there was still much more to be done. He said: “The energy you have brought in to the activities of the EFCC since your assumption of office has encouraged us, and we want you to continue to do more.” Re-echoing the views of Sagay, the committee’s secretary, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, stressed the importance of securing convictions in cases involving

high profile individuals. Other members of the committee at the meeting include Prof. Sadiq Isa Radda, Prof. E. Alemika, Prof. Femi Odekunle, Ona Peters, Ola Olukayode, and Olusegun Odesina, according to the release. Meanwhile, Stella George, a witness, in the ongoing trial of Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday told Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, sitting in Maitama, Abuja that, there was an inflow N300m from the Office of National Security Adviser, ONSA, to the account of BAM Projects and Properties Limited, owned by the accused. George, a banker with Sterling Bank, while being led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, stated that, on March 18, 2015 N137. 2m was transferred to Kumu Golo Limited and another transfer of N178.8 was made to North Polo Global Services same day. According to her, the Certified True Copies (CTC) of account opening package, mandate card and statement of account from January 2015 to date of BAM Projects and Property Limited, as well as copies of instruments used for inflow and outflow from the account were all made available to EFCC on request. Under cross examination by the defence counsel, Solomon Umoh, SAN, George said that, although she was obliged to know her customers, especially the account owner but, she did not know anything about the companies that received the money under reference. The former PDP chief is being prosecuted alongside his son, Bello Abba Mohammed, on a 4-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and money laundering by EFCC. It would be recalled that, the first prosecution witness (PW1) Rouqayya Ibrahim, an operative of the Commission, had in his evidence on Tuesday, February 16, 2016 stated that a payment of N300m was made in two tranches to the accused company’s account from the funds meant for the procurement of arms through the office of the NSA. The case has been adjourned to May 18, 2016 for continuation of trial.

Crowd at a filling station at Ikorodu, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Buhari receives details of 2016 budget Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

resident Muhammadu Buhari has received details of the 2016 budget from the National Assembly. The details were received yesterday by Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari. Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, with his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Ismaila Kawu, brought the details to the Presidential Villa. Speaking with State House Correspondents, Enang said: “The budget details have been transmitted to His Excellency, Mr. President today. The constitutional process begins thereafter. “We have transmitted it

to the Office of the President and the constitutional process of timing starts.” It would be recalled that Buhari received the 2016 budget passed by the National Assembly last week Tuesday but without the details. The President had demanded for the details before he could sign the budget into law. Meanwhile, former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said during his administration, he didn’t sign budget into law without the details. Obasanjo, who spoke with State House Correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, explained that those saying he signed budget without details should be asked again to prove that it was true. Obasanjo was very brief

in his responses to question asked by State House Correspondents. The following encounter ensued between Obasanjo and journalists: Question: What is the purpose of your visit to the Villa? Answer: “You know that not too long ago, I was out there and I came to share some of my experiences with him. Question: What are those experiences? Answer: “If I say I share experiences with my wife, will you ask what I discussed with my wife?” On the claim by the National Assembly that he

signed budgets without seeing the details, Obasanjo said: “Eh en? I signed budget without details? Anybody who told you that, go and ask him again.” When asked to comment on the 2016 budget, Obasanjo responded: “Before I will be able to tell you something about the budget, I have to read it and know what it contains and know what to talk about.” On the delay in signing the budget, Obasanjo said: “The constitution allows you to continue with the budget provided you did not go beyond the previous year’s. That can be done up to the middle of the year.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

must be on deck to avoid the past pitfalls and wastages by shunning all praxis of behavior that can affect high productivity.

and NIPCO. The discharge, it was learnt will continue in the coming days in order to boost supply in Lagos and other parts of the country. Investigations showed that the companies have started to take delivery as well as loading of tankers to various destinations nationwide. For instance, a source in Capital Oil indicated that loading, which started a few days ago, goes on day and night in order to enable government tackle the scarcity. A survey showed that the scarcity may last till next week as long queues were still witnessed in Lagos and its environs. Unlike before, more sta-

tions were dispensing the product, even though many still find it difficult to buy due to the long queues. Illegal operators were still hawking fuel in carry cans to motorists and other users in different parts of the town. It still cost as high as N200 to buy a litre of the product at the black market. But operators were hopeful as the government has embraced private companies in the process of importing and selling the product. Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, has already released the second quarter fuel import allocations in favour of oil marketers who

Jubilation in Mirror, Newswatch

The publisher also assured the staff of steady salary payment henceforth stressing that all hands

Kachikwu involves tank farm owners, others to end scarcity Udeme Akpan

s part of measures to end the lingering fuel scarcity, the Federal Government has entered into agreement with tank farm owners for the storage and lifting of imported fuel. The tank farm owners include Capital Oil, NIPCO, MRS and Folawiyo among others. The tank farm owners were chosen because they have the capacities to store and facilitate lifting to filling stations. A visit to Apapa yesterday showed that a vessel, known as MT Alika was discharging fuel to the facilities of Mobil, Forte Oil

were sidelined in the past. As part of the measures to correct the imbalance created by the reduction of the private marketers’ allocation to 28 per cent in the first quarter, PPPRA has reduced the allocation given to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, from the 78 per cent in the first quarter to 41.73 per cent while the marketers got 58.27 per cent. It was gathered that the allocation of 72 per cent to NNPC by the former Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, was partly responsible for the prolonged fuel scarcity, especially as the Corporation did not have the logistics to ensure the product gets to all filling stations.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

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FG urges NLC to shelve strike Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

ederal Government has called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, not to go on its proposed warning strike over hike in electricity tariff. Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, made the call yesterday in Abuja at the Third Triennial National Delegates Conference of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC. The conference has as its theme: “Government and Labour Relations Towards Sustainable Growth and Expansion of the Power Sector in Nigeria.” On Wednesday, NLC during its Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting declared a one-day national warning strike over refusal of the Federal Government to reduce electricity tariff. The strike is aimed at putting pressure on the government to reverse the 45 per cent tariff hike. Ngige said the issue of the hike in electricity tariff was before the National Assembly and the court. He said: “The current state of electricity supply has become very worrisome in the country. “In this regard, the Federal Government is resolved to ensure provision of regular electricity to Nigerians at an affordable rate. “You are therefore called upon to support the government in its efforts to reposition and expand the power sector in Nigeria for effectiveness. “Every bit of support from each one of you is worthwhile.” The minister reiterated the commitment of his ministry to provide level playing ground for all trade unions in Nigeria. He said government would ensure the protection and promotion of the welfare of workers as a productive force to be reckoned with in economic production. Ngige said President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was committed to productive change and inculcation of sanity in the conduct of government business. “It is our hope that the change mantra will instill discipline in the entire citizenry of Nigeria and promote transparency, accountability and other governance principles.

“The trade unions, as partners in progress, should therefore align themselves with the emerging paradigm shift and change mantra of the government by supporting and encouraging the dreams and aspirations of the government,” he said. Ngige said dialectical relationship between capital and labour should be played down to enable a viable environment for sustainable development of the nation. He urged the union to be steadfast in the development of the economy. “That means the growth of the economy largely depends on the extent of regular energy and power supply to drive entrepreneurship,” he added. In a lecture entitled: “Employers and Labour Relation”, Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, stressed the need for cordial relationship between employers and employees in various sectors of the economy. He said employers and employees must play their various parts for the development of the economy and society as a whole. He said that due to the current down turn in the economy, the Buhari administration could not afford the N18, 000 minimum wage. Fashola urged the labour movement to have a rethink before going for negotiation for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers. “We should negotiate in the content of the reality of our economy as all the states do not receive the same allocation or the standard of living the same,” he said. In his remarks, TUC President, Bobboi Kaigama, called on the Federal Government to ensure that collective agreements are implemented to avoid industrial dispute in various sectors of the economy. He called for sound relationship between employers and employees, saying that any industrial dispute could be resolved through dialogue. The outgoing President of SSAEAC, Mr. Bebe Opara, commended the executive and members of the union for their support since 2009. “It is therefore not out of place to be proud of all our achievements even though the journey has not been easy.

L-R: Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige; Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN; President,Trade Union Congress of Nigeria,Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and President- General SSAEAC, Comrade (Engr.) Bede Opara, after the 3rd Triennial National Delegates’ Conference of the Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies(SSAEAC) in Abuja, yesterday. “We have made our mark and hope that the in-coming administration will do better,’’ he added. Meanwhile, President Buhari yesterday urged the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to shelve its planned strike and give the Federal Government more time to address the grievances of doctors. A statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said Buhari spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA. Buhari gave the doctors an assurance that no agreements duly entered into by the Federal Government would be dishonoured by his administration. The President called for

greater understanding and support from doctors and all Nigerians in view of the present shortfall in national revenue brought about by the decline in crude oil prices. Decrying the adverse impact of the fall in oil prices on Federal Government’s spending plans for health and other sectors, Buhari said his administration would continue to do its best to address issues that are of concern to doctors and other Nigerians. The President also gave the NMA delegation an insight into his administration’s plan to establish 10,000 primary healthcare centres across the country in the next two years with the objective of providing better healthcare for about 100 million Nigerians. He also told the delegation

led by NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, that the National Health Act would soon be gazetted and a steering committee appointed to oversee its implementation. Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, described the plan to establish more healthcare centres as “the single most ambitious health plan for the poor in the history of Nigeria.” In his remarks at the meeting, Obembe called for the implementation of the report of the Yayale Ahmed Committee on better relations among professional groups in the health sector. The NMA president also called for fast-tracking of the implementation of the National Health Act. Also at a separate meeting with the leadership

of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Buhari promised that his administration would evolve and implement measures to curb friction and disharmony among the professional groups in the health sector. The president urged PSN to work more closely with the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to curb the sale of fake medicines in the country. President of the PSN, Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai, assured the president that pharmacists in Nigeria were ready to work in harmony with other professionals in the health sector to help the Federal Government achieve its objective of improving healthcare services in the country.

FDC predicts inflation rate to stand at 12.1%

nalysts at the Financial Derivatives Company Ltd. yesterday, projected an increase of 0.7 per cent in the March inflation number to 12.1 per cent. The company said this in its latest economic report in Lagos. The the February rate stood at 11.4 per cent. It noted that the month of March was unique as the fuel scarcity intensified and higher transport costs filtered through to commodity prices such as beans, tomato and pepper. “While our initial time series analysis projected an increase of 0.4 per cent,

the severity and longevity of the prevailing fuel scarcity has distorted price levels. “Our retail study showed that prices of many consumer goods have remained stubbornly high and in some cases increased in spite of consumers’ resistance,” the report said. It also said factors that contributed to the spike in inflation include season, cost push factors, money supply and forex shortage. “These factors while transient in nature are becoming more permanent. “As these factors grow increasingly embedded,

they are making consumers panic. “Anticipated inflation is more important because of the pass through effect of increased demand and expectations of higher prices on current prices,” the report said. The investment company, however, said the effect was that it had impact of a sustained level of high prices. According to FDC, the dichotomy between urban and rural prices may persist given the impact of rising transport costs and exchange rate pressures on urban prices. It also said that the price

of diesel, a major determinant of food transportation costs, had increased to N130 per litre. The report added that inflation would likely remain high in April as the exchange rate uncertainty continues; while the consumer prices were expected to remain high. “In addition, with fuel scarcity expected to persist till next month in spite of NNPC’s April 7 deadline, transportation costs will continue to increase. “Therefore, we expect inflation to still remain in the region above 11 per cent,” it added.

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Friday, April 8, 2011

Diabetes epidemic looms in Nigeria –FG Marcus Fatunmole and Adeola Tukuru

inister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, yesterday decried growing rate of diabetes in the country. He said the disease was becoming an epidemic. He particularly expressed fear over the rate of undiagnosed diabetes in adolescent and young adults in the nation. Quoting figures provided by the International Diabetes Federation, Adewole said national prevalence of diabetes in adults between 20 and 79 years in the country was 1.9 per cent in 2015. He noted that a bigger concern to him was the number of cases of undiagnosed diabetes in adults, which he said was estimated at 950 per thousand. Adewole at an event to mark this year’s World Health Day in Abuja said the Federal Government had developed six plans of action to deal with the disease. The plans are adoption of

the global

monitoring framework for non-communicable diseases; development of a national diabetes plan and policy; increased monitoring and surveillance systems; engagement and rights; improved access to care; and sustainable financing for management of diabetes. He said the Federal Government had designated some health facilities for free screening for the disease. National Mirror, however, observed that the commemoration with the theme “Beat Diabetes Mellitus,” took place at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Engineer Babachir Lawal, with covert intention to refute media report claiming that the Health Minister and SGF had been at war over sack of the Chief Registrar, Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, Professor Anthony Emeribe. It was the first time the Federal Ministry of Health would commemorate the day in any other place than the ministry. The event had top government officials in attendance, including minis-

Buhari’s China visit to focus on power, infrastructure

inister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, on Thursday, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to China next week will focus more on power, infrastructure, transport, road and agriculture. Onyeama while speaking to newsmen on the proposed visit by the president said it would also be used to promote NigeriaChina relations and how to improve on export produces to china. He said Buhari was the first Nigerian president to be invited by China, an outcome of China- Africa Summit held in 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The minister said the president would be going with a delegation comprising ministers of Transportation, Power, Works and Housing, Trade, Industry and Investment.

The minister said Nigeria would also utilise the visit to open up markets for Nigerian products in China. According to him, China is the second largest economy in the world and has become a major trading partner with Africa, particularly Nigeria. He said the visit would be a win-win for both countries, adding that Nigeria would seek new opportunities and identify new areas of possible cooperation with China. According to him, I think we are importing much more from China than what we are exporting to them, and we have to start looking at what we can export to them. He said that the president would discuss the possibility of bringing down the five per cent tariff charged on agricultural products exported to China.

ters. Adewole noted that the nation’s health system had developed to the point where it is capable of meeting the health needs of a greater proportion of the country’s population, and withstand the challenges of epidemics like HIV, and other infectious

disease outbreaks. He said t the country is currently undergoing an epidemiological transition, and the rise in prevalence of non-communicable diseases, NCDs, has implications on demands for health care services. ‘’The health system hence needs to be positioned

to respond effectively to these new challenges and be able to offer quality services towards the management of the associated comorbidities of NCDs. “According to the World Health Organisation, 24 percent of illness-related deaths in Nigeria are now caused by NCDs, with diabetes accounting for two

percent of this. Diabetes is increasingly becoming an epidemic especially among adolescent and young adults, partly due to the rapid socio-cultural change being experienced, and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviours,” the minister said.

L-R: Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during the 1st National Forum on the Economy with the theme - National Economy, the Way Forward organized by Vintage Press Limited in Lagos, yesterday.

Fayemi wants states involved in solid minerals development

inster of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, says state governments’ participation in developing the mining sector is crucial in achieving economic diversification and revenue generation of the current administration. Fayemi stated this on Thursday during a plenary session on Drivers of Growth and Sustain-

able Development, at a two-day Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit in Kaduna. According to him, the vision of the current administration in developing the solid mineral sector is to diversify the economy, create jobs and improve revenue generation. He said that mining, which remained in the exclusive list, could only become viable with full

participation of state governments as critical stakeholders. “Not much would be archived if states are not carried along in exploiting the mining sector. “This is because investors must work with owners of the land i.e. the state governments. “We have recognised the importance of working with states in the sector, not to compete, but to partner with a

view to achieving the desired result,” he said. He urged state governments to take ownership of solid mineral investment in their domain to tap the full potential of the sector. Fayemi said that the Federal Government would look into processing in the sector with a view to improve export of minerals in the country.

to rule on the case followed a preliminary objection by counsel to the defendant, Mr T. A. Gadzali. In the objection raised, Gadzali urged the court not to hear the substantive suit filed by the applicant as the subject of the suit was based on contempt of the order of Nigerian courts. He added that the only remedy was for the plaintiff to return to the country’s court to commit the government for contempt. The counsel to the defendant also argued that a similar case was already pending before a Nigerian

court and could not therefore be entertained by the ECOWAS Court. In response, counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Robert Emukpoeruo, stated that a suit could not only be filed before the ECOWAS Court if it were pending before an international court. Emukpoeruo added that the suit was not founded on contempt, but on the defendant’s abuse of the applicant’s human rights. The applicant, in the suit filed, asked for N500 million as “compensatory damages” against the government of Nigeria.

“This is over his continued detention without charge, invasion of his residence and seizure of his property despite being granted bail by courts of competent jurisdiction.” The plaintiff, in the suit, also sought a declaration that his continued detention, refusal to allow him travel for medical treatment and seizure of his properties constitute a violation of his human rights. “This is as guaranteed under the country’s constitution’ and various international instruments to which the country is signatory,” it stated.

ECOWAS Court to rule on Dasuki case April 11

ommunity Court of Justice, ECOWAS, says it will on April 11 rule on whether it has the jurisdiction to entertain a case brought before it by former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki. This is contained in a statement issued by the court in Abuja on Thursday. The case filed with suit number ECW/CCJ/ APP/01/16 was brought before the court on November 5, 2015, against the Federal Government. According to the statement, the court’s decision

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Friday, April 8, 2016

L - R: Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje; Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor; Director, Banking Supervision Department, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins; Managing Director, Unity Bank Plc, Mrs. Tomi Somefun and Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, during a press briefing on Bankers’ Committee decisions, yesterday.

L-R: Lagos State Director, Public Affairs Department, Mrs. Toro Oladapo; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Head of Service, Lagos State Civil Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Fola Adeyemi, during the maiden retreat for Lagos State Public Affairs Officers, in Lagos, yesterday.

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L-R: Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi, with General-Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Issa Aremu, at the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit in Kaduna, yesterday.

General Manager/Chief Operating Officer, Headquarters Annex, Nicon Insurance Limited, Steve Ajudua (left) receiving an award from Deputy President, NBCC, Akin Olaoye, during the NigerianBritish Chambers of Commerce Insurance Colloquium in Lagos, yesterday.

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Osinbajo, Ambode, Okorocha proffer solutions to Nigeria’s economic woes Francis Suberu

ice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday said the focus of the Muhammadu Buhari administration is to shift attention from total dependence on oil by developing adequate fiscal policies that would lead to increased tax payers’ base and expansion of the country’s tax net. The vice president, who spoke at the maiden edition of the National Forum on Economy, organised by Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation newspapers, said it was unfortunate that Nigeria, with a population of over 170 million people has to benchmark its budget on the price of oil. According to Osinbajo, the price of oil has collapsed from $114 per barrel to under $30, adding that the situation has necessitated that the

country moves beyond oil, which accounts for a larger percentage of its revenue. He said, “It is pathetic that a nation with over 170 million people benchmarks its budget on the price of oil. We must look beyond oil because it disturbs us from looking at other sectors. In order to move the country forward, we must reduce the Federal Government and state’s dependence on revenue sharing from oil sale. “The foundation for a strong economy demands that we have appropriate fiscal policies that will help the country that is rising from a very low rate of VAT and a low taxpayer base. We are focusing on increasing the country’s taxpayers’ base. We are committed to expanding the tax net.” Osinbajo said the implementation of the

country’s 2016 budget will stimulate the economy rather than impose undue austerity on the citizens, saying 30 per cent of the country’s budget has been earmarked for capital expenditure. “Non-oil sources comprising company income tax, VAT and others are expected to contribute N1.5 trillion, which is more than the estimated revenue from oil. This is unprecedented in the history of the country. “The way forward requires that we move from crude oil to the production of petroleum products. That is, rather than extract and export, the country must take full advantage of the oil sector and entire value chain. This will also assist us in making full use of our natural gas resources domestically and abroad. And it will aid us to fully imple-

ment long term laws in the oil sector. “It is for this reason that the Federal Government will be prioritising the adopting and execution of the national oil and gas master plan this year. We will also move beyond the neglect of other sectors. While we believed that the oil sector was the only source of revenue, other sectors suffered and these sectors have the potential to drive the economy, provide jobs and others,” Osinbajo said. In his address Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State noted that despite boasting to be the biggest economy in Africa, Nigeria’s economy remains largely undiversified with crude oil sale accounting for over 90 per cent of total revenue. Ambode said the leadership of the country at national and state levels must have the courage

to take tough decisions and make sacrifices in the near term which will, in the long run, make the country’s economy stronger, sustainable and consequently result in prosperity across all regions. He said: “One way to revive our economy will be to explore and expand inter-state relations, strengthen regional competitiveness by maximising economies of scale, regional optimisation of assets and endowments and mitigation of afflictions and natural disasters. “Other potential areas for inter-state collaboration include transport infrastructure to facilitate market linkages, education, market development, human capacity building, security and intelligence sharing, among others, “I must stress, however, that this idea is not an entirely uncharted ter-

ritory for Nigeria. Prior to the oil boom era, agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy and contributed about 65 per cent to the country’s GDP and represented close to 70 per cent of total expor. Through farming, Nigeria was able to feed its population while major cash crops were exported to earn foreign exchange.” For Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, there is urgent need for devolution of economic powers from the central to other levels of government. Earlier in his opening remarks, chairman of Vintage Press Limited, Wale Edun, had said the forum was put together not just to lament the challenges facing the country but for government and members of the critical sectors of the economy to dialogues and chart a way forward.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NEWS

Friday, April 8, 2016

Lagos floats N25bn trust fund to address unemployment Saidat Alausa

Director of Finance and Supply, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Jimoh Egbejule (left) and Acting Managing Director, NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, during a public hearing on the Reconciliation of Accounts on 3% Development Level at National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday.

Orubebe did not declare Asokoro Plot 2057 –Witness Doosuur Iwambe Abuja

rial of former Minister of Niger Delta, Elder Peter Orubebe, over false assets declaration yesterday commenced fully before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT sitting in Abuja, with the Federal Government opening its case. Orubebe is standing trial before the tribunal following a one-count charge of alleged failure to declare one of his plots of land at Asokoro

District in Abuja. The witness, a staff of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Mr Samuel Madojemu, who testified at the resumed trial yesterday, told the tribunal that Orubebe acquired Plot no 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja, in 2014 and was issued with certificate of occupancy on April 10, 2011. He disclosed that the former minister collected and filled five Code of Conduct Bureau assets declaration forms in the period under investigation 2007 and 2011 but

refused to disclose that he owned the property at Plot 2057 Asokoro. The witness said the Bureau discovered that Orubebe had concealed his ownership of the property after FCDA land department furnished the Bureau the true copies of Right of Occupancy dated April 10, 2011, C-of-O dated May 26, 2011 and a letter of authority Orubebe gave to one Engr. Abowe Rodeny, who collected the C-of-O on his behalf. The Right of Occupancy dated April 10,

test the case. The plaintiff asked the court to prevent Okiro, until the case is tried, from removing all the renovations due to a dispute over an alleged agreement to refund renovation costs. Okiro said an agreement was made between him and the plaintiff ’s late father, Dr. Mohammed Jumare (the Sardannan Zazzau), who was the landlord at the time, to be refunded the cost of the renovations. Okiro’s counsel had said in correspondence that he will leave once he was paid the cost of the renovation or he will

proceed to remove all the new fittings and fixtures on the property. The plaintiff said Okiro, who was due to vacate the five-bedroom duplex and three-bedroom guest chalet on November 1, 2015, refused to vacate the property despite being served eviction notice. The plaintiff ’s counsel further disclosed that there is no knowledge of such an agreement for a refund, and that Okiro has accumulated over half a million naira in profits whilst residing in the house past the tenancy agreement.

Court to hear suit against Okiro May 2 Doosuur Iwambe Abuja

ustice Yusuf Baba of FCT High Court sitting in Maitama yesterday fixed May 2 to hear the case brought before it by Kundi Nigeria Limited over alleged refusal of former Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mike Okiro, to vacate his Maitama residence. The judge, who awarded N25,000 cost in favour of the plaintiff, held that the former IGP had not formally entered appearance, adding however that Okiro’s lawyer has shown he wants to con-

2011, C-of-O dated May 26, 2011 and letter of authority were all admitted as exhibits after hot exchanges between Orubebe’s lawyer, Selekewei Larry (SAN), and the 2nd member of the tribunal, Mr Agwaza Atedze, who wanted the counsel to directly address his objection on the issue of admissibility of the document, rather than dwell on the inferred interest of the person who signed the document. The matter has been adjourned to April 14 for continuation.

agos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has disclosed that the state has established a N25billion Employment Trust Fund to address youth unemployment in the state. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, stated this yesterday at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, convocation ceremony. According to him, government is aware of the challenges hindering the growth of young entrepreneurs, hence the need for the fund to support youths in the state. Ambode said the Education Trust Fund, which will be contributed by the state government within four years, is one of the strategies to address the challenge of youths accessing soft loans. “Our administration in Lagos State has recognised emerging trends in global socio-economic activities, which informed the office of wealth creation and employment. “We will continue to ensure regular review of the academic curriculum and add value to the quality of education imparted to our youths in all Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions to become wealth creators,” he added. He said the fund will support young people with innovative ideas

that can be developed into business enterprise. The governor urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the institution wherever they find themselves as the polytechnic has equipped them with necessary foundation and skills for the challenge ahead. Earlier, the rector, Mr. Samuel Sogunro, said the polytechnic recognises that economic growth depends on the skills and expertise of its human resources, which is why the institution continued to enrich its curricula to incorporate strong entrepreneurship concept and also take more practical approach in its activities. Congratulating the graduating students, the rector urged them to continue working hard and striving for academic, professional and personal excellence. He urged them to particularly put to full use the knowhow gathered and be ready to create jobs in the private sector in order to develop the country. A total of 8,519 graduated at the event which cut across Ordinary National Diploma and Higher National Diploma. Miss Omoshalewa Babalola of Pure and Applied Science emerged the best student with the Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.00 aggregate, the first ever in the history of the 38-year-old institution and was offered automatic employment by the institution.

Hospital staffers held over corpse’s missing organs Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo

here was confusion at a private clinic in Osogbo, Osun State capital, yesterday following the discovery that some vital organs of a female patient that died while in admission had disappeared. The hospital (name withheld) located at Owode Oluoode area of the town, it was learnt, had placed a female patient on admission Wednesday evening. The grandchild of the elderly patient, whose names could not be con-

firmed at press time, brought her to the clinic. It was further gathered that the patient later gave up the ghost, but children of the deceased suspected foul play when nurses on duty allegedly were rushing them to take the corpse away. When it was discovered that some organs of the deceased were missing, her children, who accused the hospital staffers of complicity, were reportedly told the organs must have been eaten up by rats. When National Mirror visited the hospital, one of the children of the de-

ceased, who simply identified herself as Waliyat Raji, explained: “The doctor confirmed to us that our mama has died and we were told to come for the corpse today. “But we are so surprised to discover that the lower lip, nasal cartilages, and the side of her eyes were no longer there.” It was gathered that all staffers of the hospital, who were initially taken to Dugbe police station had been transferred to police CID. Efforts to get police confirmation of the incident proved futile.

South West

Friday, April 8, 2016

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Mile 12 riot: Court adjourns suspects’ trial till May 23 Matthew Irinoye

Lagos Magistrate’s Court, Ikeja, has adjourned the trial of suspects arrested in connection with Mile 12 market riot till May 23, 2016. About 117 suspects were arrested over the riot, which left many houses burnt and several persons injured while about 16 persons died. The accused are facing a two-count charge of conspiracy to wit: felony, unlawful assembly, acting in a disorderly manner and also disturbing the public peace According to the prosecutors, Mr. Osuyi Goddy, and Inspector Simon Imhonwa, the accused persons committed the alleged offence on March 3, 2016, at Agiliti, Mile 12, Ikorodu Road, Lagos. Goddy added that the offence committed is punishable under section 409 and 45 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. All the suspects had pleaded not guilty to the

two count charge preferred against them. At the resumed hearing of the matter before Magistrate Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi yesterday, the state Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, ADPP, Mr. Jide Martins, told the court that the police was yet to forward the case file to the DPP. Martins however, asked for an adjournment to enable the police more time to forward the case file to the DPP. Magistrate Osunsanmi granted the request and adjourned the matter till May 23, 2016 for hearing. It would be recalled that the court had granted each of the accused persons bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum. The presiding magistrate ordered that the sureties must be blood related and must have verifiable addresses. She also said that the sureties must be a regular tax payer and must present evidence of tax payment for last three years.

Subscribers applaud Glo data services

ubscribers to Glo internet services have commended the network for the robust quality services and unique data plans available on its platform.

Several subscribers who reacted to recent industry reports confirming Glo as the preferred network for new internet users pointed to the speed and reliability of connectivity as well as the unmatched value offered by the network’s data plans as reasons for choosing Glo. Funke Ishola, a Lagosbased journalist, says her experience on the Glo network has been amazing. “Glo internet service has been awesome. I only switched to Globacom about a year ago because the other network I was using was becoming a burden. I am a heavy user and it was becoming too expensive and I was not enjoying good service. But the experience with Glo is different.” On why she joined the Globacom network only

last year, Ishola declared, “I can say I was blind, now I can see. I have tested the other networks, now I know the difference.” Alhaji Opeyemi Aminu, an engineer in Lagos, who also commended Glo data services, said, “I ported from another network to Glo a few months ago because of my dissatisfaction with my previous service provider. I am now enjoying my internet service with Glo. The speed is o.k. and the connectivity is steady and reliable. Another Lagos subscriber, Gbenga Oyegoke, who works with a bank at Shoprite Mall, Lekki, said, “Really, Glo has been good. The data packages are quite user-friendly and the data rates are equally affordable. I ported to Glo from another network about three months ago, and I can say I have been enjoying the data services. I enjoy the uninterrupted connectivity even when I am on the road.”

L-R: Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr. Nteranya Sanginga; Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi; Regional Director (South-West), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Comfort Awe and Head, Development Finance Office, Central Bank of Nigeria, Ibadan, Mr. Bamiji Akinola, during the second consultative assembly on Oyo State Agriculture Initiative, at IITA, Ibadan, yesterday.

Ife Central re-run: We are ready for poll –REC Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

ndependent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Osun State, yesterday said it was ready to conduct a free and credible election to fill the vacant seat of Ife Central State Constituency on Saturday. The seat became vacant as a result of the sudden death of Mr. Dejo Makinde, who was elected during the 2015

general election in December last year. The commission said it expected a total of sixty-two thousand, three hundred and ninetythree (622,393) eligible voters to participate in the poll. INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of the exercise, Alhaji Nasiru Ayilara, stated this while briefing newsmen on the commission’s level of preparation for the poll. Alhaji Ayilara, who

maintained that INEC was prepared to conduct a free, fair and credible poll come Saturday, disclosed that materials for the bye election were already in the custody of the commission and would be distributed today for movement to the local government area. He assured the 817 INEC ad-hoc staff of their safety, adding that there would be restriction of movement between the hours of

8:00am and 4:00pm in the local government. He said; “Due to the political nature of the local government area, the commission has fashioned out security measures that would guarantee the safety of both INEC officials and the electorates. “We had met with all the security agencies in the state and they have assured the commission of safety of both electoral officials and the voters.”

cratic Party, PDP, has commended doctors for their sacrifices. The party in a statement signed by Prince Diran Odeyemi, the state’s PDP spokesperson, copies of which were obtained by newsmen in Osogbo, said despite working under the most inhuman conditions in the state, the deci-

sion to return to work by the doctors underlined their commitment to the general wellbeing of the people. The statement lamented the “needless stress and loses” people of the state were subjected to while the strike lasted, adding that efforts, henceforth,

must be geared towards preventing reccurrence of the industrial disharmony. It urged the state government not to renege on the promises made to the doctors before they suspended the strike to ensure no more damage is done to the state’s public health system.

beating he received. Elimihe, while narrating the incident on his hospital bed at Shomolu General Hospital, further alleged that the policemen stole his N150,000 in his vehicle’s pigeon hole after they assaulted him. He said: “On my way coming from Lekki where I went to check a property with my client, I decided to use the Onipanu Police Sta-

tion road, by Apata. “Immediately I drove into the street close to the station, one Corporal Alonge stopped me, demanded for my vehicle’s particulars. I gave them to him, then he demanded for my driver’s licence, which I also gave him. “When he discovered that I did not commit any offence, he asked for my tinted glass permit, which I gave

him. “He told me I was using a forged tinted glass permit. I told him I could not have forged a police document as a lawyer. He became furious and said he was going to arrest me. “He jumped into my vehicle and insisted I must give him N1,000 to bail myself. I said I was not going to give him any money since I have not committed any offence.

Osun PDP commends doctors for suspending strike Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

s activities gradually return to public hospitals in Osun State, following the suspension of 7-monthold strike embarked on by doctors in the employ of the state, the state’s chapter of the Peoples Demo-

Patience Ogbo

Lagos-based lawyer is currently receiving treatment in a hospital following severe beating he allegedly received from policemen attached to Onipanu Division, Lagos State Police Command. The lawyer, 42-year-old Sunday Elimihe, is also claiming that he has gone partially blind following the

Police beat lawyer to stupor

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South West

Friday, April 8, 2016

Manslaughter: Appeal Court grants Ibinabo Fiberesima N2m bail Wale Igbintade

ourt of Appeal, Lagos Division, yesterday granted a N2m bail to embattled star actress and former beauty queen, Ibinabo Fiberesima, who was sentenced to five years imprisonment for manslaughter. The appellate court in a two-one split decision, decided that Fiberesima’s application for bail had merit. Justice Samuel Oseji, who read the lead judgment, granted Fiberesima bail for N2m with two sureties in like sum. The court said the two sureties must be resident in Lagos and must each swear to an affidavit of means. Justice Oseji said he was inclined to exercise discretion in Fiberesima’s favour in view of her health and because there is no record that she had jumped bail in the past. The judge said it would amount to injustice if after Fiberesima had been kept in prison, the Supreme Court later, after about three to four years, decided that the five-year jail term imposed on her should be set aside. Justice Sidi Bage, who presided over the proceedings, aligned himself

with the lead judgment but the third member of the panel, Justice Y.B. Nimpar, dissented. Justice Nimpar said the ill health ground upon which Fiberesima anchored her application for bail was untenable. The judge noted that there was no record before the court that Fiberesima had suffered any complication since February when she underwent surgery for breast cancer and April when she brought her application for bail. Besides, Justice Nimpar said there are adequate medical facilities in the prison to cater for her health needs, adding that the prison hospital could also give her referral for consultancy in the event that she has any condition that could not be taken care of by the prison hospital. In support of Fiberesima’s bail application filed through her lawyer, Nnaemeka Amaechina, one Victor Eden had deposed to a six-paragraph affidavit stating that Fiberesima recently had a surgical operation for breast cancer. Eden said in the affidavit that Fiberesima was afraid that her life might be endangered if kept in the prison custody. He had urged the court to grant her bail in the interest of justice.

Igbo in Oyo back Olubadan-in-council over Eze Ndigbo title Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

gbo in Ibadanland and Oyo State have thrown their weight behind the decision of Olubadanin-Council to ban the use of Eze Ndigbo title. Balogun Ndigbo of Ibadanland, High Chief Alloy Obi, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State capital yesterday. It would be recalled that the Olubadan-inCouncil, under the leadership of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, at the end of its meeting on Wednesday, said it would no longer recognise the title of ‘Eze Ndigbo’ and ordered the leaders of Igbo in Ibadanland to hence-

forth report to one of its warrior chiefs, the Baale of Ekotedo. Obi said this decision tallied with the position of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers which since 2008 kicked against the usage of the title outside Igboland. He maintained that the Olubadan-in-council has succeeded in doing a wonderful job, adding that the Igbo in the state under the Igbo General Assembly would continue to be grateful for standing by them. Obi added that it was the Olubadan-in-council who indulged the man parading himself as ‘Eze Ndigbo’ of Ibadanland, insisting that he is not a chief in Igboland.

L-R: Rector Lagos State Polytechnic, Mr. Samuel Oluyinka Sogunro; Special Adviser to His Excellency on Education, Lagos State, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh; Deputy Governor Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule and overall best student, Omosalewa Adenike Babalo, during the 24th Convocation ceremony of Lagos State Polytechnic in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

NDLEA arrests 2 over drug trafficking at Lagos Airport Olusegun Koiki

ational Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, attached to the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos, has discovered 28 packs of Tramadol, weighing 21.99kgs inside a DJ Rack box and 1.8kgs of cocaine in boxer shorts. A statement made available by Head, Public Affairs of the agency, Ofoyeju Mitchell, said the Tramadol, which was hidden among camera items was intercepted during pre-shipment inspection. He added that the consignment was destined for Congo Brazzaville in Central African Republic, CAR, and that another suspect was also caught with

1.8kg of cocaine in his boxer shorts on his way from Dubai. Both suspects, Ofoyeju said, are undergoing investigation by the anti-narcotic agency. NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmed Garba, gave the names of the suspects as Afube Izuchukwu Henry, a 27-year-old automobile parts dealer, and Chijioke Chukwuemeka Raphael, a 36-year-old factory worker in Dubai. Garba said: “Chijioke who deals in automobile parts was arrested for attempting to export 21.99kgs of Tramadol hidden inside a DJ rack box meant for export to Congo Brazzaville. Another suspect, Chijioke Chukwuemeka Raphael, a Dubai-based factory worker, was arrested with 1.8kgs of cocaine packed

inside socks and concealed in his boxer shorts during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight from Dubai.” Afube who hails from Anambra and married with two children, said he only acted on his elder brother’s instruction. “I am an auto parts dealer. My brother who lives in Congo asked me to send a DJ Rack box to him. Unfortunately, when I took the box to the airport, the NDLEA discovered Tramadol inside it during search and I was arrested in the process,” he stated. Chijioke who hails from Enugu, said he was offered N450,000 to smuggle the drug into Nigeria. He said: “I have been a factory worker in Dubai since the past six years. I am married with three

children but I cannot take good care of my family. I live from hand to mouth and I am tired of working without seeing the benefits of my labour. “I met a man seven months ago in Nigeria who introduced me into drug trafficking. He promised me a better job in Nigeria and offered me N450,000. I accepted the offer because I wanted to come back home and start a better job.” Chairman and chief executive officer of NDLE.A, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd), in his reaction, promised to adopt better strategies to discourage drug trafficking in the country. The NDLEA boss, while commending the officers who made the arrest, reiterated his call for sustained vigilance.

Don’t hold LG polls, CNPP tells Ondo govt Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

ndo State chapter of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has described the forthcoming local government election as irrelevant to the people of the state. It therefore, asked the state government not to conduct the election scheduled to hold on April 23, saying it would amount to a waste of time and resources. CNPP had earlier requested Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s govern-

ment to use the money meant for the conduct of council poll to pay workers’ salaries and pension arrears. In a statement issued yesterday in Akure by its state chairman, Chief Ayo Isijola, and general secretary, Otunba Odedeyi Muyiwa, the group also faulted the appointment of Dr. Olugbenga Ige as chairman of Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, ODIEC. CNPP said, “As at when he was appointed by the government in 2010, Dr. Ige was a lecturer at the Faculty of Science in Ad-

ekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko. “It was also on record that Dr. Ige was promoted in 2013 as a professor in the institution while still serving as ODIEC chairman. The promotion clearly violates the rules and regulations of public service. “It is, therefore, an established fact that Dr. Ige has not actually resigned his appointment from the service of Adekunle Ajasin University, and could not have been qualified to stand as ODIEC chairman, let alone conduct an election into the local gov-

ernments in the state.” The group dissociated itself from the activities of the Inter Parties Advisory Council, IPAC, in the state. IPAC is a body responsible for promoting interparty dialogue among all registered political parties with a view to contributing to violence-free, fair, credible and transparent electoral process in Nigeria. CNPP said Fatai Adam, who is the state chairman of IPAC, is not qualified to head the group, being the deputy chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

South-East

Friday, April 8, 2016

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Enugu Assembly confirms commissioner-nominee

nugu State House of Assembly yesterday confirmed the appointment of Mr Ikechukwu Ezeoha as a commissioner-nominee. This followed a motion by Leader of the Assembly, Mr Ikechukwu Ezugwu (PDP-Udenu), after reading a letter from Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for the lawmakers to screen and approve his nomination as a commissioner. During questioning, the commissioner-nominee said if given opportunity to serve, he would put in his wealth of experience as a practicing engineer based in U.S. for the development of the state. “I spent most of my years in the U.S, though I had worked at Hotel Presidential, Enugu. I am a grassroots person who can speak his language very well. “I promise to put

in my best to ensure things are done in the right manner if given the opportunity,’’ Ezeoha said. In his contribution, Mr Mathew Ugwueze (PDP-Igboeze South) explained that the nominee’s background and work experience, according to his profile, would not be taken for granted. Ugwueze pleaded with his colleagues to approve the nomination so he would bring in new ideas for the development of the state. In a related development, Ezugwu presented two bills, the Enugu State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency bill and the Administration of Criminal Justice bill. The Assembly adjourned plenary till April 19 because of the economic summit in the state which commences on April 12 to April 14.

Imo Assembly adopts motion against neglect in NDDC appointments

mo House of Assembly has called on the state’s caucus at the National Assembly to draw government’s attention to their exclusion in appointments into the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. In a motion, Mr Henry Ezediaro (APCOguta) also lamented that the state had been shortchanged by NDDC in siting development infrastructure. Ezediaro said the law guiding the appointment of a managing director of the NDDC provides for rotation among the nine oil-producing states. “While the other states, apart from Edo, have headed the commission, Imo is yet to produce a managing director. “Some of the other oil-producing states have occupied the position of managing direc-

tor of the commission more than once. “I wish to urge representatives of the state in the National Assembly to draw the attention of the president to this and ensure that Imo produces the next substantive managing director,’’ he said. Supporting the motion, Dr Uche Oguwuike said the law establishing the NDDC made copious provisions for even distribution of appointments in line with the federal character concept. “This guideline should be strictly adhered to for the sake of equity,’’ Oguwuike said. Following a unanimous vote in favour of the motion, the Speaker, Mr Acho Ihim (APCOkigwe), directed the Clerk of the Assembly to write to the state representatives at the National Assembly for the desired action.

L-R: Consultant Psychiatrists, Dr Bello Mojeed-Abiola and Grace Ijarogbe; Chief Consultant Psychiatrist, Special Grace, Dr Oluyemi Ogun; Chief Nursing Officer, Ms Abiola Akingbohungbe, and children of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, during Autism Day in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Corps member, 8 others paraded over robbery, kidnapping Francis Ekpone ONITSHA

nambra State police command yesterday paraded a gang of nine men for suspected armed robbery and kidnapping at different places in the state. The suspects were paraded at Awkuzu, headquarters of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the police command. Parading the suspects, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ali Okechukwu, told reporters that Sopuluchukwu Obika, Abuchi Okoro, Ndubisi Ogeh, and Anthony Ezekwem on February 23 this year, con-

spired and robbed one Ikechukwu Ogeh at gunpoint, of the sum of N3million at Awka/Enugu Expressway, by Amansea in Awka North Council Area of the state. He added that another suspect, Kingsley Oreke, a serving corps member attached to Ebonyi State, conspired with Ugochukwu Ozioko, now at large, and broke into Igwe’s Lodge in Abagana, Njiko Local Government Area and robbed students of the National Open University of their handsets, laptops and N92,000cash. Also paraded were Chigozie Ezinwa, Chinonso Okere, Chukwuka Abam-

afo, and Arinze Okoye, for luring Nkiru Anene on March 6 out of the Onitsha Sports Club through facebook to Oguta Road, Onitsha, where she was kidnapped and taken to an uncompleted building at Obosi. The police imagemaker further said that the victim, Anene, was kept for days until a ransom of N500,000 was paid by the victim’s family. “The victim was stripped naked (and maybe raped) and video recorded the action after robbing her of a Samsung Galaxy, Blue Tap phone and wristwatch valued at N90,000,” he said.

The PPRO, Ali Okechukwu, however, reassured Anambra people of the command’s commitment and resolve to rid the state off crime and criminalities. He also thanked the state governor, Willie Obiano, for his efforts in assisting the command. Upon interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime, though the corps member attributed the act to hardship in the country. A kidnap suspect, Chigozie Ezinwa, denied collecting any ransom. Items recovered from the suspects include one locally made shotgun with live cartridge and an axe.

went round the city, gathered that only one petrol company, Ebere Links, which has about three other branches in town, was selling fuel at N165 per litre. Other filling stations were selling at N180 and N200, while black market operatives sold at over N200 per litre. Reports from across the state yesterday showed no improvement in the supply of power and fuel. For more than two weeks, notable filling stations that operated fairly more regularly since the persistent fuel problem that hit the country have remained locked. Where available, petrol sells for N180 on the average. Queues have continued to stretch endlessly at filling stations in the state. Many motorists told our correspondent they spent much of the day moving

from one filling station to the other in search of petrol. “The price was outrageous where fuel was available. It ranged between N180 and N200 per litre,” they complained. Besides, there are long queues of vehicles of more than 200metres long at every station dispensing fuel as they have refused to sell to people with jerry cans. Madam Alice Maduike, who sells frozen food at Ekeukwu Owerri Market, said she and her business have suffered greatly on account of the fuel scarcity. “We are really suffering. But since the scarcity started, I have not been able to make any meaningful profit. Much of my profit margin has been taken away by the high cost of transport fare,” she lamented. Prices of foodstuffs have also skyrocketed. Traders blamed the high cost of the

food items on fuel scarcity and the attendant hike in transport fares. For Ibe Nwaike, an accountant at a health centre in Owerri, the situation is made worse by of the lack of power, which he said makes life worse. The situation, coupled with nonpayment of salaries to civil servants, has forced many vehicle owners to abandon their cars for commercial buses, for their daily business. Transport fare has equally gone up by 100 per cent. Where the fare cost N70, it has gone up to N150. Some students of Federal Polytechnic Nekede and Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, said the situation was unbearable as they could not afford the high cost of transport from the town to their various schools.

Fuel scarcity: Resign now, Imo residents tell Buhari, Kachikwu Chris Njoku OWERRI

s fuel scarcity bites harder across the country, residents of Imo State yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Ibe Kachikwu, to resign now as ministers of petroleum to allow people with wisdom on how to move the sector forward step in. They noted that the President, who is also Petroleum Minister, and his junior minister, Kachikwu, have failed to arrest the situation even with assurances that the situation would be brought under control yesterday (Wednesday). “In fact, the situation is beginning to get worse each day; how long do we continue like this?” they lamented. Our correspondent, who

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South-South 11

Friday, April 8, 2016

Annexation: Akwa Ibom moves to create new clans/villages Julius Onwuma UYO

n an attempt to prevent annexation of some of its communities by Cameroon, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has begun deliberations seeking the creation and recognition of new villages and clans in the state, even as the Assembly called for proper boundary demarcation. Deliberations on the matter that began during

yesterday’splenary session of the House followed a bill sponsored by a member representing Ibiono Ibom State Constituency, Mr. Ime Okon. Other co-sponsors of the bill included Dr Usoroh Akpanusoh (Ibeno/ EsitEket), Mfon Ekong (Nsit Ibom) and Elder Aniekan Uko of Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency. Emotions were high as members took turns to speak on the matter, main-

taining the imperative to create villages and clans in the state following the recent attempt by Cameroon to claim some communities in Mbo Local Government Area of the state. The lawmakers were unanimous in their observation that so many boundary communities in the state were not properly recognised and gazetted as Akwa Ibom communities. Akpanusoh, member representing Ibeno/Esit

Eket, argued that if there was proper boundary demarcation of territories and recognition of same, the recent incursion by Cameroon into some communities in Mbo would not have occurred. Uko, the lawmaker representing IbesikpoAsutan, called for a public hearing on the matter, adding that AkwaIbom people have a right to decide if they need more clans and villages.

NCC destroys N4.5m broadcast equipment in Delta Sylvester Idowu WARRI

igerian Copyright Commission, NCC, has destroyed pirated broadcast equipment worth N4.5 million in Delta State. Director of Enforcement in NCC, Mr Augustine Amodu, told journalists in Warri that the materials were destroyed in Delta Steel Company, DSC, Township, Udu Local Government Area. He said the items included cables and boosters used by perpetrators to connect almost the entire buildings in the township to a central decoder belonging to MultiChoice Company, a “terrestrial television service provider.’’ Amodu said NCC, among other duties, is saddled with the responsibility of checking piracy in the broadcast, music, cinematography and liter-

ary works. He, however, warned the perpetrators to desist from the illicit act, saying there was no hiding place for them. National Mirror observed that almost every household in the community were connected to the central decoder. The illegal business is codenamed ``osusu’’ which literarily means contribution. Some of the residents looked frustrated when the NCC officials accompanied by armed mobile policemen were destroying the materials. The officials moved from building to building in every street, pulling down the cables and cutting them into pieces. However, some residents who spoke with newsmen urged the federal government to prevail on Multichoice management to reduce their subscription fee.

Man granted bail, rearrested over armed robbery Oarhe Dickson BENIN

L-R: Bayelsa State Deputy Governor, Gboribiogha John Jonah; Governor Seriake Dickson; former Science and Technology Minister, Prof. Turner Isoun and Guest Lecturer, Prof. Godini Darah, at the public lecture organised in honour of the first civilian governor of the state, the late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha as part of activities to mark his burial ceremony in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Appeal Court strikes out move to jail Edo speaker Onazena Abbey BENIN

ourt of Appeal sitting in Benin City, Edo State capital, has struck out an application seeking to jail Edo Speaker, Victor Edoroh, and Clerk of the House, Mr. Lawson Ugiagbe, over refusal to swear in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Sylvanus Eruaga, representing Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s constituency, Etsako West II. The court, which earlier served Form 48/49

on the duo, ordered the state’s solicitor-general to produce the Speaker before it yesterday, an aftermath of the expiration of time limit to settle out of court and failure to comply with court order. Counsel to the petitioner, Dele Igbinedion, who informed the presiding judge, Olukayode Bada, that the judgment applicant creditor was consequently sworn in by Speaker of the House on Wednesday, April 5, pursuant to the order, applied for the withdrawal of Forms 48/49, respectively.

He however prayed the court to investigate as well as undertake stiffer measures to ensure the case of assault meted out to the court bailiff and his staff in the course of serving the Speaker court processes, do not repeat itself. On his part, the Solicitor-General, OluwaleIyamu, who expressed no objection to the application by the appellant’s counsel to withdraw the Forms, equally applied to withdraw his counter application dated April 9. He said the state government was never in con-

tempt norcontemplated disobeying court order, adding that the Oshiomhole-led administration respects the court and therefore could not afford to be at loggerheads with court at any level. In his judgment, Justice Olukayode struck out the application Forms 48/49, saying no individual or institution was above the law. He added that to disregard the rule of law was an invitation to anarchy and that the roles of the three arms of government are complementary and not conflicting.

31-year-old man, Samson Nwadike, has been arrested for armed robbery, after he was recently released for allegedly engaging in cultism. Nwadike, who was earlier granted bail, is awaiting trial at the Evborhiarhia Magistrate’s Court 3 for illegal possession of firearms and cultism. Parading the suspect yesterday in Benin City alongside others who were arrested for various offenses, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ejike, said the suspect was apprehended by operatives of special anti-robbery squad near Eweka Road in Benin following a distress call. He said the police recovered from him one locally made pistol and a cartridge. National Mirror learnt that the police arrested the suspect in 2014 for illegal possession of firearms and cultism, and ap-

proached the court where he was grant bail on December 15. He was charged to court and granted bail by the court until January 29, 2016 when rearrested for allegedly taking part in armed robbery. Ejike, who frowned at the involvement of youths in cultism, said this has become a hydra-headed monster that requires multi-dimensional solution. According to him, cultism is real and dangerous, and capable of destroying our society. He said: “While we acknowledge that reasonable progress has been made in the fight against cultism by the command as evidenced by the level of renunciation in the state, we wish to call on all citizens to support the fight against cultism.” The commissioner also harped on the need for collective effort in order to address the issue, stressing that indulging in self-denial was no longer fashionable.

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Niger lawmakers increase 2016 budget by N10.3bn Priscilla Dennis, MINNA

iger State House of Assembly has passed the 2016 budget into law with an addition of N10.3 billion on expenditure in the appropriation bill. Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had earlier presented to the House a N74.7 billion expenCHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS EGBIKI PATRICIA JOSEPHINE, Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS.OBEHIOYE PATRICIA JOSEPHINE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

diture bill for the fiscal year, but the House added N10.3 billion to it, bringing the total to N85 billion. Chairman of the Committee on Planning and Appropriation, Hon. Muhammad Lokogoma, who gave reasons for the decision, explained that after a critical look at the various sources of revenue, the committee discovered other areas that could be improved upon to increase the internally generated revenue, IGR, of the state. CHANGE OF NAME

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Formerly known and addressed as ELEKWACHI LILIAN NGOZI, now wish to be Known and addressed as FESTUS ELEKWACHI LILIAN NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as KEHINDE KOREDE TOYOSI, now wish to be Known and addressed as KEHINDE FAKOREDE TOYOSI. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as USHIE SUNDAY, now wish to be known an addressed as ODEY JAMES USHIE. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

SELNAN: Formerly known and addressed as SELNAN JOSEPH now wish to be known and addressed as DORDIP SELNAN TAKZHIR. All former documents remain valid. Gen public pls take note. . All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OSAMEASE: Formerly known and addressed as OSAMEASE SYLVESTER DOUGLAS, now wish to be known and addressed as AKHERE AKHIMEN SYLVESTER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS BAMIDELE MONISOLA But now wish to be known and address as MRS ADENIYI SOLA SAIDAT. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public to take note.

Giving a breakdown of such sources, he said N10 million could be generated from the state-owned transport company, the NSTA, City Metro bus service, N6 million from mining activities; N5 million from the water board and N35 million from telecom masts and new mast clearance form. Also, the committee chairman stated that out of the N100 billion withdrawn from the consolidated revenue account, N50 billion has been verified to be CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SUNDAY UDUAK SIMON, now wish to be Known and addressed as SIMON PAUL UDUAK. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ALIMI MOTUNRAYO MARIAM, but now wish to be known and address as MRS. OLALEKAN MOTUNRAYO MARIAM. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public to take note.

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LAWAL: I, formerly known and addressed as LAWAL OLUWAGBAYINMI VICTORIA, now wish to be known and addressed as GBOLAHAN OLUWAGBAYINMI VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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unaccounted for, adding that N15.7 billion is recommended from IGR as against the N9.3 billion projected. Noting with dismay, the extra-budgetary expenditure in the 2015 budget without recourse to the legislature, members of the committee said such attitude would not be tolerated in the 2016 budget; hence all ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, must make quarterly presentations to the House. Against this back-

sion to the governor for his assent. During the sitting, an estimated expenditure of N74,744,151,131 made up of N39,501,796,081 as recurrent expenditure and N35,242,355,032 as capital expenditure was proposed for consideration and approval. The House recommended an expenditure of N85,092,122,133, made up of recurrent expenditure of N41,433,666,593 and capital expenditure of N43,658,455,540.

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CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

CORRECTION OF NAME This is to inform the authorities concerned that my name was wrongly written as ADANG MAGDALENE AGET instead of my correct name as STEPHEN ROSEY MAGDALENE. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank and general public Please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as RUKKA OLABISI OJOMU, now wish to be known and addressed as YAHAYA OJOMU RUKKA OLABISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as NNADOZIE EMMANUEL FREDRICK, now wish to be Known and addressed as NNADOZIE EMMANUEL UDEMBA. All former documents remain valid. ECO BANK and general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OYINLOLA ADEDEYIN but now wish to be known and address as ADELAJA OYINLOLA ADEDEYIN. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public to take note. CHANGE OF NAME

APOLLONIA: I, formerly known and addressed as APOLLONIA NKECHI-EBEREONYE ECHEWE, now wish to be known and addressed as APOLLONIA NKECHI CHICHEBEN . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I, formerly known as EDITH OZOEMENA now wish to be addressed as EDITH NDUBUISI AGWU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, known and addressed as ABAH SUNDAY. My correct date of birth is 6th June 1986 instead of 8th June 1986. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MR OLAJIDE ADEKUNLE, now wish to be Known and addressed as MR AWOLOLA ADEKUNLE ABAYOMI. All former document remain valid and general public should take. note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as FATIMOH AMOKE MATTI, now wish to be Known and addressed as FATIMO MATTI. All former documents remain valid. UBA, First Bank and general public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

TSEHEMBA: I, formerly known and addressed as TSEHEMBA MONDAY, now wish to be known and addressed as TSEHEMBA MONDAY EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OKEREKE: I, formerly known and addressed as OKEREKE KINGSLEY OSINACHI, now wish to be known and addressed as OKERE OSINACHI OWUCHUKWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LAWSON: Formerly known and addressed as LAWSON AJOKE RODIAT, now wish to be known and addressed as AJAO RALIAT AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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EMMANUEL: Formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL AGBARA, now wish to be known and addressed as IKECHUKWU CHINONYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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OKORO: I, formerly known and addressed as OKORO BLESSING GINIKANWA, now wish to be known and addressed as OKOJA BLESSING GINIKANWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. I, EBUKA EMEKA CHUKWU am the same person as EMEKA CHUKWU EBUKA. Henceforth, I want to be be called an addressed as EBUKA EMEKA CHUKWU. All Formal Documents Remain Valid. Zenith Bank and general public take note.

SALVADOR: Formerly known and addressed as SALVADOR WOSILAT AWOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as SALVADOR SALAMI WOSILAT OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME KINGSLEY: This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly spelt and stated KINGSLEY BEN OGIDI instead of KINGSLEY GINIKANWA OGIDI. Henceforth i wish to be known and addressed as KINGSLEY GINIKANWA OGIDI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as BAKARE GANIAT ARAMIDE, now wish to be known and addressed as RAJI GANIAT ARAMIDE. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank PC, First Bank Plc and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS NNAJI ESTHER IFENYINWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. NDIWE ESTHER IFENYINWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ISREAL COMFORT TITILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as FRANCIS COMFORT OMOWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH OKHE ELLIOS, now wish to be known and addressed as UTHMAN ABDUL ELLIOS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME KOTO: This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly spelt and stated as KOTO JUNIOR instead of JUDE KINVI EKOVE. Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as JUDE KINVI EKOVE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME MUSA: This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly spelt and stated as MUSA ATTAI ABDULLAHI instead of ATTAI HUSSENI. Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as ATTAI HUSSENI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME SAMSON: This is to confirm that SAMSON ABAYOMI BOLAJI and SAMSON SEGUN refer to one and same person. All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person. Banks and the general public take note.

ALFA: This is to confirm that ALFA MARIAM ONYELISI and ALFA MAUREEN ONYELISI refer to one and same person. Henceforth wish to be known and addressed as ALFA MARIAM ONYELISI. All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person. Banks and the general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

FORTUNE EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION

This is to inform the general Public that the above named foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. David Shirsha Namtsav 2. Mr. Simeon Nguuma Dzuamo 3. Rev. Nelson Terseer Iorwakwagh JP.

ground, the lawmakers urged the executive to ensure that budgets are presented to the legislature early for proper scrutiny and timely passage. Consequently, after passing the 2016 fiscal bill, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Ahmed Marafa, explained that the budget was properly scrutinised page by page and sector by sector before passing it, while directing the clerk to prepare copies for onward transmis-

4. Mrs. Esther Iveren Hon JP. 5. Hon Aaron Aondoakura Akooma

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVE ARE: i. To establish, operate and promote charitable, nationally and internationally. ii. To establish or assist in the provision and promotion of feeding programmes and or homes for homeless children, AIDS victims, orphans, etc by rental and or construction of homes, maintenance and support of such programmes. iii. To promote and enhance international relations, education, cultural exchange and world peace across the globe. iv. To encourage self sufficiency through micro enterprise. v. To establish or assist in the establishment of schools or other educational centres , libraries, publication of newsletters, brochures, periodicals , and books desirable for the promotion of the organization. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar- General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, of Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. Signed:

F.A. APAA ESQ 07032813221

PUBLIC NOTICE INTERNATIONAL COACH FEDERATION NIGERIA

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mrs. Abiodun Peterside; 4. Mrs. Habiba Balogun; 2. Mrs. Ajibola Ponnle; 5. Mr. Adeboye Martins; and 3. Mrs. Titilayo Akisanya; 6. Mr. Olanrewaju Olusola AIMS AND OBJECTIVE ARE: To increase the success of its membership. To increase the skills and effectiveness of its members. To raise the awareness of the wider community about the coaching profession. To provide a forum wherein the members can discuss issues of professional concern. 5. To provide the opportunity for its members to collaborate in providing resources and solutions for their clients. 6. To do all such other lawful things as may be considered to be incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects or any of them. 1. 2. 3. 4.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE NAME, OBJECTS OR PERSONS STATED AS TRUSTEES OF THE ASSOCIATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M B. 198, ABUJA, WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. Signed: VERONICA OKAFOR ADEYEMI-AKISANYA ASSOCIATES OKOI ARIKPO HOUSE (THE FIFTH FLOOR) 5, IDOWU TAYLOR STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS 08039699608

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

RAFIU: This is to confirm RAFIU RAPHEAL ADEBIYI KAFARI OLUWAKEMI,ADEBIYI RAPHEAL OLUWAKEMI,RAFIU OLUWAKEMI KAFARI ADEBIYI and RAFIU RAPHEAL ADEBIYI KAFARI OLUWAKEMI refer to one and same person. Henceforth wish to be known and addressed as RAFIU RAPHEAL ADEBIYI KAFARI OLUWAKEMI. All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person. general public take note.

CHINENYE: I, formerly known and addressed as CHINENYE EBERECHUKWU NNYAGU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKONKWO CHINENYE EBERECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

TAIRU: Formerly known and addressed as TAIRU AYOMIDE OR TAIRU OLUWAKEMI now wish to be known and addressed as SANNI AYOMIDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

PUBLIC NOTICE INTERNATIONAL COACH FEDERATION NIGERIA

This is to inform the general public that OJAGBEMI is the owner of the land situated along Old Aye Road, Okitipupa, and occupied by Celestial Church of Christ Premier Cathedral Ondo State “Aroh Province “A” That the measurement of the said land is 200ft by 500ft and said land is leased to the Church by OJAGBEMI family of Idepe Okitipupa in Okitipupa local Government Area of Ondo State not by ODUNWO family of Idepe Okitipupa as it was published pn page 7 of our church 2015 harvest/thanksgiving brochure. The land belong to OJAGBEMI family of Idepe Okitipupa NOT ODUNWO family of Idepe Okitipupa. All other documents remain valid. Authorities concerned, the general public and to whom it may concerned to please Signed: take note. ADEWINLE SUNDAY

Friday, April 8, 2016

Jonathan regime was a regime of absurdity —Ademuwagun

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Bayelsa Gov: Tribunal adjourns till Monday Doosuur Iwambe Abuja

he three-man panel of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja disclosed yesterday that it will hear preliminary applications along with the substantive petition, but will deliver ruling on the applications at the conclusion of the hearing. Chairman of the panel, Justice Kazeem Alogba made the disclosure after counsel to the respondents in the petition, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Governor Seriake Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, informed the Tribunal of their various applications seeking to strike out some reliefs of the petitioners and certain paragraphs in their petition. The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the state, Timipre Sylva and his party, in their petition before the Tribunal, are challenging the emergence of Seriake Dickson as governor of Bayelsa State in the December 5, 2015 and January 9, 2016 just concluded governorship election in the state. Justice Alogba , who also adjourned further hearing of the petition till Monday April 11, held that parties

will be given the opportunity to put forward their submissions on the applications as well as the petition before the Tribunal. He said, “If we put everything in the basket and everybody comes in to take, nobody will be short-changed”, and added that the Tribunal will consolidate the applications, hear them and deliver ruling to save time. “Having gone through the applications by counsel in the matter, we came to a conclusion that the Tribunal will proceed to the hearing of the petition and the applications will be moved in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 18(5) of the first schedule of the Electoral Act 2010”, Justice Alogba held. He said that ruling on the applications will be delivered at the conclusion of hearing. Maduabuchi told the Tribunal that the national legal adviser of the party takes directive from the national think-tank, being the highest decision organ of the party and that there is no resolution before the Tribunal from the party mandating the party’s national legal adviser to withdraw the petition. He therefore asked the Tribunal to refuse the application of the national legal adviser.

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, acknowledging cheers from the crowd. With him are his Deputy, Mrs Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori: Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and other party leaders during a campaign rally towards April 9 bye-election for Ife Central State Constituency for APC candidate, Prince Adetilewa Sijuwade, at Enuwa Square, Ile-Ife, yesterday.

LCDAs: Aregbesola inaugurates assets, liabilities, take off committees Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo

sun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola yesterday inaugurated three different committees saddled with the task of ensuring proper take - off of the newly created Area Councils in the state.

Lagos Assembly amends LASIEC bill Robert Awokuse

embers of the Lagos State House of Assembly have amended the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and Local Government Election Tribunal (Amendment) Bill, 2016. Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa after the third reading of the bill directed the Clerk, Mr. Olusegun Abiru to forward a copy of the bill to the governor, Mr. Akin-

wunmi Ambode for his assent. In another development, the House called for the prosecution of the masterminds of violent acts during the 2015 general election in the State. Hon. Sanai Agunbiade who represents Ikorodu Constituency I, noted that the significant number of violent incidents that occurred in different parts of the state during the 2015 general election which resulted into deaths, damages of properties and bodily injuries of some citizens

of the state remained unresolved. He further stated that some of the violent cases and attacks were reported to the police but several months after no perpetrator had been prosecuted. “I observe that the jurisprudence of criminal law is to ensure that offenders are punished and there is need to punish the suspected masterminds in the violent to serve as deterrent to other who might want to commit similar offence,” he stated.

The committees include; Asset and Liability Sharing, Boundary Adjustment and Take-Off for Local Governments and the newly created Local Council Development Areas, Area Offices and Administrative Offices in the state. Justice Kudirat Akano is to chair a seven-man committee on Asset and Liability Sharing, while Justice Akinwale Oladimeji will head that of Boundary Adjustment Committee. Former Executive Secretary, Ilesa East Local Government Area, Mr. Lanre Balogun, will head Take-Off Committee. Speaking at the event, Aregbesola implored all Osun citizens and residents to strive more for development of the state, saying whatever asset any of the local government has should be seen as starting point for development. He enjoined the Committee on Asset and Liability Sharing as well as the one

on Boundary Adjustment to be fair and just and avoid any form of partisanship, bias and favouritism, adding that they should carry out their assignment with the fear of God and follow laid down procedures, rules and regulations.‎ He held that modern boundaries are for the purposes of taxation, development and election, stating that a local government therefore means the geographical area within which taxes will be collected by a local authority and where that authority is politically responsible and accountable. According to him, “Assets sharing is like an inheritance in which everyone wants the best portion for himself or herself. Where there is a Will, it is easier, and contestations are often without rancour, although wills also are often contested. Where the deceased died intestate without a Will anything can happen. “It is not less so with government assets. Oyo and

Osun, those who could remember, fought bitter asset sharing war at the creation of Osun in 1991, which still reverberates till today. This is unsavoury and clearly avoidable for the same people who have the same history, culture and have lived together since time immemorial. “The greatest asset really is human beings. They are the basic instrument of development. It is humans that think, conceive of ideas, create and engage in economic production. This is why at any time, we should strive more for human development”.‎ In his remarks on behalf of the three committees, the Chairman of Boundary Adjustment Committee, Justice Akinwale Oladimeji, said the committees would execute their given assignments with high sense of nationalism and patriotism. Justice Oladimeji said the committees would not allow themselves to be influenced in any manner while carrying out their tasks.

Politics

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan’s regime was era of absurdity —Ademuwagun Barrister Bisi Ade Ademuwagun is the former Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Ikeja Chapter. In this interview with VICTOR UDOH, he speaks on the activities of the Buhari’s government in the last ten months.Excerpts What is your impression about the All Progressives Congress, APC- led Federal Government ? You see proper comments about the present government should depend on the situation on ground and what they met when they took over the government. From all indications and from the revelations we have been having, it appears that the situation they met was very bad. We have all been hearing and witnessing the bastardisation of our economy by the previous government they took over from. Also from the look of things, it appears that President Muhammadu Buhari did not know the extent to which the country was balkanised, the economy and how much was stolen from our commonwealth. Honestly what we are hearing now is shocking and unbelievable and it was an indication that the past government was reckless with our money. What we are facing now is just the reality of things about the present state of the economy even at a period now that the prices of oil have gone down, a situation which is having a global effect on the people. The present government is now in a serious problem of how to fulfill its campaign promises. Although those in government have not promised to perform magic, but whatever the situation they must meet the obligations of the people who have voted for change and that has been their major challenges now. Honestly, Nigerians should pity the present government because it is faced with financial problem and it would take some time before things which have been damaged could get sorted out. Yes we were all aware that things are bad, no water, electricity. Fuel which is getting worse on daily basis but to me, we need to exercise some patient. But many people are saying the government is not getting things right to move the country forward, what is your take on this? Like I said before, I think the government needs our patience and we should allow the government to settle down properly to examine all the problems and find lasting solutions to them. I am saying this because of the massive looting of the treasury which to me has incapacitated them from doing all they have promised immediately. What Nigerians should do to help the country is to start bringing suggestions on how we could all get out of the present mess we have found ourselves. We should also be glad that the country now has a President who is focused and determined to work and help the country to put things right. Al though he has his own short comings, I think we should bear with him at this critical stage and with the kind of people now in his cabinet, I am sure we are going to get out of the woods. With what you have just said, many

the country and how so much money was taken out of the treasury under his nose. Right now, he is no longer enjoying any immunity and he too should be prepared to surrender himself for scrutiny. The present government or the security agencies should note that he was a former leader of the country and whatever they do should not be done to humiliate him. Let us look at the ministerial appointments for example in the case of the former Lagos state governor , Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) that was saddled with three ministries, Power, Housing and Works, it was believed that the results we are getting especially on power was as a result of the heavy work load on him. What is your take on this? Well to some extent they are right because to me too I believe that if he was left with only one ministry he would have been doing better. But with the Fashola we all know, he would do his best but honestly the work load to me is too much for him.

Ademuwagun

To me I think the present government of President Buhari is on the right track. Those who have been found wanting should be prosecuted and if found guilty should be made to face the wrath of the law. Nigerians are not convinced enough that the present government has the wherewithal to bail the country out of the woods, because they expected the government to have strong economic team and that is not so ? My take on this is that you are right that anybody who wants to come into governance should have know what he would do and ought to have done self appraisal of the situation, how to solve the problem and what people should expect. Be that as it may, I think with the economic debate which we have just had, things would take shape. Also when the crisis over the budget is over, I think we should be able to see some changes. With the massive arrests of politicians going on over corruption in office and with the huge amount of money stolen, how far do you think the government can go about the arrests and probe? To me I think the present government of President Buhari is on the right track. Those who have been found wanting should be prosecuted and if found guilty should be made to face the wrath of the law. There should not be any scapegoat because the money stolen has been so alarming and the government must make sure that they got

them back. What is baffling me in all the cases we have had so far was the fact that none of those arrested and being investigated have denied ever getting involved in the crime. Let us face reality, when they found million dollars in their account, they did not deny this. Honestly all these things are bad because we cannot imagine someone paying billions into his children account and buying houses worth several billions to girl friends. All these to me are outrageous. Look at what has happened in the Dasukigate, when money meant for the procurement of arms to fight insurgency was diverted to private hands. It was shared like a birthday cake. To me, the last regime was a regime of absurdity. What I want to tell the President is to note that the end of the ongoing probe could still not be determined because if the situation continues there is likelihood of some people very close to the president being involved and he should be very careful not to turn his eyes the other way if that happens. Do you think former President Goodluck Jonathan should be invited by the EFCC in view of the findings so far? Yes, there is nothing bad in that. If the EFCC discovered that there is the need to call him for interrogations, he should be invited to give his own account of how he governed

What is your reaction about the president refusing to sign the budget saying he will have to look at the bills of the ministries one by one? Don’t you think this is going to be another setback for the country judging from the way he took a very long time in appointing his cabinet? Let us face reality, I think the president is only being very careful not to fall into the trap of politicians both within the government and in the National Assembly. There is nothing bad in what he has said that he would not want to be rushed into signing the budget because of the previous experience and with what we are just facing in the country based on the financial recklessness of the last government. I think the president was right to have chosen that method. He also wanted to show that he would like to do things differently from the ways things have been done in the past which has put us in this peculiar mess. Some people are now condemning the reverse of the N5000 stipends promised the unemployed when President Buhari was canvassing for votes, don’t you think this is a big setback for the government and a confirmation that the APC was not actually prepared for governance? I don’t look at it that way, by the time they were canvassing for votes, they did not know that the nation has been drained to the extent that they met the treasury empty . Their speculations also was based on the oil revenue but now that the country is suffering from the global oil glut, I think as a responsible government, they have done the right thing to reverse the policy so that Nigerians would know that this cannot be possible. Again the reason giving was okay because they argued that they are going to inject that money into other viable ventures that would create employment directly. To me what they want to do now is even better than being giving money out which at the end of the day would end up in wrong hands because there is no way they could determine those who are eligible to share in the money legitimately. If the money is put into construction of roads and other infrastructure, agriculture and solid minerals, jobs will automatically come to the people and that would be in a larger percentage solve the problem they intend to use the huge fund for.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Friday, April 8, 2016

Comrade Lanre Obafemi Oyenubi is the State Chairman, Agriculture and Allied Employers Union of Nigeria, Lagos State Council. He is also aspiring to become the National President of the Union in May 2016. In this interview with PAUL OMO OBADAN, he speaks on why Nigeria needs to diversify to agriculture to reposition its economy. Excerpts: Do you think for Nigeria to diversify its economy, agriculture should be the mainstay? It is of interest for us to look back at the structure of the Nigerian economy before now. Nigerian economy before independence depended on agriculture. And 80 per cent of revenue then came from agriculture. But the discovery of oil in the early 70’s now led to the relegation of agriculture to the background. And that is the main problem Nigeria’s economy is having today. Discovery of oil has been a blessing as well as a curse. We have to go back to the basics – agriculture. It is agriculture that can give employment to 90 per cent of Nigerians. Even when you want every other industry or sector to grow, you need agriculture because agriculture is the link. There is a link between agriculture and every other industry. Take for instance, manufacturing. The raw materials required for the manufacturing sector depends on agriculture. And as such, without the agricultural sector, there is no way the manufacturing sector can develop or thrive. And if the manufacturing sector cannot develop, there is no way the economy can move forward. As a result of this, you will find out that agriculture can gainfully employ 90 per cent of Nigerians if the right infrastructures are put in place. A lot of problems we are having today in terms of the manufacturing sector not producing up to productive capacity will not be there. Most of these raw materials that we are importing from other countries of the world can also be generated from here. That is why the government needs to tackle the problem of agriculture with all sincerity. How will the union encourage the youth to develop more interest in agriculture sector, as Nigeria diversifies its economy with agriculture as a major target ? It is two way things. Number one, lack of information has become a problem in the society and if people are aware of what to plant, when to plant, where to plant and how to sell it, they will be encouraged to go into farming. Let us look at the Nigerian market today, if government have a plant where tomatoes could be taken to for processing, it will go a long way to curtail wastage of tomatoes in the country. Our government needs to create the environment so people can come and invest in the sector. As unions, we need to move very close to government and as President Muhammadu Buhari have told Nigerians that agriculture will be promoted greatly, we have to work with the government to get what we want. I know a farmer who invested over N1 million into his farm and by the time he harvested the products, he was not able to recover up to N200, 000. If we have the market where the end products can sell, Nigerian farmers will make more money and profits for their investment. In Lagos State, there are a lot of schemes for the youth, like Agriyes. Agriyes is a programme in which youths are trained and later given land to farm with all the necessary things they needed for farming. And the state buys the products of their farms. This is encouraging. The state has provided so many lands for farming and the issue is awareness, because people are not aware of those activities, even in other states of the federation. What do you intend to bring to the table, as you contest for the National President of the Agriculture and Allied Employers Union of Nigeria? There is one thing people have to note about agriculture, the hazards that are involved in doing the job. Up till tomorrow our government has not seen any reason why they should be paying our workers’ hazards allowance for doing their job. This is one of the candid points that I am s raising . We must be able to realize that. Hazards allowances for the members of the union are very important, and beside in most cases, some of the union because of fund constraints they don’t have good plan for the workers. We fight for people outside but those we

Diversify into agriculture, best for Nigeria –Oyenubi

the season. That means, we are losing more than 80 per cent of what we produce in Nigeria as a waste because of lack of technology to preserve our farm produce. How many of the farm produce can Nigeria consume? For instance, how many trailers of tomatoes and cows enter Lagos State on a daily basis? How do you think we can prevent agriculture products’ wastage in the country, and where is the place of value chain in the sector? We have our paper with Mr. President. We want him to create an enabling environment for the investors to come in and invest in the processing of our agriculture produce. The problem we are having before now is that some big farmers that are producing tomatoes have the means of sending it outside the county to sell, and they are trying as much as possible not to allow somebody else to bring the same product into the country. It has been a problem and we have realised that so many big farmers in Nigeria today have links abroad to sell their products. If investors are allowed to come in, there will be job opportunity for the people and abundant of food for people to eat.

Oyenubi

It is of interest for us to look back at the

Nigerian economy before now.

structure of the

Nigerian economy before independence depended on agriculture.

And 80

per cent of revenue then came from agriculture. employed we should do little things for them. I felt that there is need for me to come in and really streamline such things like a reliable pension scheme and others for the benefit of the workers. We learned that you are giving your support to organic farming in the country and what is motivating you to do that? It is a way to make sure that farmers in Nigeria are comfortable. In some cases, the products we are producing in the country don’t need any fertiliser support. And we have been able to sit down and see that if we can plant our farm products with organic fertilizers, it will preserve the products for some time and it will give us a better harvest. We have been sensitizing farmers in Nigeria for them to really embrace the system because it is better, costs less and it is acceptable in the international market. Every year, a lot of agriculture products are been wasted in the country, in your estimation, how much is Nigeria losing? The fact is, let us look at a farmer using N1 million in a farm project and he does not realise N200, 000 at the end of

Why should the country wait for foreign investors when we have indigenous farmers who have the capacity to invest in the sector? The indigenous investor that goes into agriculture knows where to sell their end products. What Nigerians feed on are the peasant farmers’ produces. The last time I travelled to the USA, people in the supermarket were asking for products from Obasanjo farm. So, these are some of the problems local farmers are facing, even we are not enjoying the Obasanjo farm’s chicken in our country. Until we have investors, who will create platforms for local farmers, there may not be much improvement in farming. Some farmers in the North region are accusing the ones in the South of selling fertilizers to them after collecting it from the ministry. They said that the southern farmers don’t use fertiliser because the southern land is fertile. What is your opinion on such accusation? It is a known fact that God endowed the southern region with a fertile land. And I don’t think that southern region farmers need the fertilizers as much as the northern farmers need it. The issue of fertilizer is politicized already and some people are there making money out of it. In some countries, agriculture companies provide accommodation for their workers, but reverse is the case in Nigeria. Do you have any plan to come with such development if you become the national president? If you are outside Lagos state, people will tell you that the state is not into agriculture, which is not true. Lagos state is the highest producer of rice in the country today. Farm settlements cut across all the six geo- political zones in Nigeria. The only thing we need is to re-orientate the people to know what to do. Like Lagos state, they have fishing estate, rice settlements where the state built two to three flats for the workers to live. I am a farmer too and I build edifice for my workers, who work in the farms. The farm houses are there but the problem is that awareness is not there and people don’t know where to go. What are your plans or agenda, as you are vying for the national president of the union? There is one thing people have to note about agriculture, the hazards that are involved in doing the job. For instance, up till tomorrow our government has not seen any reason why they should be paying our workers’ hazards allowance for doing their job. This is one of the candid points that are moving me to say, we must be able to realize that. Hazard allowances for the members of the union which is very important and besides, they don’t have good plan for the workers. I feel that there is need for me to come in and streamline such things like a reliable pension scheme and others benefits for the workers.

Editorial

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR n PUBLISHER

SUNDAY OLAJIDE n MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO BEN MEMULETIWON n ACTING DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI n SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN n SUNDAY EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA n COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE n EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR OBIORA IFOH n ACTING ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

At last, automatic jobs for NIS recruitment victims

eports early in the week say the Federal Government has given automatic employment to 105 candidates - relatives of the tragic 2014 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise - as compensation for those that lost their lives or sustained injuries during the pathetic job screening. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abuja, Mr. Bassey Akpanyung, said in a statement that after due verification, employment was given to three family members of each deceased applicant from the aborted exercise. Fifteen families were identified from which a total of 45 family members were selected; while 60 victims that were injured during the exercise were also offered employment after being verified by relevant government agencies, Akpanyung stated. This brings one version of the officially exploitative and gruelling job search experience; and a subsequent promise of automatic employment carried over from the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration since 2014 to a cheering end. On March 15, 2014, we recall, the NIS hosted a recruitment exercise which claimed the lives of about 19 applicants after roughly N676.6 million was extorted from

676,675 job seekers that applied for the job. Reports said the organizers of the event extorted N1000 from each job seeker as application fee and another N500 for NIS’ vests. However, despite the huge funds the organizers of the recruitment raked in, they ended up putting on display chaotic interviews in virtually all the venues they selected for the exercise nationwide, which in the end led to the deaths of 19 persons in stampedes. Following the public outrage that trailed the dubious recruitment drive and the fact that no visible effort was made by the government to bring any of the officials behind the recruitment scam to justice, the then President Jonathan promised automatic employment for three members of the family of each deceased applicant; and all those injured during the stampedes; and on Wednesday, March 26, 2014, announced the setting up of a committee to carry out the exercise within 12-weeks. Over 13 weeks after the expiration of the committee’s time-frame, the automatic job offers were still hanging. Reports, instead, had it that the presidential job promise gave birth to a ‘wound racket’; as crooks laid siege to the National Hospital, Abuja in their attempt to be listed among those wounded

That is just one leg of the matter. The other is bringing the officials that packaged the exploitative and fatal recruitment project to justice in the NIS recruitment stampede shortly after the Presidency announced the automatic employment offer. Sometime last year, about 176 relatives of the dead were given appointment letters, but the letters were withdrawn almost immediately purportedly because of the lack of provision for their salaries. Protests by the disappointed ‘employees’ to the National Assembly prompted the House of Representatives to conduct a public hearing on the matter late last year. The lawmakers insisted that “the 176 people with letters of appointment deserve employment based on the presidential directive; and it will be in our collective interest… Everything should be done to restore their appointments”. Still the jobs did not come. Just last February, when one Mr. Edmund Osumah led members of the aggrieved families to the Interior Ministry in pro-

ON THIS DAY April 8, 2005 The funeral of Pope John Paul II was held, six days after his death on April 2. The funeral was followed by the novemdiales devotional in which the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches observed nine days of mourning. Over four million people attended the funeral which brought together the single largest gathering in the history of heads of state outside the United Nations.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

April 8, 2008 The construction of the world’s first building to integrate wind turbines was completed in Bahrain, a small island country situated near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. The Bahrain World Trade Center is a 240 m (787 ft) high twin tower complex located in Manama, Bahrain. Built by the multi-national architectural firm, Atkins, it is the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design.

test again, Osumah quoted the Permanent Secretary as saying “serious attention is being given to the matter”. It is, therefore, a welcome relief that the promise of automatic jobs for some members of the families of those that died during the sad NIS recruitment exercise made by ex-President Jonathan has been redeemed, though belatedly – two years and two months after. But that is just one leg of the matter. The other is bringing the officials that packaged the exploitative and fatal recruitment project to justice. Reports quite recently indicated that former Interior Minister, Mr. Abba Moro; an ex-Permanent Secretary in the Interior Ministry, Mrs. Anatasia Daniel-Nwobia, one Mr. F.O. Alayebami, as well as Mr. Mahmood Ahmadu and Drexel Tech Global Nigeria Limited, were to be prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with the alleged disappearance of the N676.6 million which the NIS allegedly extorted from the 676,675 job seekers scammed during the scandalous recruitment exercise. Public expectation is that diligent investigation, prosecution and punishment – if the suspects are found liable – will follow; and that the course of justice will be served at the end of the trial.

x April 8, 2013 The Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) entered the Syrian Civil War and began by declaring a merger with the Al-Nusra Front under the name Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham. ISI was a Sunni Islamic group that aimed to establish an Islamic state in Sunni, Arab-majority areas of Iraq. It was formed on October 15, 2006 from the merger of a number of Iraqi insurgent groups, including Tanzim Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn, etc.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

Boko Haram: Critique of Nigeria’s counterinsurgency strategy Counter-terrorism Tips With

Ethelbert Oney ethelbertoney@zissltd.com, 08029929121 (sms only)

he Boko Haram saga has many facets, including the Nigerian military’s efforts to capture or kill them, instead of a policy aimed at persuading them to seek peace and drop violence. But perhaps, one of the most effective means of stopping them should have been to significantly impair vital sources of funding. By some accounts, the only generally agreed upon characteristic of terrorism is that it thrives on violence or threat of violence. Yet, this cannot be its sole defining feature, because war, coercive diplomacy, and barroom brawls, also involve violence and the threat of violence. While terrorism has existed for millennia in many forms throughout the world, a background on jihadist/fundamentalist groups should be of particular relevance in this discourse. Boko Haram generally recruits its members by targeting deeply religious young men with intense hatred for democracy and western education. After a suicide bomber dies, it appears BH offers their families monetary compensation and assures them their sons/daughters died martyrs in holy jihad missions. This particular act is often associated with des-

perate groups willing to stamp authority on the beleaguered nation, for example, Hamas and the Al-Qaeda applied this strategy. Nigeria’s veneer of civilization has been peeled away leaving in its place a renewed commitment to barbarity and retribution against the monsters known as Boko Haram. As the military bloodthirsty scream for increased violence, one question that should come to mind is: Has this “war on BH” been successful so far? Sincerely speaking, the centerpiece of this endless killing has been the initial under reaction, corruption and sporadic offensive approach, which quickly turned to a hells cape of bloodshed, and the concomitant suicide bombing. Our chosen strategy only increased support for the group despite six years of offensive; the numbers of BH fighters never dropped because reasonable number of new recruits often replaces those killed. This amount of death and destruction has created an immense amount of chaos and unrest in the country, especially in the northeast region, which has been trampled upon by the sect for more than half a decade. The war declared on this confused sect as opposed to the application of diplomacy from the onset caused the nation’s sectarian conflict to spread. What followed are massive destruction of infrastructure, loss of lives and monstrous humanitarian crisis spilling all over the West African sub-region. The point must be made that it is sheer

Intelligence and brain wars can never be won physically or on the battle ground waste of resources and manpower to fight ideological war with weapons no matter how sophisticated they might be. Meaning, intelligence and brain wars can never be won physically or on the battle ground. The irony of it all is that when you celebrate to have killed all the members involved in ideological warfare, the simple truth remains that within a short time, that single member that escaped will indoctrinate more members to continue from where the dead members stopped. This ideology is the reason a member or supporter is willing to die any time for the cause because over the years, they have been brain washed into believing that anyone or group of them that dies in the process is a hero and will sit on the right hand side of their creator. The most confusing aspect of it all, to say the least, is that this ideology is not restricted to the illiterate ones amongst them, but also to the most educated, rich, powerful and exposed ones are like Osama Bin Lade, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Ahmed Omar Abu Ubaidah, Mohammed Yusuf and Abubakar Shekau to mention but a few. It is obvious that the image mirrored to the individuals by others influences

self-perception, self-understanding, personality, behavior, motivation and social functioning in general. It is examining the relationship between self development and behavior that is pertinent to understanding this set of strange people. Self theories can clarify how the BH members see and understand themselves, explain the developmental path and the relation between self-understanding and actions taken. We should bear in mind that after 35 years of bombs and blood, a quiet voice ended the IRA war in Britain. Many of us must remember the highly choreographed press conference in a South Dublin hotel, the Sinn Fein leader, Gerry Adams, on Jul 28, 2005, described the statement of ceasefire as a “truly momentous and defining point in the search for a lasting peace with justice”, adding that IRA had made a unilateral “magnanimous, principled and generous” move. And Tony Blair, the then British Prime Minister, expressed his delight when he said the IRA announcement was a “step of unparalleled magnitude”. Also, maybe we should go down memory lane about how diplomacy was applied to turn around Hamas violence by winning the Palestinian Authority’s general election in 2006, thus becoming the largest and most influential Palestinian militant movement. The group’s humanitarian wing to date funds schools, orphanages, hospitals and other medical facilities, and even sports leagues; and their social services work has led to increased popularity and, in part, likely explains its rise to political power.

On medical futility and medical ethics Victor Ifedayo Adekeye

he treatment of a patient by medical practitioners can only be successful if his/her human body responds to such treatment. When the body of the patient stops responding to such treatment or when statistics and medical findings have shown that the particular treatment will have no medical benefit to the patient, it is ethically appropriate for the medical practitioner to stop the treatment of such patient. From this brief introduction, I can launch into an exploratory talk on medical futility, which is also known as nonbeneficial care. It is the continuous administration of a treatment that is not beneficial to the health of the patient either under the prodding of the patient or relations or by the sole decision of the medical practitioner. Medical Futility is the mechanism usually used by medical practitioners to justify the decision of not administering certain treatment that may be requested or demanded by the patient. It can come from circumstances such as when the patient has stopped responding to treatment and there is no ways or hope of recuperation, or when the preferred choice of treatment of the patient is deemed not beneficial or will have no positive effect on the health of the patient. Medical futility has over the years re-

A twist to this debate is who determines what is beneficial to the patient and which is futile and how is this made?

ceived a lot of attention, especially criticisms. The anti medical futility advocates have argued that such time, energy and effort used in administering a non-beneficial treatment to a patient should be diverted to other patients, who will benefit from such treatment. The argument continued by holding that medical practitioners owe no obligation to administer treatment that is not beneficial to a patient to such patient even when it is requested; the critics explain that medical beneficence duty placed on medical practitioners only obligates them to administer treatments that are beneficial to patients, thus impliedly urging medical practitioners to reject the administration of treatment that are not beneficial to patients even when such is requested by the patient or his/her proxy. Anti medical futility faction also argues that the withdrawal of treatment from patients who are about to die and no longer responding to treatment equals euthanasia, which is against the principles of medical ethics. However, pro medical futility advo-

cates argued that withdrawing of treatment from a patient is a breach of the principle of patient autonomy; they further argue that when a patient elect to continue being treated with a particular treatment even when the medical practitioner thinks otherwise, such practitioner is duty bound to administer such treatment to the patient. In response to this, I will state that patient autonomy is only limited to treatment to be administered to his/her body and not that which is not to be administered; patients cannot use the autonomy right to force a medical practitioner to administer certain treatment to them because when a doctor is coerced into doing such, he/she is being deprived of his/her autonomy. A twist to this debate is who determines what is beneficial to the patient and which is futile and how is this made? The best way to decide this is the carrying out of series of medical tests and investigation and consultation with experts and other practitioners involved in the treatment of the patient. These results of such tests and investigation and not the opinion of the medical practitioner should be the basis for arriving at the appropriate conclusion. Medical Practitioners are advised to be meticulous at this junction. They must make sure that such treatment decided is of no use to the patient’s health and the continuous administration of same will be of no benefit to the patient before arriving at the right

decision. I am of the opinion that it is the principle of patient autonomy that entitles a patient to choose his/her preferred treatment as this only entitles such patient to choose from the acceptable medical practice. However, this does give the patient the liberty to receive any treatment he/she ask for. This expressly limits the duty of a medical practitioner to offering treatments that are beneficial to the patients and are in conformity with the accepted medical practice. In situation where patients or family members request the continuous administration of a futile treatment, the doctor is duty bound to carefully communicate to the patient or his proxy the details of the treatment and the rationale for its withdrawal. But when such is not understood and the administration of such treatment is still requested, the doctor can decide to refrain and refuse the request of such patient. However, to fairly deal with this conflict, it is advisable to consult a conflict resolution agency. Adekeye is a Lagos-based medical law practitioner. Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

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Infinite opportunities of Ogoni clean up

T Fayose’s unguarded criticisms

he Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, no doubt, has every right to comment on national issues. But in doing so, he should be more patriotic as his utterances are always tailored to further heat up the already charged polity. Since the Ekiti State governor has been criticising General Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, I have not seen where he has proffered more superior solution that will bring development to the country. Of what relevance is it to just do all the talking without suggesting ways to solve the myriad of problems on the ground? Or is it that we Nigerians just like to criticise in the name of being seen to be criticising? Through Fayose’s utterances, one can deduce that the governor’s mind is tailor-made to see that the government of the day fails. I wish he could pause a bit and simulate a scenario where a chairman of a local government council in his state is engaging in a war of attrition with him in the mode of his anti-Buhari campaign. Definitely, he Fayose will not like it. He will deal a crushing blow to such a foe operating in his domain. The Holy Bible says, do unto others what you want them to do unto you. So, Fayose must stop his senseless and unprofitable criticisms against Buhari. Peter Anjorin, Supare, Ondo State.

Grinding oil scarcity

igeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and the continent’s largest economy, but the country has been paralysed by fuel shortages. To this end, one would be so curious to know why a traditional oil producing nation cannot run refineries at optimal levels for domestic consumption. It must be understood that fuel in Nigeria is used not just to run cars and transport for goods and services, but also to power generators for homes and businesses since only a few hours of electricity per day has become the order of the season. Most private filling stations now take advantage of the scarcity to sell PMS (petrol) at between N150 and N300 per litre. For how long will hapless Nigerians carry this yoke? Titus Akpe, Abuja.

Letters to the Editor

he Nigerian government has not hidden its penchant for the Ogoni oil. In alliance with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, an affiliate of Shell International, the Federal Government had in the past deployed very repressive techniques to force the Ogoni people to submission and gain access to the oilfields it abandoned some 20 years ago. The Ogoni struggle is, without doubt, one of the biggest challenges the Nigerian govern-

ment has faced outside the civil war, which broke out in 1967 and ended in 1970. More than 20 years later, the government is still grappling with an appropriate approach to resolve the problem. In 1994, in an effort to break Ogoni resistance, the FG falsely accused some Ogoni leaders and judicially ordered their hanging on November 10, 1995 to pave the way for the resumption of oil production in the area. Both Shell and FG had disagreed with every claim of

environmental pollution of Ogoniland until the damning report by the United Nations in 2011, some 21 years after the issue was raised by the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP). Having failed to return to Ogoniland, Shell’s experiences that followed were not so palatable; and I am persuaded to think that Shell, in their most difficult moments against ruthless Niger Delta militants, would wish there was someone like Ken Saro Wiwa, who com-

Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), ACP. Tunji Disu (2nd right); Divisional Police Officer, Isheri Police Station, Superintendent Olohunwa Ogundele (right), arresting the Manager and a Staff of a Filling Station for hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at Otedola/Omole along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, yesterday.

Nigeria’s 2016 voodoo budget

hat the 2016 Budget is the most controversial piece of fiscal document ever worked on by the National Assembly and presented to the Nigerian people under the Fourth Republic is an incontrovertible fact. One most tellingly hitherto hidden fact of our public finance management is the unholy role of a sect of people that has come to be known as ‘budget cabal’. They were the unseen players that have held the nation by the jugular over the years, undermining our national development efforts in the process. The National Assembly was reported to have given to Mr. President a padded budget with all the details that went with all the line items in the budget highlights. It is certain that the federal lawmakers were able to “discover” the padding in the budget as initially presented because they had the benefit of perusing the attached details! So, after carrying out their oversight function on the budget, they now feel that President Muhammadu Buhari only

needed the “highlights” for the budget to be given assent to considering the fact that the budget took the lawmakers over two months of “hard work” to finally arrive at an unpadded version, which showed no marked difference from the much hyped padded budget! It is absolutely ridiculous for the same National Assembly to now want to arm-twist Mr. President into signing a voodoo budget without accompanying details parroting that the executive seems not to appreciate the amount of work that had been put into the budget scrutiny by the parliament! The question is: Why was the National Assembly in a hurry to get the budget signed by the President when they had not completed the supporting details of the highlights? Does it mean that they had wanted the President to sign his “death warrant” so that they would have a “window” to pit the public against the executive? How come the lawmakers still need two weeks to be able to get the “details” ready? Now, it is reported that the

NASS members are going on recess again! Do the lawmakers think they are doing the nation a favour in carrying out these “oversight and legislative functions”? To say the least, this is the result of the assemblage of strange bedfellows under the political name of All Progressives Congress. The party seems not to understand the consequences of playing with our history and it just shows what a nation gets when it concentrates all its elective efforts on the presidential and governorship elections, while ignoring the calibre of representatives it empowers to hold forth for it at the National Assembly! It took the Buhari administration four months to get a cabinet functioning, and now it is taking her over four months to get the budget started! The people’s patience is certainly being overstretched and the sooner the APC as a ruling party got its acts together, the better for all of us. Eugene Femi Ehiabhi, Ajao Estate, Lagos State.

manded so much respect in the region and who could call the agitators to order. But injustice and repression had long sent Saro Wiwa to the grave. Saro Wiwa represented the leadership that the young people still had confidence in and would have willingly listened to and obeyed. I am certain that he had the capacity to call our young people out of the creeks. But a Nigerian government had seen him as the threat to free flow of hydrocarbon fuels and ordered his hanging in 1995. Today, billions had been lost to oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering. Ogoniland appears, in every way, to be a special gift to the Niger Delta. It has been instrumental to the establishment of special agencies for the Niger Delta - the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) and later the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The new addition is the establishment of HYPREP following the release of the environmental audit report by UNEP, which will see to the eventual cleanup of the Niger Delta region. The Ogoni cleanup will, indeed, represent a right start to addressing this lingering problem. It presents itself another opportunity for the FG to move away from the repressive posture of trying to force the people to submission. Implementing the UNEP report on Ogoniland is a right step to peace building, which will open the doors for further engagement on development. Saro Wiwa’s hanging in 1995 was not just a judicial error and state murder, it was an opportunity missed to resolve the Niger Delta problem. Implementing the Ogoni UNEP report and the eventual cleanup of the Niger Delta region will offer the nation another opportunity to mend fences and open doors for further peaceful engagement to address this problem. This is an opportunity the Nigerian government must be fully committed to. For if it fails, it will not only destroy the people’s confidence in the Nigerian system, it will also create room for renewed agitation. The people on their part must avoid the mistakes of the past and give their total support to this process. Fegalo Nsuke, Publicity Secretary of MOSOP, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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BIANCA ONOH-OJUKWU She used to be the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 1998, a position she won as a law undergraduate at the University of Nigeria. Shortly after her reign, she got into a highly controversial romance with late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, a prominent Nigerian personality, owing to the age difference and opposition from her parents. But the affair went ahead to produce four kids, while the exbeauty queen graduated as a lawyer to run a high profile skin treatment parlour in Enugu. With the death of her husband, she got appointed as the nation’s ambassador to Spain but has also been sacked. SABINA UMEH She won the crown in 1989, replacing Bianca Onoh, who was the queen in 1988. Sabina now lives abroad where she runs a music outfit and occasionally does fashion and modeling in line with her husband, Kese Jabari’s line of business. Of course, the couple had a tumultuous time in Nigeria before they relocated abroad due to financial constraints. But they have overcome. Today Sabina is a

Film screening

nomic and Financial Crimes Commission. The couple is still together. REGINA ASKIA She was the MBGN in 1988, and controversially surrendered the crown to Bianca that same year. Controversy has however trailed Regina, as she remains one of the most misunderstood Nigerian celebrities. Even as an actress, she dotted the industry with lots of guesses, and eventually went ahead to marry an American, Rudolph Williams, who is confined to a wheel chair at the moment owing to an accident. The story is that the marriage is no more but Regina has moved on to form Regine Fashions. AMINA EKPO Amina Ekpo was a Miss Nigeria, and would certainly be unhappy that the platform that brought her to limelight some years ago has been swallowed by events. The pretty beauty queen will however not forget the challenges she faced in 2004, when she had a sour love encounter which almost marred her life in America, with a priest. It took the efforts of a concerned Nigerian to see Amina through in New York. At the moment, Amina is trying hard to pick pieces of her life together. AGBANI DAREGO If one calls her the beauty queen in Nigeria with the highest profile, it will not be a lie, because none has risen to her level. In 2001, she

Arty News P.28. 29

riday Flavour looks at how some popular ex-beauty queens have been coping without the crown

mother of four, looking really good. IBINABO FIBERISMA She reigned as a beauty queen and ended with great hopes. Of course, Ibinabo has pursued this dream diligently and forthrightly by helping to groom other beauty queens via her Miss Environment pageant. She has also dabbled into movie acting and producing, leading to her emergence as National President of Actors Guild of Nigeria. Ibinabo, may be doing well in all these aspects, but has love been unfair to her? Or is it the other way round? Her marriage to city photographer Philip Trimnell, ended on a sour note after producing two kids, availing her to hook up with actor Fred Amata. She seems to have found love again, following her announcement that she would marry in December 2014.She is also currently facing charges for man-slaughter. ANITA UWAGBELE Anita is the pretty lady who emerged MBGN in 2004, and held high expectations when she proceeded to contest at the Miss Universe, representing her country Nigeria. Anita who trained as an accountant at the Madonna University, would later marry Tom Iseguiso, former chief executive officer of TRANSCORP, a broad based multi-national initiated to be the largest company in Africa. Tom later had a running battle with the Eco-

Inside FCT

Isiguzo Destiny

Ibinabo Fiberesima

Agbani Darego

P. 22. 27

Bianca Ojukwu

clinched the coveted Miss World title, and became the first black woman to have won the title. Since then, Agbani has moved on with her life, strutting international runways as well as handling juicy endorsements. ARIK, an indigenous airline signed her on for a multimillion naira branding deal. TOYIN RAJI She currently lives in Texas, United States, where she is raising her daughter. Toyin was the MBGN in 1995, and also proceeded to vie for the Miss Universe pageant, which she lost, having placed eleventh. Shortly after her reign, she tried her hands on movie acting and was not quite successful, a factor that forced her out of the country. CHINENYE OCHUBAAKINLADE Since she surrendered the MBGN crown in 2003, she has moved on with her life. But marriage has kind of slowed her down, making her calculative in her steps. Chinenye, is now a mother, and has added some flesh, a factor that may put her on the wrong spotlight as regards garnering endorsements. LINDA CHUBA IKPEAZU She was one of the earliest celebrities to have come from MBGN, having won the 1986 edition of the pageant, when she represented Imo state. The ex-beauty queen has refused to rest on her oars, by delving into politics, where she ended up representing the Onitsha Federal Constituency in the lower house. Her sojourn in politics, however seems to have run into murky waters at the moment, and she may be hibernating having lost in the bid to get re-elected.

Critics

Where some of Nigeria’s ex-beauty queens are

P. 26. 31

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND

WEEKEND STARTERS

stwind will be showing at 2:30pm on the 8th of gerous not even Michelle, the best show-jumper at the April at Goethe-Insti- stables, let alone Mika’s grandmother, can tame him. tut Lagos. The movie tells the story of Mika, a 14-year-old girl dumped by her parents at her strict grandmother... Who just happens to own a stud farm and riding stables! Well, if that doesn’t take her mind off studying, and as long as she can keep dodging her ‘warder’, the stable boy Sam, then things could be looking up! While exploring one day, Mika discovers, in the stable’s darkest stall, the wild and shy stallion, Ostwind. The horse is so unpredictable and dan- A scene in Ostwind

Photography Exhibition

Peregrinate

here will be a photography exhibition entitled “Peregrinate”. “Peregrinate” traverses Soweto streets, backyards in Nairobi, dusty Jordanian alleys, Peregrinate invites viewers to consider the intimate politics of home and belonging, as well as the

possibilities inherent in dislocation, or a lack of anchoring, and the routes one takes to find a way. Sub-titled ‘field notes on time travel and space’, the exhibition examines notions of spatial politics, the economics of time and travel, and the kinds of access granted to travellers. The event will hold on the 10th of April 2016 at 4pm.

P.20. 21

Friday , April 8, 2016

Flavour

Art Man

VOL. 4 No. 827

Art Man

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Art is a profession that builds conscience —Francis Uduh How did this begin? I have been into the arts for about three decades now. I am from the Old Bendel state, now Delta state. I am partly Urhobo, partly Agbor. Traditionally, as I was growing up, I think I had the influence from seeing artists around me, sign writers to be specific. Whenever I am going to school in the morning, sometimes my parents would drive us to school and at times, we would trek to school, because my school was not far from home. When I see the sign writers’ shop, there is thing that holds me spellbound and I am like ‘wow! This is beautiful’ and I started appreciating art. Before I knew it, I started drawing human beings, sketches to be specific; I started building cars with cartons or natural plants, cocoyam leaves and all that. Before I knew it, I got into secondary school, and in my secondary school, we had an Indian teacher… Who taught you art, right? Yes, yes. He was not all that good but he was teaching us the basics of art like painting, colour scheme and all that. But I left my secondary school to my other secondary school, a catholic college where I had my WAEC, and there I went for my form five and then, we had no art teacher. The school was basically a science school and I was in a science class. I was in form 5 but I decided to enroll for arts because of my flair for it. I think about two of us enrolled for it then. During my WAEC, I enrolled for sciences and we had this external invigilator who was monitoring me. On the day, I wrote the fine art exam, I did landscaping; I went outside and started drawing and painting. The invigilator came and said ‘Wow, you know, I thought you are just a science student”. Since that day, the invigilator started calling me a scientific artist, that I was good, when the result came out, I had my sciences all A’s while in fine art, I had my least credit. My parents didn’t want me to read fine art, to be sincere; they wanted me to go study medicine. I deliberately had Mathematics P7, because I wanted to become an artist and I told my mum that I wanted to be an artist and she told me she wouldn’t allow me that artists are usually poor people. And I said, if I become poor, then so be it, I’d rather do something that I enjoy doing. How was it at first because that is the problem with young artists of today? It was not easy because we had our teething problems. We had this device of selling ourselves. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. We thought it wise to go

Francis Uduh

Art may have chosen Francis Uduh. In spite of his interest in the sciences, his passion for art, designed a future he is enjoying today as his works are commanding great patronage both locally and internationally. In this interview, the renowned sculptor talks about his works with NGOZI EMEDOLIBE.

Francis Uduh’s Art works and work shop also concluded that no man lives here forever. It’s all about vanity and vanity. We just do our best and leave the rest.

Francis Uduh

Francis Uduh visit architectural firms then. That was how we started. We walked about to view good architectural buildings. We will just go in into the structures then and introduce ourselves that ‘we are artists, this is what we can do, we can do this we can do that, can we meet the architects or civil engineers’. Some will introduce us and some will tell us they are not interested, you know but that never deterred us. Along the line, we started meeting architects that appreciated our works and I think those are the things I am still enjoying tilltomorrow. The architects I met about 25 to 26 years ago have become bigger architects and because I was upright and that they saw that I love what I was doing, till tomorrow, they still call me. I think art is one blessed profession that builds your conscience if you want it to be built into love, good, sincerity, honesty. Were there regrets at some point? I thought I almost had such challenge that it will so much drain you off such that if you see garri to drink, you will appreciate that garri is something. When things were very rough, my sister then called me and told me that was I not the one that chose art as a profession? We see a lot of young boys form Lagos coming top Benin with cars and we ask them what they are doing in Lagos and we found out that are hustling in the wharf. My sister asked me that why not go and do the same thing they are doing, but I insisted

that I have chosen my own profession. If I die in it, let me die in it. But I know quite sure from time that tough times never last but only tough people do. I was opportuned to meet Funsho Williams, he is now late; he was one of my early patrons. Most of the houses he built here in Lagos, I became his official artist. He had ideas and before he illustrates his idea verbally, I have drawn it for him and he will approve. I remember one day, he told me and said ‘Francis, I like you because you are applying the principles of life to become great in your chosen career’. He also believes that whatsoever you are doing, you should do it well. If you are a road sweeper, sweep that road in a way that nobody else has swept that road. First all, it is very good to remove your mind from the gain you will get and do things that will make other people happy. Life is see is all about service. I know his death would have left you devastated? Kind of … for so many years, I will sit and alone and weep. But time heals wound and I

Art starts from the within, it starts from conceiving with your third eyes

If you look at the visual arts landscape in Nigeria, a lot of the younger ones opt for painting? Yes, because they are lazy. It’s all about people looking for easy way to get cheap money. I recently discussed with a senior artist, and what we discussed is that painting is very easy. Anybody can be a painter and paint anywhere. It requires more of mental exertion and little of physical exertion. If you go into my art studio, we have a lot of students that comes in here for industrial training from various universities in the country and you see maybe one or two offering sculpture, then the rest do painting. If it’s about a hundred, you see maybe five or ten in sculpture and the rest in painting. To me, I tell the young ones that they should realise that sculpture is the key of fine art. As a sculptor, you can paint, you can build. It’s so wide, you can work with various materials and all because it is three dimensional, it gives you room to work. It takes more time, money and energy. You must be passionate as an artist if you want to specialise in sculpture. I am not just a sculptor alone; I am a total fine artist. I paint, I sculpt, I do a lot of designs for buildings. Which are you most comfortable with? Well, I am comfortable with all. I do it with ease. These days, I don’t carve anymore. I just do the miniature and I employ people to do the finish work, all because I have grown over the years. if I start carving now, I am trying to commit professional suicide. Though in areas that they can’t do well, I just take chisels and perfect it. Even when I am still doing modeling, I will work on it to an extent and employ somebody to work on the rest. Then, I do the finishing myself.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Art Man

Friday, April 8, 2016

Films ought to shape society —Chyke Bryan The story of Nollywood cannot be written without the scriptwriters who produce the basics of most films, and that is where Chyke Bryan comes in. He shares his experiences in this interview with TOSIN ADAMS. Excerpts:

How did you start this career? I was born in Onitsha, Anambra State just before the civil war ended, my earthly parents are from Enugu State, and I grew up in Enugu. My primary and secondary school were in Enugu. I studied Theatre Arts between 1988 and 1992 at University of Calaber were I graduated with 2nd class. Studying theatre arts I would say is my first initiation into arts. What has mostly defined your life? I have been married for over 16 years. I believe that the Almighty has a wife for everyman; my wife is indeed a wife. It is very important that every man marries his own wife. When you marry your own wife, your adult life will be easier and comfortable. The Bible preaches that “whosoever finds a wife obtains favour from God”. This favour is mainly for people who find the right wife. I am actually married to the most wonderful and most beautiful woman on earth. You have to meet my wife to begin to appreciate what I just said and God has been gracious enough to bless us with the most adorable and wonderful children any couple prays for. You are sounding very spiritual? Yeah, I find a lot of relaxation with and in God. As I study and meditate on His word, I discovered that my frayed nerves are usually calmed. And then something else happens; inspiration comes. Inspiration for story ideas, businesses ideas, and inspiration for everything come at such times. It’s so wonderful how these things happen. But I have to discover that the creative ideas I have are generated in His presence or when I am in His presence. Sometimes it even comes while I am in church service. I also get great story ideas by listening to people’s discussions and stories. They may not know that I am eavesdropping but I always take the best good and best of their conversations. I have gotten great film stories through such ways; I get ideas from their story and put it into my work. Travelling to various villages is also a source of inspiration for me; I like to do this when I need epic stories or village stories. As I walk around the serene environment, look at d rustic environ-

ment, listen to the village folks, go about their daily chores, I am inspired to get story ideas and good story characters. It is also an avenue for me to get good Mozart music/good jazz music. Whenever I need to juggle my brain I look for a quiet place, secluded place where I can listen to ideas. How were you able to manage controversies surrounding your health? My being alive today is a miracle. Yes because miracles are the supernatural intervention of God in the affairs of men’s life. Without warning around August 2013, I fell ill. Upon examination in the hospital I was diagnosed with kidney failure. My kidneys were said to be functioning at 5%, it was more like a hopeless situation. First my family stepped in, my immediate constituency in the film industry stepped in, and the responses from my colleagues were overwhelming. Their show of concern was so touching, my Guild members and the entire Guild heads, reacted promptly and several of them visited me in the hospital. I was so touched and I never knew that I have up to that number that loved me. I was surprised to see those people who really want me alive. The show of care from the entire Nollywood was unprecedented. They came physically; donate money and finally Ibinabo Fibresima, President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria reached out to the former President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He was magnanimous enough and he stepped into the matter and finally God stepped in. Generally what are the challenges you face as a script writer in Nigeria? The challenges I faced at the start of this profession is the same challenges most new or upcoming writers face generally. Back in 1995 when I joined Nollywood, the industry was just fledging. So breaking in was a huge problem. How do I convince people that I can write? How do you earn their confidence? What I did was to start writing on my own, create my own stories and write them and start marketing them by hawking them around. But it was quite a difficult track to follow. I was somehow fortunate in having a fellow university classmate, Adim Williams who is also trying to gain a foothold in the industry. So we shared ideas on ‘ how to break in’. Finally we co-wrote a script “Closed Chapter” and tried to produce it. Eventually that paid off in 1996. ‘Closed Chapter’ is your first script? That was my first script written in 1996. I co-wrote the script with Adim Williams. And both of us equally produced the film together that same 1996.

Chyke Bryan As a script writer, what messages do your scripts convey? It is not really about me, as a writer. I convey the message of the story I am telling in the best possible way. Talking about conveying the message, I would say it is really a tool, a tool that must be available to be used for the story. Now the exposure of the talent flair in harnessing the resources at his disposal determines how the story comes out or turns out. Other factors also affect its outcome. I mean the outcome of the story. In essence, the story being told determines the message that will be conveyed. How can you compare Nigerian script writers with their counterparts abroad? The Nigerian script writers are not well respected; I say this with all sense of responsibility. The practitioners do not give the writer his or her due respect. And I think it arises from the average Nigerian’s disdain for everything “intellectual”. I once heard from a producer in his bid to pay me peanuts that the only thing a script is costing me to produce is ‘ten naira biro and 50 naira exercise book’…. such an outrageous thinking. One of the reasons why you cannot find my name on today’s movies is “very funny fee”. When you tell them how much you want to collect, they

There is so much ignorance around; a whole lot of practitioners are uninformed about certain basic Chyke Bryan

requirements

will go and call their unemployed cousin who just left the University and ask him, “who can write?”. It’s a very rowdy environment not helped by lack of organised and systemised practice. What is your impression of the industry today? For me, the film industry is ever evolving. It is still burgeoning. A whole lot seem to have taken place, but the truth of d matter is that a whole lot more is yet to take place. There is so much ignorance around; a whole lot of practitioners are uninformed about certain basic requirements. They have to understand their roles in the society as moral gate keepers and entertainment precursors. A lot still view it with only a mercantile mind and approach, the pecuniary aspect is their first and primary drive and this is quite unfortunate because of the role of movies in the society. Films ought to shape ideas and shape the society, It ought to drive a society towards a particular direction, But in a situation where a greater percentage of those on the driving seats are uninformed or misinformed about their expected roles, what do you get? The vehicle keeps wobbling and groping until a suitably qualified driver comes on board. What is your advice to aspiring writers? Work on being and not on having; they should concentrate on being the best in the field and not on earning the most. Initial efforts and energy should be concentrated on acquiring the necessary tools to produce sound scripts.

MUSIC

Critics MI always reaffirms his position as one of the best Nigerian rappers

Friday, April 8, 2016

MI’s grip on rap

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dayo Oguntolu

e have always known M.I to be very expressive and dramatic from his earlier works. For other artistes, the intros are usually a bunch of gibberish….in most cases a funny skit with no meaningful direction. Here MI introduces his album with an expressive satire of bane of Nigerian education; where a frustrated principal attempted to pass down his frustration to his students deeming any ray of hope they might have becoming someone in life. It is a social issue in Nigeria with teachers underpaid and students frustrated; the few that make it through this ordeal then find it difficult to get jobs. But how about the other tracks?

Monkey Ft Chi Gurl

FILM

Satire at its finest! You see how this man uses the comical events in Nigeria to bless this track….You all remember the “na only you waka come” saga of the Nigerian first lady? MI effectively builds his verses around this saying as he passes a huge message to his haters. We cannot take anything away from the production on this track too… and he ends the track on high “I am insured mehn, I am state

farm…..howz neck mehn, oya take balm” And you know the sweet thing is; you can dance shoki to it.

Rich feat Koker

Easily one of my favourite. Production, delivery, mix…..the song got every. The message

here on is very prayerful and prophetic. The hook itself is a prayer that we will all be rich while his verses are more of the description of that state when we finally get there. Track itself might not have all the bad punch lines of other tracks but it does have a message

and a theme well-defined.

are very unattractive; there is no potable water, etc. So, one expects the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to look into the problems that rural dwellers contend with. It is unusual to see a movie that employs intrigues and irony in telling a story built around cassava, of all subjects. Zeb Ejiro returns with this didactic project, which is a big leap for him/his team in particular and Nollywood in general: a business concern (Harvest Plus) believes that films; of which The Yellow Cassava is one; are veritable tools in educating the public on the benefits of their products. Refreshing. Then, one also sees government involvement in the project as the President’s name is mentioned along with his programme in Agriculture; a good Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for Nollywood and the concerned film-makers. A number of awkward matters arise in The Yellow Cassava. There is too much emphasis on cassava, which is haranguing. One had expected to hear other sources of Vita-

min A; but because products made from cassava are staple foods; emphases would then have been laid on these cassava products. Why didn’t the viewers see the high yield yellow cassava? People have seen bigger yields from cassava than Vero shows the villagers during her workshops. After she mentions the President’s promise to supply the rural farmers with machines, we expected to see her demonstrate this practically. Instead, she goes back to drudgery, using farm implements in her farm. Vero repeatedly says ‘the yellow specie of cassava’. Species is both the singular and plural form of the word. Again, one also hopes that the reason Vero settles for the guy she finally marries will be evident when one sees the whole film. One is awaiting the release of the full version of The Yellow Cassava as the producers stated that the 83-minute picture shown at the premiere is an abridged version.

Mine feat Wizkid

If you have always listened to MI you will remember he featured Wizkid on his first album (nobody knew him then I guess). The title of the track was “Fast Cars.” Compared

A case for agriculture

Obi Osotule’s ‘Yellow Cassava’ is a movie aimed at entertaining and informing Nigerians on how they can derive their essential dietary needs from a root crop. Amara Iwuala ‘

M.I on the keyboard

ellow Cassava’ stars Nigeria’s top actors Segun Arinze, Monalisa Chinda, Chidi Muokeme and Emeka Ossai, among others is aimed at informing and entertaining Nigerians on how they can improve their diets and health. Vero (Monalisa Chinda) is an Agricultural Extension worker, who has been sent to a rural area to sensitize the populace on the bountiful yield of yellow cassava as well as its health benefits. Her fiancé, Dan (Chidi Mokeme), will have none of that; but this is a no-brainer for the young lady, leading to untold conflicts in their relationship. In Amuro, the village where she is working, she also faces a lot of opposition from Chief Blacki (Segun Arinze) and Chief Dr. Okpu (Emeka ‘Torino’ Ojukwu). Topical issues like the need for a malechild in many African societies, office politics, blackmail and physical-cum-psychologi-

It is unusual to

see a movie that employs intrigues and irony in telling a story built

around cassava, of all subjects cal attack are subtly visited in this film. For instance, a woman with grown-up children continues to conceive solely because she is searching for a male child, the only way she can be assured of her place in her husband’s house! The truck full of cassava heightens believability. The film’s location is well chosen. In fact, the movie reminds one of visiting the hinterland. The Yellow Cassava brilliantly advocates urban-rural migration rather than the opposite. The screenwriter must be commended for creating Dr. Zack (played by Emeka Ossai), the character who gives Vero the moral support that helps her to live in Amuro. It would have been difficult for Vero to cope with the attacks by the agents of her adversaries save for Zack, a medical doctor, who chooses to ply his trade in his community of origin. It is not difficult to see why people, especially the youth, scorn the idea of living in rural areas: the roads are very muddy or dusty, depending on the season of the year; the houses

*Iwuala is a Nigerian journalist and blogger

Friday, April 8, 2016

Rajab 1st, 1437A.H.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Call to Worship

On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.” RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM

‘Allow SPBs to perform their duties’ Sekinah L awal

he federal pilgrims commissions has been advised to respect Nigeria’s federalism by allowing the State Pilgrims Boards, SPBs to perform their constitutional duties. Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef made this call when he received members of the Lagos Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, in his office. He noted that the federal enactment that established both the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission as well as the National Hajj Commission empowers the commission to license, regulate and supervise the state boards and other agencies. He therefore urged the commission to concentrate on its primary roles and leave the domestic and sundry functions for the state boards that will in turn strengthen the pilgrim activities. “For instance, screening of pilgrims is an exclusive preserve of the Boards and dabbling into such duties by the federal commission is alien to federalism. The Boards were created by a law of the state assembly and accented to by the governor Hence, Federal Government should rather regulate and play supervisory role” Presenting the 2015 Christian Pilgrimage Reports, the Chairman, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bishop Olusola Ore expressed joy over the support and cooperation received from the Home Affairs Ministry. Dr. AbdulLateef assured that the recommendations and observations of the Boards would be considered in line with the policy statement of the government. He said that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s strategic efforts at coordinating activities of Christianity and Islam speak volume of his readiness to enhance religious harmony and peaceful coexistence in the State.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mrs. Grace Oladimeji, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef; Chairman, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bishop Olusola Ore and the Executive Secretary of the Board, Mrs Olayinka Oye-Bamgbose.

Alhamdulillah, Ramadhaan is two months away

s the sacred month of Rajab begins, let us remember this verse of the glorious Qur’an; “Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve [lunar] months in the register of Allah [from] the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. Surah al Tawbah 9:36 The four sacred months are: 1. Muharram (1st month of the Islamic calendar) 2. Rajab (7th month of the Islamic calendar)

Place your adverts here for optimal reach Zakat Is 2.5% Of Your Total Wealth, Known As Nisab. After Having Fulfilled All obligations, pay your zakat

Priotising labour over learning 24

3. Dhu’l-Qa’dah (11th month) and 4. Dhu’l-Hijjah (12th month) Al-Bukhaari (4662) and Muslim (1679) narrated from Abu Bakr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months, Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab …”. This is one of the sacred months, thus, Allah has forbidden us to commit sins during these months, as He says in the Qur’an: “wrong not yourselves therein” [al-Tawbah 9:36]

Committing sins is haraam and forbidden during these months and at other times, in these months it is more forbidden. There is a report from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) which indicates that it is mustahabb to fast during the sacred months. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Fast some days of the sacred months and not others.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 2428; classed as da’eef by al-Albaani in Da’eef Abi Dawood. Allahumma Ballighna Ramadhaan. May Allah help us reach Ramadhaan, which is two months away. Aameen.

Qur’an 2: 1-6 Alif, Lam, Meem. This is the Book in which there is no doubt, a guide for the righteous. Those who believe in the unseen, and perform the prayers, and give from what We have provided for them. And those who believe in what was revealed to you, and in what was revealed before you, and are certain of the Hereafter. These are upon guidance from their Lord. These are the successful. As for those who disbelieve, it is the same for them, whether you have warned them, or have not warned them, they do not believe.

We can still return

Satan drives people away from piety through deceit 25

Call to Worship

Friday, April 8, 2016

Priotising labour over learning L istening to the story of one of the beneficiaries of Mercy Corps empowering the girl-child project in Lagos recently, I wept. At the policy dialogue on child rights act; effective implementation, implications for girl-child education and empowerment, it was made more apparent how we are wasting away skills and talents of many young ones in this country. Truly, we need to create a situation whereby everybody will feel valued, respected and encouraged to contribute meaningfully to national development. Of course, many Nigerian states still need to adopt and domesticate the federal child protection law. And we really need to stop the idea of prioritizing contribution to household income by teenagers above school-

ing as many of our teens still roam about during school hours. There is a dire need also to review our school curriculum. Achieving inclusive education for all is not something to be done by government alone, there must be a multi-sectoral and holistic approach from all; parents, those in health sector, education, religious leaders, community leaders, media practitioners, lawmakers, legal practitioners among others. We need to pay more attention to opportunities to educate all and raise our children with good moral values and self-esteem, especially our girls. We all have a role to play in stopping all forms of child abuse and domestic violence including refusal of parents to send their children to school by giving the needed information about issues in our environment.

Cross section of some of the girls empowered by Mercy Corps in Lagos.

However, our lawmakers and legal practitioners must do more in ensuring prompt judicial process by putting a stop to unending adjournments of court cases. Also, our lawmakers should be more up and doing while the police do more in the area of enforcement and proper policies’ implementation. For most education and health policies, we have a lot of good ones in place but governments at all levels, federal, state and local governments; need to do more in terms of monitoring. In order to create the needed awareness too, we should introduce the child rights into school curriculum among other strategies. Because the Nigerian Constitution mandates that the legislative jurisdiction on matters affecting children belongs exclusively to states, the federal law was insufficient as a means to extend protection to all Nigerian children and, therefore, needed to be adopted by the states. Though the Child’s Rights Act has been domesticated by 23 out of the 36 states in Nigeria, only two, Lagos and Akwa-Ibom are said to be currently implementing the law. Considering the many benefits of the law, there is urgent need for quick and effective implementation. It is generally

I will be just and fair –Olubadan

he Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji has assured the people of Ibadan land that he will fear Allah and be guided by the principles contained in the glorious Quran. The monarch told the visiting Muslim Community of Oyo State, MUSCOYS, led by Alhaji Ishaq Kunle Sanni in his Popoyemoja residence that as a Muslim, he believes that the glori-

ous Qur’an is greater than him. Apparently appreciating the gift of a copy of glorious Qur’an presented to him by MUSCOYS; “I know that I am a king, but this book of Allah is greater than me and I assure you that I will govern with the tenets contain therein”, he said. Oba Adetunji said that though he is ruling over everybody, he knows that the glorious Qur’an is all about fairness,

justice and equity, which would be the hallmark of his governance. He urged them not to relent in praying for him for a successful tenure. Earlier, Alhaji Sanni implored the Olubadan to rule by the fear of Allah by being fair and just to all concerned and assured him that they would work with him in realizing the noble goals he has for the land.

L-R: Senator Oluremi Tinubu; Alhaji Mutiu Lawal-Are; Lagos Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Alhaji Bashir Lawal-Are and Lagos State Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ganiu Johnson at the 8th day Fidau Prayers for the late Alhaji Yunusa Olatunde Lawal-Are at the Blue Roof, Lagos Television, Ikeja Lagos, recently.

Rajab 1st, 1437A.H.

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THE PLATFORM with

Sekinah Lawal t: 08055102994 e: sakinah207@yahoo.com

For most education and health policies, we have a lot of good ones in place but governments at all levels, federal, state and local governments; need to do more in terms of monitoring. agreed that girls are the secret weapon in the war against poverty but only if they are protected and educated. Hence, we must all be ready to support the full implementation of the provisions of the Act. While the Nigerian government needs to provide adequate resources and opportunities, non-governmental organizations like Mercy Corps should continue to show support with their campaigns, while parents and individuals should cooperate by fulfilling their own responsibilities. Enough of people just giving birth to babies without making appropriate provisions for their upkeep and education. When we invest in a girl through education and vocational trainings, we give her a chance to succeed. We unlock her economic potentials and set in motion a change that lasts for generations as it is recorded in the sayings of the Prophet that when you educate a man, you educate an individual but if you educate a woman, you have educated a whole nation because being educated will reflect on her children and people around her. If care is not taken, we are actually sitting on a time-bomb as we have many of these teens roaming the streets without proper education or vocational trainings. Some of them have actually learned job skills courtesy of Mercy Corps programmes. This particular girl that moved me to tears was orphaned and left to fend for herself like

many others. In most cases, they are more likely to leave school and fall victim of sexual exploitation. Mercy Corps helps these girls heal from violence, stay in school and make choices that keep them safe. It is the responsibility of all to unlock the hidden power of our teenage girls. In our various communities, we can help some of these teenagers to be back in school, educate and empower them to end poverty by also providing vocational trainings or help pay their WAEC or JAMB fees. In order to have the needed change, we must all be committed to education and good health for all. Achieving this will also create secure, productive and just communities. It is a fact that our wmen and adolescent girls need increased access to quality education, maternal/child health services as well as voices in community decision making structures. Let us prioritize sending our children to school over other uses like generating income for family upkeep. As we have women’s empowerment or girl-focused programmes, there is also need for specific policies, programs or projects on our boys too as many of them now constitute nuisance in schools and communities. Strengthening women’s and girls’ roles in leadership and decision-making in a meaningful way through increased access to education and economic resources.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule in a group photograph with the Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Department, Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) Mr. Jean-Pierre Mercelli (2nd right), other AFD representatives and some members of the State Executive Council during a courtesy visit on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode by Mr Mercelli and his team at the Lagos House, Ikeja, Lagos, recently.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

IN HIS LIGHT

with

USTAZ

A. ZAFARAN e-mail: zafabumuneeb@yahoo.com

We can still return

ou cannot expect our Deen to be ascending when factors that impair it are more than the ones that can make it resplendent. Hence, we find ourselves at a cross road where virtually everything counts against us. The Muslim countries are in war against each other (Syria, Iraq, Afghnistan, etc). There is a continuous massive campaign of conspiracy against Islam. The Imams are incompetent. The Scholars are incapable. There is no full practice of Sharii’ah anywhere in the world despite the almost two billion populations of the Muslims. The leaders who emerge in the modern political structure are impolitic, inept and power drunk. The ones who emerge in the Arab world are slaves to the imperialists. The Followers are generally ignorant. The Elites have been westernized. The Youths have become moribund. There are several failures in the Muslim homes as Parents are negligent and unperturbed. The Rich are miserly. Our mosques are passive and not playing the expected roles. The multifarious organizations and Societies are not only mostly bereft of the correct Islamic ideology but also immersed in hair splitting. Consequently, we are battered and treated like savages, terrorists everywhere we go. Our being majority in most countries does not add value to our existence. Our youths are converted to other ideologies since the homes and our schools have failed. Worst of all, Muslims are beginning to hate and fight Islam by rejecting his standing values, thinking like their enemies. We suffer humiliation virtually every day as individuals and as a nation in some cases. We are almost on the defensive at all times. Islam today is definitely wearing a different garb from that which it ought to wear naturally. It is really unfortunate. It becomes exacerbated when the Muslims are not seeing the problems in their true pictures thus making no serious efforts to solve them. However, we must realize that Islam is divine because it represents the will of Allah (SWT). The Muslims are mortals who are commissioned to spread Islam so that the whole world can enjoy its boundless mercy. So, Islam can never fade or become obsolete. Where Islam is not the order will only show that the Muslim are passive. They will become this if their aqeedah (ideology) has become feeble. The natural order of Islam is for its adherents to uphold its tenets with tenacity. It requires them to live and rule by it.

Call to Worship

Rajab 1st, 1437A.H.

Why have we found ourselves in this mess when our Deen alone practically and constantly connects man to his Lord? It alone teaches man how to live and make judicious use of all resources. It alone guides man on a successful return to his Lord for accountability. This Islm commits man to surrender to his Lord and live for him alone. It defines and explains clearly the purpose of man’s creation. Man has been created to serve Allah (SWT) alone (Q51:56). The cornerstone of the creed of Islam has been the belief in the oneness of Allah and His Prophet. Our Deen alone teaches a true way of life. It alones derives its name from Allah (SWT), it alone serves all men regardless of race, language, environment and time. It alone has an undiluted, unadulterated divine Book. It alones promotes unity of humanity through its worship patterns. It alone makes all men subservient to Allah (SWT) and equal in the society. It alone has universal outlook and comprehensive message. It alone believes in Prophets and makes it an article of faith. Thus, Allah (SWT) declares: Truly, the Religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) did not differ except, out of mutual jealousy, after knowledge had come to them. And whoever disbelieves in the verses of Allah, then surely, Allah is swift in calling to account. (Q3:19) …this day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion…(Q5:3) And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers. (Q3:85) The propaganda, orchestrated wars in the Muslim lands, etc. are only repetition of history. It is on record that the most inhuman means were employed to dissuade our precursors in faith. All available resources were mustered to dampen their spirits. They spread calumnies about them. So, there is nothing so strange about the happenings today. It will only make the world more inhabitable, create more crises, wars, economic hardship, etc. Unfortunately, the Muslims are not free from blame. They have been failing to practise the ideals of their religion. They are cowardly to profess their faith. They are ignorant about the real working of their faith. They imitate those outside their fold and thus become like them. It is difficult these days to distinguish a Muslim from a non-Muslim because both are guilty of corruption, embezzlement, fornication and the like. True Islam is not in the name you bear or its mere profession. It is in the conscious upholding of its tenets wherever you find yourself. You require a steadfastness that can never be defeated by the blackmail of falsehood. You need to drink from the spring of Islam that can only cleanse your inner self from all immoralities. The time has come for us to return to Islam.

The Imams are incompetent. The Scholars are incapable. There is no full practice of Sharii’ah anywhere in the world despite the almost two billion populations of the Muslims.

Satan drives people away from piety through deceit

‘O

ye who believe! Follow not the footsteps of Satan, and whoso follows the footsteps of Satan should know that he surely enjoins immorality and manifest evil. And but for the grace of Allah and His mercy upon you, not one of you would ever be pure, but Allah purifies whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.’ (24:22) Satan has been an enemy of man from the beginning and will remain so. Upon the creation of human beings, God gave Satan the capacity to be free for God knew His sincere servants would remain safe from his attacks. Satan does not attack overtly, rather, he drives people away from piety through deceit, greed and through underscoring egotistic tendencies which take them towards evil. God also put in place advent of His Prophets, who guided people to good and taught ways of reformation. They explained that Satan is man’s open enemy and attacks under the guise of sympathy leading man to evil and harmful ways. At the time of accountability, he will simply say that although he had called humankind to wickedness, why could they not use their senses and avoided it! The Holy Qur’an addresses the issue of Satan’s trickery in many places, alerting man about it. The aforementioned verse also explains that Satan is ever chasing man. He had told God that he would attack man from every angle and would also attack man from the right path. Thus when man considers that he has found the right path and is thus saved, he is mistaken. Earlier people whom the Qur’an cites as those who incurred God’s displeasure and those who went astray, that is, people who accepted Hazrat Musa and then Hazrat Isa (peace be on them both) lost their way and they also rejected the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him). God has told us that Satan does not leave you alone even after you accept faith and have belief. This is why even Muslims apostatise. It is special grace of God when man is saved from satanic attacks. At the end of the aforementioned verse God assures that He is All-Hearing. If man resolutely calls on God and turns to Him and supplicates, God sees that man is sincere and He generates strength of belief in that person which safeguards him from satanic attacks. Satan had said that apart from God’s sincere people, everyone would follow him, therefore believers should employ their wisdom to think how to become such sincere servants of God! Avoiding immorality and manifest evil spiritually cleanses one with the grace of God and one who is cleansed by God is purified. Satanic attacks are gradual, sowing a small evil with the thought that it is only a minor evil and this minor evil becomes the catalyst of a bigger sin. Man loses his sense of right and wrong and does not realise what he is doing! God says that for purification man must protect himself from evil with resolve and consistency and once in God’s

Every Friday with

Khalifatul Ahmadiyya Satan had said that apart from God’s sincere people, everyone would follow him, therefore believers should employ their wisdom to think how to become such sincere servants of God!

refuge, again resolve and consistency are needed to stay firm on piety. Answering the question which is sometimes asked as to why God created Satan and let him be daring, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) explained that everyone acknowledges that there are two pulls/appeals; the pull of good and the pull of evil. When attracted by evil thoughts man turns to evil and when attracted by good thoughts man turns to good. Sometimes man does evil and then turns to do good! These dual strengths are found in everyone. God has named the inspiration to good as angels or the Holy Spirit and the inspiration to evil as Satan. Each person has both these capacities and the reason God put both these capacities in man is for man to do good works and be deserving of reward. If man was created with only the capacity to do good, piety would not have been anything unique for him. Now that man chooses between two pulls or two attractions of good and evil, he is recompensed for choosing good and evil accordingly. All religions accept the dual existences of Satan and angels. And any person who does not desist from evil himself becomes satan. In answer to the question as to why God does not punish Satan, the Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said the Holy Qur’an tell us that God has appointed a time to punish Satan. Many satanic natured people have been punished by God while many others will be punished in the future. The Promised Messiah (on whom be peace) said Satan incites towards falsehood, cruelty, injustice, passion, killing, hypocrisy and arrogance. Whereas, God invites towards patience, devotion to God, sincerity, faith and spiritual prosperity. In spite of numerous incitements of Satan, the blessings of having pious nature takes man towards God. The correlation between arrogance and Satan is that Adam and Satan both sinned. Adam was not arrogant and confessed his sin and this is why hope springs eternal for man to be forgiven by God. Satan, on the other hand was arrogant and was thus accursed. Human capacity is limited and does not behove arrogance. Prophets of God have many qualities one of which is negation and crushing of the self. Arrogance affects man imperceptibly, therefore, one should self-reflect minutely. •To be continued

Arty News

Friday, April 8, 2016

‘Hush’ attracts Nollywood’s stakeholders Isiguzo Destiny

Hush screening trigue, suspense and romance. The show features a blend of Nollywood veterans and exciting new talents, and promises to be an exciting watch for our viewers across Africa. Many of our viewers remember our last telenovela, ‘Hotel Majestic’, and all the excitement that show brought to their screens - ‘Hush’ promises to exceed that

level of excitement and we urge viewers to tune in on every weekdays at 8pm(Nigerian time). ‘Hush’ premiered on Monday, the 4th of April 2016 at 8pm Nigerian time on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151) with so much suspense, comedy and intrigues in the telenovela.

GOtv launches cooking shows

The Great Indian Kitchen on GoTv

uisine shows from India and other parts of the world have been earmarked to air on GOtv this month. The programmes include The Great Indian Kitchen, Healthy But Tasty and Course with Pankaj on Zee WorldChannel 25, while Funny Cooking with Spongebob will show on Nickelodeon, Channel 62. Also, a new series, East Meets West will premiere Monday 28 April at 9pm on Zee World.

East Meets West is a story based on the lives of two grandsons of a Punjabi family (The Singhs) from Delhi, who get married to girls that are culturally and geographically poles apart. One hails from a small town in Punjab, while the other is a foreigner, who has been brought up overseas. The story takes many turns - romantic, emotional, dramatic and purely funny when the two girls start living under the same roof. In Healthy But Tasty, Chef Ranveer whips up low-calorie versions of popular dishes that viewers can indulge inwithout guilt. The show teaches ways to stay healthy without avoiding favourite dishes and discover a yummy way to healthy without sacrificing taste. The recipes are made out of local and seasonal ingredients that aren’t just high on the healthy side, but tickles one’s taste buds too. The programme starts on Monday 4 April at 5pm on Zee World. Course with Pankaj is a show that every woman would love to watch. The

show is heavy on her experiences, which she narrates. She gives her viewers a complete meal from starters, main course and desserts. It starts on Tuesday 5 April at 5pm on Zee World. The Great Indian Kitchen is an epic culinary journey across the seven Indian states. Chef Ranveer Brar takes the audience on a journey to meet a variety of traditional chefs and enjoy recipes that have been carried across generations. The show highlights many hidden facets of Indian cuisine yet to be discovered. It aired Saturday 2 April at 6pm on Zee World. Also on cartoon channel, Nickelodeon (Channel 62) brings the special Funny Cooking with Spongebob, which one has shows the world some great of recipes. This programme offers its audience the amazing chance to participate in an international cooking contest where the winners’ recipes will make it on TV with amazing prizes. It airs Mondays to Fridays from 11 April at 08am and 2pm.

Gospel act, Mark-T joins Kings Music

Okereke, Kebbi First Lady for DALA 2016 Tosin Adams

n Friday, the 1st of April 2016, film and television stakeholders and enthusiasts gathered at the Four Points by Sheraton in Victoria Island, Lagos in an art rendezvous, to herald the launch of Africa Magic’s new telenovela, ‘Hush.’ The event which was hosted by ace compere and TV personality, Ebuka ObiUchendu, had in attendance ‎some of Nollywood’s biggest and glamorous names, including cast members of the new show like Richard Mofe-Damijo who is the major character in the production, Thelma Okoduwa, Meg Otanwa and Rotimi Adelegan amongst others. Hush parades some of Nollywood finest veterans and also introduces new sensational acts from within and outside Nigeria. Guests were treated to a screening of the telenovela, with individual cast and crew members discussing their experience with ‘Hush’ and what viewers should expect as the show premiered on Monday, the 4th of April. Speaking further, Regional Director, M-Net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu said: “’Hush’ is our exciting new telenovela which promises a lot of excitement, in-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

rontline gospel music label, Kings Music Entertainment has signed popular gospel musician, writer and performer, Mark-T to its expansive platform. Expected to reload most of his wave making singles, Kings Music will handle fresh distribution of all Mark-T’s songs, alongside his recently released fourth album. Basking in the euphoria of the newly signed contract, Mark-T expressed gladness and gratitude to God for making such platform available to him. In his words, “I thank God for this new move. I’m excited that God is taking my talent to the next level. It’s all God’s grace, and I’m grateful. This new move will go

a long way to bless the body of Christ and win more souls for God. Gospel music is all about ministering and blessing the lives of people; and I’m excited that God has provided an excellent platform for this to be achieved through Kings Music.” Confirming the contract, though he didn’t disclose how long it will last, the head-honcho of Kings Music Entertainment, Chima Ewurum admitted to the sign-on, and Mark-T being an official member of the Kings Music family and team. Subsequently, he promised that further information regarding the label’s plans for the newly signed artiste would be disclosed.

ebbi First Lady, Adesina, Mba, Okereke, Aki, Monalisa, Pawpaw, Kargbo, Bakassi, Olumese, Yaw, others win Daylight Leadership Awards...Holds at Civic Centre, May 22 The board and editors of leading online newspaper Daylight (www.daylight.ng) have released the honourees list for the maiden edition of its Daylight Annual Leadership Awards (DALA), 2016. The high-octane awards ceremony holds elaborately on Sunday, May 22, at the prestigious Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, amid glitz and grandeur. According to a statement issued today by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of the reliable online publication, Mr. Azuh Amatus (NGE), who is also the Chairman and Founder of the awards scheme, the star-studded list is made up of 15 worthy and eminently qualified Nigerians. Azuh further added that the aim of the awards is to recognise, reward and celebrate excellence among Nigerians who have excelled immensely in various leadership positions and equally impacted positively on our nation in both public and private sectors. The distinguished recipients include the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Aisha Atiku Bagudu, who goes home with a plaque as Daylight Woman of the Year. She is being celebrated for her invaluable contributions to the less privileged in our society with her self-funded NGO, Mallpai Foundation, which has done extensive humanitarian works in Northern Nigeria and beyond for almost a decade. Also to be honoured is the presidential spokesman, celebrated journalist and newspaper administrator extraordinaire cum leader, Mr. Femi Adesina (FNGE).

Okereke-Linus

King Music signs Mark-T

Friday, April 8, 2016

We have always known M.I to be very expressive

BOOK

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and dramatic from his earlier works to this, you will see how both artistes have grown. The hook and the verses are kind of cheesy but it is still a solid groove with some great lines to. Check this out …“I know your ex left a bad taste, but I am toothpaste, this is a new phase.

Shekpe Ft Reminisce

A visit to the streets I will call this one… he displays his ability to be “razz” and I think it is fun to find out he can be less serious. And of course, Alaga Ibile displays in a fantastic way….. Yoruba floetry sentence after sentence. Haha I must not forget to mention that nursery rhyme “10 green bottles” remixed.

Bad Belle Ft Moti Cakes

This is one track I had to listen a few times to understand its theme. He says bad belle is allowed but I was wondering if the he was the originator of the bad belle or he was the target of the bad belle. By the second verse, he does show that he is the origin of the bad belle (in a good way, cos he does make some valid points). Delivery is decent so also is the production.

Wheelbarrow ft Emmy Ace and Beenie Man

Emmy Ace and Beenie man on a track provides MI the pedestal he needs to delve into some dance hall. Emmy Ace delivering such a sweet sing along hook, MI not failing to deliver on his punch lines oscillating between regular english and the jamaican lingua. Of course, we all know what Beenie man is capable of doing when it comes to this rastafara things.

Brother Ft Nosa And Milli

Yoooo!! This is a brilliant rendition. For those of you that have followed the Choc Boys saga….MI shells out his pain and how he feels about the whole thing. MI proves to be a master storyteller and peddles words to deliver this inspirational piece. Nosa can definitely be to chocolate city what they missed in Brymo.

Middle Ft Olamide and IJ

IJ had the hook, MI and Olamide on them verses. However the track sounds like one of Drake’s song…. “started from the bottom.” Okay, maybe that was in my head when I was listening. But that does not take away from MI’s delivery on this track. Listen “who the best rapper; omoh that one go depend…I am not the one to ask , ask number 2-10″…. And Olamide brought back memories of Dagrin; this is what Dagrin would sound like on this track…. Listen “…won form bad guy, ammunition o si….. Flow so easy, awon fi shan si”….. This is a decent track and we can only take a little from it.

Enemies Ft Patoranking

You know what? This is the only track I skipped on this album after the first listen. Not that the track was not good in itself, but I could not find anything that stood out for me. However, MI does advice that we be careful in this life ooo….always watch your back cos you do not know who your enemies are. At least, the song get message…… better than “are you gonna dance ooo, if I show you my money” (no subs intended).

Artman In The House

Book on Africa’s potential An introspective look at Dayo Olopade’s book, harping the great potential of the African continent.

Jamie H itchen

he meaning behind the term kanju, ‘a specific creativity born from African difficulty’, is instantly familiar to anyone who has spent time stuck in the traffic jams that characterise modern African cities, in which drivers can purchase a wide array of goods from roving vendors. Capturing and understanding kanju, a Yoruba word, is the theme that runs through Dayo Olopade’s recently published paperback The Bright Continent. This is a journalist’s account that provides important insights into how Africans are changing their own situation through a framework of ‘maps’ looking at family, technology, commercial, nature and youth. The book seeks to highlight the ingenuity challenging formality bias - the tendency to rely on rules and formal structures. Olopade takes a libertarian stand in arguing that formality bias is holding Africa back. The integrity of formal institutions is in doubt, she says, and they need to be reconceived, to ensure they are viewed as vehicles for change by citizens. Olopade provides valuable examples to counter pervasive narratives of Africans lacking agency, detailing innovations in technology and the design of indigenous systems to meet local needs. She cites the cases of vertical gardens in urban Kenya, digitalising patient attendance records in Malawi, Shujaaz, a multi-media youth engagement production in Kenya and phone applications to provide rural farmers up to date crop prices in Uganda. She reasons that ‘fat economies’, such as the USA, can learn from the resourcefulness and adaptability of the ‘lean economies’ that exist across the African continent. Olopade’s argument against external decision-making for Africa, without African involvement, is valuable. Yet her argument is weakened by the tendency to provide and interpret information that reinforces the hypothesis being set out. The cases of successful local resourcefulness given are not contrasted with less successful, or failed, ventures. Furthermore, Olopade’s in-depth focus on middle-income countries like Nigeria and Kenya comes at a cost of ignoring low-income countries, particularly in French speaking regions, like Chad and Niger. Beyond asserting the disconnection between politicians and their

electorates, especially between government representatives and Africa’s youth, Olopade does not fully explain the capacity of informal structures to enact political change - to reshape the political sphere into something more representative and relevant. Finally, while Olopade gives voice to African innovators insufficient space is devoted to the opinions of beneficiaries - in other words, those best placed to comment on the successes and failures of these initiatives. Her example of paying for education through Bridge Schools in Kenyawould be more powerful if the voices of parents and students were audible. Overall the book delivers a valuable snapshot in capturing what happens

beyond the state and aid agencies, in Africa’s informal sector. A sector which, according to the African Development Bank, contributes 55% of GNP and upwards of 80% of the labour force across the continent. Moving forwards, academics should be striving to provide more rigorous research, on a country by country basis, to fully understand where the continent is bright and where the light shines duller. Doing this, will help us to understand more fully, how kanju can meet the demands of a youthful continent striving for development and prosperity. *Jamie Hitchen is Policy Researcher at ARI.

The book delivers a valuable snapshot in capturing what happens beyond the state and aid agencies in

Africa’s

informal sector

Inside FCT

Friday, April 8, 2016

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Assessing the pulse as Abuja decides

This has seen

Blessing Ukaegbu

vigorous campaigns

ll is now set for the Saturday April 9, 2016, Area Councils and Councillorship elections across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The Independent National Electoral Commission has assured all stakeholders that it had put all modalities in motion to ensure free, fair and credible elections across the FCT. Mrs. Ndidi Okafor, Head, Voter Education and Publicity made this known to newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, hinting that FCT INEC had concluded plans to ensure that accreditation of voters and actual voting would be done at the same time. She also said that the distribution of the permanent voter cards would go on till April 7 – two days before the elections. She therefore urged registered voters who were yet to get their permanent voter cards (PVCs) to visit the designated distribution centres to get them. ‘About nine thousand adhoc staff will also participate in the elections,’ she said. On his own part, the FCT Police Commissioner, Wilson Inalegwu has cautioned trouble makers to steer clear of the area councils in the FCT, assuring legitimate voters the readiness of the FCT Police to ensure that trouble makers are apprehended and prosecuted. Meanwhile, the various political parties

Regina Otokpa

buja, the Federal Capital Territory indeed is a beautiful city with good road network, beautiful estates and mansions at different locations within and outside the main city. It is every body’s dream to live in Abuja, own a piece of land or better still, build a house or houses as the case maybe however at some locations, there have been an issue that affects both the poor and rich, bad roads. In the FCT, over 50% of the roads especially within the suburbs are in a terrible shape. Residents are forced to dance unwillingly to the tune of the road either in a car or on bike as many become impassable as the rain continues to descend. These kind of roads are found at different parts of the FCT including Kubwa, Dawaki, Lugbe, Bwari, Karu, Lokogoma, Galadinmawa to mention but a few. Where the roads are not ridden with pot holes which in some cases are death traps, the roads are either too rough or too narrow which in most cases, are responsible for accidents or traffic gridlock. To this effect, residents across the FCT have continued to lament the negligence by the government and relevant authorities in fixing bad roads within the city. Nathaniel Otote lives at prince and princess estate in the heart of Abuja, as royally as the name sounds, the road leading into the estate from the main road is nothing to write home out, worse still, some roads within the estate itself are too terrible to ply. Speaking to Inside FCT, he said “when I first moved in here, the road wasn’t too good but at the same time, it wasn’t as bad as this. The houses here are not cheap, yet we struggled each day to go out and come in.”

among the various candidates, in a

last ditch effort to mobilise party members and supporters alike to guarantee their electoral victory

Voters have ramped up their campaign activities to achieve greater grassroots mobilization and sensitization to ensure victory for their candidates. It would be recalled that the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the FCT, Prof. Jacob S. Jatau, had announced the rescheduling of the area councils and councillorship elections from March 19, 2016, to April 9, 2016 at an emergency stakeholders meeting. On the reasons for the postponement, he had insisted that it was to help the Commission

fulfill its commitment to ensure free, fair and credible elections, as it was determined to deliver qualitative electoral services to Nigerians, resident in the FCT. The REC had also said the Commission had reviewed its preparedness to guarantee the required results in keeping with its policy of transparency, and had decided to brief stakeholders on the challenge it had encountered in the recruitment of ad-hoc workers for the election.

Meanwhile, it is another season of sweet rhetoric, and political hobnobbing of the low, high and mighty in the run up to the chairmanship and councillorship elections of FCT’s six area councils of Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kwali and Kuje on April 9, 2016. The issues are almost the same across the area council areas – provision of jobs for the teeming youth, support for rural farmers, traders and artisans, provision of social services, water, electricity, schools, hospitals, security, and equity among all the residents irrespective of tribe, religion or political leaning. The candidates of the various political parties have already oiled the wheels of their political apparatus in readiness to clinch the chairmanship and councillorship positions of the area councils respectively.

Abuja: City of two opposite worlds When I first moved in here, the road wasn’t too good but at the

same time, it wasn’t as bad as this.

Ngozi Alansa who also lives in the estate lamented the situation they found themselves in saying “we pay service charges every year, depending on the compound, we are talking about N85, 000 or N65,000. That apart, we were even made to pay money for the road to be repaired yet, nothing is still not being done about it.” Kasim Mohammed, a resident at Dawaki says “there is no road here at dawaki at all, the roads are so bad that when you are on bike you will be scared of the worst happening with just a little mistake from the bike man.” Greg lives at lokogoma, he notes that “it is a terrible situation, I am forced to dance Shoki about 15 minutes on this very rough road each time imply it. Government should brace up and do something about it please.” The situation at byazhin across within kubwa is not any better, according to Jacob Adah, there were days when residents get stuck in traffic jam for hours due to the poor condition of the road. He added that “this road has caused quite a number of accidents, there’s a point where you find a dangerous slope. During the rainy season it’s a risk descending and ascending it because the road gets all slippery but we have to take that risk of living here even with all that because not everybody can afford to rent

Abuja at night houses outside here due to the high rent, besides, majority of us here own the houses. “Government should play their part, getting the people good roads is also part of securing human lives. They keep complaining no money yet billions are stolen every day. It is their responsibility, they should stop shying away from it.” “Chinonye Alumona told inside FCT that it was a shame to see roads getting bad and not being fixed but left to deteriorate. “When these roads start getting bad, instead of government to do the needful, they sit back with folded hands and gradually the roads get to the point where everybody starts begging them to come fix the road as if they would listen and address it. “For me I think the roads are not being ad-

dressed because there is always a row over whose responsibility it is to fix a particular road. You will hear its federal government road, federal government would say it is the responsibility of the FCT to fix the road and FCT would reject it saying it is the council’s responsibility. “Take a good look at the roads to bwari, even the road leading to the secretariat is nothing to write home about. This is a part of Abuja where we have JAMB office and the Abuja law school. What will it cost to grade the road and pour laterite for easy access? “Before we can make head way on this issue, the responsibilities need to be spelt out so that both federal, FCT and local government councils would know which road is their responsibility and which is not else, we will continue to live in this agony,” she added.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

Life inside IDP camps in FCT

Inside FCT

IDP Camp, Abuja Joel Ajayi

orth, South, East or West home remain the best. The feeling for loved one happened to be a traumatic experience that is disturbing all the Internally Displaced Persons IDPs across the country. Things are longer horrible as they once were. There are various forms of displacement even before the emergence of insurgent in the North East part of the country such floods amongst other. However, the United Nations Humanitarian Agency has said Nigeria accommodated world’s Internally Displaced Persons IDPs, globally the figure estimated around 1.5million displaced people in the North East is one of the biggest figures. No doubt displaced person faces a lot of environmental challenges in Nigeria while in camp and government is trying its possible best to ameliorate all these. And as Boko Haram is gradually being defeated and pushed to the peripheries, some IDPs have begun to indicating interest of returning home. The victory recorded by security agencies in the fight against insurgents had impelled IDPs who are currently in different camps, of different states including FCT to be dreaming of home land. Not only that, Inside FCT gathered that the rehabilitation programme put

in place by the present administration in the North East also contributing to nostalgia of the IDPs to return home so that they can benefit from such initiative. As home beckons for IDPs, controversies ensued as FCT administration seek return home of about 500 displaced persons who are in various camps in the city back to their home in Borno state. However, when Borno state government was contacted and informed of coming home of about 500 IDPs who are currently in various camps in FCT the answered gotten from state government was not palatable as government denied having aware of Borno IDPs camped in FCT. Investigations also revealed that in the whole FCT alone over 10,000 IDPs estimated and are located in 31 recognized and non-recognized camps or settlement. When our correspondent contacted Director General of FCT Emergency Management Agency FEMA, Abbas Idris, he explained: “it’s very unfortunately

for IDPs in city, there are no designated camps here. What we have is settlements set up by the IDPs themselves and many of them had indicating interest to return home. “We have to face the challenges of the IDPs in the FCT who are not recognized. Many IDPs camp in FCT are infiltrated by non IDPs person who are driven to the camp to seek basic needs “They mix up with IDPs and it becomes very difficult to manage the settlement Most IDPs came from Borno state for instance we have up to four states from Borno to Abuja the question that is begging for an answer is why they don’t stay in neighbouring states, why Abuja? He asked. A short trip to some IDPs camps or settlement as it was described by FEMA boss revealed that many IDPs are from Borno why many are not. At Durumi, a short distance to popular area called to Area 1 in the FCT, where IDPs, estimated to be 1,537. In his reaction to this, the Chairman

Many IDP camps in FCT are infiltrated by non IDPs who are driven to the camp to seek basic needs

of the Durumi IDPs camp, Muhammad Gowza said: “we came here September 2013, and we are from Bama, Gowza local government how on earth they will say we are not from Borno. “Even the former Minister of FCT Muhammed Bala, visited us here, how they will now say we do not exist? We have over 1,539 IDPs, mostly women and children. “And we have been receiving relief materials from government, private organization; individual this primary school here is an attestation to the fact that we are recognized, the school, the chairs, the expenses and salary of teacher was to our children was given by somebody.” Gowza, appealed to the FCT and Borno state government as well as Nigerians to come to the aid “we want to relocate to our place of abode, we are tired of all these” he frowned. Also, the next camp visited by our correspondent was IDPs camp Karamajiji in FCT gathered that the IDPs were from Borno. The Secretary of the Karamajiji camp Muhammed Dantani, stated we have been here for a year plus and we are 759 includes our children, we don’t want people to give us food anymore, we are tired, we want to go back home, for how long we will be given fish when we know how to catch fish, what we seek from government is to make sure there is peace across the country, we want to go back home, there is no place like home.”

Capital Market

Friday, April 8, 2016

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Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at April 7, 2016 1st Tier Securities

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Arty News

Friday, April 8, 2016

29 31

In reality, acting chose me —Daniel Lloyd For this talented actor who is dominating all the home and cinema movies in the Nollywood industry, Daniel Lloyd, what instilled confidence in him after years of accumulating successes in the makebelieve industry is his television series, Lies And Secrets. Produced and directed by Dabby Chimere, the drama series had Lloyd playing the lead role alongside other key acts. In this enthralling interview, he talks about his career, affection for his female fans and the looming sex for role in the film industry.

Motivation for me comes from environment and my past being. How do you manage your female fans? I appreciate them a lot, but I draw limits at times. How is doing a TV series helping your acting career? Lies And Secrets is helping me a lot, as it’s building a very strong confidence in me. It’s also making me to grow in knowledge and understanding, especially with what goes on here in the industry. It will soon get to different televisions across our homes. For me, I always keep an open mind when working with other talents, even as I learn from everybody to better my skill. It’s still a long journey ahead though.

What can’t you let go in your everyday life? My cell phones of course. You have regrets? I have a phrase I live with, and that is “Hakuna Matata” which means “no worries” because if I knew better I would have done better.

Why did you choose acting? I’m not sure if I choose acting or if it chose me. I guess there was a choosing somewhere; because I studied Civil Engineering in school, but here I found myself acting, and I’m loving every bit of it. Can you tell us how it all started? Well, it all started as a dream in a wish growing up back in the days. I have always loved entertainment. And then, I went for a talent hunt back in Port Harcourt called “Street to Star.” It was a project I attended years back. So, that came and shaped my dreams and decision for acting. When you joined the Nollywood in-

If you have an opportunity to change something, what would it be? It would definitely be Nigeria, because I’m a proud Nigerian. Not minding the challenges we are facing as a country, if we put good plans and effort, we can make this country great and better for all.

Daniel Lloyd dustry, what were the challenges you faced? I think the only challenge I faced was when I had to show people that it’s not just about my looks; that I’m meant and born for acting. I mean telling the real stakeholders and investors that I can be in this industry as a professional actor. How about the sex for role issue that is looming the industry of today; do you think it’s healthy for Nollywood, especially where women are dominating? It’s not healthy for any industry and should be fought against, but then, the ladies involved were not raped, so they had a decision to make at a certain point. Sex itself I believe should be based on mutual understanding between two people. And finally, nobody is forcing anybody into it. For me, I think it’s not healthy for an industry like Nollywood, as it will discourage real talents.

It starts with characterization. Let’s say when you have to play a character that is not your kind of person, it is challenging and that’s what I look out for in movies. So, it’s hard to place my finger on any of my movies to say it’s the most challenging role. Personally, I always want to take on challenging roles. What movie will you say that brought out the best in you? Well, I’m yet to see that movie. I want to take on roles that would take me out of my comfort zone; roles people would never believe I can take on. What motivates you?

What can attract you to a female? I would have admitted brain alone, but you don’t see that, so as a Bayelsa boy, it has to be brain and a good body. What are your career plans for the next two years? Wait, you will see them as the days unfold. Do you have words of advice for the up and coming acts? Don’t let anyone limit your abilities to what you can and cannot do. Believe in yourself and most importantly, believe in God. The past doesn’t matter, and it can’t dictate you tomorrow. It’s not as important as the future; also do your best in putting up good plans for that future.

What movie will you rate as being challenging to you?

Don’t let anyone limit your abilities to what you can and cannot do. Believe in yourself and most importantly, believe in God. The past doesn’t matter, and it can’t dictate tomorrow. It’s not as important as the future; also do your best in putting up good plans for that future.

Daniel Llyod with cast members of his new work

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NURTW, lawmakers task Buhari on lingering fuel crisis A

s the hardship of lingering fuel scarcity being experienced in the country takes more toll on the nation’s economy, stakeholders have urged the Federal Government to urgently make petrol available at the approved rate. Reports from across the country have shown that the hardship was becoming increasingly unbearable as many motorists spent much of the day moving from one filling station to the other in search of petrol. While fuel is being sold in few filling stations, the pump price has been outrageous, ranging from N130 and N300 per litre, in most states. Worried by the untold hardship of Nigerians over the crisis, the Lagos State House of Assembly on Tuesday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to proffer solution to the lingering fuel scarcity and its attendant hardship on citizens. The call followed a motion moved by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr Sanai Agunbiade and seconded by Mr Segun Olulade, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, under matter of public urgent importance. Agunbiade said many workers were lamenting over gridlock caused by fuel queues. “In Lagos, every minute counts. Many workers now get queries for coming late to work. People now store petrol at homes. “Prices of goods and commodities are high, and fares have increased. The President should address the issue of fuel scarcity and deal with everyone involved,” he said. Olulade, on his part, said: “A lot of people are facing serious hardship; we have hospitals that

Fuel queue

cannot provide electricity in case of emergency because of scarcity. The President should address the issue quickly.” Contributing, Mr Tunde Braimoh, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy and Security, described the situation as ‘’embarrassing’’, saying that the President has all it takes to salvage the situation. Also, Mr Yinka Ogundimu, the Chairman, House Committee on Finance, said all agencies in Lagos were overstretched and a lot of time was wasted queuing for fuel. “We should call on the President to come up with immediate solution,” he said. The Speaker of the House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, said it was not necessary to start apportioning blames or identifying

scapegoats, but the Federal Government should find a lasting solution to the problem. “I saw people carrying kegs all over the city and I understand that some of them sleep at filling stations. “The roads from my house were deserted as I was coming to the office and this is a bad signal. “Mr President should look for a solution; we should not look at the past or blame the Petroleum Minister for what he said recently since he has apologised. We must take action now. “Whatever it is, our people should get fuel to move around for their businesses. We must avoid whatever can lead to angry mobs. It is becoming so unbearable and it must not be allowed,” he said. The Speaker directed the Clerk of the House, Mr Ganiu

Abiru, to write a letter to the President to find a lasting solution to the problem and make fuel available in Lagos State. The House said that the President should address the people on the situation and appealed to residents to be calm until a solution was found to the problem. It also called on Buhari to direct all the necessary Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that have direct connections with the distribution of fuel to help the masses by curbing the hardship. The lawmakers said that special attention should be given to Lagos State as the economic nerve centre of the nation as many workers now sleep at filling stations. The House also called on Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to direct

the necessary agencies in the state to effectively control gridlock occasioned by scarcity. It noted that the indiscriminate queuing at filling stations had affected traffic flow and many people were getting to their offices late. Also speaking in the same vein, the Niger state chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Alhaji Ibrahim Sarki said availability of petrol at official rate would enable the union members to recoup their investment and review the current transport fares in the state. It is reported that the state chapter of the union recently increased transport fares owing to non availability of fuel. “We want the Federal Government to make fuel available at the approved price of N86 per litre to enable us revert to the old transport fares because passengers are complaining. “The current economic hardship is already having its negative effect on passengers then all of a sudden increase in transport fares. “So it has not been easy with our passengers and on our own side, we don’t buy only fuel to keep our vehicles going but we have to maintain them,’’ he said. He explained that the hike in transport fares had reduced the number of commuters per day. The union chairman said that transport fare from Minna to Kontagora, which used to be N900 was now N1,100 while Minna to Sokoto was now N3,500 as against N3, 000. Also speaking, Mrs Grace Ayuba, a fish seller in Shiroro, said that she had reduced her shuttles to Minna for business from three to two times a week. She said the scarcity of fuel was biting hard while the price of fish had gone up, with customers complaining.

Luxury bus operators warn commuters on cash carrying

ollowing increased attacks by robbers on various routes across the country, long distance luxury bus commuters have been charged to always avoid travelling with huge cash in order not to tempt the criminals. The Luxury bus operators gave this advice while speaking with motoring journalists in Lagos. According to the operators, rather than carry large sums of money on them, especially during night journeys, intending

passengers should take advantage of the various means of transferring money electronically and keep just enough to take care of their travel expenses. The luxury bus operators, who spoke through the managers of some leading luxury bus transport firms enjoined the travelers to embrace the use of drafts and various e-banking innovations, including automated teller machine (ATM), point of sale (POS) and other inter-

net-enabled platforms in their transactions. According to the spokesman of the managers’ forum, Tony Ogbonna, the enlightenment campaign became necessary due to the frequent cases of armed robbery involving luxury buses lately, especially at night, which result in human and material losses to both the passengers and the transporters. “This is not restricted to any particular route. Our buses plying Abuja-Lagos or going to the

east from Abuja; those playing Lagos-Shag amu-Ore-BeninOnitsha-Port Harcourt; and those on Aba-Onitsha-Lagos route, are all targeted by the robbers who are usually merciless in their attacks”, Ogbonna said. It would be recalled that last year, the umbrella union of long distance bus transporters Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON) counselled the public on the need to always travel cashless, enjoining

them to avail themselves of new methods in modern banking in their transactions to avoid being easy preys to the robbers. The association had lamented that regardless of its preventive measures, like discouraging passengers from boarding with excess cash, the criminals had continued to lay siege on members’ vehicles on the erroneous assumption that passengers, particularly traders, were still in the habit of travelling with a lot of money in their possession.

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Friday, April 8, 2016

Toyota partners Microsoft on ‘smart’ cars deal Adejuwon Osunnuyi

eading global automaker, Toyota Motor Corporation, is expanding its experiment in the autonomous vehicles as it has sealed a deal with Microsoft Corporation to develop services that will make the driving experience personal and safe. The Toyota connected venture, which would be based in Plano, Texas, was aimed at making cars smarter. A report by Bloomberg on Tuesday, which gave the initial investment as $5.5m, said the project would be headed by the Chief Information Officer at Toyota Motor North America, Zack Hicks and quoted him as saying, “Toyota Connected will help free our customers from the tyranny of technology.” Automakers are expanding connected-car services as the industry heads toward technologies such as autonomous vehicles. Telematics combines computers and wireless technology to provide services such as infotainment and real-time traffic updates to moving vehicles. Toyota and Microsoft have been collaborating in this area since 2011.

megacrown1@yahoo.com 08025237926

Barbedos Cars plans Mercedes-Benz Club in Nigeria

B Smart car

The Executive Vice-President, Corporate Strategy and Planning, Microsoft Corporation, Kurt DelBene, said the company would work with Toyota Connected “to make driving more personal, intuitive and safe.” The new entity will study everything from cars that help each other analyse traffic patterns to use-based insurance pricing to connecting drivers with information and security services in their homes. As the technology improves, vehicles would study their owners’ habits and seek ways to make themselves helpful, Hicks told re-

porters on a conference call. A car may use sensors in the steering wheel to monitor a driver’s heart rate, and then relay the data to a doctor. Or, if the vehicle recognises that the driver is a Dallas Cowboys football fan and may be headed toward the stadium, it may ask whether it should call ahead and prepay for parking. Drivers would be able to opt out of any or all of these services, Hicks said. But he said he was hoping they would be popular enough to encourage drivers to return to Toyota when it was time to buy another car.

arbedos Cars Limited, one of Weststar’s authorised dealers for Mercedes-Benz in Nigeria said it has concluded plans to launch a MercedesBenz Owners Club in Nigeria. The Managing Director of Barbedos Cars Limited, Mr, Shiju Sasi said the plan is to bring together all Mercedes Benz owners under one umbrella for a beneficial relationship. “I am very excited about life. I like organizing and

JAC, our another rough diamond - Elizade boss

he founder of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Chief Michael Ade Ojo has described the new automobile brand addition to the Elizade Group, the JAC brand, as “the diamond in the rough that Toyota was over 40 years ago.” Chief Ade Ojo said with the Toyota experience, history was about to repeat itself this time around through JAC brand. Speaking recently at the official opening of the multi-million naira head office of the JAC brand in Lagos, Ade Ojo, who recalled how he took, and nurtured the Japanese brand in the ’70s, said, “Toyota, you can say, was like a diamond in the rough back in the 70’s. But today, everybody knows that the rough is totally removed and the diamond is now etched in perfection.” He said JAC reminded him of how Toyota started long ago, making cars that were affordable and cheaper than the rest, but without sacrificing good performance. The Elizade boss, who used the opportunity to tell his success story with Toyota, said that he would work together with JAC to remove the rough and etch the diamond until it is perfected and the brilliance is there for all to see to the satisfaction of the customers. Promising to bring the reputation he had built for Elizade brand to bear on the JAC brand,

Chief Ade-Ojo explained that his company has in the last two years, carefully evaluated the JAC brand. He said: “With such a solid reputation in the market, the last thing that I would do is to disappoint my customers who have come to rely on us and trust that we would offer them nothing but good vehicles and a reliable service that can keep them happy and contented.” With this in mind, the founder said: “We examined the performance, ruggedness and durability of these vehicles for two years because we wanted to satisfy our conscience that the brand can indeed perform up to the level of expectation of what our customers know us for.”

Ade Ojo

He noted that customers now have such level of confidence in them to the extent that if a customer buys even bread from Elizade, he would believe that he is buying something of superior value not to talk of buying another brand of car from them since this is what had earned them such a strong reputation in the first place. To this end, he noted that introducing JAC into the Nigerian market, therefore, was a very serious matter that warranted them to do everything possible to satisfy their customers. He therefore noted that he was looking forward to the day the JAC brand will be ranked at the top alongside with brands like Toyota. Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director of Elizade Nigeria Limited, Mr. Demola Ade-Ojo disclosed that the company had invested two million dollars in the brand and intends to further develop more facilities across the country with the aim of positioning the brand in the Nigeria market. Reiterating the founders remark about the JAC brand, Mr. Ade Ojo said that the company introduced the JAC brand to provide the most cost effective solution to the auto needs of their numerous customers.

Shiju

being with people. As a way of doing that, we are intending to have Barbedos Mercedes Club. It is going to be a unique club that will have a yearly meeting.” Shiju, who revealed his passion for automobiles stated. According to him, once a Mercedes-Benz car owner subscribes to be a member, he or she would automatically be entitled to one year car maintenance. “We will take care of your cars maintenance. Not only that, we will engage in a pure off-road driving for Mercedes Benz cars.” He said. Shiju, who noted that club members would be given opportunity to engage in a lot of off road driving, added, “We want to teach people how to use their car to the optimum. This is going to be the first time we are doing such a thing in Nigeria. That is something exciting we are going to do this year.”

Kia Motors records 268,007 global sales in March

ia Motors Corporation announced today its March 2016 global sales figures (export sales, domestic sales and sales from overseas plants) for passenger cars, recreational vehicles (RVs) and commercial vehicles, recording a total of 268,007 units sold. This figure represents 0.6 per cent year-on-year decrease compared to the same month of 2015. According to a statement made available to our correspondent, in March, Kia posted year-on-year sales increases in the domestic Korean market (19.4 per cent growth with 50,510 units sold) and Europe (9.4 per cent growth with 63,826 units sold). Cumulatively, through the first three months of 2016,

Kia’s global sales totalled 686,887 units for a year-onyear decrease of 0.6 per cent, Korea (128,125 units sold), Europe (145,488 units sold) and North America (160,286 units sold) have seen an 11.9 per cent, 7.9 per cent and 3.0 per cent rise in sales, respectively. Kia’s bestselling model in overseas markets during March 2016 was the Sportage compact CUV with 43,304 units sold. The B-segment Rio (known as ‘K2’ in China) was the second best seller with 33,524 units sold, while the C-segment Cerato (known as ‘Forte’ or ‘K3’ in some markets), Optima D-segment sedan and Soul urban crossover followed with 30,591, 21,391 and 16,562 units sold, respectively.

People In The Mirror

Acting Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni (left), welcoming the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, during the One day working visit of the Minister to the Agency in Abuja.

L-R: Regional Operations Director, Lagos Region, Oladokun Oye; spouse of CEO, Bhaujet Ventures/ Airtel Channel Partner, Mr. Babajide Odubanjo; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga with CEO, Bhaujet Ventures/Airtel Channel Partner, Mrs. Bunmi Odubanjo, during the commissioning of Airtel Express Shop at Park Place Mall, Admiralty Way, Lekki, Lagos.

Kebbi State Government Atiku Bagudu of (left) with the Editor-in-Chief of the Media Trust Ltd, mr Mannir Dan-Ali, during his visit to the Governor in Birinin Kebbi.

L-R: Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Ad-Hoc Committee member, Mr Alloy Chukwuemeka; Chairman, NFF Ad-Hoc Committee, Mr Seyi Akinwumi and former Chairman Nigeria National League (NNL), Chief Emeka Inyama, at the NNL Annual Club Congress and Draws in Abuja.

Friday, April 8, 2016

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L-R: First Son of Founder, Home Science Association, Dr. Michael Abayomi Imana; third Daughter, Dr. Alex-Okoh celebrant/one of the founding member, Home Science Association (Nursery, Primary and Secondary), Mama Comfort Imana; second Daughter, Mrs. Iyabo Scott and first Daughter, Mrs. Bola Abumere, during the 90th birthday celebration of Mama Comfort Imana, in Lagos.

Chairman Vanguard Newspapers Ltd, Chief Sam Amuka-Pemu with a son of the Deceased Prophet Oluwademilade Omololu Akpata, General Overseer, Ewulomi Evangelical Church of Christ, (C&S) Arowojobe, Mende Village, Maryland, Lagos.

L-R: Executive Director, Corporate and Transactional Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Yewande Sadiku; Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; and Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc., Mrs Sola David-Borha; at the inauguration of Kaduna State annual Economic and Investment Summit co-sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, in Kaduna.

Participants at a Capacity Building Seminar organised by the police for the officers and men on preretirement in Abuja.

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Maritime

Assessing impact of National Automotive Policy review delay on economy The Federal Government’s National Automotive Policy, through which it plans to reduce the importation of vehicles into the country to pave way for local production of vehicles has remained in limbo for over a year after the idea of its review was mulled. FRANCIS EZEM in this analysis captures the implications of the review delay for cost of imported vehicles and capacity building for local auto assembly plants.

he National Automotive Policy is part of Federal Government’s response to the seeming uncontrolled influx of substandard and overaged vehicles into the country. The Government also believes that such influx contributes significantly in depleting the nation’s scarce foreign exchange.

It was on the basis of this that the policy, which was first introduced in the 2013 fiscal year, proposed 70 per cent tariff on all Fully Built Units, FBU, of vehicles. This comprises 35 per cent levy and another 35 per cent duty on fully built vehicles imported outside the policy, while importers of Semi Knocked Down, SKD, parts are to enjoy 10 per cent tariff and five per cent tariff on other categories of SKD. The policy also provides for zero per cent tariff on Completely Knocked Down, CKD, and capital equipment used in auto assembly parts, which is in line with the government’s policy of encouraging locally assembling of vehicles as against the importation of fully built units and other used vehicles with attendant capital flight. The first leg o the policy, which imposed the 35 per cent duty on all FBUs has taken effect since January 1, 2015, which led to an appreciable rise in the price of vehicles, including used ones popularly called ‘Tokunbo’ while the second leg, which consists of the 35 per cent levy, which was billed to take effect July, 1, 2015 is yet to takeoff due to the outcome of the 2015 general elections. However, in what appeared a relief to most stakeholders, the

President Buhari-led government indicated that it would undertake a holistic review of the policy to make it implementable and realistic, given the current state of infrastructure, especially public power supply, which many believe might not support such powerdriven industry. The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had said that the government was working on plans to review the nation’s automotive policy introduced by the immediate past administration. Osinbajo, who gave the hint at the 2015 edition of Abuja International Trade Fair and exhibition, which held in the last quarter of the year, admitted that government was aware that low patronage was one of the challenges confronting the domestic automobile industry in Nigeria. He had disclosed that the government was planning to lead the campaign of buying madein-Nigeria vehicles through public procurement to stimulate the industry. Under the plan, it was gathered that the government might make it a deliberate policy to use only Nigeria-assembled vehicles for all official purposes

while compelling its ministries and department and agencies to do likewise to boost patronage The vice-president had also said the government would collaborate with the local automobile firms and banks to provide interested individuals with soft loans to enable them acquire locally-made cars at discounted prices with staggered payment structure. More than six months after the government is yet to make any further pronouncement on the proposed review, a development that has put the policy in limbo while many stakeholders, including vehicle importers and even assembly plants have been put in a permanent suspense, which many of them believed was not good enough for the economy. President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Ami-

There is urgent need for the government to apply caution in approaching the proposed review of the auto policy so as to forestall drastic consequences on the nation’s economy

wero, who spoke in reaction to government’s seeming long silence on the matter, said that time has come for the government to take a definite step towards evolving a sustainable auto policy based on realities on ground. According to him, even in reviewing the policy, the Federal Government should apply serious caution to forestall regrettable mistakes. “There is urgent need for the government to apply caution in approaching the proposed review of the auto policy so as to forestall drastic consequences on the nation’s economy. But there is equally need for the government to act fast given that the policy has been on board since 2013”. He pointed out that it had become expedient now for the government to come up with a well thought out policy or programme in the automotive industry that would suit the needs of the nation and monitor and nurture it into full growth. According to him, with the phased commencement of the policy since September 2013, there have been increased cases of smuggling of fully built units of vehicles, especially used vehicles across the nation’s numerous and porous borders. Another stakeholder, who spoke on the condition of ano-

nymity, expressed surprise that the proposed review of the policy was not contained in the 2016 budget, which was passed into law penultimate week by the National Assembly. He explained that most importers had suspended all actions in expectation of the review of the policy in the 2016 appropriation, which has yet to come. Most stakeholders in the Nigerian project believe that the three tiers of government remain the highest spenders even in the acquisition and use of vehicles and so remain critical to the success or otherwise of the policy. It was probably in line with this thinking that Senator Ben Bruce made a strong case for the government to make it mandatory itself and all its agencies to patronise made in Nigeria vehicles. This fact was corroborated by the Vice President, who admitted that the greatest problem faced by the local car manufacturing companies is that of low patronage and hinted that government might make it compulsory for its agencies to buy made in Nigeria vehicles. This is not only very desirable, it is also a right step in the right direction but the earlier the better because time is of the essence.

Business Maritime

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NIMASA in talks with UN, Interpol over abducted crew STORIES: FRANCIS EZEM

trong indications have emerged that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, has intensified efforts towards rescuing five crew members

kidnapped offshore Niger Delta on board a Liberian flagged chemical tanker, MT Sampatiki last week. Already, the agency has established contacts with the Interpol Regional Bureau and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC. Director General of the agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, assured that the agency would leave no

stone un-turned in its efforts to ensure that the five crew members were rescued alive. It was reliablygathered that as part of such desperate efforts to achieve this goal, the agency had initiated discussions with the Interpol Regional Bureau and the UNODC with a view to reaching their respective bureaus in Togo with any useful information that may lead to the rescue of the ves-

Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority Mallam Habib Abdullahi in a warm handshake with the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Alli [Rtd.] during a joint inspection of the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, located in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Ikorodu Lighter Terminal grossly underutilised - Abdullahi

he Nigerian Ports Authority, has said that the Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, a government warehouse designated for over time and abandoned at the various seaport terminals and land borders in Lagos and environs has for several years remained grossly under-utilised. The terminal, made up of two large warehouses is directly managed by the Nigeria Customs Service, just like many others spread across the nation. Managing Director of the authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, who spoke in Lagos during a joint inspection of the facility with the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali, said there was an urgent need to put a tripartite committee in place to ensure effective utilisation of the terminal. The committee, according to him would comprise representa-

tives from the Federal Ministry of Transport, NPA and those of the Customs and would be charged with the responsibility of liaising with other stakeholders with a view to working out a framework that would facilitate proper and effective use of the facility to the benefit of the Nigerian nation and its citizens. “The tripartite committee is to be mandated to interface with other relevant stakeholders to work out modalities for the optimal utilisation of the terminal”, the Managing Director said. Meanwhile the Customs CG had while speaking during the visit, also admitted that the terminal was grossly under-utilised and that there was need to put it into effective. The CG’s visit to the terminal was part of his tour of commands under the Zone A headquarters, which is made up of Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti

States. Ali however differed on the modalities to achieve this objective insisting that there was been for a technical committee that will come with proposals or modalities on putting the terminal to optimal use. He said: “The Nigeria Customs Service and Nigerian Ports Authority are partners in progress and so the two agencies should work together for the mutual benefits of the country. Alli therefore directed the Zonal Coordinator Zone A of the Service, Assistant Comptroller General Charles Edike to look into ways the two large warehouses in Ikorodu, described as the largest in Nigeria could be well utilised. On the problem of poor access to the terminal due to the lack of adequate road network, the duo emphasised the need for the opening up of the nation’s water ways through dredging so that importers and exporters can patronise the terminal.

Shipping assets depreciate by $65bn in 2015, says BRS

hipbrokers Barry Rogliano Salles (BRS) estimate that $65bn was wiped off the value of shipping assets in 2015. “The year 2015 has been as bad as expected. Shipping in all its forms has lost its lustre,” BRS president Tim Jones said in its annual report. The shipbroker said they estimated $65bn had been lost on the underlying value of shipping assets in 2015, a fact that has been reflected in the large number writedowns on fleet values that

have been made by public-listed shipping companies. “This year saw historic (adjusted) lows or near lows, in almost all market sectors except tankers,” Jones added.\ In the case of shipping and mining expansion was set out by companies as if they were the only actor in the market. “But the markets do not expand indefinitely. We are waking up to a maritime sector that was being dimensioned to meet the demand of an adolescent China with mature Western economies weaned off energy consumption,

and the expected globalisation of trade,” he said. There is a shift from it not just being the cost of energy that drives global trade but also the environment and the costs of global warming, and this could lead to a new model for shipping where environmental performance is rewarded. “Will shipping contracts be awarded to companies that pollute less, will there be tangible premiums for industrial users of freight to choose low pollutant carriers?” Jones asked.

sel and crew. The agency’s boss had said that information on the hijack of the vessels and subsequent abduction of the crew members was reported to the agency on March 26, 2016 after which the agency swung into action. Investigations also showed that the decision of the agency to swing into action follows a directive by the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, in which he instructed the agency to investigate the incidence with a view to recovering both the abducted crew and the tanker ship.. Available records show that the embattled MT Sampatiki arrived Port Harcourt Port on March 21, 2016 with a load of gas oil but was detained by Nigerian surveyors for some deficiencies in her documentations after she was allowed to sail out of the Port Harcourt Port on March 24, 2016. Peterside had earlier disclosed that in addition to seeking assistance from the UNODC and Interpol, the agency had also contacted the Nigerian Navy to officially inform it of the incident and has also requested for the deployment of personnel and relevant vessels in search of the crew and the vessel. He said: “We have also deployed the agency’s satellite surveillance facility in conjunction with intelligence from the Nigerian Navy, which led to the tracking of the vessel, which is now offshore

Lome. “While the search for the abducted crew members has been intensified, we have also made contacts with the Maritime Administrations of the Republic of Benin and that of Togo to ensure safe return of the vessel. We are also in touch with the flag state and the owners of MT Sampatiki,” he also said emphatically. Investigations also showed that as a fall out of the recent abduction incident, the agency has also deployed some of its operational vessels manned by military personnel of the Maritime Guard Command MGC to enforce security with a view guaranteeing a 24 -hour patrol of the nation’s maritime domain. While assuring that the Nigerian nation has what it takes to guarantee security of lives and property within her maritime domain, he promised that the agency under his watch would do everything within its powers to achieve that. According to him, the agency is working with the relevant authorities including the National Assembly, to ensure that the antipiracy Bill which has been at the National Assembly in the last two years was passed into law without further delay. It would be recalled that there had been increases of piracy and sea robbery off the Gulf of Guinea, especially Nigeria.

Singapore slashes port dues by 10% for bulk carriers

he Singapore Port Authority will grant a 10 per cent concession on port dues for dry bulk carriers starting from 15 April 2016, in view of the severe downturn in the shipping sector. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore MPA, said the concession will be applicable to vessels carrying out cargo works with a port stay of not more than five days, and the concession will be in place for one year. The latest government aid follows MPA’s announcement in January this year of an additional 10% concession on port dues granted to containerships carrying out cargo works with a port stay of not more

than five days. The concession was on top of existing port dues concessions such as the Green Port Programme incentives and the 20 PER CENTconcession first introduced in 1996. MPA also extended concessions for OSVs for a year-long period starting from 1 November 2015, for which the incremental concessionary port dues rate of SGD0.50 per day per gt applies to OSVs from 90 days to 180 days. “Taken together with the existing concessions including those granted to offshore support vessels and container vessels, these concessions are expected to yield SGD18m ($13.3m) in savings for shipping companies over one year,” MPA said.

Korean shipbuilding industry sustains lull in Q1, 2016

…receives only nine orders

he highly anticipated recovery of the shipbuilding industry seems to be far off for the world’s leading shipbuilding nation as only nine orders have been placed at South Korean shipbuilders during the first quarter of the year. The companies that did manage to brave the storm and secure some work so far this year are affiliate shipbuilders of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group that have taken the majority of the order intake, stacking six orders while the small shipbuilder Yeunsoo Heavy Industries bagged an order to build three small chemical

product carriers, the Korea Times writes. According to Clarksons, this is the first time in 15 years for Korean shipbuilders to receive orders amounting to only a single-digit in a quarter. Namely, after no orders were placed at Korean yards in January, the dry spell was broken by HHI that signed an agreement to build two 158,000 dwt Suezmax crude tankers for a Turkey-based shipping company Ditas Shipping. The deal, worth between USD 120 to 140 million, will see HHI deliver the vessels to their owner in 2018.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Friday, April 8, 2016

AGF slams Senate over handling of MTN fine saga

Isaiah Erhiawarien

he Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami has faulted the Senate Committee on Communications over accusations of underhand dealings in the payment of N50 billion by MTN Telecommunications Nigeria Limited to the Federal Government. In a letter written on his behalf by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Mr. Salihu Isah, to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Gilbert

Emeka Nnaji, the justice minister accused the Senate of failing to give him fair hearing before accusing him of wrong-doing. Malami questioned the basis of the Committee’s position on the raging controversy surrounding the N780 billion reduced fine slammed on MTN by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, saying, “there is no iota of underhand dealings in relation to the planned negotiation between the Federal Government and MTN Telecommunications Nigeria Limited as against the erroneous

belief and assumption in some quarters, including the National Assembly that the nation is being mortgaged.” He demanded apology from the Committee to him for apparently jumping to speculative malicious conclusion based on media report, saying that the N50 billion collected from MTN Nigeria is merely a part payment to the government. The minister, while denying any wrong-doing in his handling of the settlement of the fine imposed on the telecommunications company by the NCC, recalled that the Committee, some weeks ago,

had lamented the role the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and the office of the Attorney-General played and had observed that they were less than transparent in their roles in the negotiations and payment made by MTN. The Minister, in his response to the accusation, said that the former US Attorney-General and counsel to the MTN, Eric Holder, wouldn’t have entered into the meeting with him if he was not sure he was the most appropriate person with whom to negotiate. According to him, the government insisted that MTN, which Holder represented, must show some level of commitment by ensuring part payment of N50 bil-

lion, adding that the insistence is that no audience could be granted to the company or anyone acting on its behalf while the case is still pending in court and in the absence of demonstration of good faith by MTN. Describing the action of the Senators as a misrepresentation of the facts of the matter, the Minister said that based on the request, “MTN offered to comply, and indeed complied by withdrawing the case unconditionally and to make an agreed payment of N50 billion ($250 million), an offer the government accepted only to grant audience to it and its counsel in relation to the settlement discussions (and without prejudice and in good faith).”

Nigerian banks healthy still – CBN UDO ONYEKA

L-R: Branch Leader, Makurdi Branch, Emmanuel Adukwu; Regional Bank Head, North Central, Anthony Yaro; Executive Chairman, Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mimi Adzape Orubibi and Divisional Head, Retail & Enterprises, Richard Madiebo during the presentation of two units of Nissan Frontier Trucks to Benue State Internal Revenue Services …yesterday

BoI to support Kaduna State’s N1.5trn investment plan Olufemi Adeosun Abuja

he Bank of Industry (BoI) has expressed its readiness to key-in into the five-year economic and investment development plan of the Kaduna State Government. The Bank’s Acting Managing Director, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, noted that if effectively implemented, the investment plan was capable of improving the business climate of the state with a view to enhancing the capacity of entrepreneurs to meet the bank’s risk acceptance criteria and ability to access credit facilities. Specifically, Olagunju assured that the bank would play an active role in the realization of the N800billion investment portfolio the state seeks to galvanize from the private sector. He said: “The governor said his five years economic plan would cost about N1.5trillion and that, while the state government would be expected to expend N700bn, the private sector would provide N800bn. That is where we come in to support the private sector investors who will be coming

to invest in Kaduna, particularly in manufacturing. “The bank believes that, if the blueprint is religiously followed through successfully in terms of implementation, they would have substantially de-risk the business environment in Kaduna. And by so doing they will ease the ability of entrepreneurs in Kaduna to meet the Bank of Industry’s risk acceptance criteria, thereby facilitating the access to Its loans”< Olgunju added. As part of the deals with the state, he suggested that payment for transaction between Kaduna based manufactures and the state government could be domiciled with the bank. The BoI’s boss also averred that if the governor follows through its plan to source all its procurements from the manufacturing firms based in Kaduna, it would help in boosting the operation of small and medium scale enterprises. According to him, some of the state’s reform initiatives capable of galvanizing economic and business activities include provision of adequate infrastructure, prompt issuance of C/of/O and provision of incentives for indus-

trialists. While urging all the states of the federation to emulate the kaduna state investment model, Olagunju explained that improving the internally generated revenue of the states would not only reduce reliance on revenue from the Federation Account, but also boost the nation’s quest for rapid industrialisation. He advised that what Kaduna did should be replicated not only in the 19 northern states, but also the 36 states of the federation, adding that if “all the 36 state governors do this at the sub-national level, they will not be depending on FAAC every month. It would be recalled that the governor of the state, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, had on Tuesday unveiled a five-year, N1.5trillion economic blueprint anchored on effective exploitation and utilization of the state’s abundant natural resources. The governor commissioned the plan during the first Kaduna State Economic and Investment Summit, known as (KADINVEST), with the theme “Let Move Kaduna into the Global Economy.”

n spite of the economic downturn of the economy and its negative impact on the financial system, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday said that Nigerian banks remained strong and sound still The apex bank’s Director, Banking Supervision Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins at the end of the Bankers Committee meeting in Lagos said that the banks were properly positioned to carry out their core function which is financial intermediation and support for broad sectors of the economy, particularly the real sector. Commenting on the Non Performing Loans, NPL, which has increased to 5 per cent, Martin said “one reason why we have always wanted the banks to have a very high capital ratio is for a time like this. So the banks have adequate capital to withstand the shock that we are experiencing today”. According to her, even beyond withstanding the shock it is also important that the banks continue to support the real sector, “adding that even though what is happen-

ing in the economy now banks are not to be blamed, what is happening now an in view of risks involved banks need to be prudent and proactive.” She said that banks have followed the apex bank’s directive and that they do not distribute as much as they have distributed before “The instruction was retain more and that was exactly what they have done. So when you put all that together you would understand why they can withstand shocks and at the same time they can still continue lending”, she said. The Director said the economic downturn has made things a bit hard at the moment even as we are also talking about falling oil prices. She pointed out that at this moment if corporate organisations were not doing as well as they used to do and therefore are unable to pay their loans. It is not something unusual and 5 per cent of reported NPL is not really out of this world, but then on the other hand it is not that we are resting on our oars. The Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje said the Committee discussed about forex and the need for all to adjust in order to face the reality.

Cited unveils Ping-Pong light bulbs

n a bid to ensure a lowcarbon economy and a sustained fight against global warming, Cited Development Limited has unveiled its E40 intelligent and ping-pong light bulbs. The Managing Director of Cited Development Limited, Captain Dayo Ogunleye, stated that as part of his company’s desire to contribute its little quota to the fight against global warming, it decided to join in the fight for a sustainable environment, which the United Nations started with the introduction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an attempt to end poverty, protect the planet, ensure prosperity for all and to, in the long run transform the world. He said that as the sole part-

ner in Nigeria and the West African region, the company was set to further sharpen its policy advocacy machinery to sustain its quality service delivery to the Nigeria populace. Ogunleye, who also noted that climate change had become an issue that required well-coordinated solutions, appealed for international cooperation to help development countries move toward a lowcarbon economy. He stressed that apart from its optimal quality, reliability and durability, the E40 Intelligent and Ping-Pong light bulbs were designed to help towns and local authorities bring down their operational cost, as well as meet the needs of different countries.

Business News

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria’s economy remains stagnant in first quarter - LCCI Abolaji Adebayo

he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday said that the nation’s economy recorded no improvement in the first quarter of this year. The Organised Private Sector, OPS, umbrella group noted that the conditions that characterized the economic slowdown in the fourth quarter of last year such as uncertainty around economic policies; adverse external environment; security challenges in some parts of the country affecting production and distribution of agricultural produce; low electricity supply; fuel shortages; and the foreign exchange crisis, still

…restates imperative of flexible forex policy persisted in the first quarter of 2016. Presenting the Chmaber’s Q1, 2016 Economic Review yesterday, the President of the Chamber, Dr. (Mrs.) Nike Akande, noted that the inflation rate during the period under review was higher, compared to previous quarters. Quoting National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, to buttress the OPS group’s position on the performance of the economy, she said that Nigerian consumer price index, CPI, increased to 11.4 per cent in February, 2016, making the highest in three years, adding that this represented about 1.8 per cent rise over the 9.6 per cent inflation in January.

According to her, the increase was attributed to the increases across major segments, which make up the headline index, saying for instance, the food sub-index increased by 11.3 per cent, up by 0.71 percentage points from rates recorded in January. Meanwhile, she maintained that the foreign exchange crisis remained the largest risk to the inflation outlook, adding that it was a huge cause for concern to industry players as patronage, turnover and profit margins outlooks become weaker. She said the unusual combination of slowing growth and rising inflation presented a difficult policy challenge.

Analysing the effects of exchange rate on economy, Akande explained that the average naira exchange rate remained stable at the inter-bank segment of the foreign exchange market with a daily average of N196.99/US$ between January 25 and March 14, 2016. Akande noted that the value of the naira has so far depreciated by 17.2 per cent at the CBN window from N165 to the dollar (which it was at the end of December 2014), to the current rate of N196.9. However, she maintained that the parallel market was still under pressure for the last couple of months even as the depreciation remained huge with the value of

naira weakening by almost 100 per cent at an average of N320/$ to date, a situation she said called for an urgent review of the current foreign exchange policy. Akande, a former minister of Industry, explained that the current framework adopted by the CBN was a fixed exchange rate regime, a model she said was better suited for a country that has adequate reserves to support the fixed rate, but in case of Nigeria that does not have the reserves to support the exchange rate at N197/$. “This is the fundamental issue at this time. The consequences are already manifesting in the many ways.

Airtel unveils ‘Smart Speedoo’ service ...assures on service’s cost efficiency, quality Isaiah Erhiawarien

L-R - The Managing Consultant, FM&T, Dr. Chris Asoluka; The Head, Cultural Affairs, US Embassy, Abuja Robert Kerr; President, Guardian of the Nation International (GOTNI), Mr. Linus Okorie congratulates Managing Director/CEO, Heritage Bank and Guest Speaker, Mr. Ifie Sekibo as he receives the GOTNI Leader of the Year Award after his speech at the 2016 Leadership Clinic, Abuja on Wednesday.

Nigeria could become Africa’s technology hub - Onu Regina Otokpa Abuja

he Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, yesterday projected that Nigeria could become the technology hub of Africa if more efforts were put in place by relevant authorities. The Minister, who made the projection while addressing the technical advisory committee of the National Research and Innovation Council (NRIC) in Abuja, maintained that for this target to be met there was need for consistent hard work, perseverance, redoubling of efforts and unwavered determination in the power of science and technology. He said: “I urge that we remain conscious of our desire for Nigeria to become the technology hub of Africa. I am confident that if only we put in our best, this will certainly be achieved.” Relatedly, the minister believed that the only panacea to diversifying the nation’s economy was the recognition of the enormous role of science and technology by the citizenry. Speaking during a meeting with the Governor of Bauchi State in

Abuja, he stressed that science and technology when fully employed would help to improve the living standard of the people by moving them away from poverty, in addition to availing the youths and elderly with workable skills. According to him, the ministry through its efforts was affecting national lives in all areas of the economy including agriculture, manufacturing and even tourism and would continue to do its bit to ensure that research assumes position as the driving force in every form of national life. He said: “Nigerians must recognize that there is no way we can diversify our economy if we do not employ science and technology and that is why every administration since independence that has come in made that promise and that promise is always that we will diversify the economy but it has not happened, it has not worked.” On this premise, Onu urged the visiting governor to establish the ministry of science and technology in Bauchi state saying “It is very important that he does so because that ministry will help him to coordinate science and technology in the state. This is the direction and once he establishes the ministry of

science of technology there are so many benefits.” Commending the governor for seeking collaboration with the ministry to further develop Bauchi State, the minister disclosed that the present Governor had established 15 out of the 26 incubation centres in the state. He stressed that incubation centres were very important due to their capacity as innovation centres and as avenues to create jobs given that the 17 agencies under the supervision of the ministry carry out various researches logged at incubation centres while they await commercialization. Earlier, the Governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abubakar, noted that he was in the ministry to solicit for collaboration to curb the growing rate of employment in the state and also to participate in helping the ministry deliver on its objectives. Abubakar said it was worrisome to have the youths in the state who make up about 60 per cent of the total population of the state educated and uneducated, adding that there was an obvious need to find a means to get them engaged to forestall future societal menace as a result of unemployment.

elecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, has unveiled Smart Speedoo, a new service that allows customers experience real data while browsing at affordable tariff and enjoying free megabytes. Unveiling the service in Lagos, Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel, Ahmad Mokhles, said the company was passionate about creating innovative mobile Internet platforms, value offerings and opportunities that will help telecoms consumers in Nigeria stay connected and be fully empowered to fulfill their dreams. According to him, Airtel Smart Speedoo, can be activated using *141#, saying that Airtel Nigeria is intensely interested in democratising data tariff and we have taken a huge step forward in this journey in line with our major objective of becoming the provider of first choice for mobile Internet services. Speaking on how Airtel Speedo works, Vice President, Data and Digital Services, Airtel, Nitin Mokhles, said customers using Smart Speedoo will enjoy low rate in addition to free data the more they browse. “When a customer uses up to

10mb at 1kobo/kb, Airtel gives him 10mb free. And when his usage gets to 50mb, the browsing rate drops to 0.5kobo/kb, then he gets 50mb free. When the customer’s usage reaches 100mb, the rate drops further to 0.2kobo/ kb and he is given 100mb free,” Mokhles assured. He explained that the cycle continues every month, thereby giving Airtel customers the free surf experience, adding that Airtel has the largest deployment of 3G Internet Provider (IP) sites in the country enabling the telco offer internet speed of up to 42mbps, which is very close to the Long Term Evolution (LTE) speed. “Almost 80 to 85 percent of all Airtel 3G sites in Nigeria are IP enabled so they can give you the speed of 42mbps, this speed is similar to the speed you get on LTE network. So, we can proudly announce that customers can get real data experience on the Airtel 3G network, which is equal to 4G speed,” Mokhles said. Head, Data and Portals, Airtel, David Umoh, in his presentation explained that Airtel customers using the service did not need to remember USSD code to buy data or worry about their airtime being used up when out of data while browsing, as Smart Speedoo gives pop-up notifications to show usage.

Kaduna gold deposit more than South Africa’s minerals - el-Rufai A za Msue Kaduna

ith the formal kick off Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit, KadInvest 2016, on Wednesday with local and international investors’ participation, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has canvassed the need to explore gold deposit in the state for national development. He therefore called on investors to do business in Kaduna, adding that the new vision of his administration is to make Kaduna a haven of abundant investments ,

economic opportunities and prosperity. The Governor, who unveiled the Kaduna development plan 2016 -2020 during the opening ceremony of the summit, pointed out that unlike Nigeria that relies on petroleum as its main economic mainstay, South Africa depended on mineral resources deposits as its major economic stay. El-Rufai also said his government had put all mechanisms in place to ensure adequate peace and security, good governance, improved quality of lives, and social inclusion for the people and investors coming to do business in the State .

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG to partner AFDB on N59.7bn on youth agribusiness scheme Stories: ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

he Federal Government, in partnership with African Development Bank, is set to launch a Youth-In-Scheme worth N59.7 billion in September. The Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Nteranya Sanginga, who made this known in a chat, noted that the IITA would train those enrolled in the scheme, adding that beneficiaries would be trained on how to make agriculture a business with good networking. “The programme tagged ‘Enable Youth Empowerment Agribusiness’, will engage youths in agribusiness for 18 months to enable them learn how to make agric business plan. Each will be given between $25,000 and $300,000 as loan to start a business. The programme started by IITA in 2012, was taken over by the federal government and AFDB to create employment in agric sector.

“To support this objective, the programme will be extended to 36 states and Abuja in September. After the programme, we expect the youth to become chief executive

officers of factories, companies and creators of jobs rather than job seekers,” Sanginga added. The IITA boss urged the youth to develop positive mindset in agricul-

ture and be serious with the training. He further advised that they should be serious with the training because at the end of it only those who do well would be rewarded.

SON, EU organize training Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Dr.Silas Ali Agara, (left) welcoming the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, to the National Agricultural show along Abuja-Keffi Road, Nasarawa State, last Tuesday. on agric products’ standardisation Stakeholders parley on agribusiness reform for food security he Standards Organization

of Nigeria, SON, in collaboration with European Union has concluded plans to organize a final national training on standards and code of practice for some agricultural products According to a statement jointly signed by the EU and SON, the workshop is scheduled to hold this month in Abuja. The statement signed by the Acting Director, SON, Mrs. Chinyere Egwuonwu, and an EU official, Mrs. Irina Kireeva, added that the training would focus on exports of key agricultural commodities including cocoa, beans, shea butter, and melon. The project, coming on the heels of the EU ban on the Nigeria’s beans in the international market, is meant to equip participants with the technicalities of the export market, with regards to development of standards and the engagement of the private sector. With the theme, “Standard and quality- Unleashing the potential of agricultural products to grow the non-oil exports in Nigeria,” it was stated that the workshop would be organised under the auspices of African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries from the EU’s Technical Barriers to Trade.

gricultural stakeholders under the aegis of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group, NABG, has reviewed the progress report assessment of the value chain development efforts of the Seeds Association of Nigeria, SEEDAN, and the Fertilizer Suppliers Association of Nigeria, FEPSAN, in order to iron out the associated challenges in their delivery.

According to the industry operators, the new move is necessary to tighten the loose ends in the supply chain to ensure food security for Nigeria and Africa as the issue was brought to the fore at a recent meet in Lagos. In his remarks, the National Coordinator, NABG, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere tasked the members to develop workable master plans, which would boost the effectiveness of small scale farmers. He said: “The bulk of the push is directed at small scale farmers because they are the most helpless. They need the guarantee that their produce will be bought up and that makes them work extra harder. The economic realities around them such as health issues, traditional requirements and ceremonies make them sell off at giveaway prices. We should pay some close attention to these set of people in ensuring their

value chain development” Similarly, the National Coordinator of Micro Reforms for Agribusiness, MIRA, Dr. Tony Bello, noted that the future of a guaranteed food secured society would be dependent on the economic muscle of smallholder farmers. He said that the issue on ground was how demand was placed on smallholder farmers to meet the food security objective in an impact styled manner, stressing that they needed to be economically empowered to meet the food security objective. The agribusiness expert also canvassed the need to have a marketing institution specifically for rice, saying that they have had proposals from interested agencies which were being looked into, adding that they are also looking at the possibility of bringing the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development into its supervision without a distortion of their own institutional target. Other issues which attracted decisive adoptions included the security of distribution network and the challenges on the sector, the need to have an effective monitoring system for the supply chain and the fine tuning of the finance system of agri-

business and potential investors. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of Rizek Farms Limited, Solomon Okopi, has urged the Federal Government to support the activities of farmers in the country, saying it would in turn improve the quality of food production and end importation. Okopi, who expressed confidence in the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the current minister is an experienced farmer who has been in the business for a long time “The government must ensure that the farmers in the country are adequately supported to ensure the best output. I know of a friend in a country who informed me of how his government supported him despite the loss he recorded while farming. This rarely happens here in this part of the world.” “The current minister is an experienced farmer. He has been in the business before he became the minister and I know how well he succeeded. I’m sure he will not stop now that he is the minister. The need to engage the youth in this process is necessary,” he said. According to him, there are food wastages which can be curbed adequately through the engagement of farmers.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Friday, April 8, 2016

Equities shed 0.34%, on Dangote Cement stock’s price slide Johnson Okanlawon

rading in equities closed on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as the drop in the price of Dangote Cement depressed the equity market. The All Share Index depreciated 0.34 per cent to close at 25,369.52 points, in contrast to the marginal increase of 0.004 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 25,455/69 points. Market capitalisation shed N30 billion to close at N8.726 trillion, as against the increase of N4 million re-

corded the preceding day to close at N8.756 trillion. The total value of stocks traded was N1.31billion, up 47.76 per cent from N885.63million recorded the preceding day. The total volume of stocks traded was 264.69million in 3,033 deals, while the three most actively traded stocks were Equity Assurance, Fidelity Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank. Investment analysts at DLM Securities noted that with increasing concerns that the current economic malaise will present a sig-

nificant downside risks to equity investors, the current risk-based trading will remain for the most part of the year. AG Leventis Plc led the gainers’ table with four kobo or five per cent to close at 84 kobo per share, followed by Mansard Insurance Plc with nine kobo or 4.97 per cent to close at N1.90 per share. Okomu Oil Plc gained N1.41 or 4.97 per cent to close at N29.77 per share, while ETranzact Plc added 16 kobo or 4.95 per cent to close at N3.39 per share. Diamond Bank Plc was

up six kobo or 4.84 per cent to close at N1.30 per share, while Avon Crown Plc rose seven kobo or 4.83 per cent to close at N1.52 per share. On the flip side, May and Baker Plc shed five kobo or five per cent to close at 95 kobo per share, while Oando Plc depreciated 21 kobo or 4.91 per cent to close at N4.07 per share. Fidson Healthcare Plc dropped 12 kobo or 4.88 per cent to close at N2.34 per share, while BOC Gas Plc fell 19 kobo or 4.81 per cent to close at N3.76 per share. UACN Plc declined 97 kobo or 4.74 per cent to close at N19.48 per share, while Pharmdeko Plc dipped nine kobo or 4.21 per cent to close at N2.05 per share.

Source: NSE

Inter-Bank Rate Naira

US Dollar

N197.00 Market indicators All-Share Index 25,369.52 points Market capitalisation 8.73trn

Naira may depreciate further next week – analysts

he naira is expected to weaken a little on the parallel market but seen flat on the official interbank market next week as businesses await the signing of 2016 budget by President Mohammadu Buhari. The local currency was flat at N320 to the dollar on the parallel market, while at the official window the currency was trading around the peg rate of N197 to the dollar. “There is presently a lull in the forex market because of the non release of the 2016 budget by the government, but we see transactions picking up as soon as the government reveal its economic direction through the budget

next week,” one currency trader said. However, Kenya’s shilling is seen firming after weakening on news that the central bank said it had placed Chase Bank under receivership for 12 months to protect depositors, creditors and the public. The commercial banks quoted the shilling at 101.25/35 to the dollar yesterday, compared with last Thursday’s close of 101.40/50. “We expect the shilling to regain its lost ground in the coming days as the Chase Bank issue dies out,” said a senior trader at one commercial bank. The Ugandan shilling is forecast to trade broadly

stable over the next one week, supported by weak demand and a liquidity mop up by the central bank. The commercial banks quoted the shilling at 3,355/3,365, stronger than last Thursday’s close of 3,365/3,375. “I would say we’re not likely to see corporate buyers come back on the demand in a big way,” he said. The central bank’s removal 430 billion shillings ($128.17 million) from the interbank via a repo would offer extra support, a trader from a leading commercial bank said, adding the shilling was likely to trade in the 3,350-3,380 range. Also, the kwacha is expected to remain firm versus

the dollar next week due to increased dollar supply from investors attracted to highyielding government bonds. The commercial banks quoted the currency copper producer at 10.2829 per dollar, up from a close of 11.1000 a week ago. “Stakeholders seek to take advantage of the high investment rates,” the local branch of South Africa’s First National Bank (FNB) said, predicting a break of the 10.000 psychological level. Also, the cedi could record its first year-to-date gain in recent years after weeks of consistent rally on renewed investor confidence underpinned by improved foreign exchange inflows, analysts said.

Canadian stocks fall amid global growth concern

anadian stocks fell for the fifth time in six sessions, as energy producers declined to overshadow a continued resurgence by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. The Standard & Poor’s/ TSX Composite Index lost 0.3 per cent to 13,301.92 at 10:08 a.m. in Toronto. While the Canadian benchmark has lost 1.5 per cent in the past six trading days, it is up 2.3 per cent this year and remains one of the best-performing developed markets in the world. Stocks worldwide retreated Thursday on concern about growth. Federal Reserve officials highlighted persistent risks facing the global outlook at their March meeting, while International Monetary Fund Managing Director Chris-

tine Lagarde signaled the organization may lower its outlook for growth. A first-quarter rally in the S&P/TSX has lost momentum in the second, as volatility returned to commodities prices. The Canadian benchmark equity gauge now trades at 21.1 times earnings, about 13 per cent higher than the 18.7 times earnings valuation of the S&P 500, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. West Texas Intermediate crude slipped in New York amid speculation that an unexpected U.S. crude supply decline won’t be followed by additional drops. Ahead of a meeting of OPEC producers in Doha later this month to debate a production freeze, Saudi Arabia has said no agreement is possible without the

participation of Iran while Kuwait said a deal can still be made. Energy producers and financial services stocks contributed the most to losses in the S&P/TSX, as seven of 10 industries retreated. Trading volume was about eight per cent lower than the 30-day average at this time of day. Gold producers rallied as the price of the metal jumped to a one-week high after Fed minutes Wednesday indicated caution on interest rate increases. Valeant added 7.1 per cent for a third day of gains after winning the support of lenders to waive a default and ease some restrictions on its loan terms. Valeant now has until May 31 to file its annual report, and July 31 to file its first-quarter report. The drugmaker has rebounded from a five-year

FGN Bonds

low, increasing about 40 per cent in the last three days after saying Tuesday a special “ad hoc” board committee found no additional accounting issues that would require more restatements. Rate (%) Inflation

8.2

MPR

Crude oil price

$58.96

Offer

Bid

Description

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.07

104.64

10.40

104.79

10.26

16.00 29-JUN-2019

3.24

114.58

10.56

114.88

10.46

15.54 13-FEB-2020

3.87

111.95

11.61

112.25

11.51

16.39 27-JAN-2022

5.83

120.59

11.44

120.89

11.38

14.20 14-MAR-2024

7.95

109.22

12.34

109.52

12.29

12.50 22-JAN-2026

9.81

100.08

12.48

100.38

12.42

Closing Market Prices of March 31, 2016

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

Exchange

Rates (N)

30-Jun-16

8.40

8.58

WAUA

270

USD

197.00

6-Oct-16

8.87

9.30

EURO

214

16-Mar-17

9.42

10.35

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

Tenor

Rate (%)

SWISS FRANC

202

O/N

6.9583

POUNDS STERLING

293

9.8519

11.6578

SDR

273

13.0575

NIBOR

CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, April 8, 2016

World News Participatory governance has helped to push our country forward and I think we can only continue to aim higher. –TANZANIA PRESIDENT, JOHN MAGUFULI

Brussels attacks: Suspect’s video footage released Afolabi Gambari

WITH AGENCY REPORT

elgian prosecutors yesterday released new footage of the key surviving Brussels Airport attacks suspect, showing the route he took after leaving the area. They have asked members of the public who saw the man to come forward. The man was tracked on CCTV footage until 09:50 local time and was wearing a hat and a light-coloured jacket, officials said. His trail was lost close to the EU institutions in Brussels’ city centre, not far from Maelbeek metro station. Prosecutors said he had discarded the jacket, and have asked the public to report if it has been found. The March 22 attacks by the Islamic State (ISIS) on Brussels airport and the Maelbeek metro station killed 32 people. Three attackers are believed to have targeted the airport, with

Photo showing the Brussels Airport bombing suspect (boxed) walking away from the scene two dying in the bomb blasts. Another died in the metro attack. The “man with the hat”, as prosecutors called him, was captured pushing a trolley at Brussels airport next to the two suicide bombers in previously re-

leased CCTV footage. The new footage shows the suspect briefly running amongst passengers as they try to escape the scene at the airport, before walking some 10km over a twohour period.

He was last seen about 40 minutes after the Maelbeek metro bombing. Separately, Salah Abdeslam, the main suspect in the Paris terror attacks of November 13, will not be extradited from Belgium to France for several more weeks, his lawyer Sven Mary, said last week. Belgian authorities want more time to question Abdeslam in connection with a March 15 shootout in Brussels during a police raid, he said. According to prosecutors, Abdeslam’s fingerprints were found in the apartment where Algerian terror suspect Mohamed Belkaid was shot dead after opening fire on police. Abdeslam, who was arrested three days later in Brussels’ Molenbeek neighbourhood, is believed to be the only surviving member of the group that killed 130 people in Paris last November in a series of co-ordinated attacks also claimed by ISIS.

Syrian conflict: ISIS abducts factory workers

t least 200 people are reported missing yesterday after a suspected attack by the Islamic State (ISIS) on a cement factory near Damascus. Workers were reportedly taken from a dormitory where they were staying on the outskirts of the town of Dumeir. A factory administrator said no-one had been able to contact the workers since the assault took place. The area around Dumeir has seen fierce fighting between government forces and IS militants in recent days.

The workers were employed at the Badiyah factory, just outside Dumeir, about 25 miles (40km) east of the capital. Syrian state television, quoting an unnamed industry ministry source, said 300 workers and contractors had been kidnapped from the factory by ISIS militants. The factory administrator had earlier put the number seized at 250, but rebel sources said it did not exceed 200. There was also confusion over who attacked the factory, with some sources suggesting

it was a rebel group called Jaysh Tahrir al-Sham. Meanwhile, in the north of the country, Syrian rebels have reportedly seized control of IS’s main supply route to Turkey. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said “rebel factions and Islamists” had taken over the town of al-Rai, which is on the border between Syrian and Turkey. A Syrian military source admitted that there had been attacks but said all of the militants who took part in them had been killed.

Bashir to step down in 2020

Sudanese President Omar alBashir

Sudan’s President, Omar alBashir, has said he will step down in 2020, when his current mandate ends. Bashir also denied allegations of abuses perpetrated by the Sudanese forces in renewed violence against black African villages who took up arms in the country’s western Darfur region. The president has been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on counts of genocide and war crimes. He has been in power since 1989

and won elections in April last year. “In 2020, there will be a new president and I will be an ex-president,” he said yesterday, amid sceptics’ charge that he had already pledged to step down in the past and later went back on his word. The UN says more than 2.5 million people have been displaced in Darfur since 2003, with more than 100, 000 this year alone. Bashir said that there was no reason for the UN peacekeepers and aid workers to stay in the troubled Darfur region.

WORLD BULLETIN

Winnie Mandela loses home bid Nelson Mandela’s ex-wife, Winnie Mandela, has lost her legal bid for ownership of the former president’s rural home in South Africa. A High Court dismissed her application and ordered her to pay all legal costs, although she argued that the house in Qunu village belonged to her under customary law. Mandela, who became South Africa’s first black president in 1994, bequeathed the property to his family when he died in 2013 aged 95. The government opposed Winnie’s bid to inherit the home after she launched court action in 2014. Mandela divorced Winnie in 1996 after a 38-year marriage, and left her out of his will.

Oil crash: Angola seeks IMF bailout Oil exporting Angola has asked the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for financial assistance sequel to the global fall in oil prices. A Finance Ministry statement said the government would work with the IMF to improve economic and financial stability. The IMF said it is ready to work with Angola to tackle the country’s economic challenges. Discussions are expected to begin next week during the IMF’s Spring meetings in Washington. Angola’s economy is heavily dependent on oil. It accounts for more than 95 per cent of export earnings and more than twothirds of government revenue.

Assault video sparks outrage Syrian President Bashar alAssad

He denied reports of recent abuses in the mountains of Jebel Marra where government forces launched an offensive in January. “All these allegations are baseless, none of these reports is true,” he said, stressing, “We challenge anyone to visit the areas recaptured by the armed forces, and find a single village that has been torched. In fact, there hasn’t been any aerial bombing.” He dismissed the ICC as a politicised tribunal and that evidence of his popularity in Sudan could clearly be seen by the huge crowds that greet him.

Footage that appears to show a woman being assaulted in a Beijing hotel has sparked a massive debate in China. CCTV footage shows a woman being grabbed and dragged across a hotel corridor, in full view of bystanders. Although the incident is still being investigated, it has prompted millions of posts on social media, which have been viewed over two billion times. China has seen several incidents in recent years where bystanders have refused to help those in need. Beijing police said yesterday that they are investigating the incident, and the hotel’s parent company has apologised. The video was uploaded on Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, earlier this week, by a woman identified by her online username, “Wanwan”. “Wanwan” said the man had approached her in the hotel corridor of Yitel Hotel and asked her which room she was in.

North

Friday, April 8, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Anti-graft war going well, says Farida Waziri Wole Adedeji ILORIN

ormer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Madam Farida Waziri, has given a pass mark to the method and style of the current fight against corruption in the country. Waziri, who spoke with newsmen at a special commendation service held for the late Inspector General of Police, Chief Sunday Adewusi, said the anti-graft war was going on very well, describing it as “monumental.” She said it was monumental because “corruption has eaten deep into every fabric of the Nigerian society, so it is something we all must fight. It is not just for President Muhammadu Buhari alone. It is for everybody. If you know

the dangers of corruption, you will know that all Nigerians should come together and say enough is enough.” According to her, “the rich man is a victim, the poor man is a victim, the old man is a victim and the child, the young man and the students are victims. Those who are looking for jobs are all victims. So, it is time that we all support this president to say enough is enough. The ex-EFCC boss disagreed with the notion in some quarters that President Buhari was selective in applying the big stick against corruption targeted only at PDP members. Her words, “I disagree. This is not an issue of federal character. Is it like applying for jobs that you will say not until a person from a certain area commits, you will wait for an-

other zone to commit? “The thing is that it will be tested in the court of law. If you have no evidence, then you cannot arrest and arraign somebody in the court of law. So, those saying it is selective are enemies of Nigeria. That is my belief, because if I pick you, I will build a case file that can stand the test of time. I

will file charges in the court of law, I will bring witnesses to prove my case and if the proof is proved beyond reasonable doubt, then you are done in.” Waziri advised the current EFCC boss that though he is doing well, he should still follow the due process and the rule of laws in the discharge of his duty. Say-

ing; “When you work; you work within the rules and regulation; you will not have any problem”. Eulogising late Sunday Adewusi, Waziri who is a retired Assistance Inspector General of Police, said; “He was an icon and a great man. He was a builder and he believed especially that the image makers of the force are the inspectorate and the

rank and file. “He made them so proud. He gives you an assignment and he gives you everything you need to execute that assignment to the letter, because he wants positive results and not stories at the end of it. He was a great man. A lot of things that the police copied from were from what he did for the Nigerian police.”

ITF rolls out national development skills programme James A braham JOS

ndustrial Training Fund, ITF, says the fund has completed arrangements to roll out the 5th phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme, NISDP, with 13 states as beneficiaries, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. According to a press statement issued in Jos and signed by Mrs. Ifeoma Ihezue, Head, Public Affairs Unit of the ITF, the 5th phase, which is the first of the three phases to be implemented in 2016, will be flagged-off on April 11, 2016, in Abia, Anambra, Adamawa, Borno, Plateau, Delta, Sokoto, Kwara, Ogun, Katsina, Rivers, Lagos, and Kaduna states. The statement added that the programme, which is aimed at providing Nigerian youth with technical and vocational skills for wealth creation, will support the Federal Government’s policy objectives on poverty alleviation, job creation and economic diversification. She added that the training will equip the youth with skills in 38

trade and craft areas comprising welding and fabrication; domestic electrical, wiring; autotronic, information and communication technology, tilling garment making, fish farming, Plaster of Paris, POP, production, confectioneries, hair dressing, antiseptic, detergent and liquid/bar soap-making. The statement pointed out that the programme is targeted at Nigerians between the ages of 18 to 30 years of age with minimum of first school leaving certificate, who must be unemployed resident of the states selected for the programme and should not be ex-convicts or of questionable character.

Priscilla D ennis MINNA

iger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, says there is no justification for parents to send their wards far away from home to acquire Islamic education, describing it as an act of irresponsibility on the part of those involved. Berating such parents when his convoy stopped at a traffic light

Dr Altine Shehu (r) examining the ear of a patient during the visit of wife of Deputy Governor of Bauchi Stateto Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Katsina, Unicef train 1,500 female teachers James Danjuma KATSINA

ot less than 1,500 female teachers are to be posted to teach in their villages in 34 council areas of Katsina State. Their posting is sequel to training they are receiving, which is being sponsored by the state government and Unicef. Sagir Ibrahim, who is Permanent Secretary,

Ministry of Education, stated this yesterday, during a one-day meeting for female teachers training scholarship scheme. It was learnt that the 1,500 female teachers being sent to teach in their own villages are part of the overall effort of the government to boost the education sector in the state. It was gathered that part of the current state administration’s plan is

to recruit over 1,000 additional teachers in the coming weeks to teach at state-owned public schools. According to the state government, the state had been leading in the educational sector, but had now become a shadow of itself, a situation that it hopes to reverse. Ibrahim said the cur rent state administration was bent on ensuring better

educational standard, hence the training of the female teachers for onward posting to teach in their own villages. Speaking earlier, Unicef ’s coordinator of training in the state, Ahmed Garba, said Unicef would provide scholarship for female students to enable them obtain the National Certificate of Education, NCE.

tion for parents to send their children to far places to acquire Islamic education because today there is no ward in Nigeria without Islamic school the children can study. He lamented that instead of taking responsibility of their wards, some parents hide under the guise of religion to send their children for Islamic education far

away from home where they can be given adequate comfort and care. In a bid to proffer solution to the issue, the governor announced that his administration will constitute a committee to advise it on activities of Almajiris, adding that the state would soon commence repatriation of the children back to their various states.

Bello slams parents of Almagiris junction along Minna Western bye-pass to chat with some under-aged Almajiris that came to acquire Islamic education, but had to resort to begging for survival, he noted that today there is no ward in the country without an Islamic school, where children can study. Bello was shocked at discovering that some of the (Almajiris) are

below 10 years of age, stating that presently, the issue of Almajiri is a sad development Nigeria needs to urgently look into. His words, “It is sad when you see children of ages seven to 10 years from as far as Jigawa State here in Minna to acquire Islamic education without any parental care. “There is no justifica-

Friday, April 8, 2016

Kienka heads committee on sports reform

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

– Gary Player

CCL: Enyimba ready to beat Etoile –Aigbogun T

The seven-time Nigerian champions will take on the Diables Rouges (Red Devils) at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt on Sunday and the head coach of the People’s Elephant, Paul Aigbogun, says his charges are prepared

File copy of Enyimba line-up

for the task at hand. Aigbogun insists there is no need to panic as his side is well prepared for the fixture. “We have known about this game (against Etoile) for a while and we have been preparing for it.

“We will be ready on Sunday,” he told supersport.com. The trainer also took the time to discuss the strengths of the opposition and how they will neutralise them. “They have some very good players, but that will not be a

Minister cautions Pinnick?

inister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has reportedly cautioned the president of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, saying he should be more guarded about his public utterances. According to africanfootball.com report, Dalung was straight up with Pinnick during Tuesday’s consultative meeting in Abuja in the wake of Nigeria’s successive failure to qualify for the AFCON. “The Minister is no-nonsense, he simply told Pinnick to watch his public utterances, saying he appears to react to everything and everybody and it appears he does not have a spokesperson, who ought to be doing the talking on his behalf,” an official informed africanfootball.com

Sport

If there’s a golf course in heaven, I hope it’s like Augusta National. I just don’t want an early tee time

wo-time African champions, Enyimba International FC, are in confident mood ahead of Sunday’s first leg, second round CAF Champions League clash against Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel.

“The minister says the frequent utterances by the NFF president have worked against his image and the way he is perceived by the public.” It would also be recalled Pinnick lost his cool and called Chris Giwa unprintable names when the minister attempted to reconcile the two personalities and their group of loyalists. On Tuesday, a group of protesters gathered around the venue of the consultative meeting armed with placards demanding Pinnick to step down as the country’s football boss after the Eagles latest failure under his leadership. But the former Delta FA chairman, Pinnick, has insisted he will not quit.

Pinnick

problem. It was easy to get information about Etoile compared to the other sides we met in the previous rounds of the competition. “We have our game plan and they should be the ones getting worried about us and not the other way round,” Aigbogun added. He added, “We do not have any injury concerns and none of our players are suspended so we have a complete squad. “Playing the second leg away from home is also not a problem as we did that in the first round (against Burundian champions Vital ‘O) and still qualified “We will try to take advantage by putting them under pressure in the first leg and putting them under pressure at home.” The second leg of the contest comes up on the weekend of April 18-19 at the 25 000 capacity Stade Olympique de Sousse in Sousse.

Friday, April 8, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

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I formerly known and addressed as CHIDIEBERE PATIENCE IZUEGBUNAM, Now wish to be known and addressed as CHIDIEBERE PATIENCE EZEDO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

WOMEN SHIELD OF VICTORY INITIATIVE This is to inform the general public that the above named Organisation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Queen Nwachinemene Orisah 4. Mr. Abubakar Alabi 5. Daberechi Nwoke 2. Engr. Owen Ndubueze Orisah 3. Prof. Gray Goziem Ejikeme AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To enhance the empowerment and development of women and Children with skills acquisition 2. To enable young women and children develop their talent towards financial independence to earn a living 3. To support creativity that will foster women and girl-child values and ethics Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within twenty-eight (28) days of this publication. Signed:

SECRETARY

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ISAAC UCHECHI CHINENYE, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA UCHECHI FAVOUR. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as JAMIU JIMOH, now wish to be known and address as JIMOH YISA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AGU: I, formerly known and addressed as AGU NGOZI MARYROSE, now wish to be known and addressed as JOHN NGOZI MARYROSE. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

AMINU: FORMERLY known and addressed as ABDULLAHI Y. AMINU, NOW wish to be known and addressed as ABDULLAHI AMINU. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I,, formerly known and addressed as EGUNJOBI OLUWASEYI SUNDAY now wish to be known and addressed as EGUNJOBI OLUWASEYI BABALOLA All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

YAHAYA: FORMERLY known and addressed as AFINIKI YAHAYA NOW wish to be known and addressed as AISHA YAHAYA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public should please take note.

Formerly known as MISS OKONMAH OBIANUJU FRANCISCA now wish to be known and address as MRS. UKAH OBIANUJU FRANCISCA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I,, formerly known and addressed as SHERIFAT BUKOLA OLUBADEWA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWATOYIN ALABI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly known as ISIAKA KADIRI, now wants to be addressed as OGUNSIJI OLALERE AYOOLA. All former documents remain valid. Osun state government and the general public should take note. TITUS: FORMERLY known and addressed as MR. JOHNSON MOHAMMED, NOW wish to be known and addressed as MR. OJO ATANDA TITUS. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as ADEGOKE OLUWATOSIN IFEOLUWA, now wish to be known and address as ADANDE OLUWATOSIN IFEOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ASIMIYU MISIHIRA, now wish to be known and addressed as ASIMIYU MISTURA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

GADI: FORMERLY known and addressed as GARBA JIBO, NOW wish to be known and addressed as GADI DIBI. All my relevant documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

That I, AL-HASSEN RITA is the same and one person as ALHASSEN SARATU, now wish to be known and addressed as AL-HASSAN SARATU RITA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MOHAMMED MODU GARUBA. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MODU GARUBA, ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. IDOLEKE FELICIA, BAMKUBI FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AYODELE FELICIA MOPESOLA. All former documents remain valid . General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OYERINDE BOLANLE. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OKE BOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS BUNMI AKINYEMI. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OKUNOLA BUNMI SOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME OLATUNDE: FORMERLY known and addressed as OLAKUNLE OLADIPO OLATUNDE, NOW wish to be known and addressed as OLATUNDE HAMILTON OLAKUNLE. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public should please take note.

ONYEMAECHI: FORMERLY known and addressed as ADULPHUS ONYEMAECHI NDUKWE, NOW wish to be known and addressed as OBASI ONYEMAECHI and that I changed my signature. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

KUBURAT: FORMERLY known and addressed as MURTAR KUBURAT MICHEAL. NOW wish to be known and addressed as KUBURAT ASHANOKAR. All former documents remain valid. ECOBANK PLC and General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ISMAIL: FORMERLY known and addressed as ISMAIL IBRAHIM ABDULLAHI, NOW wish to be known and addressed as ABDULLAHI ISMAIL. All former documents remain valid. GTBANK PLC and General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to certify and confirm that AYANGBA MICHEAL is one and same person as AYANGBADE MICHEAL. Henceforth wish to be addressed as AYANGBA MICHEAL. All former documents remain valid. UNION BANK Plc., FIRST BANK Plc and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. ATEWOLOGUN YEMI RALI. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OJOBAMIKAN YEMI RALI. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank Plc. and general public should take note.

Formerly known as AKOMOLAFE AKERELE OLUSEGUN now wants to be addressed as AKERELE CHRISTOPHER OLUSEGUN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ODILI CHINYERE ANOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as NDIUKWUEGBULEM CHINYERE KELECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH I, formerly known and addressed as ASEMOTA DADA MOJI, with the date of birth 25/07/1970, now wish to be known and addressed as AHUMIBE ASEMOTA DADA OMOH MOJI with the date of birth 25/07/1975. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that TAIWO OPEYEMI JANET is the same person as AGBABIAKA OPEYEMI TAIWO. That I henceforth wish to be known and addressed as AGBABIAKA OPEYEMI TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

This is to confirm that TAJUDEEN DOSA WAWU, TAJUDEEN DOSA WUSU AYIPE is the same person as TAJUDEEN DOSA AYIPE WAWU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OLASUPO OYINLOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as AKESIRE AYISATU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

MARAPHA: formerly known and addressed as MARAPHA HABEEB MARAPHA, now wish to be known and addressed as SAKA HABEEB ATANDA. All former documents remain valid . General public take note

PUBLIC NOTICE

YEWA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AIYETORO AIYETORO, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.

AUCTION ! AUCTION. ! ! AUCTION ! ! !

This is to inform the General public that, Auctioning of Unserviceable Vehicles and plants will take place at Local government Secretariat, Aiyetoro. LIST OF ITEMS ARE: TOYOTA CAMRY PENCIL, TOYOTA CAMRY LE (2),TOYOTA HIACE HUMMER BUS, NISSAN PRIMERA, VOLKSWAGEN JETTA BORA, LAND ROVER, EUROPAID 700 TRACTOR, NISSAN PICK - UP, TOYOTA HILUX PICK - UP (2),SKIP EATER, HIAB TIPPER LORRY, TOYOTA CAMRY (BIG MUZZLE), MAZDA 626 (CYAN), MAZDA 626, AND 32 DISUSED STORE SCRAP ITEMS . CONDITION OF SALES : 1) The highest bidder shall be the Purchaser 2) Payment is Strictly by Cash 3) Purchases Must be backed with Yewa North local Government Council and Auctioneer Receipts 4) Removal of Vehicles Purchased is two Working days after Payment. DATE OF INSPECTION : Friday, 8th of April to Thursday , 14th of April , 2016 DATE OF SALES : Friday , 15th of April , 2016 VENUE : Yewa North Local Government Secretariat / Workshop , Aiyetoro, Ogun State. TIME : 11.00am Prompt. For Further information Please Contact Auctioneer: Alh Saubana Alani. Number: 08034454431

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY MISS ADESINA OMITOLA TITILAYO, NOW MRS. MOYOSORE ADESINA OMITOLA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, AFARIOGUN OLUYEMI WILLIAMS am the same person as WILLIAMS YEMI OLU. Henceforth, I want to be called an addressed as AFARIOGUN OLUYEMI WILLIAMS. All Formal Documents Remain Valid. First Bank plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as AYANBIMPE AYANTOLA MUTAIRU, now wishes to be addressed as AYANBIMPE MUTAIRU TAYE. Also, my birth date was wrongly written as July 2nd,1989 on May/June 2011 WASSCE certificate with the no: NGWASSCS 15511453. My correct birth date is February 7th,1987. All former documents remain valid. University of Ilorin and general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as GBOLAHAN FOLARINWA EZEKIEL, Now wish to be known and addressed as FASESIN GBOLAHAN FOLARINWA EZEKIEL. All former documents remain valid. GTB bank and General public take note.

xxxxxx CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as MBA DAVID MADUABUCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOSU MADUABUCHI AUSTIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ARIYO TAWAKALITU AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as GANIYU TAWAKALITU AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public that OKOLORIE DORCAS ENORE is the same person bearing OKOLORIE DORCAS. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public that my name was mistakenly written as AKINBODE KAYODE AYOOLA instead of ASAKULA KAYODE AYOOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, EBUKA EMEKA CHUKWU am the same person as EMEKA CHUKWU EBUKA. Henceforth, I want to be be called an addressed as EBUKA EMEKA CHUKWU. All Formal documents remain valid. Zenith Bank and general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ODUNLAMI SEUN SEGUN, now wish to be known as ODUNLAMI OLUSEGUN MOSES. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as DOLAPO OPEYEMI OLADIPUPO, now wish to be Known and addressed as OPEYEMI JANET OLADIPUPO. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank bank and general public Please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as BUSARI RUKAYAT AINA, now wish to be Known and addressed as AKANBI RUKAYAT AJIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as DUROJAIYE OLABISI MODINAT, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS. DUROJAIYE-ONI OLABISI MODINAT REBECCA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Local Government Service Commission please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as DARE MOTOLA OLUWADAMILOLA, now wish to be Known and addressed as UNUIGBE MOTOLA OLUWADAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public, Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OLATUNBOSUN OLASUNBO EMI, now wish to be Known and addressed as OLATUNBOSUN OLASUNBO EMILY. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Friday, April 8, 2016

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SHAKIRAT MOJISOLA SANUSI, now wish to be Known and addressed as SHAKIRAT MOJISOLA OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as PHILIP MICHEAL, now wish to be known as PHILIP EBIALE OBAGWU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SANUSI OJO ALAKE, now wish to be Known and addressed as OJO ALAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ANTHONY GODWIN ODEY, now wish to be Known and addressed as EDOJAR GODWIN ODEY. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OKOH: I, formerly known and addressed as EJIKE ANTHONY OKOH, now wish to be known and addressed as EJIKE GODWIN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NWIGWE: I, formerly known and addressed as NWIGWE AMUCHE RUTH, now wish to be known and addressed as ONU BLESSING OLUCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AGOHA: I, formerly known and addressed as AGOHA AUGUSTA CHISAA, now wish to be known and addressed as NKWOCHA CHINASA C. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME OKOLI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKOLI CYNTHIA OLUCHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OBINNA CYNTHIA OLUCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

OKONKWO: I, formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL OKONKWO, now wish to be known and addressed as ARUM EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

JOSEPH: I, formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH NWADIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as JAMES OGBONNA OKOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

EBUO: I, formerly known and addressed as EBUO ROSEMARY A., now wish to be known and addressed as EJIOFOR LINDA EBERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

EZE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZE PRISCA IFEOMA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ISIWU PRISCA IFEOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ENEJE: I, formerly known and addressed as ENEJE AMAKA COLLINS, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYIA EDITH AMAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

ADEMOSU ADEYINKA same person as JIMOH ADEYINKA now wish to be known and addressed as ADEMOSU ADEYINKA.Documents bearing former names remain valid. General public note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AKINODE BISOYE SUNBO, now wish to be Known and addressed as JAMIU BISOYE MARIAM. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH MOSES, now wish to be Known and addressed as AYUBA MORSHAK. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OKANLAWON JANET OLUFUNMILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEDEJI JANET OLUFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OKAEKWU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKAEKWU UJU VIVIANE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NWANDU UJU VIVIANE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take CHANGE OF NAME

UDEJI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UDEJI PHILOMINA CHINERO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ODEWUNMI PHILOMINA CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SATURDAY DICKSON DANIEL, now wish to be Known and addressed as SATURDAY DICKSON NNAMNSO. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as JOHN ESTHER IWALEWA, now wish to be Known and addressed as DEMEHIN ESTHER IWALEWA. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS CHIKODI FAVOUR NSOHA, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS. CHIKODI FAVOUR OPARA. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ODOFIN TOYIN JANET, now wish to be Known and addressed as SHOWEMIMO TOYIN JANET. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUWASHOLABOMI YEJIDE POPOOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLUWASHOLABOMI DAMILOLA PHILLIPS. All former documents remain valid. GTBank, Zenith Bank, and the general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ADIM CHIUDO IBUKUN SOMAIBEYA BRISTOLENG, now wish to be Known and addressed as ADIM CHIUDO PETER. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as STANLEY SUNDAY CHIKA. now wish to be known and addressed as EBEDEN STANLEY SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ESSIEN: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ESSIEN AKPAKORO HANNAH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. BENHAIL JOANNE UKWOR. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

NWADIALOR: I, formerly known and addressed as (MRS) NWADIALOR NGOZI KATE, now wish to be known and addressed as (MRS) NWADIALOR NGOZI CATHERINE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ABDULLAHI: I, formerly known and addressed as ABDULLAHI YUNUSA, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULLAHI MOHAMMED INUWA DUTSE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ONYEJAKOR: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYEJAKOR CHINWE EVELYN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OKOYE CHINWE EVELYN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

EDEH: I, formerly known and addressed as EDEH NWAKAEGBO CECILIA, now wish to be known and addressed as EDEH NWAKAEGO GIFT. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

EZEANI: I, formerly known and addressed as EZEANI ANTHONY CHUKWUDI, now wish to be known and addressed as CHESIKE ANTHONY CHUKWUDI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EZIEKE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZIEKE CHINENYE VIOLET, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS TABANSI CHINENYE VIOLET. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANI: I, formerly known and addressed as ANI IFEAYICHUKWU JOSHUA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOKPORO IFENYICHUKWU JOSHUA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OGBU: I, formerly known and addressed as OGBU EMMANUEL PAUL, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBU EMMANUEL OFFORDI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

NJOKU: I, formerly known and addressed as ANSELEM CHIJIOKE NJOKU, now wish to be known and addressed as ANSELEM IFEANYI CHIJIOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to confirm that AYENI IDERA is the same person as AYENI NIMOT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME SALATY: I, formerly known and addressed as SALATY YISA OLAYINKA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SOLATY ABUBAKIR MUHAMMED. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ADEDOLA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEDOLA BOLUWATIFE ADEKOLU-JOHN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. ADEDOLA BOLUWATIFE ADEYEYE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY MISS FADAHUNSI TITILAYO MARY NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN CALLED AND BE ADDRESSED AS MRS OMONIYI TITILAYO MARY. HENCEFORTH, ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. TESCOM AND GENERAL PUBLIC NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME LEMBOYE: I, formerly known and addressed as LEMBOYE IYABO BOLA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ONABANJO IYABO TAIBATU. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

AMUSA: I, formerly known and addressed as SURAJUDEEN AMUSA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SURAJUDEEN AMUSAT. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF AGE I formerly known as RASIDI AMINATU now wish to be addressed as ALABI AMINAT MOWUNMI with correct age of 23/02/1973, All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known as RAHEEM AKEEM BOLAJI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as LASISI AKEEM BOLAJI. All fomer documents remain valid. General public take note.

OKANLAWON: I, formerly known and addressed as OKANLAWON GBOLAHAN LAWAL, now wish to be known, called and addressed as GBOLAHAN YAKUB LAWAL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

IBIGBEMI: I, formerly known and addressed as YINKA LOIS IBIGBEMI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as YINKA LOIS IBIGBEMI BELLO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

KEHINDE: I, formerly known and addressed as KEHINDE ORIYOMI PHILIP, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AKINLADE ORIYOMI PHILIP. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME IKEIN: I, formerly known and addressed as JUSTINA UGEGBE IKEIN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as GIFT IFECHUKWUDE UBANI. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as MISS SOGAOLU, MOSUNMOLA OLUMAYOWA DEBORAH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AMOKOMOWO, MOSUNMOLA OLUMAYOWA DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid. The Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS, should please take note.â&#x20AC;?

formerly known and addressed as CHIAMAKA NNEKA ONYENEME now wish to be known and addressed as CHIAMAKA JACINTA ONYENEME. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, MRS. ZAKARI OMOLARA OLAYINKA wish to do change of name on behalf of my son who was formerly known and addressed as OGUNDE ANJOLAOLUWA OSO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ZAKARI ANJOLAOLUWA OSO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MONDAY TOCHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as EMMANUEL OKECHUKWU NNAMANI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

formerly known and addressed as OSHIYEMI LATEEF now wish to be known and addressed as OSHIYEMI ABDULLATEEF OLUWASESAN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS DABO HABIBAH NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MUSA HABIBAH. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as NDUKAUBA JOAN I.O now wish to be known and addressed as AMANAMBU JOAN I.O. All former documents remain valid,general public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as CHARLES INYANG now wish to be known and addressed as SAMUEL JAMES KELVIN. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as MISS ADEDIJI, ABIDEMI EBUNOLUWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADIABOKPA, ABIDEMI EBUNOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. The Nigeria Immigration Services, NIS, should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ADELE ABIOYE ADEDOYIN, now wish to be known and addressed as ADELE ABIOYE RISIKAT. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known as BARIKA SALEM now wish to be known and addressed as ABUBAKA MUHAMED. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as IHEANYIGWO NGOZI DORIS now wish to be addressed as NZEOGU NGOZI DORIS. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ISOGUN OLAWUNMI OLUWAFUNMILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as FALESE IREOLUWA OLAWUNMI. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as NWODO CHIKEZIE, now wish to be known and addressed as ANDREW NDIBE OGBONNIA. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as UGWUEKE THOMAS EJIOFOR. now wish to be known and addressed as UGWEKE THOMAS EJIOFOR. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as CHIAMAKA ANNE EZEUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as CHIAMAKA ANNE OZORJIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public please note.

CHANGE OF NAME JABITTA: I, formerly known and addressed as JABITTA HABIBAT ABIMBOLA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as BALOGUN HABIBAT ABIMBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

EMMA: I formerly known, called and addressed as EMMA AKAS, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EMMANUEL AKARINWA OMOTE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

GHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as ICHIPI, EJIRE, UGHOTORUME, ELISHA OGHENEBRUME EVIDENCE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ELISHAUGHOTORUME OGHENEBRUME EVIDENCE. All former documents remain

WEALTH: I formerly known and addressed as URIRI WEALTH, now wish to be known and addressed as URIRI JOB OMOFUYOTA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that I, PUWEI ABRAHAM EDISEMI belong to one and the same person bearing PUWEI ABRAHAM. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ABIOLA MERCY DAWODU, Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ABIOLA EMMANUEL UBOK. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Sports

Friday, April 8, 2016

The Masters 2016: Ernie Els records worst opening F

ormer world number one, Ernie Els, carded a 10 to record the worst ever first-hole score at the ongoing Masters yesterday. BBC Sport reported that the four-time South African major winner reached the green of the par four in three shots, but then needed seven putts. The 46-year-old immediately

slipped back to six over par. The Masters had previously seen nine players officially suffer a double-figure score - Billy Casper took a 14 at the 16th in 2005, but did not submit his card and was disqualified. That left the 13s taken by Tsuneyuki Nakajima at the parfive 13th in 1978 and Tom Weis-

kopf at the par-three 12th in 1980 as the worst one-hole scores in Masters history. The most recent doublefigure score was recorded by American David Duval with his 10 at the par-five second in 2006. The previous worst score on the first hole was eight strokes, recorded by numerous players.

FIFA ranking: AFCON failure pushes Nigeria down 67th IFEANYI EDUZOR

ollowing the inability of Nigeria to secure an AFCON 2017 ticket, the Super Eagles have dropped five places to 67th position in the latest FIFA ranking released yesterday. Prior to the latest ranking, Nigeria was ranked 62 in the World but the national team’s inability to defeat seven time African champion, Egypt, in both Kaduna and Alexandria to book a place in the Nations Cup in Gabon contributed to the recent slip. Apart from going down by five steps, the Eagles were also ranked 14th best team in Africa behind Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Egypt, Cape Verde, Tunisia, Congo DR, Guinea, Congo, Cameroon, Morocco and Mali. Meanwhile, Algeria remained at the top of African football after moving four

places to the 33rd position in the world while second-placed Cote d’Ivoire climbed two places to 34th and Egypt moved nine places up to 44th in the world and fifth in Africa. The ranking also shows that the 2014 World Cup runners-up, Argentina, displaced Belgium to emerge as the best team in the World with fellow South America countries, Chile and Columbia, becoming the third and fourth best teams in the world to strengthen the continent’s grip on the top ten. Reigning World champions, Germanys were rated the best fifth team while Spain and Brazil occupied the sixth and seventh positions with Portugal, Uruguay and England rated as the eight, ninth and tenth best teams. A total of 171 games have been taken into account for the April edition of the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World ranking, which includes 51 qualifiers for Russia 2018 World Cup, 60

continental qualifiers and 60 international friendly matches.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rio 2016: Brazil struggles to up ticket sales

task force has been setup by Brazil’s interim Sports Minister, Ricardo Leyser, in order to identify ways to boost flagging ticket sales for the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro later this year. Leyser, who replaced George Hilton in the position last week on an interim basis, admitted the Government is concerned over low sales. According to latest figures, only 50 per cent of Olympic and 20 per cent of Paralympic tickets have been purchased. A Brazilian culture where arrangements are not made far in advance has been blamed. Ongoing political and economic problems in the country must also be significant, however.

“There is a perception that the Brazilian people have not yet awoken to the arrival of the Games,” Leyser told the Folha de Sao Paulo. “We are working hard to change this. We need to sound the alarm for people to remember this event and go to buy tickets.” Handing tickets to school children has already been proposed as one solution, especially for the Paralympic Games. This was done when Rio de Janeiro hosted the Pan American and Parapan American Games in 2007. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes has already pledged to buy one million tickets for poor schoolchildren, although these tickets have not yet been bought.

Phidel Group of Schools boss plans academy

hairman Phidel Group of schools, Deacon Ayodele Philip Adelusi, has revealed his plans to set-up a football academy in Nigeria that would cater for young players, who are aspiring to make careers in football. Deacon Adelusi said this is because of identified gaps in the youth and sports development system like Nigeria that is replete with budding talents. He is, however, yet to decide where the school would be sited, but he further revealed that the academy would partner with some European clubs to enhance the development of the student players. Speaking with journalists at the recent maiden edition of Phidel Group of Schools inter-house sports, Deacon Adelusi expressed satisfaction in the performances of the children. “I am totally satisfied with the performances of the children. Being the maiden edition, the children have performed very well. “It is unbelievable that within

3 years, we have been able to get to this level. I am sure the parents will be proud of us. “I believe deep down me that a world star will be unearthed in Phidel Group of Schools one day. I love sports so much and I plan to set up a football academy to set standards, which future generations will build upon.” Green House emerged winners of the inter-house sports competi-

tion, which was held at Agege Stadium, Lagos. Four Houses competed in the fiesta with Green House hauling a total of 10 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze medals. Red House came second with 9 gold, 9 silver and 11 bronze medals while Yellow had 8 gold, 9 silver and 8 bronze medals, Blue House brought up the rear with 7 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Friday, April 8, 2016

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Sylvester Ikuejamoye

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Yakmut: Has Dalung confirmed our fears?

Kienka heads committee on sports reform JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

welve seasoned former athletes and tested administrators were yesterday selected to be part of a committee to restructure sports in Nigeria for effective development. The committee that will not only solve the current problems in sports, but will also develop a framework that will give birth to Nigeria’s renaissance as a global player in diplomacy, political and economic spheres using sports, will be chaired by Mr Godwin Kienka. It has 90 days, beginning from Monday, April 11 to complete its assignment and submit its report to the Minister on Thursday, July 16, 2016. The members include Chief Segun Odegbami, Mrs Mary Onyali, Col. Sam Amedu, Kayode Thomas, Dr. Bola Oredele, Mr. Fatai Williams and Dr. Ademola Aare, who is the secretary among others. While inaugurating the committee, Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr Solomon Dalung, charged it to leave no stone unturned in discharging its duty for effective sports development. He lamented the sad com-

mentary that has characterised Nigerian sports in the past whereby administrators wait for tournaments before athletes were scouted. \ Dalung saddled the committee with seven terms of reference, which include, design a new architecture that will restructure Nigerian sports from a service-oriented model to development-oriented model for effective and enduring development. The committee is also to identify the major obstacles to sports development in Nigeria; recommend ways to reconstitute the sports federations/associations in a way that all stakeholders have a say; identify, suggest and recommend alternative sources of revenue for the funding of sports development in Nigeria, among others. The minister assured that after restructuring of the sports sector, Nigerians would smile again. Responding, the committee’s chairman, Mr. Kienka, assured of their readiness to carry out the assignment. Kienka solicited the cooperation of the ministry in providing useful information that would enable the committee to achieve the desired result.

t was not only shocking but mouth-watering and heartbreaking the allegation made by the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Solomon Dalung, against the immediate past Director-General of the then National Sports Commission, Mr. Alhassan Yakmut. The Minister was recently quoted as saying that Yakmut was unable to account for over N2.9billion within a space of about 10 months of his reign as DG of the scrapped NSC. The money was said to be for Nigeria’s preparations for various sporting international engagements for 2016. It is appropriate to commend the Hon. Minister Dalung for his boldness and the courage to call a spade a spade. Yakmut I had earlier advised Dalung after his appointment to be wary of possible banana peels which may confront his reign at the Ministry. I pray for more of such courage to see you through in this era of CHANGE. It was shocking and heart breaking because the NSC that was crying for lack of funds to prepare athletes for major competitions both locally and internationally could be allegedly swindled and defrauded by the very DG, with the moral obligation not only to protect the interest and welfare of athletes and officials but statutorily bound to ensure probity and transparency in the expenditure of tax payers money. This sad revelation is a testimony and confirmation of the long held negative view of the private sector on the fraud and mismanagement of the sports sector by those assigned with the

Falcons: Dakar is victory ground for Nigeria – Envoy

he Minister in charge of the Nigerian Embassy in Senegal, Lot Egopija, has declared that Dakar is a victory ground for Nigeria and that all hands are on deck to ensure that the Super Falcons are victorious in their 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Terenga Lioness of Senegal today. Egopija told thenff.com when he visited the Falcons at their Al Afifa Hotel in Dakar on Wednesday that the

Cricketers

embassy had been mobilising Nigerians based in Dakar and environs to troop to the Stade Demba Diop this evening to support the African champions. “It is our duty to mobilise and also to inform the Nigerian community of the arrival of the team, and the match date and time. We have been doing that. Since we got the notice from the NFF, we have started through the informal method in informing fellow Nigerians here to come out

and cheer the team to victory. “This is not the first time Nigerians in Dakar would be hosting a national team. We did that during the African Youth Championship and during the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, and we all are aware of the results. We went back to Nigeria with the trophies. So Dakar has always been a victory ground for Nigeria. We are assuring everyone back home that this won’t be an exception,” the envoy said.

responsibility of ensuring the growth and development of the sector in Nigeria. Nigerians will not forget in a hurry the bitter war of attrition preceding the emergence of Yakmut as the Director-General of the then NSC last year. The battle pitted the then Minister and Chairman of NSC, Dr. Tammy Danagogo with Alhassan on one side against the then DG, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye o n the

othe r s i d e . E l e g b e l e ye lost to the Minister’s camp in a dirty power game that eventually produced Alhassan as replacement for Elegbeleye as DG. It was however alleged that Yakmut’s emergence was not without ‘condition’ since the then minister was on his way out of office as a result of change of government last year. The rest, as they say, is history. Mr. Yakmut was alleged to have played major role in the feud between the then Minister Danagogo and his DG, Elegbeleye, for which he was rewarded with the DG position. There are other insiders in the then Commission who felt Yakmut was not deserving of the appointment. Some were allegedly of the view that he was not the most senior director while many others were of the view that whoever was to be appointed must be able to pass a major integrity test for the position of the NSC DG. Aside from the alleged huge petitions against him within the short period of his tenure that bothered on corruption and fraud, the latest revelation by Minister Dalung seems to confirm the fears allegedly expressed by some insiders at the then NSC. The most painful aspect of this all, is the fact that many Rio Olympics bound sports federations have not been able to commence reasonable preparations for their athletes. Camping and screening of athletes and other preparations for qualifying champion-

ships for the Rio Brazil Olympics are in limbo. Some board members had to borrow money to sponsor activities of Federations and athletes for qualifying championships which are mandatory for Olympics participation owing to the usual ‘lack of money or no funds syndrome’ from the then National Sports Commission. I strongly want to believe that the said money was not missing but being kept in unsolicited trust. It is absurd and wicked for an individual or group of people to embezzle or squander money meant for the training and preparations of the poor athletes working hard to represent Nigeria at international championships and make the country proud. This allegation is clearly a sad commentary on the earlier feelings by some people who were of the view that the emergence of the then DG being a professional sports administrator and also an athlete himself would mark a better turning point in the administration of sports in the country. The thinking and rightly, so, was that ‘he who that wears the shoe, knows where it hurts’. The reverse seems to be the case here. We cannot have N2.9billion somewhere and our preparations for the best and greatest sports gathering in the world will be in such financial crisis as this. All Olympics bound sports should be made to commence preparations and necessary funds be released to them immediately to prosecute their programmes and activities. In this era of change, it is pertinent to advice that government with all apparatus of screening should ensure painstaking investigation and screening of whoever is to be considered for any position of responsibility in the country. There is the need for character confirmation and the ability to deliver. Competence as against bootlicking and eye service should be among the yardsticks for measurement. Nigeria as country has what it takes to be the best in Africa and among the very best in the world in practically all aspects of human endeavours, particularly in sports. We must resolve not to reward divisive and selfish tendencies in our system. We must be bold enough to call a spadea-spade, no matter whose ox is gored. No sentiments should be entertained, please. HARD BUT THE BITTER TRUTH Like l have said in the past, insanity is not only when a full grown person publicly stripped self naked. Primitive and blind stealing or looting of public treasury of billions of naira or dollars that cannot be exhausted even if you spend the next 200 years on earth is the greatest form of madness. Hard But The Bitter Truth. Until next week Friday, stay out of trouble and God bless Nigeria.

WORLD RECORD

Pogo stick jumping - fastest mile

Vol. 06 No. 1345

Friday, April 8, 2016

N150

The fastest mile jumping on a pogo stick is 9 min 56 sec and was achieved by Fred Grzybowski (USA) in Wooster, Ohio, USA, on 4 November 2014.

Nigeria’s economic contradictions and growing poverty

ermons on alleviating poverty, whether driven by sincerity and commitment, or as mere political slogans to deceive the public strictly for the sake of garnering votes from Nigeria’s poverty stricken electorate, have become the pastime of the country’s political leaders. The preachment was so obtrusive and tedious during the era of former President Goodluck Jonathan, an era Nigerians were taunted with all manner of jargons about poverty alleviation, job creation and flashy rebasing of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) that pronounced her as Africa’s largest economy, until it dawned on everyone that nothing tangible truly happened in creating jobs, reducing poverty and growing the economy. In its ‘Nigeria Economic Report’, May, 2013, the World Bank came out emphatically to say the number of Nigerians living in poverty was increasing significantly, a puzzling contrast between the rebasing fantasies a year later that placed Nigeria on a rapid economic growth path

uper Falcons stars, Desire Oparanozie, and Francisca Ordega, are confident of a win over Senegal’s Teranga Lioness today. Nigeria’s women national team, the Super Falcons, will go toe to toe with Senegal in a 2016 Africa Women Cup of Nations

FRIDAY WITH Dozie Okebalama

dozieokeama@yahoo.co.uk 08164966858 (SMS only) that was dogged by minimal improvements in the welfare of the greater portion of the population. Indeed, it was a shocker for the global bank that a decade of rapid GDP growth in Nigeria, as reported by official statistics, which purportedly concentrated on the pro-poor areas of agriculture and trade, did not bring stronger welfare and employment benefits to the population. Instead, in addition to the increase in poverty, the bank said progress towards a number of Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria was disappointing. Nigeria was ranked 153 out of 186 countries in the 2013 United Nations Human Development Index, as unemployment rates increased steadily, with younger Nigerians encountering increasing difficulty in finding gainful employment. Recall that Organised Labour’s response to the rebasing was that a good GDP without jobs was meaningless. Hunger, destitution, unemployment and poverty, to list just a few, remained pervasive despite the rebasing balderdash. Presently, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is grappling with how best to handle the nagging problem of unemployment and poverty in the land. On its way to power, the party dangled a social welfare package it called the ‘Conditional Cash Transfer Programme’ in its manifesto, involving the payment of N5,000 each to people drawn from the clan of extremely poor Nigerians; and N5,000 each to youth corps members that completed their youth service without securing employment, among others. It is not improbable that with the rejec-

The President Muhammadu Buhari government should not fall for the same mistakes… that made the country an economic success only on paper tion of a motion that sought the implementation of the N5, 000 social welfare package by APC senators last year November, the party is now in a quandary in determining how best to deliver the Conditional Cash Transfer promise. Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the party, now the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, last November, said suggestions that the APC might not keep the promise were mischievous. “… The Buhari administration is poised to lift millions of Nigerians out of extreme poverty by providing social protection and safety nets with another N2.5tn Special Intervention Fund”, he said. Just recently, the Federal Government also said it would inject N350 billion into the nation’s economy in the next quarter of the year to stimulate economic activities and create jobs. In reality, however, life has turned a sorrowful spectacle for a greater number of Nigerians. Jobs are disappearing and poverty is ravaging

the populace. Eking out daily living is now a nightmare for many as the nation is haunted by galloping inflation blamed on the fall in oil prices, government’s restriction on foreign exchange procurement, decline in the value of the naira, worsening fuel and electricity supply and a general lull in business activities. Reports say companies are now competing to outdo one another in sacking workers; while manufacturers, small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) are said to have lost roughly N100 billion to fuel scarcity alone in the past few months. Like the song on curbing poverty and unemployment, the latest refrain is making the country less dependent on imports by looking inwards. General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Mr. Issa Aremu, happens to be one of those in the vanguard of the country looking inwards, for instance. He said he got hints that the military or the entire armed forces would spend about N4 billion for their uniforms this fiscal year; and that if they go ‘made-in-Nigeria’, “a lot of our factories will be stable, and more jobs will be created”. Perhaps, Aremu never thought of it, the fact that with the nagging problems of frustrating fuel situation and epileptic electricity supply in the country, the factories may end up spending the entire N4 billion meant for the uniforms on generating power privately for their operations; and still be able to justify the spending. The President Muhammadu Buhari government should not fall for the same mistakes Jonathan’s administration tolerated, that made the country an economic success only on paper. Charity begins at home alright; and it is a wonderful idea making Nigeria less dependent on imports. Let first things come first, nonetheless. The requisite infrastructure and policies to fast-track economic growth and development should be put in place. Besides, for the campaign on looking inwards to truly make sense, the huge loss of foreign exchange the country suffers daily as a result of her almost total reliance on imported petroleum products should be halted through the development of sufficient local refining capacity.

Sport Extra

Cup of Nations: Oparanozie, Ordega confident of win qualifier in Dakar with the winners over two legs assured of a place in the final tournament in Cameroun. Washington Spirit attacker, Ordega, and En Avant Guingamp forward, Oparanozie, are sounding bullish ahead of the

first-leg clash which will take place at the Stade Demba Diop in Dakar. “The spirit in the camp right now is quite positive and I am promising Nigerians that we won’t disappoint them,” Ordega said.

Oparanozie on her part said the Falcons will try to make Nigerians positive again following the failure of the men’s team, the Super Eagles, to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) inGabon. “Iamnotgoingtosayitisnota

goodthingthattheSuperEagles didnotqualifyfortheAFCON. “However, since that has happened we (Falcons) will do all we can to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians by qualifying for the women’s tournament,” she said.

Oparanozie

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