Monday, July 23, 2012 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Fear grips SEC staff as Oteh resumes today JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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cores of staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, staff are nursing fears of losing their jobs or being

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victimised for protesting the return of the DirectorGeneral, Ms. Aruma Oteh last Wednesday in Abuja. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

JULY 27 - AUGUST 12, 2012

Olympians hail NIgeria’s relay gold win P.54

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25 bidders meet deadline on power stations Manitoba takes over TCN amid workers’ protest Low investor confidence killing businesses –LCCI

UDEME AKPAN

wenty-five potential investors, including Transcorp Plc, Nestoil and Danglobe Consortium, have met the Federal Government’s deadline for the purchase of the nation’s power generating stations. The submission of bids by the revised July 17 deadline came just as a Canadian energy firm, Manitoba Hydro International, prepares to take over the running of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, with effect from today. The take-over followed

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PDP, PPN protest as ACN sweeps Ogun LG poll

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Flooded area at Idi-Oro in Mushin, during yesterday’s downpour in Lagos.

BUSINESS

‘Maritime regulation:

NIMASA is incapacitated by t’ 2007 enabling Act’ 76 oil wells: Cross River owes Akwa Ibom N18bn insi nsiide de P.A4, P.6 Free inside

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PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Another bomb explosion kills two in Bauchi ‘Boko Haram, not a terrorist organisation’ WAEC dispels rumour of May/June exam results

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Monday, July 23, 2012

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25 bidders meet deadline on power stations CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the terms of a management contract signed with the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, to run the firm for three years in the first instance despite protests by workers. Giving a breakdown of the bids for the generating companies, BPE spokesman, Mr. Chukwuma Nwokoh, said yesterday that nine investors bidded for Ughelli Power Plc while Sapele Power Plc attracted six bidders. The BPE said in a statement that only one potential investor bidded for Shiroro Power Plc; Geregu Power Plc has four bidders; Afam Power Plc has three potential investors and Kainji Power Plc has two bidders. “The bidders for Ughelli Power Plc are Feniks Electricity; NPG Consortium; Delta Utility Company Limited; Transcorp and Woodrock/Symbion Power/Medea/PSL/ Thomasen; and Botad/ GE/13M Power Consortium. “Others are Danglobe Consortium; Amperion Power Distribution Company; Ethiope Energy and Taleveras Group,” the statement said. Nwokoh said Foby Energy; Proton Energy Consortium; Ogorode Power Limited; CMEC/Eurafric Energy Ltd; Dateline Power; and JBN/Nestoil Power Services Ltd are the bidders for Sapele Power Plc. “The four bidders for Geregu Power Plc are Knox J & L Energy Solutions Ltd; Plainfield Universal Technologies; TES Power Ltd; and Amperion Power Distribution Company Ltd. For Afam Power Plc, the bidders are Primeniza Energy Ltd; Skipper Nigeria Ltd; and NPG Consortium,” he added. The BPE spokesman said the two bidders for Kainji Power Plc are Marubeni Corporation and Mainstream Energy Solutions Ltd, while the sole bidder for Shiroro Power Plc is North-South Power Co. Ltd. He explained that the thermal power generating companies slated for privatisation are Ughelli Power Plc in Delta State,

with a total installed capacity of 972 MW; Geregu Power Plc in Kogi State with a total installed capacity of 414 MW; Afam Power Plc comprising of Afam I-V power stations located in Rivers State with installed capacity of 776 MW and Sapele Power Plc located in Sapele, Delta State, with an installed capacity of 1020 MW. The hydro power generating companies slated for privatisation are Kainji Power Plc, comprising Kainji Power Plants and Jebba Power Plants located in Niger and Kwara states respectively and Shiroro Power Plc located at the Shiroro Gorge in Niger State. Nwokoh added: “Potential bidders/concessionaires for the generating companies, who should be existing local and/or international power generators or investors with power generators as longterm technical partners, will be responsible for operating the stations, improving the generation capacity and making the necessary investments in line with the objectives of the Federal Government of Nigeria set out in the National Electric Power Policy, NEPP.” He said the next stage of the privatisation exercise was the harvest of technical and financial proposals from bidders for the 11 distribution companies also slated for privatisation by July 31 deadline. According to him, “The transaction timeline reveals that the evaluation of the technical bids will take place between August 14 and 28, 2012. “The National Council on Privatisation, NCP, will approve the results of the technical evaluation on/or before September 11, 2012. “The deadline for the shortlisted bidders for generation companies to submit their letters of credit is September 18, 2012, while October 2, 2012 is for shortlisted bidders for distribution companies.” The NCP’s approval will pave the way for the opening of financial bids of the shortlisted investors. The BPE will, between

September 25, 2012 and October 10, 2012, open the financial bids of prospective investors for the privatisation of the successor companies created from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. The announcement of the preferred bidders for the 17 successor companies will be made on/or before October 23, 2012. Meanwhile, the Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, has condemned PHCN workers who have been disrupting activities at the company’s head office in Abuja in protest the “privatisation” of the

TCN. The minister said the workers had in the last three days prevented TCN employees from carrying out their legitimate duties and gaining access to their offices. According to a statement issued by the minister’s office at the weekend, “These misguided workers who are purportedly acting under the auspices of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, alleged that security forces have been unleashed on them, that the TCN has been privatised and consequently handed over to Manitoba

International to retrench the company’s entire workforce without their severance benefits being paid.” Nnaji said Manitoba was on March 26, 2012, announced by the BPE as the winner of the bid to manage the TCN after a rigorous competition with some other worldclass electricity firms. He said the management contract between Manitoba International and the BPE was signed on July 23, 2012. “It is, therefore, a distortion of facts for some misguided staff of PHCN to allege that the TCN has

been sold to any firm and that its workers are about to be retrenched without the payment of their entitlements. “In fact, far from TCN employees being laid off, the Ministry of Power has consistently made it clear that the TCN is grossly understaffed. The Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, has given approval to the TCN management to hire over 1,000 engineers, technologists and technicians,” the statement added. Nnaji explained that Manitoba was coming with only eight expatriate CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Victims of Plateau State crisis on queue during the distribution of relief materials by the National Emergency Management Agency at the refugee camp in Riyom Local Government Area in Plateau State, at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Fear grips SEC staff as Oteh resumes today CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Oteh, who was reinstated to office on July 17 by the Federal Government in controversial circumstances after her suspension by the board of the commission on June 11 over allegation of financial wrongdoings, has not been able to resume duties following resistance and opposition by workers. She was, however, cleared of the allegations by independent auditors. Sources in SEC told National Mirror that the commission’s staff who participated in the protest and supplied information that resulted in her indictment were afraid of being

victimised. SEC spokesman, Mr. Yakubu Olaleye, confirmed to National Mirror that the DG had resumed office last Friday following the intervention of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, who held a conciliatory meeting with the workers’ union. “Many of the staff who protested against her return, particularly the senior staff, are fearful of being sacked or victimised in the office,” the source said. The source added that the problem had to do with the inability of some of the staff to come to terms with the reforms being implemented in SEC, especially

accountability and transparency issues. National Mirror however learnt that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has asked the SEC workers’ union to present their demands concerning Oteh’s return, even as she ruled out the possibility of government rescinding its decision to reinstate her. Government sources said the minister will again meet with the leaders of the Amalgamated Union of Corporate Organisations in Abuja today. Okonjo-Iweala had at her initial conciliatory meeting with staff of the commission on Friday

asked them to accept the return to office of Oteh in good faith. The minister, who was received by the acting DG, Mr. Bolaji Bello, told the staff during the meeting, which lasted less than an hour, that government was not in the mood to rescind its decision. She added that her meeting with them was to plead with them to accept Oteh’s immediate return. The minister stressed that the Federal Government would not go back on its decision over the matter and pleaded with the staff to let peace reign. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida (middle), inaugurating the Nigeria House at Stratford Olympic site in London, at the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Rajan Swaroop (left) and Champion Distributor, Mr. Nwabueze Nwachukwu, during the Channel Partners Awards presentation in Lagos, recently.

Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, presenting the star prize of N250,000 cheque to the winner of the maiden edition of Spelling Bee Competition for Public Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Master Dansu Emmanuel of Community Senior High School, Tube, Ipokia, during the grand finale of the competition in Abeokuta, at the weekend.

L-R: Chief Compliance Officer and Company Secretary, Oando Plc, Mrs. Ayotola Jagun; Chairman, Alake of Egbaland, Oba Aremu Adedotun and Group Chief Executive, Mr. Wale Tinubu, during the Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos, at the weekend. PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

National News

Low investor confidence, high credit cost killing businesses –LCCI MESHACK IDEHEN

he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed worry over declining investors’ confidence, high cost of credit, power shortage and tense security situation, which, it said, had continued to impact negatively on businesses. Presenting the LCCI’s 2012 Second Quarter Business Environment Report, the Director-General, Mr. Muda Yusuf, said the trend of some vital macro-economic variables remained unfavourable, pointing out that interest rates remained high; the naira exchange rate weakened while inflation continued on an upward swing. All these factors combined to impact on the operating costs. Explaining that the report was the outcome of an evidenced-based account of experiences of members of the LCCI and the larger business community on investment climate issues, Yusuf said the opinion of LCCI was that business environment was generally adjudged harsh during the quarter.

He said that investors, during the period under review, complained of persistent difficult credit conditions, especially with regard to cost, access and tenure of funds in the financial system. Yusuf added that regulatory institutions in the country also did not help matters, as they constituted an added burden on investors, particularly in the real sector. On security, the chamber said the security situation in the country had worsened, and that the state of insecurity in the country had severe adverse impact on private sector performance and on the economy as whole. LCCI added that the economies of the affected states suffered considerable declines, while the distribution of goods and services to the northern part of the country was inhibited, leading to significant reduction in turnover and losses to companies operating from other parts of the country. The report said the country’s infrastructure situation had continued to pose severe challenges to enterprises, adding that the power situation in particular

was still erratic while major roads across the country were still in a poor state. The LCCI also noted that at global level, the drop in oil prices affected the country’s level of reserves, as well as the capacity to adequately fund the foreign exchange market, a development which affected the stability of the naira exchange rate as well as the general price

level in the economy. Explaining further, Yusuf said the structural problems, which manifested in the weak infrastructure and high production costs in the period continued to perpetuate real sector crisis in the economy, while adding that a weak real sector posed a systemic problem for the entire economy, especially with respect to economic

linkages, value addition and job creation. However, the LCCI noted that there was an “upside” to the economic situation, explaining that the growth rate of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, which was well over six per cent, was one of the best in the global economy. It also said the Nigerian economy had continued to

be the dominant economy in the West African subregion with GDP of $250bn (N38.7trn) “It is one of the leading economies on the African continent, which is currently attracting a lot of interest from foreign investors. The potentials are immense but the capacity to harness the potentials is still lacking,” LCCI noted.

Kogi: Politicians using EFCC for vendetta, group tells Jonathan ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

group, the International Centre for Advancement of Justice and Peace in Emerging Democracies, ICJAPED, has petitioned President Jonathan Goodluck over alleged plot to use the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to intimidate a governorship candidate in Kogi State. ICJAPED alleged in the petition yesterday that a powerful politician was trying use the anti-graft agency to persecute Jibrin Isah Echocho for political reasons. It said that the EFCC

had in 2009 listed Echocho as a prosecution witness in a criminal trial of some people accused of looting Afribank but suddenly reversed its position by threatening to make him an accused in the case on the grounds of his alleged legal tussle with Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State. The Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, based in New York, United States with United Nations affiliate status, also, raised the alarm that EFCC was “indulging in repressive action and abetting militarisation of Kogi State”. In the petition addressed to the President and signed by Dr. Stephen Briggs, ICJAPED said its decision to

intervene in the matter followed petitions it received from many of its members alleging the illegal use of the anti-graft agency to fight political battle. It reads in part: “After extensive study and consultations on the many petitions forwarded to our office by our members including a well circulated press release by Wole Olanipekun Chambers regarding the escalation of threats of harassment and even physical attacks against Jibrin Isah, a contender in a judicial tussle for Kogi State governorship against Idris Wada, the present governor of Kogi State, both members of your political party, Peoples Democratic

Party, with all sense of respect, we boldly state that the allegations on EFCC point to a continuing and, in fact, deepening human rights crises fed by an institutionalised impunity. “Granted that the Olanipekun Chambers may simply have spoken out on an issue that affects their client, Jibrin Isah, as such, may be termed a sided argument but the avalanche of complaints sent to us on the same issue makes it a matter of great public concern because what is happening to Jibrin Isah can only be ignored in a dictatorship regime but never acceptable in rightsrespecting democracy like Nigeria.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25 bidders meet deadline on power stations CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

workers, stressing that “the Nigerian employees of the TCN, including the top management staff, will not leave their current positions but will stay on as deputies and “shadows” to understudy the new managers with a view to improving their technical and managerial skills and subsequently taking over the management of the state-owned enterprise as soon as possible.” He said that to ensure that PHCN employees did not suffer undue hardships, the Federal Government had offered to provide the shortfall of N85bn in the PHCN Pension Scheme account. “This offer has since been conveyed to PHCN workers’ representatives, including the lead-

ers of the three trade unions in the power sector, in the ongoing negotiations with the Federal Government on the payment of PHCN employees’ benefits in the wake of the privatisation of PHCN assets.. “Some of the farreaching steps which the administration has taken to improve the welfare of the employees are the payment of N57bn monetised benefits which were denied them for a whole seven years; conversion of about 10,000 casual workers to the permanent staff, with even retroactive effect; and a 50 per cent salary increase across the board, with even a N9bn grant (not loan) to enable the PHCN to start paying the new huge wage bill,” he added.

‘Boko Haram, not a terrorist organisation’ TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

he Foreign Affairs Ministry has rebuffed the labelling of the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect as a terrorist group by the United States. The United States had placed the group under the Foreign Terrorists Organisation, FTO, or International Terrorists Organisation, ITO, category. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Martin Uhomoibhi, at the weekend, said that the tag was wrong and that the group must not be associated with terror. Uhomoibhi said this at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs headed by Hon. Nnenna ElenduUkeje (PDP, Abia) He said that describing the Boko Haram group as a terrorist organisation was incorrect. He, however, said that Boko Haram was a security challenge strange to the country since 1960. Uhomoibhi added that he was confused as to why the US would clas-

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Monday, July 23, 2012

sify Boko Haram a terrorist group. He said that the Federal Government was not comfortable with the categorization. But Uhomoibhi told the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that the statement of President of the Christian Assocation of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, was capable of subjecting Nigerians all over the world to unnecessary and humiliating scrutiny by the US agents and other international agencies. “For us at the ministry, Boko Haram should not have been designated as ITO or FTO as Nigeria is a secular country and we are working with all other stakeholders to resolve this menace,” he said. Earlier, Ukeje had sought the opinion of the government on the US designation of Boko Haram as either ITO or FTO. She said that though Nigeria is a multi-diverse and multi-religious country, it was necessary for the ministry to let the committee know how it was handling the issue and that of the government on the proper categorisation of Boko Haram in the country.

Nigerian journalists get CNN award LEONARD OKACHIE

rganisers of the CNN MultiChoice African Journalists Awards have honoured Nigerian journalists with the 2012 CNN MultiChoice Free Press Award for practising in difficult environment and exposing corruption even at the expense of their lives. Presenting the award to the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, last Saturday in Lusaka, Zambia, at the ceremony, the organisers said: “We see today that Nigerian journalists have become targets, face intimidation and pay ultimate sacrifice in journalism practice. This is very unfortunate.” The organisers particularly recognised Enenche Akogwu, a reporter with Channels Television and Zakariya Isa, a camera-

man with the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, who were killed by the insurgent group, Boko Haram, in the course of duty in January 2012 and October 2011 respectively. While receiving the award, Adefaye recalled that the sect began its onslaught on media in Nigeria nine months ago, stressing that Isa was shot and killed in front of his home in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. He said: “Three months later, Enenche, a 31-yearold journalist with a private television station, Channels TV based in Lagos was shot dead while covering the activities of the insurgents in Kano. “He left aged parents and a fiancé. I doubt whether there was insurance cover for them.” Adefaye also noted that the group attacked three media houses: Thisday, The Sun and The Moment in April, and threatened more assault on the press

and free speech. “They want us to report the activities wholesale in their favour or no report at all. The insurgents do not discriminate on the attacks on the press. Practically anyone who does not perform to their definition of accurate news reporting is in danger. Periodically, there are threats issued on the internet against the press. “Our story is that when the press is threatened it comes out stronger. Our press, which has survived the most brutal of military, the bad economy and is now complemented by fast growing social media, will survive the assault on the free press,” he added. Meanwhile, Ahaoma Kanu of National Daily newspaper won The Tourism Award, for his story; Badagry: A aalk through the slave route. Presenting the award to Kanu, a member of the panel, CNN Bureau

Chief, South Africa, Kim Norgaard, said: “Ahaoma Kanu tells a familiar story on the horrific slave trade museum at Badagry, but with his writing he is able to bring the reader with him and experience this terrible place with him. “Ahaoma is not afraid to reveal his emotions and let the reader know when he could no longer keep the tears in. “He doesn’t just want to observe this place but tries to experience what it was like to go through this place by asking to wear the chains; a lovely storyteller who brings an awful part of world history to light, and is able to convey the experience to his audience.” Two Kenyan journalists, Tom Mboya and Evanson Nyaga, won the 2012 African CNN Multichoice African Journalists Award for their entry - The African tribe in India, which was aired on Kenya’s Citizen Television.

L-R: Son of the late Ambassador Segun Olusola, Olujimi; former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade and daughter of the deceased, Ms. Aderonke Ajibulu-Moniya, during the thanksgiving service for Olusola in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: YIN KA ADEPARUSI

Fear grips SEC staff as Oteh resumes today CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

The workers had demonstrated for over an hour outside the SEC premises against Oteh’s reinstatement. It took the intervention of the acting DG and security operatives to restore normalcy to the agency. The workers said they were not particularly against the government’s decision to reinstate the DG, but insisted that is-

sues raised against her in the report of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market probe should be addressed. The staff insisted that they would only welcome Oteh back once the House committee cleared her of the allegations. They also asked the minister to assure the workers that those who demonstrated against her return

would not be victimised. But the House on Thursday called for her removal from office and prosecution for incompetence in the management of human and material resources, lack of transparency in managing ‘Project 50’ and regulatory failure in some of the recent mergers. Other allegations against her include illegal acquisitions and approv-

als of transactions, general inability to carry along her staff, board, and management in decision making and questionable staff recruitment policies. Earlier, the Federal Government, in reinstating Oteh, had exonerated her of all the allegations of misconduct and fraud, though it cautioned her for administrative lapses in the running of the commission.

National News

Monday, July 23, 2012

IG releases e-mail address to encourage whistle-blowing OMEIZA AJAYI

ew weeks after the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, released a dedicated mobile telephone line to members of the public to allow them reach him at all times, the police boss yesterday released a dedicated electronic mail address which it said would encourage whistle blowing and enhance the war on terror and other violent crimes. Although, there have been widespread complaints that the IGP’s dedicated telephone line -08059666666, is usually not accessible, the police high command in a statement yesterday urged members of the public to reach it through: policemonitor@ npf.gov.ng It however failed to address complaints that the IG hardly responds to calls or text messages. Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank

Mba, said the measure was ‘part of efforts by the Police Management Team to promote access to justice, transparency and accountability in matters relating to policing and general crime fighting.’ He also gave conditions upon which the e-mail address should be used. His words: “The use of this e-mail address should be under the following circumstances: When providing information on the activities of criminal groups, terror gangs or other forms of organised crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, human trafficking, advanced fee fraud, arms trafficking etc, when reporting cases of breach of public peace or imminent breach of public peace, when providing information relating to ongoing criminal investigations by the police and other law enforcement agencies. “When reporting the conduct of police personnel or the conduct of personnel

of other law enforcement agencies involved in corrupt and other forms of unlawful acts, when commending members of the Force for acts of gallantry or other forms of exemplary or exceptional conduct displayed in the course of their duties, when reporting cases or incidents of electoral offences or other matters related thereto; when advising or commenting on matters relating to national security, especially when such matters have direct bearing with the activities of the Nigeria Police. “The IGP appeals to potential users of the e-mail to ensure the integrity of their information and make conscious efforts to avoid providing false, malicious or deliberately misleading information to the

Force.” While he assured users of the e-mail that information provided through the medium will be treated with almost confidentially and the anonymity of their providers respected, Mr. Abubakar also warned that established cases of deliberate falsehood or intentional misrepresentation of facts may attract reprimand and in extreme cases, outright prosecution in courts of law. “It is the belief of the IGP that the effective use of the new e-mail address will help in checkmating excesses of law enforcement personnel, encourage free flow of information between the public and police managers and ultimately promote efficiency and better service delivery,” the statement added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Unpaid allowance: NUT suspends strike TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has suspended its planned indefinite strike, which ought to begin today in 14 states of the federation that are yet to implement the 27. 5 percent of what they called ‘Teachers’ Peculiar Allowance.’ It will be recalled that the leadership of the union two weeks ago in Abuja directed their members in the affected states to embark on industrial action to press home their demand from their respective state governments, the implementation of this allowance and the N18, 000 minimum wage as applicable to other civil servants across the federation. It will also be recalled that the union had signed

an agreement in respect of this allowance with the state governments in 2008 with both parties agreeing that the implementation would commence in 2009 but three years after, some states have not redeemed their pledge to pay. These defaulting states, according to the NUT are: Ekiti, Katsina, Lagos, Cross River, Kebbi, Zamfara, Niger, Abia, Nasarawa, Enugu, Benue, Kogi and Delta States. Speaking exclusively with National Mirror yesterday, the National President of the union, Mr. Michael Olukoya, said the union had shelved the planned strike because the affected states had entered into dialogue with their respective teachers’ unions to address the issue.

‘76 oil wells: Cross River owes Akwa Ibom N18bn’

kwa Ibom State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ekpenyong Ntekim, has said that Cross River State was indebted to Akwa Ibom to the tune of N18.4bn on the contentious 76 oil wells between the two states. This disclosure was made following last week’s Supreme Court judgement confirming Akwa Ibom State as the rightful owner of the 76 disputed oil wells. According to Ntekim, the amount was what Cross River State “surreptitiously caused the Revenue Mobilsation , Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), to arbitrarily and illegally deduct from the derivation revenues of Akwa Ibom State between January 2008 and May 2012.” Speaking in Uyo at the weekend, Ntekim said contrary to the position of Cross River State that the N18.4bn was deducted from the ecological fund, the said amount was actually deducted from the statutory derivation revenue of Akwa Ibom State. “It should be stressed

that the entire sum of over N18bn paid to Cross River State during the said period was not sourced from any ecological funds as erroneously represented by agents of the Cross River State Government, but from the statutory derivation revenues of Akwa Ibom”, he stated. He pointed out that the deduction was even twice the value of the derivation revenue accruable from the 76 oil wells for the period in contravention of Section 162 (2) of the 1999 Constitution. This action, he said, negated the brotherly gesture in the proposals canvassed through a letter by the Akwa Ibom State Government to its Cross River State counterpart in January 2011. He said that the Akwa Ibom State Government even offered Cross River State a monthly grant of N250 million in appreciation of the historical and cultural ties that bind the two sister states; a gesture that was turned down by the Cross River State Government, which opted for a continued legal tussle.

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; celebrant, Princess Abah Folawiyo; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola; Seriki Adini of Lagos, Alhaji Sakariyau Babalola and Chairman, House Committee on the Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, during the 70th birthday prayer for Folawiyo in Lagos, yesterday.

New investors to retain Osibodu on Union Bank board AYO OLESIN

he outgoing Group Managing Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, will be retained on the board as a non-executive director, when she steps aside in three month’s time, industry sources said last night. It was learnt that the board chaired by Mr. Dick Kramer, who is also the chairman of African Capital Alliance, core investors in Union Bank, have decided to let the GMD stay on and play an advisory role to the new management.

Sources at the bank confirmed Osibodu, who was appointed to the post by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2009, will hand over in October to the new managing director, Mr. Emeka Emuwa, who was headhunted from Citibank Nigeria where he is the current managing director in October. The new managing director is to lead the completion of transformation agenda of the bank which was one of the eight taken over by the CBN on August 18, 2009 after regulatory audits found that they were on the brink of collapse. However, the bank has

seen significant improvement in its fortunes as the management had implemented a turnaround operation encompassing assets recovery, recapitalisation, rebranding and restored customers’ and investors’ confidence. Union Bank’s balance sheet for the 2011 financial year through December, reported positive net assets of N197bn compared with negative net assets of N115.7bn a year ago. As at today the bank remain the only one of the eight intervened institutions that retains its identity. While BankPHB Plc, Afribank Nigeria Plc and

Spring Bank Plc were nationalised, Oceanic Bank International Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc, FinBank Plc and Equitoral Trust Bank Plc were acquired by Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Access Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc and Sterling Bank Plc respectively. The bank’s recapitalisation was a long and tortuous process that eventually saw ACA investing $500m initially to bring capital adequacy to 19 percent, while the Asset Management Company of Nigeria also took a substantial shareholding.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National News

Monday, July 23, 2012

Man admits importing fake fulcin tablets into Nigeria K AYODE KETEFE

n a dramatic episode before a judge of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Justice Okon Abang, a man, Uzoma Madueke, has admitted im-

porting a fake drug called fulcin tablets into Nigeria. The confession of Madueke came shortly after he was arraigned before Justice Abang by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

The one-count offence leveled by NAFADAC against Madueke was signed by Mr. MHA Baba. According to the charge sheet, the offence was allegedly committed on June 25, 2009 in Epe area of Lagos. The charge sheet

is with reference number FHC/L/43C/ 2010. After hearing Madueke confession, the judge then fixed September 28, 2012 for judgment. The one-count charge against Madueke reads: “That you, Uzoma Mad-

ueke of No 47, Lagos Road, Epe, Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, on or about the 25th day of June, 2009, did import fake and substandard tablets to wit: Fulcin Criseofulvina Tablets and thereby committed an

Akeredolu promises 30, 000 jobs if elected

Dangote to build gas pipeline in Oyo

OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate for the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has promised to create 30,000 jobs in 100 days if elected. Akeredolu made the promise at the weekend in Akure in a live interview with Adaba FM in commemoration of his 56th birthday. He said: “If I am elected into office by the people, by the Special Grace of God come October, ACN government, under me, will create 30,000 jobs in 100 days. This is neither magic nor rocket science because 20,000 jobs were created by both Governor Aregbesola and Governor Ajimobi in Osun and Oyo in a very short period. The economy of Ondo is more vibrant than that of Osun and Oyo because of the enormous natural resources in the state. Therefore, Ondo State will improve upon that by creating 30,000 jobs in 100 days. Akeredolu assured the people that the moribund industries in Ondo State would be revived to create more jobs for youths. On infrastructure, he said Akure, the state capital, would be opened up with road networks just as the road networks in Akoko, Ilaje, Okitipupa, Odigbo and other major cities would be opened.

offence contrary to Section 1 (a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Food (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act No 25 of 1999 and punishable under Section 3 (1) (a) of the same Act.”

L-R: Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide; Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on FCT, Hon. Emmanuel Jime, during the inauguration of FCT Boards of Agencies and Parastatals in Abuja, at the weekend. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

LUTH celebrates with beneficiary of kidney transplant

he beneficiary of the first kidney transplant at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Mrs. Funke Oladeji, yesterday organised a thanksgiving service to mark the first anniversary of the feat. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the surgery, which lasted for five hours, was done on July 26, 2011. Thirty-nine-year-old Oladejiwas diagnosed of kidney failure in November, 2009, and was on dialysis in the hospital for almost two years before the transplant. Funke and her husband, Wunmi, who donated the kidney, are in good health. Her family members, friends and relatives gathered at the Evangel Faith

International Mission, Ejigbo, Lagos, for the thanksgiving. Prof. Gbenga Ogunlewe, Chairman of LUTH’s Medical Advisory Committee; Mr Babajide Grillo, Assistant Director of Administration, LUTH; and Dr Oluwatoyin Amira, a Consultant Nephrologist with the hospital, were at the event. Dr Adebowale Adewunmi, also a Consultant Nephrologist in LUTH, also attended the service. In a sermon, Pastor Emmanuel Tunwase urged couples to emulate the love and commitment of the Oladejis. He also urged Christians to believe in God’s ability to see them through challenges. In an emotion-laden voice, Oladeji narrated

how she was the only survivor among patients on dialysis in LUTH during the period. She could not talk much before she broke down in tears and was taken out of the podium. Earlier, she told NAN that the government should assist patients with kidney problems financially because of the high cost of treatment. She noted that even after a kidney transplant, such patients still spent much money on drugs. “We require N186,000 every month for the procurement of drugs. “One of the drugs costs N40,000 for 50 capsules, and I take them three capsules in the morning and three in the evening; they last for eight days. “When I was on di-

alysis, we spent N40,000 every three days for dialysis; how can some families afford such money?” she asked. Oladeji urged the public to treat patients with kidney problems with love, and advised the patients to trust God that they would be healed. “I am very grateful to God and to the doctors for all their efforts, and also to my husband for donating his kidney,” she said. Mr Adisa Adeniji, the Chairman of the Itesiwaju Local Government Area of Oyo State, where the couple hailed from, said that the council had been giving them N100,000 monthly for the woman’s healthcare. He promised to continue the gesture until she stopped treatment.

he President of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said at the weekend that his organisation would construct a gas pipeline in Oyo State to ease the problem of electricity supply. He stated this shortly after paying a condolence visit to the Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, over the death of his mother, Alhaja Dhikrat Abeje Ajimobi, at the Government House in Ibadan. Dangote, who hinged his organisation’s resolve to construct the pipeline on the peaceful atmosphere existing in Oyo State, said that the project would enhance the establishment of a factory being planned by his conglomerate in the state. Describing the state as investor-friendly due to its large population and huge land mass, the business mogul said the establishment of the proposed factory would further the socioeconomic development of the state. “In terms of setting up an industry, this is a place we will like to come and invest because of the peaceful nature and we want to spread around; we don’t want to locate all our factories in one zone. “Land is not as expensive here (in Oyo State) as it is in Lagos; the only roadblock is the gas pipeline and it can be done and we will do it; we are going to talk to the Nigerian Gas Company and work together with the state government through Governor Ajimobi,” he said.

Evicted Makoko residents decry killing of their chief MURITALA AYINLA

mid tears, the displaced residents of Makoko Waterfront in Yaba Local Council Development Area of Lagos State yesterday narrated how the death of one of

their chiefs compounded their woes. One of their leaders, Chief Timothy Huntoyanwha, 51, was allegedly shot dead by a Marine Police Officer, Corporal Boma Peddle on Saturday while pacifying the demolition team not to pull down structures

beyond stipulated metre. When National Mirror visited the embattled community yesterday, the mood of the residents was gloomy as hundreds of them gathered around the family of the slain chief, who they all described as assistant Baale.

Few words were spoken as they were busy consoling the relatives of the deceased, who wept uncontrollably. Pained by the manner in which their kinsman was killed, some of the residents turned hostile to unknown faces, threaten-

ing to push anyone into the water. Speaking with National Mirror, the families of the slain chief said the brutal murder of their bread winner by the agent of government had aggravated their suffering as they were already displaced.

Fashola

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Monday, July 23, 2012

South East

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Communal crisis looms in Abia over chieftaincy tussle GEORGE OPARA ABIA

risis is brewing in Umuogele autonomous community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State over alleged attempt to impose a monarch on the people. There is growing fear in the community that the alleged attempt to impose a ruler over the people may lead to break down of law and order if nothing is done to stop it. Consequently, some people under the auspices of the Concerned Citizens of Umuogele, CCU, have called on Governor Theodore Orji, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and other relevant authorities to intervene and avert any breach of law and order. Mr. Chima Amaechi, who spoke for CCU accused a group of plotting to impose a traditional ruler on the community.

Though he did not name the group, Amaechi, who is also the chairman of the Umuaghamanya Development Union, Umuogele, explained that the community had a constitution which stipulated how a traditional ruler should be selected. Trouble began when some people disregarded the recommendations of the Constitution Review Committee and handpicked somebody now being paraded as a substantive traditional ruler of Umuogele community, a development Amaechi said was rejected by the majority of the people. According to him, Umuogele autonomous community is made up of seven villages, which he listed, ‘in order of seniority,’ as Umuaghamanya, Odukpiri/Ugocha, Umuizundu/Umuiwenma, Umeje, Umungburu Umuagwaoke and Umuamamehi. Amaechi said that the Constitution Review Committee had recommended

that Ezeship stool be occupied in order of seniority, to avoid unhealthy rivalry. He said: “In 2000, the amended Ezeship Constitution of Umuogele Autonomous Community provided that selection of an Eze in Umuogele should be in an order of seniority, starting from Umuaghamanya which is the most senior. “This orderly selection and installation was to avoid unhealthy rivalry and wrangling as well as bitterness and division among the people over who should be the Eze of the community. “The constitution also stated that the stool should be rotated among the villages and not hereditary. And that it shall be between the two major settlements of Umueteo and Ugwulagbo. Umueto comprises of three villages but Ugwulagbo comprises of four, making the number of villages seven.

Cross River: Without good roads, life is difficult –Communities

order communities in Cross River said the poor state of roads leading to their areas was making life more difficult for them and called on government to take urgent action to mitigate their suffering. The residents of Ibin Ere and Igoningoni communities, which border the state and Ebonyi, expressed their concern in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN. A farmer in Ibin Ere in Biase Local Government Area, Mr. Fidelis Ndep,

said the road leading to the community from Afikpo was in a very deplorable state. He said the community was usually cut off from the entire area during the rainy season. “In such situations, we remain here in this community without going to Afikpo market which is the only area we can buy things for our daily living,’’ Ndep said. He acknowledged that while the state government had been providing electricity, water and health

facilities around the communities, the lack of access roads was a fundamental problem. “Yes, we need all the other amenities. But I think that a good road network is also very necessary, because we need to interact with people outside our community,’’ the farmer added. Also speaking, a civil engineering contractor, Mr. David Utang, said lack of access roads to the community had contributed to the high cost of building a house in the area.

Gunmen attack Igbo leader in Anambra NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

he Ogirishi Igbo, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, at the weekend was attacked when gunmen trailed him to his house at Oba in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State and shot him. The incident, according to a source, occurred barely four hours after

Ezeonwuka saved a robbery suspect, who was identified as Uchechukwu Akajiume, from being lynched by a mob after he was arrested by members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB. According to the source, MASSOB leadership had become worried about the return of armed robberies, kidnap-

pings and motor park crises in the commercial city of Onitsha, which had claimed many lives and property in recent time. Consequently, the MASSOB leadership convened a joint meeting with the police, the State Security Services (SSS) and other relevant security agencies to fashion out ways of curbing the menace.

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South West

Monday, July 23, 2012

ACN sweeps Ogun LG poll as PDP, PPN kick FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ogun State has recorded victory in the local government election held at the weekend as it won 19 chairmanship seats of the 20 local governments in the state. The party also won 217 councillorship seats of the 236 wards, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won eight councillorship seats. The Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) won only one councillorship seat.

The result of Imeko Afon Local Government Area was withheld by the State Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) pending the determination of the court order in respect of the election in the area. Speaking after announcing the final results of the election in the 19 local governments, OGSIEC Chairman, Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, said that Certificate of Returns would be issued to the elected chairmen today at the commission’s office at Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, the state capital. But PDP and PPN rejected the results of the elec-

tion, describing them as a rape on democracy. Former Senior Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Political Matters, Dr. Gbolade Osinowo, called for the cancellation of the election, particularly in Ijebu North Local Government Area. Osinowo, who spoke yesterday with journalists at a PDP meeting held in Ijebu Igbo, said what happened within the last two days in Ogun State were “a brazen assault on democracy, perpetrated by people who have made a career of shouting that

Amosun

they are the champion of democracy”. He said the people of his area rejected the result announced by the State Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) chaired by Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi because

it was manipulated. Osinowo, a former chairman of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), added that copies of the result sheet signed on Form EC8 by the presiding officers in the 11 wards of Ijebu North Local Government indicated that PDP won the chairmanship seat with nine councillors, while the PPN won two councillorship seats. He however, described the incident as “massive and criminal rigging” which he said would be challenged at the Local Government Election Tribunal. Osinowo said: “What is worse is the nauseating hypocrisy ACN; these people discarded the voter register, used law enforcement agencies to snatch ballot papers, they shot at our people, they seized Form

EC8 and in effect, they willfully denied our people the right to choose their own leaders”. He further alleged that rather than declaring at ward levels as stipulated by the electoral guidelines, “OGSIEC went to Abeokuta and started dishing out fictitious results”. Also, the chairman of the PDP Caretaker Committee in the state, Ireti Oliyide, said the result of the election was not acceptable. The Bayo Dayo faction of the PDP described the local government election as an “elaborate sham”. The party, in a statement signed by its Director of Organisation, Segun Sowunmi, alleged that the election was characterised by mass rigging, ballot stuffing and other electoral irregularities.

PDP chairman petitions IGP for alleged harassment WALE FOLARIN OSOGBO

C Scene of an accident involving a trailer and five other vehicles in which a boy was killed and many injured at the Toll Gate area of Sango Ota in Ogun State, yesterday. PHOTO: BAYOOR EWUOSO

Eviction: Lawyer condemns killing of Makoko chief •Flays Lagos for using force on residents WALE IGBINTADE

uman rights lawyer Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa has condemned the alleged murder of the Baale of Makoko, Timothy Hunpoyanwa. Makoko is a slum in Lagos metropolis. A policeman, identified as Corporal Ekpo, allegedly shot and killed a Hunpoyanwa during the demolition of Makoko Waterfront authorised by the Lagos

State Government. In a statement issued by the lawyer entitled: “Cold Blooded Murder of Baale of Makoko,” he accused the Lagos State Government of using brute force to compel Makoko residents to vacate their residences that some of them have occupied for decades. Adegboruwa said that under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, every citizen of Nigeria has an inalienable right to life and the right cannot be taken arbitrarily.

He pointed out that other locations in Lagos that were previously sand filled by the Lagos State Government, such as Lekki Phase 1, Oniru Estate, Banana Island, Parkview, Ikoyi Foreshore, etc, are all flooded presently, without any solution for the residents. The lawyer added that the decision of the state government to forcibly evict Makoko residents without an order of a competent court of law was illegal and arbitrary. Adegboruwa said that in a democratic setting, there

is the need to adhere to due process of law at all times, adding that any decision that runs contrary to law must be resisted. He said a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos had, in suit No.FHC/L/ CS/300/2005, restrained the Lagos State Government from relocating, evicting or ejecting all timber dealers operating at the Abeokuta Street Foreshore. He urged the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice to probe the killing of the Baale.

Fashola urges voluntary compliance with law MURITALA AYINLA

agos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) at the weekend called for voluntary compliance with the law by residents, just as he expressed hope that the missing NTA presenter, Alhaji

Rasak Gawat, would soon be found by security operatives. Stressing the need for sustained vigilance as an essential aspect of security, Fashola asked Lagos residents to always be observant and conscious of developments in their neighbourhood.

He spoke at a gathering which included his deputy, Mrs. Adejoke OrelopeAdefulire, members of the state executive council, clerics and Islamic scholars at Alausa, Ikeja. Urging the people to discard the notion that it is only the government that should enforce law and or-

der, the governor said that his administration is committed to the enforcement of law and order. Fashola added that just as people can discern what is good from what is bad, people should desist from things that are bad and for which they won’t want to be caught.

hairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), M.D Abubakar, to investigate the alleged intimidation of members of his family by some chieftains of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In a petition addressed to the IGP, copies of which were made available to journalists, Olaoluwa alleged that the ACN chieftains used policemen to harass members of his family members over a parcel of land he bought from the Olorunda Local Government Area. He said after losing many cases filed against him by over the land, the

ACN chieftains resorted to the use of policemen to intimidate him and members of his family. Buttressing his allegation, Olaoluwa said that policemen from the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad (FCID) Annex, Adeniji Adele, Lagos, led by one Olaniyi, a Superintendent of Police, stormed his residence on Saturday and conducted a search even while he was away in Kano. He wondered why policemen should come all the way from Lagos to investigate a case of land dispute which is supposed to be a civil matter, even when the case is still pending in two courts in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. Olaoluwa wondered why policemen attached to the anti-robbery squad in Lagos should be involved in land matters in Osun State.

Seaman’s Schnapps partners Osun Osogbo Festival

n line with its brand positioning, Seaman’s Schnapps, a premium white spirit on the stable of Grand Oak Ltd has concluded plans to sponsor this year’s Osun Osogbo Festival. Making the disclosure at the formal media unveiling of the festival held at the Ikeja Airport Hotel, Category Manager of Grand Oak Ltd, Mr. Ayodeji Abiodun, said the decision to sponsor the popular yearly festival was not unconnected with the importance the brand

attached to it. Besides, he said Seaman’s Schnapps, the number one original prayer drink will be partnering on the festival because the brand is about culture and tradition, and as such the Osun Osogbo Festival provides relevant platform to associate and bond with key target audience. He further stated that the brand which represents enduring blessing cannot but identify with a festival like Osun Osogbo Festival.

South West

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Ekiti has no plan to sack workers –Commission ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

Burnt vehicles at the premises of Ibadan Distribution Centre of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, Ring road, after it was gutted by fire, yesterday.

Majority of sacked Oyo workers, guilty –Committee

he Ad-hoc committee constituted by the Oyo State House of Assembly to review the cases of 3,000 workers recently sacked by the state government said many of them had very bad cases. The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Segun Ajanaku, who said this in a statement issued in Ibadan at the weekend, disclosed that over 2,000 of the affected workers had so far appeared before his committee.

Ajanaku said from his committee’s findings, majority of the sacked workers were actually guilty of the offences that led to their disengagement from the civil service. The chairman said that about 70 per cent of those who had appeared before his committee were from Ibadan zone, while those from Ogbomoso and Oyo zones were fairly large in number, adding that those from Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa zones were very few. He said: “Some of the

sacked workers, having discovered that they have bad cases, decided not to appear before my committee. From our findings so far, we have discovered that so many of them are guilty of the offences they were said to have committed. “While some of them actually falsified their certificates, others, after being in service, went to acquire fake certificates probably to retain their jobs, get promoted or whatever reason. We also have cases of those who had

Police rescue Catholic priest from kidnappers in Ondo OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

he Ondo State Police Command said at the weekend that it had secured the release of a Lagos-based Catholic priest, Rev. Father Jude Gibah, from his captors. The priest was said to have been kidnapped on July 18 at Ofusu on the Ore

- Benin Expressway about 2.30a.m. on his way from Lagos to the eastern part of the country. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Adeniran Aremu, said in a statement that the hoodlums came out from the bush at a point where a construction company was carrying out a rehabilitation work and allegedly attacked the Nissan

Pathfinder ‘Jeep’ in which the cleric was travelling. According to the statement, the Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Danladi Mshelbwala, directed policemen in Ore and Ofosu to commence investigation into the abduction of the priest and drafted a team of detectives to fish out the kidnappers immediately he received the report of the incident.

NUC restores JABU’s licence HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

he authorities of Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, said at the weekend that the National Universities Commission, NUC, had restored the institution’s operating licence. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sola Fajana, who disclosed this at a press conference, said the licence was restored

after the university satisfied NUC’s requirements. Fajana explained that the institution had wound up all its part-time programmes, adding that all other recommendations stipulated by the regulatory body had been carried out. He said: “We were able to satisfy the NUC requirements after a series of meetings between the university and the commission, which eventually necessitated the

restoration of our licence. “The management of the university met several times with all the stakeholders from time to time during the period and every stakeholder of the institution was carried along on the development.” The VC said the institution had fashioned out an option for all its part-time students by converting the students to full time students.

stayed long in service and due for retirement but who falsified their ages in order to escape retirement.” Ajanaku, however, said that his committee was particularly concerned about the cases of those who were sacked on account of irregularities in the age written in their primary school testimonials, urging government to show compassion as most of the affected workers were not mature enough then to observe such irregularities.

May-June results not yet out –WAEC TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

he West African Examination Council, WAEC, has dispelled rumour that it had released its May/June Senior Secondary School Examination, saying it was yet to do so. The Head of Nigeria’s Office of the council, Mr. Iyi Uwadiae, who disclosed this in a statement at the weekend, said the council just finished marking of the examination scripts and was putting finishing touches to the collation of the results, which would be released next month. He urged candidates and the public not only to be wary of falling victim to the schemes of fraudsters but to also ignore any contrary information on the release of the results.

kiti State Local Government Service Commission, LGSC, said council workers in the state with valid certificates and clean records should not entertain fear over their jobs. The LGSC Chairman, Hon. Aderemi Ajayi, said the fact that councils in the state were discovered to have over-bloated workforce would not lead to workers’ sack. He, however, said the state government would take necessary punitive measures against those involved in fraudulent and shady practices to get promotion or stay on the job. Ajayi told journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, at the weekend that the commission would sanction the 45 local government officials that were wrongly promoted to higher and unmerited positions under the past administrations.

He said: “It was so embarrassing that these workers most of who were school certificate holders, who ordinarily should not be promoted beyond level 07 going by the scheme of service, wriggled their ways to level 14. “Some among them even manipulated two cadres, junketing between the Store Keeping and Accounting Cadres, just to ensure that they got a basis for promotion beyond the statutorily recognised level 07 and no government will tolerate this absurdity. “The immediate past government detected all these absurdities, but lacked the political will to effect the needed changes as a way of restructuring the local governments in the state.” Dismissing the rumour that LGSC officials were employing some job-seekers through the backdoor, Ajayi said the body had not employed any applicant since the present board was inaugurated.

...Fayemi threatens to revoke road contracts over delay ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

ontractors handling various road projects in Ekiti State face the risk of having their contracts revoked if they cannot stick to the deadline for delivery. Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi, who said he would not give room for any excuse for slow pace of work or non-performance, asked the contractors to give the state government a guarantee that they would meet the target date or face revocation of their contracts. The governor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti at the weekend during a meeting with contractors, said work needed to be expedited on the roads to ease flow of traffic. The contractors handling Ijigbo - Ilawe Road, Ikogosi Ipole Iloro Road and Ijan - Ise Road promised to deliver the projects in September while the contractor handling Odo Owa - Oke Ila Road, said he had completed the road and was ready to hand it over to the government. The contractor handling the Ado – Iworoko – Ifaki

Fayemi

Road promised to complete the job in October, while the one handling the Okemesi Itawure Road was given two months to finish the remaining 2.5km for the road to be completed. Fayemi urged those still doing earth works to put in more effort so that the rains would not delay the jobs and encouraged those laying asphalt to speed up because Ekiti people were eager to see the roads deliver to them. The governor promised that he would continue to monitor progress on the roads and assured of his readiness to assist any contractor faced with unforeseen major challenges.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Impeachment threat: Will Reps go the whole hog?

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Politics

APGA crisis: Why we’re after er Umeh – Masalaa 14

‘Jonathan must resign for lacking capacity to govern’ to resign hfrom office as he lacks the capacity to bring the ship of the nation back on course. Addressing a press conference at his church auditorium, Bakare observed that with the prevalent sad events in the country, occasioned by corruption, insecurity, hunger and poverty, the next general

elections may come before 2015. This is even as he described the President as “victim of circumstance.” He thereby advised the President to take the most honourable path out of three paths out of office by resigning before the two other paths fling him out of office, warning that the other two paths were

spiced with ignominy. “The purpose of any meaningful government is the welfare and security of the people,” Bakare reminded, regretting that “in our clime, neither welfare nor security of lives and property seems to matter anymore.” Bakare, who asserted that the high level of cor-

totally sold to good public.” He therefore advised the President to fix the country or get ready for divine intervention or impeachment saying “it did not come to me as a surprise at all, when two days ago, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila cited Section 143 of the 1999 constitution, saying that any action of the President defined as ‘great misconduct’ by the National Assembly was sufficient ground to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.” Proffering solution to the catalogue of scandalous mismanagement of national resources, Bakare called for a change of guards. This, he said, has become necessary as the President has openly admitted that the security situation in the country has changed his pre-election agenda.

L-R: Governors Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Peter Obi (Anambra); Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) and Theodore Orji (Abia) after the South-East governors’ meeting in Enugu, yesterday.

ruption in the nation has called for a change of guard, blamed Jonathan’s administration for not seeing the link between corruption and violence, warning that “a time would come when the poor would have nothing to eat but the rich.” He asserted that “it is simple logic that when a corrupt leader is in office he corrupts those he leads, and wondered whether “a corrupt compliant ruler can really lead a corrupt free country,” saying: “If positive change will ever come to our clime, it will not be engineered by those benefitting without conscience from the present cesspool of corruption.” He said it would come “from a new breed without greed and radical opposition to corruption and those not infected by present corruption malaise and from positive agents of social change who are

…CNPP backs Reps’ impeachment threat

Aliyu’s COS denies guber ambition

SINA FADARE

ice presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 election and pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly, Dr. Tunde Bakare, yesterday advised President Goodluck Jonathan

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

he Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has thrown its weight behind the resolution of the House of Representatives last Thursday that President Goodluck Jonathan either implements the 2012 Appropriation Act 100 per cent by September or face impeachment. The CNPP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu and made available to National Mirror, said that the resolution was “patriotic, germane and timely,” adding that “the violation of the Appropriation Act, especially when the money is there, is tantamount to violation of the social contract between the government and the people.” The House resolution had disclosed that so far, the 2012 Appropriation

Act had only been 30 per cent implemented. The CNPP said that it is imperative that the Federal Government hearken to the lawmakers’ call because over the years, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led Federal Government has, in spite of unprecedented oil revenue failed to advance the welfare of Nigerians, a development which it claimed brought about the Boko Haram insurgence, kidnapping and other social vices. It said: “We are at a loss how the gross unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure and decadence of social services can be addressed without the implementation of the budget. Or is it the Boko Haram insurgence, as President Jonathan claimed, that is distracting the government from implementing the budget?” Okechukwu said that

the government has no excuse for not implementing the budget fully, since the price of oil, which in its wisdom, the government has pegged at $72 per barrel has been hovering between $90 and $100. Recalling with nostalgia how the $43 billion saved in the Federation Account in the years preceding 2007 by former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, under the

same guise of non-implementation and pegging of budget was fleeced off without any infrastructure to show for it, the CNPP said that: “Is it not a shame that during late General Sani Abacha’s regime when the oil price hovered between $15 and $18 per barrel, the regime’s project profile execution towers above that of the government of the day?”

he Chief of Staff to Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Prof. Muhammed Kuta Yahaya has dismissed the report that he is interested in succeeding his boss in 2015. A national daily had at the weekend reported that “Prof. Yahaya is being prepared for the governorship seat in 2015, a development which may pitch the governor against

PDP lambasts Fashola over Makoko demolition OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

he Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the manner and timing of the demolition of Makoko community by the Lagos State government, an action which it said also led to the death of the community’s traditional ruler. In a press statement

signed by the PDP state Publicity Secretary, Taofik Gani, the PDP opines that the eviction and demolition exercise was more of destruction than correction, adding: “It lacked human feelings and indeed violates human rights. The Lagos State government’s decision to evict the Makoko residents from their abode and occupation is very callous, especially at this time of heavy rain-

falls. The residents are now helpless with no alternative accommodation provided by the state government, thus confirming the insensitivity of the government in its policies.” The PDP called on Governor Babatunde Fashola to ensure that the evicted residents are properly accommodated and that the resultant death of the ruler is investigated and the culprit brought to book.

some powerful retired generals in the state, who have a different game plan for the 2015 race.” But in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday, Yahaya said the current speculation is a façade, meant to divert public attention, emphasising that for now, he is concentrating on helping his principal to deliver on the promises he made to the electorate. Yahaya said the report is a figment of the imagination of its authors or at best the opinion of some individuals planted in the media to cause disaffection within the state. He said God is the ultimate decider of who becomes what, just as he cautioned media practitioners to be wary of persons who may want to use their outfits for selfish gains. Yahaya said he remains committed to his present assignment and would not be distracted by any unsubstantiated report in the media.

Politics

Monday, July 23, 2012

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APGA crisis: Why we’re after Umeh – Masala Alhaji Sadiq Masala, suspended Deputy National Chairman and now factional Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) speaks with OBIORA IFOH on what led to the emergence of his faction and why Chief Victor Umeh was removed. Excerpts:

the so called 36 chairmen, not all of them are chairmen; most of them were handpicked to represent some states. This is a man who has never visited one state since he came to power, to see how he can improve the party other than Imo and Anambra states. Most of these people attended meeting with us here last Sunday and the communiqué he showed you that was signed by the chairmen was only an attendance record which he now fraudulently attached as signatories.

Nigerians would want to know why you chose to factionalise APGA. What are your grouses for breaking out from the main group? We did not break out from the main group of APGA.What happened was that we called for a meeting and looked at the excesses of our erstwhile chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, who is now suspended and we realised that he is a dictator, because he took the party as Umeh and co, not as a national party as it is supposed to be. So, for that reason, we decided to suspend him and we have continued to look at things and we came up with 13 questions that we raised that he must answer and he has not answered them. We set up a seven-man committee to give him a fair hearing and he failed to appear before the committee and we still extended the date of the invitation and he still failed to appear. This shows that he does not believe in internal democracy that is enshrined in our constitution, because if he does, he should have honoured the invitations, answer the questions on the points raise and disabuse the minds of the general public and then we move forward on how we can strengthen our party. We are not out to destabilise the party, but to check the excesses of two individuals who have chosen to transform the party to their personal company.

Is there any truth in the allegations that Governor Peter Obi has been funding your faction? Well, if he has problem with Governor Obi, let them solve it together, they are from the same Agulu, I am from Jos and we happened to come to this party by the grace of Chief Chekwas Okorie, who transversed the whole country looking for people to come together with the same idea of progressives and that is how we came into the party. Before and after the registration of the party, Umeh was not there; he came from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when he was not allowed to contest in the PDP. When he joined APGA, he created confusion and that misled us to sack our chairman who had done so much for the development of democracy in Nigeria. But only last year, when I realised the mistake we made, I went to apologise to Okorie and it was since then that this movement of removing Umeh started. So, our actions have nothing to do with Peter Obi; he is not sponsoring us.

You continue to say ‘we’, who are these we? Does the constitution of your party give you the power to summon the national chairman to such a panel? Yes, the constitution is very clear about that. It states that one-third of the National Working Committee members can summon the chairman and we are more than one-third. So, our action is in consonance with the provision of the party’s constitution. And when we did that, it was with fair mind to resuscitate the party, to see where we are lagging behind and to see that our people are carried along in the affairs of our party and not just two people determining everything without the knowledge of the entire body. One-third of the NWC will amount to about 10 persons but Umeh has consistently maintained that it was just about five members of the NWC that attempted to remove him by force? Umeh is a knight and I expect him to always be honest and to say the truth at all times. We are having more than the number and he knows it, but when the time comes we will showcase our strength. What are the alleged sins of Umeh for which you want him out?

Masala

We sold forms in Anambra and Imo states and other states of which he, Umeh admitted at our NEC meeting that we realised over N450 million, but he decided on his own to expend these monies without recourse to the National Working Committee or NEC or even the caucus. There are many states that needed assistance, such as states that we are not very strong in; some states have rents and bills to pay, we needed to buy vehicles for some other states for mobilisation and other use, but Umeh carried on alone without consulting anybody, spending the money as if it was his personal business. That is why we thought we should call him to order, to give us the account of how these monies were spent and with whose approval. A party is a public institution and everything therein should be open but between the two of them, they kept everything in secrecy. When we look at his laisser-faire’s attitude to the party, because he was only thinking of Anambra alone and you know APGA is a national party. Even in Anambra, look at how we lost three senate seats, he could not do something to help the party, rather he was busy thinking of how to grab. His performance has been lack-lus-

tre and he has ruined the party. Can you compare APGA’s performance in 2007 and in 2011? It is a shame. If not for God that brought Rochas Okorocha, who used his connections and popularity to fight PDP and win Imo State governorship election, it would have been a disaster. So, that is why we called on all those who believe in our course and we look at things point by point and we saw that if we allow these issues to just go, the party would just crumble and he would not care, because he has already enriched himself with party funds and as such he would not mind if the party dies. But it seems that Umeh enjoys the support base of the members, because few days ago, both APGA members in the National Assembly and 36 states APGA chairmen paid him a solidarity visit, where does that leave your faction? The National Assembly members did not go there for solidarity, because we are in touch with them, rather they went there on fact-finding mission so that there would be peace in the party. He only took the opportunity to lie to the general public. Did they make any statement? Even

HE COULD NOT DO SOMETHING TO HELP THE

PARTY, RATHER HE WAS BUSY THINKING OF HOW TO GRAB.

HIS PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN LACKLUSTRE AND HE HAS RUINED THE PARTY. CAN YOU COMPARE APGA’S PERFORMANCE IN 2007 AND IN 2011? IT IS A SHAME

Now that Umeh failed to honour the invitation you extended to him, what next and will you be part of the NEC of July 24? We have already set up a seven-man committee headed by Barrister Bala Bako and they are turning in their report and we will move their report to the NEC so that the next line of action will be taken. As regards the in-coming NEC, as far as we are concerned, Umeh is suspended and therefore, he has no right to convene any meeting as such meeting holds no water, it is illegal and null and void. There are rules and regulations controlling a political party and all the parties in Nigeria through the Electoral Act and we are in conformity with these laws and we are appropriately guided by our team of lawyers. We are on course. As for the two governors, all of them are on the fence; they have neither identified with Umeh nor with us, but it is during our NEC that the true picture will be clear. What about the peace process being touted by some stakeholders? The peace process that some people are agitating is welcomed; if they invite us we will go and put our conditions on the table, because in your wildest imagination, have you ever seen somebody washing his dirty linen in the public? It is unfortunate to see Umeh attacking his governor, knowing full well the reason why the local government elections were not conducted in Anambra State and thereby scandalising his own party. You see, everybody is talking of peace, but nobody is talking of justice, let there be justice because if there is justice, peace will certainly come.

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Politics

Monday, July 23, 2012

How potent is the threat by the House of Representatives to impeach President Jonathan over failure to completely implement the 2012 Appropriation Act? Asks TORDUE SALEM.

IMPEACHMENT THREAT

Will Reps go the whole hog?

he House of Representatives last Thursday adopted a prayer by its Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila of Lagos State, to remove President Goodluck Jonathan if he failed to implement the 2012 Appropriation Act 100 per cent by September. The National Assembly is empowered by section 143 to remove a President or his Vice, if any of them is seen to have acted wrongly in the opinion of the National Assembly. The section states: “The President or Vice President may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section.“ But the road to impeachment is very tedious and can be extremely bumpy. Subsection 2, for instance, states that: “Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing, signed by not less than one-third of the members of the National Assembly and it is presented to the President of the Senate, stating the holder of the office of President or Vice President is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified, the President of the Senate shall within seven days of the receipt of the notice, cause a copy thereof to be served on the holder of the office and on each member of the National Assembly, and shall also cause any statement made in reply to the allegation by the holder of the office to be served on each member of the National Assembly.” Sub-section 3 states that: “Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the President of the Senate (whether or not any statement was made by the holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice) each House of the National Assembly shall resolve by motion without any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated.” Sub-section 4 states: “A motion of the National Assembly that the allegation be investigated shall not be declared as having been passed, unless it is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly.” According to sub-section 5, “Within seven days of passing of a motion under the foregoing provision, the Chief Justice of Nigeria shall at the request of the President of the Senate appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this section.” Sub-section 6 added: “The holder of an office whose conduct is being investigated under this section shall have the right to defend himself in person and be represented before the panel by legal practitioners of his own choice.” Sub-sections 7, 8, 9 and 10 also provided that: “A panel provided appointed under this section shall have such powers and exercise its functions in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the National Assembly and within three

Jonathan

Tambuwal

I AM AT A LOOSE END AS TO WHY A GOVERNMENT OF TRANSFORMATION WOULD DENY THE PEOPLE THE GOOD

LIFE, BY REFUSING TO IMPLEMENT THE BUDGET months of its appointment report its findings to each House of the National Assembly. Where the panel reports to each house of the National Assembly that the allegation has not been proved, no further proceedings shall be taken in respect of the matter. “Where the report of the panel is that the allegation against the holder of the office has been proved, then within 14 days of receipt of the report, each House of the National Assembly shall consider the report, and if by a resolution of each house of the National Assembly supported by not less than two-thirds majority of all its members, the report of the panel is adopted, then the holder of the office shall stand removed from office as from the date of the adoption. “No proceedings or determination of the National Assembly or any matter relating thereto shall be entertained or questioned in court.” Sub-section 11 of section 143 however explains that: “Gross misconduct means a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion of the National Assembly to gross misconduct.” The Minority Leader, whose position received an overwhelming endorsement and a standing ovation by majority of the lawmakers, regretted that the president was in negligence of his prime obligation of implementing the Act which would have

addressed the parlous state of infrastructure and the economy of the country. “The President, by failing to implement the budget as passed by this honourable House, violates the 1999 Constitution and is therefore, liable to be impeached under section 143 of the 1999 Constitution,” Gbajabiamila warned. While laying the premise for the impeachment onslaught, the Minority Leader said though he respected the President’s personality, the House needed to mete out the penalty as a deterrent to leaders who enjoyed flouting the laws. He was, however, forcefully interrupted by a colleague that represents President Jonathan in the House, before he could finish his submission. Hon. Karibo Nadu Soalaboye (PDP/Bayelsa) on three occasions in the course of Gbajabiamila’s speech, interrupted with a point of order to press that Gbajabiamila was veering off course, by demanding an impeachment of the President, when he should lay the issue of budget squarely on the table of the Ministry of Finance. Though Soalaboye’s order was sustained, amid a row, the Speaker allowed Gbajabiamila’s prayer to be concluded and subsequently adopted. Earlier in his position, Gbajabiamila, recalled that: “We were introduced to what the President called the 2012 Budget, a budget of transformation, but what we have in our hands, is a budget of abracadabra, a budget of voodoo economics. The President is not doing any member of this August body a favour, if he implements the budget.” He said “rather than implement the budget, as passed, the President has set up a funny committee headed by a managing director of a bank that gives loans to oil marketers.” According to him, “I am at a loose end as to why a government of transformation would deny the people the good life, by refusing to implement the budget.” The impeachment threat came on the heels of a motion titled: ‘Non-Implementation of the 2012 Budget,’ sponsored by Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP/Taraba) and 20 others.

The motion recalled that the “2012 National Budget was passed with an aggregate expenditure figure of N4.887 trillion, including the N180 billion for Subsidy Re-Investment Programme (SURE)”, but regretted that despite huge earnings from agencies of government in the 1st and 2nd quarters, ministries, under the supervision of the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, the Federal Government is yet to implement the budget up to 35 per cent. The motion enjoyed a robust debate from over 20 chairmen of key committees, such as those of Appropriations, Finance, Works, Agriculture, Customs, Gas, Petroleum (Upstream) among several others. In his contribution, Hon. John Enoh (PDP/Cross River), the Chairman of Appropriations Committee, said based on the $72 per barrel benchmark of the budget and the surpassing crude pricing internationally, the government had more than enough money, including surpluses to implement the Act. Enoh said: “The 2012 Budget ought to have been implemented without any issues, but less than 35 per cent of the budget has been implemented,” since its passage into law last year, adding that “the excuses for lack of the implementation of budgets since 1999 were not good enough.” In his submission, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Hon. Abdulmumuni Jibril (PDP/Kano), said from the committee’s sector-by-sector finding, the Federal Government has enough money in its kitty to implement every item in the budget, warning against what he described as “misleading reports” that the government was broke. He told the House, that the Finance Committee uncovered that for the month of May alone, the executive claimed to have granted a waiver of N139 billion, even when it claimed earlier that waivers will be suspended. The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Customs and Excise Duty, Hon. Kingsley Chinda, also corroborated the position of Hon. Enoh that Customs alone had generated in the last two quarters enough money to cure the N1.3 trillion deficit in the 2012 Budget, as his colleague, Hon. Bassey Ewa (PDP/Cross River), maintained that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, was keeping secret accounts abroad. Ewa lamented that secret accounts were a sinister way by agencies to frustrate yearly budgets. The Chairman, House Committee on Loans and Debts, Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi (ACN/Osun), disclosed that despite huge earnings, the local debt profile of the country stood at over N360 billion and is still counting. Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi (PDP/Enugu) regretted that a presidential clique was attempting to “decide what to release and what not to release, hiding under the alibi that they do not have the capacity to implement the budget”. There is no doubt that the Appropriations Act is the most important piece of legislation, second only to the Constitution of any constitutional democracy. The House CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Politics

CHINEDU NNANNA

nambra State is a constant in the news circle in Nigeria since 1999 with the most recent outing being the storm raised by the analysis of the state’s budget by erstwhile Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nasir El-Rufai. The zeal with which the people of the state and other Nigerians alike delved into contributing to this latest argument is a reflection of how seriously people take matters about this state. The incumbent governor, Peter Obi’s stay in office set precedence not just for Anambra State but for the entire country as a court ruling on the duration of his tenure is now a reference point. Obi’s brief exit from office provided the opportunity for Andy Uba to set the record as the governor with the shortest stay in office at two weeks. In the past, Anambra was in the news when Governor Peter Obi’s predecessor, Dr Chris Ngige was abducted in the wake of a disagreement with his godfather. Politics aside, what is at the heart of these events that constantly place Anambra State in the news is the people’s yearning for development, albeit defined differently under each administration. Arguably, the tone for this was first set under the administration of Dr. Chiwonke Mbadinuju, who had the unenviable task of building the state immediately after military rule, thus the challenges he inherited are markedly different from those faced by the subsequent administrations.

Security The Anambra inherited by Mbadinuju was a jungle both in terms of physical infrastructure and security. He came at a time when the state was unstable and at a time when the greatest challenge was to remedy the chaotic state of affairs left behind by the military. At this time, there was no certainty that democracy would take root, given the history of truncated civil rule that Nigerians were used to at that time. It therefore fell on him to restore the confidence of Anambra people in democracy after years of military dictatorship that saw the state, like other Nigerian states coming under military administrators. Today, it is common place to try and assess this era against the backdrop of projects but for the discerning minds, the first task of that era was to restore to the people a sense of identity, self-worth and honour. At this time, the insecurity, mostly symptomised by robberies, was bad enough to be killing off business prospects and investment opportunities in the state. The Anambra Vigilante Services (AVS) better known as Bakassi Boys was a nouvelle concept to fight a crime wave that inundated the statutory security agencies. Backing the existence of AVS with legislation was a masterstroke that could have been further refined, particularly as states in Nigeria today continue to clamour for the emergence of state police but remain hampered by the constitution. Some communal crises, like the Aguleri and Umuleri crisis that had lasted more than half a century were also resolved under the administration of Mbadinuju. Umuoba and Amam crisis was also successfully resolved under his watch. The status of the state improved to

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Anambra: From Mbadinuju to Obi

Obi

Mbadinuju

such extent that Anambra State came first clinching the gold trophy in a national competition of the thirty six states of the country as being the best secured state in Nigeria, in fulfilment of the section of the constitution that made security and welfare the primary function of government. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who handed the trophy over to the then Anambra State governor noted the contributions of the Bakassi Boys at that time, saying that it was then possible to visit Awka, the state capital by day and by night. “I have come, I have seen, I have heard and I am satisfied with what I saw on the ground,” were the epic words Obasanjo used to describe the progress of Anambra at that time.

lished the school and built its first campus. It is also on record that Mbadinuju’s administration was the first in Anambra State to introduce free and compulsory education. The immediate impact of this was that Anambra State produced the best results in Physics and Chemistry at the Ordinary Levels.

Welfare While the Mbadinuju administration cannot lay much claim to creating jobs, he however started off, his administration was to clear the three months arrears of workers’ salaries and even set the benchmark of workers receiving their salary on the 27th of every month.

Education The administration of Obi has been able to improve on the stability of education in the state, expanded the state owned university and even expanded it by adding two campuses. The groundwork for these was first laid by Mbadinuju, who estab-

Infrastructure Today, the state gets monthly statutory federal allocations ranging between four and six billion naira, hence the harsh review that the present government got from El-Rufai. What accrues to the state has not always been this significant. For example, Mbadunuju’s government was getting about N700 million monthly out of which more than N583 was spent on workers. The situation raises questions as to whether there was a conspiracy to make the state fail under a particular governor by starving it of federal allocations since this same state started getting allocations running into billions of naira within a short time after the ouster of Mbadinuju. This did not, however, completely stop the execution of projects as the Media Tour under the then Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, with the then Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) President, now Senator Smart Adeyemi, gave a positive rating to the state. President Obasanjo, as critical as he was of the performance of state governors, equally lauded the administration.

Today, Anambra consistently features in the news as a state where democracy is yet to deliver any dividends. Critics of Mbadinuju have to a great extent succeeded in portraying his government as inept at performing. Indeed, the Jerry Ganaled inspection tour was an eye opener as the criticism of non-performance against Mbadinuju failed with the conclusion of the media tour, as the team saw and reported a governor making genuine efforts to radically, physically, spiritually and mentally transform the state. Mbadinuju was the one who advanced oil exploration further and acquired necessary licence to go into full oil production. It can thus be said to his credit that he was instrumental to Anambra State getting on the list of oil producing states. It is noteworthy that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the then chairmanship of Chief Audu Ogbe had promised automatic second term ticket to governors on its platform, such that those who became governors in 1999 would get the opportunity to run and possibly stay in office till 2007. This form the basis on which many still question the propriety of not allowing a governor that did so much to fly his party’s flag in 2003. It is apparent that the tenure of Mbadinuju was a period that laid down the groundwork for the contemporal Anambra State. This groundwork is the template that now defines the concept of “performance” in the state and beyond. For clarity, Ngige came in and embarked on expanding infrastructure. This saw significant swathe of Anambra State being opened up as roads were built in places that only initially have earth roads. The first tenure of Peter Obi further consolidated on this. The next logical stage is to focus on employment generation since some basics are now in place by way of infrastructure. Perhaps it is on the strength of this that El-Rufai made the assessment that brewed the most recent storm that kept Anambra State in the news. The state will continue to be in the news because the people of Anambra and friends of Anambra will continue to demand stewardship and accountability from their leaders knowing full well how the journey began. Dr. Nnanna is an Abuja based Public Affairs Analyst

Will Reps go the whole hog? CONTINUED FROM 15 and the Senate has hammered on this since 2009. As already noted, there are several encumbrances stacked in the way of the impeachment. Besides the socio-political realities of the country, the exercise will guzzle a lot of money, time and has the capacity of grounding virtually all activities in the country. But this would, however not be the first time the House or any arm of the National Assembly will be threatening to impeach a president. Anyim Pius Anyim, former Senate President, now Secretary to the Government

of the Federation (SGF), initiated an impeachment move against former President Olusegun Obasanjo, although the move faltered before it advanced. Also, in 2005, the House, under Aminu Bello Masari as Speaker, also initiated the move led by Hon. Bashir Nadabo (Katsina/ ANPP) to begin impeachment proceedings against Obasanjo. Most threats to impeach Presidents in parliament have come as a result of poor implementation of budgets. It is instructive however to note that for any lawmaker worth his salt to executive any constituency projects, whether Millenium Development Goal (MDGs) projects

or any other, the budget must be properly implemented. Indeed, the nation is watching the unfolding events between the House’s lawmakers. But in some cases, the National Assembly has also been called to answer to the proper implementation of its budgets, which continued to be skewed in favour of recurrent. The impeachment threat in the House this time, like previous ones against his predecessors, from experience is simply meant to scare Jonathan into action and may be nothing more. But again, times have changed, so the Presidency may have to sit up or have a surprise sprung on it.

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Views

Monday, July 23, 2012

Oshiomhole’s next battle HeartBeat

CALLISTUS

OKE

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY)

n this column last May 7, the piece, Between Oshiomhole and Edo political cabal, was my treatise on the vicious power struggle in my dear Edo State. In it I unveiled the political forces locked in a titanic battle for the soul of the state, and of course, I make a prediction on how the July 14 Big Decision would go. The piece earned me enemies, particularly from those living in the self delusion that the backing of the federal might would assure the PDP victory on the D-Day. The day of the Big Decision is now history. The vanquished are ruing their misfortunes. One thing is sure, the reendorsement of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was done with such an uncommon finality and panache. Indeed all Nigerians shared with him the moment of glory! However, the teleological touch that came with my disquisition has pressurized me into sharing once again with you some abstracts from that piece. For the

July 14 elections I had said: Two broad based coalitions would square up. Governor Adams Oshiomhole leads the godly coalition and popular imagination is that he has the majority of the people lined up behind him. On the other hand, Chief Tony leads, what I call, the ungodly coalition made up of members of the ancien regime that want to take the state back to the era of rape and ruinous politics. On the ongoing revolution in the state, I had this to say: Then entered Hurricane Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in November 2008. Ever since, the political kingdom that is Edo has suffered much positive violence of recreation and regeneration. He has brought new meaning to government and set new political benchmarks for governance…It is this purposeful and focused collective that the opposition PDP wants to confront on July 14. On the turbulent build up to July 14, I had written: Violence or not, it is suffice to say that the people are repository of the state’s gubernatorial power and whoever wants to exercise that power must derive the legitimacy from a flawless process which would be transparently obvious to all and sundry. Edo electorate are too civilized to endorse a blood mandate. It might be true that the political history of the state is plagued with chicaneries, disputations and intrigues, all the handiwork of politicians who diverted from the path of right conduct to tread an evil path where uncon-

THE CURRENT EXIGENCY IN EDO

POLITICS IMPLIES HE HAS TO PERSONALLY NURTURE THE REVOLUTION HE HAS STARTED IN THE STATE scionable tactics are deployed to capture political power. On the spirituality of the Comrade Governor’s mandate, I wrote: A new political sun has emerged; Comrade Oshiomhole represents its luster and bristle. The light from this sun is seen and felt everywhere in the state. Even the gods of the three senatorial districts into which the state is divided are in agreement that the big God to whom all defer sent Oshiomhole to liberate the state. And finally on my prediction of victory for the incumbent governor, I had said: I do not possess the power of an oracle, I only reconstruct realities from my reading of unfolding events. The PDP needs to perform self cleansing rites to get the needed endearments from the people. Comrade Oshiomhole, has through stellar performance, got the endorsement of the broad spectrum of Edo people. Is it no more true that the voice of the people is the voice of God? The ver-

dict of July 14 will again settle this. For me, all of these highlighted depositions place enormous burden on Governor Oshiomhole to leave up to the expectation of not only Edo people, but also all his numerous supporters across the nation. Edo’s war of liberation has many dimensions. The first dimension is to get an arrowhead. This is what Comrade Oshiomhole is. Another essential dialectic of the struggle is to build leadership cells from the ward to the state level from which future leaders of the state would emerge. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing that beautifully well in the South West. His protégé in Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, emerged as his successor after a well rehearsed process of grooming. In all the states under his control in the South West, succession templates already exist and awaiting execution. If Governor Oshiomhole has not trained his mind on succession plan, now is the time to begin. He might belong to the ACN family, the current exigency in Edo politics implies he has to personally nurture the revolution he has started in the state lest history would unkindly treat him. He must strive not to make Edo a rotten apple waiting to be picked by any passerby. The nation’s deep leadership crisis is a product of eclectic approach to succession. Who will Oshiomhole hand over the mantle to? Now is the time to begin the process.

Oshiomhole and second-term slumberbug

uccess is easier to achieve than maintain. Climbing to the top is tough, but maintaining stability on mountaintop in the face of admixture of cool breeze and violent storms is tougher. The cool breeze lulls to sleep and precedes a fall far easier than a storm that keeps one alert on mountaintop. Experience has shown that state governors catch the slumberbug, a sleeping-on-duty sickness peculiar to Nigeria, as governors go to sleep when the electorate vote them back to power to continue what they believe to be good work. The slumberbug is similar to the insect bug that afflicts man, leading to elephantiasis or extra-large feet and sleeping sickness. After performing well in the first term of four years, some governors thereafter the slumberbug, get immobilizing elephantine clay feet; rest on their oars and the electorate start wondering the wisdom of endorsing second term of four years, largely wasted in profligate junketing and idleness. That is why some have advocated the scrapping of second term in the Constitution. Indeed, President Goodluck Jonathan is an advocate of single term tenure of six or seven years. In the outset of his second term tenure, Lagos state governor Babs Fashola was accused of catching the slumberbug. Some observers noticed and voiced that the governor had slowed down the momentum of public works. Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, a.k.a., Oshio, by now should halt second-term victory feast, get back to work to consolidate on his first term in order to be eligible for greater national assignment that providence provides. It is instructive that President Goodluck

Jonathan threw away partisan garment to acknowledge Oshio’s victory by performance and getting the electorate high on the gin of better life: roads, water, etc. Presijo is reinventing the politics without bitterness espoused by the late politician,c Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim. Presijo has since been counseling his party to discard do-or-die politics of using incumbency and control of the instruments of coercion to rig for the ruling party. Whether Presijo’s party heeds counsel to allow internal democratic values to prevail and to field first eleven quality candidates, instead of third eleven candidates, who can deploy stolen public commonwealth to buy votes and electoral officers and security agents, what concerns me if for Oshio to dislodge remnants of opposition support in Esanland. Esanland is essentially agricultural; lacking drinkable water and so needs roads to open up farmlands to retrieve produce to cit centers, mini cottage agro industries to process produce into semi processed goods, water boreholes for health, electricity transformers to extend electricity supply, all of which will engage idle hands in productive ventures. Oshio has to refrain from the reprisal antics of foolish politicians who repay non-supporting communities with denial of projects. Woo opposition remnants with more goodies, not denials. Statewide, however, Oshio needs to exploit maximally the agricultural potentials for which Edo has comparative advantage. Unknown to many, Edo is a marginal oilproducing state and receives the least oilderivation revenues amongst South-South states. Oshio has to revive abandoned

OSHIO NEEDS TO EXPLOIT MAXIMALLY THE AGRICULTURAL POTENTIALS FOR WHICH

EDO HAS

COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE rice mills and open up road access to riceproducing communities to produce and market nationwide the famed Ekpoma rice. Sometime in 1998, I bought stone-free, chaff-free, delicious, and nutritious Ekpoma rice bagged in 50 kilograms bags and marketed in specific retail outlets in Kaduna. Ekpoma rice, Ofada rice and Abakaliki rice have far better nutritional values than the washed rice imported from Thailand reputed to likely cause type-2 diabetes. A branded, milled, and processed rice from Edo is possible within one year to boost the image of the heartbeat of the nation. It was done before and can be done again. Rice milling and branding is not rocket science. Opening up the rice fields with roads and other incentives to return to farms and encouraging rice milling would engage idle hands, check ruralurban migration, and socioeconomic crimes. Oshio should set the pace to make Edo the rice basket of the nation. This is achievable in three years max with diligent planning. Kwara state is already ahead of Edo in rice cultivation

Roadmap SONI EHI

ASUELIMEN

soniasuelimen@yahoo.com, 08023459055 (SMS ONLY)

and processing. A public-private partnership with a Spanish firm is cultivating 20,000 acres for a rice milling cultivation, milling and packaging project worth N70 billion, bankrolled by domestic GTB and foreign investors. Another incentive for Edo is the intention of federal government to ban importation of rice soon, as well as the Rice Levy Fund, which investors may exploit. Federal government too is setting up 100 rice mills to drastically reduce dependence on rice imports on which Nigeria wastes over N155 billion every year. A PDP FG is likely to fail to deliver, which is why Edo should be proactive to reenact marketing of milled rice. My advice to ex Edo Gov. Lucky Igbinedion to reinvent Edo rice marketing instead of coming to Lagos to supervise delivery of imported rice, was unheeded. 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.

Editorial

Monday, July 23, 2012

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

STEVE AYORINDE



MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

YELE AKINROLABU

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ED OPERATIONS

SEYI FASUGBA

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DAILY EDITOR

BOLAJI TUNJI

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SUNDAY EDITOR

GBEMI OLUJOBI

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SATURDAY EDITOR

LANRE OYETADE

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GENERAL EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA

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COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

ADESOYE ADEKOYA

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CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION

CALLISTUS OKE

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EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE

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ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

KAYODE BALOGUN JNR

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SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

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HEAD, GRAPHICS

First female CJN and public expectation

ollowing President Goodluck Jonathan’s nomination and the Senate’s clearance of Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN); Mukhtar, the first female and 13th indigenous CJN was sworn in early last week in replacement of her predecessor, Justice Dahiru Musdapher who just went on retirement. Justice Mukhtar’s emergence is believed to have brought succor to the nation’s gender activists in their struggle to secure greater and more strategic roles for women in policy making and governance in the nation’s male dominated polity. Trailing the leverage, joy and celebration that accompany Mukhtar’s appointment, however, are daunting challenges, particularly in the administration of the nation’s justice system. It is instructive that Mukhtar mounted the saddle at a time when the outstanding level of corruption in the judiciary has turned a national anthem; a development that compelled her immediate predecessor to embark on a reform of the Bench he was not able to sufficiently pull through because of his limited stay in office. An insider herself, Mukhtar must be conversant with the “big one” - the recent face-off between former CJN, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu and the embattled former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami; which would continue to cast doubt on the integrity and independence of the

THE POLITICIZATION OF THE JUDICIARY HAS EXPOSED IT TO EMINENTLY DESERVED

CONTEMPT, SUSPICION AND DOUBT IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN highest echelon of the judiciary until the Bench is publicly acclaimed to have risen above board from its deep recess into dishonest, distorted and induced judgments driven by partisan, dubious and base interests. With roughly two years to spend in office, we believe that Mukhtar could make a clean sweep of the self-inflicted public odium the judiciary has brought unto itself. It could not have been by accident that the new CJN, during her screening by the Senate, promised to flush out corrupt judges. She reportedly said: “As at now, it (corruption) is very bad and I am saddened by it. I will try. I don’t want to sound like a broken record. I will try to ensure that the bad eggs that are there are flushed out, cleansed by the National Judicial Council (NJC), based on petitions. I will ensure that the perception will change.” That, we think, should be one of her foremost priorities. President Goodluck Jonathan also spoke the minds of many Nigerians when, during the CJN’s

swearing-in, he implored her to create special courts for terrorism and other cases of serious concern. Indeed, like the President said: “Our citizens complain of delayed trials particularly in cases of corruption, terrorism and other matters of serious concern. These complaints have led to frequent calls for special courts or designation of special judges to handle them with the required experience and speed. It will be your prerogative to consider and decide on this call… I am sure that the entire country is in agreement that justice delayed is justice denied.’’ There seems to be no better time for the CJN to address the issues raised by Jonathan than now that terrorism, endemic corruption and sundry crimes are threatening to drown the Nigerian project. Besides, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has pinpointed key areas requiring Mukhtar’s urgent attention. According to former NBA president, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), they include getting rid of three categories of judges namely: all sick judicial officers whose medical conditions (loss of eyesight, hearing, terminal physiological ailments, chronic contagious diseases, etc.) impair their ability to perform; over-aged judicial officers who are still in the system for under declaring their ages; and cantankerous judicial officers who appear to be beyond the control of their heads of department. Indeed, that some

judicial officers could swear to false official ages and display brazen insubordination to their superiors are clear indications of the embarrassing extent of dishonesty and indiscipline on the part of those charged with dispensing justice in the land. Murky politics and the greed for quick wealth have also produced dozens of partisan judicial officers. Consequently, judicial decisions are viewed with skepticism, while allegations of partisan interference are rife. The politicization of the judiciary has exposed it to eminently deserved contempt, suspicion and doubt in the public domain. The President’s appointment of the CJN has also been cited as covert executive interference in the judicial process. Mukhtar thus faces the major challenge of de-politicizing the judiciary as well; and this will involve getting the ongoing constitution review process to strip the Presidency of its central role in appointing the CJN. By the same token, the reform process should review the powers of the CJN and ensure the devolution of powers across relevant judicial organs in consonance with federal principles. There is likewise the additional need to reform the criminal justice system and jettison outdated laws and judicial processes, among others. On the whole, however, the CJN has the grave task of creating a robust judicial system that inspires public confidence.

ON THIS DAY July 23, 2005 Three bombs exploded in the Naama Bay area of Sharm elSheikh, Egypt, killing 88 people. The 2005 Sharm el-Sheikh attacks were a series of terror attacks on July 23, 2005, perpetrated by an Islamist organization, targeting the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, located on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Eighty-eight people were killed; the majority of them Egyptians, and over 200 were wounded by the blasts, making the attack the deadliest terrorist action in the country’s history.

July 23, 1999 ANA Flight 61 was hijacked in Tokyo, Japan by Yuji Nishizawa. An All Nippon Airways Boeing 747-481D with 503 passengers, including 14 children and 14 crew members on board, took off from the Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in Ota, Tokyo, Japan and was en route to New Chitose Airport in Chitose, Japan, near Sapporo when it was hijacked by Yuji Nishizawa. The hijack occurred about 25 minutes after takeoff. Nishizawa used a kitchen knife to force himself into the cockpit.

July 23, 1984 Vanessa Williams became the first Miss America to resign when she surrendered her crown after nude photos of her appeared in Penthouse magazine. Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American pop-R&B recording artist, producer, dancer, model and actress. In 1983, she became the first woman of African-American descent to be crowned Miss America, but a scandal arose when Penthouse magazine bought and published nude photographs of her.

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Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cover Recalled by the Federal Government but rejected by the people she is to work with, Arunma Oteh faces fresh hurdles in her desperate bid to regain her position as Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as the House of Representatives turned in a damning verdict that not only cast serious aspersion on her person but also recommends her for sack and prosecution. By Salami Semiu

Angst against the umpire T

he last may not have been heard about the string of allegations bothering on incompetence, financial misdemeanour and breach of civil service rules and procedures levelled against the embattled Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Arunma Oteh. Oteh was last Wednesday recalled from suspension by the Federal Government after being

El Sudi

allegedly cleared of any financial impropriety by Price Water Coopers Limited, the independent auditing firm contracted to look into the books of the commission, particularly as it affects the Project 50. In a letter of recall, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim stated that the government has studied the report submitted by the external auditors saying “you

are neither indicted for fraud nor criminal breach in any form. However, some administrative lapses were reported, particularly, in cases where administrative procedures were not thoroughly observed. The purpose of this letter is to recall you from your leave and to caution that you must henceforth endeavour to diligently observe all extant rules and administrative procedures in the conduct of all transactions.” However, immediately the news of Oteh’s recall filtered out, staff of the commission went on rampage, protesting the government’s decision. They shut the gates of the commission and carried placards denouncing Oteh’s recall. It took the intervention of the acting DG, Ibrahim BolajiBello and the combined team of anti-riot policemen and men of the State Security Service (SSS) to calm the workers. Secretary of the workers’ union, John Briggs who spoke on behalf of the workers said the staff of the commission would resist every attempt by the government to impose Oteh on them. “We don’t want her back until due process is followed. It was

wrong for the SGF, Pius Anyim to have asked her to resume because he is not the supervising minister of this commission. That letter ought to have been given to her by the Minister of Finance. So, why is he acting on behalf of Okonjo-Iweala? That is why we are not happy because due process was not followed, he said.” Briggs said it was wrong for the government to ask the DG to return to work as the full report of the probe committee had not been submitted. “Investigations

Oteh

have not been concluded and the report has not been submitted, what they have is only the interim report and we are saying that due process is not being followed,” the workers’ spokesman argued. Last Friday, Oteh was said to have briefly showed up in the office after Okonjo-Iweala had addressed the workers but it is still uncertain if her return would be permanent. Sources say she hurried out of the office shortly after the minister left. The recall was perceived by

Business Courage A Publication of GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER SEMIU SALAMI BAMIDELE OBAFEMI ADEJUWON OSUNNUYI FESTUS OKOROMADU TAYO ADELEKE

EDITOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR STAFF WRITER STAFF WRITER SENIOR REPORTER

OLATOYE RAPHAEL SEYI OKUMODI

HEAD, PRODUCTION SENIOR GRAPHIC ARTIST

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Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Cover many as a deliberate effort by the Federal Government to undermine the outcome of the report of the ad-hoc committee that investigated the near collapse of the stock market, which was billed to turn in its report next day. However, a day after her recall, the House of Representatives turned in what appears to be a damning verdict, not only on Oteh but on the entire regulatory authorities in the capital market. Specifically, the committee declared Oteh unfit to hold the position as part of the larger recommendations of the Ibrahim El Sudi-led ad hoc committee that investigated the near-collapse of the Capital Market. It recommended that her appointment be “terminated forthwith as DG of SEC as her appointment is in violation of Section 3(2) a and Section 38 (1) (b), 2 and 3; Section 315 of the ISA 2007 in that she did not have 15 years experience in the Nigerian Capital Market as required; she has shown incompetence in the management of human and material resources at her disposal in SEC; lack of transparency in managing project 50, regulatory failure in some of the recent mergers, acquisitions and approvals of transactions by SEC and general inability to carry along her staff, board, and management in decision making in SEC, and questionable staff recruitment policies.” Interestingly, it is not the staff of SEC and the lawmakers alone that are kicking against the return of Oteh. Stakeholders in the Nigerian capital market as well as civil society groups have equally expressed disgust at the manner in which the Federal Government has brought back the embattled SEC boss. The Chairman, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Boniface Okezie, said that the Federal Government owed Nigerians an explanation on the issue, noting that, “It is rather unfortunate that this is happening in a country that is supposed to be transparent in all its dealings. We need the Federal Government to tell us on what basis they are recalling her. The report from the House Committee came in yesterday (Tuesday), and she was indicted, and so why are we hearing a different story today (Wednesday)? “Aren’t all the arms of the government supposed to be working together? Or is it that the FG does not have the interest of the growth of the capital market on their mind? This is a woman whose tenure almost brought the market to its knees and now, we are hearing this, it is indeed saddening and we know that the FG is not doing us any favour,” he said. National Co-ordinator, Independent Shareholders of Nigeria, Sunny Nwosu, on his own noted that it was wrong for the Federal Government to reinstate Oteh just after the House committee report which indicted her came through. “This action means

Staff of SEC protesting

that the Federal Government is not sincere in what they are doing. The truth is that, in this nation, we cannot continue to rely on sentiment; it is not taking us anywhere. In any case, if I were Oteh, I would throw in the towel and resign honourably from SEC, because she has been thoroughly embarrassed in all these,” Nwosu said. He insisted that the report of the committee that was set up to look into the issue should be made public so that everyone could see it. President of the Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe OkeiOdumakin, said that the recall showed that the administration condoned corruption. “It is a sign of the fallen walls and the collapse of moral columns under a president who does not give a damn. The sign was clear when Jonathan allowed her (Oteh) to attend the meeting of the economic team despite being under suspension. There is no surprise again under Jonathan. It is now a republic of anything can happen,” she said. The Anti-Corruption Vanguard described the recall as “fertilising graft.” The Executive Director of ACV, who is also a former member of the House of Representatives, Dino Melaye, said that “The reinstatement has further confirmed the agitation that Nigeria is now a criminal enterprise. The questions are: was there a trial? Was investigation carried out? If yes, what is the result of the investigation? President Goodluck Jonathan has no intention of leaving a legacy and this has finally confirmed our fears that the government has no intention of fighting corruption but is rather fertilising corruption, massaging corruption, promoting corruption and cultivating corruption.” Secretary General of the Trade Union Congress, John Kolawole, challenged the Federal Government to give the reasons behind the decision to recall Oteh, noting that this becomes necessary to convince the citizenry because

of the need to have transparency in running the nation’s capital market. The TUC scribe said that such a display of a high level of transparency would go a long way in convincing investors about the safety of their investments. It would be recalled that Oteh was on Tuesday, June 5, 2012, sent on compulsory leave by the board of the Commission to allow for an unfettered probe into the allegations of financial misappropriation, violation of the Investment and Securities Act of 2007 and causing disharmony in the commission. Oteh had been fingered in the alleged misappropriation of about N3 billion spent on the controversial Project 50 programme by the Commission’s Audit and Finance Committee which investigated the sources and utilisation of funds for Project 50, the one year-long programme organised by SEC to mark 50 years of capital market regulation in Nigeria. Business Courage gathered that the foundation to Oteh’s travails stemmed from the petition written by some aggrieved staff of

Okonjo-Iweala

the Commission who alleged that Oteh’s action were not in the best interest of the Commission in particular and the capital market in general. They alleged gross incompetence, lack of organisation and un-necessary delays in handling operations activities of the commission. Due to what they alleged as Oteh’s lack of cogent experience in Capital Market operations, they insisted that the Director-General does not value time as vital in granting approval for capital issues and other operational activities. Before her assumption of duty, they stressed that applications for security issues took an average of two days to be approved by the past Director Generals, “today, some applications take minimum of two months. This unfortunate situation constituted a great deal of pressure on the issuers and issuing houses, which leads to information adjustment by the issuers and issuing houses.” The petitioners further alleged that, due to “incompetence, intransigence, procrastination, arrogance and stubbornness”, the Director General, has persistently refused to work in harmo-

ny with the board, the executive commissioners and the entire members of staff of the Commission. “Rather, she depends largely on few inexperienced staff she had illegally employed, thus grounding the Commission’s operations.” They had alleged that Oteh ran the Commission as if she was the sole administrator as most decisions were taken unilaterally and other members of the executive were merely informed. They also alleged that Oteh flagrantly flouts the policy on approval limit and threshold issued by the Bureau of Public Procurement, accusing her of approving various expenditures beyond her approval limit of N2.5 million. For example, she was said to have approved N7.4 million in December, 2011 for media publicity support for the maiden Capital Market retreat in Uyo Akwa-Ibom State. She also approved over N10 million paid to Message Wise Limited without evidence of due process in awarding the contract for assisting the SEC on a three-day issuer/investor outreach programme in Port Harcourt, River State. She was also said to have approved for herself, a two rent of N66 million for her official residence at Maitaima District, Abuja, and that the house for which the rent was approved was not known to anybody in the Commission thus, given no room for prior inspection before payment was made. Prior to the “illegal approval of the N66 million two years rent”, the Director General, the petitioner said, spent a whooping sum of N30 million at the Transcop Hilton Hotel, The petitioners had also alleged that Oteh approved and purchased two Toyota Land Cruisers at the cost of over N37 million and one Toyota Pick-up, Hilux Double Cabin Pick-Up used as a pilot car at the cost of N5 million. Perhaps, the most fundamental, which incidentally formed the basis for the board’s recent action was the alleged massive fraud in the financing of the Project 50 celebration. The petitioners stated that Oteh forcibly sought and obtained donations from banks and capital market operators amounting to N1billion, which was lodged in private accounts contrary to the provisions of Part 1V, section 19(1C) of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, which requires all monetary gifts, donations, contributions and other funds received by the Commission to be paid to a fund or accounts established by the Commission. As things stand, it is not certain if Oteh will tread the path of honour and resign or stay put at the helm of a commission whose staff appeared to be completely against her. In the event that she choses the last option, would she still command the high respect required to steer the ship of the market to a save berth? Time will tell BC

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Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Hearmon

Innovation Dinner: Zimbabwe’s minister to shed light on ICT opportunities Stories by Adejuwon Osunnuyi

xecutives and decision makers from Africa’s burgeoning ICT industry are to join high profile speakers to discuss several issues at the next IT News Africa Innovation Dinner, scheduled for 31 July at the Michelangelo Hotel in Sandton, Gauteng, South Africa. Delegates are expected to look forward to a live interview and Q & A session with Zimbabwe’s MDC Minister of Information, Communication and Technology, Nelson Chamisa, about the growth of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the country, investment opportunities, government plans for ICT infrastructure and regulation. According to the United Nations Development Programme World Investment Report 2012, the country’s FDI inflows last year more than doubled to US$387 million. The underlying theme of the event, another in IT News Africa’s Innovation Dinner Series, is Long Term Evolution (LTE) and its impact on global next-generation telecommunications. LTE is the fastest growing next generation mobile technology and the industry is deeply committed to commercially launching this technology within the next year or two (a few pilot projects have already been launched). Telecom companies the world over are looking to move LTE towards mass adoption, industry statistics internationally show that LTE subscribers are expected to reach 380 million in more than 80 plus networks by 2015 worldwide. Africa has been slow to take up the technology due to a variety of reasons that have been put forward by operators in the region. “Our Innovation Dinner is

the ideal opportunity for delegates and operators to network and discuss these issues. This is the platform to identify opportunities and gain advice on the best strategies going forward. Minister Chamisa, will also give insight into how overseas investors view ‘risky’ regions, like Zimbabwe, and where operators need to be positioned to take advantage,” explains Abby Wakama, Executive Publisher, IT News Africa. The NGN LTE Innovation Dinner will address the essential steps toward the broad adoption & commercialization of LTE technology, covering subjects including spectrum, device profiles, network deployment, applications, and business models. The unprecedented global alignment behind LTE underscores the incredible potential this emerging technology has across the wireless value chain, from silicon suppliers and network vendors through to device makers, developers, operators and end users. Other speakers scheduled for the event include Graham Vorster, Country Manager, Networking, Hewlett-Packard, South Africa and William A Hearmon, Chairman, African Broadband Forum.

ISPON Mourns Founding President, Agu

he Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) has expressed shock at the death of its President, Chijioke Simeon Agu who passedon on Sunday July 8, 2012. In a statement signed by its current President, Chris Uwaje, the association said the news of his death came as a surprise to them. “It is with tremendous shock, heavy hearts and deep sense of loss that we received and now officially announce the sad demise of Chijioke Simeon Agu, the founding President of ISPON, a distinguished Infor-

mation Technology (IT) practitioner, Software Industry pioneer and Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) who passed-on on Sunday July 8, 2012. “On behalf of the members of the National Executive Council and Members of Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), I write to solicit for your condolences to the entire family of our late President. For the records, Agu was the great Lion of ICT-Nigeria, whose words alone awakened an entire IT industry; whose presence inspired confidence in a fledgling industry to go forth and claim its due; a fiercely loyal friend and a competitor respected by all,” Uwaje said. Agu, who was a former Council member of the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) and NCS respectively, hailed from Obinagu in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State. Agu will be missed for his advocacy drive for local content development in the software industry. He was at the forefront campaign for local content development in indigenous software development. National Executive Council (NEC) of the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria has continuously advocated that software operational and transaction related information and data from organisations, be referenced in the Local Content Act, including Banking and Financial Institutions on the level of compliance. ISPON had advocated that government transformation agenda may not be effectively implemented unless indigenous software content and services delivery is made a very high priority. Agu was the founder and Chairman of Computer Systems Associates (Nigeria) Limited, and a 1970 Electrical Engineering graduate with Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting and Finance. He started his computing career with Shell Petroleum Development Company in 1971. Later he moved to the National Electric Power Authority in 1977 as Manager Systems Development and rose to become the Director of Computer Services. Simeon Agu metamorphosed the Computer Systems Associates (CSA) to Neptune Software, putting Neptune on the platform to thrive globally.

‘Maritime Regulation: NIMASA is incapacitated by 2007 enabling Act’ By Francis Ezem

Uwaje

trong indications emerged that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety

Akpobolokemi

Agency has been incapacitated by its enabling legislation, the NIMASA Act, 2007, which did not give it powers to prosecute vessels caught in any form of illegal activities on the nation’s territorial waters. This development makes the agency a mere toothless bull dog that can neither bark nor bite even in the discharge of its core functions. The Federal Government had in 2007 merged the defunct National Maritime Authority with the former Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council to form NIMASA, which enlarged the functions of the new agency to include port state control, flag state control as well as labour related functions, among several others. Director General of the agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi gave this indication at the weekend while presenting a paper entitled: Issues in enforcement of the NIMASA Act: Legal perspective at a one-day capacity building workshop organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria. According to him, NIMASA is the only maritime administration in the world with flag state and port state control functions without the requisite powers to prosecute ships that fail to comply with these important regulations approved by the International Maritime Organisation, world maritime regulatory body. Akpobolokemi, who was represented by the legal adviser of the agency and secretary to the board, Matthew Egbadon, cited section 24 of the act, which lists the various functions of the agency such as administering the registration and licensing of ships, regulate and administer the certification of seafarers, regulate the safety of shipping as regards the construction and navigation as well as providing search and rescue. Other functions of the agency include provide direction and ensuring

compliance with vessel security measures, carry our air and coastal surveillance enforce and administer the provisions of Coastal and Inland Shipping Act, 2003, perform port and flag state control duties, provide maritime security and establish the procedure for the implementation of conventions of the IMO, International Labour Organisation and other international conventions and protocols. Section 405 of the act however provides that no prosecution shall be entered by the agency, a development that incapacitates her in the discharge of these functions as it is barred from wielding the big stick against any airing operator. It was also gathered that the plight of the agency is further worsened by the fact that since shipping is an international business, there is a very limited extent to which it can detain a ship due to huge cost that may associate with such detention, a major deficiency in Nigeria’s Maritime legal framework, which many foreign and even indigenous shipping companies have capitalised on to perpetrate illegal activities on her territorial waters. Under the Act, the agency is expected to approach the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice through the Federal Ministry of Transport for it to get approval to prosecute an offending vessel, with the attendant bureaucracy in the Nigerian civil service. Investigation shows that moves by the agency to redress this situation when it decided to write the attorney general to give the agency a fiat to prosecute offending shipping firms but met a brick wall when the minister turned down the request, saying he would not give the agency a blank cheque. It was also gathered that the AGF had in turn directed that it could issue such a fiat on a case by case basis, which implies that any time the agency makes arrest; it has to apply to the minister for the fiat, which might take at least one month to be processed since it must be routed through the minister of transport. ‘Now when we have issues we direct them to the Federal Ministry of Justice for prosecution since it might take a longer time to secure the fiat and you know you cannot detain a ship longer than necessary and this method has not achieved the needed results’, the NIMASA boss noted. On the best solution to this problem, he said: ‘The only way out of this situation is for the National Assembly to commence an amendment of

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Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

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News the NIMASA Act so as to give the agency powers to prosecute ships that fail to comply with the regulatory requirements as is the practice anywhere in the world’.

FG, states, LGs share N569bn in June By Tola Akinmutimi (Abuja)

The three tiers of government shared N569.4 billion from a gross revenue of N763.6 billion generated for the month June. Making this disclosure at the end of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday, Accountant General of the Federation, Jonah Otunla, said at the end of the month’s that the revenue generated in the month was higher by about N184.3 billion than the N579.3billion collected in the preceding month. Total revenue received during the month includes earnings from mineral revenue of about N529.9billion and non-mineral revenue of N233.6billion. The AGF attributed the increased revenue for the month to a rise in Company Income Tax (CIT), import duties and Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) on Production Sharing Contract (PSC) and modified carry arrangement (MCA). A breakdown of the revenue distribution for the month showed that N467 billion was distributed from statutory revenue, after about N88.7 billion was transferred to the non-oil Excess Revenue Account. This is in addition to N7.617 billion refunded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to pay the States and Local Government out of the outstanding debt owed by the corporation in the Federation Account. In addition, valued added tax (VAT) revenue earnings for the month was N59.22billion, while about N35.6billion was refunded to the three

Otunla

tiers of government the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) programme. The Minister of State of Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, pointed out that “the Excess crude account is supposed to serve as a buffer for the economy”, adding that “whenever available revenue is not up to the budgeted figure, government will augment for the health of the economy. The policy government is pursuing is raise the balance in the account to a certain level of not less than $10billion. This is to ensure that at any time the government has enough revenue to take care of the allocations for at least two months. “As at today, we are moving towards that target. Today, we have about $6.9billion as the balance in the ECA, while the balance in the Naira denominated excess crude account is about N115billion”, he added. Minister of State for Finance, Yerima Ngama, said the distribution of the revenue showed that Federal Government took N218.3billion, or 52.68 per cent; states N110.7billion, or 26.72 per cent; local governments N85.36billion, or 20.6 per cent, and 13 per cent derivation for mineral producing states, N41.86billion.

Stanbic IBTC to hold court ordered meeting on Holding Company By Tayo Adeleke

tanbic IBTC Bank, a member of Standard Bank Group, announced that it will hold a court ordered meeting of its shareholders with the aim of adopting a holding company (HoldCo) structure. The name of the proposed HoldCo has been registered as Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC. This new structure will be proposed to shareholders in compliance with the revised regulatory framework by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) which requires banks to divest from non-core banking businesses or adopt a holding structure. The new structure comes into effect in September 2012. The operating subsidiaries of the new holding company will be Stanbic IBTC Bank (including Stanbic Nominees Nigeria Ltd), Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Limited,

has a footprint which now spans 18 countries across the African continent, including South Africa, and 13 countries.

Deap Capital shows signs of recovery By Tayo Adeleke

Borha

Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited, Stanbic IBTC Trustees Limited, Stanbic IBTC Capital Limited, and Stanbic IBTC Investments Limited. “A major reason for adopting the new structure is to consolidate our goal of building Nigeria’s leading end-to-end financial services organization, leveraging on our competitive advantages in the various business segments, including banking, pensions, stock-broking, custody and asset management,” the chief executive officer, Sola DavidBorha, stated. She emphasized that the new structure will impact positively on shareholders and customers, as the group will leverage the capacities resident in each business to further improve the entire group’s ability to maintain sustainable growth and further supported by the financial resources and global network of the Standard Bank Group, to which Stanbic IBTC belongs. Stanbic IBTC, David-Borha reiterated, will continue to partner Nigeria in unlocking the country’s growth potential to accelerate the country’s socio-economic development, notwithstanding the fastchanging and challenging operating environment. Standard Bank Group, to which Stanbic IBTC Bank belongs, is rooted in Africa with strategic representation in key sub-Saharan and other emerging markets; Standard Bank is a bank with a global reach. It has been a mainstay of South Africa’s financial system for almost 150 years. Standard Bank is a leading African banking group focused on building the first-class on-the-ground banks in chosen countries in Africa and connecting other selected emerging markets to Africa and to each other. It

he unaudited second quarter report of Deap Capital Plc for the period ended June 2012, which was released recently, showed that turnover decreased by 3.0 percent from N104.11million to N100.9 million. However, Loss before tax improved by 27.2 percent between 2011 and 2012 to N240.9 million from a Loss before tax of N330.93 million. By implication, the company is gradually recovering from its accumulated losses over the years. It would be recalled that the company posted N760.35 million loss during the financial year ended December 2011. Loss margin dropped to 238 percent from 317.9 percent in 2011, representing a notable recovery of 79 basis points. Breakdown of the report shows that administrative expenses dropped by half from N121.59 million in 2011 to N54.51 million in 2012 while depreciation fell by 71.4 percent to N3.94 million compared with N13.8 million recorded the previous year. The management paid N244.5 million as interest expenses as a result of their exposure to bank facilities. Meanwhile, a cursory look at the company’s balance sheet position as at half year of the ongoing financial year compared with the position

Emmanuel Ugboh, Deap MD

LOCAL FLIGHT SCHEDULE Air Nigeria Los-Abj: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.30, 17.00, 17.20, 18.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 08.00, 12.40, 13.10, 20.00 (Fri) Abj-Los: 07.00, 09.30, 10.30, 11.15, 16.15, 19.15, 19.25, 19.35 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 14.55, 15.15, 20.45 (Fri) 19.45, (Sun) 11.25, 13.35, 16.25 (Mon) Abj-Kano: 18.40 (Mon-Fri/Sun) Kano-Abj: 08.35 (Mon-Fri/Sat) Abj-Sok: 09.35 (Mon) 10.10 (Fri) 11.20, (Wed/Sun) Sok-Abj: 11.35 (Mon) 12.00 (Fri) 13.20, (Wed/Sun) Los-Owr: 14.25 (Tues-Fri/Sun), 12.40 (Mon/Sat) Owr-Los: 14.25, (Tues-Fri/Sun), 14.50 (Mon/Sat)

Arik Air Los-Abj: 07.15, 09.15, 10.20, 15.20, 16.20, 16.50, 18.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) Abj-Los: 07.15, 09.40, 10.20, 12.15, 15.15, 16.15, 17.10, (Mon-Fri/Sat); 12.15, 15.15, 16.15 (Sun) Los-PH: 07.15, 11.40, 14.00, 16.10, 17.15, (Mon-Fri) 07.30, 11.40, 15.50 (Sat) 11.50, 3.50, 17.05 (Sun) Abj-PH: 07.15, 11.20, 15.30 (Mon-Fri) 07.15, 16.00 (Sat) 13.10, 16.00, (Sun) PH-Abj: 08.45, 12.50, 17.00 (Mon-Fri) 08.45, 17.30 (Sat) 14.40, 17.30 (Sun) Abj-Ben: 08.00, 12.10 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 08.55, 12.10 (Sun) Ben-Abj: 09.55, 13.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat) 10.50, 13.30 (Sun)

Aero Contractors Los-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat). Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/ Sat) 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun) 18.30 (Sat) Los-Ben: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30, (Mon-Fri/ Sat/Sun) 12.30 (Sun) 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) Ben-Los: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/ Sat/Sun) 17:00 (Sat), 14.00 (Sun)

as at second quarter in 2011 showed that the company’s fixed assets decreased by 24.5 percent to N10.59 million from N14.04 million, while long time investments stood at N687.7 million. Total assets decreased by 3.5 percent to N2.47 billion from N2.56 billion as at 2011. Debtors and prepayment increased from N649.32 million in 2011 to N742 million in second quarter of 2012. Assets under lease increased 242.96 percent to N39.58 million from N11.54 million during the review period. Meanwhile, the shareholders of Deap Capital Plc have lost their stake in the company as the company’s shareholders’ fund stood at N3.57 billion deficit. BC

A6 24

Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News the desire to continue with its expansion plans. Heineken currently controls 42 per cent of the brewery, while F&N owns 40 per cent. Heineken also owns a direct 9.5 per cent stake in Asia Pacific Breweries. Rival Kirin, from Japan, owns an almost 15 per cent stake in F&N.

GE optimistic despite profit fall

Montoro

Eurozone ministers approve Spain’s bank bailout

urozone finance ministers have approved a deal to lend up to 100 billion euros (£78bn) to Spain so it can recapitalise its banks. But the exact size of the loan will probably only be disclosed in September, when Spain’s government gets the results of an audit of its banks. In return for the loan, Spain has to restructure, and improve the governance and regulation of its banking sector. Fears about Spain’s financial health have pushed its borrowing costs higher. New data last week indicated that the Spanish banks own 155.84 billion euros of loans that might not be repaid in full. The bank rescue plan, together with new austerity measures by Madrid, is aimed at avoiding a full-scale bailout of the Spanish government. Eurozone ministers, taking part in a conference call, approved a memorandum of understanding with Spain, which will be signed in the coming days. The aid will be fully disbursed by the end of 2013. “We have formalised what we discussed in the past two Eurogroup meetings,” Luxembourg’s Finance Minister Luc Frieden said after the conference call. “We have formally approved the memorandum that lays out the conditions under which Spain can be lent money for the recapitalisation of its banks. The approval of all 17 ministers is there, and that means that the programme can continue. Money will not flow immediately, because work on the analysis of the specific banks is ongoing.” Spanish shares fell after the aid package was approved. The Madrid stock market was down 3.6 per cent last Friday afternoon trading, with bank shares among the weakest performers. Also on Friday, Spanish Treasury Minister Cristobal Montoro said the country’s

recession would drag on into 2013, although the economy would not perform as badly this year as previously thought. The government now expects the economy to contract by 1.5 per cent in 2012 and by 0.5 per cent in 2013. It had previously forecast contraction of 1.7 per cent this year and growth of 0.2 per cent next year.

Van Boxmeer

Heineken offers $4.1bn for Tiger Beer

eineken has made a bid to buy the remaining stake in Tiger beer maker Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) that it does not already own. The offer of 5.1 billion Singapore dollars ($4.1bn; £2.6bn) is for the share owned by Singapore-listed company Fraser and Neave (F&N). The bid comes after Thailand’s biggest brewer, ThaiBev, offered to buy shares in F&N and Asia Pacific Breweries. “We really value our partnership with F&N which goes back over 80 years, but due to changes in the F&N and APB shareholding, the fabric of the partnership has changed,” said Heineken chief executive Jean-Francoi van Boxmeer. He added that the company was looking ahead to the “next chapter of our Asian business”. Heineken will offer a price of 50 Singapore dollars a share, the brewing giant said in a statement. Analysts said the move is aimed at protecting Heineken’s interests in the region, and

S industrial giant General Electric (GE) has reported net income of $3.1 billion for the second quarter of 2012, down from $3.7 billion the same time in 2011. However, GE’s transport business grew by 58 per cent in the quarter, while its energy business followed closely. It said it expected to deliver double-digit earnings growth for the year. GE said orders included a deal to build 176 locomotives for US rail firms, with demand from Australia for gas turbines and single-flow steam engines. Its transport business, which employs some 12,000 staff worldwide, supplies products including engines for boats, locomotives and mining trucks. It was also lifted by an order from Australia for heat recovery generators, which will provide 500 megawatts of installed power capacity for a combined cycle power plant supplying a liquefied natural gas project. Despite a strong second quarter, GE added that its infrastructure orders were down by one per cent primarily driven by a 37 per cent decrease in orders for its wind turbines. Elsewhere, its aviation business saw orders increase by five per cent and its transportation saw a two per cent rise in the quarter. Its GE Capital business earned $2.1 billion, a rise of 31 per cent, which meant it could return $3 billion to the parent business. “GE Capital’s strong operating performance and capital position allowed it to return a $3 billion dividend to the parent, and our industrial segments delivered another quarter of double-digit organic revenue growth,” said GE chairman and chief executive Jeff Immelt.

Doyle

Economist scorns IMF leadership

top economist at the International Monetary Fund has poured scorn on its “tainted” leadership and said he is “ashamed” to have worked there. Peter Doyle said in a letter to the IMF executive board that he wanted to explain his resignation after 20 years. He writes of “incompetence”, “failings” and “disastrous” appointments for the IMF’s managing director, stretching back 10 years. Doyle, former adviser to the IMF’s European Department, which is running the bailout programmes for Greece, Portugal and Ireland, said the Fund’s delay in warning about the urgency of the global financial crisis was a failure of the “first order”. In the letter, dated 18 June, Doyle said the failings of IMF surveillance of the financial crisis “are, if anything, becoming more deeply entrenched”. “This fact is most clear in regard to appointments for managing director which, over the past decade, have alltoo-evidently been disastrous. “Even the current incumbent [Christine Lagarde] is tainted, as neither her gender, integrity, nor elan can make up for the fundamental illegitimacy of the selection process.” Doyle is thought to be echoing here widespread criticism that the head of the IMF is always a European, while the World Bank chief is always a US appointee. Doyle concludes his letter: “There are good salty people here. But this one is moving on. You might want to take care not to lose the others.”

Ivory Coast eyes $20bn development spending through 2015

of stagnation as a political crisis split the country between northern rebels and government loyalists in the south. The impasse ended with a brief but brutal civil war that killed around 3,000 people last year. An economic revival is now under way with growth of eight per cent expected this year following a 2011 contraction of 4.7 per cent. The country, led by new President Alassane Ouattara, a former top International Monetary Fund official, has set a goal of becoming a leading emerging economy by 2020. “The objective is to fulfil the minimum conditions for Ivory Coast’s emergence by 2020, notably to achieve strong growth...and build for Ivorians a middle class capable of supporting that growth through consumption,” Planning Minister Albert Toikeusse Mabri told parliament. Spending under the national development programme will target projects in sectors such as agriculture, security, transport infrastructure, energy production, health, and education. The state owns stakes in many of the country’s largest enterprises, including utilities and transport companies, through which it plans investments worth nearly 6.5 trillion CFA. The government has already promised to pump around $500 million into power generation by 2015 in the aim of meeting rising domestic and export demand. Mabri said the plan had received a boost from a decision last month by the IMF, World Bank and Paris Club lenders to cancel $10 billion of Ivory Coast’s estimated $12.5 billion external debt. The decision frees up some 40 percent of the budget previously destined for debt service. “The resources will come from debt cancellation, internal resources and borrowing from partners,” Mabri said. Prime Minister Jeannot Kouadio-Ahoussou earlier last week predicted growth in the double digits by 2014, forecast analysts say is overly optimistic. Most analysts expect a marked improvement over years of stagnation that began even before a decade of political instability debunked the country’s image as a rare example of stability in a tumultuous region. BC

Immelt

vory Coast plans to spend over 11 trillion CFA francs through 2015 on a sweeping development programme aimed at boosting growth and reversing a decade of economic decline, the country’s planning minister said over the weekend. The world’s top cocoa producer, once the motor for economic growth in West Africa, has seen a decade

Toikeusse

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Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

A7 25

The enterprising

pharmacist Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi is a foremost Pharmacist and barrister-at-law. He is the founder and chairman of Juli Plc, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first indigenous company to be quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The AdoEkiti born septuagenarian and one time minister was the first pharmacist in Nigeria to be given the health portfolio in the federal cabinet. Adelusi-Adeluyi is well grounded in the business world, having led several other business organisations such as the Oduâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;a Group, Nigerian- American Chamber of Commerce among others. This is the story of a multilingual who at 27, visited over 142 countries of the world in his quest to serve humanity. By Bamidele Obafemi Adelusi-Adeluyi

rince Julius AdelusiAdeluyi graduated from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy. For the love of the less privileged, 22 years after he obtained his first degree, Julius went back to school to study law, and in 1987, at the age of 47 years, he emerged the overall best student in the law school. His ambition was not to become a Senior Advocate of

Nigeria (SAN) or to earn a living from the practice of law; it was simply to plead the cause of the forgotten ones in Nigeria. Therefore, his pro bono law chamber, Adelusi-Adeluyi &Co, where he is a senior partner, specialises in providing free legal services to prisoners and other under privileged persons in the society. For Julius, obtaining a University degree was never a burden to his parents as he was an outstanding student right from

his secondary school days. At Aquinas College, Akure, Ondo State, where he obtained his secondary school certificate, he did not finish the same year with his colleagues as he graduated a year ahead of them due to his brilliance. While others were busy studying hard to pass the mandatory secondary school leaving certificate, Julius, had a year before his normal time to sit for the examinations gave it a try and passed in grade one with five distinctions.

He therefore proceeded to the University of Ife to study Pharmacy, being a member of the pioneer set in the department. The double scholarship he won from both the Western Region and the Federal Government for his advanced level education and undergraduate studies at the University were a proof of his academic excellence. But his love for academics could not deter him from participating in student activism where he clearly expressed the

innate leadership qualities in him. He held different leadership positions during his University days, from local to international level. First, he was president of the Pharmacy Students Association at the University of Ife before his leadership quality and style drew the attention of his fellow students at the national level hence, his election as the Vice President of the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS) in charge of Continue on pg A8

Business Courage

International Affairs. Again, his performance in office was outstanding enough to draw the attention of other students at a Conference of World Student Movement in the 60s. There in New Zealand, Julius Adeluyi was elevated to the position of Secretary for Africa of the world student body. Immediately after his graduation from the University of Ife in 1965, the young prince from Ado-Ekiti proceeded to Leiden in Holland to work at the headquarters of the world student body as Secretary for Africa. At Leiden, from Secretary for Africa, given his impressive performance, Julius was again elevated to the exalted position of Secretary-General. His responsibilities include building Student Union organisations in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Taking up such huge job of presiding over the affairs of students in four continents of the world, turned out to be a training ground and a means for international exposure for the young Julius. According to him, at age 27, he had already visited over 140 countries of the world in the cause of discharging his duties as the Secretary of the world student organisation. As Secretary-General at Leiden for three years, he led a delegation of students to Africa during his tenure, as the team visited numerous countries across the length and breadth of Africa the continent, including Nigeria. Worthy of mention is the fact that he prevailed on his team to visit Nigeria during the civil war, a gesture that impressed the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who in return wrote the Prince a special letter of appreciation and commendation for his significant contribution to world youth leadership. However, after the completion of his tenure at Leiden, Julius was offered an automatic employment by Pfizer New York and deployed to the Lagos office as Assistant General Manager. Prince Adeluyi had a very short stint with Pfizer, having again made impact in the company before he decided to launch into the uncertain world of entrepreneurship. He served just for one year with Pfizer between 1968 and 1969 before he decided, at the age of 31, to call it quit and float his own company. His decision to practice his profession led to the creation of Juli Pharmacy (Nigeria) Limited, which started business on August 2, 1971. The company which was established to carry on the professional business of wholesale and retail of pharmaceutical products, chemists, druggists and dispensing of medicines, was later incorporated on September 14, 1972 as a private limited liability company. The company has undergone different levels of transformation since its incorporation some 40

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Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Worthy of mention is the fact that he prevailed on his team to visit Nigeria during the civil war, a gesture that impressed the then Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who in return wrote the Prince a special letter of appreciation and commendation for his significant contribution to world youth leadership

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years ago. Prince Adeluyi attributed chances in the company to response to market demand. He said it is also in consonance with the policy goals of the company. Notably, the company embarked on a diversification programme in 1976, some four years after its incorporation, to widen the scope of its business operations. As a result of the diversification programme, the name of the company was changed by a special resolution of the Board to Juli Pharmacy and Stores (Nigeria) Limited on March 14, 1977. It took only 14 years for Julius Adelusi and members of the Board of Juli Pharmacy & Stores (Nigeria) Limited to make history in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) by becoming the first indigenous company in Nigeria to list its shares on the Exchange. . The company went public through an offer for subscription on February 10, 1986 and was listed on November 7, 1986 as the first indigenously promoted company in Nigeria to be quoted on The Nigerian Stock Exchange. After the listing of the shares of the company to create the opportunity for members of the public to become shareholders, the name transformed again from Juli Pharmacy & Stores (Nigeria) Limited to Juli Pharmacy Plc. But six years down the lane, to reflect the flexibility in its marketing strategy, the company again rebranded with its name changing to Juli Plc. “As a result of its going public, the company’s name was changed from Juli Pharmacy Plc to Juli Plc on August 22, 1991 to reflect the flexibility in its marketing strategy”, he recalled. Juli Plc is said to be reputed for providing service in distribution of pharmaceutical products. The company pioneered the establishment of pharmacy chain stores in Nigeria. It developed a unique marketing

strategy that has created tremendous goodwill, which it now enjoys within the pharmaceutical industry. The company was invited by the Federal Military Government in 1976 to provide pharmaceutical, supermarket and various essential needs to members of the Constituent Assembly in Satellite Town, Lagos. At the end of the Assembly sessions, the company received letter of commendation from the Head of State for good organisation, management, adequate inventory and realistic pricing of items for sale as well as a uniquely warm personalised service. But to further re-position the company in the industry, Juli Plc diversified its operations into production of its own brands of products which include among others, G-Plus, Ekicef and Methaderm. It extends its proficient health care delivery services to include diagnostic laboratory and scan services, covering haematology, rendering services such as full blood count, blood grouping and genotype to patients. In its serology unit, well trained staff in the company’s employment performs services like Widal test, HIV I & II screening, hepatitis B and C diagnosis, pregnancy test among others. The other units under the diagnostic centre at Juli Plc include clinical chemistry, microbiology, Body Mass Index (BMI) and routine obstetric scan, abdominal scan and immunology. The supermarket segment of the business stores and markets wide varieties of general goods which include cosmetics, gift items, food items, household goods, children’s goods and toys, books, stationery and greeting cards. Interestingly, Julius’ business interests transcends pharmacy and stores, it is also engaged in the postal business. Juli House Post Office, a company that operates as a full government recognised

Adelusi-Adeluyi

Post Office has the capacity of 1,000 post office boxes within the premises of the company at Ikeja, Lagos. Juli Plc is said to be the only private company having this kind of facility in Nigeria. Besides, the company is numbered among one of the few accredited centres for internship training of Pharmacists on continuous basis. According to Prince AdelusiAdeluyi, Juli Plc, which won the President’s Merit Award of The Nigerian Sock Exchange, first in 1997 and seven years later in 2004 in the Emerging Markets Sector of the Exchange, is unrelenting in achieving its dream of becoming the nation’s leader and flag bearer in the delivery of professional and competent pharmaceutical services in Nigeria and the West Africa subregion. He noted that the over 40years- old company thrives on its core values which are professionalism, honesty and dedication to service while listing unrivalled reputation for customer satisfaction through efficient service delivery; sales of tested

and proven quality of a variety of pharmaceutical products; competitive pricing and engagement of professionally qualified and competent staff in the company’s services as the winning edge strategy which has been employed over the years. Adelusi-Adeluyi, who is the chairman of the Board of Directors of Juli Plc however revealed that for its chain store philosophy to be achieved, the company will seek partnerships to establish chain stores, as well as significant warehouses for the distribution of drugs and allied products throughout the country. In spite of his drive for success in business, he believes that service to humanity remains an integral part of life, and this, he has proved through his law chamber and his active involvement in other several non-profit making organisations like the Rotary Club. According to sources familiar with Julius, his dissatisfaction with the status quo of Nigeria being merely one of the 17 countries making up one district in Rotary International

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Monday, July 23, 2012

Adelusi (centre) handing certificate to a participant in the Genetic Counselling Training Course On sickle Cell Disorder

ficers. PDG Juli (as he is fondly called) and his team created a new dawn for Rotary in Nigeria with the establishment of 31 new clubs, thus having a growth of about 100 percent in one Rotary year, a feat that won him commendation and salutation of Rotary International as the best ever from any District in the Rotary world at that time. This sudden, unequalled and unprecedented growth of clubs and membership, it was said, forced Rotary International to divide the country into two districts. In 1984, as a result of his selfless service to the development of Rotary in Nigeria, District 912 was added to form two Districts. Not only did Prince Julius Adelusi receive a letter of commendation from the president of Rotary International for emerging the governor of the best run district in the rotary world dur-

ing his tenure, again another president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at that time, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, like one of his predecessors, General Yakubu Gowon (Rtd), acknowledged the enormity of his achievement as Governor of Rotary, presenting to him a letter to recognise his leadership in voluntary service. Adelusi, a former president of Ekitiparapo, is known for his humility and his lack of appetite for material accumulation. This, he said, can be attributed to his religious background and upbringing. He disclosed that from the age of six up to the time he finished his degree, he had lived in the world of missionaries. He was at various times a typist (at age six), shorthand typist, proof reader, altar boy, organist, catechist, steward, cheer leader, choir boy, companion, friend, confidant and adviser to his mentor, a prolific writer and passionate preacher, the late Rt. Rev. Monsignor Anthony Ogunleye

‘

Oguntuyi, the first indigenous Catholic priest in Ekiti land. The influence of his priest -mentor is visible in the life of Adelusi-Adeluyi, a man who would rather accumulate knowledge instead of wealth. A prolific writer and consummate reader, he has to his credit, over 40 publications in health and pharmacy, law and academia. “Though Adelusi-Adeluyi distances himself from material accumulation, given his having grown up with good-old-days missionaries, he cannot resist accumulating books. Except those who have had the privilege of entering his office or heard him make a speech, his intellectual and profound academic aspects are not known to many. He is whisperingly described as an omnibus professor,” a very close associate of his revealed. He noted that a visit to his library will reveal why he receives several invitations to deliver lectures and give speeches on various aspects of life. “His office is

Because nothing else gives Prince Julius AdelusiAdeluyi more joy than rendering service to humanity, people that are close to him revealed that he takes time out of his busy schedule to attend to customers and patients on the floor of his pharmacy at Ikeja in Lagos State

‘

made him to pay his ways to the international headquarters of the organisation to make a case for Nigeria to be made a district. Despite the impossible nature of this task, his resolute determination ensured that Nigeria was made a district with him as the first District Governor. His installation was graced by the then Head of State, Shehu Shagari who was represented by Vice President Alex Ekwueme. Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi made immense sacrifice towards the growth of Rotary Club in Nigeria as the first District Governor. He was said to have crisiscrossed Nigeria several times between 1982 and 1983 when he was head of the club, travelling some 26,000 kilometres by air, by land and over water to spread the message of Rotary with the support of a well chosen, motivated, committed and coordinated team of District of-

A9 27

a Mecca of sorts for the high, the mighty and the ordinary across the political, religious, professional, ethnic and class divide, judging from the comments in his visitors‘book. They visit ceaselessly, individually or in groups” our source added. No doubt Prince AdelusiAdeluyi is a man of many parts as he knows virtually little about everything. As a song writer, he has written theme songs for Rotary, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria as well as other institutions. He formed choir when he lived in Holland and sings in Latin effortlessly during special church services. “And you won‘t believe it, he paints. One of his artworks is displayed in his office. He also taught acting and dancing in his younger days. As a matter of fact, some of his juniors in Aquinas College, Akure, still call him ‘oga dancer”, another close associate of Adelusi revealed. Besides, the Ekiti prince is a member of many associations, a medium through which he contributes his quota to the development of his country. He is a past National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria and the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce. He was at one time, National President of the Alumni Association of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (AANIPSS). Adelusi-Adeluyi, one time Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Services, once directed the affairs of the National Council for Population and Environmental Activities. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Odu’a Investment Limited between 2002 and 2003. He was also appointed at one time or the other to serve his fatherland at the National Council for Intergovernmental Relations, Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Nigerian Institute of Management and the University of Ibadan Governing Board. Because nothing else gives Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi more joy than rendering service to humanity, people that are close to him revealed that he takes time out of his busy schedule to attend to customers and patients on the floor of his pharmacy at Ikeja in Lagos State. “Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi‘s humility is second to none. Yet, he has seen it all, having been chairman or a member in the boards of several national and international organizations. This is one reason why, with all that he has achieved, some people express disbelief and shock when he joins other pharmacists on the floor of his pharmacy at Ikeja to attend to customers and patients as he has done in the last forty years. Of course, service is one of the things that gives him a sense of fulfilment”, a source close to the prince disclosed. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

Trading wig for scissors and tape She read law, but clearly, her passion was somewhere else. Nine months into professional practice as a lawyer, she switched her career into a rather uncommon field. Abandoning gown and wig and instead opted to be a tailor. In less than five years, the tailoring business she started with $1,000 has not only catapulted her into global relevance, she is seen as one of the leading women entrepreneurs in the country. This is the story of how Temituokpe Esisi rode on the crest of tailoring to attain global relevance By Salami Semiu

hen she started out sometimes in 2005, Temituokpe Esisi never imagined that what she was dabbling into would earn her so much fame and fortune. To her, dumping a law practice after five gruelling academic years and nine months of active service for tailoring was a mere fulfilment of a burning passion. Sew knew what she was doing and was not prepared to get distracted despite open condemnation by friends and some close relatives. As a teenager, Esisi was said to have deep passion for creative works and always sought opportunities to express her creativity. She made dolls and other toys, selling it to her friends and getting money out of it to run her shores. While in the university, she baked cakes and made valentine fabric flowers which she sold to other students, from where she made enough money that enabled her lived a comfortable life on campus. After her mandatory one-year Law School Programme, Esisi only practiced law for nine months but then, it was that first job that provided the opportunity to fully express her passion. The law firm she joined was starting a new office in Lagos and as the pioneer staff, the job of setting up the office - furniture, office design and layout, partitioning, painting, etc. fell on her. She thoroughly enjoyed the work so much so that when the real business of law commenced, she discovered that she actually had more fun setting up the office than handling clients’ briefs. So, nine months after, she resigned to pursue her passion, tailoring. That was in 2005, when she started off her own entrepreneurial endeavour called Tuopsy’s Enterprises from her residence and with a $1,000 seed money from an angel investor whom she recalled said,” ‘Let’s see what you do with this.’ Tuopsy Enterprises started out with one staff but within a short time, the business began to grow through word-of-mouth referrals and patronages from friends and relations. She added a couple of more machines. However, despite her undying entrepreneurial spirit, Esisi almost shutdown the business

in 2008, barely three years after takeoff as contrary to her expectations, the infrastructural and resource hitches that confronted her was rather too daunting for her to cope with. The astronomical power charges, the bloated lending rates from the banks all ensured that the business wasn’t anywhere near gratifying, as the efforts she and her team put into the enterprise. She was working her fingers off but the money just wouldn’t come. “I ran this business for three years solely on passion and creativity, but I didn’t make any money. I was ready to throw the towel in,” she recalled. Luckily for her, it was at that trying time that Goldman Sachs introduced the 10,000 Women Entrepreneurial programme in Nigeria. She opted for it to get some direction to take her business through and after the training at the Entrepreneurial Development Centre of the Lagos Business School (LBS), Lagos, Esisi was able to re-organise, restructure and review her business, infusing a new power and energy into Tuopsy’s Enterprises. At the programme, she was introduced to the concepts of business strategy, strategic business plans, target marketing, etc, and participated in business simulation classes. “This was a transformational experience for me, because prior to this, I knew the technical aspects of what I was doing, but was yet to fully appreciate the depth and breadth of the business side,” she said. “The first couple of weeks in class, I realized I had been doing everything wrong,” Esisi says. Through an online mentoring programme, Esisi was matched with a Goldman Sachs employee, Chief Operating Officer for the Securities division of Goldman Sachs, Michelle Pinggera, who guided her through her coursework. Over the course of four months, she excelled in her coursework, gaining the financial and leadership skills to enhance her business, and eventually completing a certificate in entrepreneurial management. She admitted that it was after the Goldman Sachs programme that she realized she was more than a tailor. “I was in the fashion business; because there were opportunities in my business

Esisi

that I was not focusing on such as purchasing, production, design, marketing, exports, etc.” A year after in 2009, Esisi began to take his tailoring profession to the global stage, as she along with some of the most famous, powerful and influential women in the world, including Hillary Clinton, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and a galaxy of other celebrities, received

the coveted Vital Voices Entrepreneurship Award in Washington DC in 2009. That clearly marked a turning point in the life of the lawyer who traded her wig for the scissors and tape of a tailor. Today, Esisi has emerged as one of Africa’s success stories in women enterprise through her Tuopsy Enterprises and she is presently a mentor to the new

breed of women entrepreneurs in the programme. However, though Esisi holds her current status to the former exposure she received through the Goldman Sach’s Entrepreneurial Development Scholarship programme, the real success factors appear to be her own inner driving force; her perseverance, commitment vision and passion. Besides, from the time she started selling cakes while in the university, Esisi adopted the culture of treating her customers like gold. “Over time, as I needed to employ staff, I realized it was important to treat my employees just as if they were customers – because they are the face of my business. If the internal customer is not happy, the external one won’t be either” she said. Here are seven ways, according to Esisi on how to treat employees with the same respect, patience, and importance you give to customers: Speak their language Coming from my background as a lawyer, I had trouble communicating with my employees when I launched a fashion-design company in Nigeria. The employees were skilled but uneducated; it was as though I spoke in a different dialect. It’s easy for an en-

Management Principles

The ten principles of

change management

n most enterprises, most senior executives conventionally focus attention on devising the best strategic and tactical plans to implement change management. But it is important to note that to succeed, it is critical to have an intimate understanding of the human side of change management — the alignment of the company’s culture, values, people, and behaviours — to encourage the desired results. Plans themselves do not capture value; value is realized only through the sustained, collective actions of employees who are responsible for designing, executing, and living with the changed environment. Long-term structural transformation has four characteristics: scale (the change affects all or most of the organization), magnitude (it involves significant alterations of the status quo), duration (it lasts for months, if not years), and strategic importance. Yet companies will reap the rewards only when change occurs at the level of the individual employee. Many senior executives know this and worry about it. When asked what keeps them up at night, CEOs involved in transformation often say they are concerned about how the work force will react, how they can get their team to work together, and how they will be able to lead their people. They also worry about retaining their company’s unique values and sense of identity and about creating a culture of commitment and performance. Leadership teams that fail to plan for the human side of change often find themselves wondering why their best-laid plans have gone awry. No single methodology fits every company, but there is a set of practices, tools, and techniques that can be adapted to a variety of situations. Discussed hereunder are top ten list of guiding principles for change management. Using these as a systematic, comprehensive framework, executives can understand what to expect, how to manage their own personal change, and how to engage the entire organization in the process.

Address the “human side” systematically Any significant transformation creates “people issues.” New leaders will be asked to step up, jobs will be changed, new skills and capabilities must be developed, and employees will be uncertain and resistant. Dealing with these issues on a reactive, case-by-case basis puts speed, morale, and results at risk. A formal approach for managing change — beginning with the leadership team and then engaging key stakeholders and leaders — should be developed early, and adapted often as change moves through the organization. This demands as much data collection and analysis, planning, and implementation discipline as does a redesign of strategy, systems, or processes. The change-management approach should be fully integrated into programme design and decision making, both informing and enabling strategic direction. It should be based on a realistic assessment of the organization’s history, readiness, and capacity to change.

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Business Courage A11 29

Monday, July 23, 2012

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs Personal Finance How to write a business plan

trepreneur to be cocky and think because you had the big dream to set up your business you had to be served, but I realized it was up to me, not the employees, to find ways to communicate effectively. Because many of them didn’t read or write, I found that drawing diagrams on the clothing patterns was a really effective way to give them instructions. Provide education While I came down to the employees’ level originally, I needed to raise them up in the long run. I engaged a tutor a few days a week to help my employees de-

velop their language skills. Ongoing employee training is essential. However, the training should never be simply about giving workers education, but about providing them with skills that directly help the business. Express your expectations I had a friend who was going to dismiss her housekeeper because she didn’t meet her standards of cleanliness. But I realized my friend hadn’t bothered to explain her expectations to the housekeeper. Once she did, the housekeeper became more effective in her duties. The same

Start at the top Because change is inherently unsettling for people at all levels of an organization, when it is on the horizon, all eyes will turn to the CEO and the leadership team for strength, support, and direction. The leaders themselves must embrace the new approaches first, both to challenge and to motivate the rest of the institution. They must speak with one voice and model the desired behaviours. The executive team also needs to understand that, although its public face may be one of unity, it, too, is composed of individuals who are going through stressful times and need to be supported. Executive teams that work well together are best positioned for success. They are aligned and committed to the direction of change, understand the culture and behaviours the changes intend to introduce, and can model those changes themselves. Involve every layer As transformation programmes progress from defining strategy and setting targets to design and implementation, they affect different levels of the organization. Change efforts must include plans for identifying leaders throughout the company and pushing responsibility for design and implementation down, so that change “cascades” through the organization. At each layer of the organization, the leaders who are identified and trained must be aligned to the company’s vision, equipped to execute their specific mission, and motivated to make change happen. Make the formal case Individuals are inherently rational and will question to what extent change is needed, whether the company is headed in the right direction, and whether they want to commit personally to making change happen. They will look to the leadership for answers. The articulation of a formal case for change and the creation of a written vision statement are invaluable opportunities to create or compel leadership-team alignment. Three steps should be followed in developing the case: First, confront reality and articulate a convincing need for change. Second, demonstrate faith that the company has a viable future and the leadership to get there. Finally, provide a road map to guide behaviour and decision making. Leaders must then customize this message for various internal audiences, describing the pending change in terms that matter to the individuals. BC

To be continued

By John Jones and DeAnne Aguirre, both vice presidents with Booz Allen Hamilton in New York and Matthew Calderone, a Senior Associate

concept is true in my business. It’s pointless to be critical of your employees’ performance until you clearly delineate what you expect of them, because their standards may be different. Create room for interaction People are often afraid to ask questions because they think it reflects badly on them. I made it clear to my employees that it was okay to ask for clarification. I had an open-door policy. When employees saw they could ask questions without retribution or punishment, they came to me with more questions, and became better, more productive workers. Define clear structure Here in Nigeria, tailors typically work by a process called “freehand cutting,” where they cut into the material without using a pattern. For my business to succeed, however, I needed a systematized approach that produced a uniform product. When I hired new employees, I found they adjusted to my system when I put forward our organizational structure and operating procedures and explained everything upfront. People will adapt quickly to new concepts if you guide them and clearly show the reasons behind it. Identify areas of Strength In a creative business like fashion, I had to carefully match my employees’ skills with the needs of my business. Some employees are better with detailed work, so I had them produce clothing where that is important. Others take pride in turning out work faster, so I assigned them to tasks where speed is more important than exactitude. The key is to find what people do well, so you can give them duties that allow them to succeed. Show appreciation When I saw that some customers asked for clothing made by a specific employee, I realize what an important part of the company my workers were. In a service business, there’s nothing between your staff and your customers – so you need to regard them both as vital to your success. BC

business plan is a written description of your business’s future. It is a document that describes what you plan to do and how you plan to do it. Business plans can help perform a number of tasks for those who write and read them. They’re used by investment-seeking entrepreneurs to convey their vision to potential investors. They may also be used by firms that are trying to attract key employees, prospect for new business, deal with suppliers or simply to understand how to manage their companies better. So what’s included in a business plan, and how do you put one together? Simply stated, a business plan conveys your business goals, the strategies you’ll use to meet them, potential problems that may confront your business and ways to solve them, the organizational structure of your business (including titles and responsibilities), and finally, the amount of capital required to finance your venture and keep it going until it breaks even. Now that you understand why you need a business plan and you’ve spent some time doing your homework gathering the information you need to create one, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get everything down on paper. Discussed hereunder are the seven essential sections of a business plan: what you should include, what you shouldn’t include, how to work the numbers and additional resources you can turn to for help. With that in mind, jump right in. Executive summary Within the overall outline of the business plan, the executive summary will follow the title page. The summary should tell the reader what you want. Clearly state what you’re asking for in the summary. The statement should be kept short and business-like, probably no more than half a page. It could be longer, depending on how complicated the use of funds may be, but the summary of a business plan, like the summary of a loan application, is generally not longer than one page. Within that space, you’ll need to provide a synopsis of your entire business plan like: the business concept, where you discuss the industry, your business structure, your particular product or service, and how you plan to make your business a success; financial features which highlights the important financial points of the business including sales, profits, cash flows and return on investment and financial requirements that clearly state the capital needed to start the business and to expand. Others include current business position, which is the legal form of operation, the principal owners and key personnel as well as major achievements, which provides details of any developments within the company that are essential to the success of the business. Business description This usually begins with a short description of the industry, the present outlook as well as future possibilities. It also provides information on all the various markets within the industry, including any new products or developments that will benefit or adversely affect your business.

If the business plan is to be used as a document for financial purposes, explain why the added equity or debt money is going to make your business more profitable. Market strategies These are the result of a meticulous market analysis, which forces the entrepreneur to become familiar with all aspects of the market so that the target market can be defined and the company can be positioned in order to garner its share of sales. A market analysis also enables the entrepreneur to establish pricing, distribution and promotional strategies that will allow the company to become profitable within a competitive environment. In addition, it provides an indication of the growth potential within the industry, and this will allow you to develop your own estimates for the future of your business. Competitive analysis This is a statement of the business strategy and how it relates to the competition and it is used to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors within your market, strategies that will provide you with a distinct advantage, the barriers that can be developed in order to prevent competition from entering your market, and any weaknesses that can be exploited within the product development cycle. Design and development plan This provides investors with a description of the product’s design, chart its development within the context of production, marketing and the company itself, and create a development budget that will enable the company to reach its goals. It covers areas like product development; market development and organizational development. Operations and management plan This describes how the business functions on a continuing basis. It highlights the logistics of the organization such as the various responsibilities of the management team, the tasks assigned to each division within the company, and capital and expense requirements related to the operations of the business. Financial factors Financial data is always at the back of the business plan, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less important than up-front material such as the business concept and the management team. Astute investors look carefully at the charts, tables, formulas and spreadsheets in the financial section, because they know that this information is like the pulse, respiration rate and blood pressure in a human--it shows whether the patient is alive and what the odds are for continued survival. The three common statements are a cash flow statement, an income statement and a balance sheet. The three statements are interlinked, with changes in one necessarily altering the others, but they measure quite different aspects of a company’s financial health. It’s hard to say that one of these is more important than another. But of the three, the income statement may be the best place to start. BC

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Monday, July 23, 2012

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Amazing world of mobile access With mobile phone access reaching three quarters of planet’s population, the latest World Bank report points to human and economic development values of the mobile phone By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

here is no doubt that mobile phones, a rarity in many developing countries at the turn of the century, is fast becoming a household gadget almost everywhere. To a large extent, the number of mobile subscriptions in use worldwide, pre-paid and post-paid has grown from fewer than one billion in 2000 to over six billion now, out of which nearly five billion are in the developing countries. Undeniably, ownership of multiple subscriptions has become increasingly common, suggesting that mobile telephone numbers may soon exceed that of the human population. Believed to have been transforming livelihoods in recent time, the mobile revolution has not only been helping to create new businesses, it has also helped in changing the way we communicate. Presently, the mobile phone network has already become the biggest “machine” the world has ever seen and delivering development opportunities on a scale never before imagined. A new report released last week by the World Bank and infoDev, its technology entrepreneurship and innovation programme, reveal that around three-quarters of the world’s inhabitants now have access to a mobile phone. But while the mobile communications’ story is moving to a new level, the phenomenon about the mobile phones has moved far away from the gadget itself but how it is used. Arguably the most ubiquitous modern technology, in many developing countries, more people are believed to have access to a mobile phone than to a bank account, electricity, or even clean water. Mobile communications now offer major opportunities to advance human development—from providing basic access to education or health information to making cash payments to stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes. According to Information and Communications for Development 2012: Maximizing Mobile, more than 30 billion mobile applications, or “apps,” were downloaded in 2011 – software that extends the capabilities of

phones, for instance to become mobile wallets, navigational aids or price comparison tools. In developing countries, citizens are increasingly using mobile phones to create new livelihoods and enhance their lifestyles, while governments are using them to improve service delivery and citizen feedback mechanisms. “Mobile communications offer major opportunities to advance human and economic development from providing basic access to health information to making cash payments, spurring job creation, and stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes,” said World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte. “The challenge now is to enable people, businesses, and governments in developing countries to develop their own locally-relevant mobile applications so they can take full advantage of these opportunities.” The new report, the third in the World Bank’s series on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development, analyzing the growth and evolution of mobile telephony, and the rise of data-based services, including apps, delivered to handheld devices, also explored the consequences for development of the emerging “app economy”, especially in agriculture, health, financial services and government, and how it is changing approaches to entrepreneurship and employment. “The mobile revolution is right at the start of its growth curve: mobile devices are becoming cheaper and more powerful while networks are doubling in bandwidth roughly every 18 months and expanding into rural areas,” said Tim Kelly, Lead ICT Policy Specialist at the World Bank and one of the authors of the report. According to the report, mobile telephony has been one of the most quickly adopted technologies of all time. The report discovered that as it is, the developing world is even discovered to be “more mobile” than the developed world. While in the developed world, mobile communications have added value to legacy communication systems and have supplemented and expanded existing informa-

tion flows, the developing world is following a different, “mobile first” development trajectory. In many of the developing countries, many mobile innovations, such as multi-SIM card phones, low-value recharges, and mobile payments have originated as new mobile applications that are designed locally and rooted in the realities of the developing world and much better are said to be suited to addressing development challenges than applications transplanted from elsewhere. In particular, locally developed applications, it revealed, can address developing-country concerns such as digital literacy and affordability. Mobile applications not only empower individual users but also enrich their lifestyles and livelihoods and boost the economy as a whole. Indeed, while mobile applications have been discovered to now make phones immensely powerful as portals to the online world, a new wave of “apps,” or smartphone applications, and “mash-ups” of services, driven by high-speed networks, social networking, online crowd sourcing, and innovation, has been helping mobile phones transform the lives of people in developed and developing countries alike. The report found out that mobile applications not only empower individuals but have important cascade effects, stimulating growth, entrepreneurship, and productivity throughout the economy as a whole. Explaining that mobile communications promise to do more than

just give the developing world a voice, by unlocking the genie in the phone, it revealed that they empower people to make their own choices and decisions. While the report also went further to explore the consequences for development of the emerging “app economy,” it summarized the current thinking and sought to inform the debate on the use of mobile phones for development, taking a look at key ecosystem-based applications in agriculture, health, financial services, employment, and government, with chapters devoted to each. To a large extent, it is unarguably that the mobile industry is a significant player in many national economies. Mobile telecommunication operators generated an estimated $798 billion in revenue in 2010. That is around 1.2 percent of total global annual gross domestic product (GDP) and 56 percent of overall telecommunication revenues. The direct economic impact of the mobile industry varies across regions. While revenue remains at a consistent ratio of around one per cent of the GDP in most regions, in some developing regions, its direct impact is far higher. Taking a critical look at countries around the world that are taking advantage of this potential, it stated for example that in India, the state of Kerala’s mGovernment programme has deployed over 20 applications and facilitated more than three million interactions between the government and citizens since it was launched in December

2010. Kenya, it revealed, has emerged as a leading player in mobile for development, largely due to the success of the MPESA mobile payment ecosystem. For instance, in Kenya, financial transactions through the M-PESA platform are estimated to account for up to 20 per cent of national GDP. The M-PESA provides a good example of the ecosystem model of mobile applications for development. The initial development of this pioneering mobile money application involved the efforts of a donor (UKaid/DFID) working together with an international operator (Vodafone), a local operator (Safaricom), and the Kenya ICT Board, an arm of government. As the application spread, a network of some 25,000 agents was required to enable users to make payments and transfer money using their mobile phones. As the platform has matured, many other companies—from travel agents to pharmaceutical companies to water services providers—now use M-PESA to handle payments, and this in turn has created demand for a small army of mobile applications developers. Unlike Nigeria which is still undergoing teething problem with the newly introduced mobile money through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) cashless policy, the mobile money has transformed the Kenyan economy, where mobile-facilitated payments now equate to a fifth of the country’s GDP. The impact of mobile money is widening elsewhere too, as it is ad-

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opted across commerce, health insurance, agricultural banking, and other sectors. Today, the potential of mobile payment systems to “bank the unbanked” and empower the poor through improved access to finance and lower transaction costs is generating growing excitement. In Palestine, Souktel’s JobMatch service is helping young people find jobs. College graduates using the service reported a reduction in the time spent looking for employment from an average of twelve weeks to one week or less, and an increase in wages of up to 50 per cent. The report, emphasizing the role of governments in enabling mobile application development, also highlighted how mobile innovation labs – shared spaces for training developers and incubating start-ups – can help bring new apps to market. For instance, infoDev, in collaboration with the Government of Finland and Nokia, has established five regional mobile innovation labs (mLabs) in Armenia, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, and Vietnam. infoDev is also using mobile social networking to bring grassroots entrepreneurs together with other stakeholders in mobile hubs (mHubs). “Most businesses based around mobile app technology are at an early stage of development, but may hold enormous employment and economic potential, similar to that of the software industry in the 1980s and 1990s. Supporting the networking and incubation of entrepreneurs is essential to ensure that such potential is tapped,” said Valerie D’Costa, Programme Manager of infoDev. In particular, the report shows how innovation in the manufacture of mobile handsets—giving them more memory, faster processing power, and easier-to-use touchscreen interfaces—married with higher performance and more affordable broadband networks and services produces transformation throughout economies and

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Monday, July 23, 2012

societies. Increasingly, that transformation is coming from developing countries, which are “more mobile” than developed countries in the sense that they are following a “mobile first” development trajectory. Many mobile innovations (including multi-SIM card phones, lowcost recharges, and mobile payments) increasingly originate in poorer countries and spread from there. Since the last Information and Communications for Development report was published, almost two billion new mobile phone subscriptions have been added worldwide, and the majority of these are in the developing world. This rapid growth does not show the whole picture, however. Alongside the process of enlarging the network is an equally important process of improving the quality and depth of the network as narrowband networks are upgraded to broadband and as basic phones and featurephones are upgraded to smartphones and tablets. The full range of innovative mobile applications described in this report is not yet available in all countries and to all subscribers, but they soon will be. And the expectation is that, the developing countries will invent and adapt their own mobile applications, suited to local circumstances and needs. For that reason, more research is needed on how mobile applications are used in base of the pyramid households. The report, like its predecessors, is researched and written jointly by the ICT Sector Unit and by infoDev, a global partnership program of the World Bank Group. While it has been reviewed by a broad range of experts working in the field, both within and outside the Bank, whose contributions are gracefully acknowledged, funding is provided by the World Bank as well as infoDev’s donors, notably the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Government of Finland, the

Korean Trust Fund for ICT4D, and UKaid. Promoting the green revolution, given the dominance of primary commodities in the economies of many developing countries, the report showed the all-important area of mobile applications designed to improve incomes, productivity, and yields within the agricultural sector, which accounts for about 40 per cent of the workforce and an even greater proportion of exports in many developing countries. To date, voice calls and SMS text messages have proven invaluable in increasing efficiency in smallholder agriculture. They can, for example, provide real-time price information and improve the flow of information along the entire value chain, from producers to processors to wholesalers to retailers to consumers. The basic functions of the mobile phone will continue to remain important for reaching the widest number of people, but the focus of applications development is shifting as the underlying technologies evolve. Today, increasingly specialized mobile services are fulfilling specific agricultural functions, while multimedia imagery is being used to overcome illiteracy and provide complex information

regarding weather and climate, pest control, cultivation practices, and agricultural extension services to potentially less techsavvy farmers. This chapter also examines the emerging uses of remote and satellite technologies that are assisting in food traceability, sensory detection, real-time reporting, and status updates from the field. Mobile applications for agriculture and rural development have generally not followed any generic blueprint. They are usually designed locally and for specific target markets, with localized content specific to languages, crop types, and farming methods. Local design offers exciting opportunities for local content and applications development but may limit the economies of scale realizable from expanding from pilot programs into mass markets, potentially hindering the spread of new and promising applications and services. To the experts, the mobile revolution is right at the start of its growth curve. According to investigations, devices are becoming more powerful and cheaper. But the app economy requires economies of scale to become viable. According to the report, now is the time to evaluate what works and to move toward the commercialization, replication, and scaling up of those mobile apps that drive development. Until recently, most services using mobiles for development were based on text messaging. Now, the development of inexpensive smartphones and the spread of mobile broadband networks are transforming the range of possible applications. In 2011, for the first time, sales of smartphones exceeded sales of personal computers (PCs) globally. According to Gartner, global sales of PCs numbered 353 million in 2011. Assuming a PC is replaced on average every five years, an estimated total of 1.6 billion PCs were in use around the world at the end of 2011. In comparison, some 1.8 billion mobile handsets were sold in 2011 alone. In other words, more mobile phones were sold in 2011 than the entire base of

installed PCs. Sales of smartphones rose 59 per cent in 2011 to more than 470 million units, about one of every four mobile handsets. Another entry into the device world came in April 2010.The Apple iPad, which straddles the boundary between smartphones and laptop computers, created a new category of “tablet” computers. Just over 14 million iPads were sold in 2011. The launch of the iPad has helped attract more competitors into the tablet arena, and sales of all brands are expected to be close to 300 million by 2015. Combined global sales of smartphones and tablet computers exceeded those of PCs in 2011. The outlook for internet connectivity is clearly through a more portable and convenient device than a personal computer, with smartphones enjoying stellar growth in popularity. Google Play offers more than 400,000 applications with over 10 billion downloaded by January 2012 (Paul 2012). Another significant player is mobile equipment manufacturer Nokia. It has traditionally had a large market share of the handset market, especially in the developing world. Nokia’s mobile operating system, Symbian, is installed on most of these handsets. Thus far, however, Nokia has failed to capture a large share of the smartphone market. In 2011, it forged an agreement with Microsoft to begin offering the Windows operating system on its smartphones. In early 2012, Nokia was itself overtaken by Samsung as the vendor with the leading market share. Samsung supports both its own operating platform—bada—and the Android platform, but also makes money from subcontract manufacturing for Apple. Applications and content are drivers of mobile broadband demand. Broadband in itself does not provide much value directly to business and consumers. It is the applications and content that can be accessed through broadband that consumers want. Mobile broadband has made this link even more evident. Adoption of mobile broadband services is closely followed by applications growth for this service Engaging mobile applications for development requires an enabling “ecosystem.” Apps are software “kernels” that sit on a mobile device (typically a smartphone or tablet) and that can often interact with internetbased services to, for instance, access updates. Most apps are used by individual users, but the applications that may prove most useful for development are those usually developed within an ecosystem that involves many different players, including software developers, content providers, network operators, device manufacturers, governments, and users. BC

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Business Courage

Startimes subscribers’ base hits 0.75 million in two years By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

he management of NTAStar TV Network Ltd, providers of Startimes, a low-end pay TV which operates based on the DVB-T (Digital Video Broadcast-Terrestrial) standard and which requires no dish, said in the last two years of its operation in Nigeria, its active subscribers’ base in Nigeria is now 750,000. Speaking during a media launch to unveil its N2 million second anniversary promo meant to reward its customers for their patronage and to celebrate the organisation’s two years of successful DTT operations in Nigeria, the Brand Manager, Bayo Okeowo told newsmen that since the company was launched in July 2010, its subscription which was about 400,000 last year has been on the increase. According to him, the promo which started last week and expected to run till the September in eight cities where StarTimes is currently operating would reward one national prize winner worth N2 million while eight regional star prize winners would go home with N100,000 each. Other prizes to be won include 54 LCD TV, 96 CRT TV, 90 Startimes Mobile TV and 42 Startimes GPS cat TV for subscribers only in Lagos and Abuja. To qualify for the draw and win in the national grand prize of N2 million and other regional prizes, new subscribers are expected to visit any Startimes outlet, buy and activate any Startimes product like decoder, LCD/CRT TV, the new Startimes mobile/ car TV while existing subscribers are expected to pay a subscription fee/recharge for a minimum of one month for any of the Startimes bouquet of their choice. According to the pay TV’s public relations officer, Celestine Umeibe, the reward programme was mapped out to say a big thank you to Nigerians for believing in them and most importantly for their support and patronage in the last two years. Urging Nigerians to participate fully in the promo, he noted, “We believe that Nigerians can testify to the success of our first anniversary, which was applauded by many for its transparency. The grand finale witnessed the presentation of a million naira cheque to the lucky winner, in addition to five regional star prize winners” “In the last two years, we have been able to bridge the

gap between the rich and the poor in terms of access to information, education and entertainment, contributing to national growth and developing job opportunities.” He noted. Okeowo said the pay TV Company remained committed to providing digital pay TV services at an affordable cost while looking forward to Nigeria’s successful migration from analogue broadcasting by 2015. According to him, as a pioneer in DTT operations in Nigeria which currently operates in 8 cities, providing quality digital TV services to millions of Nigerians, the company remains dedicated to its mission of ensuring that every Nigerian family can own and enjoy quality digital TV at an affordable cost while working strongly with stakeholders in assuring that the country completes its successful migration from analogue broadcasting to digital broadcasting by 2015. “In addition, the organisation’s 2nd anniversary celebration is a testimony of its remarkable achievement in the past two years especially advancing Nigeria to the accomplishment of total broadcast migration via rapid expansion, reshaping social and public perception of pay TV in Nigeria.” Okeowo however revealed that plans are underway to take the pay TV to more cities in the coming months.

Etisalat offers customers exciting roaming rates with new summer promo

igeria’s acclaimed most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat has announced the launch of an exciting new promo that offers discounted roaming call rates and lower SMS rates to all existing and new Etisalat subscribers travelling to the United Kingdom, France and United

Ammar

Monday, July 23, 2012

Arab Emirates during the summer holidays. This promo which kicked off on the 12th of July will run till the 30th of September, 2012. For the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and France, the rates for local calls and calls back to Nigeria will go for N120 while SMS will go for N35 and Data services will be N15 for every 70KB used. The rates are available to both pre-paid and post-paid customers who would be roaming their lines in the listed countries and the associated networks are; Vodafone for UK, Etisalat for the UAE and Orange for France. According to Chief Commercial Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Wael Ammar, Nigerians travelling to the United Kingdom, France and United Arab Emirates this summer will be able to stay in touch with friends, business associates and family members while enjoying their holidays. He highlighted the fact that the promo was designed because the company recognises the needs of its customers to always keep in touch with their families and business associates in Nigeria even when they are abroad. Ammar further explained that the promo provides subscribers on the network with lower call tariffs, SMS rates and data plans while outside the shores of the country. “Our customers are at the centre of our business and we continually provide innovative and customer-centric products and services to suit their lifestyles. The Etisalat Roaming Summer Promo is one of many services we have introduced to reward our subscribers”, he concluded.

Google launches SMS Gmail in Africa

earch engine and mail host Google has launched a textbased version of their hugely popular Gmail email service, which is specifically aimed at users in Africa who do not necessarily have access to a constant or stable connection to the Internet. The new service is also aimed at users who do not have smartphones and make use of feature phones – mobile devices that cannot connect to the Internet and have no ability to feature apps. “Gmail SMS works on any phone, even the most basic ones which only support voice and SMS. Gmail SMS automatically forwards your emails as SMS text messages

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

to your phone and you can respond by replying directly to the SMS,” said Geva Rechav, Google’s product manager for emerging markets. While Google is conducting educational programmes in the African region, the SMS addition extends Google’s product range which is specifically aimed at enhancing the lives of Africans. Google previously said that computer science training in African is “an important goal for Brulez Google in 2012″. Often the lack of resources to buy hardware in order to connect to the Internet is a major stumbling block, which the SMS services aim to overcome. “You can control the emails received by replying with commands such as MORE, PAUSE and RESUME. Additionally, compose a new email as an SMS and send to any email address recipient – who will find your message in the right email conversation thread!” Rechav added. Gmail SMS is currently available in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya and is offered as a free service, while any command sent texts will be subject to standard network rates.

New cyber-espionage campaign discovered in the Middle East

aspersky Lab researchers announced the results of a joint investigation with Seculert, an Advanced Threat Detection company, regarding “Madi”, an active cyber-espionage campaign targeting victims in the Middle East. Originally discovered by Seculert, Madi is a computer network infiltration campaign that involves a malicious Trojan which is delivered via social engineering schemes to carefully selected targets. Kaspersky Lab and Seculert worked together to sinkhole the Madi Command & Control (C&C) servers to monitor the campaign. Kaspersky Lab and Seculert identified more than 800 victims located in Iran, Israel and select countries across the globe connecting to the C&Cs over the past eight months. Statistics from the sinkhole revealed that the victims were primarily business people working on Iranian and Israeli critical infrastructure projects, Israeli financial institutions,

Middle Eastern engineering students and various government agencies communicating in the Middle East. In addition, examination of the malware identified an unusual amount of religious and political ‘distraction’ documents and images that were dropped when the initial infection occurred. “While the malware and infrastructure is very basic compared to other similar projects, the Madi attackers have been able to conduct a sustained surveillance operation against high-profile victims,” said Nicolas Brulez, Senior Malware Researcher, Kaspersky Lab. “Perhaps the amateurish and rudimentary approach helped the operation fly under the radar and evade detection.” “Interestingly, our joint analysis uncovered a lot of Persian strings littered throughout the malware and the C&C tools, which is unusual to see in malicious code. The attackers were no doubt fluent in this language,” said Aviv Raff, Chief Technology Officer, Seculert. The Madi info-stealing Trojan enables remote attackers to steal sensitive files from infected Windows computers, monitor sensitive communications such as email and instant messages, record audio, log keystrokes, and take screenshots of victims’ activities. Data analysis suggests that multiple gigabytes of data have been uploaded from victims’ computers. Common applications and websites that were spied on include accounts on Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo! Mail, ICQ, Skype, Google+, and Facebook. Surveillance is also performed over integrated ERP/CRM systems, business contracts, and financial management systems. Kaspersky Lab’s Anti-Virus system detects the Madi malware variants along with its associated droppers and modules, classified as Trojan. Win32.Madi. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A15 33

Monday, July 23, 2012

Reflections with Semiu Salami 07043280449 sms only

Still on PIB A

s previously predicted in this column, President Goodluck Jonathan last week sent the reworked Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) bill to the national assembly. Three weeks ago, the technical committee set up in January by the Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke to review and harmonise the various version of the PIB previously in circulation, had submitted the report, several months behind schedule. The bill, which many have seen as the key to unlock billions of dollars of stalled investment in exploration and production in the oil and gas sector, will according to the minister, ensure the independence of the regulators in the sector, as well as unbundle the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). She said that the fiscal frameworks which delayed the bill in the past have been reworked and that when passed by the National Assembly, the country would remain an interesting investment destination for oil and gas investors as the PIB would make the oil industry more competitive and accountable. The bill includes plans to partly

privatize and list the state oil company, tax oil company profits at 20 percent for deep offshore and 50 percent for shallow or onshore, and give the oil minister supervisory powers over all oil institutions. Contained in the draft bill is the unbundling of the NNPC and the creation of an inspectorate unit, independent regulatory agencies, and the architecture of the fiscal regime in the oil and gas sector. The successor, national oil company, which will also have shareholding, will be ceded acreages and will also take over the current infrastructure in the oil and gas sector - refineries, depots and certain downstream entities as well as production sharing contracts. The bill also provides for the creation of a National Frontier Exploration Services, which will be the technical arm of the minister’s secretariat in order to robustly and actively drive data acquisition for various inland sedimentary data over the next two years In addition, the PIB has provisions for a crude oil fiscal regime and the upliftment of the utilisation of domestic gas, through the establishment of a

new National Gas Company that will drive the Gas Masterplan. Besides, the ministries and parastatals existing now, like the Petroleum Trust Fund, Petroleum Equalisation Fund, Institute of National Content Development Board, Petroleum Host Community Fund, will continue to exist until they are no longer expected to do so as the industry evolves. With the transmission of the bill to the national assembly last week, the PIB is starting off another phase in a chequered three time legislative cycle, having been first presented to the lawmakers in 2008, during the fifth legislative assembly. Following its failure to sail through at the time, the bill was represented to the sixth national assembly but got mired in politics as vested interests in the oil and gas sector dug in and created a rather ridiculous situation with the emergence of several versions of the bill in circulation. Sadly, however, the new PIB seems to have taken off exactly from where it ended during the last national assembly; on a controversial note. The decision by President Jonathan to transmit the bill to the national assembly on the day the members of the national assembly commenced a three month vacation is already drawing bad blood. While members of the senate accepted

the bill, members of the House of Representatives virtually threw the bill back to the president. The lawmakers accused the president of not doing enough to ensure that the bill is passed, wondering why the bill was sent at a time when the house was proceeding on a long vacation. They cautioned that Nigerians should not blame the lawmakers for whatever faith that befalls the bill when the house resumes in September. In fact, it took the dexterity of the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal to forestall the return of the bill back to the president. As mild as the drama of last week may seem, the fact that the relationship between the presidency and the lower chamber has gone sour in recent time may just be an indication that the promise of quick passage of the PIB by the senate may turn out to be a hard sell after all. Besides, President Jonathan may have unwittingly stirred the hornet’s nest with what is turning out to be a selective implementation of part of the items contained in the draft bill. Last week, the president approved the scrapping of the PPPRA and reconstituted the board of the NNPC, giving more powers to the minister among others. For now, the waiting game continues and whether the bill will get the expeditious passage as expressed by the senators would depend on how well the presidency plays the political chess game between now and when the lawmakers resume in September. BC

BELIEVABILITY INDEX

UACN’s acquisition galore and the values inherent By Festus Okoromadu

ast week, Directors of UAC of Nigeria (UACN) Plc notified the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) of the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Portland Paint and Products Plc with a view to acquiring a majority equity stake in the latter. According to the notice, the proposed transaction is driven by “potential synergies between the two companies and is in line with UACN’s strategy of building a portfolio of brands and businesses geared towards the growth segments of the Nigerian economy, and partnerships that deliver long-term value to the company and its stakeholders”. Prior to this, UACN had on July 2, 2012 sent a similar notice to the NSE, intimating it of another MOU with Livestocks Feeds (LSF) Plc with plans to make equity investment in it. These acquisitions no doubt are expressions of the UACN group’s confidence in the growth of the Nigerian economy even in the face of the current challenges. The Chairman, Board of Directors, UACN Plc, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, had on Wednesday, June 20, 2012 when the company held its Annual General meeting (AGM), gave an indication that they will have to use the acquisition strategy to drive growth in the 2012 and beyond. This is more so because the company’s mission is to grow its top-line at twice the rate of GDP (gross domestic Products) in Nigeria. Therefore, it is imperative that as the nation’s GDP grows, UACN managers must device means to grow its top-line too. While expressing the UACN group perception on some of the constraints affecting the business environment in Nigeria and how the board intends to continue to deliver value to stakeholders in the years ahead, Udoma said, “We expect the Nigerian economy to sustain its continued GDP growth and our company’s strategy is to target top-line growth that will significantly exceed Nigeria’s annual GDP growth rate. We

will build our existing businesses and make related acquisitions to deliver growth”. However, the extent to which the newly acquired companies will add value to the stakeholders remains an issue. Those raising eye brow believe that the new acquisitions are only a duplication of the companies which are already within the UCAN group. For instance, the group already have in its kitty, a paints and allied product manufacturing company, CAP Plc, so why acquire another when the industry is said to be proliferated by quacks. In addition, many players in the industry are already complaining of unrestricted importation of coating products to the country, which they claim undermines the growth of the local industry. The question here is why continued to expand in an area where growth is almost impossible? But such argument does not nullify the fact that the directors of UACN have tested the waters and know what it takes to excel in the industry. In their opinion, the proposed acquisition transactions when completed, will deepen their presence in the coating market, as well as help achieve scope and economies of scale in procurement, production and distribution. One other aspect which is believed to have motivated the acquisition may include the prospect inherent in the Nigerian Content Act, especially in the oil and gas industry. The rapid infrastructural development in the country is equally believed to be an incentive that will work in favour of corporate entities like the UACN group. Similarly, critics have questioned the wisdom in acquisition of Livestocks Feeds Plc since UACN equally have a subsidiary which compete favourably with it peers in the market. Again the board offers an explanation for the deal in a note sent to the NSE. It states, “The proposed investment is driven by potential synergies between the two companies in the animal feeds industry and is in accordance with UACN’s strategy which envisages the

building of a portfolio and partnerships that deliver long-term growth and value to the company and its stakeholders”. The note further explained that UACN believes the investment will provide new growth vector leveraging on LSF’s manufacturing platform to penetrate new market geographies as well as deepening presence in existing markets, enhance and consolidate market power, achieve scope and scale economies in procurement, production and optimise manufacturing configuration that mitigates concentration risks. Some market analysts believe that the new arrangement will help revive LSF. Therefore, the relationship is seen to be one that will create the opportunity for the LSF to realise its full potentials under what the UACN authorities termed a good corporate parent and aggressive manager of performance. In addition, LSF is expected to leverage on UACN’s superior technical capacities and complementary resources to deliver value. According to the notification sent to the NSE, UACN is of the view that the proposed transaction will lead to significant development of the agro-allied business industry. However, Business Courage can authoritatively reveal that the main reason behind the acquisition of the LSF is to create the necessary buffer to UACN’S Grand Cereals Limited, whose operational base, in Jos is under serious security threat. A report on the company’s performance in 2011, simply put the situation thus; “Grand Cereals Limited operated under a very difficult environment typified by multiple and sporadic ethno-religious crisis in Jos and insecurity in the Northern parts of the country”. However, Senator Udoma assured the shareholders during the AGM that the company will grow capacity in the livestock feeds categories. Some analysts have in recent times advised shareholders of the company to

exercise caution when dealing in its equities until a final announcement is made. But the question is who should tread cautiously in these dealings? Is it the shareholders of the acquiring company or of those to be acquired? In deciding this, it will be important to noted that UACN has in recent time embarked on what can simply be described as a radical restructuring pattern. First, it disposed off 49 percent of its holding in UACN Foods Limited to Tiger Brands Limited of South Africa; the implication of this is that, the company will henceforth expect returns in term of dividend which may be less than what was achieved in the past. Similarly, the group’s restaurant business has equally been restructured, leading to a full-franchise model operation. As noted by Senator Udoma, the application of this model will result in reduced turnover from the business unit as the company will have to receive only franchise royalty as revenue. Although, he believes that operational returns will improve, this remains to be seen as the group continues on its expansion through acquisition adventure. It is equally important to state that the UACN group has had its fair share of unpalatable merger or partnership relationship in the past. For instance the Nando’s restaurant partnership deal was reported to have been suspended in order to allow for a comprehensive review of the market and the operating model, which Senator Udoma said was found to be unsustainable. The question then is, have the board of UACN carried out enough investigations and studies to be assured that the new acquisitions runs a sustainable model that can truly provide the much anticipated growth and enhance returns to investors? On the part of the acquired companies, their shareholders really need to exercise caution, as the conclusion of the process is bound to increase the share price of their equity. BC

A16 34

Business Courage

TRIPPLE GEE returns to profit, hopes to pay dividend by 2013 By Festus Okoromadu

hareholders of TRIPPLE GEE Plc have been assured of bright future and the prospect of earning returns on their investment through dividend payment at the end of the current financial expected to end in March 2013. The company which has gone through some tough times and had continued to report losses since 2009, recently bounced back to profit. The company’s financial result for the year ended March 31, 2012, sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week, shows a profit after tax of N6.234million in contrast to a loss after tax of N49.222million. The company’s performance can better be appreciated against the fact that turnover for the period grew by only 14.44 percent to N619.812million from N541.605million. The result further shows that distribution and administrative expenses was reduced during year to N116.582million down from N163.548million in the corresponding period of 2011. Other features of the account that portray return to healthy operations include the increase in fixed assets to N1.124billion from N926.11million, unlike the previous year when the company had to defer some cost during the year under review. The company was able to meet all its obligations while working capital and shareholders’ fund both recorded an increased. Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the company, Gbada Giwa told Business Courage in an exclusive interview in Lagos that the company has overcome the dark days and is set to improve on the new performance. While commending the company’s shareholders for exercising patience while the struggle lasted, the CEO promised to work hard to ensure that dividend is paid at the end of the current financial year. On why the company did so badly in the last couple of years, Giwa said it was basically because of policy changes from

Gbada Giwa, CEO, Tripple Gee

government. According to him, in the 80s and 90s, 80 percent of the clientele base of Tripple Gee was banks. He noted that then the numbers of banks operating in the country was about 89, but with the banking consolidations that took place recently in the industry, the number has reduced to only 24, with a good number of them doing their security printing offshore. He noted that it was almost impossible not to post loss when a company loses over 80 percent of its customers. The CEO however assured shareholders that they have gone past the dark days. “We are on the verge of recovery”, he said. He pointed out that the company’s management has developed other products that would mitigate such occurrences in the future. The company, he said, has diversified its clientele base as well as its product range. According to him, the 2012 financial report recently released had 80 percent contributions from customers outside the banking sector. He stated that the company is taking advantage of the return of manufacturing activities in the economy to return to core packaging business. BC

By Tayo Adeleke

quarter (Q2) 2012 from a negative 0.61 percent as at Q2 2011. This showed that the company’s total cost as a percentage of turnover stands at 99.79 percent, down from 100.61 percent recorded in the corresponding period of 2011. This clearly indicated that the company has been spending virtually all its income on cost in recent time. Breakdown of the company balance sheet also show a significant improvement. Fixed assets grew to N441.54 million from N291.4 million in 2011 while company’s stocks stood at N1.85 billion, up from N1.68 billion in 2011. Total assets N4.43 billion, cash and bank balance N813.2 million and total liabilities N1.15 billion in 2012 respectively. However, both working capital and shareholders slide marginally during the review period. Working capital fell to N2.82 billion from N3.0 billion while shareholders funds close at N3.28 billion, down from N3.42 billion. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The LagosIbadan Expressway conundrum

Learn Africa declares N1.29bn sales in six month he management of Learn Africa Plc, formerly Longman Nigeria Plc, last Friday announced its second quarter report for the period ended June 2012. The figures are better compared to the performance in second quarter in 2011. According to results which emanated from the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the book publishing firm recorded 12.18 percent growth in turnover. The company’s turnover stood at N1.29 billion compared to N1.15 billion in 2011. The report as well showed that the company was able to return to profitability during the review period against loss in the same period of 2011. The company declared a N4 million profit in contrast to a loss of N7 million recorded in half year 2011. Learn Africa reported returns on equity of 0.08 percent, up from -0.20 percent in 2011 while gross profit margin closed at 46.30 percent. The PBT margin increased to 0.21 percent in second

Monday, July 23, 2012

hat came to my mind as I was travelling along the LagosIbadan Expressway en-route Akure last week to attend a workshop for financial journalists was that it is becoming more obvious by the day that the decision of the Federal Government to grant local firm, Bi-Courtney Limited, the concession to rebuild and operate this most important road was one huge mistake. While I cannot fault the thinking behind the concession arrangement, which is to enable private sector participation in the provision of critical infrastructure “since government cannot do it alone”, the choice of concessionaire was wrong. My worry is that the so-called rehabilitation of the critical link between the South and the North appears to be heading nowhere. The concessionaire’s mandate under the agreement is to rebuild the express way into a 10-lane dual carriageway with the necessary road furniture including signs, markings and all other elements of a standard highway. It also plans to build truck stops and emergency points as well as toll gate to collect tolls from users in order to recoup its investment over a period of 35 years. One will concede that Bi-Courtney had built a track record of sorts having successfully constructed the Murtala Mohammed Airport 2, a modern terminal in Lagos, but it is clear that building an airport terminal and 128 kilometer 10-lane carriageway are not one and the same. In the last three years or so that BiCourtney has been on this project, not much progress has been made, save the expansion of about 15 kilometres of road. The concessionaire had cited difficulties in getting the full project design approved, raising funding from offshore lenders and inability to secure the Right of Way on both sides of the expressway as some of the reasons for the slow pace of work and had resorted to palliatives including patching potholes and some preliminary work. Several stakeholder groups have called for the termination of the concession agreement on grounds of non-performance, but the Federal Government appears to have signed a deal with the concessionaire from which it cannot withdraw without heavy costs. Indeed, President Goodluck Jonathan admitted recently that the agreement had been reviewed and government would have to face legal action and punitive damages if it backs out. However, a casual observation indicates that with the pace of “work” going on the expressway, the project will not be completed anytime before 2020 and I challenge the concessionaire to prove me wrong. Similar projects such as the expansion of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, also being executed by a concessionaire and the on-going work

on the Abuja airport road, funded directly by the Federal Government, are good examples of what Nigerians expect the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to be. From what we see, the equipment deployed to rebuild that road is highly inadequate. Long stretches of the road are littered with potholes, depressions and the rest, which is why it has become a virtual death trap with accidents, especially those involving heavy trucks, occurring almost every day. In fact that road is a national disgrace and only underlines the massive failure of government to live up to its responsibilities by providing basic infrastructure for Nigerians. Unfortunately government, in trying to find a way out by dumping the burden on a private company, has driven itself into a quandary. We hear that the Federal Executive Council has approved a $1.48bn contract for the construction of a new railway line from Lagos-Ibadan, a welcome development no doubt, but that will hardly take much pressure off the expressway since most users travel well beyond Ibadan, so that road must be done. The government needs to sit down and see how it can reverse or amend this concession arrangement to speed up the reconstruction. There is no agreement that cannot be re-written. I personally do not believe the stories from Bi-Courtney about funding arrangements being in place and all that. What Nigerians want to see is action. The whole affair also raises questions about the sort of due diligence undertaken in choosing the concessionaire and type of agreements government officials sign with private sector entities which tend to leave the government holding the short end of the stick. What sort of clauses are contained in the concession agreement that have constrained Mr. President from revoking the contract right away? In fact, I will not be surprised if we learn eventually that the agreement was drafted by the concessionaire since it obviously enjoys so much protection that it cannot be kicked out unceremoniously. Yet, a way out must be found. Is it possible to pay off the concessionaire based on the value of the work done so far or call its bluff? As most Nigerian are aware, the major problems stultifying the development of the non-oil sector are the twin evils - power shortage and poor transportation infrastructure. No amount of talking and wishful thinking will set Nigeria on the path of true prosperity without resolving these issues as with many others that need no mentioning here. The government must bite the bullet and be decisive in resolving the LagosBC Ibadan Expressway conundrum. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A17 35

Monday, July 23, 2012

UBA appoints Duke, Okwechime as non-executive directors Festus Okoromadu

he former first lady of Cross Rivers State, Owanari Duke as well as the Managing Director/ chief executive officer of Abbey Building Society, Ada Okwechime have been appointed into the board of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc as non-executive directors. In a letter of notification sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) last week, the bank stated that the appointments became effective July 13, 2012. Duke, who is a Barrister at law, is said to be a successful and experienced lawyer, entrepreneur, strategist and a business development professional. She is a United Nation certified trainer on entrepreneurship and a member of the board of UNTAD, Empretec Foundation (an UNTAD Private Support Initiative on Entrepreneurship of which she is currently the

Phillips Oduoza, UBA MD

country Directors since 2003). Her work experience includes Executive Chairman Allied & Merchant Broker, Principal partner, Duke & Bobmanual Legal Practitioners and Assistant Legal Counsel. She attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where she bagged an LLB Hons in Law in 1983 and a BL at Nigerian Law

School, Lagos in 1984. Okwechime, the second female that has just joined the Board of UBA, is currently the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Abbey Building Society, a position she has been occupying since 1992. Her resume shows that she has been an executive manager of over 20 years’ experience. She is reported to have a wealth of financial experience as a director in the United Kingdom (UK) and oversea banks. On the local scene, working career includes serving as a director in UBA, former Standard Trust Bank Plc, and former Platinum Habib Bank Plc. She is a fellow of several professional bodies such as the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Institute of Directors of Nigeria (IOD), Institute of Brand Management and Institute of Direct Marketing of Nigeria. BC

A welcome change at First Bank

ndeed, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Nigeria’s oldest bank and one of the most formidable commercial banks in the country, may have truly commenced the journey to becoming one of the most preferred banks in service delivery. Mystery Shopper can confirm that there is a radical shift from the lackadaisical attitude of some staff of the bank in its numerous branches in recent times, to a more business-like attitude. It would be recalled, a report filed by Mystery Shopper about a year ago, over an encounter of a customer of the bank who had to wait for about six weeks before he could get his Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Card. The same Broad Street branch of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, housed within the Elephant House, at the tail end of the Street, is now doing everything in its capacity to delight any customer that walks into the branch to do business. The remarkable improvement in the process of issuing the ATM Card especially caught the fancy of the Mystery Shopper, as it now takes a maximum of 30 minutes for any customer to walk away from the banking hall with an ATM Card in his/her wallet. Two customers of the bank whose accounts were domiciled with the Broad Street branch who shared their recent experiences with the Mystery Shopper were very pleased at the speed with which the ATM Card was issued to them. Oluwasanmi Ajijooruda, one of the two customers was particularly delighted as he reportedly approached

Bisi Onasanya, GMD/CEO, First Bank of Nigeria

his colleagues in the office with broad smile on his face, displaying the ATM Card which he applied for on his way to work Wednesday, last week, and received with a dispatch. “I simply walked into the branch and requested to renew my ATM Card which has expired. I was made to fill a form and only had to wait for only about 30 minutes before l was issued the card with PIN”, he announced with great delight. Another customer of the bank who also related his experience to Mystery Shopper said he was amazed that his bank had improved that much. “Imagine that l could get my ATM Card renewed at First Bank within a day”, he wondered. The truth remains that though a couple of banks had ascertained that the issuance process of services such as an ATM Card is fast tracked, not many of them will beat the record of less than an hour now set by First bank. Perhaps, the credit should go to the listening management

team at First Bank who acted promptly on the earlier report to correct the anomaly pointed out by Mystery Shopper at the branch of bank on Broad Street. Perhaps also, the prompt response of management is an indication that the bank will no longer leave any stone unturned in making sure that the transformation agenda of the bank succeeds. “As the Bank marked its 110 years of existence in 2004, it unveiled a new chapter in its illustrious history: a new corporate identity, logo and official colours. The launch was the culmination of the Bank’s strategic re-engineering process, embarked upon to usher the Bank into its second century of operations”, a posting on the company’s official website noted. The objectives of the transformation agenda which the bank termed ‘Century ll-The New Frontier’ as explained are: 1. To revolutionalise the bank’s operations in line with the dynamics of the operating environment; 2. To strengthen its brand, leverage and upscale the customers’ experience; and 3. To project First Bank as sophisticated and dynamic. In the process of transformation, First Bank has rightly noted that making a bank more effective and acceptable to customers and stakeholders goes beyond change of logo, aesthetics and overall physical ambience of its workplaces, hence its efforts to radically improve service delivery and renewal of trust/dependability. BC

Market Indicators for Week Ended 20-07-12 All-Share Index 23,095.31 points Market Capitalisation N7,349,433,560,874.33 Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

GUINNESS

228.00

239.40

OKOMUOIL

29.90

31.39

4.98

GSK

23.96

25.15

4.97

CONOIL

23.76

24.94

4.97

4.06

4.26

4.93

UBN

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE 5.00

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

UBA

4.40

4.18

-5.00

MAYBAKER

1.80

1.71

-5.00

BERGER

8.54

8.12

-4.92

ACCESS

7.88

7.50

-4.82

LONGMAN

2.09

1.99

-4.78

Inter-Bank Rates TENOR

RATE%(PREV) 11-July-2012

RATE%(CURR) 19-July-2012

OBB

15.5000 – 15.7500

14.0000 – 14.5000

CALL

14.7500 – 17.0000

14.0000 – 14.7500

Primary Market Auction TENOR 182-Days

AMOUNT (N’mn) 65,403

RATE (%) 14.89

DATE 12-July-12

91-Days

30,159

13.75

12-July-12

364-Days

60,000

15.60

28-June-12

Open Market Operation TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

62-Days

70000

14.50

RATE (%)

01-June-12

DATE

77-Days

40000

15.00

31-May-12

63-Days

60000

14.50

31-May-12

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$300m

MARKET DEMAND $300m

$300m

18-July-12

$200m

16-July-12

A18 36

Business Courage

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, July 20, 2012 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC NT OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 31.39 PRESCO PLC 15.39 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 1.49 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 0.96 CHELLARAMS PLC. NT JOHN HOLT PLC. 5.32 S C O A NIG. PLC. NT U A C N PLC. 34.40 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. NT CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. NT G CAPPA PLC NT Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 27.63 ROADS NIG PLC. 7.21 Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 9.82 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC 100.00 UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV 50.00 CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 3.29 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT GUINNESS NIG PLC 239.40 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 5.98 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NT NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 116.00 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC NT Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 40.12 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 6.60 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 4.75 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 55.00 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 2.01 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NT N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 21.48 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 4.69 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT U T C NIG. PLC. 0.53 UNION DICON SALT PLC. NT Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 14.87 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 500.00 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. 10.55 NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3.21 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. 2.88 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 26.00 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 33.00 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 7.50 DIAMOND BANK PLC 2.32 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 10.31 FIDELITY BANK PLC 1.33 FIRST BANK OF NIG. PLC 11.70 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. 3.30 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 16.85 SKYE BANK PLC 3.00 STANBIC IBTC BANK PLC 7.00 STERLING BANK PLC. 1.19 U B A PLC 4.18 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 4.26 UNITY BANK PLC 0.50 WEMA BANK PLC. 0.50 ZENITH BANK PLC 14.70 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC 0.50 AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC NT CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 0.67 CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. NT CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 1.50 EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC 0.56 GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC NT GUARANTY TRUST ASSURANCE PLC 1.60 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC 0.72 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.50 INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. NT LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. 0.50 N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.50 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.53 OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.51 REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STACO INSURANCE PLC NT STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. NT UNIC INSURANCE PLC. NT UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC NT UNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC NT ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 0.50 RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC NT UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT Other Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. 0.50 DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC NT NIG SEW. MACH. MAN. CO. PLC. NT NIGERIA ENERYGY SECTOR FUND NT ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.58 HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. NT Medical Equipment UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. NT Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 1.00 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 0.79 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 25.15 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 1.71 NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.79

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 20-07-12

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

NT 263 372 891 200

0.64 33.00 16.15

0.50 14.53 6.40

2 200 000 000 476 955 000 1 000 000 000

0.00 8.23 1.69

N/A 12.11 -4.71

0.50 28.00 16.15

4.26

60 000 000

0.00

N/A

605 660

1.49

0.48

1 199 549 736

0.04

0.00

1.49

61 563 NT 69 NT 29 455

2.54 7.60 8.82 8.28 42.50

0.74 6.43 5.32 5.52 28.70

2 191 895 983 963 900 300 389 151 408 821 666 666 1 600 720 323

0.21 0.30 0.00 0.35 7.03

14.29 N/A N/A N/A N/A

0.84 6.43 5.32 5.52 32.77

NT NT

26.00 95.49

22.30 95.49

148 500 000 196 876 000

0.00 4.50

N/A N/A

22.30 NT

NT NT

7.97 14.46

2.46 14.46

920 573 765 125 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

11 275 666

62.26 8.69

21.55 3.01

1 200 000 000 20 000 000

4.11 3.66

0.00 N/A

27.63 8.26

NT 6 190 059

7.28 20.15

7.28 8.82

1 375 000 000

0.00 1.66

N/A -0.30

NT 9.85

100 000 4 400

100.00 50.00

97.00 50.00

20 000 000 250 019 781

11.75 0.75

N/A N/A

100.00 50.00

92 000

0.50

4 772 528 415

0.00

0.50

100 NT 255 417 500 NT 2 694 364 NT

4.63 0.68 255.00 7.10 3.20 116.00 0.97

2.23 0.68 186.00 5.23 2.26 72.50 0.93

900 000 000 272 160 000 1 474 925 519 2 112 914 681 562 000 000 7 562 562 340 126 000 000

0.00 0.03 12.04 0.07 0.00 5.21 0.00

N/A N/A 5.00 N/A N/A 5.44 N/A

3.29 NT 228.00 5.98 NT 110.01 NT

20 114

48.91

38.31

640 590 362

3.15

N/A

42.12

NT 470 135 8 432 202 805 737 314 500 NT 3 149 905 221 NT 78 988 NT

0.50 19.90 16.20 95.00 6.60 2.70 43.96 6.70 5.66 0.88 4.22

0.50 4.15 3.64 54.87 2.01 1.21 21.48 3.86 5.66 0.50 4.22

2 000 000 000 5 000 000 000 12 000 000 000 1 879 210 666 7 930 197 658 3 722 493 620 178 200 000 40 000 000 1 233 375 004 360 000 000

0.00 0.00 0.59 3.60 0.36 0.00 1.20 0.81 0.16 1.13 0.00

N/A 3.12 7.71 3.77 5.79 N/A N/A -0.21 N/A 6.00 N/A

NT 6.40 4.41 53.00 1.90 1.10 NT 4.70 NT 0.50 NT

1 941 038 23 078

29.20 498.04

9.15 367.83

3 129 188 160 792 656 250

1.24 21.21

6.21 1.01

14.00 495.00

3 900 NT 102 692 50

15.58 42.66 6.75 3.67

12.08 36.19 3.20 2.66

63 360 000 819 000 000 300 000 001

3.90 1.61 0.54 0.00

N/A N/A 2.23 N/A

10.55 NT 3.14 2.88

150 908 1 540 699

43.50 31.25

22.07 22.56

3 176 381 636 3 783 296 250

0.51 1.32

-1.89 4.76

26.50 31.50

0.97

0.57

843 284 027

0.00

N/A

6 199 190 17 514 680 577 621 4 199 937 19 611 606 496 268 21 201 489 5 499 867 2 205 337 16 865 952 27 283 787 4 062 581 120 833 400 3 178 154

11.10 9.27 17.05 3.20 16.12 8.30 16.00 10.17 11.38 2.91 4.10 10.07 1.92 1.75 16.70

4.76 2.01 9.97 1.14 8.50 3.23 11.64 2.88 6.40 0.97 1.64 1.96 0.50 0.50 11.70

17 888 251 479 14 475 243 105 9 873 614 567 28 974 797 023 32 632 084 358 16 271 192 202 29 146 482 209 13 219 334 676 18 750 000 000 12 563 091 545 32 334 693 693 13 509 726 273 33 675 576 085 12 821 249 880 31 396 493 790

0.63 0.00 2.61 0.19 1.37 0.60 0.59 0.39 0.54 0.43 0.01 2.20 0.00 1.34 1.41

-2.60 -6.07 2.08 1.53 3.27 0.00 4.14 -0.66 3.70 -4.80 -3.46 -8.39 0.00 0.00 2.08

7.70 2.47 10.10 1.31 11.33 3.30 16.18 3.02 6.75 1.25 4.33 4.65 0.50 0.50 14.40

1 000 795 712 NT NT 74 000 NT 945 640 650 475 50 NT 1 698 475 185 000 1 000 000 77 778 NT 51 650 NT 350 200 30 000 20 000 10 170 NT 104 702 NT 200 400 NT NT NT NT 30 000

0.50 1.01 0.64 0.50 1.20 0.50 3.51 0.50 0.69 0.50 1.93 0.50 0.80 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.50 0.66 1.11 0.50 2.35 0.50 0.52 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.76 0.50 1.55 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.95 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

20 585 000 000 7 809 391 256 211 626 000 6 000 000 000 10 372 624 157 8 820 010 363 5 100 846 808 8 847 298 420 4 549 947 000 3 827 485 380 10 000 000 000 720 000 000 5 061 804 000 6 420 427 449 28 000 000 000 7 323 313 227 3 437 330 500 4 083 713 569 7 998 705 336 5 332 830 881 5 649 693 923 5 003 506 791 2 508 315 436 6 668 750 000 5 203 757 266 6 141 087 609 8 493 173 450 2 581 733 505 13 000 000 000 16 000 000 000

0.00 0.09 0.00 0.06 0.10 0.01 0.27 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.06 0.00 0.02 0.02 0.10 0.00 0.10 0.25 0.01 0.02 0.11 0.03 0.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01 0.00

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 3.23 N/A -5.26 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 0.00 N/A 0.00 N/A N/A -1.92 N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

0.50 0.50 NT NT 0.68 NT 1.50 0.50 0.56 NT 1.55 NT 0.76 0.50 NT 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.55 NT 0.52 NT 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

NT 7 478 NT NT

1.51 0.50 0.50 0.99

1.33 0.50 0.50 0.50

4 200 000 000 8 679 148 676 13 175 732 404 7 812 500 000

0.03 0.10 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.50 NT NT

50 NT NT NT 60 458

0.61 2.02 0.15 552.20 0.66

0.50 2.02 0.15 555.20 0.50

3 778 005 975 1 333 333 333 5 880 000 2 500 000 3 608 657 661

0.00 0.00 0.00 12.68 0.05

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

0.50 NT NT NT 0.50

5.31

5.05

498 600 908

0.12

N/A

90 320 000

0.50

3 553 138 528

0.00

N/A

0.50

10.54

7.39

152 178 750

0.00

N/A

7.39

106 050 274 400 362 271 815 112 331 599

1.45 3.20 29.65 5.61 1.96

0.50 0.76 19.30 1.90 0.76

486 473 856 1 500 000 000 956 701 192 980 000 000 1 925 717 268

0.19 0.27 2.41 0.21 0.09

6.38 -14.13 8.87 44.92 3.95

0.94 0.92 23.10 1.18 0.76

N/A=Not Avialable

SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. 8.59 PHARMA-DEKO PLC. NT ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.50 Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC NT Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 13.12 TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT Processing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC 4.04 Telecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC 0.50 Telecommunications Services IHS NIGERIA PLC PREF SHARES NT IHS PLC NT MTI PLC NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. NT ASHAKA CEM PLC 9.37 BERGER PAINTS PLC 8.12 CAP PLC 24.10 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 4.25 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 115.00 DN MEYER PLC. NT FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC 0.50 IPWA PLC NT LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 44.50 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC 2.27 PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC NT PREMIER PAINTS PLC. NT Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC NT CUTIX PLC. 1.59 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT NIGERIAN WIRE IND. PLC 2.58 Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 2.42 GREIF NIGERIA PLC 12.98 NIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC 1.80 POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT W A GLASS IND. PLC. NT Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC 8.26 STOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 5.70 Metals ALUMACO PLC NT ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. 10.55 Non-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC 0.50 Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. 1.38 OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.66 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 14.69 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors AFROIL PLC NT BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.50 CONOIL PLC 24.94 ETERNA PLC. 2.78 FORTE OIL PLC. 11.29 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 125.00 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 32.29 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 133.00 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC 0.50 Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 1.71 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 2.92 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. 3.23 Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.50 Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC 0.50 Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC NT IKEJA HOTEL PLC 1.10 TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. NT TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 1.10 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. 1.64 LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.99 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. NT UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.35 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC NT Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC NT Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 1.65 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 5.80 ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC 1.02 Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. NT HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT ADSWITCH PLC. 1.63 NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT OIL AND GAS Petroleum & Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. NT CAPITAL OIL PLC 0.50 RAK UNITY PET. COMP. PLC. NT UNION VENTURES & PET. PLC NT SERVICES Apparel Retailers UDEOFSON GARMENT FACT. NIG PLC NT Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT JULI PLC. 2.76 ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 2 638.00

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

50 NT

12.91 4.28

8.59 3.50

153 786 012 100 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

8.59 3.17

2 000

0.52

0.50

2 960 000 000

0.08

0.00

0.50

2 941 789 472

0.04

N/A

0.50

0.91

4 966 666 668

0.00

N/A

958 NT

18.28 3.59

3.25 2.94

108 000 000 492 825 600

1.82 0.00

N/A N/A

13.12 NT

50 100

0.50 4.97

0.50 4.47

4 620 600 000 4 200 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

0.50 4.04

10 000

1.47

0.50

6 878 478 096

0.00

N/A

0.50

NT NT NT

2.25 3.50 0.50

0.00 2.46 0.50

4 400 000 000 4 893 594 400

0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A

NT NT NT

NT 92 769 76 134 3 983 95 700 605 917 NT 100 000 NT 5 225 521 21 000 NT NT

3.32 30.00 12.57 43.98 15.49 132.51 3.51 0.75 0.99 48.05 3.36 5.28 13.40

2.86 9.10 8.06 14.50 4.20 95.00 0.93 0.50 0.91 37.00 0.52 2.27 10.93

260 000 000 2 239 453 125 217 367 585 560 000 000 1 241 548 285 15 494 019 668 242 908 200 2 109 928 275 513 696 000 3 001 600 004 792 914 256 400 000 000 75 000 000

0.00 1.60 0.15 1.76 1.83 8.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.74 0.16 0.39 0.00

N/A 2.97 -4.92 4.15 -21.15 -0.86 N/A N/A N/A 5.95 -0.44 N/A N/A

2.85 9.10 8.54 23.14 5.39 116.00 0.52 0.50 NT 42.00 2.28 NT NT

NT 50 000 NT 15 000

2.00 2.50 0.73 2.58

2.00 1.33 0.50 2.58

510 396 608 2 220 000 000 15 000 000

0.03 0.11 0.00 0.00

#VALUE! 0.00 N/A N/A

2.00 1.59 NT 2.58

NT 3 500 133 3 718 622 NT NT

3.98 6.91 15.03 3.60 1.86 0.63

3.98 3.10 13.28 1.60 1.05 0.63

25 000 000 683 974 528 42 640 000 6 215 000 000 240 000 000 199 066 550

0.00 0.15 0.90 0.22 0.30 0.00

N/A N/A N/A -3.74 N/A N/A

NT 3.10 NT 1.87 NT NT

50 NT

8.69 0.14

8.26 0.14

265 409 280 2 918 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

8.26 NT

105 000

9.20

5.70

393 120 000

0.93

0.00

5.70

NT 50

7.75 12.39

7.75 10.70

75 600 000 100 000 000

0.00 0.13

N/A N/A

NT 10.55

822 500

0.50

4 058 989 226

0.00

N/A

0.50

NT 1 000

3.22 1.38

50 000 000 220 000 000

0.04 0.00

N/A N/A

NT 1.38

2 749 340

1.87

0.54

6 262 701 716

0.16

1.54

0.65

458 238

78.97

14.45

2 262 711 568

7.47

1.66

14.45

NT 8 000 105 751 164 528 3 310 50 794 2 010 472 582

20.71 0.70 41.89 5.59 28.69 163.50 72.00 240.00

20.71 0.50 19.61 2.51 9.12 131.00 32.29 125.00

125 487 475 3 716 976 579 693 952 117 1 249 162 828 1 080 280 628 300 496 051 253 988 672 339 521 837

0.00 0.00 5.98 0.88 0.00 13.06 4.08 11.22

N/A N/A 21.42 10.76 4.15 -4.58 N/A 2.31

NT NT 20.54 2.51 10.84 131.00 32.29 130.00

500

0.72

0.50

4 035 497 307

0.00

N/A

0.50

3.48

0.19

N/A

115 355

3.65

1.12

980 294 400

0.22

2.40

1.67

64 950 300

3.67 6.40

2.11 3.28

589 496 310 198 819 763

0.63 0.26

-2.34 N/A

2.99 NT

100

1.64

0.85

865 808 912

0.20

N/A

0.50

0.75

0.50

3 211 627 907

0.01

N/A

0.50

NT 528 560 NT 9 409 727

8.00 2.59 4.76 1.82

3.00 1.17 4.31 0.50

1 548 780 000 2 078 796 396 1 772 884 297 25 813 998 283

0.18 0.92 0.00 0.22

N/A 2.80 N/A 4.76

NT 1.07 NT 1.05

55 000

0.50

0.48

8 000 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.50

1 442 272 350 NT 176 099

3.68 8.00 2.92 6.82

1.64 2.30 2.78 3.09

403 200 000 771 450 000 425 641 111

0.14 0.29 0.01 0.50

N/A N/A N/A -26.52

1.64 2.30 NT 5.92

0.80

0.50

1 507 000 000

0.00

N/A

NT NT

5.15 1.88

4.90 0.80

236 699 511 5 631 539 736

0.00 0.03

N/A N/A

NT NT

8 000 651 130

2.78 11.75

1.54 5.15

634 000 000 1 230 468 750

0.38 0.81

N/A -2.03

1.45 5.92

1.43

1.04

45 000 000

0.12

N/A

500

1.02

201 885 335

0.00

N/A

1.02

0.60

30 000 000

0.00

#VALUE!

0.50

24 898 850

0.00

N/A

NT 14 000

1.88

1.63

125 005 250

0.00

N/A

NT 1.63

0.50

6 650 000

0.00

N/A

NT 10 000 NT NT

0.21 0.50 0.31 0.63

24 200 000 5 857 500 000 15 000 000 98 600 000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.50 NT NT

NT NT 16 000

0.50

20 000 000

0.00

N/A

3.05

2.76

194 700 000

0.00

N/A

NT NT 2.76

100

2 706

2 422

0.00

2 638.00

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A19 37

Monday, July 23, 2012

Seven-Up Plc: When interest charges surpass credit By Tayo Adeleke

he performance of SevenUp Bottling Company Plc in the last financial year was not impressive by any standard. Besides the growth achieved in sales, every other measuring indices nosedived. For instance, the company’s financial ratios like liquidity ratio, profitability ratio, capital adequacy ratio and assets quality slumped from previous years’ figure. The rate at which the company was exposed to borrowed fund in the review year was huge, and this has continued to impair on its profit margin. The management paid N23 billion as interest on short term loan compared with N1.72 billion in the previous year, representing 38 and 106 percentages of total revenue and gross profit respectively. Curiously, however, the figure paid on interest charges also exceeds N17.3 billion borrowed for the period by 33 percent. Seven-Up Bottling Company Plc engages in the bottling and distribution of soft drinks. The company offers products like 7UP, Mirinda, Pepsi, and Mountain Dew brands. SevenUp Bottling Company Plc is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Financial Health Seven-Up’s performance in the financial year ended March 31, 2012, was mixed and it could only manage to grow its top line indices. Even though sales grew year on year, the company’s bottom line margins were negatively impacted. Its annual report and accounts for the year 2012, shows that turnover rose to N59.86 billion from N51.1 billion in 2011, representing an increase of 17percent over the previous year. Gross profit equally increased from N19.2 billion in 2011 to N21.75 billion in 2012, 7up Financial Data

Value for Investors Like the previous year, the management is proposing a dividend of 200 kobo per share for its shareholders for financial year ended 2012. This substantiates Business Courage’s prediction six months ago that investors would not get more than what they got as dividend in previous year from the company. Meanwhile, the company has been consistently rewarding its shareholders in the last five years. It will be recalled that a dividend of 130 kobo was paid in 2008; 150 kobo in both 2009 and 2010 while the company offered 200 kobo in financial year ended March 2011. Altogether, the company has paid N8.30 dividend in five years. This is quite commendable considering the harsh operating environment under which the manufacturing companies operate.

2012

2011

2010

2009

=N=(‘000)

34,864

30,572

Cost of sales

38,117

31,894

20,632

18,059

Gross Profit

21,747

19,204

14,232

12,514

Profit Before Taxation

2,929

2,525

2,223

2,481

Profit After Taxation

2,069

2,278

1,530

1,609

Turnover

Interest Expenses Current Asset

17,704

17,898

13,287

9,742

Current Liabilities

34,121

31,655

11,618

6,752

3,978

3,088

1,618

1311

20.26

26.56

19.16

22.28

94552.17

111005.78

6.38

40.93

Total Assets Trade Creditors Profitability Ratios Return on Equity (%) Gross profit Margin (%) Profit Margin (%)

8995.65

13167.63

4.39

5.26

12734.78

14595.38

6.38

8.12

Current Ratio

0.52

0.57

1.14

1.44

Quick Ratio

0.21

0.31

0.71

0.84

4189.57

7384.39

42.76

38.12

38.09

35.34

28.62

26.5

323

355

298

314

Pre-tax Profit Margin (%) Liquidity Ratios

Debtors(No of days) Creditors(No of days) Investment Ratios Earnings per Share(kobo)

from 129 percent in 2011 to 169.5 percent in 2012. Total asset turnover fell marginally from 0.78x in 2011 to 0.74x in 2012, just as fixed asset turnover followed suit, trending downward from 0.45x to 0.43x in the same period. Meanwhile, current asset turnover moved from 0.30x in 2011 to 0.35x in 2012. This connotes that Seven Up has witnessed reduction in the efficiency of its asset base utilization during the period under consideration, even as shareholders’ funds increase to N10.213 billion from N8.577 billion in 2011 while cash and bank balances stood at N2.146 billion from N1.698 billion2011.

showing an increase of N2.54 billion over the prior year’s. Profit before tax increased from N2.53 billion in 2011 to N2.93 billion in 2012. However, the company also displayed a mixed growth pattern of profit after tax (PAT). It achieved a (PAT) of N1.6 billion in 2009, in 2010, down to N1.53 billion in 2010 before it grew to N2.28 billion in 2011. Profit further fell to N2.07 billion in the review period of 2012. It will be recalled that Business Courage, in its half year review of the company’s performance, had noted that the company may not outperform its last audited financial report if the management fail to reduce its exposure to borrowed funds in the second half of its financial year. This is the area that has been consistently pulling the company’s profit down as interest on loan is huge.

Liquidity The liquidity position of Seven-Up is weak, as liquidity metrics have exhibited significant decline in the last four financial years. Current ratio, a measure of the degree of cushion the company’s current assets enjoy from its current liabilities, trend a downward path moving from 1.44:1 in 2009 to 0.52:1 in 2012. The proportion of stocks in total current asset (quick ratio), replicated similar form from 0.84:1 in 2009 to 0.21:1 in 2012. This implies that the company cannot meet its short term debt obligations as and when the need arises. The management appears to have failed to reduce its exposure to borrowed funds in the review financial year. The figure (interest expenses) stood at N23 billion in the review period compared with N1.73 billion in 2011. The interest charge was based on the N17.310 billion posted as short term borrowings for the year compared to N11.046

billion in 2011. Analysts are of the opinion that, the fact that interest charges paid exceeded the borrowed fund and that the company has no long term repayment loans in its books since 2011, indicate that something is wrong with the figure posted on the company balance sheet. However, the company had a working capital adequacy of N8.11billion in 2012, from N978 million in 2011. This represents an increase of 730.3 percent. Also, we observed from the result that the management constrained its debtors to pay earlier during the review period as the debtors pay within two days compared with 38 days grace enjoyed by the company from its creditors in 2012. Asset Quality Asset utilization has deteriorated as all measures of asset efficiency nose-dived. Breakdown of the audited report also shows that the ratio of short term borrowing to shareholders’ fund increased

Profitability Business Courage’s analysis shows that Seven-Up’s ability to convert more sales to profit as well recorded a poor performance during the review period. Return on equity which reveals how much profit a company earned in comparison to the total amount of shareholders’ equity moved to lowest figure during the financial year ended December 2012 since 2009. ROE stood at 20.26 per cent against 26.56 per cent and 3.5 per cent in 2011. Net profit margin also decreased by 1.0 basis point to 3.46 percent in 2010 from 4.46percent in financial year ended December 2011. Similarly, return on assets experience a plunge, falling by 0.28 basis points to stand at 5.39 percent in 2012 from 5.67 percent in 2011. Further analysis of the balance sheet shows that return on fixed assets fell to 7.77 percent in 2012 from 10.21 percent in the previous year. This suggests that the company should improve its return on assets through a more effective utilization of its total assets by generating more earnings from it. Prospects It is obvious that the company needs to address its bottom line indices especially its liquidity ratios. We also noticed some discrepancies in the company’s account as interest charges for the year as posted by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) stood at N23.001 billion as against N17.31 billion borrowed in 2012. However, the management of the company is of the opinion that the company is well positioned to weather the current situation. “We are committed to carry on with our growth agenda, introducing new products and packages to meet the expectations of the market place and consumers,” it said, stressing that the company has invested substantial resources to expand and upgrade its manufacturing capacity and strengthen sales and distribution systems. BC

Monday, July 23, 2012

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“On no account should courts of law be hungry or have the gluttony for jurisdiction.” JUSTICE NIKI TOBI, RETIRED JUSTICE OF SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA.

Appeal Court affirms randy soldier’s conviction ...for raping corps member

Corruption in judiciary has become more endemic –Adegboruwa 42

How two brothers swindled prospective students

US court confirms ex-nurse’s conviction

Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN)

WALE IGBINTADE

“T

his is a young girl (NYSC member) who had gone through high school without knowing any man. She carried her chaste disposition throughout the university, resisting the advances of both students and lecturers with due respect. This must be an exceptional girl, why would she not be worried and apprehensive? All she lives and prays for was destroyed in a tinkle of an eye, quite a pity indeed.’’ These were the words of Justice John Inyang Okoro of the Court of Appeal, Lagos division,while affirming the 14-year jail term passed on an army corporal, Nicholas Okoh, earlier convicted by a General Court Martial for raping a corps member in 2006. The corporal, who is a Human Immuno deficiency Virus (HIV) carrier, is to spend the next 14 years behind the bars for raping the corps member believed to be a virgin before the act. Being a person subject to service law, Corporal Okoh was charged with rape, pursuant to Section 77 (a) of the Armed Forces Act Cap A20, Laws of the Federation. He was said to have on or about August 7, at No 26 Cooper Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, forcefully had carnal

Chief of Army Staff Lt, Gen Azubuike Ihejirika

THIS IS A YOUNG GIRL (NYSC MEMBER)WHO HAD GONE THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL WITHOUT KNOWING ANY MAN knowledge of the female youth corps member (name withheld). Dissatisfied with his conviction Okoh challenged the verdict of the court martial on the ground that sufficient evidence was not presented before the lower appeal court to justify his conviction. The appellant, in his Notice of Appeal, urged the court to allow his appeal and set aside the judgment of the court martial. But, in a unanimous decision, the appellate court, in its judgment delivered by Justice Okoro, resolved all issues raised against the appellant and held that his appeal lacked merit and dismissed it accordingly. Justice Okoro held that the evidence of the medical doctor who examined the victim shortly after the incident was succinct and uncontroverted. The court held that the evidence of the medical examiner could not be hearsay, adding that the main issue is that there was sexual intercourse. The judge said that medi-

cal examination revealed that there was blood stain in her private part and her physical appearance showed that she was worried. Besides, the court noted that the appellant’s counsel made heavy-weathered on the actual cloth the victim wore on the day of the incident. Specifically, he stated that no evidence was presented before the court to show that the jeans short she put on was torn. It was the contention of the counsel for the appellant that it was not possible for the accused person to tear the kaftan top the lady wore without also tearing her jeans. The appellate court, however, held that ‘’it is common sense that the jeans short is khaki in nature and hard to tear, unless with a razor or scissors but the Jalabia can be torn without much efforts. ‘’ The court further contended that while Okoh was struggling to rape the corps member, only the kaftan gown she wore was torn. Justice Okoh stated that testimony before the court martial revealed that at a point, the victim was overwhelmed to the extent that she could not scream again. Justice Okoh declared that the corporal could not escape criminal responsibility because evidence had shown that on the night of the incident, the convict planned to commit CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

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Monday, July 23, 2012

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‘HIV positive army corporal deserves life imprisonment’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39 the offence, hence he turned back the victim’s cousin and refused to open the gate for her. Accordingly, the court held, ‘’I agree with the court martial and the court was right when it convicted the appellant and sentenced him to 14 years imprisonment. I hold that the court below was right when it held that the torn cloth was part of the evidence of the struggle between the appellant and the victim before she was overpowered and raped’’. Justice Okoro regrettably observed “before I end this judgment I wish to observe that, the incident would not have occurred if the army authorities where the victim was posted to serve in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme had given her accommodation. She was left at the mercy of people like the appellant who have no value for the sanctity of human person. The victim may not be the only female corps member who had suffered this kind of molestation in this country. Some may not have been reported, but they are there’’. The appeal court said “The victim’s case is made worse because the appellant was found HIV positive when he had sexual intercourse with her. I do not know the exact health status of the victim now, if she is found to have contacted the dreaded disease, then the appellant should have been sent to life imprisonment. Is this a reward for moral rectitude? God forbids that this should be the reward for the righteous. I call on the NYSC to take welfare of youth corps members seriously, especially as regards accommodation wherever they are posted. With regard to female corpers, the call is more apt in view of what happened to the victim in this case.’’ ‘’This is a young girl who had gone through high school without knowing any man, she carried her chaste disposition throughout the university resisting the advances of both students and lecturers with due respect. This must be an exceptional girl, why would she not be worried and apprehensive? All she lives and prays for was destroyed in a tinkle on an eye. Quite a pity

THE VICTIM’S CASE IS MADE WORSE BECAUSE THE APPELLANT WAS FOUND

HIV POSITIVE

WHEN HE HAD SEXUAL INTERCOURSE WITH HER

DG NYSC, Brig. Gen Nnamdi Okore Affia

indeed. Justice Okoro said ‘’It is my view that the court below rightly convicted the appellant based on the unchallenged, uncontroverted statement of the prosecution witness. I hold that this appeal lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed. I uphold the conviction and the sentence of appellant by the court marital and the subsequent confirmation by the Chief of Army Staff. ‘’ The genesis of the testimonies of prosecution witnesses during his trial by the court martial was that the victim was introduced to Corporal Okoh on August 3, 2006 by one Sgt Eniola of 81 Division during her youth service programme. The victim told the court that Okoh unconditionally offered to accommodate her in his duty post at no 26, Cooper Road, Ikoyi. Although she admitted that the convict later helped her pack her personal effects into the house, she was emphatic that there was no intimacy between the two of them. According to her, the convict did not ask her to be his girlfriend nor did she agree to any such relationship. She told the court that on August 6, 2006 when the soldier saw her cousin who proposed to share the accommodation with her, the corporal expressed his desire to date her cousin, but she and her cousin laughed it off and did not take him serious.

She added that at about 8pm when her cousin came to the house, Okoh turned her back and lied that she was not at home. Earlier in its judgment, the military General Court Martial noted that as a service personnel, the accused had a primary duty to protect vulnerable persons like the victim who was a guest of the Nigerian Army in Lagos. The court said that instead, he allowed primordial and debase instinct to take over his minds to commit a dastardly act that had tendency of traumatizing the victim for the rest of her life. Part of the judgment of the court martial reads ‘’Having carefully evaluated the evidence before the court, we have come to the unanimous conclusion that the sexual act between the accused person (Corporal Okoh) and PWI, the victim on or about August 7, 2006 was not done with the consent of the victim. In other words, we believe that the accused person indeed employed force and subdued her to have sex with him’’. ‘’Having had the opportunity to listen to her testimony first hand and having had the advantage of observing her demeanour, the court is convinced beyond reasonable doubt that she is a witness of truth. We believed her testimony that the accused person assaulted her physically in order to force her to have sexual intercourse with him.’’ Besides the testimony of the victim (PW1), the court martial stated that there were other evidences before the court which provided specific and material corroboration to her testimony that the accused forced her to have sex him. Specifically, the court stated that exhibit 5 which was the medical report from 81 Division Hospital, revealed unequivocally

that PW1 was raped by the accused person. According to the verdict of the court martial, “The succinct parts of the medical report were sufficiently explained to the court by PW3 (medical doctor) who examined her and the accused person shortly after the incident. We also believe that other pieces of evidence such as the gown worn by the victim on the day of the incident are indicative of the use of coercive force against her.’’ ‘’We note that the gown was torn; from this it can be discerned that there must have been a struggle between PW1 and the accused person during the sexual intercourse. The court concluded that if the sexual intercourse was, indeed, consensual as the accused person claimed, then there would have been no need for struggle that made the gown to tear.’’ ‘’The blood stain on the white pant which was worn by the victim immediately after the incident also indicate that being a virgin, she must have had a traumatic sexual encounter with accused person. Further in this regard, we note the medical evidence which stated clearly that at the material time, the victim was not in her menstrual period.’’ The court martial said the testimony of the accused person was disjointed and unconvincing. For instance, in his pre-trial statement made to the military police, the accused claimed that the victim accused him of rape because he refused to allow her cousin to share the accommodation with her at No 26 Cooper Road, Ikoyi. However, while testifying on oath as DW1, the accused person abandoned his earlier position and claimed that he was accused of raping her because she was angry that he did not allow her to use his phone make a call. In another breath, he said that the victim’s annoyance was based on his refusal to make tea for her after the sexual intercourse between them on that faithful day. Generally, the court observed the demeanour of the accused person and concluded that he is not a witness of truth and that his testimony was a mere attempt to mislead the court on the event of August 7.

How Okey Wali emerged 25th NBA president K AYODE KETEFE

uman politicking at any level is bound to feature some measures of surreptitious interplay and intrigues. The biennial general elections of the Nigerian Bar Association are not an exception to this sociological law; thus this year elections by the learned men which held last Tuesday also featured some frills and thrills, as well as covert and overt intrigues. Among the positions into which elections were held at the said NBA Delegates’ conference in Abuja last Tuesday were President, General Secretary, 1st Vice-President, 3nd Vice-President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Secretary, Welfare Secretary, 2nd Assistant Secretary. Those who vied for the offices of the Legal Adviser, 2nd Vice-President, and

IT IS A WELL-KNOWN FACT THAT THERE ARE POWER BLOCS REPRESENTING

DIFFERENT GEOPOLITICAL ZONES IN THE

NBA

1st Assistant Secretary were returned unopposed as a result of no legally recognised opposition. By convention of the NBA, this year’s presidency had been zoned to the Eastern geopolitical zone- a fact which leads to the emergence of all the three candidates from that zone. The candidates are Mr. Okey Wali from Port Harcourt branch, Emeka Ngige from the Lagos

branch and Mr. Blessing Ukiri. It is a well-known fact that there are power blocs representing different geo-political zones in the NBA; there is Eastern Bar Forum from the Eastern region, Arewa Lawyers Forum from the North and Egbe Amofin from the West. All these blocs had preferred candidates they endorsed for different offices. It is no longer news that Okey Wali SAN, defeated other candidates to clinch the coveted office, but his emergence stemmed from his popularity culminating in the support he drew from almost all the diverse interest groups within the NBA, especially the Eastern Bar Forum and the Arewa Lawyers Forum, which both openly announced his adoption ahead of the delegates’ conference. There was also significant support for Wali in Egbe Amofin. The result of the general elections shows a clean sweep of all the elective

posts by the lawyers from the Eastern region extraction. The result at a glance is as follows: Okey Wali (SAN) 688 votes; Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) 449 votes and Mr. Blessing Ukiri, two votes. Mr. Emeka Obegolu emerged the Secretary of the NBA after defeating two other contestants. He polled a total of 527 votes to beat Mr. Haruna and Mr. Olowokure who came second and third with 322 and 292 votes respectively. The post of 1st Vice-President of the NBA poll was clinched by while Mr. Francis Ekwerre emerged 3rd Vice-President. Mrs. Joyce Oodua was elected the National Treasurer, while the keenly contested post of Publicity Secretary was won by Mr. Afam Obi who defeated Mr. Gbolahan Gbadamosi. Mr. Kelvin Ezelonu became the Welfare Secretary of the association. CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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Foreign

United States appeal court has confirmed the conviction of a former nurse who used online chat rooms to encourage depressed people to kill themselves. Herald Sun report says that William Melchert-Dinkel, 49, was convicted in 2011 of two counts of aiding suicide. He acknowledged that it was morally wrong to encourage a British man and a Canadian woman to kill themselves, but argued that he merely exercised his constitutional right to free speech. Court documents show Melchert-Dinkel was obsessed with suicide and searched online for depressed people. When he found them, he posed as a suicidal female nurse, feigned compassion and offered instructions on how they could kill themselves. Melchert-Dinkel told police he did it for the “thrill of the chase”. According to court documents,

Law & Justice

Monday, July 23, 2012

US court confirms ex-nurse’s conviction

William Melchert-Dinkel

United States Melchert-Dinkel acknowledged participating in online chats about suicide with up to 20 people and entering into fake suicide pacts with about 10, five of whom he believed killed themselves. He was convicted last year in the deaths of 32-year-old Mark Drybrough, of Coventry, Eng-

land, who hanged himself in 2005; and 18-year-old Nadia Kajouji, of Brampton, Ontario, who jumped into a frozen river in 2008. In the decision, written by Judge Kevin Ross, the Minnesota Court of Appeals found the state’s assisted suicide statute did not violate the First Amendment. In arguing to overturn the conviction, Watkins said his client didn’t talk anyone into suicide, but instead offered emotional support to two people who had already decided to take their lives. The court held that MelchertDinkel clearly “advised and assisted” Drybrough by providing instructions, and he “encouraged” Kajouji by “fortifying her suicide decision through deceit”. Melchert-Dinkel was sentenced to more than six years in prison. But he could serve 320 days up front, then two-day stints on the anniversary of each victim’s death for 10 years.

Fashola, others set for IBA regional forum in Uganda FRANCIS FAMOROTI

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), is expected to deliver the keynote speech on infrastructure, foundation building, and the Rule of Law at the forthcoming International Bar Association (IBA) African Regional Forum Conference next month in Uganda. Tagged ‘ Building the Foundations of a Successful Future: The Rule of Law and Economic Confidence in Africa’’, the threeday event is billed to take place between August 8 and 10 August 2012 in Kampala, Uganda, and is being held in conjunction with the Uganda Law Society (ULS). A statement from the IBA London press office e-mailed to National Mirror, said Fashola will address his counterparts from nations across Africa, including, Botswana, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia. The statement said as governor of one of the most populous and fastest growing cities in Africa, Fashola will share his experience in regard to managing the complex urban megacity, his infrastructure renewal drive across all sectors within Lagos, and relevant arising legal issues. The National Mirror also gathered that beside Fashola, some top Nigerian lawyers are expected to deliver talks at the conference. Grace Babihuga Nuwagaba, Executive Director of the Uganda Law Society said, ‘The Uganda

Law Society is delighted by Governor Fashola’s participation at this Conference. His immeasurable experience will be of great benefit to those attending and fits perfectly with the aim of the conference to provide a platform for Africa’s lawyers to gather, exchange ideas about the trends in the legal profession throughout the continent, increase their networks, and develop business opportunities.’’ The law society said it looked forward to welcoming Fashola to Uganda and to the ‘’ Building the Foundations of a Successful Future Conference.’ The statement said the registered delegates for the conference include government ministers, in-house counsel, law firm partners and human rights lawyers. The event will comprise of 55 sessions of continuing legal education on key issues and interest areas. The conference topics will include: Financing Africa’s infrastructure; Legal processes outsourcing: opportunity or threat to the African lawyer?; The African legal sector in changing times: lawyers and firms in the 21st century; Trends in international commercial arbitration; and Extractive industries and the new energy markets of the continent. Ashwin Trikamjee, Chair of the IBA African Regional Forum, said, ‘An exciting programme has been designed by the IBA African Regional Forum and the Uganda Law Society for lawyers

Gov. Fashola

from across Africa to build togetherness like never before!’ He added, ‘As international attention increasingly focuses on the potential of Africa, we Africans must strive to make Africa influential in the global arena. It is my hope that this Conference will go some way towards fortifying the links between members of the legal fraternity who will be at the heart of any future development of the continent.’ The IBA, established in 1947, is the world’s leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Its membership includes over 45,000 lawyers and over 200 bar associations and law societies spanning every continent. The IBA influences the development of international law reform and shapes the future of the legal profession throughout the world.

Groups seek to block Arizona immigration law

Rights groups seek to block Arizona immigration status check

pponents of Arizona’s tough crackdown on illegal immigration has made a bid to challenge a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that will allow police to enforce the so-called show-me-your-papers provision. A coalition of civil rights organisations asked a federal judge in Phoenix to stay implementation of the key provision of the Arizona law that requires police to check the immigration status of people they stop, the American Civil Liberties Union said. Plaintiffs including the ACLU, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and the National Day Laborer Organising Network asked Judge Susan Bolton for a preliminary injunction until she has had time to consider additional claims that the section was “unconstitutional.” The new challenge is part of an existing lawsuit filed two years ago. The rights groups argued in the new motion that the section upheld by the Supreme Court “unlawfully discriminates against Latinos and individuals of Mexican origin” and violates the Constitution. The groups also presented what they said was “new evi-

dence” that, if it is allowed to go into effect, that section would violate the principle that federal immigration law preempts state immigration enforcement laws. Arizona’s Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed the immigration law in April 2010, arguing that the administration of President Barack Obama had failed to secure the state’s porous southwest border with Mexico. A spokesman for Brewer dismissed the new legal move as “unsurprising,” and said the Supreme Court has “already spoken unanimously on the constitutionality of this provision.” The Obama administration challenged Arizona’s immigration crackdown in court two years ago, saying the U.S. Constitution gives the Federal Government sole authority over immigration policy. Critics say the Arizona law will lead to racial profiling in a state where Hispanics represent nearly a third of its 6.5 million people. Of those, an estimated 360,000 are illegal immigrants. Most U.S. illegal immigrants are Hispanics, with many entering the country through Mexico.

Brief Eso, Mazrui to attend 8th AELEX lecture

retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Kayode Eso is to be the chairman of the 8th AELEX annual lecture scheduled to take place on Wednesday July 25, 2012 The lecture, with the theme ‘’ This House Must Not Fall: Constitutional Reform and The People’s Will” is billed to

take place at the Agip Recital Hall, Muson Centre, Lagos. Dr. Ali A. Mazrui, an Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities and Director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies, Binghamton University, New York and former distinguished Research Professor, University of Jos, Nigeria, will be the Guest Speaker.

Law & Justice

Monday, July 23, 2012

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Corruption in judiciary has become Mr. Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa is a human rights lawyer. He attended Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife and thereafter the Nigerian Law School in 1995. He joined the Chambers of Chief Gani Fawehinmi before he set-up his law firm, Adegboruwa & Company. In this interview with WALE IGBINTADE he speaks on the nation’s judiciary, justice reform bills and the controversy following the renaming of the University of Lagos, among other legal issues, Excerpts. There is no doubt that crime and corrupt practices have continued to challenge our legal system. What do you think can be done to redeem the image of the judiciary? It is quite unfortunate and mind-boggling, especially when it is considered that the judiciary is supposed to be the last hope of the common man. The crisis in the judiciary is traceable to the crisis in the society. Before now, it used to be that the military and the rule of force has been a challenge to the development of Nigeria. But, we got rid of that in 1999 and, since then, we have been operating a civilian regime. The monster that we are facing in Nigeria today is corruption and it is worse than military government. Our brothers and sisters that we entrust with power have taken it as a means of lining-up their pocket at the expense of the masses. So, corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian nation. Corruption has eaten deep into the nation’s judiciary to the extent that where justice ought to be done without fear or favour, it is tilted in favour of the rich and business associates and it is affecting the morale of the people of Nigeria when you see clear cases of glaring injustice not being redressed in appropriate cases. I know from personal experience that there are still judges who are good and who are ruled by the fear of God. There are still judges who deliver justice according to their understanding. They may make mistakes in the way they deliver their judgments or rulings as humans, but from their conscience, they have done it according to their own understanding. So we commend those judges. But there are few judges who do not make us proud of becoming members of this profession. They are scouting for money and fronting for their families, friends and business associates. I believe that the Nigerian Bar Association has a responsibility and, indeed, a big onus to be able to step-in and clear the mess that is going on in the judiciary. If we continue on the platform of patronage and turn blind eyes to the worrisome corruption going on in the judiciary, it will affect the fabric of legal practice in Nigeria. The legal profession is facing serious threat of eclipse; the legal profession is endangered presently. I believe the NBA should do something like it was done during the time of Onagoruwa, when the Eso panel was set-up. Certain individuals were fingered and they were dealt with. But, since the advent of election petition tribunals, corruption in the judiciary has become more endemic because of temptations politicians push to judicial officers. So, I believe that election petition has had an adverse and negative effect on legal practice in terms of getting justice according to law, according to fear of God and according to peoples’ conscience. So the legal profession is endangered. Recently, the President of the NBA accused retired judges of acting as consultants to lawyers. How will you react to this allegation? It is totally wrong for a judge, having sat over cases, to go into consultancy to law firms. Before a judge will get to the level of Supreme Court, he may have started from the High Court to the Courtof Appeal and to the

Adegboruwa

THE EVIDENCE AND ALLEGATIONS WE HAVE SO FAR RECEIVED IS THAT POLITICIANS WERE ACTUALLY USING RETIRED JUSTICES TO REACH TRIBUNAL MEMBERS Supreme Court. To the extent of getting to the age of retirement, the judge must have served at least 35 years in service or must have attained the age of 70 years. If someone has served for 35 years in a particular profession, he has known so many things and has known so many people. Ordinarily, it would not have been problematic if there is a set rule of conduct or code of conduct guiding the practice of retired judicial officers. But, to go and get involved in consultancy without restraints, without definition of the boundaries is to give a blanket ticket for corruption. The problem is that, the person who is doing the consultancy has access to those of his colleagues who are serving. Don’t forget that in most of the corrupt cases involving election petition tribunals, the evidence and allegations we have so far received is that politicians were actually using retired justices to reach tribunal members. I think the better thing to do for the Nigerian State is to tap from the knowledge and experience of these retired officers. Those of them that are still active should be engaged by the State in any capacity. There are so many opportunities for retired justices to still serve their father land. I know that Lagos State has standing tribunals on chieftaincy matters and it is always headed by a retired judge. Lagos State Electoral Commission is headed by a retired justice. So there are so many areas where they could serve, but it would not be proper having gone into public life and you are retired and collecting pension from the State to now translate yourself into a private citizen and be rendering private services to individual law chambers, it is not going to augur well

for the legal profession. I think it should be discouraged. In the advanced countries, when a judge retires, he retires and the State would have invested money on his behalf. But the fear here is that the State has refused to take care of judicial officers. You see a judge retiring without a car and without a home. So, Nigeria should invest in the judicial officers, there is nothing wrong in setting special fund that can take of their future. A Federal High Court Judge in Lagos, sometime ago castigated some Senior Advocates over the negligent manner in the handling of Akingbola’s case. What is your take on it? I personally prefer a situation where there is good rapport between the judiciary and lawyers. I would want a conference that can guide the relationship between the Bar and the Bench. What we are going through currently in the legal profession is quite alarming. I am sorry to say it, but the reality is that the attitude of judicial officers to lawyers has assumed an alarming proportion in terms of the way lawyers are insulted, in terms of the way judges flare up at attempt to correct their own perceived knowledge of law. In terms of the inability of judicial officers to manage their anger, in terms of the way they burst- out in the presence of litigants and in terms of how judges descend into the arena of conflict. It has assumed alarming proportion that if given the opportunity, there are judicial officers who could leave their sit and come and box (fight). I have seen before the kind of emotion that was pouring out of the Bench onto the Bar. The manner of anger and the nature of languages used to address lawyers are quite worrisome. I believe that the NBA should take it up and look into how to organise a roundtable to get judges to simmerdown on their angers against lawyers. Having said that, I believe that that the EFCC, the ICPC, the Police and all government agencies involved in prosecution of cases must sit-down to review the method of prosecution. It is not limited to Erastus Akingbola’s case. I must say with all decency and respect to my colleagues, the charges emanating from EFCC are scandalous. The manner of prosecution of their cases leaves much to be desired

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Monday, July 23, 2012

more endemic–Adegboruwa

and that is why you see the mess going on within those anti-corruption cases. Enough research was not done, good homework was not done. 80 per cent of those cases cannot go through and pass through main trial. There are two reasons, it is either that prosecution lawyers have colluded with the defence to create booby-traps by which they could escape justice or it is being done purely out of ignorance. Let me give you an example, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives was accused of corruption of monumental proportion. By the time the charge was filed, he was accused of buying type-writer; he was accused of buying computer. It was laughable the kind of charge framed against him in the Federal High Court, Abuja. When the case was to start on trial, they brought the Clerk of the House of Representatives where Bankole had served as a Speaker as a witness. How do you want a Clerk to serve as a witness against his boss? It was clear that they were going to lose that case and we are not surprised, when the judge descended heavily on them. The EFCC should meet with its prosecuting lawyers and re-define the scope of the trials of these anti-corruption cases. Preparing 140 charges was just a mockery of trial. It tells no message when you’re taking a former governor to court and you said there are 181 charges and takes a whole day to read them and at the end of the day not a single one of those charges is sustainable. So, the focus of EFCC so far has been on media trials which are meant to generate support from Europe and America. They are meant to get dollars or to substantiate their budget to the Presidency. But, in terms of the merit of those cases, they don’t get anywhere. Secondly, the energy of the prosecution is on bail, all they want is to let the accused remain in custody. So the bulk of the steam and passion of those EFCC cases are at those preliminary stages. Once the court grants bail, the case loses passion. It is about ego, it is about political interests. I will give you an example during the trial of the former Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Chief Olabode George. The judge granted him bail, when he would be coming to court people would go and buy Aso Ebi and be dancing and celebrating in the court premises. At times, it takes lot of efforts by the police to clear his supporters carrying placards. But because the research was well done by the prosecution at that time, they got a sound conviction which could not be upturned on appeal and I am sure it will sail through the Supreme Court. The prosecutor at that time didn’t bother himself on whether the man should be in custody, but focused his attention on the merit of his case. He was not distracted by media trial. EFCC should not think that criminal trial is about parading suspects. Criminal trial is not about issuing statements to the press and it is not about 149 charges. It is proof beyond reasonable doubt.

The Presidential Committee headed by former head of service, Stephen Oronsaye, has recommended that EFCC, ICPC should be scrapped. How do you see the recommendation? I will like to give credit to late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the idea of setting up EFCC started from his chambers. What happened was that there was a German lady called Springer Beck who came to brief Chief Fawehinmi at that time. She was defrauded by some Nigerians in Germany. It was Springer Beck that master-minded the setting up of EFCC. But, the point Fawahinmi was making when they brought the idea of setting-up EFCC was that everything about anti-corruption is contained in Sections 97, 98, 99 and 100 of the Criminal Code. Most of the officers in the EFCC today are from the Police, they are properly trained and funded and they started to perform. So, the EFCC has not been doing anything in terms of anti-corruption. The same job being done by the EFCC can be done by the regular police. The same job being done by the ICPC can be done by the regular police if the police are empowered. It was a good recommendation; EFCC and ICPC don’t deserve to be in ex-

EFCC SHOULD NOT THINK THAT CRIMINAL TRIAL IS ABOUT PARADING SUSPECTS istence they should be scrapped. All they do now apart from these high-flying corruption cases is to recover money. Most of the banks have EFCC units where they allocate officers to the EFCC. Again, EFCC has become a willing tool in the hands of sitting government to harass the opponents. About 12 justice reform bills have been pending before the National Assembly in the last four years. In your own opinion, does the National Assembly have the political will to amend these Bills? Under the Constitution, the responsibility for lawmaking belongs to the National Assembly and the power includes power to amend, power to repeal. These bills have been in the National Assembly and gathering dusts for over four years now. Don’t forget that at a particular time, there was a suggestion being mooted by serving senators that once a lawyer has secured election to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he should qualify to be a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. The reason I mention this is that interests in the National Assembly and within the political class have not allowed these reform bills to scale through. In most cases, there are so many of our colleagues who are in the National Assembly and they looked at these bills as a challenge to their perceived understanding of what legal practice should constitute. My conclusion is that there is no will in the current National Assembly to do anything about those bills. Those of our colleagues who are there have other ulterior motives for which they are serving. How can law be used as a system to improve the society and tackle the problems of terrorism and insecurity ravaging the country? It is worrisome that the violence in the Nigerian system is assuming the dimension that we are currently witnessing. Virtually every segment of the Nigerian state is held to ransom by one particular menace of criminals. Let me tell you the truth, kidnapping is on the increase in Lagos State, but the government is deliberately silencing it in order not to scare investors. The government of Lagos State at the expense of peoples’ lives and for the benefit of economic prosperity is giving the impression that all is well, but people are daily being kidnapped in Lagos State. Having said that, the National Assembly has a responsibility to become innovative. The laws currently existing within the criminal system cannot cope with the current upsurge in criminal activities. The Criminal Code never anticipates bombs and suicide killings. There is need for in-

genuity on the part of the National Assembly to bring in new laws that will meet the challenges we are facing now. The source of funding for these activities must be checkmated. So, there is need for a review of the existing legislations, especially the Criminal Code Act. They should develop terrorism legislations that can be able to respond to the challenges we are having in all segments of the Nigerian States. That, to me, is the best way we can use law to tackle terrorism. You will discover that recently, we have amended the Evidence Act, but as it is, the Evidence Act has not taken care of some of these developments of forensic analysis and how to obtain evidence against these kinds of trends of upsurge in crime. So, I believe that that Evidence Act must be further amended to incorporate technology, Internet and all technological development that are being deployed by terrorists and criminals. Nigerians have been commenting on President Goodluck Jonathan’s renaming of University of Lagos as Moshood Abiola University. What is your take on this? Most of the commentaries and reactions I have read concerning this issues are based on sentiments. I have examined the issue involved in the proposed re-naming of the University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University. The Act establishing the University of Lagos was made in 1962 and amended in 1967. Section one of that Act says that ‘’there is hereby created a University to be known as University Lagos’’. So UNILAG is a creation of statute, in that law, the most powerful individual in that University is the visitor. That Law created the office of the visitor to the University. The visitor is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Why do I say he is the most powerful? There are two major organs in the university system including the University of Lagos. One is the one that regulates and directs that affairs of the University called the Governing Council, consisting of certain eminent individuals. The head of that governing council is called the Pro-Chancellor. That Pro-Chancellor is appointed by the President, who is the visitor to the University. The second organ is the one that directs the day –today activities of the University and its academic life called the Vice- Chancellor, who is the Chief Executive of the University. That Vice- Chancellor is appointed by the visitor to the University. So, who is in best position to propose a name change for that Institution? It is the President, who is the visitor to the University. The second point is this; all Federal Universities have no autonomy, in other words, they are directly being funded 100 per cent by the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Education. So, it is who plays the piper that dictates the tune. The person who is funding you has a right over you in terms of your existence. All that it takes to change the name of a university is for the President to make a proposal to the National Assembly. The President cannot change the name of a University by way of Presidential broadcast, it is totally illegal.

Law & Justice

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

How two brothers swindled prospective students Two brothers, Aweke and Joseph Orizu swindled some desperate students desirous of travelling to the United States for further studies in early 1950s. They were charged with fraud and convicted. They appealed and the West African Court of Appeal affirmed their conviction. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Ag. Head, Judiciary writes.

FAMOUS CASES THE SUCCESS OF

weke and Joseph Orizu are brothers who floated a firm known as American Council on African Education Incorporated in the 1950s. The firm was principally set up under the guise of assisting young Nigerians desirous of travelling abroad in search of the golden flee to achieve their goals. When the firm was incorporated, Aweke was its President-General both in Nigeria and America. He stayed in America until sometime in 1949 when he returned to Nigeria, and during that period, Joseph Orizu was the acting President of the council. But it turned out eventually that the Orizu brothers had a different agenda. Their desire was not really to provide scholarships or help the younger ones to travel outside the country about 50 years ago, rather, they were determined to swindle unsuspecting people with false intent of sending them to the United States of America (USA) on scholarships. As the evidence showed, scores of people applied for scholarships and deposited huge sums of money to facilitate the success of their applications. But the scholarship awards did not materialise, neither did the Orizu brothers refund the deposits. In the event, the men consequently defrauded several persons, including one Michael Moneke, who worked as a typist. They were subsequently arrested, tried for conspiracy and stealing and

THEIR APPLICATIONS.

BUT THE

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS DID NOT MATERIALISE NEITHER DID THE

ORIZU BROTHERS REFUND THE DEPOSITS convicted in accordance with section 383(1) of the Criminal Code. The trial judge, in his judgment, said he was satisfied beyond doubt that Moneke was a witness of truth. ‘’ I therefore accept his evidence, especially as his testimony is corroborated on all material points by numerous documentary exhibits and other independent witnesses.’’ the judge added. Dissatisfied with the verdict, the men lodged a notice of appeal at the West Africa Court of Appeal (WACA), stating that the trial judge misdirected himself in law by finding them guilty of the offences charged. At the hearing of their appeal, J.I.C Taylor, who led D.O Ibekwe, appeared as the appellants’ counsel while D.S Stephens was the crown counsel. One of the grounds canvased on appeal was ‘‘the learned trial judge erred in law in placing reliance on the evidence of Moneke without considering whether

Moneke was not an accomplice.’’ Moneke was the 15th witness called by the prosecution. In March 1946, he left his employment with the United African Company, to whom he was employed as a clerk at a salary of five pounds (£5) five shillings, a month, and accepted employment with the American Council on African Education Incorporated as a typist at a salary of three pounds a month. Moneke stated that he did this because he had previously applied to the council for a scholarship so that he would have to work at the office of council in Port Harcourt. According to him, he worked as a typist under one Ndukwe Egbuonu who was the ‘’Administrative Secretary’’ until the year 1947 when Egbuonu obtained a scholarship from the council and left for America to pursue his studies. Moneke then became the Administrative Secretary, still on salary of three pounds a month, and he then worked directly under the first appellant, until the latter left for America in October 1947, when he worked under Joseph Orizu, the second appellant. Moneke left the council’s employment in October 1950, by which time he was receiving a salary of nine pounds a month because he was dissatisfied with his salary and apparently disappointed because a scholarship had not been awarded to him. Arguing the appeal, Taylor submitted that Moneke was so involved in the whole business that he ought to have been held by the trial judge, to be an accomplice. The WACA justices who heard the appeal were Foster-Sutton, P. Verity and Coussey. Delivering judgment, on February 25, 1954 the panel of WACA justices said they were unable to agree that the trial judge ought to have regarded the witness as an accomplice. According to the justices, ‘’ it appears to us that although he assumed the post of Administrative Secretary in 1947, he took a leading part in the running of the councils’ office in Port Harcourt, in spite of his rather high sounding title, he was nothing more than a book keeper,

How Okey Wali emerged 25th NBA president CONTINUED FROM PAGE 40 All the elected officers will steer the affairs of the NBA for the next two years. This total domination by the Eastern Bar Forum in the NBA Election 2012 was said to be an emanation of the unwritten pact between the EBF and ALF which was conceived to result in the maximum support by the EBF for the ALF candidates next time, but another set of observers insisted that the pact only covered the post of presidency and not all the available elective posts. Okechukwu Emmanuel Wail was born on October 29, 1958 in Rumualogu, Akpor in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Wali began his primary education at the Port Harcourt Township School and completed it at St. Paul’s Primary School Diobu, Port Harcourt and after obtaining his Primary School Leaving in 1973, he enrolled in Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borikiri, Port Harcourt. He also attended Baptist High School,Port Harcourt where he obtained his West African School Certificate

in 1978. He also obtained Higher School Certificate in 1980. Okey Wali travelled abroad thereafter to attend the prestigious University of Buckingham, Buckingham, United Kingdom and graduated, bagging a Bachelor’s of Law (Hons) degree in 1983. He returned home for the mandatory one-year vocational training at the Nigerian Law School, then in Lagos where he added Barrister-at-Law in1984 Certificate to his academic acquisitions. Between 1984 and 1985, he completed the National Youth Service Corps Programme, practising in the chambers of Bola Akingbade & Co, Oba Adesida Road, Akure, Ondo State. After the completion of the NYSC programme, Wali joined the law firm of C.C.L. Williams-Chukwu & Co at No 19, Station Road, Port Harcourt where he spent five years to learn the ropes, acquiring vital skills in solicitor practice and courtroom advocacy. In 1990, Okey Wali took the step of courage by establishing his own firm, Okey Wali & Co at No 35, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, operating as the Principal Partner. He has

J.I.C Taylor

cashier, that he was merely an employee under the direction and control of the appellants who were the persons who understood all the ramifications of the council, not Moneke.’’ The justices said there was sufficient evidence, quite apart from Moneke’s testimony upon which the appellants could properly have been convicted. The court said it was clear from the various receipts given for the sums of money mentioned in about six of the counts that each amount was deposited for a specific purpose. The WACA justices said they were satisfied that the Orizu brothers, particularly the first appellant failed in their duties either to have sent the students who deposited money with the council to America or refund their deposits. ‘’I am satisfied that he did neither. He did not refund the money on demand or at a reasonable time.’’ the court added. Accordingly, WACA dismissed the appeal filed by the brothers and affirmed their conviction by the lower court.

held many responsible position both within the NBA and government. Wali was appointed Notary Public in August 2007, the the year 2007 also became a landmark for Wali. It was the year he also became a member of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission between July 2007 and October 2007 and between the same period, was appointed Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice for Rivers State. He has been the Chairman of the Criminal Litigation Committee of the Section on Legal Practice of the NBA since September 2010. He also has been the Alternate Chairman of the NBA’s Technical Committee on Conference Planning since December 2010 till date. The year 2011 proved a year of double promotion for him as he was made a member of the Honourable Body of Benchers in June and was elected member of the General Council of the Bar in September 2011. Wali is also a member of four professional bodies, which are NBA, International Bar Association, Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association, and Juris Cradle. His hobbies consist of Volleyball, Music and Reading. Wali, a Christian, is married with five children.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, July 23, 2012

I was frightened –Chinedu Ejiabor

Bar Jokes

Little remorse

Three wishes

fter her conviction for murder in the second degree, the District Attorney, during her sentencing hearing said, “Mrs. Packard -- after you put the arsenic in the stew and served it to your husband, didn’t you feel even a little remorse for what you were doing?” “I did,” she said calmly. “And when was that?” quipped the D.A. “When he asked for seconds!” came the reply.

Ejiabor

y first appearance in court was quite interesting. It was before Justice Oshodi. Shortly, after my call to Bar I was employed in the law firm of UwensuyiEdosomwan & Co. I was employed on a Wednesday and when I was going home, my principal gave me a file that I would be going to court the following day. I was to go to court and move a motion for extension of time to file defence. When I got home, I brought out my Law

School textbooks on how to move a motion for extension of time. But, when I got to court and saw lots of lawyers making lengthy submissions, I became frightened. I didn’t know

JOSEPH OTTEH

ur judiciary has been in a prolonged state of coma for which no end is immediately visible on the horizon. Please permit a little bluntness here. Our judiciary - but more specifically now, your Judiciary - has been ravaged by widespread perceptions that it is a ‘cash for judgment’ institution, a near soul-less, ideologically agnostic institution bereft of any abiding commitment to redeeming Nigerians from the grips of bad governance, corruption and a profligate leadership; a disorganised, partisan branch of government with high pretensions to transparency and rectitude, but within it, a conclave of privileged people no differently ruled than by the ordinary passions and frailties of ordinary people. Therefore, there is an astounding and daunting amount of house-cleaning to be done to rebuild public confidence in the judiciary which you admitted has hit rock bottom: Madam Chief Justice, sleeves will need to be rolled up and hands steadied on the plough. This will not be a half-hearted fight, and the forces that have stealthily come to control things within the Judiciary and spattered its face with mud will not likely want to see their influence diminish overnight without a winner- takes-all mud fight. Corruption and Judicial Integrity During your Senate screening, you said you recognised that corruption has fazed the judiciary and that you are willing to take steps to address the problem. We note that you did not just stop at saying that corruption was only limited to “a few bad eggs”, a somewhat misleading idiomatic expression that many have inaptly orchestrated to gloss over the cracks in the ethical environment.

what to say again, in fact my guts failed me, my palms were wet and I was shivering. I called a senior lawyer sitting beside me outside and explained to him my predicament. The senior lawyer asked me to get a pen and paper; he then dictated everything I was supposed to say. After I returned into court, my confidence came up again because I had been tutored. When the case was called, I read out the note to the court and before I finished, the judge said ‘’order as

Right to think

fter his motion to suppress evidence was denied by the court the angered attorney spoke up, “Your Honour,” he said, “what would you do if I called you a stupid, degenerate, old fool.” The Judge, now also angered, revered, “I would hold you in contempt of court and seek to have you suspended from practicing before this court again!” “What if I only thought it?” asked the attorney. “In that case, there is nothing I could do, you have the right to think whatever you want.” “Oh, I see. Then, if it pleases the court, let the record reflect, that I ‘think’ you’re a stupid, degenerate, old fool.”

Open Letter to CJN, Mukhtar But you called a spade a spade! And this recognition is healthy, because, with respect, you can’t quite fight something that you continue to deny exists. However, you said you will fight the scourge through living by example and ‘hop[ing] everybody will follow’; as well as encourage internal discipline. Perhaps you can do better with strategy. Our history shows us that good examples by leaders alone has never been a sufficient guarantee against corruption and probably never will be. Corruption is a renegade vice by itself. It could be exacerbated by an existing condition - such as a condoning leadership - but it can thrive well on its own deviance irrespective of the character of anyone’s example. We can’t of course pursue the logic conversely, to say that judicial corruption has flourished because the leadership of the judiciary was setting the example! You did not exactly lay out what ‘instilling internal discipline’ would entail. The problem of corruption however is writ large and overreaches the ‘internal discipline’ framework. To fight corruption, reforms on two fronts must be pursued – the internal and the external. What we have now on both fronts don’t add up to very much. Perhaps you mean you want to strengthen the internal processes first, and that would be, with due respect, a worthy focus. Our interrnal accountability and disciplinary processes need to be better structured and re-energized: the process of receiving complaints against judicial misconduct and investigating these is too porous, arbitrary and manipulable to be of much meaningful assistance to the fight against judicial vice. Alongside this, the current system has lost public confidence. Many a time, the

WE NEED TO INSIST THAT JUDGES INDICTED FOR CORRUPTION SHOULD FACE CRIMINAL PROSECUTION system draws a blank after it receives representations from aggrieved people that corruption has taken place and you will need to wipe the slate clean here. Take the example of complaints made against Judges of the Osun State Election Petition Judges since 2008. It has been four years since then, but till now they have yet to be determined! There are other bonafide complaints the NJC has ridden rough shod over, pretending to have dealt with cases when, in truth, it refused to deal with them. For a start, the NJC needs a credible complaints intake and investigation protocol that recognises the rights of complainants to an effective investigation of complaints sent to it. Developing such a document and placing this on the Council’s website may be a good start. Next, we need to insist that Judges indicted for corruption should face criminal prosecution! The failure to do this may actually be aggravating the problem. Apply the law applicable to everyone else to Judges as well; after all, one facet of the rule of law is the equality of the law. As Justice Hand once said, if there be one golden rule, it is that we must not ration justice. Then again, the composition of the NJC needs a makeover. We need to refresh the outlook of the NJC, however expediently

man walking along the beach one day finds a bottle. He rubs it and, sure enough, out popped a genie. “I will grant you three wishes,” said the genie. “But there is a catch.” “What catch?” the man asked. The genie replied, “Every time you make a wish, every lawyer in the world will receive double the wish you were granted.” “Well, I can live with that! No problem!” replied the elated man. “What is your first wish?” asked the genie. “Well, I’ve always wanted a Ferrari!” POOF! A Ferrari appeared in front of the man. “Now every lawyer in the world has TWO Ferraris,” said the genie. “Next wish?” “I’d love a million dollars,” replied the man. POOF! One million dollars appeared at his feet. “Now every lawyer in the world has TWO million dollars,” said the genie. “Well, that’s okay, as long as I’ve got my million,” replied the man. “What is your third and final wish?” The man thought long and hard, and finally said, “Well, you know, I’ve always wanted to donate a kidney!” Culled from Gavel.Gavel.com

that is done. An axiom states that “no system of justice can rise above the ethics of those who administer it” and this is so true. Until we have a Council made up of men and women of uncommon calibre, zealousness, astuteness and forthrightness, the Council may never be able to provide exemplary leadership for putting the Nigerian judiciary on the map again. Improving Case Clearance Rates and Speed of Justice In many courts, case clearance rates are extremely dismal, and many courts’ dockets sag under the weight of yet-to-bedisposed cases. Not all Judges feel they need to work up to par or bother about case ages. Meanwhile, Judges do little to overcome the perception that courts are disconnected, elitist, and lethargic. Your Lordship will do well to make Judges more accountable in this regard and trial opportunities more equitable for litigants. Using Technology to Modernize Courts Our courts are chronically behind the curve in leveraging the benefits of modern technology towards functioning more efficiently, seamlessly, and affordably. Many countries with comparable levels of judicial funding have moved quite ahead of us in this area. In many jurisdictions, filings can be done electronically. When courts give Judgments or make Orders, these can be downloaded within minutes from their website. There is no need for court users to ply different corridors applying for certified true copies of such judgments, to check up on those typing out the jugments, and to wade through labyrinths of bureaucracy to get the judgments certified. You cut out all the clutter and save time and costs. Otteh, the Executive Director, Access to Justice (AJ) writes from Lagos.

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

“You had the Great Depression in the United States. This is exactly what we’re going through in Greece” GREEK PRIME MINISTER, ANTONIS SAMARAS

Madagascar’s army restrains mutiny, kills rebel leader PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

adagascar’s army said yesterday that the situation at a mutinous army base was under control and that the leader of the rebellion had been killed. “The situation is under control. Corporal Koto Mainty, alias Black, has been killed,” General Raphael Ramasy, chief of staff of the defence minister, told the public television station TVM.

“The other mutineers gave themselves up or were arrested … Four other civilians were arrested … Two mutineers and two other elements of the security forces are wounded.” Earlier yesterday, mutinous soldiers stormed a military camp near Madagascar’s main airport yesterday and the army said it had surrounded the barracks and was holding negotiations with the rebels. The island nation has been rocked by political turmoil and violence in the three years since then-

opposition leader Andry Rajoelina ousted president Marc Ravalomanana, who has been in self-imposed exile in South Africa since his overthrow. “At 5 a.m. a group of armed soldiers forced their way into the barracks of the 1st RFI (First Regiment of Interventionist Forces) Ivato. The group fired in the air, blocking all attempts to enter into the barracks,” an army statement said. Soldiers and gendarmes were positioned around the

camp and an army official said officers had been sent in to negotiate the mutineers’ surrender. “If they do not succeed, this situation will finish in a military assault. Elements of the armed forces are ready for that ... Right now we don’t know until when the negotiations will continue,” head of the army’s communication service, Philibert Ratovonirina, said. Earlier the army said there was no risk of the

incident spreading beyond the base. The army said Corporal Koto Mainty, former bodyguard of a former defence minister and known as “Black”, had led the revolt. A Reuters cameraman at the scene heard gunshots fired in the air. Onlookers gathered nervously around the camp, a few hundred metres from the airport. A defence ministry statement said Ivato International airport remained open.

Heaviest rains in 60 years kill 10 in China

he heaviest rainstorm in six decades to hit the Chinese capital killed at least 10 people and caused widespread chaos, flooding streets and stranding 80,000 people at the city’s main airport, state media reported yesterday, Reuters has reported. The storm, which started on Saturday afternoon and continued late into the night, flooded major roads and sent torrents of water tumbling down steps into underpasses. In the Beijing suburb of Tongzhou, two people died in a roof collapse and another person killed was struck by lightning, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Other deaths were caused by electric shocks from downed power lines and drowning, it added, without giving an exact breakdown. More than 500 flights were cancelled at Beijing’s Capital International Airport, the Beijing News said. However, the subway system was largely unaffected, aside from being swamped

with people desperate to get home and unable to use cars, buses or taxis. The city received about 170 millimeters (6.7 inches) of rain on average, though a township in Fangshan District to Beijing’s west was hit by 460mm (18.1 inches), Xinhua said. The Beijing city government said on its website (www.beijing.gov.cn) it was working to get the metropolis back on its feet, but reminded people to prepare for further bad weather. “The weather forecasters say that from late July to early September this city is prone to flooding, and there could be further large-scale storms or extreme weather,” it said.

WORLD BULLETIN

Pentagon to send drones for Kenya to fight militants The Pentagon is seeking to send handlaunched drones to Kenya as part of a $40 million-plus military aid package designed to help four African countries fight al Qaeda and al Shabaab militants, notably in Somalia, the Wall Street Journal reported. Kenya would get eight “Raven” unmanned aerial systems - an unarmed drone that can be used to identify targets for strikes by ground forces or other aircraft. “This assistance will improve the tactical effectiveness and operational reach of the Kenyan National Defence Forces engaged in CT (counter-terrorism) operations against al Shabaab in Somalia,” the newspaper quoted a Pentagon document as saying. The Ravens for Kenya would be part of an initial $41.4 million package that also would include trucks, communications gear and rifles for Burundi, Djibouti and Uganda, the newspaper said.

Libya’s Olympic committee chief released Madagascar’s police cordoning off a crowd of people gathered outside the airport of Antananarivo. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

Mukherjee wins India presidential poll

he candidate from India’s governing Congress party, former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, was declared winner yesterday in voting for the country’s president, a largely ceremonial position. Election official P.K. Agnihotri said Mukherjee, 76, had received more

A resident walking past debris and a taxi damaged by a flood after heavy rainfalls hit Mentougou District in Beijing yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS

than twice as many votes as his rival in last Thursday’s balloting by national and state legislators. “I express deep gratitude to the people for electing me to this high office,” Mukherjee said. He said he would try to justify the people’s trust. His rival, Purno Agitok Sangma, conceded defeat before the counting was complete Sunday. “I congratulate Mukherjee on his victory and I wish him success,” he told reporters. Mukherjee’s elated supporters danced to the beat of drums and set off firecrackers outside his residence as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, the Congress party chief, arrived to congratulate him. Several opposition groups also

backed Mukherjee. Mukherjee and Sangma, a former speaker of Parliament, were competing to succeed India’s first female president, Pratibha Devisingh Patil. Mukherjee is to be sworn in on Wednesday. In India, the prime minister is the head of government and the president is mainly a figurehead. Mukherjee has served previously as foreign minister, defense minister and finance minister. His latest term as finance minister from 2009 until earlier this year was marred by declining growth, a tumbling currency, rising inflation and a failure to push through proposed reforms. India’s economic growth in the last quarter was 5.3 percent, the slowest rate in years.

The president of Libya’s Olympic Committee was freed yesterday a week after he was taken from his car by gunmen in Tripoli, and is now in his home, his deputy said. Nabil Elalem was with an colleague last Sunday when two cars carrying armed men in military-style clothing blocked the road, colleagues said. The men told him he had to go with them and sped away, leaving his colleague behind. There had been no news about his whereabouts since. “He was released at 6.30 (0430 GMT) this morning. He is now at his home,” Noureddin El-Krekshi, deputy chief of the committee, told Reuters, without giving details. “He is fine.” Since the end of the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi last year, the interim government has struggled to impose its authority on numerous armed groups who refuse to lay down their weapons and often take the law into their own hands.

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “Failures of some leaders to provide functional and effective educational system in the North had led to the massive breeding of Almajiris.” BORNO STATE GOVERNOR, KASHIM SHETTIMA

EFCC docks two over illegal bunkering ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned Dickson Chukwu and Peter Mbaeze before the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt and Federal High Court, Asaba, respectively, for offences bordering on illegal dealings in petroleum products and pipeline vandalism. While Chukwu was docked on a two count charge of conspiracy/illegal dealing in petroleum products before Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court I, Port Harcourt; Peter Mbaeze was arraigned before Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State, for vandalising an oil pipeline within Egbrede Community in Ndokwa East LGA of Delta State. The pipeline belongs to Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited. Count one of the two count charge against Chukwu reads: “That you Dickson Chukwu and others now at large on or about the 16th March 2012 at Port Harcourt within the Jurisdiction of this Honorable Court did conspire with each other to commit felony to wit: Dealing in Petroleum Product contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act CAP M17 of the Revised Edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria) Act, 2007 and punishable under Section 1(17) of the same Act”. Count one of the two count

charge against Mbaeze reads; “That you Mbaeze Peter ‘M’ and another now at large on or about the 9th day of February, 2012 at Egbrede Community in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State within the jurisdiction of the honorable court, did conspire among yourselves to commit felony to wit: Tampering with oil pipeline meant for transportation of crude oil, property of Nigeria Agip Oil

he entire Apapa/Ijora district in Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State may soon be engrossed in pandemonium, following an alleged imposition of traffic rules on motorists in the area. Addressing journalists on the alleged injustice melted to his members by the community taskforce, the Secretary, National Union of Road Trans-

alleged to have loaded 20 drums of content, suspected to be adulterated automotive gas oil, AGO in a Mercedes Benz Truck with Registration Number XB 983 NSK. Mbaeze on the other hand, was arrested on February 10, 2012. Both accused pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. Chukwu was admitted to bail by Justice Akanbi in the sum

of N2million and two sureties in like sum. The Judge further ruled that the sureties must be resident within the jurisdiction of the court and the address verified by EFCC. Mbaeze was similarly granted bail in the sum of N5million and a surety in like sum. Mbaeze is to return to the court on September 26, 2012, for hearing, while Chukwu’s case was adjourned till November 7, 2012.

An area view of Ijora Cause Way after the tanker drivers allegedly degrading the area were driven away by KAI officials.

Crisis Brews in Apapa over enforcement of traffic rules MURITALA AYINLA

Company Limited and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 3(6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17, of the revised edition (Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2007) and punishable under Section 1(7)(a) of the same Act”. Chukwu was arrested by operatives of the EFCC on March 16, 2012, along the Nigerian Ports Authority Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He was

port Workers NURTW, Apapa Branch ‘A’, Comrade James Nnorome accused the taskforce of unlawful imposition of traffic rules on its members, saying if nothing is done to checkmate their activities, NWRTW members in the branch may be forced to fight for their rights. He said officials of the taskforce are forcing their union members to re-paint their vehicles to green and white colour as against the approved yellow and black (stripes) colour by the state government.

Ogun to outlaw child hawking by November

ffective from November 2012, child-hawking will become a punishable offence for parents in Ogun State. The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Elizabeth Sonubi, also spoke of plans by the government to enact an equal opportunity law to assist the women folk in the state. The commissioner, who disclosed yesterday that criminalising child hawking in the state will help to ensure that parents take full advantage of the state government’s free primary and secondary education policy. She disclosed that a bill out-

lawing the social vice has already being passed by the State House of Assembly, adding that government intends to embark on an aggressive enlightenment campaign for the next three months to sensitise on the evils in not allowing their wards to attend school. The commissioner insisted that every child of school age must be avail the opportunity of early education by taking advantage of the free education policy of the state government. Mrs Sonubi added, “Education is very important to this administration and we will not

compromise children of school age parading the streets under the guise of assisting their parents economically. Parents who do that should know they are putting these children at grave disadvantage. “Besides, they are exposing such children to serious dangers. We as government won’t allow it because these children are the future of our nation. After the three months of grace, by November, any child found on the street hawking would be picked up and tried in a juvenile court and the parent would then face the penalty,” she said.

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South South

Monday, July 23, 2011

Aginighan canvasses staggered elections SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

ormer Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Pastor Power Aginighan, has urged the National Assembly to enshrine the provision for staggered elections in the proposed new constitution. Aginighan, in his reaction to the outcome of the recent gubernatorial election in Edo State, urged members of the National Assembly to take advan-

tage of the on-going review of the constitution to achieve the feat. In an online statement titled; “Edo governorship elections: A lesson in deepening democracy in Nigeria”, which he sent to National Mirror yesterday, Aginighan said such arrangement would guarantee free and fair polls and secure the voters in future elections. Under the arrangement, the immediate past Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the NDDC, argued that election involving 36 states

at a time was cumbersome with the attendant logistic challenges, adding that not more than six states could be taken at a time. His words: “The National Assembly should take advantage of the on-going review of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide for staggered elections to ensure adequate security protection for all the voters during elections. For elections involving the 36 states of the country, not more than six states should be taken at a time.” The former NDDC boss,

who commended President Goodluck Jonathan, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political parties and the electorate in Edo State for the peaceful and fair conduct of the governorship election, also offered some recommendations in order to guarantee transparent conduct of future elections in the country. He said his recommendations stemmed from the success recorded in the Edo governorship polls. Aginighan, who contested the governorship election in Delta State in

L-R: Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; General Overseer, Abundant Life Ministries, Apostle Eugene Ogu, wife of the Governor, Judith and Ogu’s wife, Milly, at the 50th birthday thanksgiving service of Apostle Ogu in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

A’Ibom fishermen applaud NOSDRA over Bonga oil spill

ishermen in Akwa Ibom State have applauded the National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) for imposing a $5bn fine on Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the fine was imposed on the oil multi-national company over the recent Bonga oil spill. The fishermen, under the aegis of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria, said the regulatory agency’s action vindicated their position on the impact of the oil spill on fishing trade. Chairman of the association in the state, Rev. Samuel Ayadi, told NAN that the sanction would send a warning signal to other oil industry operators. He said the fishermen appreciated the tireless efforts of NOSDRA in com-

bating oil spills and making the waters safe for fishing. Ayadi also noted that on the orders of NOSDRA, fishermen in the state had pulled out of the waters for about eight weeks to pave way for the spill’s clean-up. “We thank the Federal Government and NOSDRA for a job well done, because the fine on the oil company

was just the right thing to do. “That spill from the Shell facility put all fishermen in the Niger Delta out of business for almost eight weeks. “We pulled out of the waters as directed by NOSDRA and we are, in the same spirit of compliance, urging Shell to comply

with the fine order and pay. “This will enable the agency and the Federal Government to compensate the affected communities and fishermen,” he said. Ayadi contended that the fishermen deserved to be compensated for the loss of revenue while the cleanup lasted.

Delta govt threatens to impound commercial vehicles AMOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

he Delta State government has threatened to impound commercial vehicles operating in the state that are yet to change their vehicles’ colours to the approved blue and white in the state. In an interview with National Mirror yesterday in Asaba, the state Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Ben Igbakpa, who gave the threat said the three

months deadline for all commercial vehicles operating in the state to be branded in blue and white colours will expire on Wednesday, this week. “The Ministry will upon the expiration of the deadline on Wednesday, July 25, 2012, commence impounding vehicles yet to be branded in the approved colours.” According to Igbakpa, the state government had in April issued an ultimatum to operators of commercial vehicles in the state to brand their

vehicles in the approved Delta colour, stressing that it was observed that many of such vehicles have complied with the directive while many were yet to do so even as he decried the high level of lawlessness by some transporters in the state. The commissioner also observed that even those that had complied were yet to come to the ministry to obtain identification numbers for their vehicles as directed, which are issued free of charge.

2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suggested, among other things, that the “National Orientation Agency in conjunction with INEC should be assigned the responsibility of organising a debate for all cleared candidates for any elective office in Nigeria. Any candidate who fails to participate in such a debate should be disqualified from the election. “Any elected officer whose election is nullified by the court of final jurisdiction on grounds of electoral malpractice should be disqualified from contesting further elections in the country. “Stiffer penalties ranging from five years jail term to life imprisonment should be legislated for electoral offenders, be they

candidates, voters or election umpires.” Aginighan, who rejoiced with Edo State governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on his “very emphatic victory at the July 14 governorship polls”, also commended INEC “for the peaceful, orderly, credible and transparent conduct of the elections in the state. The victory goes to all the governorship candidates and the very enlightened electorate of Edo State who not only came out to cast their votes, but protected same after voting until the votes were counted.

North

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Unilorin VC tussle: Candidate protests scoring scheme WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

ne of the six shortlisted candidates for the position of vice-chancellor for the University of Ilorin slated for interview today, Prof. Musibau Akanji, might turn down his invitation for the exercise according to National Mirror sources yesterday. Prof. Akanji was reported to have protested the scoring scheme that produced him for the interview describing it as ‘arbitrary.’ The tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ishaq

•May turn down interview request Oloyede expires this October. Prof. Akanji allegedly accused University of Ilorin council members, as well as the selection board members of deploying the scoring method to promote a desired candidate. Akanji, who is a Biochemistry teacher was said to have written a protest letter to the acting pro-chancellor and acting chairman of the council, claiming that; “with the antecedents of your board, I have no other alternative than to come to the painful conclusion that I cannot be guar-

anteed justice and fairness before your selection board. I, therefore, may not attend the interview.” His words: “Kindly recollect that your selection board at its meeting of 10th and 11th July, 2012 drew up scoring criteria to shortlist the 24 candidates whose applications came before your board. “At the end of the said meeting, you shortlisted five applicants to be interviewed, an exercise that was fixed for Monday, 23rd July, 2012. “I protested the injustice inherent in your decision of

the 10th and 11th July, 2012 meeting as it affects me, in a letter dated 16th July, 2012 citing the bias displayed in considering my application and your subsequent dropping of my name from the list of those to be interviewed. “You took my protest on Tuesday 17th July, 2012 and because of the unassailable evidence I provided, you saw the defect and or weakness of your earlier decision. You consequently invited me for interview via a letter reference number UIL/ROS/S.31 and dated 17th July, 2012 to attend

the interview scheduled for Monday 23rd July, 2012. “Looking at the list of materials we are to bring to the interview and the time available for me, I do not see how it will be feasible. For example, I am to bring a medical certificate of fitness from a recognised public hospital. You know too well sir that unless I just want to collect a medical certificate (which I will not), the process of going through medical test that will qualify me for a certificate cannot be completed in three working days left for me before the interview. Also recall that other shortlisted can-

didates were contacted several days before me,” he had complained. The letter allegedly continued: “In the spirit and letters of the Freedom of Information Act, I demand that your scoring criteria, the curriculum vitae and the scores of the candidates be made public before the date of interview. “I wish to remind you that if you railroad a candidate that does not emerge by verifiable and justifiable criteria, you will alienate the majority of the workforce of the university from contributing to the continued growth of our institution.

Kwara govt sets aside N400m agric loan

Shema launches schools for Almajiris

WOLE ADEDEJI

KATSINA

JAMES DANJUMA

ILORIN

he Kwara State government has set aside over N400 million agriculture loan for immediate access by farmers in the state. State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, disclosed this at the weekend during an interactive session with farmers in the state under the auspices of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Kwara State chapter in Ilorin, the state capital. Governor Ahmed, who said only farmers who belong to recognised and functional cooperative societies in the state and meet all conditions would benefit, said the new measures were designed to situate agricultural practice within the concept of value chain programme as government would not only create access to fund for the farmers but also provide them with reliable buyers for their farm produce. The governor assured farmers that non-farmers would not benefit from the loan scheme, adding that Kwara State was ‘interested in doing business with those interested in agriculture business.’ Governor Ahmed ascribed the state government’s commitment to the transformation of the agricultural sector through a value chain to the realisation that subsistence farming on its own cannot propel agricultural revolution.

Taraba State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Sanni Danladi (left) receiving the “Do the Right Thing” plaque from the Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Mr. Mike Omeri, during Community Dialogue on Multi Year Tariff Order in Jalingo, at the weekend.

Again two die, several injured in Bauchi bomb explosion EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

t least two people died while several others were injured in an explosion that rocked a popular beer joint called Bayan-Gari in Bauchi metropolis yesterday. The incident, which occurred at about 6.36 pm, caused pandemonium among residents of the area as the sound of the ex-

plosion was heard far away. An eyewitness told National Mirror that a man, who disguised as a hawker had pushed a wheelbarrow into the vicinity, abandoned the agent of death and vanished. It was learnt that not long after, a bomb exploded killing two and wounding several others. When National Mirror visited the scene of the explosion yesterday, several shops were affected including

neighbouring houses. Also, a Toyota car with registration Bauchi AA 347 TSG was also destroyed beyond repairs. One of the neighbours, who spoke to journalists in tears, said the dead included one Igbo woman simply known as Mama Chidera, who sold beer opposite the scene of the explosion and her son. Others, who sustained serious injuries, were people who had come to drink beer as at the time of the explo-

sion. The state Police Commissioner, Mr. Mohammed Ladan, who spoke on phone, said he was out of town and was not aware of the incident, but promised to get back. It will be recalled that a text message, which circulated in Bauchi and other towns last week threatened to attack Christian dominated areas like Yelwa, Rafin-Zurfi, Kagadama, among others last weekend.

‘Why Christian youths break fast with Muslims’ AZA MSUE KADUNA

he Chairman of the youth chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State and Co-chairman of the Christian-Muslim Youth Peace Initiative of Nigeria (CMPIN), Mr. Diji Obadiah Haruna, yesterday

said Christian youths broke fast with Muslims to foster peace among the diverse religions in the state. The Muslim youths hosted their Christian counterparts on Saturday night to break the Ramadan fast inside the prestigious Sultan Bello Mosque, Ungwan Sarki in Kaduna. The reports said they had over

100 Christian youths with their leaders in attendance, where the food were served in a bowl and eaten together. The occasion was organised by CMPIN under the leadership of Dr Suleiman Shuabu Shinkafi for the Muslim youths and Mr. Diji Obadiah Haruna for the Christians. In an e-mailed statement

to National Mirror, Youth CAN state Chairman, Mr. Haruna said the coming together of the major two religions would not stop at eating and making speeches, but would be a sober reflection on the past and to join forces as Christian and Muslim youths to stop violence in the troubled region.

he pilot phase of training, feeding and clothing of Almajiris in Tsangaya or Quranic schools, has been flagged off in Katsina State with no less than 840, 000 almajiris expected to benefit from the scheme. Speaking during the event’s lunch at the weekend in Daura, Governor Ibrahim Shema, said 70 of such schools have been selected for the pilot scheme in the 34 council areas of the state while the state capital will have additional two due to the large population of almajiris in the city. Shema said the pilot scheme would be test-run for six months after which more schools would be added to the scheme and that the Tsangaya schools would be given free food, clothing and taught handcraft trades. He said an ambulance would regularly visit the schools to meet the health needs of the pupils while allowances would be paid the instructors and handcraft trainers.

Shema

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News

Monday, July 23, 2012

Religious, ethnic quarrel senseless –Monarch WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

traditional ruler in Kwara State has said that there is no basis for Nigerians to quarrel along ethnic and religious lines. He said the security challenges confronting Nigeria could prevent investors from coming to the country. The Oludo of Oko Ode in Ifelodun Local

Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Salaudeen Adeyemo, spoke at the weekend during a free-medical-services programme of The Redeemed Christian of God (RCCG) Kwara Province 2 in which residents of the town and the adjoining communities were given free eye treatment, comprehensive medical check-ups and others. Oba Adeyemo urged Nigerians to see them-

selves as a people who have a uniform agenda for development, using a common platform to achieve such goals. The church also distributed shoes, clothes and food items to the people, including the aged and nomadic Fulanis. Speaking ot the occasion, the Pastor in charge of the church, Joseph Bankole, said that the gesture was a demonstration of brotherly love

preached by Jesus Christ which transcends preaching to win souls only. He said it is the policy of the church to render humanitarian services all over the world without discriminations be it religion or ethnicity Bankole said the programme, apart from providing members of the church an opportunity to appreciate God for His goodness to them, also enable them to further

bring to the awareness of the people, the existence of God The traditional ruler, who was present at the programme alongside his chiefs, appreciated the gesture, saying the church was the first body to organise such free services to his subjects. The monarch thanked God for peaceful co-existence of his people and the Fulani settlers and advised communities to

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed

Nasarawa communities urged to embrace peace

Bauchi Catholic Diocese to establish own varsity

IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

EZEKIEL TITUS

BAUCHI

he Catholic Bishop of Bauchi Diocese, Most Revd Malachy Goltok, said at the weekend that plans had reached an advance stage for the Diocese to establish its own university. The bishop spoke Tafawa-Balewa Local Government Area of the state during the 10th anniversary of Our Lady of Apostles Nursery/Primary School. Represented by Rev. Fr. Batare, Bishop Goltok said that the decision to establish the university was to complement government’s effort in providing quality education for youths. He said when established, the university would promote western education in the North. The cleric, however, advised parents to invest in their children’s education. The headmistress of the school, Rev. Sister Cecilia, identified the major constrain confronting the school as lack of fund to provide basic materials for learning. She added that lack of van hampered the school’s social activities. According to her, the school needs a standard Information and Communication Technology centre (ICT). Rev. Cecilia, however, urged parents and stakeholders to support aimed at providing quality education for youths, saying: “Responsibility of providing quality education does not squarely rest on government.”

be cautious of inter-tribal or fratricidal war, adding war is always antidevelopment.

Dignitaries at a special prayer session for peace, stability and progress of Nigeria organised by the Katsina State chapter of Munazzatul Fityanul-Islam of Nigeria held in Kankara Local Government Area in Katsina, yesterday.

Mega station owners threaten strike over NNPC policy A ZA MSUE KADUNA

he Association of Mega Filling Station Owners of Nigeria (AMFSON) has threatened to embark on an action that could soften ground for its members over what it called unfavourable policy introduced by the Nigerian National Petroleum Cor-

poration (NNPC) Retail Limited. Addressing a press conference at the weekend in Kaduna, the association’s president, Mr. Andrew Ashiga, described the policy as unfriendly. Ashiga said the delay of the mass action was because the Mega Station operators had tabled the matter before the House of Representatives which in

turn referred the issue to House Committee on Gas Resources. He warned his members not to succumb to intimidation by the NNPC Retail Limited to accept the unfriendly policy since the case is still before the National Assembly. Ashiga said: “We intend to take action, a kind of strike against the cumbersome cash-and carry-policy

of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Retail Limited. “The consequence of that action will be a transfer of suffering and hardship on the public because the smooth distribution and sales of petroleum products being enjoyed across the country today is as a result of our cooperation and commitment to the smooth running of the country.”

Super-rich ‘hiding’ at least $21tn in tax havens

global super-rich elite had at least $21trn (£13tn) hidden in secret tax havens by the end of 2010, according to a major study. The figure is equivalent to the size of the US and Japanese economies combined, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation’s website. The study, titled: Price of Offshore Revisited was written by James Henry, a

former chief economist at the consultancy McKinsey, for the Tax Justice Network. Tax expert and UK government adviser John Whiting said he was sceptical that the amount hidden was so large. Mr Whiting, director of the Office of Tax Simplification, said: “There clearly are some significant amounts hidden away, but if it really is that size what is being done with it all?”

Mr Henry said his $21tn is actually a conservative figure and the true scale could be $32tn. A trillion is 1,000 billion. Mr Henry used data from the Bank of International Settlements, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and national governments. His study deals only with financial wealth deposited in bank and investment accounts, and not other as-

sets such as property and yachts. The report comes amid growing public and political concern about tax avoidance and evasion. Some authorities, including in Germany, have even paid for information on alleged tax evaders stolen from banks. The group that commissioned the report, Tax Justice Network, campaigns against tax havens.

he commissioner representing Nasarawa State at the National Population Commission (NPC), Zakari Umaru Kigbu, has sued for peace among the ethnic nationalities in the state. He appealed to Eggon people to support the peace initiatives of both President Goodluck Johnathan and Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura. Kigbu said the peace initiatives were aimed at seeing the Eggon peace living in peace with other nationalities in Nasarawa State. He spoke in a valedictory speech he delivered during the National Convention of the Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA) at Endehu, near Akwanga. The NPC commissioner is the immediate past president of the Eggon socio-cultural organisation with its membership drawn from Eggon race worldwide. He said: “The Eggon people are known for possessing the virtue of hard work, industry, truth and courage which they use to promote peace and development wherever they find themselves.” Kigbu said that the new national executive council of the apex socio-cultural organization of the Eggon race, led by Mr. Akpelaku Namo, is coming at a time the Eggon nation is faced with internal and external challenges, but he, however, believed that with God, the new executives would overcome the challenges.

Ramadan Special

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gawat will soon be with us –Tinubu SEKINAH L AWAL

clarion call has gone to all to be optimistic that the missing ace TV presenter, Alhaji Abdul-Rasak Gawat will soon be found. Wife of the late Kafaru Tinubu, Alhaja Fatimat Bintu Tinubu urged the gathering to be optimistic that Gawat would soon be with them. She made this remark on Saturday during the Ramadan Public Lecture organized by the Lagos State Muslim Council (LSMC) at NTA 10 premises, Tejuosho, Lagos. “Allah does not forget people that truly worship Him, hence, He will return Gawat safely,” Alhaja Tinubu said. Also, the LSMC is very bitter over the continuous

disappearance of Alhaji Gawat. “This year’s Ramadan will be incomplete without the popular broadcaster’s participation,” the Chairman, Joint Technical Committee of the council, Prof. Tajudeen Gbadamosi stated. Gawat, who is the Chairman, Organising Committee of the lecture, has been declared missing since 13 days ago. He was last heard of leaving Ikeja where he attended a meeting around 5pm on that fateful Tuesday. His car was found around 11pm on Eko Bridge on the way to his Adeniji Adele home. “If Gawat were to be around, the spirit of the

people at the event would have been lifted. Our security agencies must double their efforts and re-strategise to ensure that Gawat is found alive. The council is ready to assist the police to unravel this mysterious disappearance,” he said. “The committee that organised this programme, which Gawat chaired, was conscious of the porous security situation in the country before we settled for the theme; Islam: Panacea to World Peace and Security. We must not relent in our prayers for his safety and hope that he will be found alive,” he added. The Guest Speaker, Prof Fatimah AbdulKareem charged Muslims

to continue praying for the broadcaster’s safety. The College of Medicine, University of Lagos Consultant Pathologist described the incident as a test from Allah. Prof. AbdulKareem urged the gathering to stand firm with Allah for He only knows what is hidden. Retired Justice of the High Court, Justice Ishola Olorunnimbe urged all to exercise patient and be prayerful. The kind of personality of the missing presenter, Justice Olorunnimbe said, is rare among the present Muslim ummah especially in the South West. He prayed Allah to return him unhurt.

Christian youths fast with Muslims A ZA MSUE KADUNA

he youth chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter and co-chairman, Christian-Muslim Youth Peace Initiative of Nigeria (CMPIN), Mr. Diji Obadiah Haruna yesterday said Christian youths broke fast with Muslims to foster peace in the North among diverse religion. The Muslim youths hosted their Christian counterpart on Saturday night to break Ramadan fast inside the prestigious Sultan Bello Mosque Ungwan Sarki Kaduna and had over hundred Christian youths with their leaders in attendance, where the food were served in a bowl and eaten together. The occasion was organized by the Christian-Muslim Youth Peace Initiative of Nigeria under the Chairmanship and vice, Dr Suleiman Shuabu Shinkafi for the Muslim youths and Mr. Diji Obadiah Haruna for Christians. “The coming together would not stop at eating and making speeches but rather as a sober reflection on the past and to join forces to stop violence in the trouble region. Our objective is to build bridges across different segment of the society where we will be our brothers’ keeper without differences,” he maintained.

Pray for Nigeria’s Unity –Aregbesola

ife of the Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola has urged Nigerians, especially Muslim faithful, to show piety during and after the Ramadan fasting. She also urged them to use the opportunity to pray for the nation to overcome the present socio-economic challenges, saying it is only in a peaceful environment that the country can witness economic growth and development that Nigerians seek. She stated this in Ilesa, Osun state, in an interview with journalists during the weekend. According to her, the period of fasting provides unique opportunity for people to be closer to God and exhibit act of kindness to humanity, calling on Muslims to pray for peace to reign in the country.

She urged Muslims to replicate the virtues of prophet Muhammed, who is always interested in the welfare of others ahead of his personal welfare or that of his family. Furthermore, she disclosed that the month of Ramadan apart from being a period of piety; also provide an opportunity for mankind to reflect on the welfare of others with a view to extending a hand of friendship to one another. Mrs. Aregbesola also called on Muslim women to ensure that they keep the home front and provide necessary nourishment for their husband and children during and after the fasting period. She reminded women that God made them partners to their spouse to help them physically and spiritually, as well as help to keep their family together.

‘Sponsor spiritually-uplifting programmes’ LATEEFAH IBRAHIMANIMASHAUN L-R Prof Tajudeen Gbadamosi, Prince Tajudeen Olusi and Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on Project Implementation, Alhaji Sulaiman Yussuf during the Ramadan Public Lecture organized by the Lagos State Muslim Council (LSMC) at NTA 10 premises, Tejuosho, Lagos.

‘Focus on education, development’

r. Taofiz AbdulAzeez, the Imam of University of Abuja Mosque has called on Muslims to seek Islamic and western education in order to overcome the social ills in the country. AbdulAzzez made the call yesterday in Abuja while delivering a Ramadan lecture titled; “Education as a tool for socioeconomic development” organised by the Islamic Youth League of Nigeria (IYL), Abuja branch. He attributed the high rate of corruption, pov-

erty and insecurity in the country to the lack of positive education and the will to do what is right. The Imam urged Muslims to imbibe the teachings of the Quran and endeavour to be agents of change in whatever segment of the society they found themselves. He noted that Islam encourages Muslims to seek knowledge from any part of the world and contribute positively to the development of his nation. He called on Muslims to use the Ramadan period

to rededicate themselves to Allah and help the less privileged in the society. Earlier, Dr Aliu Akano, Chairman, IYL, Abuja branch in his remarks said the lecture was meant to create awareness on the blessings inherent in the holy month of Ramadan and contribute to the development of the nation. He stressed the need for Muslims to pursue knowledge and education in order to empower themselves and contribute to the socio-economic development of the nation.

JIBWIS begins sale of grains JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

atsina State branch of the Jama’atul Izalatul Bidia Wa Iquamatul Sunnah (JIBWIS) has commenced sale of N200 mil-

lion worth of grains at subsidized price to people in the state. The chairman of JIBWIS, Sheik Yakubu Musa, who stated this during the opening of Ramadan Tafsir, said the grains were being sold at 20 percent discount to assist the less-privileged

ealthy Muslims have been charged to sponsor spiritually-uplifting Islamic programmes and lectures that will enable people to grow in morals, iman and taqwa during and after Ramadan fast. This was disclosed by the Chief Imam of the Lagos State House of Assembly Mosque, Hon. Abdul-Hakeem Abdul-Lateef during his lecture at the Mosque on Friday. He urged Muslims to increase in good deeds by meeting the needs of the less-privileged people to maximise the benefits of Ramadan. “Don’t miss naflah (su-

‘Use Ramadadan to pray for peace’ ADEMU IDAKWO

Muslims during the Ramadan. Sheik Musa said two mosques in each local government were selected to serve as centers for the sales of the grains and that religious leaders in the areas would help in ensuring hitch-free sale of the grains.

pererogatory prayer) and don’t forget that you get more rewards for your good deeds in this holy month and please ensure that you desist from innovations in the religion.” He advised Muslims to be watchful of the time of predawn food and the time for breaking the fast in order not to mix them up and encouraged them to maintain the culture of Prophet Muhammad on neatness while stressing that Muslims are allowed to brush their teeth and bath during the fast. He discouraged scholars from stipulating a particular amount of supererogatory prayers for the people as he said Islam is a religion of moderation which must be adhered to.

LOKOJA

ogi State Governor, Capt Idris Wada has charged Muslims to use this period to pray for Allah’s intervention, especially the security challenges facing the nation. The governor, who spoke through

his deputy, Arc. Yomi Awoniyi, in a message to mark the commencement of Ramadan, described the holy month of Ramadan as very important in the life of Muslims, urged them to embrace the fasting period with utmost dedication, abstinence and dedication to the will of Allah.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Olympians hail Nigeria’s relay gold win

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

We have received the programme of Super Eagles for the September qualifier and will act accordingly

–NFF’S TECHNICAL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, CHRIS GREEN

Fed Cup: Eight teams battle for semis IKENWA NNABUOGOR

he stage is set for today’s 2012 Federation Cup quarter-final games scheduled to hold in four venues, with eight teams ready for hostilities for the semi-final tickets. Matches will be played simultaneously in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Bauchi, which incidentally hosted the group games. The eight gladiators consist of five teams from the Nigerian Premier League and three teams from the lower cadre. Lagos venue against all odds produced the Cinderella team, Crown FC Ogbomosho, who surprisingly, were relegated from the Nigerian National League (NNL) this past season. Enyimba lead the pack of Heartland, Kano Pillars and Plateau United and Lobi Stars as the teams to have won the title in the past. The Aba Elephants and Heartland have won the title twice apiece, having lifted the trophy last in 2009 and last year, respectively. At the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, Enyimba will engage another surprise team, Prime FC, who beat the likes of Sharks to top their group, winning two games and drawing their last match in a group decider duel against Sharks. Enyimba placed second in the Bauchi zone. The odds favour Enyimba to go for broke against the lower league campaigners but must tread with caution for a team that topped their group, beating league leaders, Enugu Rangers in the process. Elsewhere in Lagos, Pillars are expected to continue their fine run against another NNL club, Plateau United, in a northern battle of wits. Pillars, parading some of the best legs in the NPL, including Eagles’ midfielder’ Gabriel Rueben, were slow starters in the group stage but rose to the occasion to snatch a quarter-final berth. The ex-league champions will

THE FIXTURES Bauchi: Lobi v Sharks Ibadan: Prime v Enyimba Lagos: Pillars v Plateau Utd PH: Heartland v Crown

surely rely on Gambo Mohammed, who dutifully deferred his trip to Egypt for trials, for the Federation Cup cause, for the goals that will see them through. When Mohammed is not scoring, strikers like Rabiu Ali and Victor Namo are also capable. In Bauchi, Lobi Stars are top favourites to pull a win over Sharks. Lobi were champions in 2003 at the expense of Sharks, who have never won the Cup but also ended up as losing finalists in 1979 and 2009. John Zaki’s men are favourites over Sharks in this tie having spent most of this season playing in Bauchi. Lobi have in their fold a Cup winner in David Tyavkase. The Blue Angels also have a Cup veteran in Victor Ezeji as well as in-form duo, Gomo Onduku and Bright Ejike. The good side in this encounter will eventually prevail. The Garden City will come alive as Cup holders, Heartland appear to be ready to end Crown’s fairy tale. But the Ajilete Valiants are threatening especially with striker Bode Daniel running at opposition defenders.

Aminu Maigari

NSF: Ibadan to host S’West zonal elimination

badan will host the SouthWest zonal elimination competition for the 18th National Sports Festival (NSF) with Lagos State participating in the competition on a non-scoring basis, an official has said. Zonal Co-ordinator of the Zone One of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Steve Olarinoye, disclosed this yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “The decisions were part of the resolutions reached at the meeting between me as the Zonal Co-ordinator and the South-West Zone One General Manager as well as the Directors of Sports in states in the zone,” he said.

Sunshine Stars’ striker, Izu Azuka (r) chasing an Esperance of Tunisia player for the ball during their first match in Ijebu-Ode

Sunshine Stars get kudos for holding Etoile

he Ondo State Football Agency (OSFA) yesterday hailed Sunshine Stars FC’s scoreless away draw to Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia, in the CAF Champions League. OSFA’s Executive Director, Mike Idoko, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), described Saturday’s 0-0 result as a morale booster to the team. Sunshine FC had earlier lost their first match in the moneyspinning stage of the competition 0-2 to Esperance of Tunisia at Ijebu-Ode. “Getting a point on the road is better than losing at home; although we wanted outright victory, but unfortunately we could not score. I think this is good for the boys’ confidence. The result will motivate the team in our next away match against the Algerian team. “I want to assure our fans that in our next match, we will

play our hearts out and get the long awaited victory, to top our group,” Idoko said. Also, the Special Adviser on Sports to Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Akin Akinbobola, of Ondo State, advised the team to remain focused ahead of their subsequent matches in the competition. “We are happy about the outcome of the match. Though, we would have preferred a win, because the charge that was given to them was to win. As it is now, they have to remain focused,” he said. At the end of the match in Tunis on Saturday, Sunshine’s Moses Ocheje, who was the busier of the two goalkeepers on the night, told MTNFootball. com that his defenders stuck to the instructions of coach Gbenga Ogunbote. “We played according to the coach’s instructions and it worked for us. I must commend

my defenders for making my job easier because they were all composed. This victory will boost our morale and confidence ahead of our next game,” he said. Midfielder Sunday Emmanuel, who went in as a substitute and was replaced later, said hard work, discipline and tactical discipline were keys to the result in Tunisia. “It was a tough game, but we thank God our tactics worked because we were able to absorb the pressure from them till end. Their fans turned against them because we were playing well towards the end,” said Emmanuel, who rejoined the team after a brief spell at Enyimba..” Sunshine, who are due back in Nigeria today, would have to improve on their finishing against Aso Chlef of Algeria in a fortnight as they are yet to score in two group games thus far.

Fire razes ex-Super Eagle’s home AFOLABI GAMBARI

duplex belonging to a former Super Eagles’ defender, Gbenga Okunnowo, was gutted by an early morning fire in Ibadan yesterday. The former Flying Eagles player has recently returned to the Nigeria Premier League after a long career in Europe to feature for Sunshine FC of Akure in the on-going season. Eye witnesses told National

Mirror that the incident resulted from the explosion of a generating set belonging to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria whose office at Capital Building, Ring-Road in the Oyo State capital sits next to the player’s property. Reports also said that the former Barcelona player said he heard an explosion from the PHCN’s office at about 2a.m. and sought what could be amiss. “An inferno confronted him

as he saw a ball of fire fall on his roof before razing the entire building,” a report claimed, adding, “All that Okunnowo worked for has now been lost in the fire.” According to the report, however, the player’s counsel, Biodun Alli, who visited the scene, said urgent steps will be taken to ascertain extent of loss without a view to seeking adequate compensation from the electricity company.

Sport

4 TODAYS GO

Monday, July 23, 2012

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Olympians hail Nigeria’s relay gold win EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

N JULY 27 - AUGUST 12, 2012

Guor Marial

South Sudanese, 3 others to run under Olympic flag

igeria’s Olympians and extop athletes have hailed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for finally awarding the Sydney 2000 Games’ 4x400m men’s relay gold medal to Nigeria. The IOC at the weekend closed the doping case against American Antonio Pettigrew and awarded the gold medal won by the USA team with drugs taken by Pettigrew to Nigeria. The retired Nigerian athletes expressed delight in the IOC decision, recalling that the Nigerian victory has come 12 years after Pettigrew tested positive to a performanceenhancing substance. The American relay team had won the gold, with Nigeria taking the silver and Jamaica, the bronze. The Nigerian quartet comprised of Clement Chukwu, Jude Monye, Enefiok Udo Obong and Sunday Bada. However, sequel to Pettigrew’s confession to the use of the performance enhancing substance, the IOC ordered the medal withdrawn in 2008 and awarded it to Nigeria at the weekend. Reacting to news of the award, Yusuf Alli, coach and former captain of Nigeria’s athletic team, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from the Olympic Games Village in London that the decision was impressive even though a little bit late. “I am very much delighted at the news; I am impressed by the IOC’s decision. It is not how long the decision was made but that they have been awarded and recognised after these years. “It is just a pity that my good friend, Sunday Bada, one of the four relay quartet to the Sydney Games is no more. But I know his family will also be recognised on his behalf.” A former top sprinter, Tina Iheagwam, said that she was happy with the IOC’s decision, saying nothing was hidden and it showed that justice had finally been done. “I am dumbfounded because justice has been delayed for 12 years. We, in the country, had actually forgotten about it but I can tell you that

marathon runner born in what is now South Sudan, will be allowed to run under the Olympic flag in London, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Saturday. As a 16-year-old, Guor Marial moved to the United States of America where he has permanent resident status. South Sudan, the world’s newest country recognised only last year, has not yet established a National Olympic Committee -and so cannot send a team to the London Games starting on Friday, therefore, Marial is unable to represent that country. As he is not a U.S. citizen, he is also ineligible to take part for the Team USA. The IOC had initially suggested Marial run for Sudan, which has invited him to join Late Sunday Bada was among the 4x400m relay quartet that has won gold medal after 12 years their team, the runner told AlertNet, a humanitarian what the IOC had done is a good athletics coach, Patience Itanyi, athletes will look at it and say news service run by Thomson indication that nothing goes un- also hailed the award saying, “It with this award, we can go all Reuters Foundation. is really something good for the out to win a gold at the London noticed,” she said. But Marial, who lost 28 United States-based Nigerian country. I wish and hope that the Games.” members of his family in the civil war, refused. Sudan and South Sudan came close to all-out war last April following border clashabrice Muamba London. es, the worst violence since The Congo-born player carried the OlymSouth Sudan seceded and depic torch through was the day’s final torchclared its independence from London on Saturday, four bearer in Walthamstow, Khartoum a year ago, under months after collapsing on where he arrived to live a 2005 peace agreement that the field during an English in 1999 at the age of 11 afended decades of civil war. ter his family escaped the football match. The 28-year-old reached The Bolton midfielder’s civil war at home. the Olympic qualification The torch, which has heart stopped for 78 mintime in October last year and utes on March 17 after col- already travelled across improved his personal best lapsing during an FA Cup Britain for more than 60 in San Diego, California, last days, will continue to tour match at Tottenham. month, finishing in two hours While he is still not well London’s streets until it 12 minutes 55 seconds. enough to play, Muamba ends its journey at the Three athletes from the forwas able to walk 300 me- Olympic Stadium for the mer Netherland Antilles will tres with the torch on Sat- opening ceremony on Frialso compete under the Olymurday as the relay reached day. pic flag. Fabrice Muamba lighting the Olympic cauldron

Muamba carries torch

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, July 23, 2012

WORLD RECORD

Most squat thrusts in one minute Vol. 02 No. 409

N150

Monday, July 23, 2012

The record for most squat thrusts in one minute is 70 and was achieved by Craig DeVulgt (UK) on the event Wave for Wales in Margam Country Park, UK on 24 June 2007.

A question of honour for INEC,NBA

he honour of two apparently distinct and different bodies, INEC and the NBA has been clearly challenged by two of their stakeholders and for everybody’s sake these two bodies cannot afford to pretend that the challenge was not thrown. INEC is the Independent National Electoral Commission, Nigeria’s apex electoral regulator; INEC would like to and does define itself as the country’s main agent for democracy. That is nonsense, at most it is one of the agents, but let us leave such clarifications for another day. They are not the only ones with self-presentation and identity crises The Nigeria Bar Association is the umbrella professional association of all lawyers admitted to the Bar in Nigeria. In presenting itself, the NBA places emphasis on being a non-for profit association en-

orld champion Fernando Alonso yesterday won a riveting German GP from Sebastian Vettel, although his pass on Jenson Button for second place is under investigation on a day of high drama and controversy at Hockenheim. At this stage, all that can be written with any degree of certainty is

NOTES FROM CAMBRIDGE Anthony A. Kila

anthonykila@mail.com gaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and good governance in Nigeria. That is very true but their main calling card is that only active NBA Full Members, i.e paying members, can engage in practicing law in Nigeria. Let us start with the electoral commission. INEC and its chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega were recently openly accused by the newly reelected Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole in relationship to the just concluded elections in that state. The Governor is accusing the Commission and its chairman of logistical incompetence that led to the long delays in distributing electoral materials to designated polling centres. He is also accusing the commission and its chairman of gross administrative and managerial incompetence for deploying a certain Mr Ishmael Igbani, who according to Oshiomole, has a reputation for presiding over several rigged elections in the region, including Edo State in 2007. The Governor is also accusing the commission and by extension its chairman of deliberately manipulating voters register to create confusion in the state. Oshiomole raised his concerns before the elections and reiterated them after the elections that he won. These are very serious indictments of the mode of operation of the Electoral Commission and its head, the chairman has to clear the commission’s name. Pro-

PROFESSOR JEGA CANNOT LET THESE LEVELS OF ACCUSATION PASS WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT fessor Jega has to do more than that, he was called directly into question by the Governor and has been asked by the same Governor to take responsibility for these malpractices. It is a question of honour for INEC and its chairman and they need to do something about. By repeating these accusations even after he won the elections, Governor Oshiomole is doing the country a huge service. It is an honorable thing to do and we should all be grateful to him. He could have just pocketed his victory, maybe go on to teach his party members and those close to him how to win elections and leave the rest of the system, the Nigerian system to rot. We all do that when we just take care of our own personal important but tiny interest and do nothing about the Nigerian system. Professor Jega cannot let these levels of accusation pass without doing anything about it. He needs to come to save the honour of the commission and indeed his own personal honour. There are no two ways about it Oshiomole can either be wrong

or right but Jega needs to prove it. If the Chairman holds that the governor is wrong then he needs to tell us his side of the stories and better still give us facts to prove the Governor’s allegations are wrong. The people of Nigeria need to be assured that the Chairman of its electoral commission appreciates the importance of his role and that he fully understands what is unacceptable of him and that he is willing to live up to such expectations. In doing so he should reserve the right to denounce and even sue those that accuse him of falling below such expectations. If the Chairman on the other hand holds that the governor is right then he needs to take full responsibility of his misdoings, apologize to all and tell us what he intends doing to redeem himself. Taking responsibility is generally honorable and he needs not worry about further consequence, Nigerians are not only tolerant we are even indulgent. The Nigerian Bar Association too recently had their elections and sadly Emeka Ngige the defeated presidential candidate of the association is crying foul. He is making very precise accusations in which he is alleging the body that handled the election of gross malpractices and high level of corruption. For a body that calls its members learned and holds the monopoly of legal practice in the land this is unacceptable. The NBA has too little a population and has too important a reputation and stake in the society for the executive to get away with anything below a perfect election. If they want to remain worthy of the status of their peers across the globe then members and executives of the NBA need to feel insulted and eager to defend their honour from such attacks. Emeka Ngige can either be wrong or right but NBA needs to prove it. It is not enough to give declarations to the press; they need to do so with facts and before the law. It is a question of honour for the NBA, if Emeka Ngige’s allegations are wrong then he needs to be disciplined for it but if he is right then all those that are guilty need to be disciplined.

Sport Extra

F1: Alonso rides to controversial win that Alonso has extended his lead of the World Championship after a race of faultless supremacy. The Spaniard led from start to finish, rebuffing first Vettel and then Button after the much-improved McLaren snuck past the Red Bull

when the German returned to the track at the second round of pitstops. Their roles were reversed on the final lap when Vettel found a way past Button-a way that saw all four of the RB8’s wheels off the track as

it rounded the MP4-27. Despite Vettel’s wide-eyed protestations of innocence when confronted by an unimpressed Button after the race, it was a move that immediately looked highly dubious and a NFF stewards’ investigation is underway . President, FernandoAminu AlonsoMaigari

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