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IPMAN urges DPR to sanction depot owners over fuel price hike TOLA AKINMUTIMI AND UDEME AKPAN

ndependent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, yes-

Obasi

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Boko Haram:

terday lent support to the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, in its plan to sanction recent abuses of the fuel pump price regime. The association made its position clear while reacting

Police arrest 2 students over oil workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kidnap

to threats by the industry regulator to sanction filling stations that sell fuel above the official pump price of N87 per litre. Chairman of IPMAN, CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

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Arase

Tuesday, Tuesday,June June7,9,2011 2015

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Military moves hqtrs to Maiduguri

...establishes alternate command centre in Yola Top chiefs also to relocate

ROTIMI FADEYI, INUSA NDAHI AND UBONG UKPONG

ilitary authorities yesterday announced the establishment of its Command and Control Centre in Maiduguri, Borno State, in compliance with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari. President Buhari, at his inaugural speech on May 29, had ordered relocation of the Command and Control Centre to the war theatre in the North East to face the Boko Haram insurgency. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

N8bn currency fraud:

Court adjourns bail hearing till Thursday P.8

President Muhammadu Buhari (2nd right); German Chancellor, Angela Merkel (middle); US President Barack Obama (4th right); French President Francoise Hollande (5th right); British Prime Minister, David Cameron (1st right); President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia (5th left); President Macky Sall of Senegal (4th left); Ethiopian Prime Minister, Haile Mariam Desalgn and other delegates at the working session of the G7 outreach programme in Schloss Elmau, Germany, yesterday.

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Saraki, Lawan in final showdown as Senate president emerges today

Death from liquor: NAFDAC to clamp down on illegally brewed alcoholic beverages P.11

Court okays suit to stop Gbajabiamila from Speakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race P.5,6

Okiro denies defrauding PSC of N275m

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News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

IPMAN urges DPR to sanction depot owners over fuel price hike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Chief Lawson Obasi, confirmed to National Mirror that owners of filling stations were not the sole cause of pump price hike, alleging that some depot or tank farm owners are also culprits. While lamenting that the lingering fuel scarcity is taking huge toll on the nation’s economy, he said tackling the scarcity calls for extensive commitment of stakeholders such as marketers and tanker drivers. “Marketers and tanker drivers should commit more hours to duty in order to fully address the fuel shortage issue. There is also a great need for the DPR to sanction offenders in order to ensure adequate supplies to consumers,” he said. He canvassed a sanctioning regime that would ensure that some depot owners involved in selling fuel to marketers above ex-depot price of N77.66k per litre are made to bear the full weight of the law. Obasi said IPMAN members are not interested in selling fuel at high prices but were constrained by the activities of depot owners who, he alleged, were selling the product to them at indiscriminately exorbitant prices. He explained: “We are not interested in selling above the pump price or at a high price; but we have some constraints. We rely on depot owners who sell to us at their discretion; they sell to us at their own price and we have to sell based on the price at which we buy. “If we get the product directly from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, or its designated depots, we won’t have problems because they will sell at regulated price and we will in turn sell at the controlled price.” He said the product was also being purchased at higher cost from other private tank farms, especially those owned by Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, DAPPMA. Obasi pointed out that since the only depot owned by IPMAN, the Nigerian Independent Petroleum Company, NIPCO, could not serve its members nationwide, they are compelled to buy from DAPPMA which controls a larger share of the downstream facilities.

According to him, with over 60 per cent retail outlets in the nation, NIPCO could not serve adequately its members and had to rely on DAPPMA and other tank farm owners who sell to them at their discretion. He urged the DPR to improve on its monitoring of depot owners so that the product could get to market-

ers at the regulated price instead of focusing attention mainly on filling station. DPR Director, Mr. George Osahon, had at a meeting with oil marketers in Abuja last Friday threatened to sanction filling stations that sold fuel above the pump price. He advised the marketers to resolve the issue of price

with the depot owners before lifting fuel. Despite assurances by the Federal Government and the marketers, including the NNPC as well as the organised labour to bring the over two-month fuel crisis to an end, investigations showed that in major cities of Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Kano and

Owerri, among others, fuel was still selling between N80 and N120 per litre as at yesterday. For instance, in Lagos, several of the filling stations with the exception of a few major marketers’ outlets, were selling petrol above the regulated pump price. National Mirror learnt that in the Sango-Ota-Abule-

Egba area of Ogun and Lagos states respectively, abuses of the pricing regime were still ongoing with even major marketers allegedly catching in on the helplessness of motorists to hike fuel price. For instance, it was learnt that many of the marketers sell at N100 and above per litre of fuel.

Wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari (middle); Senator-elect, Binta Masi Garba (2nd right); wife of Adamawa State Governor, Maryam Jibrilla Bindow (2nd left) and others during a courtesy visit by a delegation of Adamawa women at Defence House, Abuja.

Boko Haram: Military moves hqtrs to CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

In a statement issued by the Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Col. Sani Usman, the Nigerian Army said an alternate command centre is also being established in Yola, Adamawa State. The centre, according to the Army Headquarters, would serve as a forward command base for operations as well as house the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Chief of Naval Staff, CNS and Chief of Air Staff, CAS. It was learnt that the service chiefs were seriously making plans to relocate as they are expected to operate from Maiduguri and be directly involved in the operations. “A reconnaissance and advance team for the establishment of the Military Command and Control Centre (MCCC) for ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’ for the fight against terrorism and insurgency has moved to Maiduguri. “The team, which is led

by a two-star General, has already commenced work in earnest and it comprises elements of the Office of the Chief of Army Staff, all the relevant Army Headquarters Departments and other combat support components. “The centre will serve as a forward command base for the Chief of Army Staff and other service chiefs. “The centre is essentially an elaboration of an already existing Army Headquarters Command and Control arrangement. “From now on, the fight against terrorism and insurgency would be monitored, coordinated and controlled from this centre. “I wish to inform you also that its establishment would not create another layer of command structure but would add impetus and renewed vigour to ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya,’ all aimed at bringing terrorism and insurgency to an end. “An alternate command centre is also being estab-

lished in Yola,” Usman said. The Boko Haram insurgency has led to the death of thousands of people and the dislocation of millions of others since 2009. Crushing the insurgency was one of the campaign promises of President Buhari, who, as a former military Head of State said he had the antidote to solving the problem. Apart from the directive to relocate the military command, the President also embarked on visits to Chad and Niger Republics to strengthen the existing agreements with those countries in the anti-terrorism war. Meanwhile, President Buhari yesterday in Elmau, Germany, reaffirmed his administration’s total commitment to ending the Boko Haram insurgency in the shortest possible time. Speaking at a meeting with President Francois Hollande of France after his participation in the G-7 outreach programme, Buhari said Nigeria would welcome

greater support and cooperation from France and other friendly nations for its ongoing efforts to overcome the sect and restore full security and normalcy to areas affected by the group’s atrocities. The President said his administration is already taking concrete actions to build a more efficient and effective coalition of Nigeria and neighbouring countries against the insurgents. Nigeria, he said, would appreciate more intelligence on the terrorist group’s links with the Islamic State, ISIS, movements, training and sources of its arms and ammunition to facilitate the perfection of fresh tactics and strategies being evolved by the country and its allies in the sub-region. Buhari reiterated that there is absolutely no link between religion and the atrocities of Boko Haram. “There is clearly no religious basis for the actions of the group. Their atrocities show that members of the group either do not know

God at all or they don’t believe in him,” he said. In his remarks, Hollande commended Buhari’s concerted efforts to galvanise Nigeria’s armed forces and neighbouring countries for more decisive action to eradicate the sect. Hollande assured Buhari that France would give Nigeria and its coalition partners, greater support, including military and intelligence cooperation, to help them overcome the security challenge posed by Boko Haram and its global terrorist allies as quickly as possible. He also called for greater bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and France in other areas, including trade, economic and cultural relations. Buhari also received similar pledges of enhanced support from Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, who he also conferred with before departing the summit. The President is due back in Abuja today.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Photo News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

L-R: Group Managing Director, Union Bank, Emeka Emuwa; Director, Strategy and Energy, Lafarge Africa Plc, Rabiu Umar and Managing Director/CEO, Nigeria LNG Ltd., Babs Omotowa, at the contracting and procurement managers’ conference in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Resident Representative of Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Ms. Hildegard Behrendt-Kigozi (left) and Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, during an advocacy visit by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung to NOA corporate headquarters in Abuja, yesterday.

L-R: Executive Director, Operations, DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke; Country Manager, OLX Nigeria, Lola Masha; Chairman, House Committee on Information and Communication L-R: General Manager/CEO, Skye Bank Nigeria Plc, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo; Chairman, Dr. Olatunde Technology, Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ibrahim Shehu Gusau and Group Executive Ayeni and Company Secretary/JExecutive Director, Mrs. Abimbola Izu, during the company’s 9th Editor, ITRealms, Mr. Remmy Nweke, during a two-day Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum Series 2015 on annual general meeting in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN “Net Neutrality and Nigeria Internet Users” in Lagos, at the weekend.

National News

arrest 2 students Nigeria, Lake Chad Basin military Police over oil worker’s kidnap chiefs hold confab on MNJTF O N Dennis naku

PORT HARCOURT

igeria is to host conference of Chiefs of Defence Staff of member countries of Lake Chad Basin Commission today. The meeting, taking place in Abuja, is to be hosted by Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh. Director, Defence Information, DDI, Maj. Gen. Chris Oluko-

lade, in a statement yesterday said the parley would work out the processes for the operation of strategic directive for immediate take off of the combined operation of modified version of the Multi-National Joint Task Force, MNJTF, against terror in the region. “The meeting is preparatory to extra-ordinary summit of Heads of State

and Governments of LCBC member countries in furtherance of the multilateral discussion on counter-terrorism operations in the sub-region. “Military delegation led by Chiefs of Defence Staff as well as intelligence and security of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad are to participate in the meeting along with Benin Republic.

“The meeting will later brief Ministers of Defence of LCBC countries towards subsequent decisions on the immediate take off of the mission. “The development is sequel to the recent parleys and contacts between Nigeria’s President and his counterparts in the subregion in a move to step up the fight against terror,” Olukolade said.

peratives of Rivers State Police Command have arrested two students of the University of Port Harcourt, Uniport, in connection with the kidnap of a male staff of an oil company. The victim, who managed to escape from an empty lounge at the University’s campus in Choba, where he was locked up for six days, ran to a

nearby police station to report the matter. Acting on the information, armed policemen were said to have stormed the hostel and arrested students implicated by the victim. Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ahmad Mohammad, who confirmed the incident, said the matter was under investigation. The university authority declined to comment on the issue.

North has highest rate of early marriage in Nigeria –WOTCLEF

ounder, Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation, WOTCLEF, Mrs. Titi Abubakar, said yesterday in Abuja that northern Nigeria has the highest rate of early marriage in the country. Abubakar, who was represented by Hajia Veronica Umoru, a Director in WOTCLEF, made this known in a policy dialogue on early marriage with the theme: “Curbing Early Marriage and Protecting Children’s

Right in Nigeria.” She said early marriage had been widely spread in the north “because it is believed that it could reduce promiscuity.” She said a report indicated that nationwide, 20 per cent of girls were married at age 15 and 40 per cent married at age 18 to 22. “In the Northwest region, 48 per cent of girls were married at age 15, and 78 per cent married at age 18 to 23,” she said. Abubakar, who is wife

of former vice president, said in Nigeria, advocates justified early marriage as necessary for preserving girls’ virginity, adding that “early marriage exposes virgin girls to grave health risk. “Married adolescents in northern states of Nigeria face greater reproductive health risks than their unmarried counterpart due to low education, low status, and large spousal gaps. “They have little or no inter-spousal communica-

tion, limited access to contraceptives and the risk of HIV infections from their husbands, who have multiple sex partners.” Abubakar said it was not enough that a law had been put in place to fight the practice, but enforcement of the law had to be taken seriously. She said the international community would not achieve its commitment to reduce global poverty unless it tackled child marriage. In his speech, Executive

Secretary, Civil Society Advocacy Centre, CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Musa, said national and international communities have increasingly recognised child marriage as a serious problem and violation of girl’s right. Quoting a survey conducted by Population Council, an NGO on HIV and AIDS, and early marriage in Nigeria, he said girls who married at 15 years were more in the North than the South. Musa said the survey

also showed that the North West alone has 35.8 per cent, North East, 24.9 per cent, North Central, 7.7 per cent. On the other hand, South West has 0.7 per cent, South-South, 2.4 per cent and South-East, 0.4 per cent. In a goodwill message, Director, ECOWAS Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Esther Otukoya, said the theme was in consonance with the Federal Government’s policy on protection of the child’s right.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Saraki, Lawan in final showdown as Senate president emerges today GEORGE OJI AND UBONG UKPONG

wo major contenders for the office of Senate president on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senators Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central) and Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North) are currently engaged in last-minute maneuvres to outwit each other as election into the office holds today. Despite the fact that Senator Lawan is the preferred candidate of the APC, resulting from the mock election held at the weekend in Abuja, Senator Saraki is reported to be pushing ahead with his ambition to emerge as Senate president. It was gathered that Saraki, who is relying on the support of many of the fresh senators, has also reached out to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s senators-elect and has offered to run with Senator Ike Ekweremadu as his deputy. This was meant to woo the votes of the PDP senators who, currently are 50 as opposed to the APC’s 59. Ekweremadu was also the Deputy Senate President in the 7th Senate, where he served with Senator David Mark. National Mirror further gathered that Saraki was enmeshed in a marathon meeting with both his original APC supporters and the expanded PDP supporters at the Nicon Hilton Hotel, Abuja, yesterday to finalise strategies on how to approach today’s election on the floor of the Senate. The strategy, it was gathered is to keep the lawmakers in the five star hotel intact till today in order to deny them access by the Ahmed’s camp. The plan would also ensure that the lawmakers ride in one single bus to the Senate where they would go straight for the voting. It was gathered that the Saraki group has 60 senators so far in his camp. This number, according to ‘Like Minds Senators of APC,’ which is the group behind the Saraki project, is sizeable enough to win the former Kwara State governor and ex-chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum the exalted office. On his part, the Ahmed camp is said to be relying on the outcome of the weekend

mock poll, which gave his group the upper hand. However, it was revealed that some of the senators who voted for Ahmed did so in order not to incur the wrath of the leadership of the party, but would be expressing their real choice at today’s election. Most of the senators, who are currently backing Saraki, are insisting on the independence of the parliament and are ready to resist any form of imposition by the party’s leadership. PDP met last night to take a position on how to approach today’s voting. The meeting took place at the Apo Mansion, residence of Senator Mark. One of the re-elected senators who disclosed this to National Mirror last night explained that so far, the opposition senators were yet to come up with a uniform position on how to approach the issue. He stated that PDP senators are divided between fielding a candidate for the office and allowing the APC to run the show alone. “Some of us are of the opinion that we should take advantage of the disagreement within the APC and field a candidate for the office, while others are opposed to such a move. “Those who share the later opinion believe that the PDP has had its own fair share of the chance and should allow the APC complete takeover,” he said. In a related development, the APC yesterday warned its aggrieved lawmakers, who were not comfortable with Saturday’s mock election to respect the party’s decision. National Chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun, who briefed journalists in Abuja, said members could not suddenly rise above the party, having been elected on its platform. He said: “I want to appeal to APC members in the National Assembly - both Senate and the House of Representatives - to respect the party, its view and the decision they themselves took in selecting the persons that will be presented to the National Assembly as the presiding officers. “I want to make it clear that all the party did was to provide a platform for all elected members of the party in stating their preferences, and this they have freely

done in front of the party leadership. “It seems that some of the aspirants feel not satisfied with the preferences of the majority of the members. But for me as the chairman and other members of the NWC, we want to appeal that no individual interest should be allowed to override the interest of the party as a whole. “Members contested on the platform of the party; the party did not contest on the platform of members. So, the party’s views and methods of doing things should be respected.

“We realise that we cannot impose leaders on them; that was why we provided that platform for them to chose among them, who their leaders will be. “We should let peace reign; we’ve all agreed to change and it must start with the conduct of the members themselves. “To achieve this, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo will also have the opportunity to address elected members in the National Assembly. “This is the very first step in the distribution of the spoils of office. The

APC has survived a lot of predictions; we have survived and put many doomsayers to shame. This too shall come to pass.” Meanwhile, the National Assembly is wearing a new look for the inauguration of the new parliament. In order to guide against any security breaches, the management of the National Assembly has concluded fresh accreditation for all persons that would be allowed entry into the complex today. The sergeant-at-arms, in collaboration with other se-

curity agencies, including the Department of State Security, DSS, the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC and the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, are in charge of security arrangement for the inaugural ceremony. Canopies have also been set at strategic positions in the Assembly complex with viewing screens mounted to enable visitors monitor the ceremony from there without necessarily crowding the White House venue of the legislative sitting proper.

L-R: Director, Drug Evaluation and Research Directorate, NAFDAC, Mrs. Titilope Owolabi; Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, Dr. Monica Eimunjeze; Chairperson, Association for Good Clinical Practice in Nigeria (AGCPN), Prof. Ifeoma Okoye; Director-General, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii and his Special Assistant, Mrs. Elizabeth Awagu, during the recent 3rd Nigeria Clinical Trial Summit in Lagos.

Pensioners want Buhari to implement 53.4% increase

igerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, said it has asked the new administration to fully implement the 53.4 per cent increase for pensioners in the country. National President of NUP, Dr Abel Afolayan, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja yesterday. It would be recalled that the administration of exPresident Goodluck Jonathan partly paid 33 per cent of the increase, against the initial approved 53.4 per cent. Afolayan noted that although the past administration paid 33 per cent of the increase, pensioners were still owed arrears of 42 months. He said the date for the payment of the 33 per cent was January 2014, against the actual effective date of July 2010. He re-stated the commitment of the union toward

ensuring the full payment of the agreed 53.4 per cent increase. “We have included the request in our demand; we try to set an agenda for the incoming President about pensioners. “So we are now pressing home for full implementation of 53.4 per cent; that will be from 2010 till date. “But we want the new government to settle down; but we have written down our position paper, and we have presented it to them, both to the party office and their transition committee,” he said. Afolayan said the biometric verification on pensioners payroll currently embarked upon by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, was in the interest of all pensioners in the country. He said the exercise would ensure the provision of a comprehensive database of pensioners in the old defined

benefit scheme. He said UNP fully supported the activities of PTAD, noting that its exercise would sanitise the pension sector in the country. He expressed hope that the provision of a comprehensive and credible database of pensioners would ensure transparency in the process of paying pensioners. Afolayan said it was important that pensioners received what was due to them, noting that it could only be possible with the provision of an accurate record. “We don’t want anybody that does not merit anything to be paid, but we want every pensioner to be paid what they are due for. “ And the best way is to have a verifiable record; so we want PTAD to go ahead,” he added. The NUP president admonished PTAD to collaborate with other relevant gov-

ernment agencies like the Ministry of Finance and the Debt Management Office to discharge its duties. This, according to him, will aid PTAD to archive its goal and target on the verification. On the new Pension Reform Act 2014, (PRA), Afolayan noted that although the act was of the National Assembly, it had inputs from all stakeholders in the pension industry. He said that the National Pension Commission, PenCom, played significant role in ensuring the emergence of the new PRA 2014. According to him, various stakeholders, including the UNP, submitted proposals on the new PRA. He said the union supported the new provisions introduced in the 2014 PRA, so long as the provisions were targeted at improving the lives of pensioners in Nigeria.

News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

SON impounds N200m substandard baby diapers, arrests 3 Chinese SYLVA EMEKA OKEREKE

tandards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, has arrested three Chinese nationals, who specialise in importation of substandard baby diapers into the country. It was gathered that the baby products were imported and stuffed in different packages in unhygienic areas in the company’s premises. Briefing newsmen after evacuating the products from Ming Teag Trade and Investment Company Limited, a Chinese company located at the Railway Terminal in Ijora Olopa, Lagos, Head of Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate, SON, Engr Bede Obayi, said the agency had been inundated with complaints of rashes and strange diseases on private parts of some babies, ostensibly caused by substandard baby diapers. He said: “What is most worrisome to us is that the product is not only suspected to be substandard, but also packaged in a filthy environment.’’ According to him, those agents of death only know the level of harm they had caused innocent babies in the past few years of their illicit acts. Obayi said that SON would not allow foreign-

ers to do whatever they liked in the name of business, adding, “Our organisation owes it a duty to Nigerians to protect them from the use of fake and substandard products capable of endangering their lives and property. “All the three Chinese, who were carrying out the act were arrested by the police and the entire products worth over N200m evacuated from the company’s premises and shall be subjected to laboratory analysis,” he said. He, however, urged Nigerians, especially mothers to always ensure they patronise quality products to avoid negative impacts of such goods. He also called on importers to ensure that their goods were accompanied with SONCAP certificate, which guarantees the quality of the products, in addition to having them registered for traceability. “Let me assure Nigerians that the surveillance team of SON is all over the country, monitoring businesses activities, especially importers with a view to ensure that they comply with laid down regulations. I urged the public to supply useful information on the activities of these dubious importers, who convert their apartments for adulterating and faking products.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Reps Speakership: Court summons Gbajabiamila …Group says he was indicted by Georgia's S/Court ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA

Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, yesterday summoned a member of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to appear before it on June 18 this year to explain why it should not issue an order aborting his ambition to become Speaker of the House of Representatives. The trial judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati, gave the order yesterday after rejecting an invitation by a rights group to issue an interim order stopping the House of Representatives from accepting nomination of Gbajabiamila by the All Progressives Congress, APC, as sole aspirant for the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives. The court had ordered that all parties in the suit be put on notice to enable them appear before it to thrash out the issue once and for all.

A rights group operating under the name of Registered Trustees of Social Justice and Civil Rights Awareness Initiative had invited the court to issue the order halting Gbajabiamila's ambition. The group contended that Gbajabiamila was not a fit and proper person to hold the exalted office of Speaker of the House of Representatives because of his purported questionable record. Specifically, the rights group told the court that Gbajabiammila, a lawyer, was found guilty in the State of Georgia, USA, for unethical practices and was debarred for 36 months. He was also said to hold dual nationality and was therefore not eligible to hold any elective office in Nigeria. The group exhibited a judgment of the Supreme Court of Georgia delivered on February 26, 2007, which sanctioned Gbajabiamila for engaging in professional misconduct to invite the

court to uphold its claims. According to the judgment, a copy of which was seen by National Mirror yesterday, "Gbaja has only been a member of the bar in Georgia since 2001, admits that he accepted payment of £25,000 as settlement of a client's personal injury claims, deposited those funds in his Attorney Trust Account in January 2003, but failed to promptly disburse those funds to his client, withdrew the funds for his own use, closed his practice and moved out of the country." The judgment further added that although "Gbaja ultimately paid the £25,000 to his client in 2006, he admits his conduct violated Rule 1.15 (1) and that as a result, he is subject to disbarment. "In mitigation of his actions, Gbajabiamila asserts that he has cooperated fully with disciplinary authourities, repaid his client and he is extremely remorseful for the consequences of his

conduct. "Under these circumstances, we conclude that a 36-month suspension is an appropriate sanction. Accordingly, Gbajabiamila is hereby suspended for a period of 36 months," it said, adding that "all the justices concur" The rights group, consequently, urged the court, to issue an interim order stopping Gbajabiamila from emerging as the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the purported past questionable record. The group through its counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), is also praying for an order of court to stop Gbajabiamila from parading himself as a member of the House of Representatives and also as an aspirant for the office of the Speaker. The group also asked the court to declare that Gbajabiamila is not a fit and proper person to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives, let alone the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

IGP orders arraignment of suspected cult leaders

nspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has directed the arraignment of 11 leaders of suspected cult groups arrested in Edo State in May, having completed investigations into their matter. Arase’s directive was contained in a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, on Monday in Abuja. The statement recalled that the suspects had played ignoble roles in acts of terror, vicious inter and intra-cult conflicts that led to destruction of lives and properties in the state. It appealed to the public to continue to collaborate with the police in ensuring that crime was reduced to the

barest minimum. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Spain, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, has donated data-capturing machine to the police. A statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, said Mrs Ojukwu made the donation when she visited the IGP. The statement said the machine would strengthen the Interpol Wing of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, FCIID, in capturing data of Nigerians in Diaspora. He also said the device would ensure that criminally minded Nigerians smearing the country’s image were dealt with in accordance with the law.

Stakeholders’ associations and security agencies during a meeting with Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on the recent tanker explosions in Lagos, yesterday.

Police to probe N3.4m theft in Justice Ministry

agos State Police Command on Monday said it had commenced investigation into the alleged stealing of N3.4 million in the state Ministry of Justice. Reports stated that some staff are currently

being interrogated by the police over the alleged stealing. The command's Spokesman, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, who confirmed this in an interview with NAN, said some staff and security personnel of the ministry

were also arrested in connection with the theft. “The burglars accessed the cash office on the sixth floor through the roof top and stole the sum of N3.4million, withdrawn to the cash office on Thursday. “Security men on duty

and some staff are currently undergoing interrogation," Nwosu said. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Ishaq Risqot Bisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeniyi Risqot Bisola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Uniport produces 41 First Class graduates DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

ot less than 41graduates of the University of Port Harcourt, Uniport, will receive the exalted First Class grade at the institution’s 30th convocation billed for this weekend. This is a clear departure from the institution’s 29th convocation where 20 graduates were awarded First Class degrees. Vice Chancellor, Joseph Ajienka, who disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt yesterday, said 10 of the First Class graduates were from the Faculty of Humanities. Ajienka said others that bagged the grade were from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Education, Management Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and the School of Science Laboratory Technology. He explained that the forthcoming event was a

combined 30th convocation, which covered the 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 academic sessions, adding that a total of 18,363 students would receive First Degrees, Post-graduate Diplomas, Masters and Doctorate Degrees. “A further breakdown of the figure shows that in the undergraduate category, 41 graduands earned First Class (Honours) Degree of the university. Of this number, 10 are from the Faculty of Humanities,” he said. He also disclosed that renowned industrialist, Mazi Samuel Ohuabunwa, would on Thursday deliver the convocation lecture titled ‘Nigeria: From Consumption to a Production-oriented Economy,’ at the varsity’s Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium. The vice chancellor, who would soon be handing over to a successor, was elated that 41 graduands from the undergraduate category were receiving First Class

NCAA to probe Aero aircraft’s near mishap OLUSEGUN KOIKI

igerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has said it will investigate Friday's incident involving Aero aircraft at Kaduna airport from Lagos. The agency in a statement signed by its General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Fan Ndubuoke, yesterday stated that its Director-General, Capt. Muhtar Usman, stated that the agency had received the Mandatory Occurrence Report, MOR, from the airline and had commenced immediate probe of the incident. Usman in the statement added that its Aviation Safety Inspectors, ASI, designated to the airline were already critically studying the report, which would assist in the requisite investigation. He noted that the airline’s engineers had fixed the aircraft, but stressed that its inspectors would still carry out the mandatory investiga-

tions to determine cause of the incident. He, however, maintained that the pilot and crew managed the flight in line with Standards and Recommended Practices, SARPs, and landed the aircraft safely. It would be recalled that the Aero flight, a Boeing 737500 series with registration no. 5N-BLE and Flight No. NG 181 departed Lagos at 1735 hours with 102 passengers on board, but suffered a depressurised cabin 20 minutes after take-off, which triggered the oxygen masks to drop and the flight was diverted. Another aircraft was therefore provided by the airline to ferry the passengers to Kaduna. The statement added, "Capt. Usman therefore wishes to assure all passengers that the robust safety regime of the NCAA will not be compromised. Safety of our airline operations will continue to receive maximum attention."

(Honours) degree of the university, and commended them for a job well done. Also, Ajienka noted that the university is transforming to a research-oriented institution, adding that Uniport had conclud-

ed a Research Assessment Exercise aimed at determining the varsity’s strengths and weaknesses. He added that the Senate and Council of the university had approved that former President Goodluck

Jonathan be honoured as a Distinguished Fellow. “He (Jonathan) will be the first to be honoured and we are proud that he took all his degrees from unique Uniport. “This rare fellowship

is being conferred on the former President in recognition of his exemplary leadership of the country and contributions to the development of his Alma Mater,” the outgoing vice chancellor said.

L-R: Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), Sir Mike Okiro; Commissioner for Media, South-East Zone, Dame Comfort Obi and Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Aisha Tukur, during a news conference on the alleged N275m election monitoring fund of PSC, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Court restrains police as debt recovery agent GBENGA OGUNBUFUNMI

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has restrained Guaranty Trust Bank Plc from presenting for payment a cheque of N100 million issued by an oil company, Euro Flow Designs Limited, and its directors, Godwin Adamolekun and Jimi Bademosi, under duress to gain freedom from police custody. The presiding judge, Saliu Saidu, gave the order in a fundamental rights enforcement application before the court. Other defendants in the fundamental right enforcement suit are Attorney General of the Federation, Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, Superintendent of Police, Shola Oketunji, officer Lawal, Ascorp Petroleum Limited, GTBank staff, Ibiwumi Okusanya and Tola Okusanya. According to Euro Flow Design Managing Director, Mr Jimi Bademosi, in a motion ex-parte filed and argued by Barr. Michael Akinyemi, the applicants said that sometime in 2010, it approached the bank for a

loan to finance the purchase of a vessel. The applicant said the discussion which went on between the then Managing Directors of the bank, late Mr. Tayo Aderinokun, could not eventually materialise. Consequently, an Account Officer of the bank, Tola Okusanya, introduced Euroflow to another oil company, Ascorp Petroleum, who was willing to invest in the purchase of a vessel, hence Ascorp Petroleum loaned Euroflow Designs N375 million and deducted N13,315,068.50 to cover bank charges, facilitation fees and interest up front. The applicants added that despite setbacks in engaging the vessel purchased for contracts, Euroflow continued to raise money from other sources and continue to pay back the loan. The applicants said that to its consternation, sometime in September, 2013, Ascorp Petroleum petitioned the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police, Milverton, Ikoyi Lagos alleging that Euroflow Limited had failed to repay the loan as expected, and thereafter due to several police harassment, the company applied to the court to enforce its fundamental

rights. The applicants said ruling was eventually delivered on May 21, 2014 in favour of Euroflow Designs, adding that the relationship between Euroflow and Ascorp Petroleum was purely business transaction with no criminality. The plaintiff said it has already repaid N115 million of the loan. “Again on May 26, 2015, officer of the Nigeria police from Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos, arrested the applicants on the ground that GTBank in a petition alleged that one of its Account Officers, Tola Okusanya, had diverted some money belonging to unknown persons which was kept in the custody of the bank and that it was the money that Ascorp Petroleum loaned Euroflow Designs. Consequently, the police on May 27, 2015, insisted that GTB had insisted that it must obtain immediate payment commitment from the applicants in the sum of N100 milion. “This was after the applicants had been detained in custody since May 26, 2015.’’ As a result of police threat, applicants were forced to issue a cheque in

the sum of N100 million in the name of Ascorp Petroleum to be paid into the account of the company domiciled with the bank It was also stated that the police also insisted that the bank demand letter of instruction from the company to enable Euroflow's banker transfer the said sum to Ascorp's account with the bank which according to Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN regulation, will not necessitate the cheque issued for such amount going through clearing. Ruling on the applicant’s motion, Justice Saliu Saidu, after hearing the submission of Barrister Akinyemi, restrained the police and its agents from arresting and detaining the applicants pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit. The respondents were also restrained from presenting the N100 million cheque issued under duress by the applicants while in the custody for payment, while directing the police to release the international passport of the applicants to the deputy Sherriff of the court. Thereafter the court adjourned till June 18, for hearing of the motion on notice.

South West

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ondo approves Aladetoyinbo as new Deji OjO Oyewamide AKURE

ndo State Executive Council, SEC, has approved election of Prince Kole Aladetoyinbo as new Deji of Akure. A statement by Commissioner for Information, Kayode Akinmade, said the approval was given yesterday at the council's weekly meeting. Akinmade said the council's nod followed the unanimous decision of Akure kingmakers to pick Aladetoyinbo among 12 other contestants. The commissioner added that a date would be announced later for presenta-

tion of Staff of Office to the new monarch. The kingmakers had on Sunday at their meeting elected Aladetoyinbo from Osupa ruling family as the new monarch of the ancient city. The death of 63-year-old Oba Adebiyi Adegboye Adesida on December 1, 2013 rendered the stool vacant. Meanwhile, supporters of the deposed Deji of Akure, Adepoju Adesina, yesterday staged a protest against the election of new monarch for the ancient city. The protesters called on the state government to reinstate Adesina, claiming he was the only one entitled to the Deji's throne since he was wrongly deposed in

2010. But Asamo of Akure and spokesman of the kingmakers, High Chief Rotimi Olusanya, said nothing could stop the installation process and performance of traditional rite for the new Deji. The protesters marched from Akure City Hall to the Governor's Office at Alagbaka, demanding that the process of installing Aladetoyinbo as the new Deji should be discontinued immediately to prevent instability in the town. They carried placards with inscriptions such as Mimiko: bring back our Kabiyesi’, ‘Aladetoyinbo is a bald-headed man: he can't become Deji’, ‘Iroko, save Akure from Fasonranti, Fa-

lae, kingmakers.’ One of the protesters, Adero Adebayo, said market women in Akure would not accept anybody except Adesina as the monarch of the city. Another demonstrator, Prince Dapo Adepoju, told journalists that the selection of new Deji when the deposed monarch was still alive had violated Akure culture and tradition. No government official was available to address demonstrators at the Governor's Office. But DPO in-charge of A' division police station, Adekimi Ojo, appealed to the protesters to return home and promised to deliver their message to the gover-

nor. Also, Regent of Akure, Princess Adetutu Adesina, protested her exclusion by the kingmakers from the process of selecting a new monarch for the town. Princess Adesina said the kingmakers and other relevant government agencies should have informed her about the process so she could have been psychologically prepared for exiting the palace. She said it would be

Osun judiciary staff to continue strike BOladale BOladale OSOGBO

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode being ushered into Lagos State House of Assembly by former Speaker of the 7th Lagos Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, during proclamation of the 8th Legislative Assembly at Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday.

wrong for the new monarch to meet her in the palace because of lack of information. Admitting, however, that she had no role to play in the selection and installation of a new monarch for the town, she said she deserved the right to be carried along as an important stakeholder in the town. She said: “The process to me is vague. I was not informed, initially. What has been done so far, I am not aware; I only read about it."

embers of Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Osun State chapter, yesterday resolved to continue with their five-month-old industrial action. Despite initial confusion at the emergency congress called by state executive of the union to ratify the decision to end the strike, state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Jacob Adekomi, later addressed the meeting and declared that courts in the state would remain closed until further directive. At the five-hour deliberation by the union to decide whether to suspend the strike or not, members nearly engaged in fisticuffs, such that compromise could not

be reached. Addressing the congress, NLC chairman said JUSUN resolved to continue with the strike since the union was an affiliate of the labour congress, which is currently on strike. Adekomi urged members of the union to stay off work and called on the state government to urgently look into all labour-related demands to save workers from unnecessary hardship. However, the state JUSUN chairman, Oladapo Oseni, said the union initially decided to suspend the strike because government assured it would grant full autonomy to the judiciary by September. He added that the union had no option than to abide by the directive of NLC, saying it remained the supreme body of all labour unions in the state.

N8bn currency fraud: Court adjourns hearing to Thursday Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

Federal High Court, sitting in Ibadan, yesterday adjourned till Thursday the bail application involving six staffers of Central Bank of Nigeria and some commercial banks docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged theft and recirculation of defaced and mutilated currencies. This was sequel to various affidavits and counter affidavits filed and alleged to have been delivered late to counsel. After series of arguments before the judge, it was

agreed that the counsel meet to ensure that no affidavit or counter affidavit be raised in respect of commencement of bail applications. The presiding Judge, Adeyinka Faaji, then gave the counsel the privilege of harmonising the issue in relation to the briefs, which then resulted in the agreement before the position of the court. In cases, FAC/ IB/31C/2015 and FAC/ IBC/32C/2015, before the court yesterday, EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Michael Lana, Nathaniel Oke, SAN, Otunba Olayinka Bolanle, Olalekan Ojo, Yah Ruba, O.E. Ige and M.A. Ore agreed to harmonise all mo-

tions and affidavit by Thursday to enable the court hear their clients' bail application. The suspects were brought to court in handcuffs, a situation which drew emotion from their relatives as they disembarked from the prison bus that conveyed them to the court. Those in court for the two charges yesterday were Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Toogun Kayode Philip, Isiaq Akano, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Oyebanji Akeem, Ayodeji Aleshe and Ajiwe Sunday Adegoke. Others included Oni Ademola Dolapo, Afolabi Esther Olunike and Ademola Eb-

enezer Adewale. Before the court sat, three children of the only female suspect who came to see their mother could not hide their feelings as they ran to meet the accused who sat at the back seat in the court. The children, two males and a female, shouting “Mummy”, jumped on their mother, who caught them passionately in her arms. However, few seconds later, the kids were led outside the court by the relative who brought them to court. Justice Faaji said the ruling on adjournment of the hearing on bail application was necessitated by the consent of the counsel, stating

that the agreement in return enabled the decision of the court in the matter to adjourn till Thursday June 11 while the suspects were said to remain in prison custody. “By the consent of the counsel in this case, the matter is for adjournment till Thursday June 11 for hearing of bail application. Accused persons are to be remanded in Agodi Prison," he said. The suspects were taken to the prison in a rickety green bus inscribe with "Agodi Prisons," having registration number PRISONS PS 577 Ao/1 which was pushed to start by some ward officers before being brought to the entrance of

the court for its occupants. Meanwhile, a mini drama ensued at the entrance to the court as family members and relatives of the suspects shouted at journalists covering the event. The relatives vented their anger on all journalists, especially photo journalists who were taking shots of the suspects as they were about boarding the bus. They chanted: "You people will not go after big thieves in Abuja who stole billions and are ruining this country. We don't know what you people are up to, what else do you want to do with their pictures, why are you after them? Were you sponsored?"

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday June 9, 2015

Court relists suit to unravel Funsho Williams’ killers WALE IGBINTADE

Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday relisted a suit seeking an order compelling the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to re-open fresh investigation into the assassination of a former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Funsho Williams. The applicant, Bashir Junaid, a detainee over the murder of Williams, had gone to court seeking an order of mandamus to compel the IGP to re-open investigation into Williams’ murder. Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, had on April 29, 2015, struck out the

application and awarded N25,000 against the applicant, who is a cemetery attendant, for lack of diligent prosecution. Dissatisfied with the ruling of the court, Junaid, through his lawyer, Tunji Adesheye, filed a motion seeking to relist the matter. The motion was brought pursuant to Order 26, Rules 1, 2(1), (2), 3, 4, 6, 7(1), 18 and 20 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure Rules) 2009 under the inherent jurisdiction of the court. Arguing the motion, Adesheye told the court that his client had effected personal service of the writ of summons on the defendants that are outside the jurisdiction. Listed as defendants

are Commissioner of Police, Lagos State; former IGP, Mr. Sunday Ehindero; Attorney-General of the Federation and the PDP. Others are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Muiz Banire, Mr. Babatunde Edu, Mr. Dele Alake, and Henry Oladele Ajomale. Adesheye urged the court to grant the motion in the interest of justice, stating that the defendants would not be prejudiced in anyway whatsoever. However, lawyer to the 1st and 4th defendants, Kingston Uwandu, opposed the motion on the ground that the plaintiff was yet to pay the N25,000 fine placed on him by the court when the matter was struck out. He said it was improper

for the plaintiff to seek favour from the court when he has failed to comply with its directive. Justice Ajumogobia therefore, adjourned the matter till September 29, for further hearing. In the suit, the plaintiff is praying the court to compel the Attorney General of the Federation, to direct the appropriate organs in Criminal Justice Administration in the country to commence prosecution of the alleged suspects in the murder of Engr. Williams. He is also praying for a declaration that all defendants in the suit should pay him compensation for his illegal detention and the psychological trauma he suffered for a period of over one year under

the unmitigated actions of the defendants both jointly and severally and for their acts of commission and omission over the said illegal detention and his unlawful incarceration over the murder of Engr. Williams.

The plaintiff is therefore asking for N5 billion as compensatory and exemplary damages against the 11 defendants for their actions or inactions in his illegal detention and dehumanisation on the murder of Engr. Williams.

Six-year-old boy, 500 others treated for glaucoma, cataract in Ogun FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

six-year-old boy, who was blind from birth, Saheed Mukaila, was among 525 citizens who regained their sight after undergoing free eye screening and surgical operation programme sponsored by Ogun State, which came to an end yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital. Saheed along with others, who included aged men and women suffering from glaucoma, cataract and other eye-related problems, had free eye screening and surgical operations successfully performed on them by Indian medial doctors working under Ogun State government’s partnership with Indo Eye Care Foundation of New Delhi, India, and Rotary Club International, Lagos State. During an interview with National Mirror, Saheed’s mother, Mrs. Kemi Mukaila, said her son had not been

able to see since six years ago when he was born until he was lucky to be one of the participants in the free eye treatment programme of Ogun State government. Speaking at State Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta, Permanent Secretary of the state’s Hospital Management Board, Pharmacist Modupe Olurin, explained that the seven-day exercise was part of efforts of Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration at bringing succour to people of the state, particularly those who could not afford the treatment on their own. Leader of the team, who is a member of Indo Eye Foundation, Yogesh Naik, disclosed that no fewer than 20,000 patients have been treated since the programme started in 2005. In his goodwill message, Director of Hospital Services, Dr. Ola Aigoro, assured people of the state that the free eye care project would continue till 2016.

Aregbesola dares SDP to publish alleged illegal properties N8.3bn CBN scam suspects departing the Federal High Court to prisons remand in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Ambode sets up anti-tanker explosion committee FRANCIS SUBERU

overnor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, yesterday set up a committee that would investigate the remote and immediate causes of persistent tanker explosions in the state with a view to addressing the problem. The governor, who met with the leadership of Tanker Drivers’ Association and other stakeholders after which he set up the committee, noted that government could no longer tolerate the untold hardship that recurring inci-

dent of tanker explosion has inflicted on innocent citizens of the state. He named Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, as chairman of the committee. Other members of the committee include Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, Oluseyi Coka; Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Dr. Aderemi Desalu; Deputy Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Kokumo; and the state’s Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission, Mr. Hyginus Omeje. Others are Director, Fire Service; Chief Executive Officer of the state’s Drivers’ Institute; representa-

tive of the Association of Maritime Trucks Owners, AMATO; representative of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG; and representative of National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, among others. He said the committee has two weeks to examine the immediate and remote causes of the tanker explosions that have occurred in the last eight days and also prepare guidelines on ethical conduct for tankers and other truck drivers in the state. “The committee will engage the insurance industry and relevant stakehold-

ers to work out appropriate insurance policies that will protect the masses in whatever havoc caused by future tanker explosions in the state. “I believe we have created the platform to provide immediate relief for those who were affected by the inferno even as we wait for the final report on the Ipaja and Idimu tanker explosions from which we will take appropriate action to provide further relief for those affected.” The governor reiterated the need for all drivers to comply with the state traffic laws, saying that it is not only tanker drivers that are offenders.

BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State yesterday dared the state’s chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, urging it to publish a list of his alleged illegal properties. In a statement issued in Osogbo by Semiu Okanlawon, Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Aregbesola stated: “Our attention has been drawn to a statement said to have been issued by the Social Democratic Party in Osun where it asked Governor Rauf Aregbesola to publicly declare his assets. “The SDP is obviously looking for things to hold on to in order to be relevant, for the party was not the one

that asked Aregbesola to fulfill his constitutional duty of declaring his assets before and after his first term. “The SDP and its leaders certainly need some education on what is called security vote, as their allegation of Aregbesola collecting N25bn security vote was nothing but a laughable demonstration of lack of knowledge of what constitutes security vote. “They need to be educated that funds spent by any governor to tackle unfortunate cases of violence, natural disasters and other emergencies come under security vote. Therefore, no governor with serious commitment to the welfare of his people and is in haste to transform his state like Aregbesola, goes about hiding under the guise of security vote to enrich himself.”

South East

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Red Cross demands speed-breakers on Onitsha-Enugu road NwaNyiabia aNaeze

ice-Chairman of Nigeria Red Cross Society, Anambra State chapter, Prof. Peter Katchy, has appealed to the Federal Government to immediately install speed-breakers on terrains having slopes along Onitsha-Enugu road in Anambra State. Katchy told journalists yesterday in Onitsha that such a move would check frequent vehicular carnage on the road. According to him, the frequent loss of lives of young Nigerians on the road, especially from the slope within the Military Cantonment, Onitsha, down to Relief Market section (at Upper Iweka axis), was alarming. "I am aware the OnitshaEnugu road is a federal highway, which ordinarily needs not have speed-breaker, but that law was made by a man and can be rephrased by another man to solve our present predicament. “So, the best way to prevent frequent or even daily accidents at Upper Iweka

axis of Onitsha-Enugu road is for the Federal Government to immediately construct speed-breaker along the road,” he added. Katchy, who is also on the Board of Directors, Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, ASEMA, lauded the federal and Anambra State governments for caring for and offsetting hospital bills of survivors of the fuel tanker accident in Upper Iweka lately. On Red Cross role in the accident, the society’s boss said his men did well and were still working towards ensuring such menace doesn’t recur. “As we speak, I am contacting public-spirited individuals that would assist Red Cross put up billboards around Army Cantonment gate that would indicate to drivers that they are descending a slope, so they can be careful,” he said. Red Cross played prominent role in evacuating victims of the May 31 fuel tanker accident which claimed 69 lives, while 50 persons sustained injuries including fire burns.

New Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Chief Edward Ubosi (left), taking oath of office before Clerk of the House, Sir Amadi Chukwurah (right), during inauguration of the 6th Assembly in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Nigerian businessman killed in South Africa

Nigerian businessman based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Mr. Emmanuel Onyekaozuru, 50, was killed on Sunday by gunmen. President of Nigeria Union in South Africa, Mr. Ikechukwu Anyene, yesterday told News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Pretoria,

that Onyekaozuru was shot by two gunmen. “The union has received a report that a Nigerian businessman, Emmanuel Onyekaozuru, was shot in his business premises at 9pm yesterday (June 7). “The report said the gunmen shot the deceased and escaped in a car. “The incident has been

reported to the police and the Nigerian Consul-General in South Africa,” he said. Anyene said the union would work with the consul-general and police to ensure justice was done. “Mr Onyekaozuru is the only son of his parents. He is married with three children. “He is an indigene of

Abatete in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State,” he said. Anyene also said the gunmen did not remove anything from the business premises of the deceased. “This is one death too many and we are not happy that a Nigerian has been killed,” he said.

aliuNa GodwiN

while addressing journalists in Abakaliki during inauguration of the 5th House of Assembly. He called on people of the state to pray for his administration to overcome the challenges posed by the high debt profile. He said: “We made so many promises during our campaigns and Ebonyians

voted for us with great expectation. We are not going to disappoint them at all. “We are aware of the dwindling state of the national income, the high level of corruption in our society, high debt profile in the state, especially from loans and ongoing projects, which is over N50 billion to date.

“We are not afraid to confront this monster we met on ground and we must do so. We can only do this if we are all determined to work hard and fight corruption. Our administration is going to be tough with corruption because no nation ever becomes great with fraud,” he stressed.

Okorocha swears in SSG, Ebonyi inherited N50bn debt, says Umahi CPS, SSAs

overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday swore in new Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Sir Jude Ejiogu, and Chief of Staff of Government House, Uche Nwosu. The governor also swore in Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, CPS, Sam Onwuemeodo, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Duties, Emma Ibedairo, and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Assets and Liabilities, Ethel Ibeabuchi. Okorocha advised the appointees to quickly settle down in their offices, adding that the appointments called for sober reflection and not undue euphoria. “A moment like this calls for sober reflection; it is not a time to be carried away by the euphoria of your new office. To whom much is given, much is expected. “Today, responsibility has fallen on your shoulders; Imo people expect much from us and we must be in a hurry to deliver dividends of democracy.” The governor, however,

enjoined friends and family members of the new appointees to refrain from making unrealistic demands from them, to avoid corruption in public office. He also promised to consolidate on the gains recorded under the Rescue Mission Agenda by going into wealth creation and industrial revolution. “I will no longer fold my arms and watch our youths roam the streets without jobs or look the other way on issues of abject poverty. This time, it is going to be industrial revolution and wealth creation.” Responding on behalf of the appointees, the SSG, Sir Ejiogu, described the new appointments as a mark of honour. He promised they would live up to the expectations of the governor and Imo people. “Imo is at a critical turning point, especially as we move into the era of consolidation. We are determined to ensure we achieve the industrial revolution, that is the thrust of your second term,” he said.

ABAKALIKI

overnor Dave Umahi of Ebony State yesterday disclosed that the debt profile inherited from the administration of Martin Elechi is now over N50 billion. Umahi disclosed this

Scam: 'Health ministry protecting FMC MD' Chris Njoku OWERRI

ace-off between Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Owerri, Dr. Angela Uwakem, and health workers took another dimension yesterday when they accused the Federal Ministry of Health of covering Uwakem’s misdeeds. They also accused some top officials of the ministry in Abuja of trying to cover up alleged financial mismanagement by the medical director. The health workers under the aegis of three ma-

jor unions of FMC Owerri, had embarked on a month’s strike over demand for the Medical Director’s suspension for alleged gross financial misconduct and highhandedness. Reacting to the statement credited to the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Linus Awute, on the ongoing industrial action, the unions questioned the delusion of transparency and procedural virtues tenable in public services, stressing that the permanent secretary had started taking sides with Uwakem “whose record on finan-

cial recklessness is marginally heart-breaking.” The unions comprise National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM: Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, and Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals, NUAHP. In a letter addressed to Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja, titled, ‘Re: FG to Sanction Striking Health Workers; Says Disruption of Services Act of Hooliganism’ and signed by its chairmen and secretaries, the unions reminded the

ministry officials that the unavoidable strike was not the wish of the workers, but to press home issues that affect their collective interest and that of the citizenry. “The three unions resolved after a congress on June 4 to refute points raised by your office to trample on the workers’ right to live; right to peaceful assembly; right to peaceful protest; right to suggestions; right to solutions and right to leadership as enshrined in relevant extant laws and rules of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” they stated.

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News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Rivers Ogogoro saga: Death toll now 38 Marcus FatunMole anD Joel aJayi

ational Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFADAC, has called for confiscation of all illegally brewed alcoholic beverages in Nigeria. The agency also disclosed that 38 of the 41 victims of Rivers State dog and Ogogoro consumption tragedy have been confirmed dead, while the remaining four, who happens to be alive, have completely lost their senses. Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a joint press conference with National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, NAFDAC Director-General,

Dr. Paul Orhii, disclosed that 15 leftover samples of the local gin consumed in Rivers State were collected for analysis and five samples showed that the victims had 16.3 per cent of the poisoned substance in their system. He said: “This follows a recent and similar occurrence in Ode-Irele, Ondo State, which also resulted in the sudden death of 18 people. “In response to earlier report from Ondo State, a team of NAFDAC officers carried out investigation to ascertain the actual causes of the sudden death. “The results of laboratory investigation revealed methanol toxicity. Five of the samples were found to contain high concentra-

tion of methanol in them; 4.53 to 16.92 per cent, which is equivalent to 4500mgL169,200m/L. “Blood methanol concentrate above 1500-2000mg will certainly lead to death in untreated patients. The high concentration of methanol contained in the local gin is unwholesome and unfit for human consumption.” Orhii warned of the danger posed by consumption of Ogogoro, even as he called on the public to desist from consuming the product and unregistered bitters. The NAFADAC boss listed symptoms suffered by the victims to include vomiting, abdominal pain, blurred vision, headache, dizziness and loss of con-

sciousness. Other symptoms include difficulty in breathing, blindness, severe abdominal pain, diarrhoea, blindness and liver dysfunction. NCDC Coordinator, Professor Abudusalam Nasir, said the Ogogoro that killed the 38 people in Rivers State was found to have come from Akwa Ibom State. He explained that three local governments were affected. They are Obiakpor with 11 cases reported, 10 dead, Bonny, 18 cases reported 17 dead, and Gokana, where 13 cases were recorded, and 11 died. “Also in Port-Harcourt Local Government 3 unconfirmed cases were recorded,” he added.

Termination of appointment: Parties to settle out of court

ational Industrial Court of Nigeria, NICN, on Monday fixed July 8 for the final report of settlement in a suit filed against CRCC Construction Company Limited over unlawful termination of employment. The claimant, Mr. Oseni Oladele, a former employee of the company, has sued the company for sacking him while receiving treatment in hospital. The claimant, who was a mechanic with the company, was shot with a Dane gun on his left lap and private part during an argument with the second respondent, Mr. Felix Daniel, who works as a security guard in the same company. The plaintiff is seeking a court declaration that the termination of his employment without notice was il-

legal and unlawful. He also wants the court to make an order compelling the defendants to jointly pay for all expenses incurred for his treatment since May 15, 2013, and general damages of N50 million for trespass. Furthermore, the applicant wants the sum of N3 million as compensation for surgery abroad to enable him use his male organ without the aid of a pipe. The claimant’s counsel, Adeniyi Adebanjo, said he was relying on the Workmen's Compensation Act, and also explore other means to settle out of court. According to him, the defendant has arranged a meeting for Wednesday. Adebanjo, expressed hope that the matter would be resolved because of the claimant’s conditions who have stopped receiving treatment due to lack of funds.

NDLEA lauds FAAN’s role in arresting Lebanese drug currier

Graduating applicants during closing ceremony of the 2015 welders training and certification programme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

ational Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has commended management of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, for its role in the arrest of a Lebanese at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos. This is contained in a statement issued on Monday by Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, Head of Public Affairs, NDLEA. In the statement, NDLEA Chairman, Mr Ahmadu Giade, said the intelligence report that led to the arrest

Sack Judicial Council, electoral body, Rivers Assembly tells Wike Dennis naku

PORT HARCOURT

overnor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been asked to sack chairmen and members of Rivers State Judicial Service Commission, RSJSC, and Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC. The House of Assembly gave the directive yesterday after its interaction with chairmen and members of the two commissions on the floor of the House. Twenty-nine of the 32 members of the 8th Assembly took the resolution after grilling the officers for hours about activities of the

commissions in the last two years. Speaker Ikuinyi Ibani, who said the House would remain "thorough, fair and clear in its proceedings,” added that after submissions of its Leader, Martins Amaewhule, and his deputy, Lolo Denabari, the officers were found to have erred in their oaths of office. Ibani said: “There are certain things you don't have to let occur while you hold a position of trust. It is my belief that any decision we take on the floor of this chamber is true and in the best interest of the state. It is not witch-hunting. The documents we have showed a different thing. We must

deepen democratic values as lawmakers. “Going by the resolution of this House, we do resolve that Governor Nyesom Wike is hereby given the power to remove members of the Rivers State Judicial Service Commission, RSJSC, from office. “This House has resolved that Governor Wike is hereby given the power to remove chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, for misconduct outlined against them. “Every resolution taken on the floor of this chamber must be taken seriously. We must, as an arm of govern-

ment, strengthen democracy,” the Speaker said, even as he charged the Clerk to convey the House resolutions to the governor as a matter of urgent attention. Amaewhule, had after their interface with members of the two commissions, stated that members of the JSC went contrary to their oath of office pursuant to Section 201 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, by among other issues, allowing the former state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, to derail and shut down the state judiciary for 356 days. Also, he cited Section 4 (1) of the Act setting up RSIEC,

pointing out that the commission erred and the actions amounted to gross misconduct. According to him, the officers of the two commissions did not deserve to remain in office for a minute, stressing that the state had never been ridiculed and brought to public disgrace as witnessed under them. His submission was supported by the Deputy Speaker, Donabari. The principal officers of the RSJSC and RSIEC were invited to appear before the House yesterday over their activities, particularly bordering on the closure of the courts and financial impropriety respectively.

of the suspect was supplied by FAAN. He said the arrest occurred over the weekend during screening of passengers for a Middle East Airline outward bound flight. The NDLEA boss, who commended the cordial working relation between the agency and FAAN, called for more synergy among government agencies. “I must commend the management of FAAN for the role it played in this arrest; this synergy among government agencies should be fostered in the interest of national peace and development,” Giade said. NDLEA Commander at the Airport, Mr Hamza Umar, said the case was still being investigated. “A 23-year-old Lebanese has been apprehended with 260 grammes of cocaine; the drug was hidden inside his boxer shorts. “I am happy that FAAN assisted us in making this arrest; when the drug was fieldtested, it proved positive for cocaine. “The suspect holds a dual citizenship of Nigeria and Lebanon and has travelled to Nigeria from Lebanon six times since January 2015,” Umar said, adding that the suspect would soon be charged to court for unlawful possession and exportation of cocaine.

North

Wednesday, June 9, 2015

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Kano community gives condition for accepting polio vaccine

ome residents of Sumaila in Kano State said yesterday they would not bring their children for routine polio immunisation until the state government reconstructs roads leading to their community. News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that

the area, which has a history of rejecting polio vaccines, had recorded a case of wild polio virus in 2014 and an outbreak of measles recently. In spite of that, the residents insist they would not budge until they receive firm commitment from government.

Some of the residents told NAN during separate interviews at Kwajale and Rimi areas of Sumaila Local Government that they were under intense pressure to rescind the decision. One of the residents, Malam Surajo Hamma, said the area lacks basic

amenities such as good roads and health facilities. He said the state must show concern for their plight in order to encourage the community key into government’s programmes, including accepting polio vaccine. Another resident, Malam Musa Abubakar,

described government’s approach to the polio immunisation as ‘suspicious’, adding that they needed concrete assurance before complying. He, however, commended Governor Abdullahi Ganduje for visiting the area to assuage the people’s fear about the exercise. NAN reports that the governor had monitored the ongoing polio immuni-

sation in the area as it is notorious for rejecting oral polio vaccine. Ganduje had during the visit on Sunday appealed to the residents to allow their children to be immunised in order to safeguard their future. He also promised to reconstruct one of the roads leading to the area and provide other services to uplift the living standard of the people.

Police arrest 7 armed robbery suspects in Sokoto

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello (right); Area Manager, State Water Board, Haruna Musa (2nd right) and other officials during inspection tour of facilities at Tungan Kawo Dam in Kontagora, Niger State, at the weekend.

olice Command in Sokoto State on Monday announced the arrest of seven armed robbery suspects terrorising communities in the state. Commissioner of Police, Mr. Salihu Fagge, made the disclosure while addressing newsmen in Sokoto. He explained that “members of the gang struck at Gidan Daji in Wurno Local Government Area, and policemen and people in the area subdued them; but one of the suspects was killed.’’ He said three members of the gang were arrested

Okiro denies defrauding PSC of N275m

hairman, Police Service Commission, Mr. Mike Okiro, yesterday reacted to allegation that he defrauded the commission of N275 million, vowing not to succumb to blackmail. Okiro alleged that a staff of the commission, Mr. Aaron Kaase, of its Press Unit, colluded with a journalist and publisher (name withheld) to blackmail him with the allegation in order to collect N10m. The chairman, who spoke at a news conference in Abuja, said the commission received N350m from the Federal Government to train its staff to monitor the conduct of policemen involved in the 2015 general elections. It would be recalled that Okiro appeared before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences, ICPC, on June 4, following a petition by Kaase that he embezzled N275m belonging to the commission. “I still believe that a clear

conscience fears no accusation and I will not yield to blackmail no matter how long it takes to clear my name. “I have nothing to fear,” he said. Said Okiro: “We (the commission) received N350 million for election monitoring/conferences/training of the staff of the commission and deployed them to states to monitor police conduct during the general elections of 2015.” He said the commission spent N217.3 million of the N350 million, leaving a balance of N132.6 million in the commission’s project account. He, however, said that on April 2, he got a text message from the publisher that he was doing a story on the alleged fraud, adding that the publisher claimed to have sent the story to six other newspapers for publication and demanded N10 million to cover it up and save him (Okiro) the embarrassment.

Okiro quoted the publisher as threatening that “General Buhari is coming to fight corruption; once the papers publish any such story against you (Okiro), he would remove you immediately.” Okiro alleged that the publisher, on April 8, sent his account details for the said N10 million to be paid in to save him (Okiro) of embarrassment. He said in order to stop the journalist from bothering him with the demand for money he invited and handed him over to the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). This, he said, was after several calls and text messages from the journalist demanding the money. “The result was mindboggling and depicted the comedy of errors. It was revealed that Mr. Aaron Kaase, my erstwhile protocol officer, wanted to wed in May and needed money. “He (Kaase) felt the quickest way was to con-

nive with the journalist to extort money from me so they could share it, and so he could conduct his traditional wedding. “The journalist was brought to my office by the officer in charge of SARS and his officers. “The journalist confronted Kaase in the presence of the commissioners, permanent secretary, directors and other management staff of the PSC,” he said. According to Okiro, Kaase confirmed that he gave my phone number to the journalist to call and de-

mand N10m. On the suspension of Kaase from the commission, the chairman explained that it was done because Kaase was facing a criminal charge involving N1m fraud. He alleged that Kaase had been arrested and charged to court for allegedly defrauding someone of the money to secure for him a US visa, which he failed to deliver. Okiro said Kaase’s suspension had nothing to do with the petition against him.

and they are now helping police with information that could lead to the arrest of those who escaped.” Fagge explained that a rifle with 22-mm ammunition, three rounds of live ammunition, sticks and cutlasses were recovered from them. The police commissioner disclosed that two members of another gang that specialises in stealing vehicles from parking lots were also arrested. According to him, the suspects who reside in the Diploma area of Sokoto South Local Government stole a Toyota Camry with registration number JR394JA and were arrested with the vehicle in Delta State. He explained that the suspects had fingered one man alleged to be responsible for producing the master key they use in their operations. Fagge added that four other suspects involved in robbing dealers of exotic handsets in the state have also been apprehended and are helping the police in their investigation. He is therefore soliciting useful information from members of the public that could lead to the arrest and prosecution of other criminals in the state.

NIWA gets Ag MD

ational Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, has named Mr. Danladi Ibrahim as its Acting Managing Director. A statement in Lokoja yesterday said Ibrahim, who was General Manager, Legal Services, in the organisation, is taking over from Hajiya Mary-

am Ciroma, who resigned her position as Managing Director on May 28. The statement signed by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Taiwo Fadile, noted that the acting managing director joined NIWA as Principal Manager in 1998 and rose to the rank of General Manager

before his new appointment. Ibrahim attended the University of Lagos, where he obtained a degree in Law and a Masters degree in Public Administration. The acting managing director hails from Zuru, Kebbi State; he is married with children.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

SUPER TUESDAY We must embrace peace to have Taraba of our dreams –Mrs Ishaku

n 2011, exactly four years ago, in the run-up to the inauguration of the 7th National Assembly, the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which then had the majority in the two chambers of the National Assembly, had concluded arrangements in zoning the leadership positions of the congress. At the Senate, there was not much hullaballoo, as the senators had already concluded to maintain the party’s status quo, but the scenario was different in the House of Representatives. PDP leadership had zoned the speakership to the South-West, with the South-South, North-West and North-Central occupying the first, second and third citizens’ positions respectively. But in a twist of fate, former governor of Lagos State and then leader of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, mobilised the opposition members of the House and some PDP rebel lawmakers to upturn the PDP zoning arrangement. Aminu Tambuwal, then Sokoto-PDP, emerged the Speaker against the PDP’s anointed candidate from the South-West, Mulikat Akande-Adeola. The rest has since become history. In the run-up to today’s inauguration of the National Assembly, the new ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, of which the defunct ACN, is an integral part of found itself in a dilemma as to where to zone the principal officers of the Senate and House of Representatives, with the North-West having produced the President in Muhammadu Buhari and the SouthWest also producing Yemi Osinbajo, the Vice President. Having no prominent member of the National Assembly from the South-South and the South-East, the party shifted attention to the North-Central and the North-East to produce the leadership of the National Assembly. At the initial stage, there were rumours that the party caucus had zoned the Senate Presidentcy to the North-Central, where former governors of Benue and Kwara states, George Akume and Bukola Saraki were the major gladiators. Saraki is a second term senator, while Akume, a third term senator, is the Minority Leader in the seventh Senate. APC chairmen in the six states of Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and Niger had actually written a letter of appreciation to the APC leadership for zoning the Senate Presidency to the zone. It was also rumoured that the speakership has been zoned to the North-East, which had never occupied any of the leadership positions of either the Senate or the House of Representatives. With this arrangement, Yakubu Dogara, APC-Bauchi, threw his hat into the ring for the speakership. Others who signified interest include Femi Gbajabiamila, APC-Lagos and Abdulmumin Jibrin, APC-Kano among others. The alleged zoning generated so many furores that the ruling party quickly denied zoning any of the National Assembly Leadership to any zone. The President also clearly declared that he had no interest in how the legislative arm of government chose its leaders, declaring that he was ready to work with whoever emerges the Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives. At a stage, APC said it was handing off the affairs of the National Assembly, adding that it will give the lawmakers the free hand to elect its leaders. As the battle rages on, there were rumours that APC National Leader and former governor of Lagos State, Tinubu, has settled for Gbajabiamila as House Speaker and Ahmad Lawan, APC-Yobe as Senate President. Along the line, Jubrin stepped down and declared support for Dogara in the race for speakership, while

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Politics

NASS leadership: Is history repeating itself? OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU examines the horse-trading and under-currents trailing the election of the Senate President and Speaker, House of Representatives, as the eighth National Assembly is inaugurated today, wondering if what happened in 2011, when the House of Representatives elected leaders contrary to the position of the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is not repeating itself, as All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers are bent on voting against the party’s candidates today.

Buhari

Tinubu

Akume was allegedly pressured to step down and become Deputy Senate President to Lawan, with each contestant strategizing on how to emerge winner on Election Day. But in another turn around, the party last week summoned all lawmakers elected on its platform to a meeting in Abuja over the weekend, and at the meeting, without notice, mock elections were conducted by the party for the Senate Presidency and House Speaker. In the House Speaker election, Dogara and his supporters boycotted the exercise, claiming that they were not informed that the purpose for the meeting was the mock election. At the end of the exercise, Gbajabiamila emerged with 154 votes, while three votes were recorded for Dogara. The mock election for the Senate President could not be concluded as the exercise was said to have been disrupted, but the party leadership claimed that Lawan had emerged ahead of Saraki. For Saraki and Dogara, they continued to insist that they will participate in the election today in the

APC sAid it wAs hAnding off the AffAirs of the

nAtionAl Assembly,

Adding thAt it will give the lAwmAkers the free

hAnd to eleCt its leAders.

Mark

hallowed chambers of the red and green chambers of the National Assembly, claiming that it is the lawmakers that would vote for their leaders and not the party leadership. Meanwhile, holding the ace in today’s election are the PDP lawmakers in both chambers of the congress. This is just as National Mirror reliably gathered that senators-elect and members-elect on PDP platform have concluded arrangements to cast their votes for Saraki and Dogara respectively. Their reason for this is premised on two planks: first, CONTINUED ON PAGE 43

Politics

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

an you tell us your experience during the campaign as a first time politician?

I want to first of all give thanks to God for His mercies and protection throughout the electioneering campaign period. God really kept us throughout the campaign period; we were never tired, sick or confronted with any major health challenge that could prevent us from prosecuting our campaign. Secondly, the excitement of being on the campaign train, the people we saw, how the people of the state came out in their numbers to receive us everywhere we went was a source of excitement and encouragement to me and my husband. Thirdly, having gone round the state made me to know the state more. It appreciate the God given potentials available in each part of the state. Before now, I thought it was only the Southern part of the state that was rich in agriculture, but during the campaign, I discovered that every part of the state was rich in agriculture and endowed with natural beauty. So, I learnt a lot during the campaign. You talk about the rich agricultural and other potential all over the state, do you think your husband can take advantage of these potential to develop the state? Very well. His Excellency, my husband will catch in on these and other natural resources available in the state to develop the state. He will explore all the opportunities available to develop the state. You may be aware of the huge debt he has inherited. We will not wait for what comes from the federation account to take us out of this debt. So, he will use what the land has to offer to create wealth for the state and agriculture is one of the biggest. He has already said that and I know he will do it. Having said these, how do you intend to support your husband in his rescue mission? I intend to have a non-governmental organization, NGO, that would train people in different kinds of skills acquisition programmes with the

It’s unfortunate that people are sufferIng; some are stIll In the bush sufferIng of

hunger, dIseases and all sort of hardshIp.

I know

that one day, It wIll be a thIng of the past

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We must embrace peace to have Taraba of our dreams –Mrs Ishaku Barr Mrs. Annah Mbasughun Ishaku is the wife of Taraba State governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku. In this interview with JUSTIN TYOPUUSU, she speaks on how she intend to support her husband in delivering on his campaign promises and what the people of the state should expect from her among other issues. Excerpts: and I am going to be directly involved. God helping me, I am going to have an office with full staff to run the office. I am not going to make show of one day in the office and ten months off. It’s going to be a full time office. I will look for donors within and outside the country to fund the NGO to ensure we achieve this. I have heard so many stories of failures in such programmes, but I have said to myself that ‘I am not going to be discouraged,’ I must achieve my goals and we must rescue Taraba State.

Ishaku

sole aim of empowering the people of the state, make them self-sufficient and employers of labour. I am not only targeting women and youths in this training programme, because even men need to acquire skills. For instance, there are civil servants that have retired and their pensions cannot take care of their families. They too need to acquire skills that can help them in providing for their families. So, if they are ready, we are ready to give them skills. We will also target the disabled people to make them self-sufficient. You know, we have to get to a point where we will get people to understand that the most important thing is to put food on the table and not to look for white collar jobs (government jobs) where people go to office and sleep, but at the end of the month, collect salaries and go home. There is dignity in labour. There is no need looking down on jobs that put food on the table. I don’t want people to go to bed hungry because they consider certain jobs as menial. So, there is going to be a lot of training for people to acquire skills. I have passion for this

What is your call to the people of the state as regard living in peace with one another? Well, I don’t know the cause of the hatred and the crises. But I do know that there must be a reason for people to burn other peoples’ houses and even kill one another. So, we will have to identify the cause or causes of the crises and deal with them. I beg the people of this state to live in peace with one another for us to move forward as a state. These killings have scared a lot of people away from the state. The more people come into a place, the better for the economy of that place. When people come into a place, they come with fresh money and ideas and a place develops because of this. Gone are the days when people kill others to take their land, wives and property. Those days are gone. We must allow ourselves to move forward. These countries we now referred to as developed countries are developed because they have long buried their differences and are not living in the past. We must also forgive ourselves, bury our differences and work for the greater future of our dear state, Taraba. We cannot have Taraba of our dreams if continue to discriminate and killed one another. It’s unfortunate that people are suffering; some are still in the bush suffering of hunger, diseases and all sort of hardship. I know that one day, it will be a thing of the past, but for now, how I wish the people of Taraba State will extend a hand of fellowship to these victims wherever they may be. Government will soon do something about this, but we must also in our own little ways assist those suffering where possible.

Eko Foundation congratulates Buhari, Ambode, APC govs, legislators EbErE Ndukwu

ko Foundation has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari, his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo, Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, his Deputy Idiat Adebule, All Progressives Congress, APC, state governors, party legis-

lators as well the party’s National Leader, Ahmed Tinubu for their zeal and dogged determination to deliver suffering Nigerian electorates from the age long pangs of poverty unfortunately perpetuated by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which held the fortunes of the society and the nation, by the jugular for so long.

The foundation, a socio cultural, nonpolitical outfit stated this at its just concluded monthly meeting, in a statement made available to National Mirror by its publicity secretary, Aramide Noibi, and signed by its founding chairman, Alhaji Hakeem Damola, its president, Professor Wole Smith

and secretary, Mr Tayo Sasanya. The group advised Nigerians to support the new governments of change both at the states and national levels for God’s continued guidance and aspiration to give Nigerians the much desired, deserved and expressed ‘change’ that the party, APC has always ampli-

fied. The group said that since Nigerians should not expect miracles over night, it behooves that all hands must be on deck for successful realisation of the noble project to bring the nation back to her very rightful stardom, in the comity of nations, where she rightly deserves to be.

Buhari

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

A PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL MIRROR NEWSPAPERS

Street urchins disrupt peace, beauty of calabar RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

efore now,the name Calabar used to be associated with peace, serenity, pleasure and business hub where all men and women irrespective of colour, race, sex or ethnic background had always yearned to pay a visit to and perhaps live there. Calabar,as the name implies means “Come and live and be at rest.” The implication of this name is that anybody can affort to live and do business in Calabar without any form of molestation and harassment by street urchins or miscreants. All the attributes mentioned here had made every right thinking human being irrespective of his origin tribe and religion to want to live or visit Calabar. All these attributes made it possible for that name Calabar to be included in the world map of peaceful cities across the globe. The capital city of Cross River State “Calabar”had always taken its pride of place in terms of taking the lead as one of the cleanest, greenest and safest city in Nigeria thereby making Calabar as a preferred destination for tourists and every other

fun seekers to pay a visit to, to enable them enjoy the yearly Chrismas Carnival, conferences, seminars and national sporting activities. The reasons for these are not far-fetched. This is because of the serenity of the environment, friendly disposition of the people, good food and several delicacies and cuisines like the popular “edikaekong”vegetable soup, “Afiaefere” (white soup), and beautiful tourist attraction sites which include the Ikom Monoliths, Qua Falls, Agborkim Waterfalls and the Mary Slessor`s House, Leboku New Yam Festival and the Obudu International Mountain Resort, which often attract large number of tourists and people from all nooks and crannies to come into the city all year round. Other places of interest that bring people into the capital city of Cross River is the Tinapa business and leisure resort, the Old Residency Museum where almost all the historical artefacts are kept for younger generation to come and what existed before they were born. All these made Calabar stand tall among committee of tourist areas of the world making the city of Calabar a preferred destination.

Only recently things began to take a different dimension changing from bad to worse owing to the emergence of street kids who traverse the length and breath of the metropolis without a bath for days scavenging the city trash cans and waste bins looking for what to eat

or in the alternative beg passersby or motorists at traffic holdups around Atimbo Junction, Etim Edem park, the Cultural Center Complex and Flour Mills Junction traffic Light to enable them feed. These kids grow up only to join their adult counterparts known”

Scolumbo Boys”who have no place in the name of a house nor roof to lay their heads outside places owned by the state government thus creating a very bad image and impression for the once revered status of the ancient city of Calabar. Because of the precari-

ous and untold hardship the “scolumbo boys” under go,looking dirty and very unkempt and unsuitable appearance people do brand them as witches whereas in the real sense there are not! Majority of them were children who were chased out CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and Pro-Chancellor, Nigeria Maritime University (NMU), Okerenkoko, Delta State, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, when the governing council of the new NMU visited the governor in Asaba, recently.

Ex-Delta commissioner berates Amnesty International over genocide claims THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

ormer Delta State Commissioner for Youths Development, Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, has condemned in strong terms, Amnesty International allegation of genocide against Nigeria Army, saying that the organization has lost its relevance and credibility with the lopsided and outright blackmail against the Nigerian army. Omolubi who is a Niger Delta activist and criminologist spoke in Warri, Delta State, asking the organiza-

tion to define what genocide is and tell the world when it became an offence for a nation to defend itself against external and internal aggression against an insurgent which has killed, maimed and destroy thousands of people and properties without any just cause. “Ordinarily, I would have been tempted to keep mute over their comment but as a Nigerian and a victim of crisis (the warri crises) where condemnable acts worse than the worst genocide acts were committed against a people who still remain homeless till date and where the relics of that unwarranted ag-

gression against the people of Itsekiris is still there for everybody to see. Where was Amnesty International when the Warri crisis was going on and so many other crises in Nigeria? I mean the Warri crisis where the Ijaws almost succeeded in wiping out the entire Istsekiri race from the surface of the earth.” While calling on the federal government to resist any attempt by the organization to continue to blackmail its army, he said they has failed in their duties as they turn deaf ear or close their eyes when the Boko Haram were killing thousands of defenceless and

innocent citizens and destroying churches, mosque, markets and other public places. He said, “Amnesty international should clearly define what they they mean by genocide, is genocide committed when a nation’s army defend itself citizens from both internal and external aggression? Or what happened to Amnesty when Boko Haram were, and still killing innocent persons and bombing down institutions, schools, mosque, churches and markets filled with Nigerian citizens?” He asked, “Where was the organization during

the Warri crisis where thousands of Itsekirs were slaughter, their home burnt, their properties looted and destroyed by their Ijaw neighbors. Where the entire Itsekir race were almost wipe out from the surface of the earth. Till date the relics of that crisis is still there for all to see, people are still homeless and the places destroyed yet to be rebuilt, years after. Again, I want the organization to take a look at the town of the Chief of Army Staff, where the Boko Haram sect killed hundreds of defenseless maimed innocent women and children and destroyed proper-

ties worth millions of naira and tell us again what they mean by genocide. Or the Nigeria army should remain hands akimbo and watch its citizen wipe out completely from the earth?” “While I want to ask align myself with the statement credited to the Defence Headquarters that it was very curious that the body that has never been able to seriously condemn terror in Nigeria, i want to warn that such statement was capable to lower the moral of the fighting soldiers who left their homes and families behind to fight for their country.”

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

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Street urchins disrupt peace, beauty of calabar CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Children at an internally displaced persons camp in Edo State, at the weekend.

Deplorable state of Igbanke General Hospital OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

flourishing town in the 1970s, a diminishing village in the late 80s and a shadow of itself in the millennium, Igbanke town, Orhioonmwon local government eg of Edo state, was almost a forgotten hamlet by 2002, visited only by few indigenes and few visitors through non existence roads and bush parts. Noted to be the town where two time former governor of Old Bendel state Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, hails from, Igbanke at then could boast of a functional secondary school complete with hostel accommodation, a bank (New Nigeria Bank), the state of the art library provided by the administration of late Ambrose Alli as well as a post office and one of the best General Hospitals in old Bendel state, built by Dr. Ogbemudia in the 70s. All these modern facilities as seen in most towns and cities were visible before the collapse of the second republic until the military coup of 1983, the many years of military rule and the sixteen years of another civilian rule has turned the once bubbling town into an hamlet, where most homes have been filled with weeds. Structures in the villages were collapsing as only the old and the weak were only the ones left to wallow in their miseries, the young and stronger generation has left for the neighbouring town of Agbor and the cities of Benin, Warri and Lagos.

At a time access to the village was like a camel going through the eyes of a needle until the administration of former governor Oserhiemem Osunbor came to the rescue by awarding reconstruction contract for the only link road to the village and was completed by the amiable Comrade Governor, Adams Oshiomhole who did not only stop at the road reconstruction, he awarded and reconstruct the entire village making it an envy of other towns around it. But behind these roads and street lights provided by the administration, there was something the people crave for, the repair and renovation of the old Igbanke General hospital. Historically, Igbanke is made up of six autonomous communities namely of Omolua, Ottah, Idumuodin, Ake, Oligia and Igbontor. Each of the six communities has an Enogie – kings. The indigenes of the town can trace their history to Benin kingdom where they disclosed they migrated from many decades ago. The language spoken in Igbanke is Ika, just like the one spoken by their neighbours, the people of Agbor and some of the surrounding towns in the northern part of Delta State. According to Monday Bowe Ikwuobase, the secretary of Omolua community, for political exigency, is divided into two wards – East and West. He disclosed that the people of the town do not owe allegiance to just one political party. While the need for the delivery of quality health care at rural com-

munities in Nigeria has been in the front burners of major health discourse in addressing the health challenges of ruler dwellers the urgent need to renovate the moribund Igbanke General Hospital cannot be overemphasized. In Edo, the state government administration led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had invested hugely in improving health facilities across the three senatorial districts with renovations embarked upon through the office Edo state millennium development goals, MDGs. However, the story appears to be different at Igbanke General Hospital, located at Omolua, Igbanke in Orhionmwon local government area of the state. The only hospital built in 1973 during the then administration of Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, governor of the defunct Bendel state, was commissioned after three years is now a shadow of itself and begging for attention. The hospital when built was said to be the only hospital that served the 6 clans that constitutes Igbanke community while patients from neighbouring Agbor town also bring their patients for treatment there. But, the desolate condition of the only general hospital with only one medical doctor, 2 nurses, 1 pharmacist and a security guard functioned without electricity in spite of the fact that residents of the community can have 12 hours uninterrupted power supply more than even Benin City, the state capital. Niger Delta Mirror gathered

that power supply to the hospital had long been disconnected due to the inability of the management to pay the huge accumulated electricity bills over the years, had left the hospital in total darkness. Besides, tall grasses have also taken over the hospital making it a habitable abode for reptiles. Local residents of the community told leadership that snakes and other reptiles were reported to have crept into the hospital in the cover of the night and bite patients on admission. However, residents of the community heave a sigh of relief when the hospital was listed in 2012 among government owned hospitals to be renovated and equipped with medical facilities to meet the need of the people. The contractors commenced with face-lift renovation and in midway of the job abandoned it. The only visible signs of work done by the contractors were the replacement of the old ceilings with PVCs and window frames. The traditional ruler of Omolua, in Igbanke, His Royal CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

A part of the hospital

by parents or guardians for either exhibiting deviant behaviours or may have absconded from home because of maltreatment meted out to them by their guardians only to join the already existing street kids. However,this is not to say that government of Cross River State has shirked its responsibility of catering for the street kids or folding its arms to watch these helpless children go through perilous time .The Government had done all its best to ensure that the kids don’t roam the streets idling about. Although the government`s best had not been good enough to ensure that no kid roam the streets of the metropolis. To curb the increasing number of street kids wife of out-gone governor of Cross River State Obioma Liyel Imoke came up with two Non Governmental Organisations namely Mother`s Against Child Abandonment (MACA), and the second NGO called A State Fit for A Child(ASFAC).All these was to help salvage the state from having children who idle and roam the streets. Imoke`s wife confined a large number of the kids house them,feed them,clothed them and sent a large number to school with others who had learned certain trade to enable them acquire skills to take care of themselves at old age. These street kids usually graduate to join their bigger counter parts “the Scolumbo Boys whose stock in trade is to pick pocket shop-One of lift and phone snatching.They some times graduate into burgling of shops and petty theft. But 19-year old Jonah Akpan a ‘Scolombo boys’ said he left home to join other street boys because he was frame up by one pastor as being a witch in his hometown in Akwa Ibom State and he became angry and left the village because his parents started behaving funny and chased him out of the house adding that having spent 10years on the streets of Calabar he said life had been unbearable with him. But Samuel who spoke in Pidgin English said, he hails from Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom State and was pursued out from the house by her mum because a soothsayer lied to her that he was a witch and he was mercilessly beaten to a pulp and thrown out of the house adding that he decided to sojourn in Calabar to seek for greener pasture. He said he moved into the street after being thrown out by his uncle`s wife who said there was no vacancy in their home to accommodate any extended family member.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The way out of Ndigbo’s self imposed slavery UCHEKA ANOFIENEM

hy is the Ibo nation not able to produce another Nnamdi Azikiwe, who had once dominated the national politics and attained continental relevance without reasonable input from his kinsmen? The Akanu Ibiams, the Sam Mbakwes of this world have become too few into the recesses of replicated abundance. It is difficult to fully understand why the Ibos continue to sabotage the factors that will bring them development and relevance as a people. The reason is that the Ibos have no patterned growth strategy. The absolute death of internal cohesion and visionary focus will continue to pull back the Ibo nation. A people that have no unified rallying point will find it very difficult to make collective progress. Ndigbo live like a people who have ideas of the objective they want to achieve but depend on others to help them achieve those desires. Ironically, the spirit of the Ibo man is what defines Nigeria. I do not understand then, but I have a friend who will kneel down praying profusely “Oh God give me the spirit of the Ibo man”. He has the attitude of someone who needs something intensely. There is something in the Ibo man that has not been put to collective use for common good. The only explanation why the Ibos have

continued to be a victim and at the receiving end of the serial political, religious and ethnic misbehaviours that has bedeviled Nigeria is because they have been unable to coordinate their strength, or build on their enviable endowments. The Ibo man should be the Nigerian salt - a substance that is sought after, a solution provider, a pathfinder, and a people who should have the economic soul of Nigeria in their hands. Since they have refused to piss together on one spot, they are then the scattered sheep which the wolves of this world use as they deem fit. The trouble with the Ibo man is that they have refused leadership. They cannot plan or execute any common agenda to either unify them, build on their common strength and heritage. Why? Because each man goes his own way, builds his own economy, and plays his own politics of selfish interest. The Ibo man has no love, no single love or sincere solidarity for his kinsman. It is easier for an Ibo man to cheat, kill, pull down and destroy his fellow tribesman than do anything to lift him up (except there is something personal for him to gain). Their terrible attitude to oneness is what makes them easy prey for other tribes to ride and divide. Yet they continue to lament, bemoan and rejoice at the crumbs they get from the national cake. The Ibo man thinks of his eco-

DENYING THE IBO NATION IS IN A PECULIAR MESS IS TO COMPOUND THEIR PROBLEM nomic benefit first, and is more concerned with what comes to him personally. Nobody fights for the interest of the race. The few who have voice that can be heard across the polity speak like someone that has lost selfconsciousness and reasonability. Manifesting evidence they are speaking for outsiders from whom they have collected intoxicating influence, usually suspected to be money. We saw too much of that during the last electioneering period. Are you surprised they came out worse looser than those who contested the presidency? It is not Nigeria that is dismembering the Ibo nation. It is the Ibo people that have refused to build their nation to operate prosperously within Nigeria. If the Ibo man is rejected and classed second rate citizen within the Nigerian polity why then has he given credence to that ostracism by tailing those who do not want them in their mainstream? They could have proved their wisdom by building economy that will put their adversaries at their command. The question remains the platform that will give the leadership. Someone

must provide the leadership. There must be a guide, a template, a goal that has to be followed. Who is it that will rouse the people to understand the concept of togetherness and self-consciousness? If a lion does not understand the implication of its lioness a goat will mess it up. Let the Ibos wake up. Let them begin to think of their homeland and remember it is still in tatters. They may have factories in Lagos, ‘Isi Ewu’ joints in Texas, mansions in Abuja and thriving consultancy firms in London. Good and fine, but of what good is it when you forget to bring back part of your progress to your father’s compound? A cottage industry facilitated back home is something. Development ideas sold to or facilitated for your local government could help. Funding scholarships for some of the youths whom unemployment has tempted into kidnapping and armed robbery will reduce crime. The message is that the Iboland needs attention at all fronts, and it is time for them to look back and observe they are presently in a formidable mess. Denying the Ibo nation is in a peculiar mess is to compound their problem. The “money, money, I will make it at all means” attitude has wasted generations of the Ibo youths, and lots of work needs to be done in that regards. Ucheka, a business idea development strategist, wrote via ucheka1968@gmail.com

Accelerating the eradication of malaria GOKE GBADAMOSI

he prevalence rate of malaria is inordinately high in sub-Saharan Africa (a region to which Nigeria belongs), where up to 90 percent of all cases worldwide are known to occur. Moreover, recent research has it that roughly 50 percent of the Nigerian population has at least one episode of malaria each year. What this implies is the probability that if an individual in the country does not contract the disease in a year, such a person would know someone who did. Despite the popularity of malaria however, many Nigerians remain oblivious of its devastating effect on the populace and why its elimination in the nearest future is of essence. The World Health Organization’s records show that approximately 584, 000 people globally died of malaria as at 2013 with 78 percent of the figure occurring in children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria and Congo Democratic Republic account for 40 percent of this figure. In a recent survey conducted on answerafrica.com, malaria ranks third among the deadliest diseases in Africa. This development presents sufficient reason why the disease ought to receive much more attention from governments than accrued to it today. So far, the world has set an agenda for the defeat of malaria, having observed that when interventions, such as insecticidetreated nets, Artesmisinin-Combination Therapies (ACTs), well-sustained media

campaigns against the disease, rapid diagnostic tests, and regular preventive treatments, are scaled up and sustained, mortality as a consequence of the disease will drop significantly. For instance, between 2001 and 2013, malaria mortality reduced with an estimated 4.2 million lives saved owing to a sustained scale up of interventions. However, the WHO’s global strategy today is targeted at reducing the disease burden globally by 40 percent by 2020, and by at least 90 percent by 2030. In order words, the world aims to eliminate the disease in the nearest future. This target is underscored by the 2015 World Malaria Day (WMD) Commemoration themed: “Invest in the Future, Defeat Malaria”, encouraging countries to develop tailored programmes that will sustain and accelerate progress towards malaria elimination. For Nigeria, being a major endemic area, government at all levels must buckle up for the challenges ahead. The acceleration of the defeat of malaria will require more commitment from policy makers, particularly in terms of allocation of more resources to the malaria programmes. The Director of WHO Global Malaria Programme, Dr. Pedro Alonso, sums this up appropriately by saying that “moving towards elimination will require high-level of political commitment and robust financing, including substantial new investment in disease surveillance, health systems strengthening and research.” The implication of this observation of the director’s for Nigeria is that irrespective of the country’s current economic down-

FOR NIGERIA, BEING A MAJOR ENDEMIC

AREA, GOVERNMENT AT ALL LEVELS MUST BUCKLE UP FOR THE CHALLENGES AHEAD turn, the Federal Government and all the states must not relent in playing their part towards accelerating the defeat of malaria. Some state governments used the opportunity of the commemoration of 2015 WMD to reiterate their commitment to the cause. For example, the Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, affirmed at a press briefing that his state was committed to providing the required “drive and leadership” necessary to advance the world agenda for elimination of malaria in the world. He also revealed that the country loses an estimate of N132 billion to malaria annually, thus underlining government’s urgent need to put paid to this undue economic loss by defeating malaria in the nearest future. State governments must do everything within their capacities to ensure that, though the country had been cash strapped in the past number of months, interventions in fight against malaria are continuous. In Ogun State for instance, the Programme Manager for the State Malaria Programme, Mrs. Adeyinka revealed on the 2015 WMD that the state government had strengthened its ties with the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) in

order to ensure that proven interventions are still being deployed towards the defeat of malaria in the country. At least, such is expected of every other state in the country as well. Nevertheless, it is high time governments took charge of funding the elimination of malaria. Although the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), malaria programmes in each state of federation and non-governmental organizations have made remarkable impact in the fight against malaria in Nigeria within the past 15 years, much of the progress is directly linked to collaborative efforts between government and its development partners with more funding coming from the latter in recent years. For the new 15-year “elimination target” to be achievable, Nigeria support the malaria programmes between its government and external donors, and then begin to consider bearing the bulk of the cost of its malaria efforts. The sooner the domestic government takes charge of funding malaria programmes, the closer the country draws towards the defeat of the disease by 2030. Gbadamosi wrote from Abeokuta, Ogun State. Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

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Tuesday, June 9, 2015

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

SUNDAY OLAJIDE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO BEN MEMULETIWON ACTING DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN SUNDAY EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Bad eggs in law practice: CJN’s clarion call

t is not improbable that the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, grieved and slept over some of the grave abuses and misconduct dogging the legal profession, before going public last week to canvass collaboration among judges, lawyers and law teachers to rid the legal profession of bad eggs. Represented by a Supreme Court judge, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, at the opening of the five-day 48th Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT), which held at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, the CJN had stated: “For the legal profession to flourish, all hands must be on deck to flush out the bad eggs to restore the dignity of the profession”. Law is one of the professions whose practitioners are very well respected worldwide. But the sharp practices and conduct of some dubious members of the nation’s Bar has been stripping the profession of its accolades. Some recent examples may suffice. Former chairperson of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, alleged in 2009 that some senior lawyers were frustrating the fight against corruption by stalling the prosecution of their corrupt clients under trial. She said such lawyers fraudulently obtained money from their clients under

the guise of delivering same as bribe to officers of the commission to kill cases under investigation; and that they exploited the weakness of the Nigerian judiciary by filing frivolous applications to frustrate the trial of corruption and money laundering suspects. Later, Waziri’s successor, Ibrahim Lamorde, revealed that some in-house lawyers and their counterparts from private law firms hired by the EFCC to assist in the investigation and prosecution of high profile graft cases deliberately created loopholes to enable suspects escape justice. The unscrupulous learned men obviously preferred gratification from such accused persons in exchange for slipshod prosecution. The development is one of the reasons many view the EFCC as a toothless scorn. In 2010, the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee/Body of Benchers (LPDC) struck off the name of a Lagos-based lawyer, Ike Chinwuba, from the roll of legal practitioners in Nigeria. Presided over by retired Justice Umaru Eri, the disciplinary body said it considered very serious the complaints against the respondent, deposing and that “his conduct affects the reputation of all members of the legal profession in general”. Another four suffered the same fate in 2013; and in defense of the verdict, Chairman of LPDC and former

June 9, 1972 Severe rainfall caused a dam in the Black Hills of South Dakota, United States, to burst, creating a flood that killed 238 people and caused $160 million in damage. It was one of the most detrimental floods in the history of South Dakota. Fifteen inches (380 mm) of extreme rainfall over six hours sent Rapid Creek and other waterways overflowing, flooding many residential and commercial properties in Rapid City.

THE BAR AND THE BENCH SHOULD LEAD

THE CAMPAIGN, BEING THE GATE KEEPERS AT THE HALLOWED CHAMBERS OF JUSTICE National President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Joseph B. Daudu (SAN), said the Committee unanimously agreed that Messrs. Dominic Ntiero, Timipa Okponipere, GC Monye, and JA Agwuncha, deserved to be shown the way out of the law profession, having proved themselves highly ignoble both in conduct and character. The latest lawyer barred from practicing by the LPDC is Chief Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN). The disciplinary body found Kalejaiye guilty of misconduct, while representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its then candidate in the 2007 Osun State governorship election, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, at the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, whose Oyinlola’s victory was challenged by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Kalejaiye, according to the LPDC, engaged in a “…private and confidential telephone conversation” with the Chairman

ON THIS DAY June 9, 1978 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened its priesthood to ‘all worthy men’, thus ending a 148-year-old policy of excluding black men. The Church is a Christian restorationist church that considers itself to be the restoration of the church founded by Jesus Christ. The church is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It has established wards or branches and built temples worldwide.

of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Thomas Naron between March and June 2008, without the knowledge of the rival party. The National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended Justice Naron’s sack after considering a petition against him. NJC’s Acting Director of Information, Soji Oye, said the conversation favoured one of the parties to the election suit. Call logs of Narons’s phone showed he was in constant communication with Kalejaiye. In the end, Naron dismissed the petitioner’s claim and declared Oyinlola the validly elected winner of the election, a decisions that was upturned later by the Court of Appeal in favour Aregbesola. Naron, a State High Court judge has since been relieved of his job by his home Plateau State government. The routine cleansing exercise by the Bar, which is also eminent in the bench, especially during the CJN Mariam Mukhtar era, is perhaps what is most needed to restore eroded confidence in both the nation’s Bar and Bench. Indeed, all other professions are in dire need of ridding themselves of depraved members. But the Bar and the Bench should lead the campaign, being the gate keepers at the hallowed chambers of justice to which crooks from other professions must bow on the day of reckoning.

June 9, 2006 60th Anniversary Celebration of Bhumibol Adulyadej’s Accession. Adulyadej (born December 5, 1927) is the King of Thailand. He is also known as Rama IX, as he is the ninth monarch of the Chakri Dynasty. Having reigned since June 9, 1946, he is the world’s longest-serving current head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, serving for 68 years, 358 days. The king is respected and revered by most Thais.

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UN report on population growth raises concern over environment 25

NCAA’s autonomy still taunted, nine years after –Stakeholders

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Enforcement of group life’ll deepen insurance penetration 33

AIRLINES’ FLIGHT SCHEDULES

Med-View Airline Lagos- Abuja (Mon-Fri): 07.00, 08.50, 12.00, 16.30. Abuja- Lagos (Mon-Fri): 09.00, 14.00, 15.00, 18.30. Lagos-Yola (Mon-Fri): 8.50am. Yola-Lagos (Mon-Fri): 13.00. Lagos- PHC (Mon-Fri): 17.00. PHC-Lagos: 19.00. Abuja-Yola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00. Lagos-Abuja (Sat): 08.00, 08.50. Abuja-Lagos (Sat): 10.00, 15.00. Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-Lagos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

Dana Air

Experts seek enforcement of laws on building collapse incidents Due to the rate of building collapse in the country, which causes have been analysed on different levels, experts believe that the main problem in the building industry is inactive laws to regulate standards. ABOLAJI ADEBAYO writes.

building, once properly constructed is expected to be in use for a very long time. Although every society has its own problems and Nigeria is not an exception yet the very recent challenges of buildings collapse in various locations have been giving the stakeholders and government sleepless nights in view of the enormous loss of huge investments in housing, properties and human life. The challenge on the issue of building collapse is that individuals differ radically from one another on the professional to blame as the major cause of the collapse of a building.

While the problem of defective structures and building collapse remains a global phenomenon, the spate in developing economies where little attention is being given to professional supervision of high rise buildings, especially in Nigeria, has continued to stoke stakeholders’ concern for the need for stricter enforcement of existing laws in building and construction industry generally. According to the Global Journal of Researches in Engineering, the rising incidents of building collapse in Nigeria can be attributed to increasing sub-standardisation of build-

ing materials and incompetent professionals in the construction industry as well as the lack of preparedness of project owners to pay for quality services. The journal also identified building contractors’ attitude, especially their penchant for disregard of architects’ requirements in respect of reinforcement rods, steel sections and cement as a major cause of sustained crisis in the nation’s building sector. The British Standards Institutions, BSI, noted that geotechnical investigations and testing standards established the basic principles for the identification and classification of soil used

to access the suitability of a site for geotechnical engineering purposes such as foundations, ground improvements, roads, embankments, dams and drainage systems. The BSI also observed that the standards also help to take proactive study of the nature of soil and the level of foundation needed in erecting a building Globally, cement, which is one of the primary materials used in construction projects, is produced in three main categories on the basis of how much load or force it can bear without yielding. These grades measured in CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Abuja-Lagos 9am, 1pm, 5.28pm daily Lagos-Abuja 7am, 11am, 1.23pm,3.30pm daily Lagos-PH: 7.20AM, Ph-Abuja9.54am, Abuja-ph: 3.30pm and Ph-Lagos: 5.28pm daily Lagos-Uyo: 9.20am, Uyo-Abuja: 11.07am, Abuja-Uyo 1.05pm, Uyo-Lagos: 3pm daily Weekends Lagos-Abuja: 7.02am, 9am, 3.30pm Abuja-Lagos: 9am, 2.20pm and 5.28pm Lagos -Phc: 11.07am Phc-Lagos: 1.05pm Phc-Abuja: 12.51pm Abuja-Phc: 10.50am Lagos-Uyo: 9.18am Uyo-LOS -3.03pm Uyo-Abuja: 11.07am Abuja-Uyo: 1.05pm

Aero Contractors Lag-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) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

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Experts seek enforcement of laws on building collapse incidents CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Mass Per unit Area (MPA) are the 32.5mpa grade, the 42.5mpa grade and the 52.5mpa grade. Recently, the quality or standard of cement being used for construction in the country has been subject of raging controversy among cement manufacturing companies, compelling the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, to make declaratory statements on what should be the minimum cement standards. In the heat of the raging controversy among manufacturers, the SON stated that it cement manufacturers to produce the different grades of cement, based on the fact that each of the standards suits specific construction purposes in the industry. One of the pathetic incidents in the disaster associated with building collapse in the country was the Synagogue Church of All Nations which occurred last September 12, 2014 in Lagos with over 115 deaths recorded. A cursory appraisal of the incidents in the first nine months of last year throughout the country showed that at least 27 cases were recorded with over 173 deaths and 427 injuries recorded. Generally, analysts were consensual in their opinions that largely, most of the incidents were occasioned by non-compliance with specifications/standards, use of substandard building materials and equipment and the employment of incompetent contractors. The President, Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, ARCON, Arc Umaru Aliyu also said that the cause of the incessant building collapse was due to the influx of unprofessional practices by both local and foreign architects in the country and the lack of proactive legal actions against such perpetrators. Aliyu said that lack of standard in Architectural profession was as a result of unlicensed practioners without required qualification found to be operating in the country. The ARCON President maintained that nobody, either individual or a body, be it local or foreign firm, would be qualified as an architect without being registered by ARCON and certified by the Council as a worthy practitioner, adding that no one could be an architect without being a member of ARCON. He explained that the Council had established a registration number tagged ‘ARCON Project No’, which every architect must get to certify they are fully registered members, adding that if any of the Council’s members is caught infringing on this act, a harsh disciplinary measure shall be taken against him if found guilty by the ARCON Tribunal. A quantity surveyor, Mr Kamal Olayiwola, noted that if there was professional negligence where a professional failed to carry out an obligation, the blame should be borne by the regulatory bodies like COREN, CORBON, who certified such professionals as competent and skilled to practice. He however lamented that unfortunately, most collapsed buildings were done by non-professionals, which the law cannot regulate, but they could be referred to

COREN President, Kashim Ali

Nigeria Institute of Architects, Ibrahim Haruna

A REGULATORY BODY LIKE COREN CAN ONLY DEAL WITH

ENGINEERS INVOLVED.

WHAT WE DO IS TO

INVESTIGATE AND FISH OUT ANY ENGINEERS INVOLVED. WE TRY

THEM IN OUR SPECIAL TRIBUNAL Inspector General of Police, Arase

ICPC for impersonation, corrupt practice. “While we have building codes as professional standard reference book for construction, the law to enforce its compliance is still pending at the National Assembly. Each building is like drug or food items which has expiry dates of 50 years and 60yrs.”, Olayiwola said. Mr. Barnabas Atiyaye, the FCT chapter chairman of Building Collapse Prevention Guild, who spoke shortly after the Synagogue Church mishap, noted that three issues were to be considered always to prevent building collapse, the chief of which is strength of the foundation. While noting that there is no particular law made for building collapse in the country, Atiyaye said there had been guiding principles and ethics that helped professionals in the task of engaging in their project design and construction He said: “The Architect draws in such a manner as to give the aesthetic beauty and acceptability of the structure itself. But of course you know we have the engineers that look at the structure to make sure that it is really going to stand and it starts from the foundation. They now look at the soil type, after the soil test that will determine the nature of the foundation. “That of course is handled by the architect but the structure engineer again comes to look at it to see that all this kind of beauty that the architect has come up with can stand. If there are areas that have challenges the engineer alerts the architect to make some corrections. “Of course we also have the builders

themselves that come in terms of directing the structure after the architect; the engineers whether it is structural, mechanical or electrical have done their part. The builder comes in to erect the building itself ”, the architect added. In his remarks, the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Engineers in Nigeria (COREN) Engineer Kamila Wopa, lamented that there was no definite law on building collapse in the country, saying; “it is just like asking for a law applicable to a driver involved in an accident and died in the process.” Wopa, who reflected on the COREN panel findings on the Synagogue building collapse, said that the panel found that the foundation of the building was not adequate and strong enough to carry the building. He noted: “We also discovered that the additional four buildings added on the previous one is what weakened the foundation and led to the building collapse. Up till now nobody has come up to say he was involved; he used his church members in the construction.” Speaking on why it had been difficult to bring those who caused building collapse incidents to justice, the seasoned engineer explained that whereas professional bodies can discipline their members, including withdrawing their practice licences or certificates where necessary, sanctioning owners of defective properties remained difficult because they are powerful and the police has been unable to prosecute them. He said: “A Regulatory body like COREN can only deal with engineers in-

volved. What we do is to investigate and fish out any engineers involved. We try them in our special tribunal and if they are found guilty their certificates are seized by COREN and then we hand them over to the police for prosecution. The same thing is applicable to other professional bodies like ARCON, CORBON etc. So police are the prosecutor of people involved in building collapses”. However, an architect, Mr. Bamide Alonge, said there was no synergy among NIA, ARCON and the private sector in curbing the menace of quack in architect profession. He declared that nobody was trailing those unprofessional individual and body in order to tame them, and that the council had not been taking necessary legal actions against those reported. Meanwhile, the Chairman, NIA Lagos Chapter, Ach. Ladipo Lewis, said the the Institute would focus on all facets of architectural practice to develop successful businesses that would stand the test of time and compete favourably in the global market place, as well as explore opportunities for multifarious business models. “Key to this is a continuous evaluation of our current legislation on planning, approval processes, master plans and regulations, which we need as a roadmap to developing a first class city,” he said. On how to arrest the ugly incident generally, the National Coordinator of the Youths Against Disaster Initiative (YADI), Mallam Abubakar Jimoh, in a recent statement advised that only certified structural engineers should be entrusted with the professional responsibilities of the entire execution and supervision of structural construction projects in the country. He said this would allow for professional creativity in structural development to achieve standardization in the project’s procedures. Specifically, the youth body recommended that the Nigerian Council of Engineers must be seen to adhere strictly to professional competence to strengthen the level of proficiency on the part of the structural engineers through organization of seminars, and continuing Professional Educational Programmes on modern developments for its members to further enhance their capacity for qualitative projects. In addition, it also canvassed a proper geotechnical soil investigation and testing as prescribed by the BTI as imperative before embarking on any building project. YADI also recommended that through the Nigerian Standard Organizations (SON), government must be ready to combat the importation of sub-substandard and unwholesome building materials into the country, adding that this can be achieved by reinforcing and effectively implementing its Conformity Assessment Program (SONCAP). As the nation’s construction industry continues to attract more investments and deployment of heavy technologies and machineries in the face of increasingly difficult topography of construction, analysts believe that the way out of the building collapse incidents is enforcement of professional ethics and legislative instruments designed to guide project development across the country.

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Business News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Nigeria’s labour productivity slides -2.4% in Q1, 2015 ….Nigeria’s productivity levels lower than other emerging economies’ –NBS TOLA AKINMUTIMI

espite claims by federal and state governments on improved business environment and job creation in the past year, Nigeria’s labour productivity ebbed slightly in the first quarter this year from N639.34 recorded as average productivity down to N624.22, representing -2.45 per cent decline. Labour productivity refers to the quantity of labour input required to produce a unit of output. It is derived as the ratio of total output (annual GDP, current prices) to labour input (total hours worked per year). The labour productivity report

published by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, at the weekend indicated that the decline in labour output during the first quarter came at a time unemployment rose within the same period while GDP dropped. The Bureau, however, reported that given seasonality and its effects in Nigeria on output and labour hours, it was cautious not to GUDZ FDXV H HIIHFWUHODW LRQV KLSV and make other inferences from this slight drop in labour force productivity in Q1 2015 until full year 2015. According to the report, the labour force in the first quarter totalled 73,436,104 and their Gross Domestic Product, GDP) output at current prices during the quar-

ter stood at N21,041,701,096,899.80 (about N21 trillion). The total hours put in by the labour force totaled 33,708,367,754.80 (about 33.71 billion hours) while the per hour output stood at $3.16. The Bureau stated: “It can be seen that labour productivity rose only marginally from about N420 to N639 between 2010 and 2014. Labour productivity however dropped slightly to N639.34 LQ 4 RYHU W KH average. This drop in labour productivity in Q1 2015 comes at a time unemployment rose within the same period while GDP dropped. “Given seasonality and its effects in Nigeria on output and labour hours however, we are

L-R: Deputy Country Head, Deutsche Bank AG, Lagos, Mrs. Adeola Azaaz; Director - Head of Trade Finance, UK, Deutsche Bank AG, Russell Brown, presenting the Deutsche Bank USD STP 2014 Award to the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Fidelity Bank Plc, Nnamdi Okonkwo, during a dinner party at the weekend in Lagos at the weekend.

NNPC to deliver 200m litres of petrol to marketers UDEME AKPAN

he nation’s fuel crisis may further witness an improvement as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has concluded plans to deliver over 200 million litres to oil marketers this week. Investigations showed that the product would be delivered in Lagos to operators, including major and independent oil marketers. A breakdown showed that 25 million litres would be delivered to major marketers such as Total, Mobil, MRS, Forte Oil and Conoil. It was learnt that another 25 million would be delivered to independent marketers through Aiteo and NIPCO while the balance would go to others involved in fuel marketing. A top NNPC official who confirmed the development over the weekend indicated that the product is part of the Corporation’s plans to tackle the prolonged shortage. “The Corporation has been sup-

plying commercial quantity of the product to the market, especially in the past few weeks. It looks forward to doing more in the coming days in order to eliminate the scarcity,” he said. The Executive Secretary of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, Mr. Femi Olawore said in a telephone interview that his members that are not importing received 20 million litres last week from the Corporation. Olawore remarked that MOMAN members are scheduled to take delivery of 25 million litres of petrol this week. “We have not been importing fuel as a result of the delay in the settlement of our outstanding subsidy. We only lift and sell what we are given.” “The NNPC allocated 20 million litres to our members last week. We learnt the Corporation plans to allocate us 25 million litres this week. We will take the product and judiciously distribute it to the general public,” he said. “We do not envisage much problem in distribution as issues with

tanker drivers and NARTO members are being sorted out gradually.” “MOMAN and others, especially the tanker drivers have been talking and there are indications that the issues involved in the recent strike would soon be completely resolved,” he maintained. The Chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah said in a telephone interview yesterday that his company is also actively involved in ensuring that petrol gets to motorists and other users. “We are a major player in the importation, storage, distribution, trading and retailing of oil products. We are a dynamic, innovative company and rapidly becoming the leader in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.” Ubah had also indicated in a statement that he can no longer watch Nigerians suffer due to fuel scarcity and more dying just because there has not been fuel or diesel to power hospital generators for surgeries.

cautious not to draw cause effect relationships and make other inferences from this slight drop in labour force productivity in Q1 2015 until full year 2015. The sharp drop in labour productivity in dollar terms reflects the weakening of the US dollar to the naira during the review period”, the NBS added. The agency clarified in its conclusive remarks that the results of the brief analysis reported

showed that Nigeria had relatively low labour productivity despite several years of stable and high economic growth. In addition, the NBS stated that further growth in labour productivity however, appeared to continuously be constrained by the high level of unemployment and underemployment and its expansion as well as the low skill and income requirements associated with it.

Dredging of Niger Delta Escravous‘ll boost nation’s economy –Okowa FRANCIS EZEM

he Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has said that the dredging of the Escravous area of the Niger Delta region was critical not only to the growth and development of the region but to the national economy. Okowa, who spoke at the weekend during a courtesy visit by the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA and the Governing Council and management of the Nigerian Maritime University NMU at the Government House in Asaba, at the weekend. According to him, the Federal Government cannot afford to continue to allow the nation’s water resources to waste, a development that calls for urgent action

towards the development of the Escravous area of the Niger Delta region so as to enhance maritime activities in the area. He noted that the inability of successive governments in the country to dredge the area has prevented large ships from entering the area, which is very close to the Atlantic Ocean, thus inhibiting serious shipping activities in the area. The governor also said that dredging the Escravous waters in addition to facilitating the coming in of bigger ships and opening up the economy of the region to the rest of the world, would also enhance inland transportation across the region. “Federal Government should take a bold step towards the development of the nation’s inland waterways, especially the Escravous in the Niger Delta region of the country”, the governor said.

Global passengers’ traffic rises by 5.9%, as Africa slips –IATA OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he International Air Transport Association, IATA, has announced global passenger traffic results for April showing demand growth compared to April 2014. Total revenue passenger kilometers, RPKs, rose 5.9 per cent. April capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 6.1 per cent and load factor slipped 0.1 percentage points to 79.4 per cent. But, the reverse was the case in Africa where its airlines’ traffic fell 3.2 per cent in April year-toyear, while capacity dropped 5 per cent, resulting in a 1.3 percentage point rise in load factor to 67.5 per cent. IATA attributed the poor passengers’ traffic in the continent to negative economic developments, which it said is currently

affecting Nigeria and other key countries in Africa, which relies heavily on oil revenues. According to IATA, Domestic demand grew by 7.2 per cent, outpacing international demand, which grew by 5.2 per cent compared to April 2014. “Demand for connectivity remains strong. That’s positive news. But the performance of the industry is multi-tiered. Middle East and Asia-Pacific based carriers led with growth well above the 5.9 per cent average, while carriers in Europe and the Americas were below it. And African airlines reported a contraction compared to the previous year,” said the DirectorGeneral, IATA, Mr. Tony Tyler. April international passenger demand rose 5.2 per cent compared to April 2014. Airlines in all regions except Africa recorded growth led by the Asia-Pacific and Middle East.

Business News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

partners Huawei on Dangote group urges African Etisalat new device leaders on job creation ….opens $600m cement plant in Ethiopia E P ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

resident of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote at the weekend opened a 2.5million mtpa cement plant in Ethiopia with a charge on African leaders to make the environment conducive for the growth of real sector and by implication, create jobs and reduce poverty in the continent. The plant has a prospect of creation 7,000 job opportunities in the country, Dangote, who spoke shortly before the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Hailemariam Dessalegn cut the tape to inaugurate the plant, said that achieving a real economic integration in Africa would require that Africans work together to ensure economic and political stability on the continent. The industrialist also pointed out that conscious efforts must be made to break down the barriers and borders between countries so as to allow free flow of goods, services and people.

Dangote stressed the need for a genuine collaboration between the private sector and governments at all level for the much needed real sector growth, noting that there must be deliberate efforts to encourage Africans, not just foreigners alone, to invest in Africa. He said: “Dangote Cement is currently investing in 16 African countries, with plans to invest in many more over the next few years. There are a number of other successful pan-African brands today such as MTN, Shoprite and Ecobank. We need to encourage this trend to see more investments in Africa by Africans. “Above all, there is the need to encourage the private sector to collaborate with governments across Africa, to address the issue of infrastructure deficit, which has plagued the continent for decades. “I believe that manufacturing, and not trading, is the best way

to grow an economy. This event, which we are witnessing today, attests to the fact that we took the right decision when we decided to transit from trading in our home country, Nigeria, into manufacturing, in 1996”, Dangote added. He explained that the group was also setting up new cement plants and terminals across 16 African countries, including Ethiopia, in line with our long-term vision to become one of the world’s biggest cement producers. He explained that the various developmental projects, including the construction of the continent’s largest hydro-power dam, made Ethiopia a beautiful bride to investors. While commending the government and appreciating the country’s remarkable economic achievement, Dangote said that the favourable investment climate together with abundant raw materials and sustainable peace attracted him to invest in Ethiopia.

tisalat has been announced as the sole mobile network partner for Huawei Y3 Smartphone recently released into the Nigerian market. The partnership will enable customers who purchase the Huawei’s Y3 devise to enjoy the speed broadband service from Etisalat Easyblaze. According to the Director, Consumer Segment at Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Oluwole Rawa, the company is poised to deliver innovative solutions and value for money to its customers. “Etisalat as the sole mobile network partner will be providing the data offer to customers who purchase the Huawei Y3 Smartphone in Nigeria. The offer is tailored around offering

these customers the opportunity of purchasing 1GB data at N1000 only. “This is based on our resolve to increase the penetration of 3G Smartphones in the Nigerian market, in order to drive more value and improved customer experience,” he said. Speaking for Huawei, the Country Manager, Huawei Technologies Nigeria, Yang Fufu, said “having successfully launched the Ascend Mate 7 late last year, we’re excited to launch the Huawei Y3 – a powerful more accessible low-range Huawei Smartphone – to the Nigerian marketplace. “Huawei Y3 is able to leverage all the capabilities of the existing mobile networks, and it offers our customers a choice of special features available on most high-end smartphones.“

Embraer appoints ExecuJet Aviation as authorised service centre OLUSEGUN KOIKI

mbraer Executive Jets has appointed ExecuJet Aviation Nigeria Ltd as a new Authorised Service Centre. ExecuJet is able to offer Embraer Phenom 300 Line Maintenance services in the country. A statement signed by the Vice President, Customer Support & Services, Mr. Pedro Paiva, indicated that the aircraft manufacturing company was pleased to provide executive jet customers with one more option for their maintenance services in Africa. “As the Phenom 300 fleet is

growing in the region, this appointment shows the Embraer‘s commitment to offer the best and closest support for our customers”, Paiva added. ExecuJet Nigeria has joined the Embraer global network for its executive jets that has over 75 service centre worldwide. This network is complemented by the company’s daily Customer Service Centre at its headquarters in São José dos Campos, Brazil. Embraer is one of the world’s leading executive jet manufacturers, having entered the business aviation market in 2000 with the Legacy jet, which led to the launch of Embraer Executive Jets in 2005.

Skye Bank appoints four directors

L-R: Representative of Director, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Preye Itoyo; Country Manager, OLX, Lola Masha; Executive Director, DigitalSENSE Africa, Mrs. Nkemdilim Nweke; Forum Chairman, Chairman, Committee on ICT, House of Representatives, Dr. Shehu Gusau and Group Executive Editor, ITRealms, Mr. Remmy Nweke, during a two day Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum Series 2015 on “Net Neutrality and Nigeria Internet Users” in Lagos at the weekend.

NITDA seeks partnership to develop ICT sector ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

he National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, is seeking for partners that will assist to further deepen the development of Information and Communication Technology in Nigeria, ICT. The Director General of NITDA, Engr. Peter Jack, who gave the hint at the sidelines of the 2015 edition of the annual Digital Africa Conference & Exhibition, DACE, said that the future of the sector required all stakeholders

working with NITDA to develop the industry for the benefit of Nigerians. While expressing optimism about how Nigeria’s ICT industry will grow over the coming years, Jack said that NITDA was proud to be sponsors of the event and called on all ICT practitioners, enthusiasts, service providers, innovators and ICT consumers to actively participate in the event in view of its value-adding potential for the economy. He said: “As we look forward to the 2015 edition of this event, we call on all of you to actively par-

ticipate in the conference sessions as well as the exhibition with the goal of achieving fruitful deliberations at the conference where many relationships and partnerships will be formed and ideas exchanged.” According to the NITDA boss, the theme of the event: “Expanding African Capacity for Digital Technology,” was in line with the vision and objectives of the agency, noting that the event is built around continuous highlighting of the importance of ICT in driving the nation’s economy.

kye Bank has announced the elevation and appointments of four new executive directors to the board. A statement from the bank said the appointment ispart of the overall efforts to uphold the very high standards and tradition of professionalism which have become the bank’s driving force for service excellence and leadership. The list of the new executive directors include Executive Director, Lagos Commercial Banking, Mr. Bayo Sanni, Executive Director, Abuja and Northern Region, Mr. Idris Yakubu, Executive Director, Technology and Service Delivery Channels, Mrs. Markie Idowu, and Executive Director, Corporate services, Mrs. Abimbola Izu. The statement quoted the bank’s Group Managing Director, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, who expressed confidence that the new directors would further strength-

en and reposition the bank for improved performance. He congratulated them on their appointments which he said would take effect in June and July 2015. Izu holds the LL.B and LL.M degrees from the University of Ife and University of Warwick, Coventry, England and was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. A multiple award winner as an intellectual prodigy, she is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School and the London Business School. A seasoned legal luminary with several years experience in law practice both in private legal practice and in the banking industry, she started her legal career with Bentley, Edu & Co, moving on to Afe Babalola & Co, and Olaniwun Ajayi & Co. She started her banking career with the legacy Bond Bank as pioneer Company Secretary/Legal Adviser.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Jobs & Career

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Privatisation waned manpower skills, competences in power sector – Ajaero Factional President of Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and General Secretary of National Union of Electricity Employees, (NUEE), Mr Joe Ajaero, in this interview with, MESHACK IDEHEN , linked the current crisis in the post-privatisation period of the nation’s power sector to the shoddy handling of the privatization programme. The issue of poor electricity supply has consistently raised concern amongst stakeholders to the extent that it appears as if Nigerians are not getting the dividends of privatization of power sector. How do you react to this? Ordinarily, I would say I am the wrong person to ask this question, because i was in the group that led the move against privatisation in the sector, knowing with the benefit of hindsight that it would not work and I am not in support of it. For quite some time now, you appear to have kept quiet. Why this? So when I speak now, it would still tailor towards our position, and that is why for almost two years, I have been very silent, because if I had spoken or acted as a union leader, they would have said I sabotaged it. Even at the heat of privatisation, costing me my members, I have kept quiet. The last word I said was that Nigerians will speak at last, and it appears they are speaking now. So, I want us to take the voice of Nigerians and not the voice of an interested party, because I remain an interested party. Since, I have said privatisation will not work and will not provide electricity for Nigerians and that Nigerians will pay more. Think of it. It is not all about just the investors. If you unbundle the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, (PHCN) that has 4,000 megawatts and you split it into 18 successor companies that will not add to the 4,000 megawatts. When you created 18 companies under the same 4,000megawatts, and I analysed it. For some people, that would give them more than 4,000 megawatts. I didn’t see it that way. That would give you 18 managing directors, multiple executive directors and more, all feeding on 4,000 megawatts. My argument was that you people started well. By 2005, licenses were given to some people to generate and distribute electricity. Now if we had 4000 megawatts, and then you have given licenses to over 20 to 30 people or maybe even up to their hundreds now, let these people generate even if it is 200,000 megawatts. But keep this 4000 megawatts, state control, because I said even in the USA today, 250,000 megawatts is controlled by the American government. Now in their target of one million megawatts, the states, municipals and the private sector are urged to generate, when there are moving towards one million megawatts. Now these 250,000 megawatts is what we call base power. They use it to stablise the system. If the other group conspire to say, like we are going to experience now, increase tariff, or say they are not going to generate electricity unless tariff is increased, exactly what we saw in the oil sector. If they do it, the 250,000 megawatts, the government will put it into the system. The military establishments will have power to make sure that the equipment there remains secure and intact. The hospitals, theschools, the motherless babies and the likes will have power, and the system will not collapse, because the state has its own power. Given the picture you have painted so far, what do you think is the best option for Nigeria? Well, I think if you ask me, I would say privatisation has taken place already. But what one thing that is funny is that we were promised that it would attract foreign direct investments basically, and that there were going to look at technical competence and managerial ability. But

dependent. Most of the power station is what I call political power stations.

Ajaero

But I want to say wIthout apology that none of the people that were Brought In had experIence In the

power sector, eIther the technIcal sector or In

managerIal aBIlIty.

now

In terms of foreIgn dIrect

Investments, no one dollar came Into thIs economy through that exercIse I want to say without apology that none of the people that were brought in had experience in the power sector, either the technical sector or in managerial ability. Now in terms of foreign direct investments, no one dollar came into this economy through that exercise. Money was burrowed from Nigerian banks to buy Nigerian utility, and we are still where we are. Going forward, the private investors are already complaining. Some have started force majeure. Few days ago, Yola Electricity Distribution Company was handed back to the government. Some of them are saying they can’t make it, unless tariff is increased. Now you increase tariff when there is no power, it then means there must be a meeting point. That was why I called for a review, a proper forensic audit on the whole exercise of privatisation. If we do it, we are going to move forward. Now, how do we move forward in the post-privatisation period? Going beyond privatisation, the system we have on ground is not such that is sustainable, because we are gas

If Instead of building a power station in Bayelsa or Rivers state where there is gas, I now go and build it in Sokoto or Ogun state, and construct a pipeline from Bayelsa to Ogun state, you expect that the pipeline will be intact? Now if that power station is constructed in Bayelsa, the person in Sokoto, Ogun or anywhere else will get supply the same time as the person in Bayelsa is getting is getting supply. So the basis for citing it far because it is the home of the minister becomes absurd, now you have to cite it in his place. That’s why we look at it as difficult. Now as long as those power stations remain, those pipelines will continue to be attacked. If you privatise based on this continuous attacks on the pipelines, have you now got policemen that will line up from maybe Ogun state to Bayelsa,so that nobody will touch the pipeline? If you didn’t take care of that, then the reason for privatisation is not there. Now that is one point. The other is the dependence on gas that ordinarily should be for an emergency power station. No country depends on gas. Forty percent of power generated around the world is coal dependent, and we have abundant coal deposits in Enugu, Kogi Benue. We don’t have any plant that is coal dependent. Now we have Mambilla. Feasibilities studies show that Mambilla can give us 3,600 to 4,000 megawatts. That is what we are doing now. One power plant based on hydro alone. Zungeru, 900 megawatts, hydro. If we depend on all these ones, when there is a problem you make up with gas. But if you depend solely on gas, and you expect the investors to use gas and charge you a lower rate, it is not going to work. In the last one year, there have been some discussions, contradictions about issue between NUEE and the Bureau of Public Enterprise, (BPE). What is the situation report in terms of electricity workers’ severance package? Well, that’s very knotty issue, because few weeks ago, we had to picket BPE for the whole day. There was no activity there. While there, some people started receiving their bank alerts. That’s the dilemma of what happens in this country. As I said before, we took it to BPE because the money had been fixed apparently, and each time we harass for the past two years, they will start payment, pay few people and then relax again, and then we will be waiting for them to pay the rest. They will stop again, and then we start going back. There was a meeting even at the Ministry of Power on the issue of implementation, so a lot of people, almost 2000 plus of the verified numbers. Meanwhile, there are people that are not yet verified two years after, and they have conducted about four or five verifications exercises. And these four or five verifications exercises cost money. People were verified yesterday, today you verify them again. Now almost every staff in PHCH, everybody is being owed a short payment of 16 months, both for pension and the normal gratuity. Of the almost 50,000 verified, there is no exception to the short payment. The number of dead staff, the entitlements, pension entitlements, the gratuity are there, not paid. This is apart from other issues of victimisation where union functionaries are targeted; particularly those that came out to say pay our members.

Jobs & Career

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Labour urges new government on ministers’ appointment Meshack Idehen

rganised labour under the auspices of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has charged the new Alliance for Progressives Congress-led government to appoint competent persons as ministers in order to fulfil his campaign promises to the electorate. The National President of the association, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, and the Secretary-General, Mr Alade Bashir Lawal, said the advice became necessary as some names being touted in mainstream and social media as possible candidates for ministerial portfolios in the Buhari Administration were

persons of questionable characters that have been recycled over and over again by previous governments. “Nigeria has abundant pool of human resource in all fields of endeavours and as such there is no need to continue to appoint persons with antecedents that will offend the sensibility of Nigerians into strategic positions any longer. “If Mr President proceeds to appoint certain individuals who spearheaded anti-people policies while serving the previous governments into his cabinet, his pledge to change the pattern of governance including the culture of impunity in the country will be dead on arrival,” the union emphasised. According to the association, if for any

Tips for dealing with workplace change

he technology of the 1980s and 1990s bears almost no resemblance to what we have today. In the same way, our jobs and organisations probably bear little resemblance to that time. Companies reduce their staffs, outsource their operations, rearrange their organisational structure, and upgrade their platforms Recognize that change does happen- Our own personal lives change as we grow older. Why should our careers and jobs be any different? Denying that change is or will be occurring, and continuing to live in the past only makes things more difficult. The more we understand that change will happen, the less upset and surprised we will be when we encounter that change. Be aware of your surroundingsrecognise when change might be occurring in your own specific situation. Keep alert to subtle clues. For example, are you being excluded from important meetings? Does your boss seem more distant? Is the rumour mill engaged? Recognise the stages- All the stages don’t necessarily occur. The progression might not be a smooth linear one, and different amounts of time may be involved with the different stages. Regardless, the quicker you get to the acceptance and moving on stages, the bet-

mployment hopefuls must at all times be aware that their quest for getting jobs does not begin or end with applying through conventional methods. According to human resource experts, recruiters are constantly offering jobs to qualified candidates that are bold enough to walk into companies; make enquiries about available vacancies, and show proof they are willing and capable of being given responsibilities. In that regards, job seekers are advised to always take the first step by doing the leg work associated with job search, instead of waiting for firms or recruiters to make such vacancies public; a wait that may never end. On available vacancies this week, the position for Trade Marketing Coordinators (www.findjobafrica.com)

ter it will be for you. Communicate with others- Communications is always important, but especially so when you face change. A lack of communications from others can have a negative impact, while effective communications can have a positive one. From a purely pragmatic standpoint, you need details about the change, so that you can determine how it affects you. Don’t just sit back and wait for things to happen. Part of the fear of change involves dealing with the unknown. If possible, try to minimize this factor by talking to others who have undergone such a change. Do a self assessment- SWOT analysis can be just as helpful to you. What skills and strengths do you have? Where do you need to improve? By understanding your own strengths and weaknesses, and knowing as much as you can about the new situation, you have a better chance of finding a place to fit in. Be flexible- Change requires flexibility. The better able you are to adapt to change, the greater your chances of being successful. After you complete your self-assessment, take a look at the requirements of the new situation. Source: Forbes.com

Workers in office

reason government wishes to appoint persons that had served the governments in the past into his cabinet; they must be individuals with impeccable characters, proven integrity, and track record of selfless service to the country. “At this critical stage of the country’s development, it will be a tragedy if Mr. President recycles failed experts and ex-

NUPENG consoles with families of Lagos, Onitsha tanker fires victims Meshack Idehen

he Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has consoled with the families of victims of Onitsha and Lagos Tanker fires which led to over 70 people dead. The union said it expresses sympathy to the Governors of Lagos State Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and Anambra State Mr. Willie Obiano for the tragic incident and loss of lives of its citizens as a result of the accident. The union said it commends the governors for their quick responses in the rescue missions which reduced the ca-

Job vacancies

who are to be based in Ibadan, Aba and Makurdi is on offer. Description for the job includes working very closely with the Operations Director, and will be responsible for all aspects of coordination and collaboration with the distributor on the sales and distribution operation, including on the trade marketing field force deployment and monitoring. They are also to ensure that distribution and merchandising strategy agreed upon with the distributors are being met, alongside the execution of trade and consumer activation programs as well as monitor implementation and competitive activity. Qualifications required are a university degree, 5-7 years’ experience in sales and distribution / channel management. Fluency in English, while a master’s degree would be an added ad-

pired activists either as Ministers, Advisers or Assistants to serve in his government,” the union stated. ACCSN also urged the trade union movements, the civil society groups, and other conscientious individuals in the country to resist such appointments if made, in the interest of democracy and good governance.

vantage. Also on offer this week from www. findjobafrica.com is a vacancy for a Travel Consultant who is expected to be based in Dubai, United Arab Emirate. The job description includes dealing directly with clients and potential clients, providing superior, and consistent quality of travel services to sell airline tickets, travel related products and leisure travel products, handle complex transactions and advise clients on the finer points of difficult itineraries. Qualifications needed are an A’ level education with a minimum of 2 years front line travel experience as a reservation/Ticketing/Sales agent. Knowledge and skills of standard fares and ticketing certificate from IATA or experience in an IATA certified environ-

lamities, saying NUPENG mourns the loss of the innocent souls and pray that God Almighty will give the families the fortitude to bear the loss of their loved ones. NUPENG said it also consoles with those who lost their properties, shops and cars as a result of the inferno caused by a tanker in Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos. Calling on the governors of the two states, Anambra and Lagos States to assist the families of those who lost their loved ones and their properties, NUPENG stated that it will continue to carry out training and re-orientation programmes for its tanker drivers on safe driving and vehicle maintenance.

ment. From (www.jobberman.com) are full-time vacancies for Marketing Executives who are expected to be based in Lagos. Responsibilities for the positions amongst other duties are to manage and control the relationship between products and target audience, promote whatever products or services that are on offer and developing new marketing strategies which is an important part of the role. Others are to generate, follow up on leads and prospect, and manage customer relationship. Qualifications and requirements are a minimum of OND in marketing or a relevant field,1-3 years’ experience, ability to meet and exceed revenue targets and ability to be outspoken and friendly.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

UN report on population growth raises concern over environment The United Nation’s disclosure that the world’s population growth may hit 9.6 billion by the year 2050 has spurred national discussion on un-sustained environment. OLUFEMI ADEOSUN reports.

Local materials’ll guarantee low-cost housing –Fatoki 27

ot quite long ago, the United Nations in its report predicted that by the year 2050, the world’s population would hit about 9.6 billion mark, noting that if the growth continues, the world would need three planets to sustain its way of life. This projection has thrown up serious discussion on environmental issues across the global and Nigeria is no exception. In Nigeria, for instance, environment experts, who participated in the recentlyconcluded World Environment Day, WED

in Abuja noted with great concern, the need for global awareness on the dangers of unsustained environment. Tagged, “Sustainable Consumption and Production’’ this year’s WED with its slogan `Seven Billion Dreams, One Planet, cantered on consuming with care across the world. As expected, Nigeria joined the rest of the world to celebrate the WED, where experts called on governments at all level, to unveil a clear policy direction on the nation’s environment

GEF approves $90m grant for wildlife conservation

Experts, who spoke to National Mirror, urged the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, include environmental issues in the nation’s developmental agenda, stressing that such move would also help the nation to actualize the objectives of the WED. According to them, daily increase in world’s population as well as strong industrial base, is already putting serious pressure on earth resources. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of EnCONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Simple steps for painting your Living rooms 28

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

UN report on population growth raises concern over environment CONTINUED FROM 25 vironment, Mrs. Fatima Mede, who led the awareness campaign in Abuja, in the absence of a substantive Minister, noted the need to create more awareness on the state of the earth and the urgent need to tend the environment. Like Abuja, Lagos state also witnessed flurry of environmental activities, as the Carbon Credit Network, UN-backed, nongovernmental organization rallied groups of environment stakeholders to stage a long walk for a sustained environment. Speaking during the event marking the WED in Abuja, Mede noted that the ministry decided to organize the event to draw the attention of many Nigerians on the impotence of managing and conserving the nation’s environment. She however noted that some of sicknesses affecting some countries were due to unhealthy environment. “Malaria occurs majorly due to dirty environment. Even typhoid and diarrhea are due to the effects of the use of our environment”, she stated while calling for a proactive measure towards promoting cleaner environment. The Ministry is embarking on some projects to address the noticeable challenges’’, she stated. For instance, she noted that one of such projects is the Great Green Wall Programme, aimed at addressing desertification in the country, especially in the Northeast. On the need for sensitization, she stated, “there is need to alert people on the implications of some of the challenges like desertification, pollution as well as erosion. If they are aware, I am sure; we will be careful about how we use our environment. We want to make sure that our nation is in harmony with our environment” she added. Also speaking, the Director–General, Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Mr. Sola Omole assured the of the authority’s partnership to propagate the message of good sanitation and protection of the environment. Represented by the Executive Director, Programme, Mrs. Eugenia Abu, the NTA boss, who noted that the authority was currently running two environmental programmes to create more awareness, also harped on the need for parents to involve their children in environmental activities while explaining how unsafe, human activities can affect the world’s ecosystem. He said, ‘This year’s theme `Sustainable Consumption and production’ is very remarkable, saying as people, we intend to forget that we do not have any other planet. Noting that modernity is good, she however urged people to remember how the forefathers kept the environment clean.” Stakeholders in the sector have said that beyond fanfare and awareness campaign, governments at all levels should demonstrate in practical terms, concerns for the environment. They said, the Federal Government must lead the battle for sustainable living. According to him, apart from domestication of some international environment treaties, which the country is signatory to, the new government should come up with consistent policies to safeguard the environment. Also, the Executive Director, Centre for Investment, Sustainable Development,

Buhari

Ambode

MALARIA OCCURS MAJORLY DUE TO DIRTY ENVIRONMENT. EVEN TYPHOID AND DIARRHEA ARE DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF THE USE OF OUR ENVIRONMENT Management and Environment, Prince Lekan Fadina urged the Federal Government to go beyond mere statements to address core environmental challenges confronting the nation. He said, “The issue of environment has taken the centre stage among developed and developing nations and there is nothing we can do about it. There is a new concept called environmental democracy and that means people are at the earth of the environment, just as people are to democracy”. “If Nigeria must successfully pursue its developmental agenda, the issue of environment must be given adequate priority. For instance, there is process going on around the world between now and December that will require Nigeria’s active involvement. Expectedly, the summit on Financing and Development will take place in Adis Ababa, just as the Sustainable Development Goals is billed for New York while Climate Change is scheduled to take place in Paris in December. “These key points are very important because everybody is now being conscious. In fact, you cannot consider issues of development in Europe or America without considering the whole concept of environment”, he said. Fadina, who linked series of disputes between cattle rearers and farmers in the North to the effect of climate change, also expressed confidence in the new administration to address environment challenges in the country. In his own contribution, the Executive Director, International Centre for Energy, Environment, Development, ICEED, Mr. Ewah Eleri harped on the urgent need to address the issues of gas flaring, flooding, desertification as well as green technology. According to him, by eliminating gas flaring, Nigeria would have gained in two ways- addressing environmental challenges in Niger Delta region and boosting the nation’s power production. “I think the new government can once

and for all; deal with the issue of gas flaring because it would bring a lot of benefits to us. We would have cut off the fire in Niger Delta, which is a big stigma in the nation’s oil industry. “Also, we can covert gas for power production in the country. By reducing gas flaring or eliminating it, the new administration would have been able to reduce environmental pressure in Niger Delta while boosting power production.”I think if Buhari government is able to solve this problem, it will be historic. The environmentalist therefore urged the Federal Government to design a clear plan to address the nation’s environmental challenges while decrying the poor management of flood in the country. He also said, “The way we coordinate actions against desertification needs a lot of work to be done. We see that, the main cause of both flooding and desertification in the country come from the same source. One is man-made, which is felling of trees and poor replacement while the other one is climate change, which has external origin.” In particular, he urged the incoming administration to borrow a leaf from the Lagos state government, which had evolved a holistic approach to addressing the issue of desertification. “The incoming administration can turn around the way Nigeria manages its environmental challenges by revisiting the issue of having a coordinating body to manage climate change in Nigeria. For instance, Lagos state has been able to address climate change in such a way that it has created awareness and also help to build resilience among the people against natural disasters. The management of the environmental concerns in the state has also charted way for clean environment” he added. According to him, for the nation to be on the path of sustainable development, government must developed bigger ideas more than it is today.

Former Minister of environment, Laurentia Mallam

Ewah said,”I think, it is important for the new government to appoint a senior government official to champion more holistic measures to manage the sector in the country, adding that it is not about pockets of ideas, but a broader national outlook. “The way we would have a driving idea that would lead to economic transformation of the country, that is the only way we can have bigger ideas to enable us take back our country from national disasters in the country. We need a champion for it, today we don’t have it. “Over the last one decade we had appointed ministers that do not have thorough understanding of environmental issues. It had created a situation that we do not accord the needed priority to environment issues. I think, it is important that this administration should appoint a brilliant minister for the environment. Also setting agenda for the new government, an environment expert and Chief Executive Officer, SMEFUNDS, Mr. Femi Oye said he would want Buhari to concentrate on the diversification of the nation’s energy mix. As a starting point, he called for the immediate strengthening and passage of all pending and outstanding Environment and Energy Bills, including setting an ambitious agenda for a clean energy and agricultural growth opportunity in the country. Apart from that, Oye also canvassed for the strengthening of local industry as well as the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises for the production and manufacturing of renewable energy services in the country as opposed to importation. Other recommendations include passage of the bill for at least 15 percent Blend of Bio fuel in all transportation fuels and creation of incentives and rebates for clean technologies and environmental goods and services. Speaking at the Lagos event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Hakeem Ogunbambi, said it was high time the nation transmits to green economy, where production pattern is aligned with environmental sustainability. An Abuja-based environmentalist, Sola Olaitan said the task of building a virile ecosystem cannot be left in the hands of the government alone, saying everybody has a role to play in ensuring cleaner environment while preserving it for future generations.

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Local materials’ll guarantee low-cost housing –Fatoki

MORTGAGE NOTES with Adenike Fasanya-Osilaja

SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

Email: Nike@MVPSolutionsinc.com Fasanya-Osilaja https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=35277333

Fabulous Edifice Culture: Zero Maintenance Culture

“N

aija no dey carry last”. This is probably the best description of our need for opulence. Nigerians have fast achieved a height of extravagance unparalleled in the world. We are single handedly boosting economies from Ghana to Dubai to India to Malaysia and London. A quick internet Google of “wealthy Nigerians” will yield a rich harvest of articles like “The Nigerians have arrived” and staggering statistics like: “Nigerians are this country’s (Britain) sixth-highest foreign spenders“. “Nigerians spend 300million pounds annually at British Universities and schools“. “Nigerians are investing 250million pounds in British property every year” Na wa ooo!!! What a name we have made for ourselves, right?? Well, if we are spending this kind of money offshore, our country must be paradise, right?? I mean, Abu Dhabi and Dubai should have nothing on us, right?? Wrong!! Sadly, but unfortunately wrong! We have given our meat to an outsider, while chewing the bones. Nobody wants to come to Nigeria, except usually, those who have found a lucrative “deal”, or have been forced to come over. The same people we are rushing to spend our money on are the ones who treat us with the most contempt. How true it is that money has no color but green. We have no shame! Nowhere is this more evident than in our real estate culture. Nigerians are some of the most widely traveled people on this planet. There is a saying that when mankind finally makes it to the sun, they will find a Nigerian there. We are even in Alaska! One of the things that we have developed is an appreciation of, and desire for magnificent edifices. I have to call these structures edifices because I can’t think of any other name that would do them justice. Why oh why, do we think it is okay to spend a trillion naira on a property, yet not think it fit to spend one million naira

to simply repaint it from time to time? How can there be high rise office buildings in the esteemed Victoria Island with blackened exterior walls and broken windows? Why would the elevator as well as the air conditioning unit in major bank owned properties not function?? Oh, and don’t get me started on the Police and Army barracks. Just seeing them from the bridge was enough to make me sick to my stomach! We actually put families in these rat infested, toxic, filthy boxes, yet expect them to rush out and “decimate Boko Haram”?? Have you ever tried to drive up to one of these houses? Good luck with that. Between the horrendous traffic, crater size potholes and the corrupt road blocks (well, what do you expect, given the squalor we have put them in?), you would probably have to turn back in defeat. I read about one of the Lagos “Big Boyz” explaining that people like him now go about their daily business in helicopters because they are not willing to put their luxury on the roads outside their gates. Really, sir?? Should we be impressed with that??? It is really sad how we are quick to call ourselves elite and worldly sophisticated people without stopping to consider the words we are using. Our people are the only ones I know, who will stand patiently in line at Heathrow or JFK airport, but the minute the planes touches the ground in Ikeja, they are on their feet and jostling to get out of the plane with total indiscipline. We are the only ones that will spend 250 million pounds buying mansions in St. John’s Wood, and leaving a full complement of staff to maintain it, yet come back to Nigeria, build a replica of the same building, and leave it to fall to ruin. So, we end up with these palatial edifices that sadly end up in ruins once the original owner passes and his multitude of children tie his estate up in the 20 year land law process in our esteemed courts because their education

and other benefits they received in his lifetime were not sufficient “inheritance” for them. Hmmmm....we have no shame…. Homeowners, please consider keeping your properties well maintained, after all they are likely to be the largest investments you will make in your lifetime. Instead of owning 10 dilapidated properties, consider owning six properly maintained ones. Your wastrel children are going to destroy them after you die anyway, and if (hopefully) your children have been well trained, they already own their own property, and don’t really need to wait for yours. We should have a requirement for maintenance in every mortgage financed in Nigeria. Every homebuyer should be required to spend a certain percentage of their purchase price on maintenance every 5 years, or risk a fine of equal amount. Or a maintenance escrow should be set up with every mortgage, where a portion of the monthly payment is set aside for scheduled maintenance. Also, as a matter of urgency, some of the IDB funds xxxxx should be allocated to rehab refinance loans, with registered contractors partnering with the banks and homeowners to update some of the properties previously purchased. Come, let us reason together. Lenders, please consider adding a maintenance clause to your loan requirements. It makes little sense to give out these large sums of loan funds and hold a portfolio of dilapidated properties with declining values. Since mortgages are typically without resource, that property is all you will get if the borrower defaults. You might want to drive past some of your larger leveraged properties once in a while .for what you see is what you will get.

ABOUT THE WRITER Fasanya-Osilaja a lawyer and mortgage expert has owned and operated Marvel Ventures Mortgage, Inc. (www.marvelmortgage.com), a Chicagobased Mortgage Brokerage Company since 2000 and has worked in the US Mortgage industry since 1996. She also consults and facilitates industryrequired activities, from set up of mortgage organisations to documentation, training and compliance.

Lagos-based estate consultant, Mr Solomon Fatoki has called on Nigerian construction firms to patronise locally-made building materials to guarantee affordable housing to the teeming Nigerians. While urging them to de-emphasis the use of imported materials, he said local building materials have been tested by various research institutes in the country, noting with dismay, the non-utilization of those materials. Fatoki in his paper titled, ‘’The Place of Housing in National Development’’ said the only way to achieve affordable housing for Nigerians is through the use of indigenous building materials like burnt clay bricks, timber, fibre roofing sheet as well as lime in place of cement. He said, ‘’Nigeria has about 24 brick plants, which have almost closed down for lack of patronage. Government should reactivate them and also kick-off, the use of these materials’’, he stated. Bricks, according to him, are being used in some African countries like Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Kenya among other countries, saying those materials have succeeded in bringing down the cost of building materials while restricting the use of cement. ‘’We will also have mud houses with good foundation and

columns for adequate strength among other designs developed by our research institutes that have not been used’’, he added. ‘’Man wants to have a roof over his head to protect him from rain, heat, wind and other elements of nature. Housing provides shelter. Whereas, shelter is a necessity of life, every government strives to provide housing for her citizens’’, he stated. He however regretted that the past efforts of various governments to ensure adequate housing have been unsuccessful, after gulping billions of naira in the process. ‘’Our Government must have the political will to solve the problem of housing than the lip service being paid to it’’, he noted. Most laudable proposals for housing in previous national development plans as well as various policies, have not achieved meaningful goals. This he said should be corrected in future housing policy as larger percentage of the population still depends on agriculture for their livelihood. ‘’Aside the period of Alhaji Lateef Jakande in Lagos and few other efforts nothing significant has been done to reduce the housing needs of majority of the Nigerian masses. Houses being built by Governments and her various agencies like FHA, LSDPC among others are beyond the reach of average Nigerians’’, he added.

Eko Atlantic promises congestion-free city SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

ko Atlantic has promised to build a world-class city free of the usual street parking and trading. Disclosing this to newsmen, the Sales and Communications Executive, Eko Atlantic City, Miss Valentine Halim said, the planned Eko city would be free of hectic traffics while developing the main thoroughfare as well as access roads. According to her, the Boulevard and roads would be role model for the 21st century urban planning, disclosing that over 28 kilometres of roads have been completed to the level of stone base while 25 kilometres of it has been block paved. According to him, in the next few months, more road networks would be embarked upon across Eko Atlantic city districts, Harbour Lights, Marina District (inner and outer ring roads), Down-

town, Avenue 1 and Avenue 3 with direct access to Ahmadu Bello way. ‘’The work predominantly comprises the build-up of the sand sub-base in all the above areas with laying of crushed stone base course in more advanced roads. The opening of Akin Adesola road has introduced a second entrance into Eko Atlantic city from Victoria Island’’, she stated Such crucial development, according to her, would significantly reduce the drive distance for trucks conveying rocks to sea wall and a mile and a half offshore while helping to speed-up construction. Previously, the route from the entrance of Eko Atlantic City to the sea wall was about five kilometres. The new access will also reduce the distance to two and a half kilometres, thus providing unhindered access to the completion of road works in Phases 1 and 2 of Eko Atlantic City.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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GEF approves $90m grant for wildlife conservation G lobal Environment Facility, GEF, has approved about $90 million grants for global partnership to promote biodiversity conservation and preserve wildlife while encouraging sustainable livelihood in Africa and Asia. The new global partnership on Wildlife Conservation and Crime Prevention for Sustainable Development, according to GEF, would among other things, address the wildlife poaching and illegal trade. Besides, it would also strengthen cooperation among development partners, which will bring together biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihood activities as well as poverty reduction. “GEF is pleased to support the critical fight against illegal wildlife trade and poaching, and we are looking forward to work with country partners and other stakeholders to address this significant driver of biodiver-

sity loss that has such negative impacts on protected area and human wellbeing in Africa and elsewhere’’, the CEO and Chairperson of GEF, Naoko Ishii said. “The recent wildlife poaching crisis in Africa has undermined its financial, social and economic capital while threatening the development of tourism and fuelling political instability. We hope, that this partnership will preserve wildlife and increase resilience of communities, whose livelihoods depend on these natural resources, the Vice-President of the Africa Region of the World Bank, Makhtar Diop said. Participating countries include Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Congo Republic, Gabon, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, India, and Indonesia while the GEF agencies contributing to the partnership include the Asian Development Bank, International Union for Conservation of Nature and the United Nations Development

Programme. Others are the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Bank and World Wildlife Fund. In addition to the GEF grant funds, the partnership will leverage $513 million in co-financing from other sources including, IBRD and IDA. The World Bank, as lead agency of the new programme will coordinate the partnership and ensure a cross-fertilization of the lessons learned across projects and countries. “UNDP is fully committed to work with our partner countries in addressing the illegal wildlife trade which is pushing endangered species toward extinction, fuelling corruption and conflict, destroying lives and deepening poverty and inequality. We believe that addressing the current crisis involves three key strategies: generating sustainable livelihoods for communities, strengthening law enforcement, and reducing the demand for illegally traded wildlife, strategies

which are employed by the recently approved programme”, the Executive Coordinator, Environmental Finance, UNDP Adriana Dinu said. The country projects will focus on designing and implementing national strategies to improve wildlife and protected areas management, enhance community livelihood benefits, reduce poaching, and eliminate illegal wildlife trade.

Eko Atlantic City

AfDB unveils strategy for rural sa

frican Development Bank, AfDB has unveiled rural water and sanitation initiatives, aimed at aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDG, for universal access to water and sanitation. Such initiative has provided access to improved water supply to 15 million rural people with access to improved sanitation facilities to 13

million people. Disclosing this during the annual meeting of the AfDB in Abidjan, the Director of AfDB Water and Sanitation Department, OWAS, Mohamed El Azizi listed prominent donors to include, the French Ministry of Finance and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, who provided valuable inputs on the expectations of their respective governments.

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

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Expert seeks amendment of Land Use Act SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

ice Chairman of the Association of Estate Agency of Nigeria, Esv Kunle Adedeji has called for the amendment of some sections of the Land Use Act, to discourage governments from using it against perceived political opponents. Adedeji, a fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, Lagos branch said the aspect that gives governors so

anitation, water

The meeting, which focused on ct ions for post-conflict reconstrucion in fragile states and adaptation o climate change, also appraised the urrent work plan on post-Ebola reonstruction operations, country oprations as well as progress made on ecent partnership with Rwandan overnment and the African Union. The Rural Water Supply & Sanitaion Initiative, RWSSI, underpinned y the RWSSI Trust Fund, is aimed

at mobilizing further resources to accelerate the much-needed provision of water supply and sanitation in post-conflict and fragile states. The Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Initiative, RWSSI, is hosted by the AfDB with the aim of reducing poverty by accelerating access to improved rural water supply and sanitation facilities across Africa. Since 2003, the AfDB has approved 49 rural water supply and

sanitation operations in 33 countries, which have already contributed to improved access to drinking water for an estimated 97 million people and improved sanitation for an estimated 70 million people. The initiative is funded through contributions from the AfDB, international governments, beneficiary communities and the RWSSI Trust Fund, TF.

much power to revoke the authority of the land should be particularly amended. ‘’This section causes so much damage; there should be a control, where there is clash between federal and state government, the federal power overrides, but we have seen cases, when federal government allocated such land for development, the state government refused to grant planning permission and approval for such development, and that land continue to lie fallow, so that power of governor’s consent, that makes governor to wield such power should be amended to pave way for more development’’, he said. He however noted that the Land Use Act vested ownership of the land, management of land as well as the power to allot and revoke land on government. Again, he listed some issues working against the Act to include political influence, where government would be persecuting opponents on land issue. ‘’ We have several cases of that, so am of the opinion that some

sections should be amended so that government will not be able to use the Act against perceived political opponents. Some people that are calling for repel of the Act should also not forget that land speculators and grabbers are using it to perpetuate their evil and illegal acts’’, he stated. On housing, he urged the Federal Government to build affordable housing for the masses. ‘’If government build houses for the masses and call it twenty million, no civil servant or low income earner can get such amount for thirty years of working to buy such houses, so housing and security are very important, if the environment is secured, foreign investors will come and there will be turn around in economic status of the country’’, he added He however urged government to improve on the general infrastructure, saying with good infrastructure; especially road and security, the cost of doing business in the country come down and Nigerians would be better for it.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Demand outpaces supply in US home sales

ew home sales in the United States has surged, selling quickly as only few are being built to meet demand. Specifically, new home sales rose to 26 percent from one year

ago to an annualised pace of 517,000 annualised pace, the third highest monthly activity in eight years, according to data from the National Association of Realtors. The data also shows that the median price was $297,300, which

Political stability boosts Cairo property markets

ll sectors of the Cairo real estate market have witnessed a positive performance and improved sentiment during the first three months of 2015 due to stronger confidence and investment appetite created by increased economic and political stability. A new analysis from international real estate firm JLL says that this confidence is most clearly illustrated by the recent announcement of the mega real estate project Cairo Capital which will serve as an extension for New Cairo and will draw the centre of gravity further to the East of the existing city. The report shows that residential sale prices have continued to increase across Cairo in the first quarter of the year with office rents increasing in New Cairo and retail rents edging further upwards over the past quarter. The hotel sector has also recorded improved performance with tourist numbers and hotel occupancy rates improving. The performance of both the tourism sector and other parts of the real estate market are expected to continue to benefit from increased levels of foreign investment into Egypt, committed at the recent Economic Summit in Sharma El Sheikh in March 2015. The report points out that Cairo’s residential market continues to recover with improved sales figures as a result of the recovering economic and political

sentiment. Apartment and villa sale prices increased during 2015 across all the areas monitored by JLL as many residential developments have few units left and have increased prices accordingly. Performance in the rental sector remains more mixed, with some properties experiencing an increase while others are experiencing a reduction due to the unstructured nature of the rentals market in Egypt. An extra 31,000 units are planned to be delivered during 2015 of which 11,000 are in New Cairo and 19,000 are in the 6th of October. ‘The positive economic outlook arising from the Economic Summit is expected to result in additional investment in the residential sector, strengthening the market further in 2015,’ the report says. During the first quarter of the year some 250 units were completed in Al Rehab City, New Cairo, in addition to 640 units in the Zayed complex, increasing the current supply to around 106,000 units. A further 31 residential developments are expected to complete in the rest of 2015 ten of which will be in the second quarter, adding an extra 30,000 units to the current supply. The report points out that the Palm Hills Development is notable, with five of their developments planned to be delivered in the second quarter alone.

is 8.3 percent above last year’s price and on average it took four months to find a buyer. The gap between new home price and existing home price still remains very wide, however, and according to Lawrence Yun, Nar chief economist; it implies that existing homes provide a relatively better bargain in relation to newly constructed homes. ‘Even though new home sales are rising strongly in percentage terms, they are only at about half

the activity as during the bubble years nearly a decade ago. This implies, first, that today’s strong activity is not likely to be a bubble. Second, there is more room to grow,’ Yun explained. He also pointed out that the median number of months to find a buyer of new homes remains near historic lows. ‘Given the low supply of both existing and new home inventory, as evidenced by low month’s supply of inventory, there is zero concern

over any over production,’ he said. For the year as a whole, new home sales are projected to rise by about 30% in 2015 and then another 20% to 25% in 2016. ‘It’s a good time to be a home builder. If only the banks would make more construction loans or, depending upon your point of view, if there were less financial regulations to permit banks to make more construction loans,’ Yun added.

U.S property

Residential price in SA slows down

gradual slowdown in house price is expected in South Africa in 2014 after rises of 10 percent in 2012 and 2013, according to a new analysis report. Although the demand for quality housing remains high, the expectation of subdued growth in both the South African economy and household disposable income may dampen house price progression, says the report from Fitch Ratings. Meanwhile, banks still have to work out a significant volume of defaulted loans and sell the related properties on the market and

the prospect of a gradual rise in interest rates by the end of 2014, as anticipated by Fitch, adds to the uncertainty on future gains in house prices. ‘Fitch expects nominal housing appreciation to slow down to approximately 6% a year over the next few years, in line with inflation,’ the report says. It also points out that despite the house price gains of 2012 and 2013, housing affordability remains significantly higher than in the pre global economic crisis years of 2006 and 2007. However, only a limited share of the South African population can afford

a mortgage, as reflected by elevated house price to income per capita ratios. Fitch expects housing affordability to remain stable over the next few years, while housing appreciation slows down and the progression in disposable incomes remains subdued. It explains that mortgage rates are generally linked to the prime rate, a reference index that closely follows the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) auction rates. Last reset to 8.5% in the course of 2012, it is at its lowest levels since the middle of the 1970s.

Africa’s growth attracts increased estate investments

n increased numbers of international investors are investigating opportunities in African real estate markets, attracted by the continent’s startling economic and demographic growth prospects, it is claimed. According to a new Africa Report 2015 from international real estate firm Knight Frank, the population of Africa will quadruple to over four billion by 2100, with nearly one billion of these people in Nigeria alone. It argues that could be the single most important demographic trend that will shape the world

over the course of this century and by 2100 nearly 40% of the world’s population will live in Africa, with the large majority of these being in the continent’s fast growing cities. Nigeria is now the largest economy in Africa with GDP estimated at $594.3 billion, followed by South Africa at $341.2 billion and overall Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the world’s most rapidly developing economic regions, and it is projected that 13 of 20 fastest growing global economies over the next five years will be in Africa. According to the report Lu-

anda in Angola has one of the highest prime office rents in the world at US$150 per square meter per month, driven by demand from the oil and gas sector, and an extreme lack of availability. Luanda’s population is forecast to increase by more than 70% from 2010 to 2025 period, while Dar es Salaam, Kampala and Lusaka are expected to double. ‘Allied to strong economic growth, this is creating increased demand for good quality real estate of all types,’ the report says. It also points out that the retail sector has seen a huge increase

in activity as a result of the rise of the urban middle class and the expansion of South African retailers such as Shoprite and Pick n Pay into the rest of Africa. Modern shopping malls are a relatively new concept in much of Africa, but a spate of new malls has been developed in key cities such as Accra and Nairobi. ‘The growth of Africa’s cities and economies will do much to define the global socio-economic landscape over the coming decades,’ said Matthew Colbourne, Knight Frank international research associate. ‘These major long term trends

are driving the construction of high quality real estate across the continent. The most visible demonstration of this is the rise of the modern shopping centre concept in cities such as Nairobi, Lagos and Accra, but there are development opportunities in all property sectors,’ he explained. ‘Large volumes of good quality commercial and residential property are needed to support the continuing African growth story, presenting excellent opportunities for global funds looking to diversify or enter into African markets,’ he added.

Aviation

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NCAA’s autonomy still taunted, nine years after – Stakeholders The performances of the nation’s aviation agencies have overtime been called to question by stakeholders and professionals in the sector. In this analysis, OLUSEGUN KOIKI takes a critical look at the prospects and challenges of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the industry’s regulator.

he Nigerian aviation industry is confronted with several challenges that have made it unable to exhibit real competence and global competitiveness in spite of the obvious potential for growth and improved contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, over the years. Expectedly, at several fora, stakeholders and professionals in the sector have continually noted that aviation industry is internationally regulated and therefore all countries that are signatories to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, standards are expected to operate at acceptable safety standards. In the Ministry of Aviation in Nigeria, there are six agencies; the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, and the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB. The above named agencies have different duties and responsibilities to discharge to their clients especially the airline operators and other users of their services, but several factors have been militating against their growth, which stakeholders and professionals said have not made them to measure up to standards. For instance, NCAA is saddled with the responsibilities of regulating safety of aircraft operations, air navigation and aerodrome operations, monitoring of aircraft operating environment for safety and security and regulating of methods of entry and conduct of air transport business. The agency’s other functions include, balancing the economic interest of operators, users of aviation services as well as the general public and the nation as well as whole and setting of aviation training standards and ap-

Mukhtar Usman

MMA-2

…the issue of multiple entrances to foreign airlines is a political decision. if you look at it from the basis of policies and the fifth freedom right, it is not

supposed to be because the fifth freedom right is there to protect the nation…

proval of training institutions among several others. NCAA, which is regarded as the policeman of the civil aviation industry in Nigeria, attained its autonomy in November 2006. With this autonomy, it is expected that the regulatory agency would operate without much recourse to the ministry, but to the Federal Government. However, despite its autonomous, stakeholders and professionals claimed its performance is far way below expectations. Analysts spoken with said that for the nation’s civil aviation industry to contribute its quota to the development of the country, the new government should take a critical look at the sector and the agencies as a whole, noting that the entire industry was laced with several loopholes that needed to be blocked for improved performances. On NCAA, stakeholders said the growth or otherwise of the sector remained in the hands of the agency. However, analysts said in a bid for NCAA to effectively regulate the industry, the government needed to beef up its operations especially in the area of oversight functions of airline operators while its Director-General should be able to take audacious steps that would propel the sector forward without minding whose ox

is gored. An aviation analyst and publisher of Travel and Business News, Mr. Ewos Iroro, said that the regulatory agency ought to be autonomous, but regretted that despite its claimed autonomy since 2006, the status was yet to show in its entire operations. Iroro observed that a number of its actions are still dependent on the Ministry of Aviation, rather than take recourse to the presidency. He agreed that as an arm of the ministry, NCAA should still be reporting to the ministry of aviation, but insisted that its actions should not be determined by the ministry as it presently obtains. On the issuance of Air Operator’s Certificate, AOC, to intending airlines, Iroro maintained that this was still been influenced by the ministry while safety and policy issues are determined by the ministry. He insisted that political considerations have overtaken policy considerations from the regulatory agency and mentioned the issue of multiple designations to foreign carriers at the expense of local airlines as one of the major issues NCAA was yet to tackle despite its obvious demerit to the nation’s economy and airlines.

He said, “The politics takes interest of the nation, but in many cases as it relates to the civil aviation authority, the political consideration is skewed far more than the policy consideration, which invariably still affects NCAA in the discharge of its duties because in that situation whereby I can’t act because of political consideration somewhere and I am now in a situation where I have to strike a balance between the two as the helmsman of the authority. “This is not a very easy line for anybody to tow because you don’t want to be seen as promoting unsafe practices and you don’t want to be seen as supporting a political agenda of the government. Now, every decision he’s making at all will have to have both considerations in order for him to have what he believes is the middle point. Ideally, that shouldn’t be. Iroro called for political will for the many anomalies in the system to be corrected. Also, an engineer with the defunct national carrier, Mr. Chris Onabambo, identified inadequate technical personnel in NCAA as one of its major challenges. He implored the new administration to tackle this challenge if it truly wanted the agency to perform its role effectively. Reeling out the statistics given by the immediate past minister of aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, Onabambo gave the total staff strength in NCAA as 1, 263 while technical staff were , 202, which represents 16 per cent and non-technical at 1061, representing 84 per cent. He insisted that for an agency that is supposed to train the trainers, the statistics was not good enough for the entire industry. He advised the new government to beef up the technical staff and ensured that all the debts owed the agency by airlines were paid regularly for it to continually carry out training and retraining of its staff as required by the law.

NCAA Logo

Aviation

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

SAHCOL Abuja station scales ISAGO certification hurdle StorieS: oluSegun KoiKi

he Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, SAHCOL, has said that its Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, NAIA, Abuja Station has passed the International Safety Audit for Ground Operations, ISAGO, recently conducted by the International Air Transport Association, IATA. ISAGO audit, which is modelled after the IATA Operational Safety Audit, IOSA, for airlines, is conducted in a standardised and consistent manner, utilising internationally recognised quality auditing principles, aiming to improve safety and cut airline costs by drastically reducing ground accidents and injuries. Media statement by the spokesman of the ground handling company, Mr. Basil Agboarumi stated that the ISAGO certification implied that SAHCOL’s operations at Abuja Airport had now modelled its operations to the ISAGO standards, as a result making a commitment to operate to globally accepted industry best practices. Agboarumi explained that the registration would be valid till January 2017, adding that this was in accordance with the provisions of the

Abuja International Airport

ISAGO Program Manual. The stated further that the registration would cover the operational disciplines of Organisational and Management, ORM, Load Control, LOD, Passenger and Baggage Handling, PAB, Aircraft Handling and loading, HDL, Aircraft Ground Movement, AGM, and Cargo and Mail Handling, CGM. He recalled that SAHCOL’s Lagos Station was first certified in 2011, and recertified in 2013, stressing that the certification of the Abuja Station, now brought to two the number of

SAHCOL stations admitted on the IATA website as an “ISAGO Registered Provider.” The statement added, “The benefits of ISAGO are enormous, amongst which are; elimination of redundant audits, less damage and less audits, uniform audit process and harmonized standards , improved safety oversight , harmonized auditor training and qualifications , improved quality standards as well as the enhancement of the understanding of high risk areas within ground operations.

gos terminal was a written aptitude test for the 20 competitors, which centered on MMA2, and other of its tenants. At the first stage, which was anchored by the popular standup comedian, Basket Mouth, five competitors with lowest scores were dropped, reducing the participants to 15. The second stage was the picking of the contestants with the lowest Joker cards, which further dropped the participants to 10. The third stage was a screen exercise while the fourth and the last stage was the choosing of the right key that would open the Kia Rio. Shobade who eventually picked the right key that opened the car after other four contestants had failed went down on her kneels while tears of joy dropped from her eyes. Commenting on the competition, the Managing Director, BASL, Mr. Christophe Penninck said that 800 contestants started the competition on the social network, Instagram. He explained that after series of tests online, the participants were shortlisted to 20, stressing that more of such innovative programmes would be introduced to participants in the nearest future. He commended the sponsors for participating in the event and

maintained that MMA2 as the first airport private terminal in the country would continue to play its leading roles in the sector. Penninck added that the competition was aimed at further encouraging the general public to embrace available online resources to conduct their businesses and social interactions.

Winner emerges in MMA2KiaRace Instagram competition

winner emerged over the weekend in the Bi-Courtney Aviation Services, BASL, MMA2KIARace Instgram Competition with the star prize champion going home with Kia Rio car. The winner, a 300 Level Business Administration student of the University of Lagos, Miss Scarlet Shobade, led 19 other competitors to win the star prize. Consolation prizes of refrigerators and return tickets to any of the competitors’ choices within the country were also given out to the 19 others by Pepsi and Dana Air respectively. The first stage of the competition, which was held at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Two, MMA2, La-

Owolabi

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

‘This Animal called Man’

he above headline is the title of one of the many books authored by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. The book, which was published by Alf Publications with 385 pages, first came to public glare on January 1, 1998. It talks about rulership and despots in government. The title of this book can conveniently be compared to the brazen and dastardly acts been displayed in the open by military and paramilitary in the Nigerian aviation industry. Civilians are gradually becoming toys in their hands. About three weeks ago, two rank and files in the Nigeria Air Force, NAF, displayed their strength on the protocol and passage staff of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Mohammed Shuaibu by beating him to coma. Till date, nothing has been heard of the show of shame. Last week, it was the turn of an-

That stench at GAT

irports in general are more than where aircraft lands and takes off, where air passengers come to board planes to their destinations. They are supposed to be friendly environments that accommodate all classes of people including tourists. But, the same cannot be said of Nigerian airports with several loopholes and avoidable pitfalls, which have made the environment unfriendly to users. In fact, a healthy person may be admitted in the hospital the next minute simply for coming in close contact with the wrong areas within the nation’s airports. The stench at the car park of the General Aviation Terminal, GAT, of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, MMA, Lagos where we have the

other rank and file in the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, who once again showed their audacity on hapless and armless eight Aviation Security, AVSEC, personnel at the same Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos. The AVSEC personnel were beaten blue and black for carrying out their duties as expected of them. At least five out of the eight personnel are still in hospital at the moment. The Customs personnel though in uniform, but without OnDuty-Card and reflective jackets as required by the law had attempted to force their way into the restricted areas of the airport, which the AVSEC professionals resisted. Airside reminds the military and para-military that airports are supposed to be civil environments and not military. Their prowess should be shown on the deadly Boko Haram insurgents that are equally armed to the teeth like them.

Airport Car Hire Association of Nigeria, ACHAN, is second to none in the sector. The ACHAN operators urinate in the open on the walls within the car park while food sellers too drop their wares in the same unhealthy environment and ironically, people still patronize their market in the same unhealthy place. Airside insists the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, has a lot to do to bring sanity to that aspect of the airport. The act is a disgrace not just to the airport, but to the entire country. Airside advises FAAN to provide mobile toilet facilities for users of the car park especially the ACHAN members whose conducts are gradually slipping away from the hands of their landlord, FAAN.

SAA offers economy passengers upgrade with ‘Step-up’

outh African Airways, SAA, said it has launched a convenient platform for Economy Class travellers to upgrade to Business Class. The airline in a statement from its media consultant in Nigeria stated that upon availability, confirmed Economy Class travellers could simply upgrade to Business Class through price bidding. The airline stated that Economy seat passengers would select the particular amount he or she was willing to pay for upgrade and in not more than 24 hours before flight departure, the airline would duly notify the passenger if the bid has been successful. It added that the passenger’s credit card was charged only when the bid was successful. Commenting on the development, SAA Country Manager, Nige-

ria, Thobi Duma stated that the airline was delighted to offer its passengers a fantastic opportunity to experience luxury travel at its finest. With South African Airways StepUp, she noted a passenger would tell the airline what he was willing to pay to upgrade his or her seat from Economy Class to Business Class. She added, “Once you have obtained confirmed flight tickets, you will be sent an email notifying you about potential availability of seats for upgrades, along with a link to our Step-Up Offer page, where you can start bidding.” SAA Business Class is a combination of factors that results in luxury travel from the lounge access to the priority check-in and boarding; a generous three-piece baggage allowance of 32kg per bag and the comfort in flying with a seat reclining up to 180

degrees lying fully flat for a relaxing journey. To make Business Class travellers experience even more comfortable, SAA provides a duvet and full-size pillow, as well as an amenity bag containing everything to travel in ultimate relaxation. Other Business Class perks include fine dining and superb entertainment. Travellers can look forward to culinary indulgences served with excellent, award-winning South African wines and a wide range of complementary drinks, including champagne. Travellers will also be spoilt for choice with over 100 movies to enjoy from the latest blockbusters to old favourites with access to more than 100 TV features, comedy shows, fun kids’ programming, as well as a wide range of music and games.

Insurance

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Enforcement of group life ‘ll deepen insurance penetration StorieS: MeShack idehen

he Group Managing Director of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi, said enforcement of compulsory insurances like group life assurance cover for employees and the mandatory pension for employees will improve insurance penetration in the country He said however that for the projection to become realistic insurers needed to play their roles more effectively. He said: “With the inception of national insurance culture by the enactment of Insurance Act no 1 of 2003 and the pension reform Act 2004 and 2014, insurance consciousness and penetration will improve with the enforcement of compulsory insurances like group life assurance cover for employees and the mandatory pension for employees both in the public sector, organised private sector and even the unorganised private sector including the self-employed. “Much as pension scheme has been removed from the control of the tra-

ditional custodian what is left for insurers is to contribute our quota to the successful management of pension scheme by advising on areas of short comings and commending positive steps in the right direction,” Ogunbiyi added. He noted that the pension scheme was removed from insurers’ custody not due to frauds, inefficiency nor inadequacy but because it is never imagined that the Nigerian insurers could ever be able to pool paid-up share capital of up to N5 billion or ever have annual turnover of N25 billion. “Though belated, insurance companies now have paid-up capital in excess of N5 billion, turn over in excess of N25 billion and asset base of over N50 billion. By continuous constructive engagements, insurer inescapable position shall be surely appreciated,” he said. Ogunbiyi explained that insurers’ advertisement through bill boards, radio jingles and television programmes will accelerate insurance acceptance, deepen pension practice and the spread of insur-

Ogunbiyi

ance benefits to all. The Mutual Benefits boss said that purposes of pension practice is to guarantee a comfortable retirement life after years of active work or professional practice; the assurance that the standard of life previously enjoyed prior to retirement is sustained without any appreciable deterioration; as well as the purpose of ensuring individuals independence from constituting a burden on the state, community or relatives after retirement.

NCRIB ‘ll continue to place premium on professionalism, says Shoderu

he President of the Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, (NCRIB), Mr Ayodapo Shoderu, has said that the Council would continue to place premium on professionalism in insurance broking practice to ensure that the trust in the industry

Shoderu

is sustained. Speaking during the 2015 Fellows’ Day and award of fellows in Lagos, he said that the enforcement of standards had always come with its pains, saying the good news is that the result will ultimately be to the benefit of all. He clarified: “My take is that there can never be an alternative way to maintain respect or be dignified in the comity of other professionals if we jettison professionalism and ethical standard which are pivots of our operation. “What distinguishes a professional body from a mere trade group is the fact that members in a professional setting meet certain prescribed professional standards and have the resolve to continually update their skills to

meet contemporary challenges.” According to him, the Council’s Board of Fellows had put in place stringent conditions and was meticulous in the course of assessing and recommending the successful candidates, adding that it was the first time that prospective Fellows would be required to present thesis as a prerequisite for Fellowship admission. “Aside from aligning with contemporary standards in other notable professional bodies’ policies, the exercise greatly exposes the professional and academic potentials of the applicants, projecting them as rounded professionals. I like to affirm that this new initiative has now been approved as an extant condition for admission of Fellows henceforth,” Shoderu said.

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How to file for fire insurance claims

osing your home and personal belongings to a fire is a devastating experience. The last thing you want is your homeowners’ insurance company giving you a hard time regarding your claim. Here are some tips to follow when dealing with your homeowners’ insurance company regarding fire insurance claims. Ask for an advance against your ultimate fire insurance claim– If you were forced to evacuate due to the dangerous conditions, you may not have grabbed essentials like toiletries or clothes for school and work. Some of these things may have even been completely lost in the fire. Don’t panic. Call your insurance company and ask that someone bring a check to wherever you are staying. That way you can go purchase your necessities without having to wait for your ultimate insurance coverage. Make a list of everything you’ve lost and do not throw anything away– You will want to make a list of everything you lost in the fire. This can take some time and reflection from everyone in your household. You want to be sure to start making this list as soon as you can so that you are able to remember to include everything lost by the time you file

your fire insurance claim. Be sure not to throw anything away. File your claim right away and press the insurance company to act ASAP– Insurance policies require policyholders to file their fire insurance claims as soon as possible. Call your homeowners’ insurance agent immediately to get the process started. The insurance company will require you to submit a “proof of loss claim”. This is the form on which you include all of the items you lost, including their value. Your prompt action is especially important if there were many other homeowners affected by the fire. If you don’t act immediately, you could fall to the bottom of the list of policyholders who have fire insurance claims, and it could be a long time before the adjuster reaches you. Secure your property to mitigate damage – The insurance company will require you to take reasonable care of your property. Therefore, be sure that you secure your property from further damage. If something is a total loss, of course, this is unnecessary. However, where only one section of your home is damaged, be sure to take proactive measures in preventing further damage. Source:realestate.findlaw.com

AIO suspends insurance firms

frican Insurance Organisation (AIO) has suspended some insurance firms from its activities due to their alleged failure to pay membership subscription fees for three consecutive years. Some of the affected entities are, Unic Insurance Plc, T.A. Braithwaite and Alexander Forbes. According to the AIO, the Nigerian insurance firms were among the 10 companies suspended by the organisation during its recent annual general assembly in Tunisia. Other companies placed on suspension are, Allianz Cameroun Assurances (Cameroon), Generale de Courtage (Guinea), Phoenix of East Africa (Kenya), Lesotho National Insurance Company (Lesotho), Oakhurst Insurance (South Africa), Blue Nile Insurance Company Limited (Egypt) and Milliman Co. Dubai (United Arab Emirates). The organisation also disclosed that letters and notice had earlier been sent to the affected companies

but they still refused to pay the required subscription fees. It also announced that two Nigerian based firms, Femi Johnson & Co and Riskguard Africa have voluntarily withdrawn their membership of the organisation, saying in line with its membership drive that the organisation has admitted five new members from Bahrain, Benin, Rwanda, South Africa and Togo. The AIO has disclosed that Morocco will be hosting the 43rd AIO Conference in May 2016 as approved by the organisation’s general assembly following the Board’s approval of the bid submitted by the country to host the conference. Director General of Moroccan Federation of Insurance and Reinsurance Companies, Mr Bachir Baddou, who gave the indication that his country was ready to host the conference, made a presentation about the Moroccan insurance market and Morocco during the sessions of the executive committees and the general assembly of the last conference.

Insurance

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Operators, policy holders grappling with rising costs of claims The rising costs associated with the payments of claims and compensations to insurance policy holders in Nigeria is believed to be taking huge toll on operators’ businesses. This situation, experts say will compel many insurers to reassess their business operations and strategies, MESHACK IDEHEN writes.

or the nation’s insurance sector which some analysts say is well noted for its annual below par performance with regards to contributions to national economic growth, the sector’s current challenges which will bother largely on the financial illiquidity of insurance firms and their capacity to meet obligations to clients is already putting the sector to some serious test. This development is even more alarming, when consideration is given to the understanding that insurance companies paid over N23.5 billion to flood and fire victims alone, as claims in four major flood and fire disasters recorded in some parts of the country in the last few years. Former President of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, (CIIN), Dr. Wole Adetimehin, told journalists recently that in a particular year and if there are huge losses, it can lead to the destabilisation of the insurance pool. He said after a major disaster that insurance companies are expected to do an upward review of the premiums in the highly risky policies attracting heavy claims, adding that claims experience over some years would help in determining if a particular class of insurance was good or not; and if the rate should be reviewed upward or downward in order to guarantee the survival and prosperity of the sector. According to an industry expert, Mr Obasi Ngwuta, anxieties over long term survival of the insurance sector in Nigeria and on the continent due to losses incurred and payouts made usually arising from huge but legitimate claims, is borne out of recurring experiences that operators have had to shoulder, albeit silently.

Nicon Insurance house

Onaolapo

Adetimehin

such magnitude though rarely

experienced, can shake and have disruptive effects on the industry when they occur, and can disturb the pool of funds from the contributions of other policy holders Giving insight into some of the huge claims and compensations that the insurance sector have grappled or still grappling with, Ngwuta said some insurers not too long ago were asked to pay N7bn to Dangote Sugar Refinery Company Plc, after the sugar producing firm was razed by fire. He explained that the fund was to mitigate the heavy loss the company suffered from the disaster. Ngwuta said such huge

claims when paid by insurance firms usually have a way of affecting both the insurance firm and the sector by extension and the economy, adding that other major claims and compensation already paid constitute a source of anxiety to operators. Even as some segments of the insurance and aviation sectors remember three years of the Dana air crash, the insurance

expert also estimated total claims from that sad incident at about N5 billion, explaining further that Prestige Assurance Plc that led a consortium of insurance firms to insure the Dana aircraft would certainly feel the financial implications in the immediate or long term. He added that the almost N1billion that has so far been paid by the insurance company to the relations of the deceased will take its toll on the company’s operations, irrespective of whether the firm admits it or not, and that the situation could take a long time to improve, because others are still trying to process the necessary documents to facilitate the payments, three years after the events. On his part, Mr. Isaac Ameh, while making reference to the floods, which ravaged most parts of Lagos and other parts of the country in 2011, 2012 and 2013 causing colossal damage in its wake, said that claims by a r milk producing company totalling N3.5 billion was also a heavy burden the insurance sector is grappling with. Ameh explained that few years back about seven insurance companies also settled an interim claim of close to N8bn to the Nigerian Bottling Company for the damage done to its plant at Eyaen near Benin City, Edo State due to a fire incidence. He lamented: “such magnitude though rarely experienced, can shake and have disruptive effects on the industry when they occur, and can disturb the pool of funds from the contributions of other policy holders”. The industry expert also pointed out that ingenious ways must be devised by relevant and critical stakeholders so that legitimate claims do not run the sector aground, due to the ungrounded nature of the industry in the country. The Managing Director of Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, Mr Wale Onaolapo, said insurance customers were getting better informed by the day on insurance products, saying losses which ordinarily would have been borne by customers are now being transferred to insurance companies, and that insurance will continue to play a prominent role in the economic development of any nation, including Nigeria. He stressed that individuals and corporate bodies would always have the opportunity to transfer the risks associated with their businesses to the sector, no matter the present or envisioned challenges, including those of inadequate liquidity and capacity. “Having abiding faith in the insurance industry guarantees the continuity of business activities and gives confidence to the players in the business sector, knowing full well that if any loss should occur, the company will be compensated by the insurance companies”, Onaolapo said

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Money

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CBN, DMBs intensify agric sector lending drive The recent amendment of the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme’s, CACS’, guidelines by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and renewed interest by Deposit Money Banks DMBs to provide increased credit to agricultural sector is seen by analysts as a healthy development for the economy. UDO ONYEKA reports.

he revision of the guidelines of the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, CACS by the Central Bank of Nigeria, few weeks ago, has shown the interest the apex bank is placing on the agric sector growth. The amendment which is contained in a circular signed by Director, Financial Policy and Regulatory Department, CBN, Mr. Kelvin Amugo, is to position to scheme more than ever before contribute to the growth of the agric sector and the economy in general. According to the circular, the scheme is to fast track development of the agricultural sector by providing credit facility to commercial agricultural enterprises at single digit interest. “The revision of the guidelines was to sustain public interest in the scheme and enhance its operations”, the CBN stated. The revision affects Sections 8.0 and 17.0 (b) (IV), which provides that payment of interest on CACS facilities should not be beyond nine per cent, adding that the nine per cent must be inclusive of all charges. It added that the charges should be shared in the ratio of seven per cent to the participating banks and two per cent to the CBN. It also stated that Section 8.0 Sub-section (ii) of the CACS guidelines had been amended accordingly to reflect the revised interest sharing ratio, adding that the revised fee sharing formula will take effect from April 29. “Funds shall be released to the participating banks at two per cent rate after a confirmation of its intent/readiness to disburse the funds. “Participating banks and the banking public are enjoined to note that the revised guidelines dated April 29, supersedes the previous ones,” it added. Findings have shown that DMBs are eager to continue to partner with the apex bank in the scheme, even more than they have done in the past. The CBN recently disclosed that credit it released under the CACS since 2010 to the participating banks for disbursement stood at N272.36bn. The apex bank’s economic report for February 2015 stated that the amount was disbursed by 20 commercial banks for 351 projects. According to the report, a total of N135.5m was guaranteed to 5,008 farmers under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, ACGS. The amount represented an increase of 55.1 and 3.1 per cent above the levels in the preceding month and the corresponding period of 2014, respectively. The sub- sectoral analysis showed that food crops obtained the largest share of N877.3m ,77.3 per cent, guaranteed to 3,933 beneficiaries, livestock had N112.3m ,9.9 per cent, guaranteed to 306 beneficiaries, Fisheries sub-sector got N62.3m ,5.5 per cent, guaranteed to 185 beneficiaries, and mixed crop received N49.3m ,4.3 per cent, guaranteed to

CBN Gov, Emefiele

UBA GMD, Oduoza

If you can get agrIculture to become more productIve, you wIll be better posItIoned to tackle the scourge of poverty In the contInent 255 beneficiaries. Apart from participating in the CACS scheme DMBs have lately focus on agric financing, a development analysts say is the way forward for the economy. The CBN and deposit money banks in Nigeria, under the aegis of the Bankers’ Committee have restated their commitment to expanding bank lending in agro-business in order to discourage importation of goods that can be produced locally. The committee at a meeting two months ago in Lagos affirmed their commitment to financial deepening of the economy, improving financial access to key sectors of the economy, innovative solutions for the critical finance of generation, provide finance for small and medium enterprises, among others. “We note that four basic commodities that are consumed by Nigerians – rice, wheat, fish and sugar jointly account for a significant amount of the country’s annual import bill. We are convinced that the nation has the capacity to produce these consumables in required amounts to meet our domestic consumption needs. With its attendant impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and job creation, agriculture remains a critical focus sector of the financial system,” the committee had stated recently. Group Managing Director, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Emeka Emuwa, had urged support to make agriculture more productive to end the scourge of poverty in the country and on the African continent. He spoke at the International Conference organised by the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, AFRACA sponsored by the bank. Emuwa at that forum advised African nations to redouble their efforts to make agri-

culture more productive. “If you can get agriculture to become more productive, you will be better positioned to tackle the scourge of poverty in the continent. It is unfortunate that there has been a decline in the sector due to the emergence of other economic sectors in Africa,” he said. Citing Nigeria, Emuwa told the conference participants that the emergence of oil and gas sector stunted the agricultural sector. According to him, Union Bank has been supporting agriculture over the years, stressing that in the current financial year; Union Bank will be engaging directly with farmers in order to have a deep understanding of the entire segments of the business so as to inject more funds than have been invested in the past. “We will continue to invest in agriculture. In the past years, agriculture has played a significant part in our business but we want to look at the entire value chain more intently. We want to engage with the rural farmers directly and not just from policy level”, he emphasised. Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank Limited, FCMB, Mr. Ladi Balogun, at a recent event in Lagos assured that FCMB will intensify its support to the agricultural sector and its value chain, including lending more to the subsector in the interest of the economy. He said chief the bank is focused having a strategic partnership with the government and other stakeholders in the agric sector to ensure food sufficiency, employment and revenue generation. Balogun said the lender will continue to provide credit to the sector and its value chain, including small and medium scale

President, All Farmers Association, Lagos chapter, Oke

businesses. United Bank for Africa, UBA, has also keyed into the programme. Its Managing Director Philips Oduoza, said the bank has continued to channel resources to the sector because it remains the mainstay of most economies in Africa. “UBA has a deliberate policy to continue to fund agriculture. Our lending to the sector is already above the industry average. We are doing about seven per cent of our total portfolio in agriculture,” he said. He noted that banks’ lending to agriculture is generally on the upward swing, he said that banking sector funding to agriculture has moved from just about 0.5 per cent of total industry portfolio prior to 2009 to about 4.9 per cent of banking industry loan book currently. “Interestingly, the non-performing loans coming from agriculture lending is lower than most people would have thought,” he said. Also experts have said that the agric sector has the largest potential to diversify the country’s economy, create jobs, ensure food security and expand foreign exchange earnings. An economist and Managing Director of CMC Group, Eniola Olagbe said the continuous decline of the international oil prices will affect Nigeria’s fiscal management and there have been strings of responses from major stakeholders, including leading firms and major contributors to the country’s GDP. According to him, the shift in government policy, towards emphasizing agricultural transformation from subsistence to agribusiness in the country is encouraging and a welcome development. “Although, a larger percent of African youths still believe Agriculture is a primitive vocation meant for the uneducated rural peasant engulfed in a vicious cycle of poverty and not what a young person should practice, it is gradually changing,” he said while adding that the number of youths in the agricultural sector is increasing in comparison to the past, when youths shied away from agriculture because of the drudgery.

Global Business

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

cement grip on Wal-Mart G7 summit: Obama and Merkel Waltons with new chairman firm on Russia sanctions W

resident Barack Obama and Chancellor Angela Merkel held talks as the G7 summit of economic powers began in southern Germany. Moscow is the target of European Union and US sanctions over its role in support of Ukrainian rebels. Russia has been excluded from what was previously known as the G8, since the annexation of Crimea last year. The West accuses Russia of sending military forces into eastern Ukraine to help the rebels - a charge echoed by analysts. Moscow denies this, saying any Russian soldiers there are volunteers. As he arrived in the Bavarian Alps, Mr. Obama said G7 leaders would discuss “standing up to Russian aggression” in Ukraine. G7 leaders will also be discussing Greece and climate change The White House issued a statement after Mr. Obama’s talks with Mrs. Merkel, saying: “The duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to Russia’s full implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty.” Germany, Britain and the US want an agreement to offer support to any EU member state tempted to withdraw backing for the sanctions on Moscow, which are hurting the Russian economy. Last September’s Minsk accord, involving Russia, pro-Russian rebels

and the Ukrainian government, included the establishment of a 30km (19-mile) buffer zone between the two sides. But fighting has intensified in recent weeks. In the latest incident, two Ukrainian coastguards were injured when a blast ripped through their patrol boat in the port of Mariupol, though the exact circumstances remain unclear. The European Union’s President of the Council of Ministers, Donald Tusk, signalled a toughening of sanctions in a statement at the G7. “If anyone wants to start a debate about changing the sanctions regime, the discussion could only be about strengthening it.” UK Prime Minister David Cameron said he was hopeful that there would be a united front to ensure that sanctions were “rolled over” despite admitting that “sanctions are having an impact on all of us”. EU sanctions are due to expire at the end of July. UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond echoed concerns about wider Russian military pressure in an interview with the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show. But, when asked if the US should redeploy intermediaterange nuclear missiles in Europe, Mr Hammond said the West had a “delicate act to perform”.

Obama

“We’ve got to send a clear signal to Russia that we will not allow them to transgress our red lines. At the same time we have to recognise that the Russians do have a sense of being surrounded and under attack, and we don’t want to make unnecessary provocations.” Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia was not a threat and had “other things to worry about”. He told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera: “Only an insane person and only in a dream can imagine that Russia would suddenly attack Nato. The two leaders then sat down to a traditional Bavarian meal of sausages and beer in the sunshine. Greece’s debt crisis and how to tackle global warming will also be on the agenda.

Boeing predicts strong air traffic, plane sales

oeing Co (BA.N) said it expects airline passenger traffic to rise more than 6 percent in 2015, possibly close to 6.5 per cent, above its long-range forecast of about five per cent. The world’s largest plane maker said it still expects to book firm orders for at least 750 new airplanes this year, though it has booked only 136 net orders so far in 2015. “We’ve got work to do,” to hit the order target, Randy

Boeing aircraft

Tinseth, Boeing vice president of marketing, said in a series of briefings ahead of the Paris Airshow that starts June 15. “We have a lot of things in the pipeline,” he added, referring to potential orders. “We’re on plan.” Boeing’s forecast is in line with actual growth in air travel. Figures released by the International Air Traffic Association (IATA) on Thursday show worldwide passenger traffic rose 6.3 per cent in the first four

months of 2015 compared with the same period last year. Boeing said 2014 growth was six per cent. Orders and traffic growth are carefully watched by investors in Boeing and European rival Airbus (AIR.PA). The stocks of both companies have languished in recent weeks amid concern that the companies will not be able to keeping booking the record-setting orders they have in recent years. Boeing’s widely watched forecast suggests that 160 million additional passengers will fly this year, and equates to a need for 900 new aircraft, not counting replacements, Tinseth said. Airbus and Boeing combined expect to deliver more than 1,300 new aircraft this year. Tinseth said Boeing expects cargo traffic to rise about five per cent, and that should help the company sell more of its 747-8 freighters. IATA said cargo traffic rose 4.3 per cent in the first four months of 2015, compared with the same period of 2014.

al-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) named the son-in-law of chairman Rob Walton as his successor on Friday, cementing the founding family’s influence over the retailer as shareholders defeated a measure calling for an independent director to lead the board. Some investors, including large pension funds, had been pushing for a chairman without ties to the Waltons, Wal-Mart’s founding family. They argued that the company needed stricter oversight after a bribery scandal involving its Mexico operations surfaced three years ago. The proposal calling for an independent board chairman garnered 16 percent of voted shares, slightly more than a similar measure last year. But as expected the Waltons, who own around 51 per cent of WalMart’s shares, and their supporters easily voted it down. Greg Penner, 45, took over as chairman from Rob Walton as of the end of Friday’s annual shareholders’ meeting in Fayetteville, Arkansas, near where the world’s largest retailer was founded nearly 53 years ago. Penner joined the family through his marriage to the granddaughter of founder Sam Walton. Walton died in 1992.

Wal-Mart said Penner, a former Goldman Sachs analyst whose roles in the retailer have included a senior position at the online business and as chief financial officer in Japan, brought strong operational experience in addition to his family ties. “His experience and background are going to help us as a company move into the future,” Doug McMillon, Wal-Mart’s chief executive officer, said at a media briefing, citing Penner’s knowledge of its China business as another asset. The shareholder proposal had the support of both major proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis, as well as some big investors, including the manager of $160 billion of New York City pension funds.

Walton

Oil prices volatile after Opec maintains output level

il prices have fallen sharply Crude oil prices were volatile after ministers from the Opec cartel decided to hold production levels at 30 million barrels per day. Brent crude traded in a narrow range around $62 a barrel, before ending the day up 1.8 per cent at $63.15. West Texas Intermediate, or light sweet crude, was similarly indecisive, falling before recovering to about $58.9 a barrel, up 1.4 per cent. Oil prices had fallen five per cent over the previous two sessions. Investors had worried that Opec

Oil platform

might increase supply, thereby pushing prices down - oil prices have fallen about 45 per cent over the past year. But Opec urged member countries to adhere to the production ceiling. Qatar’s Minister of Energy and Industry said: “We have witnessed much volatility in the global oil industry.” Mohammed Bin Saleh al-Sada said the markets have seen continued oversupply. Opec has 12 member countries that between them sit on 80 per cent of the world’s oil reserves and produce about a third of the world’s oil exports.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NSE rakes in N7.95bn income in 2014

… transactions cost, other fees spur rise

On reviewing

J ohnson o kanlawon

he total income of the Nigerian Stock Exchange rose 47.6 per cent to N7.95 billion for the financial year ended 2014, up from the N5.40 billion earned in the preceding year. Specifically, the Exchange earned 52 per cent of the total income from transaction fees, while listing fees, entrance levy and other fees stood at 19 per cent, five per cent and six per cent respectively. Further analysis showed that interest income was seven per cent, while other income stood at 11 per cent. National Mirror investigation showed that stockbrokers’ collection fees is 0.75 per cent, while the NSE fees and the Securities and Exchange Commission fees is 0.3 per cent, from 2.75 per cent as at 2000 financial year. The removal of Value Added Tax, VAT, and contract stamp charges by the Federal Government drastically reduced charges in equity market. In the bond market, the transaction fees has also reduced to N7.00 per 1 million shares traded. Reacting to the fees, the Managing Director of Lambert Securities Limited, a stockbroking firm, said the transaction fees is very minimal, as a component of investment. Comparing the fees to the other major markets like the United States of America, he noted that Nigeria’s fees

transactiOn cOsts acrOss glObal

markets, we nOte that transactiOn cOst appears highest in

ghana,

fOllOwed by

nigeria, while the United states (Us) has the least transactiOn cOst with nO charges On stOck trades is much higher. He added that low confidence in the market is not because of the higher transaction fees, but the macroeconomic policy of the government, including poor earnings of major companies. Some market operators argued that given the fact the regulators got money from registration, penalties and others, they ought to receive very minimal commission on secondary market transactions. Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited had said that the relatively

NSE CEO, Oscar Onyema

NASD Plc MD, Bola Ajomale

high costs of transactions on the NSE called for concern to investors particularly at the retail segment of the market with such charges as the stamp duty still being charged on every transaction, which takes place on an electronic platform. “On reviewing transaction costs across global markets, we note that transaction cost appears highest in Ghana, followed by Nigeria, while the United States (US) has the least transaction cost with no charges on stock trades. “ Hence, lower cost of transaction appears consistent with the level of market development and by implication, market efficiency, as costs are lower in US, China, India and South Africa which are more developed compared with the Nigerian and Ghanaian

markets,” they said. The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema said the Exchange plans to focus on strengthening relationship with key stakeholders and ensuring effective compliance with relevant laws, SEC regulations, and safeguarding the Exchange’s reputation and strategic objectives. According to him, the Exchange recently implemented a compliance framework which outlines the regulatory environment within which the Exchange operates and manages its compliance policies. Additionally, he said the framework sets out expectations of each employee with regards to complying with set policies, procedures and code of ethics of the Exchange, both in an individual capacity and at the corporate level.

Unlisted securities: Cordros, Vetiva top performance rating J ohnson o kanlawon

ordros Securities Limited remains top in the value of shares traded on the NASD Over The Counter, OTC, market last week, accounting for N419 million of the value traded. The NASD Plc. provides trading platforms where all instruments not listed on a traditional exchange, registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission, can be traded through licensed stockbroking houses. It also provides a regulated marketplace for OTC transactions, an avenue for shareholders to trade shares of unlisted public companies and a centralised source of information and price discovery on unlisted public companies. Arthur Steven Asset Man-

agement Limited followed with N407.9 million, while Valmon Securities Limited traded shares valued at N334.0 million. Nigerian International Securities Limited traded shares valued at N308.9 million. Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers emerged fifth on the value table with N266.7 million, but was named among top three top companies on the brokers performance chart in terms of the value of their various transactions on the bourse in the first five months of the year. The information, which was contained in the brokers performance report for the period covering January to May showed that 10 top broking firms accounted for N607 billion, representing 66.92 per cent of the total transactions for the period under review.

Stanbic IBTC Stockbroker transactions value between January and May was put at N130.353 billion, representing 14.38 per cent of the value of the total transactions for the five month period. In terms of performance, Stanbic IBTC was trailed by Rencap Securities, with a total transaction of N108. 632 billion representing a 11.98 per cent of the total transactions for the period. Next in terms of the value of transactions was CSL Stockbrokers, which pulled transactions worth N108.150 billion, representing 11.93 per cent of the total value of sale of equities for the period. The broker’s performance report also showed that top 10 stockbroking firms were responsible for the sale of 45.610 billion shares, which repre-

sents a 51.12 per cent of the total transactions on the exchange in the first five months of the year. Top on the list was CSL Stockbrokers, which handled shares 9.484 billion, representing 10.63 per cent of the total transactions. It was followed in ranking by Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers with 7.812 billion shares or 8.75 per cent of the volume of the shares that changed hands within the period under review. In the third position was Rencap Securities and the volume of its transactions within the review period was put at 7.743 billion shares. The equities trading maintained a mixed performance so far in the year, recording a year-to-date return of 3.4 per cent, reflecting this almost parallel performance.

Analysts at DLM Securities Limited, an investment firm, said the domestic equities traded in a choppy pattern las week even as the All Share Index struggled to chieve a sustained advance without a corresponding decline. “In our view, we believe the investment community is prepared for a possible further weakening in equity prices in the absence of a catalyst,” the firm added. Consequently, most sectoral indices retreated on the week led by oil and gas with 460 points, Banking, 402 points and Insurance, 213 points. On the other hand, the firm noted the demand for stocks in the Industrial sector, as the lead indicator recorded negative return of 1.88 per cent last week while market capitalization shed N167.37 billion.

Features

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

One week after, visitors still lay siege to Jonathan's Otuoke home

Goodluck Jonathan

OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

he sky look misty and cloudy as the rains prepares to fall down, movement of vehicles and persons also become hasty and faster. Most resident of Otuoke, the sleepy home town of former President Goodluck Jonathan go about their normal activities of the day oblivious of the many visitors who tried to run and hide in any available shelter to shield them from the rain as the heavens opens up its belly. With frustration clearly written on their faces, (men and women), the visitors mill around the gate of the palatial mansion which is now the abode of former President, Goodluck Jonathan and the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan after eight years at the nation’ s seat of power. Many of them have travelled to Otuoke as far as from Abuja, Nassarawa, Lagos and far North and now united by a common cause to see the former President to curry one favour or the other. A woman almost engaged the soldiers in a fist cuff as she tried to bulldoze her way into the compound, saying she has a message from God for the former No One citizens in the country. Workers were seen still trying to put finishing touches to the wall fence while a moving tractor tried to pull away some of the debris from the still on-going construction at the palatial building.

Patience Jonathan

Security men including soldiers, men of the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, guard the gate jealously, though not fiercely as before but they were not letting anyone without authorization go near the gate. Prior to Thursday when this reporter visited the town, there was no electricity and the situation has not changed as most of the activities were been run on generator. The residents have also frowned at a situation where the former President has failed to attend to them six days after returning back. Many of them stay back at their homes after their failed attempts to have audience with the former President and his wife. Most of them though refuse to speak immediately they know you are a journalist, still the frustration of the former President’s refusal to see them and perhaps part with a few gifts from Abuja. A motor cyclist who spoke on condition of anonymity after this reporter ‘s failed attempt to see the Community Development Committee, CDC, chairman and the youth President, said the people of the town have resigned to fate. He said some of them were expecting some kind of gift or even some of motivation from the former No 1, but they were left disappointed after the waiting at the gate for days. He said mothers have now warned their wards to go close to the mansion, since their own son has refused to see them af-

THEY GAVE US FOOD TO EAT, THEY GAVE US HOTEL

ACCOMMODATION, THREE OF US BUT TWO HAVE LEFT IN

FRUSTRATION, I AM THE ONLY ONE LEFT

NOW BUT I AM BROKE AND NEED MONEY TO SURVIVE NOW AND EVEN TO GO BACK HOME, AS THE LITTLE MONEY I

HAD ON ME HAS BEEN SPENT ter the warm welcome they gave him on his return. According to him, "it is only those with big cars that are allowed to see him, those of us who are commoners and villagers dare not go close to the gate. We lay in wait for many days and when it became obvious that he did not want to see us, we left and I am not sure anybody from the town will go there again.

Apart from pockets of politicians and relatives who lay siege to the gate of the mansion, another group of people are the trekkers, the artistes, some freelance journalists looking for news or perhaps hand out. One of the trekkers, Mohammed Isa, who said he trekked from Lagos to Abuja to honour the former President, said he has been there for five days now at Otuoke, to see him but met a very tight security which has prevented him from entering. He said, "I have been here for five days now and I have been trying to see him but the security is tight, I have thought that it will be easier for me to see him here than in Abuja but wrong I was but there is still hope as one of the aide assured me he will tell him that I am here. "They gave us food to eat, they gave us hotel accommodation, three of us but two have left in frustration, I am the only one left now but I am broke and need money to survive now and even to go back home as the little money I had on me has been spent." Also speaking as an artiste, Ambi Diala, who said he came all the way from Abuja to present the former President with a giant size portrait he did in his honour, equally corroborated the words of the trekker, saying he was frustrated and need to see the former President. I have been here since Saturday (last week) but unfortunately I have been unable to access the President, the protocol to see him is very unwelcoming here, we thought it will be easier here than in Abuja but I have met a brick wall, we have not been giving the reception we thought we will get here." "With all the work we did in appreciation of the work he did, the transformation agenda and so many other things; because we live in the north and we know how they were preparing to slaughter all of us if he has refused the victory of Buhari . All the religious extremist were ready to slaughter us but immediately he congratulated Buhari, the tension doused down and all of us were able to open our shop again. He is a great man worthy to honour and that is why we are here but unfortunately it has been very difficult." He lamented that he has been staying in a hotel for six days and said he was more frustrated when some of Jonathan' colleagues who could have helped him get across to him has dumped him and the party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress, APC. Though the former President may have refused to attend to the commoners and to his people, the gainers perhaps are the shop owners, restaurants and fast food joints, hotels and commercial motorcyclists for it has been business boom for them. Most hotels in the sleepy town are now fully booked for people who lay in wait for the former President at his palatial mansion while traffics to the town has increased. The Magels Resort hotel owned by the First Lady, Patience Goodluck, was fully booked, just as the Sir Ariolo restaurants and so many other restaurants have full compliments of customers as a result of the increased influx of people to the town.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

How Amosun defeated PDP-led federal government over Ogun land FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

or concerned citizens the legal tussle between Ogun state government and the federal government on a disputed land has re-defined the judicial position on land matters where interests of the state and federal governments are in opposition. The bone of contention was the demolition by the Ibikunle Amosun led administration in Ogun, of a structure belonging to the National Assembly Public Complaints Commission (PCC), a Federal Government agency in Abeokuta and the arena was the Federal High Court sitting in Oke - Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital in suit number FHC/AB/CS/34/2015. The commission, headed by Hon. 'Wale Ogunbanjo, a one time House of Representatives member representing Ijebu - Ode/ Odoogbolu federal constituency under the platform of the PDP had dragged the Ibikunle Amosun government to court, seeking redress for what he termed "an illegal demolition" of the PCC property which it acquired since 1977. It had been expected that with the federal might and a miscalculated expectation that PDP led administration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan would not only retain the centre, but also uproot Amosun's APC government in Ogun. But in a twist of fate, the two calculations of the PCC and all its allied forces failed to clinch back the central power. This however, gave the first technical victory to Amosun and psychological defeat to the commission over the case instituted against the APC governor and two others in Ogun. Aside form the PDP's failure to return to power in Abuja, the Federal High Court siting in Abeokuta, the state capital eventually threw away the case over lack of diligent prosecution resulting in improper filling of documents and wrong service. Prior to the dismissal of the case by the Federal High Court, it probably never occurred to leadership of the Public Complaint Commission that it has lost the matter right from the outset going by its failure to develop the property allocated to it by same Ogun state government during the Chif Bisi Onabanjo administration whose tenure came to an end in 1983. This may be in consonance with a standing policy of the Ogun state government that beneficiaries of the state government land allocation must develop such within a specific given period or have such revoked. This could however, be the rationale why some agents of the Ogun State Ministry of Urban, Regional Development and Physical Planning on Wednesday March 4th, 2015 went to the cite and pulled down the building that would have served as the headquarters of the PCC in the state. Addressing journalists over the demolition exercise, the Deputy Director of the Commission, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi described the exercise as premeditated demolition. Adeyemi claimed that PCC had on Tuesday 3rd of March, 2015 received two letters from the Abeokuta Central Zonal Planning Office, ordering the agency to stop the ongoing construction work as well as another contravention notice and wondered why the

Sen. Ibikunle Amosun

NO DOUBT, THE FEDERAL PUBLIC COMPLAINTS COMMISSION SHALL SEEK THE INTERVENTION OF THE COURT OF LAW FOR REDRESS AS THE OPTION REMAINS THE BEST FOR US IN THE CIRCUMSTANCE state government would embark on such demolition, barely 24-hours after the Commission received letters from its agency. Meanwhile, National Mirror reliably gathered that the parcel of land was allocated by the administration of late Chief Bisi Onabanjo (1979 - 1983) to the commission with the purpose of erecting office structure on it within a given reasonable period. But acting on a tip-off that the state government was planning to revoke its allocation over the failure of the federal agency to effect development on the land for more than 30 years, PCC hurriedly went ahead in year 2014 and erected the perimeter fence on the land. In March 2015 also, the commission continued its construction before agents of the state government however, stopped it. Sensing that a mole may have leaked the government's intention to the leadership of the commission however, the governor, Ibikunle Amosun allegedly gave an order, directing the state's Ministry of Urban, Regional Development and Physical Planning (MURDPP) to pull down the structure. Governor Amosun was said to have told the leadership of the commission to take their minds off the land, stressing that they should apply afresh if indeed they need a land to build a state headquarters. But the Deputy Director of the Commission, Adeyemi said that the state government initially claimed that the parcel of land was lying on the Federal Enclave which was set aside for all federal government agencies for developmental purposes. “Initially, they claimed that the parcel of land belongs to the state government. I informed them that the land in question be-

longs to the Commission and that the land had been allocated by the administration of the late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo to the Federal Government and it is being called Federal Enclave". “The problem began when we erected a perimeter fence sometimes last year and this was pulled down by this same agency of the state government. With this development, we wrote series of letters to the DirectorGeneral of Lands and Survey". “Other federal governments agencies on the Master Plan included Federal Audit Department, Federal Information Centre, Nigeria Bank for Commerce and Industries, among others.” Frankly unaware of what fate had in store for him over the presidential and governorship election, Amosun knew that the commission wanted to play politics with him on the issue of the land, hence his resolve to relocate the federal agency "by force, by fire" to another location if the leadership is still interested and would apply. But reacting further to the demolition, leader and chairman of the commission said his commission was apolitical and that it should not be caught in the political crossfire that might have ensued between the federal and state governments. Ogunbanjo, who maintained that the Amosun led administration in Ogun was "notorious for illegal demolition", also stated that his commission had committed the sum of N34 Million to the project which had attained the lintels level before it was demolished on Wednesday morning, stressing that the exercise was a waste of tax payers’ money.

“This sinister act has brought about a colossal waste of tax payers’ money and unquantifiable setback to the good work the commission is rendering to the citizens of Ogun State and Nigeria in general". He said that the demolition was carried out without any prior notice to the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the commission. “The Ogun State Government started its illegal action in early 2014 by demolishing the reinforced fence constructed by the commission at a cost N5m along with that of other federal MDAs, including the Federal Ministry of Information, Federal Audit and Bank of Industry. “The demolition was carried out without any prior notice to the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the agencies.” The PCC Commissioner, Ogunbanjo however, maintained that the commission was set to drag the state government to court to seek redress ove the "illegal demolition". “No doubt, the Federal Public Complaints Commission shall seek the intervention of the court of law for redress as the option remains the best for us in the circumstance.” But in his reaction to the demolition exercise, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Stephen Adewolu maintained that PCC ought to have obtain an approved building plan before embarking on any construction work at the site apart from the controversy which surrounded its allocation from the Olabisi Onabanjo's state government then. "I am not aware of the demolition you are talking about, but before anyone commences any building construction anywhere in the state, he or she must obtain approved building plan". "Ask those people whether they have approved building plan". Corroborating Ogunbanjo's stance however, the Federal Controller of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in the state, Mr. Yomi Folayan also said the state government had no power to act directly or indirectly on the land. Folayan, who was represented by the Resident Surveyor of the ministry, Mr. Moshood Adesina at a press conference over the matter also argued that it was not the duty of the state government to determine whether the land had approval or not. As the blame game continued however, the position remained that the Federal High Court siting in Oke - Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital has dismissed the case brought before it by Ogunbanjo and the PCC. Although Ogunbanjo and the PCC who are the complainants in the matter may still have the grace to re-institute the case at the court if only they would be diligent enough to do so, it is however, not certain if they will be having a genuine ground to prosecute the matter, particularly that the baton of leadership power at the federal level has swung in favour of Amosun whose political party, the APC. This is because Amosun's party now controls the federal government as well as the majority members of the federal lawmakers at the National Assembly. Otherwise, the case may have to remain permanently struck out!

Global Business

Britain to clean up markets hit by rigging scandals

ritain’s regulators will unveil plans on Wednesday that aim to clean up behavior in the financial markets, where banks have been fined billions of pounds for trying to rig currencies and interest rate benchmarks. The Bank of England, Treasury and the Financial Conduct Authority will publish recommendations from their Fair and Effective Markets Review into conduct and operation of currency, bond and commodity markets. “It is going to say some quite significant things about what the scope of regulation should be for asset classes that historically have not been heavily

Carney

regulated,” Martin Wheatley, FCA Chief Executive and co-chair of the review, told Reuters. The review will focus on how to raise standards of behavior among traders at banks, recommend tougher sanctions and give markets more detailed guidance on what are acceptable trading practices. Finance industry officials expect the review to take on board some of their ideas, such as cracking down on traders known as “rolling bad apples,” making it harder for a rogue trader to get a job unchallenged at another bank. Some expect a new independent body to help with providing guidelines on market practices and enforce a new global code of conduct that central bankers are already working on. Wheatley said, for example, there was a need to determine more clearly when legitimate hedging in markets becomes abusive “front-running,” where banks use information to trade on their own account ahead of customers. Guidance is also expected on when it is acceptable to pull out of a trade at the last minute in the cur-

rency markets, a practice known as “last look.” Given the global nature of forex, commodity and bond markets, Wheatley said international backing would be needed to make the review’s recommendations effective in practice. An industry official said British regulators could slap extra capital charges on banks that failed to apply the recommendations. Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and British finance minister George Osborne, who ordered the review last year, are expected to touch on its findings in speeches on Wednesday evening at the Mansion House in the City of London financial district. Economists are also waiting to hear if Carney will comment on the strength of sterling, which has risen 4 percent over the past year, and do not foresee a repeat of last year’s warning that interest rates could rise sooner than expected. “The underlying impression at the moment is that the Bank is very much in wait-and-see mode,” Marc Ostwald, a bond strategist at ADM Investor Services, said

Deutsche Bank makes Cryan CEO after Jain, Fitschen resign

ermany’s biggest lender Deutsche Bank appointed John Cryan as its new CEO on Sunday after co-chief executives Anshu Jain and Juergen Fitschen resigned following criticism from investors. Cryan, 54, has been on the bank’s supervisory board since 2013 and was a former chief financial officer of UBS. He will replace Jain from July 1 and become the sole CEO when Fitschen steps down next year, the bank said. Deutsche Bank has struggled to restore an image tarnished by a raft of regulatory and legal problems which include probes into alleged manipulation of benchmark interest rates, mis-selling of derivatives, tax evasion and money laundering. It is one of the last large lenders in Europe to replace its top management since the financial crisis, after Barclays, Credit Suisse and UBS purged their top ranks to make way for fresh leaders. In a last ditch effort to restore confidence in its leadership, the German lender presented a radical management shakeup on May 21, but some investors demanded

more changes to restore confidence. Cryan said there was work to be done. “Our future will be defined by how well we deliver on strategy, impress clients and reduce complexity. I look forward to beginning this work on July 1,” he said in a Deutsche statement announcing his appointment. Supervisory board chairman Paul Achleitner said Cryan was the right person at the right time. “John is not only a seasoned banker with extensive experience in financial matters but also espouses the professional and personal values required to advance Deutsche Bank and Strategy 2020,” he said. The decision by Jain and Fitschen to step down demonstrated their commitment to putting the bank’s interests ahead of their own, Achleitner said, praising their contributions. Jain landed the top spot at Deutsche in 2012 after the investment banking division he ran consistently delivered up to 85 percent of group profit and frequently outperformed peers. But tougher regulatory requirements and litigation, including a

$2.5 billion fine to settle allegations that Deutsche traders rigged benchmark interest rates, took the shine off a division often referred to internally as “Anshu’s army”. Making Jain directly responsible for cutting Deutsche Bank’s costs by 4.7 billion euros ($5.2 billion), selling its Postbank retail business and paring back its investment bank put huge pressure on the executive. Fitschen was hired as co-CEO to maintain the bank’s German profile but his ability to sell the group’s strategy to domestic shareholders has been impaired by his own legal problems.

Merkel

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

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EU chief rebukes Greece, demands swift debt plan

he European Union’s exasperation with Greece burst into the open on Sunday when its chief executive rebuked leftist Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and warned that time was running out to conclude a debt deal to avert a damaging Greek default. In unusually sharp terms, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker accused Tsipras of distorting proposals by international creditors for a cashfor-reform agreement and of dragging his feet in putting forward alternative proposals. He urged Athens to put its own ideas on the table swiftly to enable talks to resume on the sidelines of an EU-Latin America summit on Wednesday in Brussels. In Athens, a government official said Greece wanted to continue to negotiate “at a political level” to find convergence with the lenders. However, the euro zone and the International Monetary Fund have made clear the numbers must first add up in technical negotiations before there can be a political deal. Tsipras had been expected to return to Brussels last Friday to resume negotiations. But faced with a backlash against the creditors’ proposal in his Syriza party, he went to parliament in Athens instead and denounced the offer as “absurd”. Juncker came close to accusing

Juncker

him of duplicity. “I don’t have a personal problem with Alexis Tsipras, quite the contrary. He was my friend, he is my friend. But friendship, in order to maintain it, has to have some minimum rules,” he told a news conference at a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrial democracies in Germany. Asked when the last chance was for Greece to reach a deal and receive urgently needed funds remaining from a 240 billion euro bailout, Juncker said: “For sure there will be a deadline.” He did not mention a date, but EU officials said agreement was needed this week to allow time for ministerial and parliamentary approval of the disbursement of funds before the bailout program expires at the end of June.

Lukewarm stock market has investors betwixt and between

tock investors are expected to tread carefully next week, as speculation about the timing of a U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate hike adds to concerns about valuations. Since hitting record levels two weeks ago, the U.S. stock market has struggled for direction, and investors said the next several sessions might prove no better. A run of better-than-expected economic figures failed to boost sentiment and instead renewed focus on whether the Fed will begin to raise shortterm lending rates before long. At the moment, individual investors lack any particularly strong inclination to buy or sell. Investors polled by the American Association of Individual Investors have increasingly said they are “neutral” on the market, suggesting uncertainty about where stocks are going. The most recent AAII survey showed 48 per cent of investors polled have neutral outlooks for the market for the next six months, while 27 per cent are

bullish and 25 per cent are negative. The bullish figure has been below 30 per cent for five weeks, the longest since 2003, while the neutral figure has exceeded 45 per cent for nine weeks, longest in the 28-year history of the survey. One looming concern is the steady increase in investors using borrowed money to buy stocks. Total margin debt hit a record $507 billion in mid-April, according to the most recent figures from the New York Stock Exchange, trending higher along with the S&P.

Yellen

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

JTF impounds truck laden with 34,500 tons of illegal crude OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

he coordinator of the Joint Military Task force JTF, code-named Operation Polu Shield has revealed how it’s operatives acting on a tip off impounded a merchant vessel ( MV) EUROPORT and a truck laden with over 34,500 metric tons of illegal crude oil. Speaking with newsmen at the headquarter of JTF after taking them on a trip to where the seized ship was berthed, the coordinator of the JTF media center, Lt. Col. Ado Isa, who spoke on behalf of the commander of the outfit, Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, said both

arrests were to assure Nigerians of the commands vigour and determination in war against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities affecting the socio- economic development of the Niger Delta region. The command said the seized vessel and truck are now in the custody of JTF pending investigation of the crimes, adding that the merchant vessel ( MV ) EUROPORT was arrested at Forupa creek in Southern Ijaw local government area, Bayelsa state by patrol team of JTF at 0230hrs. Lt Col Ado said the 2000 metric tons vessel when arrested on June

2, 2015 was discovered carrying 1,500 metric tons of illegally refined Automated Gas Oil AGO. He insisted that during the seizure of the vessel, the suspected crew boarded a speed boat and sailed into the high sea on sighting JTF troops. Similarly, LT Col Ado said troops of JTF operating along Eleme Area in Port Harcourt, Rivets State impounded an illegal oil bunkering truck with 33,000 tons capacity loaded with substance suspected to be stolen crude oil. The command said the seized truck and it’s contents were destroyed in -situ, noted that no

suspect was apprehended, as the driver absconded on sighting the troops. The seized truck has a registration number, Anambra 784 AWK was arrested at Onne community. Hear JTF, “It is hope that these arrest will discourage other intended criminals from any act of illegal oil related crimes which is a severe economic sabotage to our great country Nigeria” The command solicited for cooperation with the public in the war against illegal oil bunkering, pipe line vandalism and other vices in the region to ensure a zero tolerance campaign as to

wipe off the miscreants from Niger Delta creeks and waterways.. On why the culprits always absconded before his man got there, he maintained that earlier information remain key to apprehending the perpetrator of the economic crime, saying most time the information always get to them late hence the culprits escape before he got there. On the seized merchant ship, he said the crew of the ship escaped with flying boat before the troop got to the scene, adding that the men chased the oil thieves even up to the high sea but was unable to catch the oil thieves.

Deplorable state of Igbanke General Hospital CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 Highness, Dr Isaac Uwaifo, the Enojie of Omolua, explained that the hospital used to be a pride to the people when it was commissioned by the administration of Dr Ogbemudia in the 70’s because of the quality health care service it provided for the people then. He noted that facilities at the hospital had degenerated over the years and appealed to the government to ensure that the contractors handling the renovation work returned to site and complete the job. Speaking on the state of affairs at the hospital , he said “It is true we have one General hospital and a health centre, the general hospital was built by one of our illustrious son, Dr S.O Ogbemudia, since then the hospital have been functioning well and it served Igbanke as a whole . Of recent, no one really come to the hospital because it has aged with obsolete and broken down facilities. It was because of this that the Edo state government under the leadership of Comrade Adams Oshomhole awarded the contract for renovation of the hospital. “We don’t know the contractors and we have been making effort to reach them. You can see the ceiling, they are down and the inside are not painted. There is nothing at the doctor’s office, we the traditional heads are appealing to the people to manage what they have notwithstanding the state. The main constraint from what the doctor told us is that they are lacking enough staffs, there are only 2 nurses and they alternate. They are supposed to have about five or six nurses. We are hoping that something will be done in no distance time. Our appeal to the ministry is to call on the contractors to come and complete the work”

Cars wading through the flood on Birabi Street, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Land dispute claims surveyor’s life in Bayelsa OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

prolonged land dispute between Okutukutu and Opolo suburbs in Yenagoa, Yenegoa local government area of Bayelsa has claim the life of a young surveyor making the criminal investigation Department (CID) of the Bayelsa State Police Command to swung into action to probe the circumstances that led to his gruesome murder. The surveyor, identified as Kolu Eddy, was allegedly killed by mobs from Okutukutu while

supervising demolition of buildings carried out in the disputed land by Opolo indigenes under police cover. One of the landlords identified simply as Joseph, whose house was mowed down, said indigenes of Opolo on the fateful day brought bulldozers into the controversial piece of land and started bringing down some houses. He said the Opolo people claimed ownership of the piece of land sold to developers by indigenes of Okutukutu. “The people of Opolo were many in number. They came to the disputed land with armed

policemen and about two bulldozers. They demolished houses located along a section of the land. “The surveyor was supervising the exercise. He followed one of the bulldozers into an unprotected area unknown to him that angry youths from Okutukutu were monitoring his movement”, he said. Joseph said armed with weapons including machetes, the mob trailed the surveyor, caught and “butchered” him with their cutlasses while the operator of the bulldozer sustained a deep cut on his head while trying to escape from the

mob. “The surveyor was not fortunate enough. He was deeply and severely attacked with cutlasses. They abandoned him in the pool of his blood and ran away following police intervention. “The Surveyor was still breathing when help came his way. But the only problem was that the nearest hospital was located at Okutukutu and the people of Opolo were afraid that the mob would come after them if they tried taking him to the nearby clinic. “They decided to take the victim to another hospital but he died before they could get to the hospital”, he said.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Deltans list expectations from Buhari’s govt THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

s more Nigerians continue to express their expectations from the newly inaugurated Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, the people of Delta State have charged the new administration to focus on revamping the ailing Delta Steel Company in Aladja and fight corruption in the country. They also listed repairs of refineries, power and security as primary areas, the Buhari led government must give urgent action if it wanted to succeed. While they expressed that they do not expect miracles from the All Progressives Congress, APC, centre government, they told our correspondent who went out to feel the pulse and expectations of Deltans from the new administration. Mr. Paul Akpor Abu, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and a social activist said Buhari’s government must tackle the increasing unemployment scourge in the country. According to him, for government to succeed in reducing the rising menace it should revamp the ailing DSC sited in Aladja, Delta State and other abandoned industrial plants across the country. Abu told Niger Delta Mirror that: “If Buhari truly wants to leave a legacy that would stand the test of time then he must do all he can to among other things resuscitate DSC, the Warri Port and the Warri Refinery with a view to regenerate economic activities and employment.” He specifically stated that the people of the state are full of hopes

from the federal government saying that “With gas readily available in Delta State, Buhari can generate power to cover major cities in the State through 4 EPP (Embedded Power Plants) located at Olomu, Udu, Kwale & Obiaruku. “I would also expect Mr. President to match his anti-corruption posture with action that way I’m sure he would be able to achieve majority of his campaign promises.” On his part, Barr. Afahokor Duncan, who is the founder of a popular Facebook page “Umeh Need Road” which has induced many developmental projects from the immediate governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and other

public office holders said he” expects him (Buhari) to tackle corruption and insecurity as promised.” Executive Director of the Centre for the Vulnerable and Underprevileged, CENTREP, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, expressed optimism that Buhari who he described as his then “boyhood hero” during his era as a military Head of State has all it takes to succeed in his new role as president of Africa’s most populous country. Ikimi in a statement stated that: “President Muhammadu Buhari’s inaugural speech who incidentally was my boyhood hero when he was military Head

of State is that of a sincere leader who clearly understands the pains of Nigerians and the challenges confronting our dear nation . The speech no doubt is an intellectual manual that can easily pass for a Phd dissertation. “I am indeed elated because I know President Muhammadu Buhari is well equipped for this job, and I know him as a committed leader, a democrat and a no nonsense politician.” Another Deltan, Mr Oghenegweke Esimagboko, a communication scholar in his response however placed power above every other priority as most urgent problem to be tackled by current administration. According to him,

with availability of electricity supply across the country small industries who are the dying list due to epileptic power supply. In his words “power should be focal point of this administration. I expect him to fight to standstill the power problem.” Adding, Esimagboko said: “I do not expect miracles from GMB’s government or any government for that matter. However, let me replicate what I have said in another premise. The problem with our elected, selected and appointed government officials’ aside corruption is trying to revamp all sectors of the economy simultaneously which indeed is a herculean task.’’

L-R: Comptroller of Immigration, Bayelsa Command, Mr. Wunti Sule; Assistant Comptroller-General, Zone G, Mr. Emmanuel Guuga and Zonal Comptroller, Benin-City, Mr. Nbesis Jacob, during an interactive session of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Lawyer petitions IGP over plot to suppress trial of Timinimi THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

Warri based human rights lawyer, Mr Omes Ogedegbe has petitioned the Inspector General of Police over alleged attempt by the police in Zone 5, Benin, Edo state to cover the “riotous destruction” of under construction multimillion Naira plaza belonging to Mrs. Evelyn Ejoh under the directive of former Delta State commissioner, Mr. George Timinimi. The lawyer amongst other things accused the zone 5 of the Nigeria Police Force of suppressing the trial of the case by transferring the prosecution of the case from the Delta State command of the force to Benin with force.

Ogedegbe acting on behalf of the owner of the demolished plaza, Mrs. Evelyn Ejoh , in a petition addressed to IGP Solomon Arase said Timinimi was enjoying undeserved police protection to frustrate investigation and his prosecution for the alleged destruction of the building which is under construction at Okorikperhe, Okpe council area of the state. A copy of the petition made available to National Mirror, the petitioner alleged that frustration of the case began when his client and her husband were released after being beaten by thugs suspected hired by former commissioner when Mrs. Ejoh approached Orerokpe Divisional Police headquarters where she had gone to report the matter. “The police at Orekpokpe pro-

ceeded with investigation and towed the broken down demolition bulldozer to the station. Rather than do the needful by arresting the assailants and their sponsor, the police shied away, demanding arrest of the vendors who sold the affected land to the petitioner when no case has been made out against the vendors. “Upon failure of the police at Orerokpe to conduct a proper investigation, a petition was sent to the Commissioner of Police, CP, April 16 upon which the police impounded two dumper “caterpillars” employed in the destruction, arrested the equipment owners and operators who volunteered statements to the police on their role in the matter”, the petitioner stated. Adding, Ogedegbe explained that the Delta CP’s effort ad-

vanced law enforcement’s haunt for Timinimi to no avail till 7 May when it was resolved at the CP’s office, Asaba that the two suspects be charged to court the following day while hunt for Timinimi continues. It stated further that; “While we awaited the failed arrival of the police at Orerokpe magistrate court, we were informed the matter has been transferred to AIG, Zone 5 Benin while the two suspects are still in police custody despite the concluded police investigation as to their involvement. “There was no basis for the said transfer to Zone 5, but in any case, we do not want the fruitful investigation of the Asaba Command to be thwarted by Zone 5 hence our demand for your intervention with a definite man-

date.” Ogedegbe, amongst other prayers to the police boss, demands, “The arrest and prosecution of George Timinimi, Christopher Timinimi, Welfare Timinimi, Ikior Upele and their thugs. “Withdrawal of the police officers attached to George Timinimi in line with the operational force directive of no attachment of police officers to private citizens with no exception to Timinimi. “Make public the officers who gave police cover to George Timinimi by aiding him to carry out the wanton destruction of the ongoing construction of the multi-millionaira property of Mrs. Ejoh. Police must comply with these demands from the date of our likely appearance.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

NASS leadership: Is history repeating itself? CONTINUED FROM PAGE13 to repay Tinubu for his role in the destabilisation of the party’s zoning arrangement in the House of Representatives in 2011, a development which analysts believed contributed immensely to PDP’s woeful performance in the 2015 general elections, where the party lost not only the Presidency, but some of the states it controlled; secondly, they believe that it high time the legislature asserted its independence by deciding who leads it, rather than dance to the whims and caprices of party leaders and godfathers. Apart from these, there are fears that allowing Tinubu to have his way in installing those the legislators and National Assembly watchers regard as his stooges as leaders of one of the arms of government portends great danger for the nation’s ascent democracy, hence the need to ‘cut him to size’, according to one of the lawmakers who spoke to National Mirror on condition of anonymity. Following these developments and mindsets, there are strong indications that the APC, is on the verge of being forced to taste the same bitter pill the PDP was equally forced to swallow in 2011. National Mirror scooped that the President of the Senate in the seventh National Assembly, David Mark, who is the leader of PDP lawmakers has resolved and also directed all PDP lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly to cast their votes for Senator Saraki, and Hon Dogara, and ensure their emergence as Senate President and Speaker House of Representatives respectively, today. This decision, National Mirror authoritatively gathered in Kaduna on Sunday, was the fall out of the outcome of APC mock election, which took place over the weekend where the party adopted Lawan and Gbajabiamila as Senate President and House Speaker respectively. Many of the PDP House of Representatives members-elect told National Mirror in confidence that the APC mock election, where Lawan and Gbajabiamila emerged will never stand on the floor of the red green chambers at today’s voting. They said almost, if not all of them have concluded arrangements to vote for Dogara in the spirit of fairness, equity and independence of the House. Informed inside sources disclosed to National Mirror that to the PDP, it is now payback time, as it is poised to revenge the 2011 truncation of its plan by Tinubu. At a recent retreat for PDP lawmakers in Port Harcourt, former Senate President, Mark, was alleged to have urged all PDP lawmakers-elect to remain in the party. He was said to have threatened that any lawmaker who defects to the ruling APC will most certainly lose his seat as the constitutional provision for such defection will be followed to the letter this time around, unlike in the past when such was treated with levity. Mark was quoted to have said that the PDP has the numerical strength to determine what goes on in the National

Saraki

Lawan

Gbajabiamila

Dogara

Assembly, hence the need for cohesion and unity of purpose among all PDP lawmakers. These developments were said to have informed the position of senators-elect and members-elect on the platform of the PDP to not only play the spoiler, but pay Tinubu and APC back in their own coins against the backdrop of the role Tinubu and defunct ACN played in the House leadership tussle in 2011.play the spoiler for the APC, if it insists on foisting surrogates on the National Assembly. One of the lawmakers told National Mirror: “We are going to vote a neutral person, who can carry all of us along. It happened during Tambuwal and Akande-Adeola speakership race. Both of them were PDP members, but when PDP took side against Tambuwal, some of us with opposition voted Tambuwal, who was an independent candidate against PDP’s anointed candidate. The same thing, if not properly managed by APC,

that happened during Tambuwal’s time will repeat itself on Tuesday.” A returning PDP senator also disclosed to National Mirror that Saraki will also enjoy the backing PDP senators, including Mark. This was just as National Mirror gathered that all former governors, who are now senators-elect or returning senators have decided to pitch their tent with their former colleague, Saraki, without regard for party affiliation. Saraki was chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, up till 2011, when his tenure as governor expired. Meanwhile, there is disquiet among senators and House members from the South-West, who are not comfortable with Tinubu’s overbearing meddlesomeness in National Assembly affairs. Their grouse is that why should the Speaker, if at all he must come from the South-West, come from Lagos State, the same state that produced the Vice President Osinbajo? They wondered whether

there are strong indications that the

aPc, is on the verge of being

forced to taste the same bitter

PdP was equally forced to swallow in 2011.

Pill the

Lagos is the only state in the South-West, and as such must corner all major political appointments. To this end, many of APC lawmakers from the South-West may turn their backs on the party’s anointed candidates here are indications that South-West lawmakers may not vote for the party’s candidates tomorrow, especially, since voting will be will be by secret ballot. As the battle for the National Assembly leadership rages on, National Mirror learnt that in the Senate, Saraki is mobilizing some APC lawmakers in alliance with PDP lawmakers overnight to present a PDP candidate as Senate President and there are indications that may likely be the beneficiary of the rebellion brewing in the Senate. In the same vein, mark may have been wooing disgruntled APC senators to back him for a third term as the Senate President if APC fails to put its house in order. This was just as APC is exploring the possibility of shifting the inauguration of the National Assembly and election of its leadership beyond Thursday, when President Buhari who is in Germany attending the G7 Summit is expected to return home for him to rein in the rebellious APC lawmakers The APC, after picking Lawan and Gbajabiamila for Senate President and House Speaker respectively at the weekend also picked the outgoing Senate Minority Leader, George Akume and Tahir Monguno as Deputy Senate President and Deputy Speaker respectively. This was done allegedly to checkmate Saraki and Doghara, whose supporters stormed out of the meeting the party leadership held with all elected federal lawmakers on its platform. But indications emerged that with Saraki’s group boycott of the straw poll at the weekend, only 32 senators-elect voted for Lawan while 27 abstained. APC has a 60-member majority in the 109-member Senate, with Ahmed Zanna passing on shortly after winning election into the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly. With this result, the race appears too close to call, even as it was alleged that many senators voted for Lawan to avoid any backlash from APC leadership later on. National Mirror gathered that Saraki is enjoying the backing of 20 APC senators-elect and 25 PDP senators-elect. With these support bases, he needed only 10 more senators to have simple majority votes of 55 to emerge Senate President. Lawan is said to have the support of 30 APC senators-elect and 10 PDP senatorselect and would require 15 more senators to win the battle. With the difference in support base among APC senators-elect being just five, it is becoming glaring the PDP senators-elect hold the ace in the race for the Senate Presidency. Apart from those who are asking for the interest of the New PDP, led by five PDP governors and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the merger called APC, with the defunct Congress CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Politics

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NASS leadership: Is history repeating itself? CONTINUED FROM PAGE43 for Progressive Change, CPC, represented by Buhari, clinching the Presidency; defunct ACN, represented by osinbajo clinching the Vice Presidency and the defunct All Nigeria peoples Party, ANPP, holding on to APC National chairmanship, in John Odigie-Oyegun; analysts have also condemned the lopsidedness of the sharing of national leadership position as prescribed by APC. If Lawan and Gbajabiamila energe Senate Presdent and House Speaker respectively, then it would mean that the nation is being controlled by just three geo-political zones of North-West, Noth-East and South-West. A New PDP source fumed: “Where then is the interest of the faction of the New PDP who joined the APC represented? We cannot be used and dumped.” While Lawan and Akume are banking on support from South-West and NorthEast senators-elect and Tinubu’s influence to emerge victorious today, those backing Saraki under the aegis of Like Minds Senators, LMS, are counting on support from North-West, North-Central, South-South and South-East senators-elect. Also Saraki is making use of his contacts in the PDP to garner supports from PDP senators-elect, with Andu Uba and Uche Ekwenife from Anambra in the fore front of mobilising support for the former governor, while immediate past deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is galvanizing Enugu and Ebonyi states’ senators-elect for him. An LMS member said the straw poll of the APC was nothing but a coup against Saraki, but added that the coup had failed. He said the plan by APC was to impose Lawan and Akume on them which had succeeded to some extent, but added that the LMS will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the party’s agenda failed. He said: “We are seeking a common goal for the overall interest of the Senate and Nigeria, which is an efficient and capable leader who can steer the affairs of the Senate and indeed the National Assembly. We won’t be spoon fed any longer. “In the APC presidential primaries, all members with presidential aspirations were allowed to contest and so shall it be with the election of the Senate President of the eighth Assembly.” Meanwhile, the Consolidation Group, CG, a circle of members-elect of the House of Representatives supporting Hon. Dogara for Speaker of the eighth House of Representatives kicked against Hon Gbajabiamila’s mock choice for the Speaker of the green chamber. Rejecting at a press briefing on Sunday, the party’s mock choice of National Assembly leadership as monitored by APC, the group insisted that the exercise was marred by fraud and was against the party’s constitution, hence its decision to walk out and wait to elect Dogara instead as the party’s choice for Speaker today.

Akume

Jubrin

It said: “The 154 votes allocated to Gbajabiamila and three to Dogara showed the party has made a mockery of itself. We walked out of the venue and yet somebody allocated votes to us. So members of the public will understand how things have degenerated in our party. “We never participated in that election. We rejected that election. The numbers that were allocated to us, we rejected them. So ask the party to please toe the path of honour and allow us to decide who will be our Speaker. The House should be left alone to elect its Speaker tomorrow.” The group’s spokesman, Jibrin, went ahead to tongue lash APC and one of its leaders, Tinubu, alleging that the former governor of Lagos State was trying to pocket the House by ‘foisting’ Gbajabiamila, his protégé and lackey on them. Jibrin said: “The number four citizen, Speaker of the House, cannot be pocketed by one individual because of his greedy disposition. “In 2011 some of us were in the PDP and we saw what happened. We are not surprised that after huge intimidation, such numbers are being bandied about as the supporters of a candidate.” Regretting and alleging that APC was taking the reins of governance on very wrong footing, the CG reiterated its re-

solve to choose Dogara as House Speaker. It said: “Just two weeks after swearing in, is this the change that we want to offer Nigerians? The kind of manipulation we saw yesterday, we have not seen before in this country. “We have been threatened that the big stick will be wielded against us. As individuals, we will not let this country suffer. So despite the threat, we are going ahead on June 9 to nominate Hon Dogara as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. “We belong to a political party, but we are a House of the Nigerian people. We believe that he’s stainless. We believe that he comes with integrity. “We have decided to formally petition President Buhari to intervene in this matter and call the party to order. We are confident that the President will look into our matter.” The group which cuts across geopolitical regions also claimed the entire PDP caucus of the House was behind Dogara. It would be recalled that the APC have 216 members in the House of Representatives against PDP’s 136 lawmakers. Three other political parties, Labour Party, LP, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Accord Party, AP and Social Democratic Party, SDP have one, five, one and one seats respectively, bringing

the total to 360. There are indications that Dogara will get the bulk votes of North-West members of the House and with a split vote likely to come from the South-West and another bulk vote from North-Central, he may be coasting to victory at the expense of the party’s anointed candidate. Meanwhile the APC is reaching out to all its senators-elect and members-elect in the eighth National Assembly who may be aggrieved by the outcome of its straw poll last weekend. In a statement, APC National Secretary, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, said that it is natural for some members to be disappointed by the outcome of the straw poll conducted to select the party’s official candidates, adding: “However, we must put the interest of our party above personal interests and avoid a situation whereby any other candidates, apart from those picked by the party, will emerge as Senate President and House Speaker on Tuesday. “Any outstanding issues will be resolved by the party so we won’t go into today’s election with more than one candidate each for the two posts.” Buni said that it would be a shame if, despite its majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, APC is unable to produce a Senate President and a House Speaker of its choice. It appealed to all aggrieved members to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign, in the overall interest of not just the party but the entire nation. From all indications, federal lawmakers are battle-ready to elect their leaders today, devoid of any interference from any quarter. And it is also clear that history may be on the verge of repeating itself, with the emergence of a leadership of the National Assembly not in tandem with the ruling party’s whims and caprices. Analysts believe that should this happen, it will not portend well for the ruling party, as this may in effect affect party cohesion and discipline. But analysts opined that the lawmakers are elected to represent the interest of the Nigerian people and not that of political parties.

Speakership: N’East groups, Lusa community tackle APC EzEkiEl TiTus BAUCHI

olitical groups in the North-East and Concerned Citizens Forum of Lusa community have asked the All Progressives Congress, PAC, to take a cue from the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the last election and avoid interfering in the business of who emerges the Speaker of the House of Representatives today. They frowned at the purported emergence of Femi Gbajamila as APC consensus

candidate for the speakership, even when the House has not gone for the election, which is bill for today Representing the various groups, Alhaji Mohammed Garkuwa and Aliyu Masoyi, said this while briefing newsmen in Bauchi, describing the APC as a party not ready to provide good leadership in the country, adding that this arrangement may impact negatively on its performance in the 2019 general elections. The groups added that the North-East will not accept anything short of the emer-

gence of Hon Yakubu Dogara as Speaker of the House, cautioning newly-elected members of the House not to succumb to pressures from any quarter, but vote Dogara, if truly, the APC is not promoting religious sentiments. The duo added that should APC insist on Gbajabiamila, who comes from the SouthWest with the Vice President, emerging Speaker, it clearly showed that three geo-political zones have been short-changed under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. They said: “Buhari and

APC should reason that he was not better than former President Goodluck Jonathan to have won the election, if not the support of Nigerians, so he should be conscious that come 2019, the same Nigerians will vote him out if he insist on what the APC caucus has done as we learnt that he was in agreement with the party caucus.” The noted that failure of the APC to zone the leadership positions of the National Assembly was a ploy to ridicule and deceive Nigerians who have entrusted their mandates to it.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

STATES HOUSES OF ASSEMBLY INAUGURATION

Ogun Assembly: Adekunbi retains speakership Femi OyewesO ABEOKUTA

peaker of the seventh Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Suraju Adekunbi was yesterday re-elected as Speaker of the newly inaugurated eighth legislature in the state. Adekunbi, representing Egbado North state constituency 1 was unanimously nominated for the position by the state lawmakers, while another second term lawmaker, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo,

… Amosun assures of determination to create, nurture, sustain synergy of all arms

Ifo state constituency 1, also emerged Deputy Speaker. Oluomo, also elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, replaced Hon. Tola Banjo, Ijebu-Ode state constituency, who could not return to the Assembly as a result of his electoral loss. Other principal officers of the Assembly who emerged yesterday included Olayinka Mafe, Sagamu 1, Majority Lead-

er while Wale Alausa, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, representing Ijebu-Ode state constituency 2 emerged Minority Leader. Idowu Olowofuja, representing Abeokuta South 2 and Jelili Akingbade of Imeko/Afon state constituency emerged chief Whip and Minority Whip respectively. In his acceptance speech, Rt. Hon. Adekunbi assured that there would

be a continued synergy between the executive and legislative arms of government to stimulate growth and create wealth through the enactment of enabling laws and passage of useful resolutions. He said: “We hope to leverage on the achievements of the past to engender a robust democratic dispensation this time. The Assembly shall become more attentive and responsive to development. We shall work in

tandem with the relevant agencies to salvage the already challenging situation in the country”. While pledging the loyalty of present leadership to the executive arm, Rt. Hon. Adekunbi noted that the current leadership shall encourage transparency, accountability and good governance in line with international best practices in running the affairs of the legislature. Inaugurating the eighth Ogun Assembly,

the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, promised the support of the executive towards ensuring that the new lawmakers concentrate on the business of lawmaking without any interference in their affairs. Amosun said: “We shall continue to uphold the principle of non-interference in order to assure that the necessary checks and balances are put in place in the way we administer our dear state.”

Rurum emerges Kano Assembly Speaker at inauguration

•House promises to deliver dividends of democracy abdulgaFar Oladimeji KANO

K Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha (left), congratulating newly appointed Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, after his swearing-in in Owerri, yesterday.

Igbuya emerges new Delta Speaker, assures Okowa of support TheOphilus OnOjeghen and amOur udemude

mmediate past Majority Leader of Delta House of Assembly and member representing Sapele state constituency under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Monday Igbuya, yesterday emerged the new Speaker of the sixth Assembly. Igbuya emerged speaker after he was unanimously returned unopposed by the 29 members of the newly inaugurated 6th Assembly after Governor Ifeanyi Okowa promulgated the new Assembly yesterday in Asaba. Also elected was Mr. Friday Osanebi from Ndokwa East constituency as Deputy Speaker. He was the former Deputy Chief Whip of the 5th Assembly. In his acceptance speech, the new Speaker pledged to work with Governor Okowa and the judiciary to move

the state forward despite the enormous challenges ahead of the current government. Igbuya noted that the 6th Assembly shall not be a rubber stamp to the executive, assuring that they will be driven by the passion to see that the state better the lots of Deltans who overwhelmingly voted for them. He said: “We’ve a duty to support the government of the day to succeed. “We have a great burden on our shoulders to ensure

that the present administration succeed in alleviating the plight of all Deltans regardless of party affiliations, ethnic background, religious preference or gender. We are here for all Deltans - young, old, women and men. Therefore, we must shun all forms of sentimental politics and embrace all logical deliberations that place our long and short term priorities on the front burner.” Reminding his colleagues

that their constituents expect such from the new dispensation, he challenged them to join hands to create a new and better Delta where jobs would be created for the increasing unemployed youths in the state. The House specifically commended former Governor James Ibori, who is currently serving jail terms in the United Kingdom for corruption charges, for laying a solid foundation for democracy in the state.

Ex-Rep emerges Speaker in Kwara wOle adedeji ILORIN

ormer member of the House of Representatives, representing Ilorin East/South federal constituency, Dr. Ali Ahmad, now representing Ilorin South state constituency, was yesterday elected Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly.

The new Speaker, who holds Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D, degree in law was Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in the State before he got elected into the lower chamber of the National Assembly in 2011. Also elected was Hon. Mathew Okedare representing Lanwa/Ejidongari state constituency as Deputy Speaker.

In his inaugural speech, Ahmad noted that his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC won all the 20 seats in the House which he said reflected the tireless efforts of the leaders of the party in the state as well as the supports given the party by the people of the state. He enjoined other members to make good the confidence reposed

ano State eighth House of Assembly yesterday held its inaugural session, with a vow to deliver the dividends of democracy through the passage of laws that would improve the living conditions of the people of Kano. New Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, who took oath of allegiance during inaugural session, averred that the state legislature will take seriously the discharge of its oversight functions. He emphasised on the role and importance of a viable and visionary legislative arm of government in the initiation and implementation of masses oriented programmes, adding that the state Assembly would pay adequate attention to the plight of Kano residents

in them by the people to make laws that would be in the overall interests of the state The state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, and his Deputy, Elder Peter Kizira, were unusually absent at the inauguration ceremony leaving the job to be conducted by the Clerk of the House, Mr Oyetunde Oyerinde.

by working in a cordial manner with the executive and judicial arms of government. He further stated that the state House under his leadership would operate an open door policy, adding that consultations and all inclusive principle would serve as the vehicle with which he intends to pilot the eighth Assembly. He said: “I want to thank honorable members for considering me worthy to lead this honourable House, everyone of us here is qualified to lead this House, thank you for the privilege, I have accepted and will serve you.” National Mirror reports that Hamisu Ibrahim Chidari, the member representing Makwoda state constituency, also emerged Deputy Speaker and was equally awornin. Members of the 40man state Assembly took turns to swear the oath of allegiance and House membership. Swearing to protect the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the lawmakers affirmed that they will uphold the laws of the state Assembly and further avowed that their functions would always be guided by the sovereign interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Politics

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STATES HOUSES OF ASSEMBLY INAUGURATION

Ebonyi Assembly elects new Speaker, deputy aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI

bonyi State House of Assembly yesterday elected Hon. Francis Nwifuru representing Izzi west state constituency as the new Speaker. Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa, representing Onicha East state constituency was also elected as the Deputy Speaker of the fifth state’s fifth Assembly. The inauguration of the Assembly by the state governor, Chief Dave Umahi, witnessed huge turnout of eminent stakeholders of the state such that the Assembly complex was unable to accommodate those in attendance. In a remark, Umahi noted that it is the constitutional right of the fifth Assembly to elect their leaders, stressing that the fourth Assembly was the worse Assembly in the country, characterised by corruption and cheating among other criminal tendencies. Lamenting that corrupt practices among the principal officers of the immediate past fourth Assembly led to the lots of impeachment saga and crises witnessed in

the House, Umahi warned the fifth Assembly to desist from corruption and be transparent in all their transactions to avoid same incidences. He further stated that what brought the fourth Assembly into crisis was the undue interference of people outside the chamber, cautioning the new Assembly to restore the House to its past glory known for its peacefulness throughout the federation. He added that his administration would fight corruption to a standstill, no matter whose ox is gored, expressing dismay over the dwindling financial situation of the state and urged them to join hands together with his administration to transform the state. The House was made up of 24 members, comprising 22 members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, one from the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, and one from Labour Party, LP. The new Speaker, Hon. Nwifuru, was re-elected for a second term while the Deputy speaker, Hon. Odefa, was also re-elected for a third term.

Obasa emerges Lagos Assembly Speaker

•Ambode hails emergence Francis suberu

agos State House of Assembly yesterday elected Hon. Mudasiru Obasa, representing Agege state constituency 1 as Speaker of the House of Assembly. For ty-three-year-old Obasa defeated Hon. Wasiu Esinlokun Sanni and Hon. Fumilayo Tejuoso in a voice vote to emerge Speaker of the 8th Assembly. Hon. Esinlokun was thereafter elected Deputy Speaker, also through a voice vote after his nomination. Obasa holds a degree in law from the Lagos State University in 2006 before proceeding to the Nigerian Law School for his LLB.

He served as chairman House Committees on Education, Local Government, Public Accounts and Budget and Economic Planning. A devout Muslim, married with children, Obasa enjoyed the blessing of Agege people for his meritorious service to the community. He has participated in different training workshops locally and internationally. He also attended the Prestigious Cambridge University for leadership training and other seminars. The new Speaker also holds Certificate of Recognition from the State of Georgia, United States for his contribution to democracy in Nigeria and Lagos in particular. Out of the 40 House mem-

bers, 32 were elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, while the remaining eight were members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Meanwhile, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has congratulated the new Speaker. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, Governor Ambode described Hon Obasa as a well experienced legislator and administrator who would bring his wealth of experience to bear in steering the ship of the House. The governor also commended members of the House for the smooth and rancor free manner they conducted the election to

choose their leaders, which he said has once again confirmed the rating of the House as the most vibrant legislature in the federation. Ambode said he looks forward to a very harmonious and engaging mutual relationship between the executive and the legislature during the tenure of the new Speaker towards delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the state. He called for harmonious relationships between the legislative arm and executive arms of government; adding that the lawmakers and the executive face the task of sustaining the standards as well as exceeding the standards set by those who have left the scene.

Taraba First Lady to empower people through NGO Justin tyopuusu JALINGO

ife of the Taraba State governor, Barrr Mrs. Annah Darius Ishaku has said she will soon set up a non-governmental organisation, NGO, to train people in various skills to become self-sufficient. Mrs. Ishaku, who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with National Mirror in Jalingo said as a mother, she cannot fold her arms and watch people go to bed with empty stomachs because they cannot afford to put food on their tables. She noted that the most important thing was for the people to put food on their tables, hence the need to train them in various skills to become self-sufficient and reduce over dependence on government for jobs. She said: “I am going to set up an NGO that would train people in different skills acquisition programmes with a sole aim of empowering the people of

the state to make them selfsufficient and employers of labour. “Our people must understand that there is dignity in labour. They must understand that the most important thing is to put food on the table and not to look for government jobs where they go to offices and sleep but collect salaries at the end of the month. There is no point looking down on a job that put food on the table,” she said. The NGO according to the First Lady would be funded by donor agencies from within and outside the country and would train people in skills like, tailoring, computer, hand weaving, hair dressing among other skills. The wife of the governor said she would run the NGO like an office with full time staff to man the office, promising not to make a show of staying one day in the office and ten months out, but will be fully on ground to ensure she empower the people of the state.

L-R: Chairman, Yobe Concerned Youth for Development, Alhaji Muhammad Kalli; Secretary, Mr. Kyari Falmatami and member, Alhaji Habu Yabare, during a press briefing on the support for Senator Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan as the 8th session Senate President, at the National Assembly in Abuja, at the weekend. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Speakership: N’East groups, Lusa community tackle APC ezekiel titus BAUCHI

the speakership, even when the House has not gone for the election, which is bill for today Representing the various groups, Alhaji Mohammed Garkuwa and Aliyu Masoyi, said this while briefing newsmen in Bauchi, describing the APC as a party not ready to provide good leadership in the country, adding that this arrangement may impact negatively on its performance in the 2019 general elections. The groups added that the North-East will not accept anything short of the emergence of Hon Yakubu

Dogara as Speaker of the House, cautioning newlyelected members of the House not to succumb to pressures from any quarter, but vote Dogara, if truly, the APC is not promoting religious sentiments. The duo added that should APC insist on Gbajabiamila, who comes from the South-West with the Vice President, emerging Speaker, it clearly showed that three geopolitical zones have been short-changed under the Muhammadu Buhari administration. They said: “Buhari and APC should reason that

he was not better than former President Goodluck Jonathan to have won the election, if not the support of Nigerians, so he should be conscious that come 2019, the same Nigerians will vote him out if he insist on what the APC caucus has done as we learnt that he was in agreement with the party caucus.” The noted that failure of the APC to zone the leadership positions of the National Assembly was a ploy to ridicule and deceive Nigerians who have entrusted their mandates to it.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

CBN restates commitment to remain in JP Morgan index JOHNSON OKANLAWON WITH AGENCY REPORT

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday said it was determined to fulfil all requirements necessary for Nigeria to remain in JPMorgan’s bond indexes The assurance came barely 24 hours after the US Bank hinted that may remove Nigeria from its Government Bond Index, GBI-EM, by the year-end unless the country restored liquidity to currency markets in a way that allows foreign investors tracking the benchmark to transact with minimal hurdles. Apparently reacting to the latest stance of JPMorgan, the CBN’s spokesman, Mr. Ibrahim Mu’azu, told Bloom-

berg that the regulator was in contact with JPMorgan around the time of the January decision to clarify its policies. Muazu said that the decision taken by the JPMorgan authorities last January was based on some wrong assumptions, adding that they are talking about liquidity in the bond market for which the Nigerian government have not failed to provide consistently. “They took their decision based on some wrong assumptions. They were talking about liquidity in the bond market and we have not failed anybody with that,” he said. According to the Head of African Strategy, Standard

Bank for Africa, Mr. Samir Gadio, it is in no one’s interest to have Nigeria removed from the index. He explained that from an investor standpoint, Nigeria was the highest-yielding diversifier in a GBI-EM context, saying that further normalization in FX market conditions will probably be needed to ensure long-term GBI-EM inclusion. Gadio said: “Most foreign bond investors are still able to exit their positions because the central bank prioritizes them when it sells dollars in the interbank market.” It would be recalled that the CBN’s Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, , has enforced trading restrictions to stabi-

Equities shed further by 0.2%

... Seplat urges FG to sell holdings in NNPC

he equities market closed on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as the weaker equity prices in the banking, consumer goods and oil and gas sectors dragged the overall performance. The All Share Index depreciated 0.22 per cent to close at 33,590.33 points, compared to the appreciation of 0.59 per cent recorded on Friday. Similarly, the Market capitalization shed 0.22 per cent to close at N11.47trillion, compared to the appreciation of 0.59 per cent recorded on Friday.

Analysts at Meristem Securities Limited, an investment frim, noted that the dearth of specific news flow in the market and investors’ apprehension as regards policy direction of the new administration, may continue to dampen mood. “We however advise investors to trade cautiously in the face of uncertainty,” it said. Meanwhile, the Managing Director of Seplat Petroleum Development Company, Mr. Ambroise Orjiako said the country can boost its oil and gas production by changing the way capital investments are funded in its joint ven-

tures with energy companies. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, holds an average 55 per cent stake in five joint ventures with Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Chevron Corporation, Total SA and Eni SpA that pump more than 80 per cent of the country’s crude. It pays the same share of capital contributions for the operation of the oil ventures. Seplat, a Nigerian producer now running a joint venture with NNPC after buying assets sold by Shell, wants the current funding arrange-

lize the currency consequent upon lower crude prices and a naira that weakened 14 percent against the dollar in 2014. He explained that the measures were designed to curb speculative demand for dollars and any investor is still able to enter and exit the market freely. Speaking on the six month period granted Nigeria to meet the JPMorgan bond index liquidity requirement, Rick Harrell, a sovereign analyst at Boston-based Loomis Sayles & Company, which oversees $241 billion, said the reprieve “buys the new administration time to decide how to deal with the FX liquidity issue.

ment scrapped in favor of a method less dependent on the government. The company’s Chairman noted that cash call requirements are a constraint affecting production. “We need to find a situation where the joint-venture partners sit down and agree on what percentage of production should be dedicated on operation and capital expenditures. “That way you ensure that growth in the industry is guaranteed, that the production will increase, that the reserves will be increased and that there will be room for exploration activities as well,” he said.

Skye Bank shareholders approve Mainstreet Bank take over JOHNSON OKANLAWON

hareholders of Skye Bank yesterday ratified the acquisition of Mainstreet Bank Limited, even as the Securities and Exchange Commission gives clearance to the scheme. Speaking at the bank’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos, the Chairman of the bank, Mr. Tunde Ayeni explained that the ratification was the highpoint of the court ordered extra ordinary general meeting immediately after the bank’s 9th annual meeting. During the consideration of the bank’s proposed scheme of external restructuring which deals with the acquisition and how to consolidate the

operations of both banks, the chairman said after the receipt of the scheme clearance from the SEC, an application was filed at the Federal High Court which directed the meeting of the shareholders of the banks be convened and the scheme be presented for their consideration and approval. Explaining the benefits and effects of the scheme which gives legal seal to the acquisition, the Group Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo, said the proposed restructuring would create a platform where significant synergies could be obtained for the benefits of the shareholders, , employees, customers and the economy as a whole.

He further identified other benefits of the restructuring to include the opportunity to reposition the enlarged Skye Bank as a tier 1 bank within the Nigerian finanacial services space based on the expected benefits arising from economies of scale and scope. “A business combination of this nature will potentially lead to revenue enhancements and cost savings for the enlarged Skye Bank with a wider customer base”, Oguntayo explained. He stressed that the scheme would provide an additional buffer to the existing capital base of the bank in the event of subsequent recapitalization directives by

the CBN, addition to presenting an opportunity to create a stronger risk asset portfolio for the enlarged bank. Rate (%) Inflation

8.2

MPR

Crude oil price

$58.96

Source: NSE

Inter-Bank Rate Naira

US Dollar

N197.00 Market indicators All-Share Index 33,590.33 points Market capitalisation 11.51trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

29.20

30.66

1.46

5.00

TRANSCORP

2.83

2.97

0.14

4.95

UBA

5.15

5.33

0.18

3.50

UBCAP

1.40

1.44

0.04

2.86

LIVESTOCK

2.25

2.30

0.05

2.22

WAPIC

0.51

0.52

0.01

1.96

VITAFOAM

5.38

5.45

0.07

1.30

DANGSUGAR

6.60

6.65

0.05

0.76

NASCON

7.00

7.04

0.04

0.57

WAPCO

99.00

99.50

0.50

0.51

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

NAHCO

6.11

5.81

-0.30

-4.91

TRANSEXPR

1.28

1.22

-0.06

-4.69

BETAGLAS

44.00

42.00

-2.00

-4.55

CILEASING

0.70

0.67

-0.03

-4.29

HONYFLOUR

3.98

3.81

-0.17

-4.27

OKOMUOIL

30.40

29.21

-1.19

-3.91

OANDO

17.87

17.20

-0.67

-3.75

GUINNESS

165.00

160.00

-5.00

-3.03

SKYEBANK

2.59

2.52

-0.07

-2.70

RTBRISCOE

0.75

0.73

-0.02

-2.67

FGN Bonds

Bid

Description

Offer

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016

1.19

99.16

13.79

99.31

13.65

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.89

102.03

13.81

102.18

13.72

16.00 29-JUN-2019

4.06

106.39

13.88

106.69

13.78

16.39 27-JAN-2022

6.64

111.11

13.77

111.41

13.70

14.20 14-MAR-2024

8.77

101.97

13.80

102.27

13.74

10.00 23-JUL-2030

15.12 68.00

15.55

68.30

15.47

Closing Market Prices of June 8, 2015

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

Exchange

Rates (N)

10-Sep-15

11.41

11.76

WAUA

270

03-Dec-15

12.90

13.76

USD

197

02-Jun-16

12.79

14.64

EURO

214

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

SWISS FRANC

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

202

O/N

11.4333

14.8096

POUNDS STERLING

293

16.0004

SDR

273

17.3217 The Fixings of June 8, 2015

Capital Market

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary Equities as at June 8, 2015 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror There are many people who are bright and intelligent, but what we lack are faithful men and women who can be trusted to do the right thing, who can be honest, diligent and can do what needs to be done. Vice â&#x20AC;&#x201C;President â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Yemi Osinbajo

4 arrested over Lagos killing

Farmers decry delay over fertiliser distribution

DARE AKOGUN

o fewer than four people have been arrested by Lagos State Police Command in connection with the killing and beheading of five people in Ajah area of the state. The suspects, Peter Clement, Yussuf Sanni , Aliyu Yussuf and Ogboduwa, were arrested in Ajah and some parts of Lagos Island by operatives of the State Criminal Investigations Department, (SCID), Panti, Yaba, and are all currently undergoing interrogations. Findings by Community Mirror revealed that the suspects were arrested through a surveillance effort of policemen , who were on their trail since their escape, after killing the five people. Residents of Lagos Island and Ajah have since called on political leaders in the state to openly dissociate themselves from street urchins, who are dropping their names to terrorize people. Meanwhile tension has continued to pervade major streets of Lagos Island as youths suspected to be members of the two warring factions have reportedly threat-

A tricycle driver (right) being cautioned by military personnel at TBS, Lagos Island

ened further reprisal attacks. It was gathered that while those who are colleagues to the slain five residents of the area are threatening to avenge their deaths, the opposing group has threatened further mayhem. The tension was heightened by the disappearance of Mustapha Saego, one of the gladiators in the crisis, who was said to have lost five people in the latest clash. Hoodlums , loyal to the arrested suspects have reportedly threatened to destroy the prop-

erty of the members of their rival group , if further attacks and destruction of their property is not stopped Residents of Lagos Island , who spoke with Community Mirror decried the incessant clash by hoodlums and blamed it on political leaders in the state. The residents alleged that the hoodlums are using the name of a very influential politician to wreck havoc on law abiding citizens. They therefore called on poli-

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

ticians to dissociate themselves from the hoodlums, who hide under their names to kill innocent people. Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Kenneth Nwosu, who confirmed the incident and arrest to our reporter assured that others perpetrators would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the law. "Yes we have arrested four suspects and they are currently undergoing interrogations at the State CID Panti " Nwosu said."

Group faults ruling houses on selection of Ekiti monarch ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

kere Liberation Movement has faulted the position of a group of Ikere Ekiti princes and princesses under the aegis of Ikere Ruling Houses on the selection of the next monarch of the community, saying they have no role in the process. President of the movement, Mr Josiah Olalekan, said the stance of the group of princes and princesses against the selection of Prince Adejimi Adu as Ogoga-elect, which followed due process, was a plot to create crisis and disunity in the ancient community. Olalekan said in a statement by the association's secretary, Isaac Toluwani, in Ikere Ekiti at the weekend that the opposition of the group to Adu's emergence as monarch-elect was part of their plan to elongate the tenure of the regent, Princess Adeyooye Oyinlola, through initiating crisis in the community.

The movement stated that "princes and princesses have no constitutional or traditional roles in the choice of a new king", adding that "all the premises of the camp opposed to the choice of the Oba-elect are faulty and baseless". Olalekan accused the group of attempting to steal a position they have lost through a process in which they participated, and which was electronically recorded by mounting an endless propaganda which has no legal or moral basis.

Consequently, the movement appealed to the state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, to wade in by insisting on due process and announcing the monarch-elect to discourage any group or individual from truncating the existing peace in the town. It would be recalled that three ruling houses in the community had rejected the monarch-elect, alleging that he was imposed on them in flagrant violation of the State Chieftaincy Law. The three ruling houses: Akai-

yejo, Agabaola and Ogbenuote, had said that "for the fact that Adu does not belong to any of the ruling houses", he would suffer immense eligibility problem among the indigenes of the town if he succeeded in his desperate quest to become the next Ogoga. They said at a press conference they jointly addressed at the Palace of the Ogoga in Ikere Ekiti that the process of the selection of the next monarch of the community should start afresh to avert crisis.

armers in Zaria, Kaduna State, have expressed concern over the delay in the distribution of fertilisers for this year's farming season which has forced them to using animal dung. The farmers made their position known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria. Alhaji Musa Dogara, a Zariabased farmer, said the call became necessary following the commencement of rain across the state. He said: ``We thank God Almighty rain had already commenced, therefore, I want to appeal to governments at all levels to speed-up effort at supplying fertiliser to enable us put in more efforts towards realising a bumper harvest. ``This delay has forced us to resort to using animal dung in order to bridge the gap," he said. Dogara observed that the delay in the supply of the commodity would not only affect the input of individuals and farmers generally, but it would negatively affect the overall output. On his part, a peasant farmer at Rafinyashi village, Malam Mutawakkilu Rafinyashi, described early supply of fertilisers as a path to national food security. He called on farmers not to rely 100 per cent on inorganic fertilisers, advising that they should endeavour to be prompt users of organic fertilisers such as animal dung and refuse. ``Relying 100 per cent on conventional fertilisers is not the best for our farmers but they must resolve to use organic fertilisers with a view to reviving the soil acidity."

False testimony lands woman in police net

25-year-old woman identified as Mrs. Blessing Emeka Eze, who has been allegedly going from one church to another, claiming that her 8-year-old daughter was kidnapped and released after 11 days in captivity has been arrested. The Owode, Ogun State borndomestic servant was caught by members of Four Square Gospel

Church, Obawole, Iju station, a suburb of Lagos State, on Sunday, June 7, 2015, where she had gone to give false testimony that her 8-year old daughter, who was kidnapped at Ogba area of Lagos State, was found at Mile 2 after 11 days. She was also alleged to have told the congregation that Precious told her that she was fed

with raw food and raw meat, which made the Pastor of the church, Rev. A.S. Adekunle, to order that the girl be taken to a medical centre on Old Akute Road for treatment. It was gathered that on getting to the hospital, the 8-year-old girl who was wearing pampers was observed by the doctor on duty and the doctor said nothing was

wrong with the girl. But the mother insisted that something was wrong with her. At this point, the doctor prescribed that she has to be on observation in addition to giving her drip to flush out any disease she might have contracted. Again, her mother objected and demanded that the girl be given only injection.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

World News G7 warns Russia of more sanctions, vows action on climate change 51

We have a right to call the ICC to investigate not only cases of Gambians but the case of thousands of African young people who have died on the European coast under unusual circumstances. – Gambian President, Yahya Jammeh

HRW condemns rights abuses in Sisi’s first year in power Paul arhewe

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

uman Rights Watch condemned yesterday “flagrant human rights abuses” during the first year in power of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on the anniversary of his inauguration. Sisi was sworn in on June 8, 2014 following a landslide election victory, one year after he ousted Mohamed Morsi, an Islamist who was Egypt’s first freely elected and first civilian president. Sisi “has presided over the flagrant abuse of human rights since taking office a year ago pledging to restore stability,” the New York-based HRW said in a statement. Rights groups accuse Sisi of establishing a regime more repressive than that of ex-president Hosni Mubarak, who was toppled in a 2011 popular uprising mainly against security force abuses. “Over the past year, Sisi and his cabinet have provided near total impunity for security force abuses and issued a raft of laws that severely curtailed civil and political rights,” said HRW.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

Since Morsi’s ouster in July 2013, hundreds of his supporters have been killed and thousands jailed. Hundreds have also been sentenced to death after mass speedy trials described by the UN as “unprecedented in recent history”. Overall, Morsi supporters account for nearly half of the 2,600 people to have died in violence since his ouster, along

with 700 security personnel and 550 other civilians, Egypt’s official National Council for Human Rights said in May. “Continued silence from the United States and Europe legitimises Sisi’s flawed logic that the state’s clampdown on its own citizens will yield stability,” Joe Stork, HRW’s deputy Middle East and North Africa director.

Secular activists who spearheaded the 2011 uprising against Mubarak have also been jailed, over a law banning all but police-sanctioned protests. HRW said the law was “a de facto protest ban”. Jihadists on the other hand have led attacks targeting security forces, especially in Egypt’s North Sinai, bordering the Palestinian Gaza Strip.

Pistorius to be released August 21

outh African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius is led to a prison van after his sentencing in Pre-

Pistorius

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

toria October 21, 2014. South African athlete Oscar Pistorius will be released on parole on Aug. 21 after serving 10

months of a five-year sentence for culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, authorities said. The Olympic and Paralympic track star is behind bars in the capital, Pretoria, after being convicted in October after a seven-month trial. The release of Pistorius, whose lower legs were amputated when he was a baby, had been largely expected under South African sentencing guidelines that say non-dangerous prisoners should spend only one-sixth of a custodial sentence behind bars. A prison service statement said Pistorius would spend the remainder of his time under “correctional supervision”, a form of house arrest.

Steenkamp, a 29-year-old law graduate and model, died on Valentine’s Day in 2013 when Pistorius shot her through a locked toilet door at his luxury Pretoria home. Prosecutors had pushed for a murder conviction, but the athlete maintained he fired in the mistaken belief an intruder was hiding behind the door, a defense that struck home with many in a country with one of the world’s highest rates of violent crime. The state won its bid to appeal the culpable homicide conviction and will seek a murder conviction when the case is heard in November. Pistorius could face a prison sentence of at least 15 years if convicted of murder.

WORLD BULLETIN

Burundi claims citizens helping to fund polls Burundi’s government has received donations from citizens to help fund the presidential polls and other elections and hopes Western donors will reverse a decision to halt election aid to avert more chaos, the presidential spokesman said yesterday. Gervais Abayeho said the government had earmarked its own election funds and guaranteed voting would go ahead before Aug. 26, the end of the current term of President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose bid for a third mandate has led to protests. For more than a month, demonstrators have clashed with police, saying the president is violating the constitution by running. Nkurunziza says a constitutional court found he could run, a ruling Abayeho said meant any debate was now “closed”. The European Union, Belgium and the Netherlands suspended some aid last month to support the elections, which have been delayed although new dates have yet to be set. Diplomats said unrest meant the conditions were not right for a fair a vote.

Zambian musician arrested for mocking president A popular Zambian singer was arrested yesterday after being accused by supporters of President Edgar Lungu of mocking the leader in a song that police said could provoke public clashes. Singing in a local language, musician Fumba Chama, also known as Pilato, mocks a man named Lungu who the lyrics say has no ideas but carries a suitcase full of bottles of whisky. Lusaka police commanding officer Charity Katanga said the musician would appear in court on Tuesday and faced a penalty of up to six months in prison or a fine if convicted.

Maggi noodles withdrawn in E’African supermarket East Africa’s biggest supermarket chain has withdrawn Nestle’s Maggi noodle brand from its shops in five countries, amid concerns over food safety. Nakumatt says the noodles have been withdrawn from shops in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Sudan, after demands from a Kenyan consumer group. The group was reacting to a partial ban in India, where regulators described the product as “unsafe and hazardous”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

WORLD BULLETIN Turkey’s political turmoil signals early election –Report Turkey faced the prospect of weeks of political turmoil after the ruling AK Party lost its parliamentary majority in weekend polls, dealing a blow to President Tayyip Erdogan’s ambitions to acquire sweeping new powers. Instead of the two-thirds majority he had wanted to change the constitution and create a new presidential republic, the AK Party, while remaining the biggest party, failed even to achieve a simple majority. The outcome augurs weeks of unpredictability as parties vie to form a coalition and possible early elections. The result could also prompt some soul searching in the AKP, Turkey’s dominant political movement for more than a decade, where in recent years religious conservatives, with Erdogan’s support, have gained the ascendancy at the expense of centre-right and liberal elements. Erdogan, strident in his attacks on opponents he has in the past accused of betraying Turkey, seemed conciliatory in first comments after the poll - a stark contrast to his triumphalist appearances after recent local and presidential elections “Our nation’s opinion is above everything else,” he said. “I believe the results, which do not give the opportunity to any party to form a single party government, will be assessed healthily and realistically by every party.

South Korea ready to counter economic impact of MERS The South Korean government yesterday said it is ready to take swift measures to counter the negative effects on its economy from an outbreak of a deadly respiratory disease, suggesting that worried policymakers may soon deliver monetary and fiscal stimulus. President Park Geun-hye said the negative economic effects from the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) should not be overlooked, while Finance Minister Choi vowed to take steps to offset any hit to growth. “The effect from MERS on private consumption cannot be overlooked as spending and tourism are quickly shrinking,” Park said on Monday during a visit to the MERS response headquarters. “We can say that the virus has been driven out completely only once the economic effects are minimized.” Her comments mirrored concerns expressed by Choi earlier in the day. “I am concerned over the negative influence the recent MERS outbreak could have on the local economy, including private consumption and investment sentiment,” the finance minister said.

World News

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

G7 warns Russia of more sanctions, vows action on climate change

orld leaders yesterday warned Russia it would face stepped-up sanctions for its “aggression” in Ukraine, as they wrapped up a G7 meeting also pledging strong action to fight climate change. At a luxury retreat nestled in the picture-perfect Bavarian Alps, the leaders of the most powerful countries also tackled threats to global security posed by Islamist extremism and risks to the global economy from Greece. For the third time, Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin was barred from the summit due to what US President Barack Obama termed his “aggression in Ukraine”, as the group of seven top powers closed ranks against Russia. “We ... stand ready to take further restrictive measures in order to increase cost on Russia should its actions so require,” said the leaders in a joint communique after the two-day huddle. “We recall that the duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to Russia’s complete implementation of the Minsk agreements and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty,” the leaders added, referring to a peace deal struck in the Belarus capital. The tough line from the world’s power brokers came as Ukraine’s defence minister accused pro-Russian rebels -backed by Moscow -- of deploy-

L-R: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (C), gesturing to French President Francois Hollande, U.S. President Barack Obama, President Muhammadu Buhari, and other G7 summit participants and outreach delegates after a family picture at the G7 summit at Elmau Castle in Kruen near Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, yesterday.

ing an army of 40,000 men on the Ukrainian border. The force threatening Kiev was equivalent to that of a “midsized European state”, said Stepan Poltorak. Clashes in recent days between the Ukrainian forces and the separatists have threatened the ceasefire deal thrashed out in Minsk. Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Canada’s Stephen Harper on Saturday made a point of visiting Kiev on their way to the summit, to voice support for Ukraine’s embattled leaders, as a recent flare-up in fighting in the east has left at least 28 dead. Sanctions could also be “rolled back” if Russia lived up

to its commitments, the communique said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, hosting the talks, also noted that Russia was involved in resolving several other global crises and called for their “cooperation.” The leaders also sought to thrash out other threats to global security over a lunch of Thai chicken soup, trout and a peach dessert with almonds. In an unusual move, the G7 leaders invited the heads of countries threatened by jihadist groups, including the leaders of Nigeria and Iraq, both battling deadly insurgencies. Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi was invited to discuss the US-led campaign to help

Boy smuggled into Spain in suitcase reunited with mother

boy from Ivory Coast found in a suitcase at a Spanish border crossing was reunited with his mother on Monday while his father, arrested for trying to smuggle him in, was set to be released. “We are very happy. We’ll set off again with the little one and we’ll try to find his father,” the family’s lawyer Juan Isidro Fer-

nandez Diaz told journalists in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave north of Morocco. Police in Ceuta had found eight-year-old Adou Ouattara curled up and covered inside a suitcase without air vents at a border checkpoint on May 7. Since then he has been staying at a centre for underage migrants in Ceuta.

8-year-old Ivorian boy Adou Ouattara hidden in a suitcase

Several hours after the youngster was discovered, his father Ali Ouattara was arrested at the same border crossing on charges of human rights abuse, for trying to have the boy smuggled into the country. “We have paid the bail and they’re going to release him,” the family’s lawyer said. The suitcase containing Adou was being carried through a pedestrian border crossing by a 19-year-old woman, whose identity has not been released, when a security scanner detected the boy inside. Last month officials granted Adou authorisation to live in Spain for one year and had been waiting for results of DNA tests before turning him over to his mother Lucie Ouattara, who lives legally in Spain’s Canary Islands off the Moroccan coast.

his country fight the Islamic State extremists who launched a lightning offensive a year ago and have snatched over a third of the country’s territory.

US strategy on Iraq not yet complete –Obama

he US does not yet have a “complete strategy” for helping Iraq regain territory from Islamic State (IS), President Barack Obama has said. He said the Pentagon was reviewing ways to help Iraq train and equip its forces. But Obama said a full commitment to the process was needed by the Iraqis themselves. He had earlier met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Germany. IS has recently made gains in Iraq despite US-led coalition air strikes. In May the militants seized Ramadi, the capital of Anbar, Iraq’s largest province, as well as the Syrian town of Tadmur and the neighbouring ancient ruins of Palmyra. US officials cited a lack of training as a major factor in the fall of Ramadi. But Mr Obama said that the 3,000 US service personnel in Iraq sometimes found themselves with “more training capacity than we’ve got recruits”. “We don’t have, yet, a complete strategy, because it requires commitments on the part of Iraqis as well about how recruitment takes place, how that training takes place,” Mr Obama told a news conference.

North

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kidnapping: Kogi offers N5m reward on information WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

Stranded patients at the out-patient department of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital during the resident doctors’ strike in Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Don’t allow clique to pick leaders, Dogara group warns Reps WOLE OLADIMEJI ABUJA

s the nation waits for proclamation of the 8th National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari and the election of principal officers for both Senate and the House of Representatives, the Consolidation Group of Honourable Yakubu Dogara yesterday urged members not to allow a clique to pick leaders for them. The group maintained

that only the 360 members can determine who becomes Speaker and represent the interests of all Nigerians, not the interest of the clique. According to the group, “we call on Nigerians and men of good conscience to remain steadfast in their prayers and support for us in order to set the legislature free from the resurgence of a cabal that intends to stiffen the Muhammadu Buhari administration and hold it to ransom. “We are calling on all

members-elect to vote for the independence of the legislature by ensuring that Yakubu Dogara emerges the next Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the group added. We in the 8th Assembly Consolidation Group, hereby express our profound gratitude and appreciation to all Nigerians for their support and prayers. “As we brace up for today’s inauguration of the 8th session of the National Assembly, we

wish to state here that we are going ahead to nominate Dogara for election into the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives,” the group added. “We, however, urge members-elect and all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard any form of insinuation about our stance. “We are taking our destinies in our hands; we are going to the floor of the House to decide who leads the next Assembly,” the group said.

Forced labour accounts for $150b illicit profits globally –ILO OLUFEMI ADEOSUN (GENEVA)

nternational Labour Organisation, ILO, has estimated that over 21 million people are engaged in forced labour globally. According to the organisation, the group of people accounts for over $150 billion dollars in illicit profits annually. ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, made the revelation at the 104th ILO conference holding in Geneva, Switzerland. He said victims of forced labour were mainly found in agriculture, fishing, domestic work, construction, manufacturing, mining and other economic activities. Of the lot, Ryder stated that women and girls in particular, were subjected to commercial sexual ex-

ploitation. “The ILO estimates that 21 million people are victims of forced labour, generating illicit profits of about $150 billion a year. Victims of forced labour are exploited in agriculture, fishing, domestic work, construction, manufacturing, mining and other economic activities. Women and girls, in particular, are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation. “Niger ratified the Forced Labour Convention in 1961, after becoming independent in 1960. In 2002, Niger adopted legislation to outlaw slavery, with provision for strong penalties for anyone convicted of holding slaves. “However, a survey conducted in 2008 by the National Statistics Institute of Niger and the ILO found that more than 59,000 adults and children,

out of a total population of 13 million, are victims of forced labour. This is mostly related to vestiges of slavery and deep-rooted practices of discrimination. Ryder, however, maintained that global campaign would be launched at the end of the conference to encourage at least 50 countries to ratify the Forced Labour Protocol by 2018. According to him, to enter into force, the Protocol needs ratification by two ILO member states. He also disclosed that the economic case for migration was stronger now than ever before, even amid growing political and social barriers. “It’s no use making an appeal to economic rationality in dealing with migration, because you miss a lot of the story and you fall into the trap of treat-

ing labour as a commodity if you deal with migration as a purely economic equation. It has economic benefits.

ogi State government yesterday announced a reward of N5 million for anyone who gives useful information that may lead to the arrest of kidnappers in the state. Governor Idris Wada, who made the announcement while speaking during a familiarisation tour of the state’s Police Command in Lokoja, said the government was not resting on its oars to provide adequate security for lives and property of the people. Wada said he was at the command to boast the morale of the rank and file of men of the Nigeria Police for their efforts in combating crimes in the state. He said his administration would continue to support the police and other security agencies in the quest to combat crime in the state. “My visit here today is a major step among other things we are doing to curb the ugly incident of kidnapping that is now ravaging our state. The Commissioner of Police has already mobilised his men and has been doing everything possible to stamp out kidnapping in Kogi State,” he said. The governor also commended the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Solomon Aranse, for the deployment of 350 crack police officers to combat crime in the state, noting

that very soon; the state will overcome the problem. The governor assured the police command that government will continue to give support to men of the command in its efforts to fight crimes. Wada also announced the donation of N2.4 million for family of 12 police officers who lost their lives in active service. Earlier in his address, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, commended Governor Wada for his visit which he described as morale booster for police officers in the state. Ogunjemilusi who conducted the governor round the renovation of the state Police Command and the office of the commissioner of police, noted that the IGP is not sleeping over the issue of kidnapping in the state. He therefore urged the governor to approve a piece of land for building Police Headquarters, police nursery and primary school and both request were granted immediately.

Gov. Wada

Insurgency hampers manpower recruitment in ATBU, says CMD EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

cting Chief Medical Director, Abubakar TafawaBalewa Teaching Hospital, ATBU, Bauchi, Dr Yusuf Bara Jibrin, yesterday said the emergence of insurgency in the North East region has been responsible for inadequate manpower in the institution. Jibrin, who made the statement while briefing newsmen in his office, said the hospital was not getting it right in its determined

commitment to provide the much needed health services to the people. He said several attempts were made to recruit qualified medical doctors, but none have indicated interest since the emergence of insurgency in the North East. He said: “Most doctors we intend to recruit are from other regions and they find it very difficult to accept offers in this region for fear of insurgency and this has resulted in lack of manpower in ATBU.” The CMD said the management was doing every-

thing possible to recruit more doctors and have captured same in its 2015 annual budget. He added that with improved security situation in the zone, following military onslaught against the terrorists, some of the doctors are now signifying their readiness to accept the offer, adding that management will soon conduct interview. On the strike embarked upon by Residents Doctors in the hospital, Jibrin noted that the management inherited the demands of the striking doctors and promised to look into it.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

In all fairness, this is a wrong time to be involved in Copa America based on our World Cup experience –Brazil captain, Thiago Silva

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

T/tennis: Nigeria Juniors shine in Egypt

Salami in action

Super Eagle

Salami

I’ll quit after 2017 AFCON –Enyeama

wants perm anent shirt ...as NFF r eassur

igeria captain, Vincent Enyeama, hopes to bow out on a high after confirming that the next Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon will be his last. In a BBC Sport report yesterday, the 32-year-old goalkeeper, who plays his club football for French side, Lille, however said as the Super Eagles host Chad in Kaduna on Saturday, Nigeria must avoid another troubled campaign so as not to miss out on Gabon 2017. “It’s impossible to play football forever and the next tournament in Gabon will be my last one,” Enyeama told BBC Sport. “I’ve played in two finals, lost in 2004, won in 2013 and to win in 2017 is how I hope to be remembered. “But more significantly we must not get ahead of ourselves because we need to qualify first.” As reigning champions Nigeria could not defend their title in Equatorial Guinea early this year after failing to qualify for the tournament. The Super Eagles have been drawn in one of the toughest-looking groups for the 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers, alongside seventime champions Egypt, Chad and Tanzania.

Enyeama

es Chad

uper Eagles striker, Gbolahan Salami, has set a target of being a regular player of the senior national team. Ahead of Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match, the Warri Wolves forward said his ambition is to pin down a permanent shirt in the team. “My target is to become a regular with the national team. Right now, I must prepare myself for the game against Chad,” Salami told supersport. com. After failing with his Wolves team last Saturday to defeat Congo’s AC Leopard and qualify for the group stage of the CAF Confederation Cup, Salami expressed regrets that his two goals on the night were not enough to salvage their first leg away 3-0 loss. “I could have scored a hattrick (on the day), but ended up getting two (goals). I was not happy with the result. “I did not celebrate because the goals failed to help Warri Wolves reach the group stages of the competition. “My target is to become a regular with the national team. Right now, I must prepare myself for

the game against Chad. “I want to go there (the camp) and fight for a jersey,” he said. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has given firm assurance of adequate security and safety to the delegation of Senior National Team of Chad that will arrive in Nigeria on Thursday for this Saturday’s AFCON match against the Super Eagles. Speaking in Abuja yesterday, while receiving officials of the Embassy of Chad in Nigeria, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, declared that all arrangements had been made not only for a hitch-free match, but also for adequate security, transportation, feeding and accommodation of the visitors. “Apart from always being the big and affable brother, we are known to be among the best hosts in the world. All arrangements have been concluded for security and hospitality for your team and we are on top of ensuring a hitch-free match on Saturday,” Sanusi told the Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Chad, Dr. Mahamat Bechir Niam and another official, Captain M. S. Ayakmo Ernest.

Sports

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Flying Eagles

Glo hails Flying Eagles’ Hungary trashing N

ational telecoms operator, Globacom, has congratulated the Flying Eagles on their 2-0 victory over Hungary at the on-going FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. The Manu Garba-tutored team scaled through to the second round with 6 points behind group leaders Brazil who finished with 9 points. “The Flying Eagles are back in contention and we believe they will sharpen their skills as they advance in the competition,” Globacom said in a statement in

Lagos yesterday. “The high-scoring German side is a hard nut to crack but we have strong faith in the ability of Flying Eagles to get the victory from the Thursday’s encounter to qualify for the quarter finals,” the statement added. The telecoms company charged the team to go the extra mile and re-invent the “can-do spirit” and determination which Nigeria is known for and which won the nation the U-17 World Cup in Dubai in 2013, as well as the recent Afri-

can Youth Championship in Senegal. “We urge the technical crew to work on the team’s defence to ensure that they are tactically ready to ward off the German attack that registered 16 goals in the group stage,” Globacom further said, stressing, “We also urge the coaches to evolve a winning formula that would put the encounter beyond the Germans.” Globacom is the official telecommunications partner of the Nigeria Football Federation and the major sponsor of the Nigerian national teams.

FIBA 3-3 x 3 Tour: Ghana, others due in Lagos

he FIBA Africa Zone 3-3x3 Tour powered by the AMK Foundation will hold in Lagos from June 18 to 21 with all the eight countries under the Zone confirming their participation. Guebre Boukary and Idrissu Ayambire of Burkina Faso and Ghana Basketball Federations respectively confirmed their participation having registered with the FIBA Africa Secretariat coordinating the event with FIBA Africa Zone 3. Zone 3 Board President, Col. Sam Ahmedu (rtd) of Nigeria, who attended the second meeting of the Organizing Committee, also confirmed the participation of the eight countries under the zone. “Some of the national federation presidents have also called in to assure us of their

presence during the period of the tournament,” Ahmedu said. Togo Basketball Federation are fielding players in all the categories namely U-18 Boys, U-18 Girls, Senior men, Senior Women and in the Mixed Team Category while Benin Republic Basketball Federation President, Alex Paraisso, says his country will compete in all the categories, as well as Nigeria, Ghana, Niger Republic and Cote d’ Ivoire federations. Meanwhile, the Nigeria Basketball Federation has thrown open its slots for the event to interested clubs in Nigeria as each category will comprise of 4 players and one coach. Wild cards for the championship will however be determined by the Organizing Committee for the championship.

NBF Boss, Umar

Pistorius nears freedom

J Pistorius

ailed Oscar Pistorius is set to be released on probation on August 21, South African prison authorities said yesterday, after serving 10 months in jail for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Paralympic star was jailed for five years in

2014 for the culpable homicide of Steenkamp. Under South African law, Pistorius is eligible for release under “correctional supervision” having served a sixth of his sentence. South African Commissioner of Correctional Services Zach Modise

told the BBC that the case management committee at the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria, where Pistorius is being held, made the recommendation last week. The decision is however likely to mean a spell under house arrest for Pistorius.

Ladipo

Visa hitch latest: Supporters launch Canadian appeal IfeanyI eduzor

he Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) has again appealed to the Canadian Embassy to issue its members with visa to enable them travel to Canada to support the Super Falcons at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World cup. President General of the club, Rafiu Ladipo, had last Friday disclosed to National Mirror that only 19 visas were issued from the 170 applications processed by the embassy out of the total number of 300 visa applications by the club, even as the applications were made in April. “We have spent about N10 million on visa fees, hotel reservations, flight tickets and sundry issues and we furnished the embassy with the facts,” Ladipo said yesterday. “We are now left wondering if the visas will be issued when the competition has ended. “We wrote a petition and followed it up with a visit to the embassy’s consular today (yesterday). We were informed that the embassy had over 5000 applicatons to consider but we considered this flimsy.” Ladipo also argued that some of the supporters who were denied visas already had valid US, British, France, Japan, New Zealand and Schengen visas. “The irony of all this is that the embassy is still in possession of our passports and have not told us why they are denying our members visas despite our applications following due process,” the visibly frustrated NFSC boss further said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

First Lady tasked on women athletes

AfolAbi GAmbAri

op-notch Nigerian female journalist, Mrs. Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello, yesterday made a passionate plea to the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, to consider female athletes in Nigeria in her quest to empower the Nigerian women as she settles down to the exalted office. In an essay titled “A Warm Plea to Aisha Buhari”, the Abuja-based multiple award-winning journalist who is also renowned for her humanitarian efforts highlighted the successes attained by the country’s female athletes in recent years, saying they required what she called sustained motivation. “As an advocate for Women Athletes in Africa, I am proud to say that most of the recent successes achieved in Nigerian sports came from the women,” Ogunleye-Bello said. “The women U-20 team did well at last year’s FIFA World Cup, in addition to the Super Falcons winning

the African Women Championship in Namibia and are back again in Canada competing in the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup. “It is also a fact that Nigerian athletics is dominated by women, with the duo of Blessing Okagbare and Ese Brume as arrowheads.” Ogunleye-Bello, however lamented the neglect visited on the women athletes that seemed to deprive them of their due. “A case in point is the fact that the promises made to the Super Falcons after they won the AWC trophy in Namibia are yet to be fulfilled,” she reckoned, stressing, “It will not be out of place if you blaze the trail by being the First Lady to ensure that our female athletes get adequate motherly affection from a president’s wife. “Our various female athletes competing in equally various events need your voice, attention and attention as you settles down to the realization that sports is an important unity tool that cannot be ignored in nation-building.”

Mrs. Aisha Buhari

Oladapo joins IOC Commission

F Animashaun

: s i n n e T/t

Nigeria Juniors shine in Egypt N

igeria was in excellent form at the ongoing ITTF World Junior Circuit (WJC) tagged Egypt Junior and Cadet Open yesterday with an emphatic win over Qatar and Iraq. The boys’ team, led by Olasunkanmi Oginni, was in superb form against the Qataris

as his combination with Nurudeen Hassan swept of the highly-rated Gulf team with a 3-1 win before sweeping off Iraq with a 3-0 rout to set up a final group clash against Egypt Team B. The Esther Oribamise-inspired girls’ team showed what to expect in the competition as

they pummeled Egypt Team D 3-1 to record their first group win. Another boys’ team spearheaded by Abayomi Animasahun also dismissed Egypt Team D 3-0 while the Nigerian girls’ team led by Muibat Bello and Vivian Oku fell 3-0 to Egypt Team D in a mixed fortune re-

sult. Meanwhile, the participating teams have commended Egypt Table Tennis Federation (ETTF) for providing world class facilities at the stadium, although the low turn-out of fans seemed to take glamour off the championship.

ormer secretary general of Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), Olabanji Oladapo, has been appointed into the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Communications Commission. A letter dated May 26, 2015 and signed by IOC President, Thomas Bach, said a Oladapo’s appointment was based on his enormous contributions to sports in Nigeria, Africa and the world. “Following the unanimous approval of Olympic Agenda 2020 during the 127th IOC Session in Monaco, and as per recommendation 40, I have reviewed, in consultation with the IOC Executive Board, the scope and composition of the IOC commissions, to align them with Olympic Agenda 2020,” the IOC chief stated. “It is with great pleasure that I appoint you as a Member of the Communications Commission,” he added. Oladapo will join NOC President, Habu Gumel, who is the only Nigerian Ambassador to IOC and member of Commission. The former NOC official is a current board member of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) as well as the Vice President of Africa Table Tennis Federation (ATTF).

Wolves threaten League boycott PAul ErEwubA

igeria Premier League side Warri Wolves have threatened to boycott the Week 11 match against Kano Pillars on Sunday if the League Management Company (LMC) gives the all-clear. Wolves crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup e on Sunday after going down 4-3 on aggregate to AC Leopards of

Tanzania. According to the club’s Media Officer, Moses Metu, Wolves have seven of their regular players away on national team duty and would be unable to field a strong side against the reigning champion this weekend. Etu listed the players as goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, Egwuekwe Azubuike, Solomon Kwambe, Gbolahan Salami, Stanley Dimgba while the duo of Ogh-

enekaro Etebo and Omoforman Freedom also traveled with the national U-23 team to Morocco. “The rule is clear on this and we want it to be applied,” Etu said. “During the break, we wanted some of the outstanding matches to be played but our request was turned down and there is no way we can take the risk of playing tough matches with strong sides as Pillars,” he added.

Oladapo

WORLD RECORD

Largestdribbling hockey stick Fastest marathon two basketballs

N150

Vol. 05 No. 1130 Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The largest hockey stick is 62.48 m (205 ft) long, weighs 28.12 tonnes (62,000 lb) and was commissioned by Canada’s Federal Government for the Canadian Pavilion at the Expo 1986, in Vancouver, Canada.

Nigerian in 2050: Making institutions work

conomics is a theory of choice. Therefore, the development of any nation and perhaps Nigeria will be a function of our choices - politically, economically and socially. These choices are the main determinants of the institutional structures needed to drive the realisation of Nigeria being one of the top 20 economies in 2050. How then can Nigeria position its institutions to become an economically vibrant nation? I consider it imperative to have a level of understanding of what institutions are especially in the context of national economic development. This is in view of the fact that the concept of new institutional economics affects not just the professionals, governments, but the people in general who are the constituent officials of nation build-

Guest Columnist

Olusola Akinyemi

ing. Ha-Joon Chang and Peter Evans described institutions as ‘systematic patterns of shared expectations, taken-for-granted assumptions, accepted norms and routines of interaction that have robust effects on shaping the motivations and behaviour of sets of interconnected social actors. In modern societies, they are usually embodied in authoritative coordinated organisations with formal rules and the capacity to impose coercive sanctions, such as the governments or firms’. According to Douglass North, institutions “form the incentive structure of a society, and the political and economic institutions, in consequence, are the underlying determinants of economic performance”. Institutions would generally not exist without africtionlessworld,wherethereisnouncertainty. Institutions, therefore, help to reduce uncertainty in the society which will serve as the incentives necessary for human interactions with direct effect on economic growth and development of the country. With the multiple challenges we face as a country politically, economically and socially, restructuring through the instrumentality of institutions is congenial to get our track back to national economic development. We should consider what constitute the classes of institutions mentioned above. Political institutions may include, constitution, political systems (including parties); government focus, structure, programmes and policies; ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), judiciary among others. Just like Erik Reinart has said about institutions, “it is necessary that we understand and explain why it was instituted. For it is by knowing the cause that we gain the knowledge of a thing”. The era has come when every

FOR NIGERIA TO BE ONE OF THE LEADING ECONOMIES, IT IS

QUINTESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE A DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY existing political institution must be focused to actively participate in the development project. After all, economic performance is influenced by politics since it defines and enforces the economic rules of the game and best institutions will not work well in the absence of a supportive political culture. Chang (2005) points out the importance of making a clear distinction between the forms and functions of institutions. Citing the compilation of major “governance” indexes (or the indexes of institutional quality) by Kaufmann et al. (1999, 2002, 2003), he noted that the indexes often mixed up variables that capture the differences in the forms of institutions (e.g., democracy, independent judiciary, absence of state ownership) and the functions that they perform (e.g., rule of law, respect for private property, enforceability of contracts, maintenance of price stability, the restraint on corruption) Economic institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, all banks and other financial institutions, government institutions with direct and indirect influence in driving the economy, private institutions, organisations, firms and inevitably the small and medium scale entrepreneurs must all be refocused and better structured for economic prosperity and development. Econom-

ic institutions encourage individuals to engage in productive activities by providing appropriate incentives and establishing a stable structure of human interactions, which reduce uncertainty. Social institutions are perhaps the foundational structure on which political and economic institutions are built. The players help to shape, educate, empower and reform the society to strategically engage and facilitate the realisation of a societal vision or value. These institutions include religious organisations, educational institutions, families, government agencies, among others. On the workings of institutions in developing nations, it must be note that affluence in developed countries is a cumulative result of efficient institutions, while poverty in poor countries is a result of inefficient institutions. According to Greif (in Carden, 2005), successful institutions are both contract-enforcing and coercion-constraining; that is, they reward production and exchange rather than expropriation and redistribution. However, the institutional frameworks in developing countries “overwhelmingly favor activities that promote redistributive rather than productive activity, that create monopolies rather than competitive conditions, and that restrict opportunities rather than expand them”. Institutions have been very instrumental to nations that have made it to development - the USA, China, France, Japan, South Korea, Dubai, among others. This is not to assert that the working of institutions in countries is one-size-fits-all. The vision of countries and the social climate are usually guiding factors to the modus operandi. And for Nigeria to be one of the leading economies, it is quintessential that we have a diversified economy. What will facilitate this is the strategic structuring of our institutions to drive productive activities beyond the oil sector. The reason for this cannot be over stated. When the major part of national income is influenced by a product regulated by the international market, there is no true and sustainable wealth. What we have is a wealth dependent on dictates of the international market regulators. Akinyemi, President, Joseph Initiative Ltd/Gte, Lagos wrote via Olusola.akins@ gmail.com

Sport Extra

helsea Manager, Jose Mourinho, insists he needs a new striker for next season to bolster his squad. The Blues were led upfront by Spanish forward Diego Costa, who was backed up by fellow strikers Loic

Transfer: Chelsea must buy a striker –Mourinho Remy and Didier Drogba. But with the veteran Ivorian forward leaving Stamford Bridge, Mourinho says a new addition is inevitable. “We want to have three strikers of a good level,”

Mourinho said yesterday. “IThe coming season will be about improving the squad, bringing players to make us more consistent so we don’t go through difficult periods like last season when

we had crucial injuries. “We have to try and protect that situation by adding two or three players.” Mourinho, however, said the team would not lose any of the current players ahead

of the new season. “We want to get better without losing players, especially our mental and emotional approach to matches, as well as to the season and the entire competition.”

Mourinho

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