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Military commences checkpoints removal T

B’Haram kills 26, injures 20 in Borno

Police to deploy additional 158 patrol vehicles –IGP

OMEIZA AJAYI AND UBONG UKPONG Minimah

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he military yesterday, said it was complying with the Presidential directive to remove all military check-

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

points across the country. Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, stated this in CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

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Scores die as female suicide bomber attack Yobe P.12

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Buhari meets govs, vows to recover stolen money ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday assured governors

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...says days of impunity, fiscal recklessness over

FG, states to share Excess Crude Account immediately

APC senators fight over principal offices

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8 APC govs demand Oyegun’s sack

President Muhammadu Buhari (9th right), Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (9th left) and governors after their maiden meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

CBN excludes 40 items from forex market

...aircraft, rice, vegetable oil affected P.6

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PHOTO: NAN

Jumbo pay: Protesters storm NASS, demand 60% pay cut Senate moves to review own budget, allowances

Suspected pirates kill four policemen in Rivers

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Buhari meets govs, vows to recover stolen money CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

that the days of impunity, lack of accountability, and fiscal recklessness in the management of national resources were over. Buhari, who met with the governors at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa to find solution to the issue of unpaid workers’ salaries by both states and Federal Government, vowed that funds stolen by government officials who abused their offices in the recent past would be recovered and systemic leakages stopped. The President had on Monday during his meeting with State House correspondents lamented that he inherited an empty treasury and debts running into mil-

lions of dollars At the meeting with the governors yesterday, Buhari said: “There are financial and administrative instructions in every government agency. But all these were thrown to the dogs in the past. Honestly, our problems are great, but we will do our best to surmount them. “The next three months may be hard, but billions of dollars can be recovered, and we will do our best.” While expressing surprise that the governors had tolerated the atrocities allegedly committed with the Excess Crude Account, ECA, since 2011, Buhari promised to tackle the issue decisively. He declared that the payment of national revenue

into any account other than the Federation Account was an abuse of the constitution. The President said what had been going on in many agencies and corporations, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was clearly illegal. On the refund of monies spent on federal projects by state governments, Buhari assured the governors that the Federal Government would pay, but insisted that due process must be followed. The President promised special assistance for the three North Eastern states badly affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. He also said that a com-

prehensive statement on the economic and financial situation inherited by his administration would be made to the nation within the next four weeks. “We will try and put the system back into the right position. What happened in the Second Republic has apparently happened again, and even worse, but we will restore sanity to the system,” Buhari assured the governors. On an immediate lifeline for states that owe salaries running into many months, he said a committee headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, would look at the Excess Crude Account and see what can be shared immediately.

The governors, led by Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari had presented a wish list to the President, including obedience of an extant Supreme Court ruling that all revenue generated by government should go into the Consolidated Federation Account and an order from the President that all revenue generating agencies must pay into the account; The governors also demanded the review of the revenue allocation formula, refund of monies expended by states on federal projects as well as a special consideration for the three states of the North East under Boko

Cross section of Northern traditional rulers during a meeting with President Muhhamadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, yesterday.

Military commences checkpoints removal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Abuja. President Muhammadu Buhari, had on Monday, directed the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, to ensure the immediate removal of all military checkpoints across the country. In its effort to rid the country of Boko Haram insurgents, the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, ordered the deployment of the checkpoints. Consequently, the military embarked on indiscriminate mounting of checkpoints along the highways. For instance, the AbujaKeffi road in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, be-

came a daily nightmare to commuters, as the duplicated checkpoints created daily traffic gridlock. However, as at yesterday, most of the checkpoints in Abuja had been removed, thereby ensuring free flow of traffic. The major checkpoint at the Kugbo area of the Abuja-Keffi road was move to a corner of the road, allowing motorists to drive freely. A commuter, Daniel Thomas, who spoke with our correspondent, said the development was a good one saying, “the suffering of over five years has been lifted in a day.” Ruth Danladi, who also celebrated the development, however said there was need for caution so that insur-

gents do not take liberty of the removal to cause havoc. Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase said additional 158 patrol vehicles are to be deployed on the highways as replacement for the dismantled checkpoints. The police had since the beginning of this year deployed over 2, 000 vehicles to stem the wave of crime in the country. Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday, the IGP expressed the readiness of the police to take over strategic points on the roads where the military had hitherto held sway. He however conceded that the police will continue to collaborate with the military in carrying out its job.

“Constitutionally, they are supposed to assist us whenever we have issues; where we require their assistance, we still need to synergize with them,” he said. Arase disclosed that the force would soon organise a forum where it would seek the assistance of non-state actors in the provision of security for the citizenry. According to him, the police alone cannot provide security, saying there is no place in the world where the police have a complete dominance of the security space. In a related development, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has commended the Police Service Commission, PSC, for its contribution to the success of the

PHOTO:STATE HOUSE

2015 general elections. The PSC had during the elections deployed over 400 monitors to the 109 senatorial districts in the country under the leadership of the Commission’s Chairman, Sir Mike Okiro, a retired Inspector General of Police, to monitor the conduct of police officers. INEC in a letter signed by I.A Gali, Director, Commission Secretariat, for the Secretary to the Commission and sent to PSC in acknowledgment of the receipt of its (PSC) Report on the monitoring exercise, conveyed its “appreciation for the services rendered which ensured the success of the 2015 General Elections”.

Haram infestation. They also asked for the full details of the amounts that accrued into the ECA, from 2011, and how the money miraculously shrank without official sharing. Briefing State House correspondents, Yari explained that the meeting with the President was not about bail out but to find a way out of the situation that both the states and Federal Government found themselves. He noted that the President, before his inauguration, was aware that some states were in critical situation regarding payment of workers’ salaries, dwindling resources, drop in oil prices and other critical areas of the economy. Yari noted that total debts owed by the 36 states and FCT amounts to N658bn, while the domestic debts of the Federal Government was N5.53trn. “We met the President and we shared knowledge from what was gathered from the Transition Management Committee, the findings and what is on ground. “We also briefed him on the condition of our states, and we all appreciated that something has to be done and going forward, we are going to ensure that most of the states and the Federal Government that have not paid salaries, that something will be on ground in the next couple days,” Yari said. He disclosed that governors at the meeting raised concern about the dismantling of military checkpoints on the highways, saying that it was not timely. He, however, said that the President explained to them that where necessary, he has given the Chief of Army Staff the permission that they can continue especially in the North, South East and the frontline states after citing some incidences that happened at the military checkpoints. Yari further said the governors proposed to the President that instead of being given bailout, funds for projects that were done by the states should be refunded by the Federal Government. “If the affected states are able to get the money owed them released, they can be able to start paying salaries without bail out. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

L-R: General Manager, Trade and Investment, Odua Group, Mrs. Yinka Tunji-Olawale; Group Managing Director, Odua Group, Mr. Adewale Raji and Company Secretary, Mrs. Abiola Ajayi, during a news conference on one year anniversary of Raji in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: French resource person, Police Lieutenant Jean Marc Barattolo; Chief of Operations and Coordinator, Directorate of Force Peace-Keeping, SP Moses Jagaba and Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, during his visit to police officers on peace-keeping training in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

National News George Oji ABUJA

ll Progressives Congress, APC, senators yesterday engaged in physical combat over appointment of principal officers. Attempts by senators to finally settle the issue through zoning of offices ended in brickbat as punches were thrown. At a meeting on Monday, leadership of the party brokered a peace between feuding members of the “Senate Unity Forum,” and the “Senators of Like Mind”, wherein it was agreed that the issue would be sorted out through zoning of leadership positions. At the meeting, the office of Senate Leader was zoned to t North-east with Senator Ahmad Lawan as choice candidate, while Chief Whip’s office was zoned to South-west with Senator Olusola Adeyeye (Osun Central) as candidate. In the same vein, Deputy Senate Leader’s office was zoned to North-central with Senator George Akume (Benue North-west) tipped for the office, while Senator Abu Ibrahim (North-west) was tipped for the office of

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L-R: Managing Director, Heritage Banking Company Ltd, Mr. Ifie Sekibo; Director, Banking and Payments System Department, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun; Managing Director, SecureID Ltd, Mrs. Kofo Akinkugbe and Managing Director, Intermac Consulting, Mr. Adeyinka Adeyemi, during the cutting of tape to commence CBN Cashless Card Expo in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Senior Trade Development Manager, UK Trade and Investment, Mr. Idowu Babalola; Director, Mr. Chris Maskell; Managing Director, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor and General Manager, Production, Mr. David Martin, during a visit to SPDC in Lagos, recently.

APC senators fight over principal offices Deputy Chief Whip. But at a closed-door meeting called yesterday by APC caucus, Saraki was reported to have told the senators that each zonal caucus should meet and present their choices for the offices. Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi (Kaduna North), a member of Senate Unity Forum, was reported to have rejected Saraki’s suggestion, saying it was rather the exclusive preserve of the party to do so. Hunkuyi insisted that the party would bring names of the officers. Senator Tayo Alasoadura (Ondo Central), the lone South-west senator who belongs to Saraki’s camp, was said to have shouted Hunkuyi down, saying “Nooooh, the party will not decide for us,” even as he questioned the rationale for the choice of Adeyeye by the party for the office of Chief Whip, suggesting instead that Senator Ajayi Borrofice (Ondo North) would have been a better choice.

This submission was said to have infuriated Senator Kabir Marafa (Zamfara Central), who accosted Alasoadura in anger and shoved him violently, prompting other senators to rush to the scene to rescue him from Marafa’s anger. It was learnt that Saraki’s group had made the choice of Francis Alimikhena, the only senator from South-South on the platform of APC for the office of Deputy Chief Whip and Ibrahim as Deputy Senate Leader. But the party eliminated Alimikhena and opted for Akume, who, like Saraki, hailed from the North-central. Saraki had in his opening remarks before commencement of the meeting said he was ready to work with everyone without any ill feelings with a view to achieving focused leadership. He enjoined his colleagues to bury the hatchet and resolve to work together in the spirit of unity. He

also enjoined them to promote a family affair. “It is time to bury the hatchet and renew that spirit of love, cooperation and trust in one another. “The leadership of our party expects us to hit the ground running and the Nigeria populace is waiting to see us in action to deliver on our promises and commitment. “Let us start this journey of unity today and let the world see that yes, in the eight Senate, we are one family. “We should not allow ourselves to be distracted by the people around us or be carried away by the noise out there. Let us remain focused and determined,” he pleaded. Hunkuyi, who later spoke to newsmen on what transpired at the meeting said, “The group that gathered here was under the auspices of All Progressives Congress Senators caucus. “The APC senators’ caucus is not an instru-

ment of the constitution of the APC. The issue of leadership of the chamber that belongs to the group of APC cannot be decided here. It is common reasoning and common sense. We have a leadership of the party. “The leadership of the party, that is, the APC still reigns supreme to decide the four positions of leadership where it should go and who shall have it. “An attempt here to do otherwise is the cause of this rancour. We are just coming from the national headquarters of the party and we are aware the leadership of the APC is doing all it can do to curb part of what should not have happened in this chamber now. “Therefore, simply put, the cause of the rancour is an attempt by the leadership that has emerged, in otherwise fishy circumstances to again force their will on the majority of the senators of the APC, notwithstanding the fact that there is a leadership of

the APC that has not come with the final decision. “You could see it’s a very simple thing but we believe it is an attempt, but a very bad one for that matter because it cannot happen. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that is even trailing behind has a procedure. “The leadership of the PDP will definitely suggest and come up with procedure to give leadership of their own group which are four in number. Why is somebody trying to impose something else through another means, through another procedure that is not constitutional to APC? That will not happen,” he said. Meanwhile, the senate caucus of the PDP may have settled for Senator James manager (Delta South) as the Minority Leader. The announcement is expected to be made on the floor of the senate today by the Senate President.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Jumbo pay: Protesters storm NASS, demand 60% pay cut GEORGEOJI AND UBONG UKPONG

ozens of protesters, yesterday, stormed the National Assembly complex, demanding a 60 per cent cut in the salaries and allowances for lawmakers and all political appointees in the country. Gathered under the auspices of Conscience Nigeria, a civil society group, the protesters also demanded that legislative business should be on a part-time basis in view of the high cost of maintaining the National Assembly and frequent recess embarked on by lawmakers. “Why will 469 members share N120bn in a year? If we don’t act, Nigeria will collapse like Greece. The time has come for National Assembly members to declare their pay. The secrecy must stop,” Executive Director, Conscience Nigeria, Comrade Tosin Adeyanju told journalists at the entrance of the National Assembly. In a comparative analysis conducted by the group on salaries and allowances of lawmakers in five developed countries, Nigerian federal lawmakers ranked highest earners, he said. The breakdown showed the United States of America ($174,000); United Kingdom ($105,000); France ($85,000); Germany ($119,500); Canada ($154,000) and Nigeria ($181,974). “In terms of lawmakers’ salary as ratio GDP per capital, the gap is even wider while salaries of Nigerian lawmakers are 116 times the country’s GDP per person. That of the British Member of Parliament is just 2.7 times. “The average salary of Nigerian workers based on the national minimum wage of N18,000 x 12 months is N216,000 per year. Remember the yearly salary of a Nigerian senator is $2,183,685. Therefore, it will take an average Nigerian worker 1,638 years to earn the yearly salary of a senator,” the group stated. Meanwhile, in line with public agitations, the senate said it is set to review its budget and allowances to ensure that it is in line with economic realities in the country. The lawmakers also disclosed that an 18-member ad

hoc committee would be set up to draw up a legislative agenda that will guide the activities of the 8th senate. Senate President, Bukola Saraki made this disclosure yesterday in a short speech to welcome the senators back from a two-week break. Saraki explained that the proposed review of the budget will take place once the composition of the principal officers of the senate has been concluded. He stated that as a first step, he met last week with officials from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, to get accurate information on the true state of salaries and allowances for members of the National Assembly. He regretted that the media has of recent been awash with what he described as fictitious reports on wardrobe allowances for National Assembly members, noting that the report was not just false and malicious but also reckless. According to him, what the report demonstrated was the need for lawmakers to run a more transparent National Assembly to avoid misinformation. According to him, the National Assembly must take measures to minimize the current crisis precipitated by the falling price of oil in the international market and the attendant reduction in the nation’s revenues. “We must reduce to the barest minimum revenue leakage points; strengthen oversight of the entire revenue collection and mobilisation architecture of the federation,” he added. The Senate President announced the immediate composition of an 18-man ad hoc committee comprising of three senators from each geopolitical zone, to immediately draw up a Legislative Agenda for the 8th Senate within a week. According to him, the expected draft agenda, which will be laid on the floor of the upper chamber for approval, will give the senate focus and cohesion in pursuing its set targets. A proposed motion by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu on, “The States and Unpaid Salaries,” was deferred yesterday. Ekweremadu who proposed the deferment explained that he did so fol-

lowing the information that President Muhammadu Buhari was meeting with the 36 states governors at the Presidential Villa over the same issue, noting that the senate needs to await the outcome of the meeting before knowing the next step to take on the matter. The senate earlier met in a one-and-half hour closeddoor session yesterday to discuss, what Saraki later described as matters of national importance. It was however gathered that the lawmakers at the closed-door session tried to resolve the lingering leadership crisis in the senate with little success. In a related development, Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, assured that the House would work towards improving governance process by legislating to cut the cost of running government, reduce wastage and tackle revenue leakages. Dogara gave the assurance in his presentation on the draft Legislative Framework Agenda of the House, during yesterday’s sitting. He stressed that the House was committed to playing its part in rescuing the country from the present state of hunger, poverty, diseases, social, economic, political and infrastructural quagmire. He said there was national concern about cost of gov-

ernance in Nigeria. “Recurrent expenditure in the national budget is about 75 per cent, while capital expenditure is less than 25 per cent. This is clearly unacceptable. Committees set up by the executive have recommended merging and consolidation of government Ministries, Departments and Agencies to significantly reduce the cost of governance,” he said. Dogara disclosed that the House would collaborate with the Senate and other arms of government to legislate for the common good of the people. He noted that the present House was taking off against the backdrop of huge expectations from

Nigerians over how government business was conducted. He therefore noted that to address these expectations, Legislative Agenda would be implemented to ensure that the House is positioned to deliver legislation in aid of development and reforms aimed at improving conditions of living in the country. The Agenda outlined steps and prioritised legislative actions required to achieve set goals and objectives. Equally, he said the House would seek to tackle current high unemployment rate by legislative action and through appropriate budgetary interventions that seeks to create employment.

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer , Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole; Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu; Deputy Managing Director, Med-View Airline, Engr. Lookman Animashaun and Head of Operation, Capt. Godfree Ogbogu, during the CP’s courtesy visit to Med-View Airline Corporate Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

Buhari meets govs, vows to recover stolen money CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

“Secondly, we also brought to his notice that most of the loans owed by the states, some between four and seven years, if it (repayment) can be stretched to 20 years, the states will be relieved and would be able to continue other businesses, including paying salaries,” he added. Yari further said that governors also requested that the first line charge of about $1.6bn by Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, be paid into the Federation Account so that it could be shared amongst the three tiers of government. “We urged the President to follow the constitution when it comes to money sharing. Section 80 is very clear. That all monies should go to the Consolidated Revenue Account for the pur-

pose, no account should be kept anywhere because this is what the constitution says. “Section 162 also is explanatory; that whatever is going to happen to the money will be after sharing to the three tiers of government; that NNPC or any other revenue generating agency should not have the first line charges, the governor said. He further said that governors kicked against Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF, because of the way it was being managed. “Our argument in the past why we did not agree with the SWF, the question is who is the manager? Like the ECA,who are the managers? Each state and local government has account in the ECA, but who are the managers? “The Federal Government is taking about 56 per cent, while states and local gov-

ernments are taking 44 per cent but the Federal Government is the manager of these accounts and where your money is being kept and you cannot ask question. “For instance, before our Forum was divided, we left $10.3bn in the ECA and we expected the account to grow but as reported in our last meeting, the account is now $2.6bn and the sharing has been stopped since May 2013; no kobo has been given to any state or local government. “So under which platform will you save the money? To save the money is good. No matter how beautiful it is if it does not have the backing of the constitution, it is null and void,” the governor said. President Buhari also yesterday said his administration has received firm assurances of cooperation

from the United States and other countries on the recovery and repatriation of funds stolen from Nigeria. A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Buhari spoke at an audience with members of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar. According to the statement, Buhari said that it was now up to Nigeria to provide the international community with the facts and figures needed to drive the recovery effort. “In the next three months, our administration will be busy getting those facts and the figures to help us recover our stolen funds in foreign countries,” the President told the traditional rulers.”

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

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8 APC governors demand Oyegun’s resignation Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

ight governors of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday called for the resignation of National Chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun. The demand, according to a source, was tabled at

a meeting the governors had with the chairman at the party’s secretariat. The governors, who came to meet with the national chairman included Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Atiku Bagudu (Keb-

bi) and Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa). Odigie-Oyegun had on Monday met with Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, and Senator Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Lasun Yusuf, separately at his residence in Abuja. The national chairman

CBN excludes importers of 40 items from accessing forex window turkey; private airplane and jets; Indian incense; tinned fish in sauce (Geisha)/sardines; cold rolled steel sheets; galvanised sheets; roofing sheets; wheelbarrows; head pans; and metal boxes and containers. Also in the list are, enamelware; steel drums; steel pipes; wire rods (deformed and not deformed); iron rods and reinforcing bars; wiremesh; steel nails; security and razor wire; wood particle boards and panels; wood fibre boards and panels; plywood boards and panels; wooden doors; toothpicks; glass and glassware; kitchen utensils; table wares; and tiles –vitrified and ceramic. Also included on the list are, textiles, woven fabrics; clothes; plastic and rubber Products, polypropylene granules, cellophane wrappers; soap and cosmetics; tomatoes and tomato pastes; and Eurobond/foreign currency bond/ share purchases. Justifying the new monetary measure, the apex bank

stated that the measure was part of its continuing efforts to sustain the stability of the foreign exchange market and ensure efficient utillisation and derivation of optimal benefits from goods and services imported into the country. It stated further: “It has become imperative to exclude importers of some goods and services from accessing foreign exchange at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Markets in order to encourage local production. “The implementation of this policy will help conserve foreign reserves as well as facilitate the resuscitation of domestic industries and improve employment generation. “For avoidance of doubt, please not that the importation of these items are not banned, thus importers desirous of importing these items shall do so using their own funds without recourse to the Nigerian foreign exchange markets.”

CHANGE OF NAME t BELLO: I, formerly known and addressed as Bello Omolola Agbeke, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Wilkey Omolola Agbeke. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Odusanya Kemi Molara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adepitan Kemi Molara. All former documents remain valid Ijebu North Local Government Authority. SUBEB and general public take note.

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entral Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday exempted importers of some goods and services from those qualifying to access foreign exchange from the foreign exchange window.

The bank said the measure is intended to stabilise the foreign exchange market and ensure its efficient utilisation, amongst other benefits. The apex bank, in its Circular No TED/FEM/FPC/ GEN01/10 dated June 23, and signed by the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Olakanmi Gbadamosi, listed the goods to include, rice, cement, magarine, palm kernel/palm oil products/vegetable oil; meat and processed meat products. Others are; vegetables and processed vegetable products; poultry-chicken, eggs,

t UZOECHI: I, formerly known and addressed as Uzoechi David Favour, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Uzoechi David Chukwumma. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE SUSANNA WESLEY FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notify that the above named Foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. Sir Mbanasor. M. N (KJW) 2. Mr Godwin Okoko 3. Deaconess Alice Iji 4. Dr Echeonwu O. George Best 5. Dame Christiana Ogorri 6. Very Rev Nosayaba. N. Osaigbovo 7. Mrs Olubukunmi. A. Makanju 8. Chief Iyke Ofoegbu 9. Bro Victor Onyedim 10. Amb Alice Odeh 1. 2. 3.

- Chairman - Secretary - Treasurer - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member - Member

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

To mobilize and empower vulnerable women and youth in the society. To encourage and promote peaceful values in the society. To protect and promote human dignity.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication

SIGNED: SECRETARY

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NNAJI: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nnaji Stella Chika, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chikere Stella Chika. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunneye Kemisola Adefunke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oseni Sakirat Adefunke. All former documents remain valid. First bank PLC and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME t SHEIDU: I, formerly known and addressed as Sheidu Erengbodi Ismail, now wish to be known, called and addressed as Saidu Erengbodi Ismail. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known as Miss Adediran Mojirade Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.okewole Mojirade Grace. All former documents remain valid. UNIMAIDUGURI & N.B.T.S. Ogbomoso, general public take NOTE.

has been in the eye of the storm since he endorsed the emergence of Senator Saraki as Senate President and Hon. Dogara as Speaker, against the position of the party. The meeting of the governors with OdigieOyegun did not last up to an hour. After the meeting, the national chairman also met with Senators

Ahmed Lawan and George Akume. A source said the party had agreed to give the two senators principal positions. Senators Lawan and Akume were consensus candidates of APC for Senate President and Deputy Senate President. The APC governors refused to speak to the media on their mission to the

national chairman. When journalists approached Governor Ajumobi to comment on the outcome of the closeddoor meeting, he asked them one after the other the names of their media organisations, after which he shouted on top of his voice, saying: “I don’t know any of these media houses, so I can’t talk.”

Suspected sea pirates kill 4 policemen in Rivers Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

o fewer than four policemen, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, were shot dead by suspected sea pirates in Port Harcourt. It was gathered that thee policemen were on patrol at the Abonema Wharf axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when the armed men who were masked, suddenly appeared and opened fire on the boat they were in. One of the five occupants of the patrol boat, who survived the attack had jumped into the sea and reportedly swam to safety.

It was gathered that the hoodlums had laid ambush for the unsuspecting marine policemen, who were usually combing the wharf area to smoke out criminals. It was further gathered that the incident occurred about 3pm on Tuesday, even as the sea pirates, who were 24 in number, came in four boats with six of them in each boat. The shooting caused panic within the Abonema Jetty as people ran for their lives due to the deafening sound of gunshots from the hoodlums. A source in the area said it was the first time such incident was happening, adding that the policemen died

instantly before they could be rescued. The eyewitness said, “What I noticed was that the sea pirates had laid ambush for them (policemen). We learnt that the were four policemen and one of them killed was an Assistant Superintendent of Police.’’

Contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, could not react immediately, saying the information available to him was still sketchy. “What I have now is a sketchy detail,” Mohammad said in a text message sent to our reporter.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Quit complaining and perform, PDP tells Buhari Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

eoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked the All Progressives Congress, APC, and President Muhammadu Buhari to stop complaining about the nation’s treasury and

perform the much touted magic promised Nigerians. The party also described as evasive, diversionary and preemptive, the present government’s pile up of excuses for possible failure in delivering on its campaign promises to the citizenry. The PDP said it was

Light aircraft allowed at Benin Airport -FAAN

unfortunate that President Buhari and APC that were privy to the nation’s dwindling economy occasioned by global economic downturn and fall in international oil price, even before the start of campaigns, chose to deceive Nigerians with bogus promises, only to now resort to excuses after using the promises to se-

cure power at the centre. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday said the party notes with dismay President Buhari’s statement on Monday that Nigerians should not expect much from his first 100 days in office over claims that he met “virtually an

empty treasury and huge debts.” It noted that such statement merely underlines the present administration is not really equipped to face the challenges of governance. The PDP asked if Buhari’s statement was an admission of poor knowledge of national and international eco-

nomic affairs or whether it underscored the lack of capacity and skills by the administration to effectively harness and galvanise resources and potential inherent in Nigeria, which has already been nurtured as Africa’s largest economy and one of the fastest growing in the world.

…stranded passengers, traders, others lament Sebastine Ebhuomhan BENIN

anagement of Benin Airport shut down operations on Saturday to permit a three-week repair and maintenance work on the airport’s runway. As National Mirror exclusively reported on Friday, the repair work was to fix bad portions of the runway, which experts feared had made flight take-off and landing dangerous. This resulted in cancellation of already scheduled flights since Saturday, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded for the third day on Tuesday. However, though the repairs have begun, the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, owner of the airport, has clarified that contrary to National Mirror’s report, the airport would not be totally shut down to flights and human traffic. The airport authority said that workers at Benin Airport would still be going to work in their respective offices while light aeroplanes, especially helicopter, would be allowed to take-off and land during the period. When our correspondent visited the airport yesterday afternoon, cranes and earth-moving equipment were in use to excavate the runway. The repair is scheduled to take place between June 20 and July 17. In an exclusive interview, Benin Airport Manager, Mr Sunday Ayodele, confirmed: “The repair work has started. But not all the airport will be shut down to flights. The repair

work is taking place on the runway. Before now, the runway was in a very bad state. We did not want to endanger the safety of passengers. “While the runway will remain closed for the work, the tarmac is still available for use for light aircraft like helicopters to land and take-off. During the period of the repair work, passengers are advised to make use of the Asaba Airport in Delta State.” Meanwhile, the sudden nature of the repair work has continued to elicit lamentations from passengers and businessmen men and women operating within the airport or dependent on the airport traffic to break even. Chairman of Benin Airport Cab Association, Mr Andrew Igbinigie, while speaking on the impact of the closure, noted that they were most affected by the partial shutdown of operations at the airport. “As you can see, the airport has been shut and there is no passenger traffic like before; we are seriously affected. We can’t stay at home since it is our business place. We just sit here now all day without customers. We have wives, children and families to feed. Yet, there is nothing we can do other than to appeal to the Federal Government to do the work quickly so that we can return to our businesses,” Igbinigie said. A passenger, who gave her name as Choice Gift, said she was disappointed that her already confirmed flight was cancelled because of the repair work.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (right) and Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA),Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, during Amosu’s courtesy visit to the NIIA in Lagos, recently.

$330,000 fraud: Rosulu denies allegations Matthew Irinoye

court registrar, Mrs. Oluronke Rosulu, who was alleged to have collected $330,000 from former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamayi, while in detention at Kirikiri Prisons, yesterday denied all the allegations against her before the court. The defendant, while giving her testimony before the presiding judge, Lateef Lawal-Akapo, of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja, refuted all allegations of conspiracy and falsely obtaining money preferred against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Led in evidence by her counsel, Mr. Bamidele Ogundele, the defendant said she started working with the judiciary in 1981 and had to support her salary by selling wares.

She said she was still a registrar in Justice Oyewole’s court while Bamaiyi was standing trial in the same court. According to her, she only knew the complainant (Bamaiyi) when he was standing trial before Justice Oyewole. She said: “I never met ACP Abdullahi Garba before, I don’t know Fred Ajudua personally, but I knew him as an accused standing trial. I did not collect money from anybody and I don’t know Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) one on one; and I never worked in his chambers.” Rosulu also denied visiting the prison three times as alleged. On the polygraph test the EFCC conducted on her, the court registrar claimed that the antigraft agency conducted the test on her despite knowing that she was hypertensive. During cross-exami-

nation by EFCC counsel, Seidu Atteh, the defendant who insisted that she never met Bamaiyi until when he stood trial in Justice Oyewole’s court added that she was not the only registrar in the court and that she does not work on Saturday. She also insisted that she does not work in Chief Afe Babalola’s chambers. Earlier, during the proceeding, the Lagos State Controller of Prisons, Mr Vincent Ubi, told the court that it was against prison policy to bring foreign currency to the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons. Ubi, who was Deputy Controller of Prisons from 2004 to 2006 at the prison when Bamaiyi and Ajudua were in custody, made the claim while giving evidence as a key witness for the defence during the trial. He said he never encountered Rosulu while

working as a senior prison official at the prison. It would be recalled that Bamaiyi had in his testimony before the court alleged that Rosulu aided Ajudua in defrauding him of $330,000. The money, according to Bamaiyi, was part payment of professional fees charged by Babalola to handle his trial for alleged attempted murder of publisher of The Guardian, Mr. Alex Ibru and two others. Bamaiyi had explained that he met Ajudua and Alumile Adedeji a.k.a. Ade Bendel at Kirikiri maximum prison while remanded there. According to him, the alleged fraud took place between November 2004 and June 2005 while he was remanded alongside Ajudua at Kirikiri. The judge adjourned the matter till October 26 for adoption of final written address by the parties.

South West

igeria may remain impoverished and continue to move at very slow pace if PublicPrivate Partnership, PPP, is not encouraged and the rule of law upheld. This was part of submissions yesterday at the fourth edition of Akindelano Legal Practitioners, ALP Seminar Series, when top finance and legal ex-

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Why govt is broke, by Babalakin, others perts gathered at Oriental Hotel in Lekki, Lagos, to x-ray major commercial, legal and practical issues facing Nigerian businesses. Speaking on ‘Suitability of PPPs in the Nigerian Terrain,’ a panelist, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), said: “Ni-

geria is not a rich country. In the last three years, Nigeria’s total revenue has been equal to its total expenditure, so money spent on capital projects are being borrowed. The government is bankrupt, so it will never be able to fund

major projects. No federal road has been completed in less than 10 years. “At the opening of Murtala Mohammed Airport Two (MMA2) in May 2007, I said the greatest challenges we faced were ignorance, malicious refusal

L-R: Political Economic and Management Expert, Prof. Pat Utomi; MTN Group Chief Enterprise Officer, Mr. Mteto Nyati and Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ikpoki, during Inspiring Business Growth in Africa Forum in partnership with CNN, in Lagos, yesterday.

Dwindling allocation: Ogun assures workers on welfare FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

gun State government yesterday assured it would continue to accord priority to the welfare of its workforce despite dwindling economic fortune experienced by all states of the federation. The state’s Head of Service, HoS, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, gave the assurance while fielding questions from journalists at a press conference marking the 2015 Five-Day Public Service celebration in Abeokuta, the state capital. Flanked by other top government functionaries, the HoS stressed that the Ibikunle Amosun administration would not shy away from embarking on any programme and policy that would improve service delivery, enhance workers welfare and take necessary measures that could improve the civil service. With particular reference to unremitted sal-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ary deductions, which has pitched it against the leadership of the state’s civil service union, Adekunle said Governor Amosun had already put machinery in motion to ensure that all outstanding deductions from workers’ salary were paid to the appropriate quarters. “I want to assure you that government is aware of this and we will pay back everything in full. The situation on ground is between either paying the net salary, which is about two-third of the total package for the month, or paying one-third. And (speaking) for anybody, I think it is better to pay the huge amount and then see how to settle the outstanding one-third. “I want to assure you, and hopes are high; His Excellency has already put in motion necessary machinery towards settling all the outstanding.” Commenting on the shape the civil service would take in the face of dwindling allocation from Federal Revenue

Allocation Committee, FRAC, the HoS stated that whatever would form the template for policy of the state’s workforce would be such that will shape the civil service particularly in this second term administration of the Amosunled government. Chairman, state chapter of Pubic Service

Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, Mr Abiodun Olakanmi, had recently accused the state government of failing to remit various deductions from workers’ salaries to the appropriate quarters. Olakanmi said the council had engaged the government in series of dialogue over the issue to no avail.

to understand and malice. The government failed to honour the agreement on MMA2 from day one and started competing with us. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, a regulatory body, was also acting as an operator. Government closed the General Aviation Terminal, but a new minister opened it for competition thereby reducing our revenue. We went for arbitration and they ruled in our favour. We went to court, fighting about six parties, and won all the cases. The Federal High Court, Abuja, awarded damages of N132 billion to us, but the government is yet to pay or honour the agreement. We were stopped from building a hotel and conference centre at the airport for no reason, but the ban was raised two weeks ago. One of the things keeping us going at MMA2 is a set of lawyers who have been fighting passionately. “The case of LagosIbadan Expressway is worse. I had a meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan on a Friday and he told me to go ahead with the project, but the project was stopped the following Tuesday. It’s time to stop pretending and start upholding the rule of law. If PPPs are not encouraged, the country will remain impoverished and continue to move at very slow pace.” Speaking on the topic, ‘Attracting Finance for PPP Projects in a Globally Competitive Market,’ Director-General/CEO of

Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Mr. Aminu Diko, identified insecurity, inconsistent government policies, lack of respect for rule of law and lack of capacity in supervising government agencies as four major challenges facing effective private sector participation in economic development. Diko said government’s failure to honour concession agreements was responsible for the myriad of litigations arising from PPPs. The keynote speaker and Chairman, Altra Capital Ltd (UK), Mr. John Davie, discussed why banks are not lending. He said the single most important thing that sponsors must do to be taken seriously by the financial world “is to prepare very high quality business plans which come from using experienced advisers.” Other panelists at the seminar included the Managing Director, Investment Banking, United Capital Plc, Mr. Wale Shonibare; the Co-Head, Infrastructure Finance at Rand Merchant Bank, Nigeria, Mr. Ato Gyasi; Managing Director, Travant Capital Partners, Sanyade Okoli; Country Manager, International Finance Corporation, IFC Nigeria, Ms Eme Essien, and the Managing Director of Infrastructure Bank Plc, Mr. Adekunle Abdulrasaq Oyinloye, who urged government to look for alternative finance mechanism by partnering with the private sector.

Airport community, logistic operators protest power outage

ogistics operators around the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday staged a protest over epileptic power supply in the area. They took their protest to Ikeja Electric Company Ltd. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the protest was carried out under the auspices of Ajamogun Onokotun Community Development Association of Oshodi Local Government Area. The protesters said the incessant power out-

age was having adverse effect on logistics operators, including airlines, cargo companies and other ancillary service providers. Chairman of the association, Mr Wale Akinyemi, told newsmen that the transformer serving the community was installed in the ’80s and had become obsolete. According to him, four streets in the area - Omolade Osilowo, Ayo Olaseinde, Adisatu and Olafuyi Popoola - had been subjected to perpetual darkness for weeks. He said the poor power

supply had become unbearable in spite of attempts by officials of the electricity company to fix the problem. “We have been in this constant repairs and faults and hidden charges as well as taxes for a very long time now, and have become frustrated and disillusioned. We cannot take it any longer,” Akinyemi said. According to him, if the problem is not fixed soon, youths in the area who operate barbing shops, cyber cafés and business centres among other businesses, might

soon be jobless. He therefore, called for immediate replacement of old transformers with new ones to serve residents better. He called on the company to urgently replace and tidy the low and high tension service cables, dangling dangerously in parts of the area. Addressing the protesters, Mr Ayeni Akinola, Head, Communication and Strategy of Ikeja Electric Company Ltd., assured that the company would look into complaints of the business operators.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

APC berates PDP over Fashola’s probe call

L-R: National President, Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, Dr. Eugene Nweke; Assistant Controller-General of Customs, Victor Gbemudu; G12 Country Director, Christian Widmann; Mr. Filippo Amato of the European Union and Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, during official launch of the implementation of ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Odu’a Group launches two new firms …makes fresh entry into manufacturing, agro-allied ventures KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

roup Managing Director, GMD, Odu’a Investment Company Limited, Mr. Adewale Raji, yesterday said the conglomerate was keying into President Muhammadu Buhari’s diversification efforts aimed at shifting from a monolithic oil economy to agro-allied enterprises in the face of dwindling global crude oil pricing. The eighth GMD, who assumed duty a year ago, made this disclosure while addressing journalists at Cocoa House, Ibadan headquarters of the conglomerate, on his achievements within the last 388 days.

He said the conglomerate was working towards stimulating growth and enhanced profitability in its existing subsidiaries in real estate, hospitality and insurance brokerage. Raji, who anchored his management and leadership team spirit on growth, profitability and sustainability, GPS, such that current generation and those yet unborn could treasure, said his five years’ ‘Ambitious Plan’ of growing the company’s revenue by 250 per cent has started yielding positive results due to the cooperation of the board of directors, management, staff and owner states of the conglomerate. He announced the suc-

cessful completion of Ire Clay and Burnt Bricks project in Ekiti State. He said: “I am delighted to share with you the exciting news of rolling out the first set of fired bricks on Tuesday, June 16, 2015, after about 10 years of abandonment of the factory. It is indeed a big relief that after many years of toiling and perseverance, we were finally able to see finished blocks roll out from the factory. “Coming with the Ire Clay and burnt bricks is a good match in Westlink TodoConstruccion joint venture recently consummated with a Spanish partner, Westlink TodoConstruccion Limited, which markets highly

discernible porcelain and ceramic finishes for floors and walls as well as bathroom, living room and kitchen features. This is one company that promises to genuinely radicalise the interior finishing stage of building construction in Nigeria.” Raji added that the conglomerate is taking a cue from the vacuum of industrial storage for massive agricultural produce by focusing on the agric value chain through collaboration with large commercial farm operators to put their existing land bank estimated at over 50,000 hectares across the owner states into optimal farming and processing enterprises.

Oyo election petition chairman retires, tribunal adjourns KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

etirement of chairman of Oyo State governorship election petition tribunal, Justice F. C. Obieze, yesterday stalled its sitting, a development that made it to adjourn sitting to next Monday, June 29. A member of the tribunal, Justice Mahmud Karaye, while addressing counsel and various parties in the governorship election petition before the tribunal, said Justice Obieze has been in the system for 33 years and has reached retirement age. Justice Karaye disclosed that a new chairman for the tribunal was expected to re-

sume this week. It would be recalled that former governor of the state and Accord Party candidate in the last April 11 governorship election, Rasheed Ladoja, had dragged Governor Abiola Ajimobi, the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Rufus Akeju, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the tribunal, challenging results of the governorship election. During yesterday’s brief session at the tribunal, lead counsel for Ladoja, Chief Richard Ogunwole, SAN, Governor Ajimobi’s counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and counsel to

APC, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, who were among counsel present, urged Justice Karaye to formally inform the session of Justice Obieze’s retirement in accordance with the Electoral Act and for record purposes. Thus, after the case had been called and appearances announced by the counsel representing various parties in the petition, Justice Karaye announced the adjournment of the session till next Monday, adding that ”as earlier said, due to the retirement of the former chairman, a new chairman has been appointed and will resume this week. As agreed, and in accordance with the Electoral Act, the

tribunal stands adjourned till Monday, 29/6/15.”

agos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday took exception to a call by rival Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, urging Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to probe his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola. According to APC, the PDP lacks the moral latitude to make such a call. It said the renewal of the ruling party’s mandate on April 11 was an evidence that Lagosians want continuity. It reminded the PDP that it was mismanagement of the economy under its watch that made Nigerians reject it at the polls on March 28 and April 11 at the federal level and in many of the states hitherto under its control. In a statement, the party’s spokesman, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said no amount of mudslinging would warm the PDP into the hearts of residents, who have pitted their tent with APC in five elections since 2009. “For a party that believes in hauling hollow, laughable and tendentious gossip to stay alive, the PDP in Lagos seems to have accepted the fact that it is an irredeemable bad product, Igbokwe said in the statement. He said the call for Fashola’s probe by the PDP was not only unfortunate but mischievous. The statement reads further: “Lagos PDP’s call for Governor Ambode to probe former Governor Fashola for some inchoate and laughable reasons shows that the Lagos PDP has lost it and is in a journey of selfderision and ridicule.

“We are not surprised that the Lagos PDP continues to demonstrate traits that show it as a jesting group that has no meaningful thing to contribute to the growth and progress of Lagos. “As laughable and childish as PDP’s latest rant is, we dare say that we are not in the culture of dignifying confused thoughts of a cabal that is yet to live down its continued horrible fate in the hands of Lagosians. “With the historical defeat of the PDP from the center where they ran the country into bankruptcy and near-collapse even with very bounteous oil earnings, it is not difficult to locate why the Lagos PDP is hit by a gale of confusion that finds expression in the inchoate and disoriented ranting it spews out these days as press statements. “The achievements in Lagos in the past 16 years of progressive politics need no repetition here. Lagosians know them and feel them. “Nigerians know these and trumpet them, but the woeful losers in the Lagos PDP have chosen self-denial in the vain thoughts that this will help their inordinate desire to corner power in Lagos when they have shown complete failure in the 16 years they have misused and abused power at the center. “The fact is that for 16 years, we have taught the PDP a huge lesson in politics and leadership but they keep playing the ostrich, thinking Lagosians are fools that will fall for their gimmicks. This is why the PDP has been failing and will continue to fail in Lagos.”

Afe Babalola urges corps members to showcase talents ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

orps members in Ekiti State and other parts of the country have been told to tap their God-given talents and potentials in the course of their one-year compulsory national service, as doing so was capable of giving them the desired breakthrough in life. Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, advised the corps mem-

bers that with hard work, dedication and determination, the sky would be their starting point in achieving their dreams. Babalola, represented by former University of Lagos registrar, Mr. Oluwarotimi Shodimu, spoke in ABUAD during the public presentation of a book titled, ‘Ekiti State, The Beauty of Nature,’ written by a corps member, Miss Tessy Iroghene Jevwegaga, of the 2014/2015 Batch ‘B’ corps members in the state. Jevwegaga, who hails

from Ughelli South Council Area of Delta State and teaches English Language and Literature in English at Knowledge is Power High School, Omisanjana area of Ado-Ekiti, her place of primary assignment, wrote the book which turned out to be a legacy many Ekiti people would cherish forever. Babalola had been impressed with her efforts that he footed the bill for the book’s publishing and its free distribution to secondary school students in the state.

South East

Police trail kidnappers in Enugu

nugu State Police Commissioner, Adamu Mohammed, said detectives and other operatives have been unleashed on kidnappers who operate at Opi-Nsukka Road in the state. Mohammed stated this yesterday in Enugu while chatting with newsmen after a private visit to Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. The commissioner said the route was of concern to the Police Command due to activities of criminals. “The Opi-Nsukka road is gradually becoming a hotspot for criminals because we have had intermittent crimes, like kidnapping committed there. “At the moment, we have re-strategised and if you pass through that road now, you will notice improved presence of police detectives with increased number of vehicles,” he said. Mohammed said he had the permission of the governor to ensure that all manner of crimes in and around Nsukka were curbed. “For the past two years, we have put strategies in

place to ensure to reduce crime in Enugu State. It has been working for us, which is why the state has one of the lowest crime rates,” he said. He said the command had been proactive in its approach in combating crime, adding that traditional rulers and the Neighbourhood Watch scheme had been one of their sources of strength. The commissioner commended the state government for being resourceful in assisting the police to discharge its mandate. “The state government has been supporting us in providing the logistics and with all these available, we see no reason why crime should be high,” he said. Mohammed said the command had since complied with the directive by the Inspector-General of Police to dislodge all road blocks across the country. “We don’t have road blocks in Enugu. What we do is pin-down where members of the public are observed and any suspicious vehicles will be cleared,” he said.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Umahi nominates ex-senator, Rep, others as commissioners Aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI

x-senator Emmanuel Onwe, who represented Ebonyi Central, and 18 others, were yesterday nominated as commissioners by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State. Also nominated were Barr Elizabeth Ogbaga, a two-time member of House of Representatives (Ebonyi LGA) and Mrs Lilian Nwankwo, as chairman,

Ebonyi State Local Government Service Commission. The list has been forwarded to the House of Assembly for screening and ratification today. A statement signed by the Speaker’s Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Mr Tony Nwizi, in Abakaliki, stated that the nominees would appear before the House today (Wednesday) for screening and confirmation. The appointees were

selected from 13 local government areas of the state, which include Emmanuel Uguru (Abakaliki LGA); Akpuenika Emeka Charles (Abakaliki); Engr. Francis Orji (Afikpo North); Dennis Ekumankama (Afikpo South); Sabinus Nwankwegu (Ebonyi); Moses Ogodo Nomeh (Ezza North); Mrs. Euphemia Nwali (Ezza South); Engr. Nweze Fidelis Kings (Ezza South); Mrs. Rebecca Ogbuewu (Ikwo), John Nwachukwu (Ishielu).

Others are Uchenna Orji (Ivo); Augustine Nwankwagu (Izzi); Samuel Okoronkwo (Ohaozara); Dr. Umuzurike Akuma Daniel (Ohaozara); Prof. John Eke (Ohaukwu); Sunday Inyima and Donatus Njoku (Onicha). The statement further directed the nominees to submit 30 copies of all relevant documents and curriculum vitae in 30 files to Office of the Clerk of the House before June 23, 2015.

Sack NIPC Executive Director now —Group Adeola Tukuru ABUJA

civil rights group, Nigerians United Against Corruption, yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the appointment of Executive Director, Nigerian Investment Promotion Council, NIPC, Mrs. Uju Hassan Baba. The group in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Ola Oluwasanmi, alleged that the appointment of Baba was done “maliciously” and contrary to “proper procedure” as it further claimed it was in a bid to remove the erstwhile chairman, Mrs. Saratu Umar. According to the group, the appointment of Baba was because Umar exposed dirty deals of the previous administration and was sacked for trying to be honest. They faulted the appointment of Baba, and demanded reappoint-

ment of Umar. The group further claimed that the present Executive Secretary was conducting affairs of the establishment like a private entity, not minding due process, and disregarding rule of law. The rights group further demanded that a panel of enquiry be put in place to reassess the state of affairs of the commission within the last 10 years. It also urged the government to recommend that the “board or commission revert to status quo pending the conclusion of investigations by whatever panel of inquiry set up by the government to forestall further damage to the nation.” Meanwhile, the group has warned that lack of consideration for the appeal might invite a “naked protest” of concerned bodies and related civil societies to cripple work in the commission till the appeals are attended to.

Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi (4th left), Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Onitsha, Mr. Chudi Obieze (5th left), during members of the association’s visit to the Chief Judge In Onitsha, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

FG to introduce new performance management system Omeiza Ajayi

s part of efforts to reposition the Federal Civil Service for optimum service delivery, the federal government has announced plan to introduce a new Performance Management System. The system will replace the old method of measuring performances which is now said to be obsolete. Head of the Federation Civil Service, Danladi Kifasi, stated this yesterday at a public lecture in commemoration of this year’s Civil Service Week. According to him, the service was already on the verge of instituting the new system which is expected to address inherent weakness in the present one. He however said the

need for further empowerment of the personnel cannot be over-emphasised, particularly in a democratic society which recognises the need of individuals to develop their potential and contribute to the overall development of the nation. In her lead presentation titled, “The Role of Public Service in Women Empowerment, Innovation and Accessible Service Delivery: The Nigerian Experience,’ a sociologist, Prof. Olabisi Aina of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife advised that many issues relating to women in the Office of the First Lady be made part of the civil service structure. According to her, “When the women get engaged with the issue of the woman, the missing link is that it was left in the private ward of the First Lady, and

it was therefore themed as if it were of the pet project.” Aina added, “The world has moved beyond that..., the woman issue should move properly to public service and have its own distinct appearance, leverage and reform. The first lady will always have pet project, but it has nothing to do with women, gender equality issues in public service. “As we have education as a ministry, we should have gender ministry of gender affairs or whatever name you call it. What we are saying is that you will always have issues of gender in all sectors we deal with, and that this should not be the area of concern for a first lady, nor should it stop her from doing her pet project. However, there must be a clear link between the Of-

fice of the first lady and the Ministry of Women Affairs, for the sake of autonomy.” The varsity teacher pointed out that despite a general commitment to the principle of non-discrimination as enshrined in the 1999 constitution, the country falls short of the desired result of giving males and females equal opportunities to advance socially, physically, educationally, politically and economically.

Buhari

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South south

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

How Amaechi ran Rivers govt –Wike I didn’t loot treasury –Amaechi

Ise-Oluwa Ige

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday dismissed as ridiculous and wicked, an allegation that he was under an oath to loot the state treasury in the next four years for monthly payment of an undisclosed amount to former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, as compensation for supporting and ensuring his emergence. Wike, who said he had no such pact with the First Lady while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja, used the opportunity to explain the controversy surrounding how he recovered state assets, including a N70m worth bullet proof Lexus

Jeep 570 from a former Commissioner for Information in the state and how former Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi purportedly looted state’s treasury few days to the end of his eight-year rule, and mortgaged the future of the state. The governor, who spoke for 45 minutes, also addressed other issues affecting the state, including an allegation that he sacked 374 staff of the state’s polytechnic on assumption of office, the status of the state’s account when he took over, what was handed over to him by his predecessor and what he has been able to do in the last three weeks in office. On the allegation that he entered into a pact with the former First Lady to loot the state’s treasury

to compensate her, Wike said: “It is so ridiculous for anyone to say that I had a pact with the former First Lady to remit monies to her. It is so unfortunate. What can I give to the First Lady? So, because she supported me, there must be a pact?” Wike said contrary to insinuations, he followed due process to recover government assets, which were taken away illegally. He said in the first place, his predecessor refused to hand-over anything to him and that nobody knew exactly the assets of government that were taken away except through reliable information from those who should know. He said he never used any illegal means to recover the assets, as he duly informed the police

who assisted government to recover them. On allegation that he was on a witch-hunt for setting up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the state’s finance, Governor Wike, again, said there was no truth in it. He explained that the reason he had to set up the commission of inquiry was to unravel certain transactions in the state, which were not clear; more so when the former governor was not forthcoming and refused to give him any handover note. On how the former governor purportedly looted the state’s treasury towards the tail end of his tenure, Wike, again, alleged that “from what (report) the accountant general gave me, there was nothing in the government’s account.” He explained that the

L-R: Public Affairs Manager, South Region, Nigeria Breweries Plc, Mr. Isaac Nwabuzor; female category winner of SPG Open, Susan Colekotas and Assistant Brand Manager Heineken, Kolawole Akintimehin, during awards presentation at the just concluded golf tourney at Le Meridien Ibom Golf resort in Uyo, at the weekend.

modus operandi of the past administration was to split contracts to enable them move government funds from the treasury smartly, adding that more funds than the one moved would have developed wings if his administration had not raised alarm. He said for the contracts awarded at the Ministry of Works alone, the debt portfolio was huge, apart from another N15 billion loan he collected from Zenith Bank for the state. The governor also dismissed another allegation that he sacked 374 staff of the state’s polytechnic, adding that the purported staff were yet to be given employment letters and that what he directed was that they should not issue the letters until the conclusion of an investigation on certain allegations on the matter. But Amaechi punched holes in Wike’s allegations. In a statement by his former Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, Amaechi said concerning the amount owed contractors by the Ministry of Works, his government, which inherited a comatose state, was able to finish many projects, including the monorail and state-of-the-art roads. He also spoke on the alleged money owed banks, noting that the state was the least indebted in the country. The statement reads: “It is to the credit of Amaechi’s administration that by the time he was leaving office, he had completed 90 per cent of the Phase 1A of Rivers State Monorail; completed two major interchanges, two flyovers, 25 bridges, and five shore protection projects. “He

also completed 890 kilometres of the ongoing 1,424 kilometres road projects across the state. “There are over six land reclamation/shore protection projects at Andoni, Opobo, Buguma, Abalama, Olumbie/Owukiri Island, and Oba-Ama-Okrika with over 1,140,000km completed. Out of the roads completed, some were federal’s for which the Rivers State government was owed N108bn. Mr. Wike as Minister of State for Education was among those who prevented former President Goodluck Jonathan from paying the Rivers State government back these funds. “It is on record that other states like Akwa Ibom and Abia received repayment for the federal roads they constructed. As at when Governor Amaechi was leaving office, the debts owed the contractors in the Ministry of Works, which were for ongoing road projects totaled N44, 942,354,44.10.” She said Amaechi, as at the time he was leaving office stated the amounts owed banks in the country, with a loan portfolio of N17.7bn, which includes agriculture loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria; N2bn; from Zenith Bank Plc, and another of N15.7 bn. “This was the status as at May 27. The repayment for the loans is via an irrevocable standing order and so will have reduced as at today,” she said. On salaries, Semenitari said all civil servants had been paid their March salaries while payment for April salaries had commenced by the time the administration was winding down.

Delta judiciary partners board to boost revenue Amour Udemude ASABA

n a bid to boost the revenue profile of Delta State, the state’s judiciary has resolved to partner with the Board of Internal Revenue, DBIR, with the aim of cushioning the current national economic melt-

down. Announcing this yesterday in his office in Asaba while hosting chairman and members of Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro, stated that the government would entrench an era of speedy trial of tax

defaulters in the state’s courts. The partnership, the chief judge also stated, would send strong legal signal to other tax defaulters that henceforth, there would be no hiding place for them. Umukoro, while canvassing the need for adequate sensitisation for

revenue court judges and senior magistrates in the state, following provision of a law in that direction, tasked the board to be fair, objective and credible in assessments of taxable items following complaints by some tax payers in the state. Speaking earlier, chairman of the board, Hon.

Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, said they were in the chief judge’s office to seek cooperation in their drive for improved revenue generation in the state through enhanced enforcement of justice on tax defaulters. Joel-Onowakpo, however, noted that the issue of tax evasion has been a major challenge in the

revenue drive of the state government, saying that companies domiciled in the state currently owe government billions of naira. He added that the current move by the board is aimed at tightening the loose ends through speedy trial of tax defaulters in the court.

North

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Boko Haram: Reps ask FG to rebuild bridges in Adamawa Ubong Ukpong ABUJA

ouse of Representatives at its resumed sitting yesterday, in a resolution, asked the Federal Government to rebuild bridges damaged by Boko Haram insurgents in some Borno State towns. The resolution followed a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance by Hon. Adamu Kamale, representing Michika/ Madagali Federal Constituency in Adamawa State. Kamale, in his motion, decried the destruction of major bridges and cutting off of his constituency by Boko Haram insurgents, stressing the need for urgent intervention to facilitate accessibility to affected areas. According to him, “from last year to date, several atrocities have been perpetrated by the insurgents, resulting in loss of lives, destruction of properties worth billions of naira – all of which have brought socioeconomic instability in the Michika/Madagali Federal Constituency of Adamawa state.” He expressed worry that at the moment, four major bridges leading to the constituency - “Delchim, Kudzum, Wuro Ngyanchi in Michika/Madagali local government areas and Kala’a in Hong Local Government Area have been destroyed.” As a result, he said movement of people and goods within the affected areas and beyond, has become extremely difficult, regretting that this has also made the distribution of relief materials by the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, difficult. He therefore prayed the House to “direct the Federal Ministry of Works to, as a matter of urgency, embark on the construction of four bridges, one each in Kudzum, Delchim, Wuro Ngyandi in Michika and Madagali Local Government Area, to provide accessibility to Michika/ Madagali Federal Constituency and other surrounding local government areas. “I urge the honourable House to direct NEMA and other relevant agencies to facilitate the erection of temporary bridges as a palliative measure before construction of permanent

structures to facilitate free movement and distribution of relief materials and also to enable IDPs return home easily.” The motion, which failed all bids for its amendment by members, had a smooth sail as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon, Dogara Yakubu, ruled in favour of the majority that supported it. In a related development, two motions on the order of the day could not be considered following the absence of the sponsor of one and the stepping down of the other following consideration that it would be killed in view of the mood of members. The first was on the urgent need for Federal Government’s intervention in the continuous loss of human lives and destruction of property in Safana/Batsari/ Dan-Musa Federal Constituency of Katsina State due to the activities of armed robbers and invaders, was brought by Hon. Ahmed Dayyabu Safana, who was absent. The second was on the need to commend members for facilitating a rancor-freeelection of the Hon. Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 8th Assembly and also salute the Speaker for being magnanimous in victory. It was brought by Hon. Jerry Alagbaoso.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gunmen kill 4 in Plateau

James Abraham JOS

our persons were yesterday confirmed dead after an attack by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Gwara Sop village, Hawankibo community in Riyom Local Government Council of Plateau State. The attack came less than 24 hours after a military checkpoint close to the village was dismantled by soldiers in line with the Federal Govern-

ment directive. Checks by National Mirror also revealed that other military checkpoints, which used to dot the city of Jos and environs have also been removed by soldiers. Coordinator of Stephanos Foundation, a Josbased non-governmental organisation, Mr. Mark Lıpdo, who confirmed the attack yesterday, gave names of dead victims as Dung Ibrahim, 29; Markus Dantiyo, 48; Monday Less and Kefas

Sati, 32. The statement added that gunmen had on May 9 and 20, 2015, carried out similar attack ın the area and burnt over 29 houses in the village with a population of over 700 persons. The villagers insisted that Fulani mercenaries in black attire attacked the village despite the presence of six personnel of the Special Task Force, STF, code-named, ‘Operation Save Haven.’ One of the villagers,

who spoke with newsmen in Jos yesterday afternoon said: “As I am talking to you, there is an attack going on against our people around HawanKibo area of Riyom Local Government Area.” Spokesman of the STF on the Jos crisis, Captain Ikediche Iweha, when contacted by our correspondent on phone, did not pick his call, neither did he reply text messages sent to his mobile phone a at the time of filing this report.

Majority Leader, Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Daniel Dem (left) and Deputy Speaker, House of Assembly, Mr. Yusuf Gagdi, during the first session of the 8th assembly in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Boko Haram kills 26, injures 20 in Borno village • Female suicide bomber kills scores in Yobe

Inusa Ndahi MAIDUGURI

t least, 26 people were feared dead with 20 others sustaining gunshot injuries when suspected members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, on Monday stormed Debiro in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State. The insurgents, who were in four Hilux vehicles and motorcycles, according to Mallam Yakubu Dabiro, son of District Head of the village, also burnt many residential houses and vehicles before leaving without confrontation. Debiro, the home town of former commander of the Joint Task Force, Major General Bata Debiro (rtd), was hit by members of the

Boko Haram for the third time this year, according to locals from the area. Debiro is in the northeast of Biu and about 45 kilometres drive to the council headquarters. But, the people of Debiro are more associated with Hawul Local Government Area that is just about 25 kilometres drive to Azare, council headquarters of Hawul. Our correspondent gathered that when the militants arrived in the village at night, they initially shot and killed 17 people before injuring many others, only to return again when surviving residents were burying their dead, to kill many more. Usman Malgana, who spoke with our correspondent from the General Hospital in Biu, confirmed that

they lost 26 people while 20 are currently receiving treatment at the hospital with doctors battling to save their lives. It would be recalled that Boko Haram has intensified its attacks on Borno since the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari who ordered the relocation of the Military Command and Control Centre to Maiduguri. Residents of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital said that in three weeks since the inauguration, the insurgents have launched more than 100 attacks at different locations and wondered why the attack is becoming more often with all the seriousness given by the new administration to tackle the sect’s activities in the northeastern states, par-

ticularly in Borno. Just yesterday, more than 35 people were killed with over 50 sustaining severe injuries when twin female suicide bombers hit the Baga International Fish Market in Maiduguri metropolis. In a related development, a female suicide bomber yesterday detonated improvised explosive devices, killing scores of people and injuring 26 others in Nannawaji village of Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, witnesses said. Those injured in the suicide bomb attack have been brought to Damaturu Specialists Hospital where they are currently receiving treatment. An eyewitness, who accompanied the victims to hospital, Mallam Adamu,

told newsmen that the suicide bomber attacked the market around 10:30am. According to him, many people were killed but because the market was in disarray, no one could tell exactly how many died in the attack. Security forces are yet to confirm the attack but the medical director of the hospital, Dr. Garba Fika, who spoke to our correspondent, said 26 patients had been brought to the hospital and were being treated. He said three patients have been taken to the theatre for various operations as three or four others that may be referred to some Federal Medical Centres in Nguru, Azare in Bauchi State or the Aminu Kano Hospital in Kano.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Ganduje: The developments, the challenges

2015 poll: Ex-Reps Majority Leader knows fate Friday Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

he National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will on Friday hear a motion on notice filed by the candidate of Labour Party, LP, and winner of the Ogbomoso North/South/Oriire federal constituency of Oyo State, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, against the petition raised by former Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat AkandeAdeola. Counsel to Ogunwuyi, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade of Chief Afe Babalola chamber, is seeking an order setting aside the petitioner’s joint reply to the replies of the 1st and 2nd respondents (Ogunwuyi and LP respectively), filed on May 27, same having been filed a day outside of the period limited in paragraph 16(1) of the first schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). Ogungbade is also seeking an order setting aside the application of the petitioners dated May 28 and filed on May 29 for

issuance of pre-hearing conference with the provisions of paragraph 18(1) of the first schedule to the Electoral Act 2010. While also calling for the setting aside of the pre-hearing conference notice (form TF 007) dated June 2 issued by the tribunal and served on both parties, he is also seeking an order dismissing the petition as abandoned for failure of the petitioners to apply for the issuance of pre-hearing conference notice in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 18(1) of the first schedule to the Electoral Act 2010 as amended. Dissatisfied with Ogunwuyi’s declaration by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the validly elected representative in the March 28 election, Hon. Akande-Adeola had approached the tribunal seeking to upturn his victory, while calling on the tribunal to declare her as the winner of the said election on the ground that Ogunwuyi was not qualified to contest under LP because he has not validly resigned his membership of his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Al-Makura hits the ground running in Nasarawa

Estate agents, bankers, ladies, beggars, others besiege NASS George Oji ABUJA

n the first official sitting of the 8th National Assembly yesterday, the parliament was a beehive of activities as all manners of people besieged the lawmakers to market and lobby them to patronise their various products and services. Amongst those who were all over the lawmakers were bankers who came to market to the lawmakers their various products, estate agents who had houses to rent and sell, unemployed persons who wanted to get employed as legislative aides, even as there were beggars who came to solicit

alms from the legislators. In addition, there were some ladies, whose mission to the Assembly were not very clear, but were very attractively dressed and busied themselves parading along the corridors with no clear destination nor purpose in mind. The ladies ensured that they appeared in their sartorial best, adorning very tight-fitting attires, which accentuated the best of their natural and physical endowments. The bankers and estate agents gave out their fliers freely. The fliers contained the products they were out to market. This was as a substantial number of the people came to the Assembly to seek em-

ployment as parliamentary aides. Aside from some of the former aides whose principals could not win re-election, there were other fresh applicants who were at the place to seek employment as legislative aides for the first time. At a stage, the main lobby to the two chambers of the National Assembly became so full and rowdy with people that the sergeant-at-arms had to deploy the services of the public address systems to persuade people to vacate the lobby, with little or no impact at all. Added to the crowd were security aides to former governors who accompanied their former bosses

to the National Assembly yesterday. The likes of Senators Godswill Akpabio and Theodore Orji, ensured that they still came with the full compliments of their aides, especially the security apparatus, as if they were still governors. The duo attracted the largest number of the crowds at the National Assembly yesterday; especially those seeking financial aids. Entering the National Assembly complex was such a Herculean task yesterday as security agents frisked and searched visitors and staff to the complex to ensure that there were no security challenges.

Baba-Ali mourns ex-Kogi MILAD, Afakiriya Deborah Didi

s Kogi State mourns the passing away of its former military administrator, Col. Bzigu Lassa Afakiriya, a gubernatorial aspirant hopeful under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Suleiman Baba-Ali, has described the death as a colossal and agonising loss to the people of the state. Baba-Ali, in a press statement he personally signed, condole with the immediate family of the state former MILAD, the people and government of Borno State. The frontline governorship aspirant explained

that the late Afakiriya, while he held sway as the military administrator, endeared himself to the people of Kogi, through sincerity and humility. Baba-Ali said: “I have had several meetings and interaction with the late Afakiriya, when and after he had governed the state. What I always saw in him was the symbol of a perfect gentleman, with exemplary humility.” While condoling with the Kogi State governor, Captain Idris Wada, over the loss of Afakiriya, Baba-Ali urged the state government to immortalise the late former MILAD, so the name will continue to be fresh in the minds of Kogites.

L-R: Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and Gombe State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, during a meeting with the President in Abuja, yesterday.

Commissionership: Kwara APC calls for open nominations Wole Adedeji ILORIN

wara State All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday called for nominations from the 16 local government areas in the state for the appointment of commissioners in government. Throwing the nominations open, irrespec-

tive of political leanings, APC Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Buhari Sulyman, in a statement yesterday evening said the guidelines for the nominations included “three nominees from each of the 16 councils of Kwara State.” He said the same is applicable to the appointment of Special Advisers by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, adding: “Out of the three nominees per

council, there must be at least a female and a youth.” He added: “In the same light, the leadership of APC in Kwara State has called for nominations into the local government caucus of the party. The councils are however advised to ensure fairness and equity in the nomination process so that all areas within each council are adequately and fairly

taken care of. “In the nomination of potential commissioners and SAs, the councils are advised to consider loyalty, experience, education, competence and integrity. “Six nominees are expected to be nominated from each council, out of which four nominees will be selected and inaugurated into the APC council caucus.”

Politics

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ganduje: The developments, the challenges

ew hours after Dr Abdullahi Umar Gandje assumed the mantle of leadership as governor of Kano State on May 29, the former don-turned politician began his foray into governance of Kano State with announcement of one-week environmental sanitation exercise, an exercise some described as futile, while others adjudged it as a good start. Critics of the exercise attributed its failure to the inability of the state government to evacuate dirts dumped on the streets by residents, describing the exercise as dead on arrival. Ganduje, who seemed dogged to record success in his first mass programme resorted to the mobilisation of Kano residents to embrace the programme by engaging the services of the local media with a promise that 100 trucks would shuttle all parts of the ancient city to evacuate refuse that had adorn major road sides, path ways and designated dumping sites. The state government in its unrepentant battle against filth disclosed that, it would pursue the provision of equipments capable of converting sugar cane waste into animal feeds. Ganduje revealed that the state government is concentrating it efforts towards the plans to convert sugarcane fibrous waste known as ‘Bagasse’ into animal feeds and also keep the environment clean. He made the disclosure while inspecting Operation Keep Kano Clean at Kano Sugarcane Market along Kabuga-Kofar Ruwa road in Gwale Local Government Area; he stated that the project when commissioned would address the problem of unemployed youths, in the state. Ganduje at a sanitation exercise inspection announced the decision of his administration to convert a refuse dump situated at Tsamiyar Gogau, Gobirawa ward, in Dala Local Government Area to a school, this were part of the developments that unveiled on his assumption of office from 29 May till date. One of the major developments recorded by the Ganduje administration since assuming office is the inauguration of a new office complex that would house the Speaker and members of the state House of Assembly, constructed at the cost of N161 6 million. To many watchers of political events in the ancient city, the inauguration signifies that there would exist a positive mantra between the legislature and the executive arm of government. Inaugurating the complex, Governor Ganduje said his administration will support the state legislature in the conduct of its oversight functions, he urged the legislature to enhance its budget tracking methodology, in efforts to ensure that monies budgeted are properly spent. In his remarks, Kano state House of Assembly Speaker, Kabiru Alhasan Rirum, said the commissioning of the project would boost the confidence of the state legislature. Prior to his assumption of office, Ganduje was forewarned to be prepared for a period of financial drought, by the transition committee, headed by the state deputy governor, Prof Hafizu Abubakar. The transition committee hinged its warning on the near empty treasury that would be inherited by Ganduje, hundreds of uncompleted projects laced with a debt of over N200 billion. As part of austerity measures put in place to cushion the effect of the financial drought, Ganduje slashed political appointees’ remuneration by 50 per cent, adding that the decision was informed by the dwindling revenue from federation account. Ganduje has also constituted his executive council, comprising 13 commissioners, among whom are: Mohammed Garba, Information, Youths and Culture; Barr Haruna Falali, Justice; Nasriu Gawuna, Agriculture and Natural Resources; Kabiru Isa Dandago, Finance; Muritala Sule Garo, Local Governments and Rural Development; Zubeida Lawan, Women Affairs and Social Development and Kabiru Getso, Health. Others are: Ali Mokwada, Environment; Aisha Bello, Planning and Budgeting; Rabiu Bako, Commerce, Industries and Cooperative Societies and Farouk. B. Farouk, Land and Physical Planning. The Ganduje administration has also rolled out a marshal plan to address the continual clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, with a move to resettling Fulani herdsmen through the provision of permanent grazing land and dams at Falgore forest, situated on Northern guinea savannah ecological belt, in the southern part of the state and protected by the ecosystem covering an area of about 1,000 square kilometers, traversed by the River Kano. Ganduje hinted that these features prompted the decision to choose the area for the resettlement of herdsmen in the state, adding that the motive behind the resettlement programme is to dissuade Fulani herdsmen from nomadism,

ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI looks at the developments and the challenges in the North Central state of Kano since the advent of the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration on May 29.

Ganduje

which often culminate into security challenges, when clashes erupt between farmers and herdsmen, or cattle rustlers versus herdsmen. He said: “In order to modernise the entire system of cattle rearing, our government will embark on the development of artificial insemination centers to ensure high quality meat and milk.” Though the new administration did not eliminate the ritual of providing free feeding for less privilege people during the month of Ramadan, which would cost N220 million, this year, its first baptism of fire is from aggrieved persons, who faulted the state government for failing to halt the hike of the prices of essential commodities in the state. Kano traders have seized the opportunity of the Ramadan fasting to inflate prices of essential commodities and textile materials, to the amazement of residents. Chairman of Kano Essential Commodity Traders, Alhaji Tijjani Usman, attributed the inflation of prices of essentials items to the closure of the borders between Nigeria and Niger, which had led to failure to transport these items to Kano, thus leading to shortage in supply. National Mirror reports that, prices of essential commodities like sugar, spaghetti, milk, rice and fruits had all sky rocketed, hours before the commencement of the annual Muslim fasting. Residents in a chat with National Mirror complained over what they described as the usual habit of Kano traders, to inflate the prices of commodities that are of high demand during Ramadan, blaming the state government over its failure to adopt a proactive measure to salvage the situation. National Mirror reports that, a bag of sugar which prior to Ramadan sold for N8,080 now sells at N8,380, while three pieces of orange which sold for N50.00 now costs N100.00. Prices of other items like rice and spaghetti have witnessed increase in all major markets and other parts of the state. Another major challenge confronting the new administration of Ganduje is the huge debt burden left behind by the immediate past administration of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. National Mirror reports that Kwankwaso’s administra-

Another major challenge confronting the new administration of

Ganduje is the huge debt burden left behind by the immediate past

Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

administration of

tion left behind ongoing projects valued at about N313 billion. Considering the dwindling federal allocations and lack of aggressive approach to revenue generation at the local government level in the state, the new Kano State government is confronted with the burden of how to source for fund to offset the debt incurred by the state. Though former Governor Kwankwaso in 2011 inherited 671 uncompleted projects from his predecessor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, N40 billion was exhausted in paying certain portion of the debts inherited from Shekarau’s government. Kwankwaso, in his four years in charge of the affairs of Kano State, was reported to have successfully completed 4,019 projects at the cost of N140 billion, leaving behind a work force pegged at 143,300. Ganduje inherited recurrent and capital expenditure in the sum of N418.168 billion and these form part of the hurdles staring at the Ganduje administration. If Kwankwaso’s four years in governance incur a total receipts of N419.075, with a recurrent and capital expenditure of N418.168 billion, with the current unfavorable fiscal condition, how Ganduje intends to cushion the effect of these financial burden is a million naira question on the lips of many in the state. The fear deepens with revelations that Kano boasts of an unenviable Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, strength of about N2 billion monthly But Ganduje has however reiterated his determination to embark on aggressive IGR policies, stating that the rich would be taxed to fill the gap; he also added that leakages would be blocked and new avenues of revenue generation initiated. Another gargantuan hurdle confronting Governor Ganduje, who became governor on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, is how to effectively manage the Kano APC intra-party squabbles bedeviling the party presently. The political challenge posed by the various political families that make up Kano APC may make or mar the APC government, as Ganduje a member of the Kwankwassiyya Movement is already facing the odious task of maintaining a cohesive and all inclusive Kwankwassiya Movement, his emergence as governor has added fillip and vigor to the once solo Gandujiyya Movement, whose body language is simply saying ‘it is time for Ganduje boys’. Signs of intra-party bickering and mistrust among Kano APC gladiators abound, especially members of the legacy parties, majorly from the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC; All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and the New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, who claimed that they were not accorded due recognition and allotments of juicy political spoil. There are also staunch Muhammadu Buhari followers who detest Kwankwassiyya, who though on directives from President Buhari in what is known in local parlance as “APC SAK,” who worked assiduously towards the emergence of Ganduje. How Ganduje intends to heal the festering political wounds and forestall the inflicting of new political injuries on the party is another million naira question political analysts are asking. Ganduje will also face the giant responsibility of completing the state Independent Power Project at Challawa, which will generate 35 megawatts on completion; it is dear and crucial to the economy of the state. Offsetting the debt owed local contractors is equally a major challenge as the state chapter of local contractors has flagged off campaigns seeking for the payment of debt owed its members. In a statement, the contractors, speaking their leader, Alhaji Maitagaran said: “We have a case of emergency that should be treated with alacrity to save life and ties, as at now we have unpaid contract payments of more than N60 billion and most of it were funded through bank loans. “We are appealing to the state governor to as a matter of urgency save us from the embarrassment we are receiving from our banks, business partners, our families and other critical business partners.” This, without doubt in one of the major challenges confronting the new Ganduje administration, as should the governor concentrate on offsetting debts owed to local contractors, who have worked for the state government, how would be initiate and flag off new projects? And if he could not initiate new projects, what scorecard will he present to Kano electorate in 2019 when he would probably be seeking re-election for a second term?

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror National News www.nationalmirroronline.net

15 15

From The Civil Service 410,000 corps members benefit from empowerment

P.41

CSO’s condemns Amnesty International report against Nigeria’s military …Passes vote of confidence on country securities JOEL A JAYI ABUJA

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule; State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pedro Lawal, SAN, during the Governor’s meeting with the Chief Judge at Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday.

Tambuwal tasks FRSC on overloading, tanker crashes CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

he Governor of Sokoto state, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal has charged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), to initiate strict measures that could address the menace of overloading and petroleum tanker crashes across the country. Tambuwal gave the charge while receiving the Corps Marshal of FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi and members of his entourage at the Government House Sokoto, over the recently. According to Tambuwal, the activities of commercial transporters who overload their vehicles with goods and passengers to make quick gains are not only exploitative, but dangerous to safety of lives of the innocent passengers

NYSC seeks support for community development P.42

they carry. He therefore warned perpetrators of the act to desist, stressing that the state government will collaborate with the FRSC to embark on aggressive public enlightenment programmes and strict enforcement of the relevant laws. Tambuwal further stated that overloading has become a source of concern to the government and people of the state, noting that FRSC as the agency responsible for handling such traffic matter must do all it could to stop it. “Overloading not only exploits the poor passengers, but undermines their safety. We would work with you to eradicate the practice from the state,” he stated. As a demonstration of the state government’s con-

cern, the Governor stated that he was directing the state media organs to liaise with the FRSC command in the state to come up with appropriate public enlightenment programmes that could educate members of the public on the dangers of overloading. He also called on the Headmasters and Principals of Primary and Secondary Schools in the state to encourage the setting up of Road Safety Clubs in their schools, for children to imbibe the culture of road safety from their childhood. “I assure you that Sokoto state government will continue to support the FRSC in its campaigns to create safer road environment in the country,” he further stated. On the menace of tanker crashes which were witnessed recently in parts

of the country, Governor Tambuwal commended the leadership of the FRSC for its prompt response to the challenges, admonishing drivers to always adhere strictly to safety rules and regulations, adding that all hands must be on deck to make the roads safe for all users. “A lot needs to be done in sensitising people to embrace the ideals of road safety. That was why as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, I created a Committee on road safety to bring issues of road safety to the consciousness of members of the legislature and that achieved a lot. I assure you that we would continue to support road safety programmes in order to avert unnecessary deaths on our highways,” Tambuwal added.

African children still suffer deprivation despite global efforts –GPI Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi

P.41

he Coalition of Civil Society Group (CCSG), yesterday, described the Amnesty International (AI) report against the Nigerian Military as vindictive, lacking in merit and the international conspiracy against the people of Nigeria. The AI report had alleged extra judicial killing and human right abuses against the Nigerian Military in the ongoing war against Boko Haram in the northern part of the country. Reacting to this, the civil groups in their hundred trooped to the streets of Abuja in a peaceful protest to the United Nations office in Abuja to register their displeasure against AI report which discredited the military. The President of the coalition, Etuk Bassey Williams told newsmen that most of the information in the AI report was largely false to satisfy a clandestine motive. He alleged that the Amnesty International was commissioned by “some Muslim elites in the north, who are sympathetic to the Boko Haram cause” to sabotage the county’s efforts against insurgency. Williams disclosed that they were in UN office to submit their stance to the UN Secretary General, Ban-kimoon, demanding apolo-

gy from AI while passing vote of confidence on the Nigerian Troops. President maintained that Nigerians could not be pinched against their military through ‘cheap blackmail’, wondering why AI refused to focus its activities on Boko Haram and their sponsors. He said: “Enough is enough! This is political witch-hunting, AI should be stopped. At this point, we are calling on UN secretary to call Amnesty International to order. “The report of AI is political, inhuman and international conspiracy against the Nigerian Military and the people of Nigeria. “AI should leave the Nigerian military alone with the good work they are doing against the Boko Haram. Since the Military started this war no international support, why should they (AI) come now and victimizing our military. “We pass a vote of confidence on the Nigerian Military and also call on AI to withdraw that petition against the Nigeria Military in the International Criminal Court (ICC).” While collecting the letter from the coalition for onward submission to the UN Secretary General, Ban ki-moon, the UN official, who preferred anonymity said “We are not supposed to react to this, ours is to collect and submit to the UN Secretary General.”

PTDF empowers 400 graduates with welding skills P.16

Femi Ajayi

Civil Service

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World Refugee Day: IDPs, caused by insurgency –Perm Sec ADEOLA TUKURU ABUJA

Chief Judge of Anambra State, Justice Peter Umeadi (left), presenting car key to the Chief Registrar, state Judiciary, Mrs. Doris Ezeani, symbolising the presentation of cars to 20 newly appointed Magistrates and two other staff of the State Judiciary in Awka, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

PTDF empowers 400 graduates with welding skills CHIDI UGWU, ABUJA

batch of 400 Nigerians who participated in the welders training and certification programme of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund has received the International Institute of welding (IIW) certification. Accordingly, the certificate, which recognises their proficiencies to practice welding and fabrication activities in the oil and gas industry and related sectors anywhere in the world also, saw 24 Nigerians who earlier graduated from the scheme who were among skilled professionals engaged in stadia construction for the 2014 FIFA world cup finals hosted by Brazil. In a statement signed by PTDF’s Head of Press and External Relations, Kalu Otisi, and made available to Newswatch Times, “16 other beneficiaries of the programme are gainfully employed by industrial equipment manufacturing giant, Hyundai of South Korea. The additional pool of 400 trained and certified welders brings to 1,500 the number of Nigerians trained by PTDF at different levels of welding and fabrication processes.” Kalu said the graduation of the 400 trainees which took place simultaneously

in different welding and fabrication authorised training centres in Minna, Bauchi, Port-Harcourt and Lagos “also marked the end of the second train of PTDF Welders Training and Certification Programme which commenced 3 years ago. It also commemorates the completion of the Manual Metal Arc welding training in the areas of Fillet weld, Plate weld and Pipe Weld.” In his speech at the PortHarcourt centre, Executive Secretary, PTDF, Femi Ajayi said the milestone is part of the Fund’s drive to up-skill Nigerians in welding and fabrication capabilities. According to him, “Apart from stimulating the engagement of a large number of Nigerian skilled workforce in the oil and gas sector, the existence of more than 20 internationally certified welding and fabrication centres across the six geo-political zones was made possible by PTDF capacity building intervention in welders training and certification. Before now, only two training centres had the competence to train welders to IIW standards.” On the way forward, Femi Ajayi said “ PTDF is currently undertaking an evaluation of the welding and fabrication capabilities of all Federal Universities, Polytechnics and private training centres in Nigeria

to ascertain the current ca- execute a post-training atpacities of various tertiary tachment programme that and private welding and will place the trained weldfabrication training insti- ers as interns in various oil and gas companies to tutions in-country. “This is in order to de- enhance the welders learntermine areas of urgent ing outcomes and improve intervention both in equip- their proficiency,” he exment and requisite man- plained. PTDF said the intervenpower development to ensure the total domiciliation tion in the training and of fabrication activities in- certification of welders followed the outcome of country”. “With the completion an industry-wide skills of basic training and cer- gap audit which identified tification programmes in fabrication as the most efwelding and fabrication, fective driver for Nigerian the Petroleum Technology Content development in Development Fund is cur- the oil and gas industry. It further explained that rently in the process of undertaking advanced and the survey revealed a respecialised welding train- quirement of 8,000 skilled ing programmes in the welders to effectively man areas of Flux Core Weld- on-going and planned oil ing, Tig Welding, Mig/Mag and gas projects in Nigeria. Welding, Electric Stick PTDF as a result developed Welding, Electric Resis- the Welders Training and tance Welding, Torch Sol- Certification Programme dering and Construction (WTCP) to create a globally competitive technical work Welding. The Fund also intends to CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

he Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Dr Jamila Shu’ara, has said the issues of refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) is as a result of the current security challenge in Nigeria caused by the activities of insurgency in the North East . Shu’ara, who noted this at the just concluded 2015 World Refugee Day commemoration in Abuja, further explained that in 2014 more than 16million people were displaced and a lot of these victims are children. She added that presently over 47,000 people are displaced every day which have not been witnessed before in our history. “Each year many people migrate from their ancestral homes as a result of sometimes natural disaster and even poverty , according to the united nations 10 years ago 37.5m people were displaced due to war “. “The issue of refugees and displaced persons have become a major concern globally because of the negative effects on humanity. The Federal Government in collaboration with United Nations High Commission Refugee (UNHCR), and other stakeholders to provide succour for refugees and Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs). She however said the theme of the occasion which is theme: “Ordinary people living through extraordinary times are apt for us as Nigerians must do our paths to encourage the younger generations to respect other peoples opinion as well as cultivate the culture of peace and dialogue.

Also the Federal Commissioner for Refugees in National Commission for Refugees Migrants and internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria, Hadiza Kangiwa Sani, further added that with the current security challenges in Nigeria, most especially in North Eastern part of the country, hundreds of our citizens are now seeking asylum in neiboring countries. “We all have a moral obligation and the responsibility to lend a helping hand to people who must flee as a result of conflict. The government of Nigeria is frimly committed to these principles and to seeking lasting and durable solutions. “Domestically, we are committed to offering protection to genuine Refugees and to ensuring that we strengthen our International commitments and humanitarian traditions. “The Federal Government of Nigeria appreciates the support and assistance of all UN Agencies, NGOs, CSOs and other development partners towards their prompts intervention, protection and assistance of persons of concern in Nigeria. Also the country representative of United Nations High Commission Refugee (UNHCR), Mrs. Angele Dikongue Atangana, assured that they are reinforcing its activities in support of Internal Displaced Persons, (IDP) in the Northeast through the distribution of NFIs, protection training, registration and profiling, CCM training, conducting intention surveys of the return of IDPS and will soon engage in psychosocial support to liberated IDPs, shelter support among others.

WACSOF calls for legislation on child marriage in W/Africa …Pegs age limit on 18 yrs

JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

he West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), yesterday, called on the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to set age limit for marriage through legislation

to address problem of child marriage in the West African region. To this end, the group maintained that it would be appropriate to at least let a girl child clock 18 years before giving her out for marriage. The Secretary General of

WACSOF, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani made the call during a visit to the ECOWAS Parliament, in Abuja to deepen their collaboration on ways of addressing early marriage issue in the subregion. Rafsanjani said the situation was pathetic in the region, going by the revelation from their findings so far in

the six countries they had visited. He maintained that having a regional voice on the matter would go a long way in resolving the problem and give girls in the region their desire future, adding that giving them out early for marriage did not only ruin their lives, but having negative consequences in the society.

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Views

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Reflection on the nation’s electricity conundrum CHIJOKE IGOLO

ny nation that frolics with the development of its power sector does so at its own risk. As a result of its importance to national development and growth, the colonial authorities in Nigeria as early as in 1886 installed two 30 kilowatt generating units to serve the city of Lagos. Subsequently, this was extended to other cities in 1951, when the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria (ECN) established to cover 16 cities and communities across the country. Power supply to these cities was from isolated power stations until the emergence of ECN. The inter city interconnection was made possible by the construction of a 132kv transmission line between the Ijora Power Station in Lagos and Ibadan Power Station in Ibadan. Extension from Ibadan to Erinle and Akure later followed. Benin was linked to Ughelli in the then Mid West Region; Oji to Afam in Eastern Region, and Kaduna to Zaria and Kano in Northern Region. The Electricity Corporation of Nigeria in 1951 embarked on an extensive tour of the country to examine possible sites for the development of a hydro electric power station. This resulted in the intensification of efforts by the Balfour Beatly and Company Limited and a consortium of engineering consultants from The Netherlands in the operational study of the dam sites in 1958. At the acceptance

of their recommendations, Monaco of Canada, a consulting engineering firm, was largely responsible for the overall design and supervision of the construction of the Jebba Hydro Electric dam. The first hydro electric power station was constructed in 1952 by a private tin mining interest on the tributary of the Kaduna River at Kwall Falls, 17 miles east of Jos with an installed capacity of two megawatts, while a second power station with a capacity to generate four megawatts was constructed by the Nigerian Electricity Supply Corporation Limited, NESCO on a tributary of Benue River at Kurra Falls, about 37 miles South West of Jos. The Nigerian government made a breakthrough in the electricity chain when it began the exploitation of the water resources of River Niger, upstream of Jebba. The fallout was the construction of the first public hydro power station at Kainji, in the present Niger State in 1968 with a generation capacity of 320MW; itwas subsequently upgraded to 760MW in1978. Another turning point in power generation chain was when the Federal Government commissioned Shawmont (Canada) under a financing by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to study the power industry, analyse its problems and make recommendations on a possible merger of ECN and Niger Dam Authority (NDA) as well as on improving the management of the

THE FIRST HYDRO ELECTRIC POWER STATION WAS CONSTRUCTED IN

1952

BY A PRIVATE TIN MINING INTEREST ON THE TRIBUTARY OF THE

KADUNA RIVER

electricity industry. The agency, in its 1971 submitted report, recommended the merger of ECN and NDA. This was how the National Electric Power Authority was established 1972 through Decree 24. It was given the mandate to maintain an efficient, coordinated and economic system of electricity supply to all parts of the federation. Subsequent developments in the nation’s power in the late 1970s became necessary as a result of the growing population of the country and the oil boom. Nonetheless, Marubeni of Japan, Fougerolle Nigeria Limited and Escher Wyss of Switzerland played important roles during the construction of the dam, which had a capacity to generate 578.4MW of electricity at full firing. Built at a cost of N600 million, more than 200 percent higher than the cost of the Kainji Hydro Electric Power station, the Jebba Hydro Electric power station was commissioned by Major General Muhammadu Buhari in April 1985.

Further developments in the electricity industry cannot be over emphasized as more power stations, mainly the gas fired power stations came on stream in subsequent years with one additional hydro power station added to the first two and built on the Shiroro gorge, on Kaduna River with a capacity to generate 600 megawatts at full utilization. The Shiroro Hydro Power Station, which took a whopping N800 million to build, was commissioned by the General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida in May 1990. As a result of the steady planning and development by the then NEPA, other power stations that sprung up were the Afam thermal power station located at Afam, Rivers State. It was built in 1963. Others were the Lagos thermal power station at Egbin, with a capacity to generate 1,320MW at full firing; the 1020MW Sapele thermal power station; the 600MW Delta IV thermal power station built at a cost of approximately N2.2 billion and commissioned by General Babangida on March 12, 1991. It is one of the most modern stations in the country. With this, NEPA demonstrated its local commitment to regular supply of electricity to all consumers across the country. The power station consists of steam turbines and coal fired oilers which assisted the authority in times of crisis in the industry. To be continued Igolo, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Abuja.

2019 presidential race: The Saraki, Atiku, Tinubu factors ALEX O. ATAWA-AKPODIETE

ome people may wonder why I will be talking about 2019, when the Eight National Assembly has just been inaugurated and President Muhammadu Buhari has not even completed 30 days in office. My interest stems from the fact that smart politicians are already making calculations for 2019 and even 2023! In fact, Mr. President has yet to name ministers that will make up the Federal Executive Council. Only two media aides, Shehu Garba and Femi Adesina, have been appointed by His Excellency. While President Buhari may be slow or deliberately calculating who to put in his ministerial list, the legislative arm is already embroiled in controversy. Yes, the business of governance is supposed to have been started, and in an ideal situation, a true statesman cum politician should be more concerned about delivery the nebulous dividends of democracy to the people, than concern for his next election. That is not obtainable in Nigeria. An astute Nigerian politician calculates every move to ensure, not only that he remains relevant by winning re-election or selecting his replacement, but also to ensure that he reduces the chances of his opponents (real or perceived) upstaging him. The election of Senator Bukola Saraki (APC) as the President on June 9 speaks not so quiet volumes of what the unfolding political landscape will be, at least at the national level, in the 2019 presidential contest. Now that the APC leadership

WILL SARAKI AND ATIKU REMAIN IN APC IF EACH OF THEM DOES NOT

APC TICKET FOR 2019 GET THE

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION?

has averted a major conflict by seeing the wisdom of accepting Senator Saraki as the Senate President, minds are cracking as to where the party goes from here. Does the party now really command the total loyalty of its federal lawmakers? How effective will the APC government govern Nigeria in the next four years, if it cannot discipline its members and get them to act in a herdlike manner? The other “elephant in the room” is whether Saraki will be a good replacement for President Buhari if the latter should stick to his promise to be President for only one term. As we have seen with the immediate past president, the allure of the office of the Commanderin-Chief makes it extremely difficult to fulfill the promise to stay for only one term tenure. In fact, even those that have stayed for two terms or over five years have salivated over a third term or desired to be life-President. The former two term PDP governor of Kwara State, jumped ship to

APC to change his clothes and had earlier jumped from executive to legislative branch of government. Whether he will jump back to the executive arm without changing clothes to PDP still remains to be seen. A very valid point is the fact that he could not have become Senate President without the help of PDP senators. While Senator Saraki may be “preparing” for 2019, we cannot overlook two key players: former Vice President Abubakar Atiku and APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They are clear game changers in the buildup to 2019. Atiku, who had shown interest in the nation’s presidency since he left elected office in 2007, believes that he has been cheated all these times and deserves to be President of Nigeria someday. Atiku, considered a political yoyo by some, decamped from PDP to Action Congress and contested for presidency in 2007, which he lost. He decamped back to PDP three years later, only to again leave for APC in 2014. Atiku may also be encouraged by the fact that President Buhari succeeded in his fourth attempt. So, if the fourth time is the charm, can it work for him? Tinubu, the former governor of Lagos State and APC National Leader, has shown himself to be a political juggernaut that can no longer be taken for granted in the politics of the South West and now Nigeria. He singlehandedly established Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as a dominant force in Nigeria. APC could not have done as well in 2015, without the power of ACN, which

brought more governors and National Assembly members into APC than any of the other partners. Whether Tinubu himself will contest for President or anoint a candidate is left to speculation for now. Regardless of which option he chooses, he will definitely be a factor. Was Saraki really Tinubu’s secret candidate or Atiku’s choice for Senate President? The answer to this question may affect 2019. The North may feel that Saraki is not really a Muslim and associates him with the South West, which is a colorable argument. This may affect Saraki’s chances if the region still believes that it must produce the next President after 2019. However, this may be a non-issue because Saraki featured prominently in the PDP quest for a northern consensus presidential candidate in 2011. Will Saraki and Atiku remain in APC if each of them does not get the APC ticket for 2019 presidential election? If the party does not implode before 2019, several politicians will decamp if they do not get its presidential ticket. Rev. Atawa-Akpodiete, a public affairs analyst wrote from Asaba, Delta State via Profatawa@gmail.com and can be reached on 08138391661 (SMS ONLY)

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Wednesday, June 24, 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

A man’s excuses over sale of own child

he recent sale of two year old Chukwunonyerum Samuel for the sum of N350,000 by his desperate father, Mr. Kanayo Awurum, a 29-yearold painter and part time actor from Imo state, South-East Nigeria, has again highlighted the great heights lawlessness, desperation for pecuniary benefits and moral degeneracy have ascended in the land. More shameful is the fact that Chukwunonyerum is Kanayo’s biological offspring delivered by a supposedly estranged girl friend that he allegedly conned before taking away the innocent child. It is, indeed, a national image blunder that in addition to the nauseating, yet thriving ‘baby factory’ business across the land, fathers and mothers now join in trading away their children, blaming the criminal act on poverty or other woes. The truth, based on recent reports, is that Kanayo is not the only culprit involved in the dubious ‘business’. But in his own special case, according to one version of the report, he was alleged to have made up with his girlfriend whom he abandoned shortly after Chukwunonyerum was delivered, ostensibly after he had concluded plans to sell off the child. Next, he asked for the

SOCIETY HAS SURE ADVANCED TO A POINT THAT A LOT OF WELL EDUCATED OR TRAINED FEMALE CHILDREN FILL THE GAPS THAT SOME WAYWARD SONS HARDLY CAN PLUG custody of the child on deceiving the lady that the little boy would be in his (Kanayo’s) sister’s custody. And goaded by the advice and encouragement of a so-called friend identified simply as Emmanuel, Kanayo signed a document to authenticate the sale of Chukwunonyerum to 42 year old Mrs. Cecilia Nwatu, another desperate co-traveller and Nigerian woman said to be having only one handicapped son for her ailing husband. When the deal was busted by the police, however, Kanayo reportedly told the security operatives on his arrest that abject poverty drove him into his heartless escapade. “I was in a fix and narrated my plight to my friend, Emmanuel. It was Emmanuel (that) gave me the idea to sell my child. He told me to use what I have to get what I want”, Kanayo was quoted as saying. The buyer,

Mrs. Nwatu, also claimed that intense pressure to ‘produce’ a presentable a son that will be heir apparent to her family, in line with the prevailing custom and tradition of her husband’s local community, prodded her. Her story: “I have three children, a boy and two girls. But my tenyear-old son fell ill and became crippled. He is also deaf and dumb. I and my husband felt we needed a heir since our own biological son is disabled; and we decided to adopt a son so that he could bear our family’s name”. Unfortunately, however, she chose the back door in accomplishing her now botched adoption plan, in a country where lawful orphanages are legion. No excuses are convincing enough to shield any culprit or accomplice in a case of criminal sale of a child from the wrath of the law. Not even grinding poverty or deference to culture and tradition. It is the bounding responsibility of the society to protect the rights of defenceless children as recognised internationally and locally. Though saved by providence, the vigilance of the public and intervention by law enforcement agencies, Chukwunonyerum’s predicament offends child trafficking laws. It is equally a huge setback

ON THIS DAY June 24, 2002 The Igandu train disaster in Tanzania killed 281 people, the worst train accident in African history. The disaster occurred during the early morning of June 24, 2002 in the East African country when a large passenger train with over 1,200 people on board rolled backwards down a hill into a slow moving goods train. The train had travelled from Dares Salaam and was nearing the city of Dodoma.

June 24, 2010

John Isner of the United States defeated Nicolas Mahut of France at Wimbledon, United Kingdom, in the longest match in professional tennis history. In the Men’s Singles tournament first round, the American 23rd seed, Isner, defeated the French qualifier, Mahut after 11 hours and five minutes of play over three days, with a final score of 6–4, 3–6, 6–7(7–9), 7–6(7–3), 70–68 for a total of 183 games.

that many communities still cling to the age-long custom and tradition that views the girl-child as a stranger in her parents’ home because she would be eventually given out in marriage. The practice has traumatized many young women, especially those not given enough attention, education and training like their male siblings. It has also plunged many housewives in desperate search of male children into avoidable criminal acts in their efforts to satisfy cultural and traditional expectations, earn the respect of their husbands and retain their privileged position in their matrimonial homes. Society has sure advanced to a point that a lot of well educated or trained female children fill the gaps that some wayward sons hardly can plug in the lives of their parents and communities. But families that lack male children and insist on bringing up one should approach it lawfully, not through the path chosen by Kanayo and Mrs. Nwatu. However, before the law, and until the case is proven beyond all reasonable doubts against them, they remain innocent. But we insist that in the end, justice should prevail, and visibly so.

June 24, 2013 Former Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, was found guilty of abusing his power and having sex with an underage prostitute; and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Berlusconi (born September 29, 1936) is an Italian media tycoon and politician. He served three times as Prime Minister of Italy, from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011. He owns the Italian football club, A.C. Milan, since 1986.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing FG should provide insurance cover for trauma victims –Sough 22

Lagos goes pink for breast cancer 21

Here come the rains again! FRANKA OSAKWE

ow that the raining season is here, we can heave a sigh of relief from the scourge of the sun and heat. But the downpour is also coming with lots of illnesses and viral infections such as cold, flu, malaria, typhoid, which experts warn that individuals must strive to prevent during the season. In an exclusive interview with National Mirror, Dr Taiwo Adesola Medical Director, Adefemi Hospital, predicted that there would be an increase of these infections, especially those affecting the respiratory systems, following the sudden change in temperature and the presence of air and water impurities which often occur during the rainy season. . According to him, while trying to cope with the infections, the body fights back and this reduces its immunity levels, making it succumb to infections such as malaria, cold and typhoid. He identified cold and flu as the most common viral infections that people contract during this period. “The reason people get cold and flu more often during the raining season is because they often expose themselves to the cold weather. They also come in contact with those that have the infection so they contract it.” Dr Adesola disclosed that cold and flu viruses are air borne infections and are spread through cough or sneezed out by those infected. “Sneezing or coughing produces more droplets and helps spread the infection. Touching infected surfaces such as door handles or shaking hands could transmit the virus either from hand to mouth, nose or eyes Adesola said. In his view, children are more at risk of the infection, especially those with low immunity, diabetes, asthma, or other childhood diseases. “They easily contract or spread the disease, especially when they cough or sneeze. They also use the same hand they used in shaking other people to eat and, because some mothers may not remember to wash those hands, they introduce germs to their body”, he explained. On the best way to prevent cold and other viral infections, he said individuals should endeavour to observe personal hygiene, wash their hands regularly and stay away from people infected with the virus. In addition, he said they should stay in well ventilated areas and always wear protective gears when going out in the rain to avoid being drenched. “There is need to manage cold effec-

...Guard yourself against cold, viral infections, experts warn

Nigerians wading through flood

ON THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT COLD AND OTHER VIRAL

INFECTIONS, HE SAID INDIVIDUALS SHOULD ENDEAVOUR TO OBSERVE PERSONAL

HYGIENE, WASH THEIR HANDS REGULARLY AND STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE INFECTED WITH THE VIRUS Abimbola Ajayi

tively to prevent it from becoming complicated upper tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis. Maintaining a good dietary balance is another way of preventing cold or flu so that the immunity of one’s body is kept high as the body defenses itself. “An individual can also treat cold or flu by taking natural antibiotics such as garlic or ginger, menthol leaf, plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, honey to help relieve the fever or pain. Get plenty of rest as well, don’t smoke or drink alcohol, eat a balanced diet with

plenty of fruits and vegetables to boost your immunity,” he said. Malaria is another illness that is rampant during raining season, he noted, attributing it to the damp and swampy environment. Though no one wants to get sick, Adesola says if anyone comes down with cold or any illness, such individuals should visit their doctor if the temperature or symptoms persist after 24 hours. Meanwhile, The President of the Nutritional Society of Nigeria (NSN) Lagos State chapter, Dr Abimbola Ajayi,

has emphasized the need to always take food that is high in antioxidants saying that they help boost immunity. Consumption of foods rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, she said, would provide protection against viral disease and contribute to positive health benefits. She listed some of these foods such as; Citrus Fruits (Oranges, Tangerine, Grapefruits, Lemon, Lime), Pineapples, Water melon, Mango and Orange colour fruits, Carrots, Ginger, garlic, onions, avocado, cucumber, cabbage, okra, tomatoes and leafy vegetables such as spinach, Ugwu, waterleaf and others. Again, she explained that viral infections such as HIV/AIDS, Haemorrhagic fevers like Ebola, Dengue Fever, are usually resistant to antibiotics and other drugs hence, the need to adequately fortify the body through diets containing adequate proportion of vitamins and minerals. While emphasizing the need for adequate nutritional intake, she said micronutrient deficiencies such as, deficiencies of zinc, selenium, iron, copper, folic acid, and vitamins A, B6, C, and E could lower immune responses and make it difficult for the body to overcome infection when it occurs.

Health & Wellbeing

Nutrition for Health chizobanwobu@yahoo.com 08120807588 (sms only)

oya beans are one of the nutritious foods. It belongs to a family of legumes and also very rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins including folate, potassium and, in some cases, fiber. The soya bean is a native of China and now widely cultivated in India, United States, Europe and some parts of Africa. It is key to note that soya bean’s proportion of protein is ‘complete’ as it contains building blocks of proteins in the proportion that make them most available and most valuable for human needs. Soya beans are the best of all proteins and ranks the highest respect with protein of milk, eggs and meat. In the past years, soya beans have attracted the attention of research scientists around the world for health properties beyond basic nutrition. While most proteins are acid in their ash, soya bean is rich in alkaline, hence, regarded as a cor-

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Health benefit of soya beans

rective diet and very good for the treatment of many ailments especially when consumed in milk form. Research has shown that 90% of the protein in soya beans is absorbed in the body and 95 to 100% of the milk is easily digested. According to webMD News archives, soya beans’s isoflavones are credited with producing the healthy benefits. The isoflavones were first considered to be ‘’plant estrogens” and estrogen-like in action. But experts now believe they may also work in other ways, such as having antioxidant properties. Among the findings in a research also, soya beans relieved certain menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats in women. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially recognized the cholesterol-lowering effects of soy protein with a health claim stating that 25 grams of soy protein per day may reduce the risk of heart disease. Most soy foods are also low in saturated and trans fats, one

Chizoba Benson

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

reason why the American Heart Association has recognized soy foods’ role in an overall hearthealthy diet. Soy from foods has also been linked with lower risks of breast and endometrial cancer in studies. Soya beans contain low amounts of carbohydrates and therefore regarded as been suitable for diabetics. It’s rich in iron and has been found beneficial in the treatment of anaemia. Aneamic patients are also advised to consume them in a very light form to ease digestion. Soya beans are regarded as a remedy for skin disorders such as eczema, inflammation, itching and allergic reactions. According the Nature Cure of Medical research, improvement in the skin health occurs due to lecithin content (a natural emulsifier which helps disperse fatty deposits and cholesterol from vital organs in the body. Soya beans are used in other forms such as flour, which is prepared by roasting the soya beans and removing their coatings and then grounding into powder. This is taken in form

of a beverage or added in foods such as pap/ogi, and some soups like egusi soup. Another form is the soya milk. This is prepared by first sorting soya beans seed, wash and soak overnight in water for 12 hours (change water at least once and feel it in your hands if seeds are still very hard, if so, soak again for a few more hours to aid easy blending and better milking). Remove the skins after soaking; place a muslin cloth over a strainer and set over a large pot. Blend

soya beans in batches until well smoothened; mix the paste with water that is three times its quantity and pour into muslin cloth and strain liquid, twist muslin cloth into pot and make sure it’s well strained. Then, heat the soya milk in low heat till boiling point and continue stirring. Add salt, sweetener or flavouring (depending on your choice). And heat for another 20 minutes. After cooling, the soya milk is ready and can be kept in the refrigerator for at least a week.

Sexual solutions and love products for adults

am Andrew from Warri in Delta state. Please what is the normal size of a penis because I am not comfortable with mine? My penis is five inches long when erect and three inches when not erect. This gives me a lot of concern. Secondly, I have serious problems with weak erection and premature ejaculation and I cannot go more than one round due to these problems – Andrew Dear Andrew, a recent study showed that the average penis size of an adult when flaccid (not erect), ranges from 2.8 to 3.9 inches and when erect, it ranges from 4.7 to 6.3 inches. The researchers in this study also arrived at the conclusion that an erect penis is only considered small when it is 3 inches long or smaller. Hundreds of women were interviewed about penis sizes during this research and 85 percent of them indicated that they were satisfied with their partner’s penis size. I hope this makes you feel better about yourself because your penis size falls within what is considered NORMAL size. Very often, we trouble ourselves with things that don’t matter as much as we think and as you can see, majority of women don’t even care. So should you enlarge your penis? You can if you want to, BUT you don’t have to. That is the message. Women are able to form a balanced opinion about a man when meeting him for the first time because his penis is not on display until he takes off his clothes. And when a woman loves you, nothing else matters to her. Yes humans are generally impressed by big sexual organs the way they are impressed with big houses and expensive cars but most of these people still live in smaller houses and drive regular cars and they are happy. Fantasy has never pre-

vented people from embracing reality. Busty women may get more attention but small breasted women are sexy too and they have boyfriends and get married like all other women. As for your performance troubles, the right supplement can take care of all that. Rhino 5 Enhancer and X Again Platinum Enhancer are both top of the range performance enhancers that stop premature ejaculation, give strong erections, multiple rounds and performance energy. They also enlarge the penis – Uche I am 60 years old and in 2014, I had a robotic radical prostatectomy. The surgeon said he spared 25% of the penile nerves on either side. However, I am suffering a loss of libido and cannot get an erection even after stimulation and after taking drugs like Viagra and Cialis. I have read about your penis enlargement pump which does not require operation as suggested by my urologist overseas. Can this pump help or do you have other suggestions? Stay blessed – Tony Dear Tony, normally as men age, their sexual urges and capabilities diminish especially due to shrinking body mass, which constrains the blood vessels that carry blood to the penis for erections. Now that you have had this surgery that claimed 75 percent of your penile nerves, I am not surprised that you can no longer get an erection. The good news is that your urologist was right in recommending a penis pump for you. I write about it all the time and very few doctors even think about it as an option for people in your condition. Penis Suction Pumps work from the outside by drawing blood and expanding the skin tissue in the area being targeted. This subsequently enlarges that

body part, whether it be a nipple, clitoris or penis. So yes a penis pump will give you an erection. But you must use it together with a Cock Ring to avoid losing the erection once you get it. Call the numbers below for further assistance – Uche My cousin recommended your company because you helped her some time ago. Sometimes I have pains during intercourse and I don’t cum during sex. I want a vibrator but I don’t know much – Ann Dear Ann, occasional sexual pain comes as a result of vaginal dryness or inadequate lubrication. This can be easily dealt with when using a lubricant during intercourse. Vibrators come in different shapes, sizes and price ranges. For something realistic, ask for the Jelly Chocolate vibrator. For something unrealistic, ask for the Fancy Midnight Heat series. They are all very good – Uche That is all for today. The names of the

people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 07086754515 or 08053911233 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www. zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Lagos goes pink for breast cancer FRANKA OSAKWE

ebeccly Cancer Care, a non-governmental organization that promotes awareness on breast cancer, is set for

an unprecedented breast awareness campaign this October. The campaign will feature pink illumination of over 100 buildings in strategic locations, which will serve as a visual reminder to people on

the importance of early detection of breast cancer. It would be recalled that Last year October, the organisation in partnership with the management of National Theatre and Philips, illuminated the National Arts The-

atre for 7 nights. Speaking about the upcoming event, the organisation’s Executive Director, Dr Omolola Salako, said Sebeccly plans to break the Guinness world record during the Light Lagos Pink

L-R: Chief Medical Director, LASUTH, Prof. Adewale Oke; Business Unit Head- Ethical Sanofi, Mrs. Folake Odediran; Head, Public Affairs Sanofi, Mr. Oladimeji Agbolade and General Manager, Sanofi Nigeria-Ghana, Abderrahmane Chakibiat, during the official launch of a new blood pressure control drug, Aprovasc by Sanofi Aventis, at Oriental Hotels, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WHO warns of possible Ebola comeback in Liberia MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

he World Health Organization, WHO, has expressed fear on the possibility of re-emergence of Ebola virus disease in Liberia. Liberia is one of the three nations most hit by the killer virus between March 2014 and March 2015 when the disease wreaked havoc on the African continent and a few other nations around the

globe. WHO said in a statement posted on its website recently that though over a month had passed since Ebola transmission ceased in Liberia, attitudes of the people in communities bordering Guinea and Sierra-Leone where the disease had not been fully contained raise cause for concerns. The organization informed that before it declared Liberia free of the disease recently, nearly 11,000 people be-

came infected with the virus and 4,800 died. It added that government of Liberia had continued to urge communities not to let their guard down until Ebola is gone from the region. “They are working closely with WHO and other partners to keep Ebola from re-emerging,” the statement said. “We are at high risk that Ebola will resurface in Liberia as long as transmission continues in neighbouring countries,” warns Tamba

Alpha, the top surveillance officer in Lofa and the man in charge of implementing the Liberian Government’s action plan to prevent re-importation of the virus. “My greatest worry is that people think Ebola is finished and are going back to their normal practices at a time when community members, health workers, local authorities, security, everyone needs to continue precautions and surveillance,” WHO argued.

Sanofi introduces new anti-hypertensive treatment FRANKA OSAKWE

eading pharmaceutical company Sanofi has introduced a fixeddose combination treatment, a combination of irbesartan and amlodipine for the management of hypertension in Nigeria. Speaking during the official launching of the drug at Oriental Hotel Lagos, General Manager, Sanofi Nigeria-Ghana, Abderrahmane Chakibi, said the treatment will provide quality and affordable solution to patients in the management of hypertension. “This unique combination is the result of years of development, clinical studies

and safety proofing. Introduction of Aprovasc is another example of Sanofi’s engagement to always provide advanced and innovative treatments in response to patients’ specific needs with the highest efficacy and comfort. “The Aprovasc range offers dosage flexibility that allows for individualized treatment. Through leveraging Aprovasc availability in Nigeria, Sanofi will continue to contribute to making the lives of Nigerian hypertensive patients healthier” Mr. Chakibi added. Speaking on the importance of this new drug, a Medical practitioner, Dr Fifien Inoussa said the treatment is timely, going by the high rate of people coming

down with hypertension in the country. According to Inoussa, “People with uncontrolled hypertension are exposed to many complications including stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and problems with vision, which can be controlled by adopting healthy diets, lifestyle changes and, in many cases, treatment with medications. Earlier on at the event, Associate Professor of Medicine and consultant cardiologist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Dr. Amam Chinyere Mbakwem stressed that the use of fixed dose combination drugs such as Aprovasc for a patient with hypertension will help achieve maximum

reduction in long term risk of hypertension such as cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. She further said that fixed dose combination drug is a good alternative for patients whose blood pressure has failed to lower even after persistent use of single drug regimen. “For instance, a patient who is the CEO of a bank or one that has a busy job, when placed on a single drug regimen or monotherapy, will sometimes forget to take his drug or miss a dose during a busy schedule. Such people will benefit from fixed dose combination drugs and this is very essential for the management of hypertension”, she said.

event by having over 12,000 people wearing pink, to form the largest human pink ribbon. “Because breast cancer is on the rise, the need to create a campaign that promotes breast awareness, initiate action amongst women to get screened and provide access to mammogram became imminent. “You need to look around and see the devastating effect breast cancer has on a family hence the need for all hands to be on deck to seek knowledge and encourage our women to go for regular screening and report abnormalities early “The event will serve as an advocacy platform to push for the inclusion of cancer care under the National Health Insurance Scheme and raise funds to strengthen ongoing cancer initiatives – Sebeccly Mastectomy Initiative at General Hospital Lagos and Sebeccly Chemo and Radiotherapy Access Initiative in Lagos University Teaching

Hospital”, she said. According to Dr. Salako, anyone can participate in this year’s Light Lagos Pink campaign by: registering for the Guinness World record as an individual, group or corporate organization. at www.sebecclycancercare. org. “You can register as a team captain to mobilize and lead your team of at least fifty people for the Guinness world record event, you can also register your building for the pink illumination, volunteer your time and skills as a committee member, join the online discussion and like our social media platforms, be amongst the 20,000 people to wear pink on Light Lagos Friday or donate to help more women access cancer care through the Sebeccly Mastectomy Initiative in General Hospital Lagos and the Sebeccly Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy Access Initiative in Lagos University Teaching Hospital,” she urged.

Foundation supports less privileged with health insurance MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

foremost health foundation in Nigeria, The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, has reiterated its commitment to helping the less privilege in the country afford health care by paying part of their health care cost. The organization, founded by wife of Senate President, Mrs Bukola Saraki, said it would particularly focus on ensuring adolescent girls and pregnant women in the country have access to affordable primary healthcare “at the most vulnerable junctures of their life, rather than relying primarily on expensive emergency care. This will impact overall health habits, encourage healthier home practices, and improve community-based care.” The organization stated this in a statement it made available to National Mirror through its communications department recently. “To meet the dire need for access to essential health services, the Wellbeing Foundation Africa has introduced the Alaafia Universal Health Coverage Fund (AUHCF)

in partnership with Hygeia Community Health Care – a local health insurance provider – and PharmAccess Foundation to fund the insurance premiums of 5000 people each year. “In Nigeria, where a third of the country’s population lives on less than $1 per day, this donor-subsidised community-based health insurance scheme, where enrolees pay only approximately $2.50 USD per person per year in insurance premiums, allows patients to receive excellent coverage all year round,” the statement stated. While emphasizing that affordable access to essential health services is critical to human survival in many developing countries, the foundation informed that recently-launched Tracking Universal Health Coverage Report by the World Health Organization and the World Bank Group would help in evaluating global access to essential health services, including family planning, antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, child immunization, antiretroviral therapy, tuberculosis treatment, and access to clean water and sanitation.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG should provide insurance xx cover for trauma victims –Sough With the spate of bomb explosions and unending cases of violent crimes in Nigeria, a Consultant Orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, Dr. Tom Sough, advocates improved standard of care for victims of trauma in this interview with FRANKA OSAKWE. Excerpts: With the recent incidents of disasters in Nigeria, what is your suggestion regarding accidents and trauma handling in Nigeria? Provision of definitive trauma care facilities like Trauma Centres with local financial support for emergency medical services, will go a long way in solving long term problems in this sector. Gradually, Nigeria is becoming a state where, whether we like it or not, we must organise our trauma systems. With the spate of bombings by the insurgency and its attendant heavy casualties, we cannot do it better at anytime than now. We need to have a fluently running system on ground; A system that will guarantee positive impact on the survival of the victims such that all the stakeholders will no longer be in doubt of what to do when emergency situation arises. Handling accident and emergency situations such that we are now witnessing requires a lot of organizational ability on ground to make it effective. The areas I want to make comments are as follow: First responders: which are usually people around when disasters occur, may or may not have any slight knowledge of what is appropriate to save life in such a situation. Public awareness is very important Activation of Pre-hospital care: I don’t think we routinely run this at the moment. Since we don’t have effective Ambulance Service and the trained paramedics that man these ambulances, I may not be able to vouch for the fact that the second responders are actually trained to handle pre-hospital care for victims of disasters. What I see, anytime such a situation comes up, is response by ambulance personnel from the FRSC, Security and Civil Defence Corps, NEMA, the Police, etc. Whether these personnel have training in basic life support that can make a difference on the overall survival of the victim, remains a question I can’t answer. Communication among pre-hospital care providers, emergency physicians, and trauma care providers, is another thing that is of paramount significance. How will you rate Nigeria in

terms of handling accidents and emergency situations? We as a country are trying but we need to do more. In my own opinion, it is not just the rescue and hospitalization that is important but also making sure that the victims are taken back to their preinjury state functionally, as much as possible. Rehabilitation of the victims is as important as the process of operating them. There is growing awareness to do the right thing and attempts also being made to actualise that, but we are not yet close to the mark. I think largely because we hardly have specific and definite plans for driving this to the end. Handling of trauma emergency situation should be looked at holistically, as it impacts on the victims, their families and the society in general. Management of the victims should go beyond emergency response, but also all the way till they get back to their useful place in the society again. Most times, financial difficulties hinder this objective. If we can have insurance cover or any kind of trust fund to help victims of trauma in the country, the standard of care will improve and the society will be better for it. Do you think our hospitals are equipped to handle trauma cases? We need to designate centres that could handle these victims before the disasters occur so that at the scene, command is given on where and what type of service that are required so that every victim receives appropriate care. Many patients with trauma injuries are taken to facilities that lack the appropriate level of service and are unable to deliver the services needed by the trauma patient. Most victims are taken to any available hospital, whether they have the capacity or not, and painfully, sometimes without prior information to the facilities to get prepared before arrival of such victims. Communication is important because it improves timely and appropriate response with eventual positive survival rate. We must also pre-empt disaster outcome by getting prepared before they occur. Emergency or disaster

preparedness plan is very apt in our country today. The importance of training and retraining of manpower in pre-hospital care provision cannot be overemphasised, as this will go a long way in better treatment of survivals of disasters. Communications system between health facilities, for instance, interfacility transfer of patients will improve the overall care of surviving victims. We need to establish formal destination protocols so as to avoid trauma patients being transferred to hospitals unable to meet the patients’ needs. Above all, concerted efforts should be geared towards the provision of continuing education and training opportunities in trauma care for physicians, nurses and emergency medical services personnel. We may not achieve all in a day but surely there are positive signs of greater tomorrow. As you can see, the present Honourable Minister of Health, has established two trauma centres at both UATH, Gwagwalada and The National Hospital, Abuja. That is a positive development.

Traumatic injury ranks as the 5th leading cause of death worldwide. Can you explain more on trauma? Traumatic injury is a term which refers to a sudden and life threatening injury which require immediate medical attention. The insult may cause systemic shock called “shock trauma”, and may require immediate resuscitation and interventions to save life and limb. Traumatic injuries result from occurrences such as motor vehicle collisions, bomb explosion, sports injuries, falls, natural disasters and a multitude of other physical injuries which can occur at home, on the street, or while at work and require immediate care. It is one of the leading causes of death in many nations, Nigeria inclusive. In our environment, until the advent of insurgency recently, motor vehicle crashes were by far the commonest cause of trauma morbidity and mortality. What kind of injury could lead to death from trauma? The anatomy and physiology of the body is such that injury to some major organs or systems, be-

instance, are not common but are seen occasionally.

cause of the critical functions they serve for the survival of the body, poses more danger of death than others considered to be less critical. Major injuries to organs and systems like the respiratory system, for instance, can result to death within few minutes, depending on the severity. Severe head Injury and injury to the cervical spine, especially the upper column can also cause death in minutes, and of course not forgetting injuries to the heart and major blood vessels. This does not mean that injuries to other organs are trivialized, it only means that death may not be immediate at time of injury and, early and adequate medical attention improves survival rate significantly. But in actual fact, any injury to the body that is severe enough to destabilize normal physiological activities of an individual without prompt correction of such physiological derangements, is capable of causing death. Sometimes death from injuries come from their secondary effects like infections, for example, a trivial wound in a dirty environment being infected by tetanus can lead to death from Tetanus if appropriate intervention is not given. What are the major causes of head trauma injury? Head injury is relatively common in our environment, and most head injuries are from Motor Vehicle Crashes (MVC) on our roads, firearms, fall from heights (like the tree-tops, storey buildings, etc), elsewhere; divers, skiing sport, mountain climbers, etc. Building collapse also contribute as well as civil assault. Domestic accidents such as falls in the bathroom, for

In the case of a major trauma accident, is it true that the patient’s chance of survival is higher during the first 60 minutes? I believe you mean the patient’s chances of survival are higher if intervention is instituted in the first 60mins. With that understanding, I will say yes it is true, for obvious reasons. In major trauma incidence, the patient may be injured in areas that will lead to bleeding. One of the easily preventable causes of death following trauma is bleeding, so in such a situation where the bleeding in a patient is stopped or blood lost replaced as appropriate, the patient will stay alive pending the definitive treatment. A situation where there is no intervention, the patient can die within an hour or less depending on the magnitude of the blood loss. Other causes of death within the first hour could be related to tissue oxygenation. If the patient’s airway (breathing tract) is shut down or partially shut down without adequate care, the patient will die in no distant time. Major trauma can also lead to massive release of ‘physiological mediators’ that naturally regulate physiological activities, but these in turn can cause fatal response if not controlled. So the first hour of major trauma is actually the ‘’golden hour’’ and must not be joked with. How can trauma be managed and treated? Treatments of trauma patients start from the scene of the incidence. Removing the victim from the danger zone safely is of immense importance because some have died in the process of extrication. Maintaining the patient’s life while he is being transported to the hospital is another critical moment for severely injured patients. Therefore, care must be taken that the patient survives these two phases and get to the hospital alive. The hospital is where initial survivals of trauma should not be allowed to deteriorate and all injuries should be handled by experienced physicians/specialists according to the needs of the individual patient. Rehabilitation is also a major part of treatment of patients with trauma.

Mirror Wednesday, June 24, 2015 National www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

‘Warri Carnival 2015’ holds November

I’ve always been interested in films

Deepening quality in Nigerian films As Nollywood consolidates its position in Africa, the need to improve technical quality of the works has become more imperative to make the industry really competitive on the world stage. Isiguzo Destiny

igerian movies are improving day by day, but there are a whole lot of things still beguiling film production in Nollywood. Apart from poor storylines, poor acting and role interpretation, inadequate directing etc, among this avalanche of challenges that confront Nollywood films production, the major one is the issue of poor or lack of technical quality in the production of Nigeria movies. The situation is so dire and obvious that when you look at the way for some scenes and incidents are executed, one would weep at the obvious ineptitude in these movies. For instance, accidents scenes are executed with the vehicles still looking brand new while the victims are soaked in blood. Even when they jump from high rise buildings or when the spirits or witches in most Nigeria movies appear or disappear one would notice lack of credibility in the technicality of the movie. It is so embarrassing that the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) published a list of technical problems Nollywood videographers should avoid in their film production. Lending credence to the issue of technicality, Femi Ogunrombi told Art Lounge that “one of the film producers from India at the AMAA awards said if only Nigeria could be hard working in terms of techni¬cality. Getting our computer designers to make or design programmes or software for our kind of films, then we will step into the world’s film standard”. The issues of poor audio and sound interference in most Nigerian movies are an evidence of the horrible technical details of Nollywood movies. Some of them are riddled with extraneous background noise or interferences obliterating the dialogues. This sometimes comes as noise from cars zooming past the locations, a baby crying in the neighbourhood and in some instances, hawkers trying to sell their wares. The quality of the audio coupled with interference of noise is nothing to write home about. The soundtrack drowns the dialogues and one notices a war of dominance between the dialogues and the music and this chaos culminates into a low audio quality. The picture of some Nollywood movies is below international standard, one sees the picture, shaky, revealing the absence of tripod in the film’s production. They are usually dull, blur and dark. In some places, one

Movie location

discovers that the face of the actor with obvious signs of flaws in make-up. The avenue to use in correcting some of these anomalies is not well utilised as there is very poor and lazy editing of these films. There are bad films cuts, fades, dissolves etc to the extent that a viewer would wonder if the director is really coming from the blues. The technical crew members could go as far as repeating earlier scenes in the name of flashback. Their cinematography is such that is unjustified. The camera moves from scene to scene in such a way you can tell when a camera is about to withdraw its focus on a particular scene. They sometimes focus the camera on an irrelevant object before going to another scene. Some critics have alluded this to low budgets and cheap or outdated machines, firebrigade approach in film production and the lack of seasoned professionals in the industry. Biodun Jeyifo once said, “everything in Nollywood is cheap to the point of excess. In plain terms, and as far as I am aware in well documented comparative profiles of the national film traditions of the planet, Nollywood leads the rest of the world in how cheaply, how quickly and how effortlessly films are produced and released ”. The production staff in the Nigerian film industry are neither trained for the jobs nor well schooled in the art of filmmaking. There are

so many amateurs in the industry parading their selves as pro. There is also lack of structural back-up for the industry especially in the procurement of hi-tech machines like celluloid that can lead to outstanding productions. We can hardly see films produced with this machine although some have argued that the machine is not mobile and is phasing out. This has left most Nigerian film critics to wonder when Nollywood will really begin to get it right. Ogunrombi, former Papa Ajasco wishfully said “Imagine if our actors walk through a glass. You see people jump from high rise building but that’s not the truth. This film “Star Wars” was made inside a warehouse. And you see people fall during fight sequences but they are all fabricated. So what is wrong with us? Why can’t we be technical and why can’t our computer film program¬mers and analyst rise up to the task?” However, with all these looming challenges that confront Nollywood, there are no doubts very outstanding movies in the industry even though they are very few. John Iwuh, a scholar in Nigerian films recently wrote in a publication that some films are good that they can be seen as templates of good films. He mentioned the movie “Ije” with Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola in the cast as one of such movies. “One

Twenty years after, some brilliant mentions notwithstanding, Nollywood is still beset with many lingering odds

outstanding attempt provides a glaring exceptionality that could help to redefine the difference between a quality profile and a participation list. Ije features two popular Nollywood faces, Genevieve Nnaji and Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde. Given their CVs, Ije has gone places not because both actresses are featured but because the producer went for standard... Let the truth be told, Cheneze Anyaeze decided to make a good film of outstanding quality, and frankly many Nollywood directors we know would have decimated Anyaeze’s script for walking the opposite direction of Nollywood”, he said. Nigerian industry has come of age and should be seeing the touted title as the biggest film industry in Africa. Poor technicalities should be a thing of the past with the kind of popularity the industry has. If the industry must make films that are respected internationally, it must resolve the issue of technicality. Supporting this assertion, John Iwuh said, “Twenty years after, some brilliant mentions notwithstanding, Nollywood is still beset with many lingering odds. It, no doubt, will continue to occur because even Hollywood has records of awful films that are not worth their cost. In assessing the strides in any development, certain significant achievements would normally stand as milestones. For instance, from the invention of the movie camera to the silent movie era of the 1890s, and it took series of experimentations before sound was finally synchronised with vision about the 1930s. With technology in place at the time Nollywood took off, and with examples of films that make international box office hits, the number of bad films in Nollywood should not outnumber the good ones”.

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

VOICES

The change we need in Nollywood (2) Femi Akintunde –Johnson

he objectives of the, Nigerian Entertainment Development Commission, NEDC are direct and actionable: 1: To protect, promote, preserve and permit activities, regulations, practices and procedures that shall produce and provide conducive conditions for the attainment of high productivity, excellence in production standards, training and development. 2: To act as arrowhead and driving force in the capitalization and establishment of critical infrastructures; and the mobilisation of corporate financial institutions towards deepening and expanding professionalism and investment super-highways. 3: To encourage and stimulate the positive, clear-sighted promotion and preservation of our sundry cultural and traditional mores, diverse lifestyles and customs, etc. In the pursuit of the foregoing, to activate a strong sense of patriotism and deep appreciation of the potentials of our inherent diversity - in culture, practices and customs - and its sensitive and responsible presentation to the larger world. Some of the major organs of the NEDC shall include the following: A new National Copyright Administration (the NCC Act shall be amended to subsume this effete body under the NEDC) will act as the intellectual, orientation, documentation and informational arm of the NEDC, especially in the critical forthcoming anti-piracy war. War Against Piracy (WAP) unit (with adequate and well-remunerated enforcement and prosecutorial personnel and competences). The crack-force units of armed forces, police and paramilitary corps shall be in action across the states/LGs/major urban centres (like a “Piracy Police”). The units shall include lawyers proficient in criminal litigation of intellectual property infringers; PR/Information officers (reverse propaganda is essential), etc. We have to win the war on piracy, as the statistics is worse than distressing - a recent international media report blatantly revealed on this scourge that “Nigeria accounts for 80% of internationally pirated music CDs! A corollary of the above is the establishment of counterpart judicial units - for example, the much vaunted Special Tribunals in every geopolitical sub-zone (senatorial district). A spin-off from that is the urgent need to review the Copyright Act where punishments are now outdated and are no longer commensurate to the gravity of criminality. As

Femi Akintunde Johnson we speak, punitive fines range from N10,000 to N100,000 for individual infringers - and N50,000 to N500,000 for “body corporate”! The longest jail time is 12 months... with that sort of kid-glove knocks, it is no wonder piracy is quite lucrative here. Even more despairing is the apparent ignorance (or may be indolence) amongst copyright owners - they seem to believe only the Copyright Commission can prosecute infringements. A former senior law lecturer at University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Dr. F.O.B. Babafemi lamented

in his 526-page book (Intellectual Property: The Law and Practice of Copyright, Trade Marks, Patents and Industrial Designs in Nigeria, 2006): “In my view the Commission is now doing a very good job. More cases are being taken to the Federal High Court. However, be this as it may, when one examines the civil cases brought before the Federal High Court, one is indeed dismayed at the paucity of cases (brought by copyright owners - emphasis mine). The point I am making is that even if the Nigerian Copyright Commission prosecutes or does not prosecute, nothing

As we promote our culture, give jobs to our youth and project a worthy legacy for the promises of this great nation,

the surrounding activities of

NEDC are

catalysts for greater and qualitative job opportunities for large spectrum of professionals

Memorable Reads What kind of books do you read? I read mostly philosophical books. In fact, I must tell you that I have been very busy these days to pick up books to read. But the book I read last which struck my mind was Ngozi Chamamanda Adichie’s ‘Half of a yellow sun’. The creativity and descriptive depth of the book really surpassed my imagination. However, the book ‘Animal farm’ is the best I have ever read because of its depth, style and relevance in the society even till tomorrow. If you will write a book, what will it be about? I am writing a book presently titled ‘The Power Of Music Videos’. It is what I am passionate about. I actually did something on mu-

Cally Ikpe Artiste

sic videos when in my masters’ degree thesis and I am working on expanding it to become a book that can educate everybody. When was the last time you visited a book store? To be frank, I haven’t visited a book store for quite some time now. I have been quite busy, but when I am free, I will because reading sharpens my thinking and expands my scope. Which book are you reading presently? I am presently not reading any book too.

stops the copyright owner himself from suing anyone who infringes his copyright in a court of law. It is indeed very very sad that since the enactment of the Copyright Act of 1988 and its amendments in 1992 and 1999... we can only cite very few reported cases on copyright”! Need we say more? Yet, all the current noise is on physically piracy... the warfront against the ascendancy of the more sophisticated digital piracy has not even been cleared! As Ana Santos Rutschman revealed an Emory University International Law Review paper (Weapons of Mass Construction: The Role of Intellectual Property in Nigeria’s Film and Music Industries, March 2015): “With an estimated 23% of the Nigerian population having access to mobile Internet by 2017, the Internet could become Nigeria’s new Alaba market Another critical arm of the NEDC is the Arts Endowment Fund. This is what gives the commission its spunk as a semi-autonomous body with inherent abilities to access funds and grants all over the world; and a welldesigned accountable system of supporting, funding, sub venting and generally provoking creative or artistic excellence in productions, trainings, festivals, exhibitions, concerts, scholarship, curricular, etc. We can borrow a leaf from the Iroko that America’s National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has become. Surely with an annual budget of $146m (about N28b in 2015) the NEA boasts of a chest to wink at entire budgets of several Nigerian states’ Ministry of Cultures combined. It was set up in 1965 as an independent agency by the US government. Our own giant document on the Endowment Fund has been gathering dusts since the 1990’s. There is an urgent need to deregulate and decentralize the business of collecting societies and the administration of royalty distribution. A strong function of the NEDC is to act as keen regulators of these independent membership-driven associations - and provide adequate and perpetual safety nets for creators of self-generating works of arts. Note that even as we promote our culture, give jobs to our youth and project a worthy legacy for the promises of this great nation, the surrounding activities of NEDC are catalysts for greater and qualitative job opportunities for large spectrum of professionals and allied industries. it is a win-win scenario for all Nigerians. *Akintunde-Johnson, a renowned journalist, is the founder of MEGA, a platform that honours gospel acts.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

ARTISTE UNCENSORED

I’ve always been interested in films –Demola Adedoyin Everyone who has watched the award winning flick, October 1, will not forget in a hurry the steaming talent of Ademola Adedoyin, who played the role of Prince Ropo. Here is a peep into the life of the 2015 AMAA nominee. Olawale Oluwadahunsi

he African Movie Academy Awards released her nominations last week and interestingly, billionaire son of Chief Adedoyin, Demola, was nominated in the ‘Best new actor’ category for his role in the blockbuster movie, October 1 alongside Vinjeru Kamanga (BELLA), Kemi Lala Akindoju (Dazzling Mirage), Hassan Spike (Insingoma), and Chiedza Mhende (Love the one you Love). With the nomination, it shows promise with the statement he made last year in an interview that ‘he will do to entertainment, what his father did to commerce’. Though Ademola Adedoyin had everything that many young men long for and never get, but his passion for something else only grew in strength. And that passion was to become an actor. His father would have none of that but his determination would always push him to break the resistance from those who loved him but didn’t understand his inner drive. He got his wish and he achieved his ambition. He got the lead role of Prince Ropo the award winning flick, October 1, and was nominated as the ‘Best New Actor’ in the 2015 AMAA awards. “This is the first role that people would see, but it’s actually my third role. However, I studied Business in school and I have a Master’s degree in Media and Communications from London Metropolitan in the United Kingdom and after that, I’ve always been interested in film. So I also did a film course and in my mind, I’ve always thought about the growth of the Nigerian movie industry but the quality of films we make is still very low. There are not a lot of great films, that’s why I went to film school to learn how to make films properly so I could go home and make proper films while acting for me was a childhood dream that I pushed to the back of my head because I didn’t like the kind of films I was seeing here. But when I got back to the country, I started getting some offers and I saw that people were

taking it very seriously. “I remember Tobi Odunsi invited me to come and play the lead role in his TV show, ‘The Island’ and Kunle Afolayan also told me about his new film and I guess it was because I have been disturbing him for a while so it just seemed like a perfect timing. Kunle called me up and said come to my office; I have something for you to read. When I got there, he showed me the script and told me about the movie. In my mind, I had already said yes, but I just had to take my time to think about it and convince myself very well. To me, I believe that if Afolayan wanted to do a movie, he would do it well. Hence, he was someone I could channel his passion through” Despite the fact that he did a film course in the UK, it was not a smooth sail when he had to face the lights; especially after he was paired with people he himself considered legends in the industry. He admits that it was tasking but again, the feeling was satisfactory. “It was very tasking, because I was pretty new and was on set with legends like Sadiq Daba, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Aderupoko and others. So it was a bit intimidating at first because these are guys that we sit down and joke together on set and when it was time for them to work, they just transformed into another character and for me I found it strange and I found out that I needed more takes than them; I needed more preparation. “So after sometime on set, I had to stay away from everybody so I could really train my mind and be able to match up. So it was very difficult. And Kunle on the other hand would wake you up at 6am in the morning. When it comes to getting the job done, he’s not a friendly person at all, on set he’s your director and he doesn’t play nice at all.” One thing Ademola dreads? It is death before mentorship. He says he would love to pass what he has learnt to the upcoming generation before death come. “It is very painful to me when people with great achievements die before mentoring the new generation. This is the reason why i love leaders like Nelson Mandela and Barack Obama. I love to pass on the good legacies that made me what I am today”. He also shares his view about the Nigerian movie industry. He believes that Nollywood has a very great future with the likes of Afolayan and the legendary Tunde Kelani playing central role in the industry. He says people are

watching what they are watching now because there is nothing else to watch. “This is where the hope and future lies now. With people like Tunde Kilani, Kunle Afolayan and other people that really want to do it well. They are the ones that bring hope. Most people are watching anything they see because there is nothing else to watch. I don’t want to believe that the market is so unsophisticated that they love all what they see now. When they see the future and work done by Nigerians, I’m sure the perception will change” On whether the wedding bells will ring for him soon, he mentions that it will be sooner than we expect as something is in the pipeline.

Most people are watching anything they see because there is nothing else to watch.

At a book reading

MIDWEEK JUMP

Gidi-Wetin Be Lagos? continues at Preparations for Osofisan@70 Goethe Institut

his workshop, apart from finding what makes Lagos a modern day phenomenon through the lenses of the participants in any of their chosen genres (be it conceptual, documentary, photojournalistic and narrative), will also look at the traditional representation of the Lagos identity. This refers to the identity focused on the ideology of the miscegenation of cultures and tribes with more complex themes of ethnicity based on the inclusion of a variety

Lagos port

of groups. It continues until Friday at Goethe Institut for selected participants only.

istinguished African dramatist, theatre practitioner and culture scholar, Femi Osofisan will be seventy (70) years old in June 2016. As part of the events marking his birthday, plans are on for an international conference to celebrate his achievements and contributions especially to World Theatre and scholarship. Femi Osofisan has had a distinguished career in the academy. He is Emeritus Professor of Drama, University of Ibadan and Distinguished Professor, Kwara State University, Nigeria. He is a theatre director, actor, critic, poet, novelist, editor and newspaper columnist. Osofisan has written and produced more than sixty plays, five volumes of poetry, four novels and several collections of essays. Osofisan

Arts Lounge

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

FAR AND NEAR

Warri Carnival 2015 holds November Theophilus Onojeghen

he much anticipated maiden edition of the Warri Carnival in Delta State has been scheduled to hold November this year, the promoters and organisers of the programme have said. According to them the event is aimed at charting a new path, as well as displaying the rich culture of the people of Warri towards the rebranding process of the mega city against the erroneous belief that Warri is a notorious haven. Comrade Sunny Nikoro, one of the promoters of the event told journalists in Warri, weekend, that all is now set for the event to take place He explained that one of the things sought to achieve is to correct the wrong impression of the oil city which is also the commercial capital of the state. Nikoro said, “It is erroneous to refer to Warri as a ‘Jaguda town’, the slogan of Warri is not area but Warri is a mega city and a temple of joy and laughter. Warri is the sacred dwelling place for all ethnic nationalities. We must find a way to elim-

inate the ‘area boys’ syndrome’, we want the proper values, goals, patriotism and love to take over. This maiden edition of what will be an annual event is tailored towards achieving these goals.” On why the programme has not held is the past, he said, finance has been the major drawback to hosting the event which will henceforth be held annually to celebrate the great culture of the different ethnic nationalities within the city. He added that one of the sponsors of the Warri Carnival tagged ‘Warri Carnival 2015’, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, has released money for the funding. Nikoro pointed out that the promoters were already discussing with media partners for more sponsors but stated that all is set for massive publicity that a publicity car has been provided to facilitate movement of staff. “The peace of Warri is sacrosanct, when we were young we lived as one Warri people, we were called Warri boys or girls, no ethnicity. We must rise up and

Carnival event

come out to celebrate our diverse cultural heritage.” Nikoro stated. He appealed to residents of Warri to brace up for the coming change of return to old ways of love, this he said will expedite development as industrialists will find their way back to the oil city. Nikoro stated further that “’Agbero’ is not a profession, smoking hemps is not

our way of life, drivers must know that Enerhen Junction is not a park but must learn to use the facilities provided by the government in the urban renewal plans. “Warri is not a dustbin, our gutters are not toilets, or containers for pure water are not for decoration. There are various markets in Warri, trading along the road must be discourage.”

AMAA 2015 moves to South Africa

Adewunmi Peters

he 2015 edition of the African Movie Academy Awards, AMAA, will now hold September in South Africa, according to a press statement by the organisers.

This will be the first time the event will be holding outside Nigeria in the eleven years the event has taken place. Meanwhile the nominations gala event has taken place on Saturday June 20th at the glamorous LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles where the nominees in the 26 categories were announced. Part of the activities for the nomination

gala night was a live music show by Nigeria’s soulful singer, Asa and her band as well as a fashion show featuring top fashion labels all in a bid to showcase the best of Africa’s music and fashion to the rest of the world. Some Hollywood film makers including actors and actresses joined their African counterparts which include: Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, O.C Ukeje, Kunle Afolayan, and Emem Isong amongst others. The Chief Executive Officer of AMAA, Dayo Ogunyemi said that the leadership of the award body decided to take the nominations event to Hollywood this year to begin the concrete step of taking African cinema to the home of global cinema for a mutually and economically viable cooperation. “A unique aspect of the nomination event

this year is that AMAA’s parent organization, the Africa Film Academy (whose advisory board Danny Glover co-chairs) is developing a slate of ten films that will be co-productions between black filmmakers across the globe. The stories to be pitched within this slate will have a global appeal but will speak to the aspirations and stories of the global black community. Accordingly the attendees for this event have been selected with a view to ensuring the highest level of returns and enhancing the global value chain for black filmmakers,’’ he said. The AMAA 2015 College of Screeners received over 800 entries from over 50 countries of the world within and outside Africa covering feature films, short films, animations and documentaries. Of these, the nominees are: AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN SCREENPLAY Le President While You Slept Timbuktu Love or Something Like That Run AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY FILM 30 Days in Atlanta Iya Alalake Last Three Digits AMAA 2015- BAYELSA STATE GOVERNMENT ENDOWED AWARD FOR BEST NIGERIAN FILM Invasion 1897 Dazzling Mirage October 1 Iyore A Place in the Stars. AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST YOUNG/ PROMISING ACTOR Demola Adedoyin – October 1 Vinjeru Kamanga – BELLA Kemi Lala Akindoju – Dazzling Mirage Hassan Spike Insingoma -Boda Boda Thieves Chiedza Mhende – Love the One You Love AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Israel Makoe – INumber Number Paul Obazele – Iyore Chumani Pan- Silver Rain OC Ukeje – Love or Something Like That Triangle Going to America. AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Hilda Dokubo – Stigma Toulou Kiki -Timbuktu Reina Salicoulibaly- RUN Prossy Rukundo – Boda Boda Thieves Ama Amphofo – Devil in a Detail AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Tony Kroroge – Cold Harbour Sdumo Matshali – INumber Number Abdoul Kareem Konate – RUN Sadiq Daba – October 1 Gerard Essomba- Le President AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Lesliana Pereira – NJINGA: Queen of Angola Queen Nwokoye – Cheetenah Aida Wang – Juliet and Romeo Jocelyn Dumas –Silver Rain Ini Edo – While You Slept AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE FILM BY A DIRECTOR Carey Mckenzie -Cold Harbour Jenna Bass- Love the one you love Destiny Ekeragha -Gone Too Far Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera –Bella AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR Theodros Teshome Kebede- Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia Theo Nel- INumber Number Abderrahmane Sissako – Timbuktu Phillipe Lacote – Run Kunle Afolayan – October 1 AMAA 2015 AWARD FOR BEST FILM Run – Cote d’Voire

Timbuktu – Mauritania INumber Number – South Africa Triangle Going to America – Ethiopia October 1- Nigeria

Business Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Assets Declaration should be done professionally –Adedeji

AfDB tasks African leaders on gender infrastructure for growth

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Nigeria cuts oil prices as market defies analysts’ projections

he Federal Government has projected that the implementation of the Nigerian Industrial Revolution Plan could generate additional N5 trillion revenue from the manufacturing sector for the country. Making the projection while declaring open a 3-Day forum of Chief Executives Officers of National Standards Bodies known as the African Orgnisation for Standardisation (ARSO) in Abuja, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of industry Trade and Investment , Ambasador Abdulkadir Musa, said that that the multipler effect of the revival of the real sector as being envisaged in the NIRP, would lead to job creation and generate wealth for the citizenry. In addition, Musa explained that the new policy would help the nation’ diversification quest, facilitate import substitution, boost exports and broaden Nigeria’ tax base. On government’s efforts to improve the quality of industrial outputs, he said that “quality is a journey that Nigeria has embarked on and we are confident that the implementation of the National Quality Policy (NQP), in particular, will industrialise our great country.” The ARSO President and Chief Executive Officer of the Standards

Organisation , Dr Joseph Odumodu noted that organised standardisation had now become an important element of infrastructure needed for the healthy growth of industry and commerce in all countries of the world. Odumodu said: “Pooling together of ARSO by African countries will promote involvement in regional and continental standardisation, reduce unnecessary regulatory variety across Africa and ensure availability of uniform and consistent African standards for promoting Africa and global

trade and improve participation in international standardisation to help shape the future of African countries, organisations, countries and continent as a whole.” He pointed out further that the involvement of African state in standardization process had helped in the elimination of various barriers to trading among the African nations. It would be recalled that trading among African nations is put at less than 10 per cent. He said , that through the active participation of the member-

states in standardisation activities through the use and implementation of standards, many countries were already eliminating technical barrier to trade and creating technical businesses and trading partners in Africa. Odumodu reiterated that globalisation required the standardisation of products and services in line with the requirements of the World Trade Organisation, WTO, and its attendants regulations on technical barrier to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, hence ARSO’s importance.

hairman, Total Facilities Management Limited, TFML, Mr Malik Egbunike, has estimated that the nation’s facility management market is valued at less than $1 billion. Egbunike, who noted that Nigerian public sector is a major owner and user of facilities as a platform for service delivery to communities, said due to the glaring shortcomings, there was urgent need for governments to optimise utilisation of facilities

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

L-R: Inter Country Support Team for Eastern and Southern Africa, World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Harry Opata; Medical Director, Airport Port Health and Medical Services, Dr. Morenike Alex-Okoh; Chief Implementation Planning and Support, (Safety Section), International Civil Aviation Organization, (ICAO), Mr. Michiel Vreedenburgh, and Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, at the event of Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health in Civil Aviation, in Lagos. PHOTO ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

Nigeria’s facility mgt market’s value less than $1bn –TFML boss SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

FG targets N5trn from real sector through NIRP OLUFEMI ADEOSUN

while improving managements in pursuit of organisational cost efficiencies. He said step became imperative due to challenges of constraints on capital funding opportunities to meet growths in service demand and job creation. According to him, facilities management covers real estate, planning, budgeting space management, interior planning, installations, architecture, engineering services, building maintenance and operations. The expert pointed out that governments at various levels spend trillions of Naira in main-

tenance and operation of their facilities and in most cases handled by in-house facilities management staff that lacks the competencies and capacity to provide sound facilities solutions. Egbunike explained that outsourcing had been an acceptable way of providing cost effective services for organisations, hence outsourcing of public sector Facilities Management services to competent Facilities Management companies would reduce operating and maintenance costs of the assets, enhance quality of work environment and the productivity of employees.

According to him, outsourcing would not lead to job loss, but rather enhanced capacity building. For example, the existing senior in-house Facilities Management employees would be retained to play the role of the client intelligent functions with the sponsorship. He said that the International Facility Management Association, IFMA, had noted that outsourced facilities management continued to dominate the sector with more than 65 percent of the total market value.

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

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Assets Declaration should be don Vice Chairman, Association of Estate Agency of Nigeria, AEAN, Esv Kunle Adedeji in this interview with SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE speaks on the need to involve the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV, in asset declaration by public officials in the country. As a major stakeholder in Nigeria’s project, can you set agenda for Buhari’s administration in the real estate sector? This administration should provide roads and infrastructural facilities in every aspect of life. This will enhance both human and economic developments; people will be willing to get to their places of work at right time, if they are comfortable. Security is very crucial, followed by electricity and government should focus more on hinterland to decongest the city and establish satellite towns, if that happens in Lagos, you will see that people will be in very good environment and will value it more. This government should also build housing that will be affordable to the masses, if you build houses for the masses and you sell it at N20 million, no civil servant or low income earner can get such amount in the next thirty years to buy such houses, so housing and security are very important. If the environment is secured, foreign investors will come into the country and there will be a turnaround of the nation’s economic status. There is already 18 million housing deficit in the country, what do you think is responsible for this shortfall and how do you think this gap can be filled? Everything bothers on building materials and building materials will not come in, when there is insecurity. It bothers on security and good infrastructure, especially the road network. We need good roads to transport building materials and sustain humanity, so we need good roads, if there is a good road coupled with security, I bet you the cost of building materials and other goods will come down tremendously. Also, the exchange rate is discouraging; I cannot buy something for N20 abroad in dollar rate and sell it N5 in local currency, so exchange rate is part of the problem. Government should develop local content; we have lots of local content that we can develop which will work for us and make the cost of building materials to crash, so government should look into that direction. Another major thing is that we should go back to agriculture, all these things we are talking about are from agriculture sector of the country, for a long period of years we have neglected the sector and we are just being conscious of oil, which

Adedeji

is affecting us. If government should invest in local content, let them go into research on so many things that will give us alternative building materials. Some people now build with lighter materials and even dry materials, why can’t government look into this and develop those materials in abundant, so that it can go a long way to bring down the cost of housing. There is also the need for government to either introduce subsidy into building materials or reduce the tariff on importation and locally-made building materials, so that the cost of building materials can come down. Some stakeholders in housing sector are calling for repel of Land Use Act, which they said it is a major bane to ac-

cess to land while some are calling for amendment of the Act, what is your take on this? There are four things that Land Use Act has come to establish in Nigeria; vesting of land on government, appropriate and principle of management of land, power to revoke and power to allot land to various individuals in such a way that for every individual that want to build, the person has a little portion or plot of land that cannot have more than 4000sqm, which is one hectare for an individual. Again, there are some other things working against Land Use Act as at today, such as political influence, where government would be persecuting opponents on land issues, we have several cases of that, so am of the opinion that some sections

IF GOVERNMENT SHOULD INVEST IN LOCAL CONTENT, LET THEM GO INTO RESEARCH ON SO MANY THINGS THAT WILL GIVE US ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIALS

of the Act should be amended, so that government will not be able to use the Act against perceived political opponents, some that are calling for the repel should not forget that land speculators and grabbers are there to also perpetuate their evil and illegal acts. Also, they should amend the aspect that give the governor so much power to revoke the authority of the land because it is causing so many damage, there should be control, though where there is clash between federal and state government, the federal power precedes, but we have seen cases of this nature that at the end of it, when federal government allocated such land for development, the state government refused to grant planning permission and approval for such development, and such land continue to lie fallow, so that power of governor’s consent that make governor to wield much power should be amended to pave way for more developments. All over the world, Mortgage facility is one of the sources of housing finance, how can you assess Mortgage institu-

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Executive Discourse

ne professionally –Adedeji tions in the country? This is the worst part of whatever government is doing here. Government should give the Primary Mortgage Banks the funds for distribution to interested parties at a single digit. I have witnessed it, once they get this money, they will ask you if you want to process government’s funds that will take up to two to three years, which you may not even get or you want to take our own to bridge the long gap at double digits like 23 percent. They will tell you, that the federal government’s funds will never come because the form you filled will be kept somewhere. There is no sincerity at all in this country; those people that government gave this money to distribute are becoming billionaires at the expense of the common masses. If you take a loan to build a house, I can assure you, that you will sell the house to repay the loan, even if you don’t sell other property to pay it, the interest rate will be ‘’killing, so there is no Mortgage facility in Nigeria. What can the government do in this regard? What could be done is that if government is sincere, let it control the distribution of Mortgage loan and let them peg the rate at single digit and the period for approval should not be more than three months. Government can as well build houses and sell to the masses at affordable rate, before you know it, the private sector will join in building houses for their staff at a low rate as well, and those that are not in both categories will buy cheap building materials to build for themselves. What is the essence of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Corporation (NMRC) in providing funds to primary mortgage institutions? You see in Nigeria, the moment there

Adedeji

GOVERNMENT SHOULD GIVE ALL THESE PROPERTIES TO PROFESSIONALS TO MANAGE TO ELONGATE THEIR LIFE SPAN AS WELL AS ENSURING THAT THOSE PROPERTIES SERVE THE PURPOSE THEY ARE MEANT TO SERVE is plan to make the country better; some people will be sitting somewhere looking for loopholes to circumvent the good plans you are making. Like I said, the people they gave this loan to distribute are not sincere, so we are the enemy of ourselves, so there should be sincerity of purpose of whatever thing we are planning to do, if there is sincerity in all these things we are talking about, there will be no problem in Nigeria and we will triumph at the end of it all, government cannot do it all, every individual should be sincere as well. As we have new government officials declaring their assets now, how do you think asset declaration can achieve its objective in the country? In the first place, there is no sincerity in declaration of assets by public officials, even the technocrats and civil servants. A lot of things account for this, when the head of government did not declaring his asset the way it is suppose to be and he feels others would declare their own normally, it would not be possible like that. What is there is that people, especially the political class does not want to declare their asset because of money laundering they are doing through assets. Any illegal money they make, they also launder it through purchase of property. Government itself has not given members of the Nigerian Institution of Estate

Surveyors and Valuers its rightful place to value assets to be declared because how would you put a value on asset, when you are not a professional in this regard. They just give them form, they will not ask for certificate of valuation from all those declaring their assets, a lots of things account for valuation- the location, location and location; that is the way we call it in our profession. The location determines what kind of property you have, what is the going rate in that environment and what are those factors to be considered in what you are declaring depends on the asset and for you to get to that level, you must be a professional in this regard, but those that are saddled with this responsibility are not professional. So, there is no sincerity, people will just collect form and fill whatever amount they want, so that when they amass all these wealth from illegal money, they will now go back to their property to build very big mansion that will match whatever they have declared in the past. What government should do this time around is to collaborate with the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers to make sure that for anybody to declare asset at all, he must have valuation report written by professionally-qualified Estate Surveyors and Valuers that will help in a way. Government should take it upon itself this time around, to ensure that things are done accordingly.

So we hope that this new government will look into it in different dimension, so that assets would be valued as it is, it should not be that somebody will just say this is my property valued as so amount, government should start to ask question of who is giving them the value of their property. This issue of valuation has been a kind of face-off between Lagos state government and NIESV on Land Use Charge, where government itself values the property and charge its rate, what is the update on this sir? We have slept so much on our rights; there are certain things that are supposed to be done by NIESV members, who we are not doing, not because we are not forceful when we saw it coming, we should have written to government on our position on the issue, lawyers are doing our jobs, but they cannot do it well. They will just handle a property and assign arbitrary figure and say this is the value, though by the special Grace of God, we have been liaising with the state government to let it know that it suppose to involve Estate Surveyors and Valuers in this regard. It is our major responsibility to determine the actual value of a building, no lawyer can do it well, and nobody can do it except professionally-qualified Estate Surveyors and Valuers. We are the people that know the determinants values that will accrue to various properties, we are already in touch with government that they should do away with things of the past and it is time to do it rightly. Most of government properties deteriorate faster than that of private owned, what do you think is responsible for this and what is your assessment of maintenance culture in Nigeria? No proper management, you see the acronym in our profession, that the money use in building a house will not be up to the one in maintaining it, if you give all those government’s properties to appropriate people to manage, they will know at what point in time will be involved in doing what, they would not even wait till that time before taking necessary action. Property is like human being, if you maintain your body every day, you eat the right food in the right time, drink the right water when necessary, you will know that you will not be aged more than your actual age, but if you are not eating the right food in the right time, you will see the result, so also it is applicable to building industry. Government should give all these properties to professionals to manage to elongate their life span as well as ensuring that those properties serve the purpose they are meant to serve. Professionals will ensure that building earmark for residential purposes will not turn to commercial, even some people are ready producing in an environment meant for residential and nobody is there to curtail all these, these are the things that made these properties to deteriorate fast, it is not the age of the property itself, but due to obsolescence and wrong usage of such property.

Business News

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

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SERAP drags FG, states to ILO over unpaid workers’ salaries ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

ocio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has dragged the Federal and State Governments to International Labour Organisation, ILO, over unpaid workers’ salaries. It asked the ILO’s Governing Body to establish a Commission of Inquiry to examine systematic non-observance of Convention No 29 on Forced Labour and other international standards on the right of workers to timely payment of salaries. The SERAP in a statement of complaint dated June 19 and signed by its Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, and addressed to the Director General, ILO, Guy Ryder, was brought in pursuant to articles 26-34 of the ILO Constitution. The complaint was copied to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It reads in part: “SERAP is seriously concerned that several state governments and the Federal Government of Nigeria are failing and/or refusing to pay work-

ers’ salaries and pensioners’ entitlements, amounting to billions of dollars in arrears. “The state governments that have failed and/or refused to pay workers’ salaries and pensioners’ entitlements include: Osun, Rivers, Oyo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Plateau, Benue, and Bauchi states. “SERAP contends that the failure and/or refusal of state governments and Federal Government to pay workers’ salaries and al-

lowances and pensioners’ entitlements are a clear violation of the right to work recognised by various ILO instruments and article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, to which Nigeria is a state party. “The right to work is essential for realising other human rights and forms an inseparable and inherent part of human dignity.”, SERAP added. It further explained that failure

of the states to pay workers’ salaries was tantamount to penalising them, and as the International Labour Organization has ruled, menace penalty amounts to forced labour and economic exploitation. SERAP also contended that the failure to pay workers’ salaries amount to a fundamental breach of the obligation to ensure the absence of forced labour and economic exploitation, and guarantee workers’ remuneration so as to provide an income allowing work-

ers to support themselves and their families. Mumuni explained that the right to work contributed to the survival of the individual and to that of his/her family, and to his/ her development and recognition within the community. He claimed that by failing to pay workers’ salaries, the state governments in Nigeria have violated the right of the workers to live in dignity.

Transcorp Hilton Abuja bags World Travel multiple awards

ranscorp Hilton Abuja has been honoured with an unprecedented five awards by the voters of the 22nd World Travel Awards. The hotel, which is owned by Transcorp Hotels Plc, the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, emerged winner of the World Travel Awards for Africa’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading MICE Hotel and Nigeria’s Leading Hotel Suite (the Presidential

Suite) at the Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2015 held in Baie Lazare, Seychelles. Reflecting on the awards, the company’s General Manager, Etienne Gailliez, said that it was a great privilege and honour to be recognised for what Transcorp Hilton Abuja does with its discerning guests . “To win the World Travel Awards in five categories is unprecedented in Nigeria and we are delighted that our efforts at delivering world class experiences consistently to our Guests are rec-

ognized and appreciated. It is a fitting reward for the hard work and dedication of our Team Members especially in the past year. The awards are, therefore, dedicated to all our Team Members’’, Etienne enthused. Recognition from the World Travel Awards is coming on the heels of the launch of a new vision for the hotel and the implementation of operational excellence initiatives that focus on delivering extraordinary guest service. Receiving the awards on behalf of the hotel, Valentine Ozigbo,

MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, said that he was pleased that the outstanding work and dedication of the team at Transcorp Hilton Abuja hadbeen recognized once again. According to him, “receiving these awards ahead of the planned makeover of an already awardwinning facility means that we are poised to deliver an unparalleled experience on the continent of Africa; incredible things are coming both for our guests and for industry watchers.’’

CVC, Temasek to buy $2bn drugs firm Alvogen

uropean private equity fund CVC and Singaporean sovereign wealth fund Temasek [TEM.UL] are to buy a controlling stake in the pharmaceutical firm Alvogen, its chairman and chief executive said. Robert Wessman, former CEO of Actavis, founded the New Jersey-based generic drugs firm in 2009. The size of the stake the consortium purchased was not disclosed, but the deal values the company at around $2 billion, a source familiar with the matter said on Monday. The transaction is the latest sign of the hectic pace of dealmaking in the healthcare sector, which has seen more than $250 billion of mergers and acquisitions so far this year, up nearly two-thirds from a year ago, according to Thomson Reuters data. Wessman sold a stake in Alvogen to the private equity fund Pamplona in 2014. The new owners also include U.S. investment group Vatera Healthcare Partners. Wessman and Pamplona will retain a stake. The fast-growing company currently has 350 generic products on the market and has been pushing into the Asia-Pacific re-

gion with several acquisitions, including that of South Korea’s Dream Pharma last year. “We have grown from a small base in the U.S. back in 2009 to a global player with operations in 35 countries,” Wessman told Reuters. “Our growth has been 76 percent a year in the past six years, a majority being organic, but with access to network and capital from our partners you should expect to see more acquisitions.” Generic drugmakers like Alvogen are looking to get bigger to enjoy economies of scale in manufacturing and distribution, while CVC has an interest in health through previous deals, such as a 2012 investment in Chinese drugmaker Venturepharma. “We want to be a company that can build up one of the leading positions in Asia Pacific, and on a global level we expect to be among the leading companies in a few years from now,” Wessman said. He explained Alvogen’s strategy as focusing on high-growth emerging markets, developing a “difficult to make” product portfolio in the U.S. market, and building a strong presence in copies of biotech drugs or biosimilars.

L-R: Managing Director/CEO Transcorp Hotels Plc, Valentine Ozigbo, Managing Director World Travel Awards, Graham Cooke and General Manager Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Etienne Gailliez at the World Travel Awards 2015 Gala Ceremony in Seychelles at the weekend.

Airtel stops sale of base stations to Helios Towers ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

harti Airtel, India’s largest telecoms operator, said it had halted plans to sell telecoms towers in Tanzania and Chad to Helios Towers Africa (HTA). Airtel had in July last year signed a deal to sell about 3,100 telecoms towers in four African countries to Helios Towers. Helios Towers, an independent telecommunications towers company, had announced that it had

raised $630 million from investors to help buy the telecoms towers with the intention that the money would be used for the Airtel transaction and then part of it used for other transactions. But a stock market statement from Airtel noted that plans had lapsed and therefore terminated. The statement reads:”With reference to the Press Release dated July 09, 2014 regarding ‘’Airtel divests telecoms tower assets to Helios Towers Africa’’, Bharti Airtel has now informed BSE that

the agreements for sale of tower assets in Tanzania and Chad between the respective subsidiaries of Bharti Airtel Limited and Helios Towers Africa have lapsed and therefore stands terminated.” In response to the Airtel statement, Helios Towers noted that “HTA places great value on its business partnership with Airtel and will continue to work with them in Tanzania and elsewhere, including Congo Brazzaville where HTA recently closed a similar transaction with Airtel.”

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Business News

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

AfDB tasks African leaders on gender infrastructure for growth SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

frican Development Bank, AfDB, has urged African leaders to undertake significant infrastructure development, aimed at including health workers and gender issues, saying such move would not only ensure inclusiveness, but sustainable growth. Vice President and Special Envoy on Gender, African Development Bank, AfDB, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, who gave the advice at the opening of a two-day Second Technical Meeting on Health, Gender Equality and Capital Projects,

said African countries have made significant investments in infrastructure in recent years. She noted that in spite of such huge investments, Africa’s annual infrastructure deficit still remains $96 billion, pointing out that “closing this gap is necessary, if the continent is to reach its full development potential and achieve meaningful employment creation and poverty alleviation in line with African Union’s Agenda 2063’’. She said: “As all Sub-Saharan Africa countries require environmental assessments prior to launching significant infrastructure projects UNDP and the AfDB

are working with countries to advocate for and strengthen capacity to make these assessments more robust to help mitigate health and gender-related risks that come with mobile workers with money’’. The AfDB Vice President also noted that while some countries have made progress in mainstreaming health and gender into their impact assessments, some experts identified areas for improvement. Participants at the meeting, she said, identified needs for harmonized legal frameworks at the regional level aimed at ensuring better integration of social issues,

particularly communicable and non-communicable diseases, occupational health and safety impact assessments and increased capacity as well as financial resources to conduct evidence-informed assessments while ensuring monitoring and compliance. They however recommended more advocacy and emphasis to be placed on strategic environmental assessments, given the nature of capital projects planned across the continent. “Large capital projects are a key driver of employment and growth, and for development to be achieved, we must minimise environmental and social damage,”

she added. According to her, strengthening environmental and social impact assessments can improve access to health as well as gender equality The meeting, which was cohosted by the AfDB and the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, together with the African Union, provided a forum to share country experiences, discuss emerging issues in areas related to tuberculosis, malaria, non-communicable diseases, occupational health and safety as well as exploring ways environmental assessments could be used to mobilise resources for health in Africa.

EU warns of sanctions over violence in Burundi crisis

he EU warned Burundi on Monday it might impose sanctions on those responsible for violence and consider other steps against the aid-reliant nation, plunged into turmoil by the president’s plan to run for a third term. A grenade attack killed four people on Sunday. President Pierre Nkurunziza’s opponents say his bid for another five years in office is unconstitutional, while he cites a court ruling that found he could run. It is the worst political crisis since Burundi emerged from ethnically fueled civil war in 2005. The unrest has worried a region with a history of ethnic conflict, particularly next door Rwanda, where there was a genocide in 1994. “The EU is determined to adopt, if necessary, targeted restrictive measures against those whose actions might have led or might lead to acts of violence and repression and serious human rights violations,” EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg said in a statement. The European Union funds about half the annual budget of Burundi, one of the world’s poorest nations, and diplomats have said in the past donors would seek

targeted sanctions rather than broad steps that could harm the population. But EU ministers warned that the situation could push them to consider reviewing broader relations between Burundi and the EU, comments suggesting some aid could be suspended. The EU, Belgium and the Netherlands have already cut some aid flows, mainly related to supporting the elections. EU demands, echoing those of African states, include ensuring the media operates freely to ensure a fair vote after several independent radio stations were shut. But ministers said there was a “strong likelihood” that this would not be possible in the election timeframe. Both the parliamentary poll due on June 29 and presidential vote on July 15 have been delayed by several weeks because of protests, in which stone-throwing demonstrators have clashed with police who have shot at them. Police said four people were killed and 27 wounded on Sunday in a grenade attack on a bar in Ngozi, near the president’s home village, and a blast in the northern town of Kirundo wounded one person.

L-R: Managing Director\CEO, Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaouwa; Executive Director, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, and former Speaker, House of Representative/Chairman/CEO Rumbus Industry,Kano, Alhaji Salisu Buhari, during the visit of BOI Management to the industry in Kano recently.

China margin trades buckle leaving $364bn at risk

he biggest tumble in Chinese shares since 2008 is proving especially painful for margin traders as their favorite stocks sink faster than the benchmark index, raising the risk of forced liquidations. The 30 equities in Shanghai with the highest levels of margin debt relative to tradable shares have dropped 17 percent on average since the market peaked on June 12, versus a 13 percent decline for the Shanghai Composite Index. Margin positions on the city’s bourse fell for the first time in a month on Friday, a sign that

leveraged investors are unwinding bets after they grew more than five-fold in the past year. With at least $364 billion of borrowed money riding on stocks in Shanghai and Shenzhen, losses on those positions threaten to magnify market declines as traders sell shares to meet margin calls. China’s benchmark index tumbled at the fastest pace among global equity gauges last week, after a world-beating 152 percent gain in the previous 12 months. “It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Roshan Padamadan, the founder and manager of Luminance

Global Fund, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television from Singapore. “As people try to book profits, they’ll find out that there’s nobody on the other side of the trade.” EGing Photovoltaic Technology Co., a Chinese solar-equipment maker in eastern Jiangsu province, dropped 21 percent since June 12 after outstanding margin bets climbed to 44 percent of the company’s free-float adjusted market capitalization, the highest level among more than 480 equities tracked by Bloomberg and the Shangai Stock Exchange.

Kenya slum Mathare gets cheap water through ATMs

esidents of the Mathare slum area of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, are now able to access water through an ATM-style dispenser. People living in slums traditionally rely on vendors, who are expensive, or polluted sources to get drinking water. But the new system, where people use a smart card, is designed to provide cheaper and cleaner

water. The water company is opening four of these dispensers in Nairobi and there are hopes the scheme will be expanded. A version of the scheme has been used in rural areas in Kenya, but it is thought this is the first time that it will be used in an urban area. Residents swipe the smart cards, topped up at a kiosk or

through a mobile phone, at the dispenser and water starts flowing from the tap. The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage company says it is charging half a Kenya shilling (half a US cent) for 20 litres of water. This is much cheaper than the rates being charged by the water vendors, reports the BBC’s Abdullahi Abdi in Nairobi.

The dispensers have been set up through a partnership between the local government and the Danish water engineering company Grundfos. The company says that this public-private partnership model could be developed in other countries. Meanwhile in another part of Nairobi residents are complaining about a water shortage.

The BBC’s Ahmed Adan in the suburb of Eastleigh says that vendors are selling water at 50 Kenya shillings for 20 litres - 100 times the price at the new water dispensing machines. Having clean drinking water is one of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and it is thought that worldwide more than 700 million people still do not have access to it.

Business News

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

We increased dock workers’ salaries to boost productivity, says STOAN FRANCIS EZEM

he Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria STOAN, said that it increased salaries, allowances and other welfare packages for dock workers in line with the commitment of concessionaires to increase productivity at the ports. To this effect, the association signed an agreement with the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, to back up the increase and sustenance of the wages of the dock workers. Chairman of STOAN, which is umbrella association for all the port concessionaires in the country, Princess Vicky Haastrup, said that the reviewed welfare package, which took effect retroactively June 1, 2014 would be valid for a period of two years ending May 31, 2016. It was however gathered that all the arrears under the new package would have be paid on or before June 15, 2015.

Haastrup, who expressed satisfaction with the level of reform attained in the dock labour industry since port concession, said that terminal operators will also continue to make 10 per cent contribution of total emolument in favour of each dock worker in their employment towards the in line with Federal Government’s contributory pension scheme while each dockworker will be expected to contribute 8 per cent. Investigations showed that the increase was the high point of negotiation between STOAN and representatives of MWUN under a collective bargaining agreement. The STOAN leader said: “The review of the dock workers’ wage, is in tandem with the promise made by the concessionaires to improve the working condition and welfare package of workers at the ports. “When we took over operation of the terminals at the onset of the port concession programme in 2006, we promised not only to modernise the ports, but to also

improve the working conditions of port workers and I am happy to report that we have continued to deliver excellent results in both directions”, she added. Haastrup also hinted that the payment of attendant arrears which took effect from the end of the lifespan of the previous agreement which was June 1, 2014, as the terminal operators may have been paid by June 15. While commending the leadership of MWUN for exhibiting maturity and patriotism during the negotiations, she called on the dock workers to reciprocate the terminal operators’ good gesture by remaining committed to their jobs and by shunning all acts that could be inimical to the smooth running of the ports. She however assured that despite the challenging operating environment, the terminal operators will continue to invest and modernise the nation’s seaports to achieve the Federal Government’s objectives of the port reforms.

L-R: Chief Strategy Officer, Interswitch, Jonah Adams; Co-founder and Managing Partner, FuelVoucher.com.ng, Chimezie Emewulu; Divisional Chief Executive Officer, Industry Verticals, Interswitch, Chinyere Don-Okhuofu, and Co-founder, FuelVoucher.com.ng, Chibuzor Omorah at the agreement signing between Interswitch and FuelVoucher to promote online purchase of petroleum products across Nigeria in Lagos, yesterday.

Expert canvasses need-based business devt to remodel society DAVID AUDU

university academic has canvassed the need to use business as a tool to remodel society by turning potential problems into profitable business venture for the over all development of the society. Academic Director, OwnerManager Programme, Lagos Business School, Dr Henrietta Onwuegbuzie, made the proposition recently in a release to newsmen. She said the upheaval in the economic fortunes of many countries of the world which have led to social crisis has informed world

leaders to rethink their usual docile approach to ‘business as usua’l to that of transformative business model with social mission in view. “Almost every country in the world is presently threatened by the menace of terrorism. This is what has led world leaders to begin to rethink business as usual. There is now a strong global trend towards fostering for-profit businesses with a social mission. “These are businesses that seek to solve social problems beyond achieving financial returns. The commonly used terminologies to describe such business models include Impact Investing, Africapitalism, Sustainability, Responsible Investing or Businesses

Acting as Agents for World Benefit”. Onwuegbuzie stressed further that business can become a tool to transform society when problems around us are conceived as a potential profitable business opportunity through which many of us can actively contribute to improving our society. He blamed the causes of economic and social insecurity such as terrorism as a result of the yawning gap between the rich and the poor, especially in Nigeria, which he said has been growing over the years, “such that in spite of an emerging middle class, 69 per cent of Nigerians, about 112.59 million live in poverty.

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Tablet market volume dips by over 3m ISAIAH ERHIAWARIEN

fter years of posting successive gains, the Middle East and Africa, MEA, tablet market recorded its first ever yearly decline in the first quarter of 2015, with shipments to the region declining 5.8 percent to 3.83 million units. Reports released on Monday by International Data Corporation, IDC, which blamed the poor performance on a sharp decline in the region’s biggest tablet market, Turkey, where shipments almost halved when compared to the corresponding quarter of 2014. Research Manager for Personal Computing, Systems, and Infrastructure Solutions at IDC, Fouad Charakla said that the major reason behind the decline of

the Turkish market was the discontinuation of deliveries for the massive FATIH education project, which had a huge impact on commercial demand for tablets in the country during Q1. According to him, currency fluctuations in Turkey, high inventory levels carried over from Q4 2014, and some saturation in the tablet market also had a negative impact on shipments targeted at the consumer segment. The report noted that these latter three factors were responsible for slowing the market’s performance in other key parts of the region as well adding that the devaluation of certain major international currencies, such as the euro and rubie, has also negatively impacted tablet demand in MEA as a result of reduced international trade and tourism from the affected regions.

Bouygues Telecom faces €10bn Numericable-SFR bid

rench telecoms giant Numericable-SFR has made a €10bn ($11.4bn; £7.2bn) offer for rival Bouygues Telecom. Shares in Bouygues jumped more than 13% in Paris trading after the bid was announced. A deal between the two would create France’s largest mobile phone operator. However, the government has already expressed concerns, with Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron saying further consolidation in the sector was “currently undesirable”. “Now is not the time for opportunistic tie-ups which may be of interest to some people but which are not in the public interest,” he added. “Jobs, investment and better customer service are the priori-

ties.” Last year, Numericable parent Altice, owned by billionaire Patrick Drahi, outbid Bouygues to acquire rival SFR. The board of Bouygues will meet on Tuesday to discuss the offer, reports suggested. French corporation Bouygues has made a 10.5bn-euro (£8.7bn) takeover bid for mobile phone operator SFR. The bid to combine Bouygues Telecom and Vivendi-owned SFR would create the largest mobile phone service provider in France. The merger would leave only three mobile phone companies in France. Rival firm Altice, which owns French cable TV operator Numericable, has also made an offer for SFR, but has not said how much it has offered.

Euro zone Finance Ministers embrace new Greek debt proposals

uro zone finance ministers welcomed new Greek proposals for a cash-forreform deal on Monday but said they required detailed study and it would take several days to determine whether they can lead to an agreement to avert a default. Jeroen Dijsselbloem, chairman of the 19-nation Eurogroup, told a news conference: “We will work very hard in the next few days, the institutions with the Greek government, to get that deal this week.” The ministers agreed to reconvene later this week, after Greece has thrashed out details with its international creditors - the European Commission, the

European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Dijsselbloem described the Greek document as comprehensive and “a basis to really restart the talks” but said it remained to be seen whether the numbers added up to make Athens’ public finances sustainable. Heads of state and government of the euro zone were to hold an emergency summit on the crisis on Monday evening but officials made clear in advance that they would not negotiate on details of the program, only agree on a political timetable for a deal. They dismissed a rumor in German media that the summit had been canceled.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EnergyWeek Chevron to sell interests in two offshore acreages

DPR bemoans fake officials, warn operators 37

Agency supports NAPTIN on capacity building

Nigeria cuts oil prices as market defies analysts’ projections As the prolonged crude oil prices continue to haunt the nation and other exporters, UDEME AKPAN reports the recent reduction of prices of the nation’s July deliveries would likely attract new buyers, thus generating more foreign exchange into the country.

Oil vessel

t was indeed cheering when the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC predicted that prices of crude oil would start to leap in the second quarter of 2015. The Secretary General of OPEC, Dr. Abdalla Salem El-Badri that raise the hope at the 19th Middle East Oil & Gas Conference a few weeks ago indicated that global oil market which was over-supplied by about two million barrels per day, bpd would return to balance during the second half of the year. The Secretary General put the global economic growth at 3.4 per cent, compared to

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE LAST NINE MONTHS HAVE BEEN ONE OF THOSE INTERMITTENT PERIODS OF VOLATILITY, AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OF STABILITY 3.2 per cent in 2014. He remarked that, over the years, the global oil and gas industry had gone through a number of cycles and changes that had required the industry to adapt and evolve. “There is no doubt that the last nine months have been one of those intermit-

tent periods of volatility, after several years of stability. While prices will no doubt rebound, as they have done lately, it is clear that the industry is currently witnessing a landscape that is shifting the global oil industry,” he maintained. “These are the current realities. It is a

challenging time for the industry. However, there are clearly many things that the industry can do with one eye on the current situation, and one eye on the future. And for producers, it may be useful to use the situation of lower oil prices to create incentives to use energy more efficiently and implement sustainable policies that could lay the groundwork for more diversified and less energy-dependent economies,” he said. El-Badri said the reason the industry’s stakeholders needed to keep their eyes on the longer term was because energy demand CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Energy Week

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

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Nigeria cuts oil prices as market defies analysts’ projections CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 was expected to increase by 60 per cent by 2040, with fossils fuels remaining central to the energy mix. Referring to data contained in OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2014, El-Badri said that oil-related investment requirements were estimated to be around $10 trillion between now and 2040. Incidentally, the improved market scenario El-Badri painted has not been experienced, barely a few days to the end of the period. A survey showed that the prices of many crude oil prices, including Nigeria’s Bonny Light, Qua Iboe have hovered at between $59 and $65 per barrel throughout the period, thereby causing stakeholders, especially Nigeria, the leading African producer sleepless nights. The situation has caused some stakeholders, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to adopt additional measures. The Corporation is said to have reduced the prices of Nigeria’s crude oil grades — Bonny Light and Qua Iboe — to their lowest points in over a decade. The decline, according to reports, was due to declining demand for the country’s crude oil in the international market. Specifically, the Corporation has resolved to sell its July, 2015 deliveries of Bonny Light, the nation’s premium oil grade at 23 cents more than Dated Brent. Market sources have it that this constitutes the smallest differential since 2005 and compares with a 50 cent premium in June and $2.55 a year earlier. The NNPC also lowered the official selling price for Nigeria’s largest crude oil stream, Qua Iboe, to dated Brent plus 35 cents per barrel, the lowest differential since May 2005. The drop follows North Sea crude, which hit a 10-year low earlier this week as all Atlantic Basin sellers, particularly those with light, sweet oil, struggle to place cargoes. Rising output from US shale formations had over the last couple of months contributed to a market glut that drove crude down almost 50 per cent last year, roiling global markets as producer nations lost revenue and foreign-exchange reserves. Officials of NNPC did not respond to telephone calls or text messages over the weekend. But a source in the organisation that was not permitted to speak said the reduction in crude prices would impact positively on the nation as additional demand would be attracted to buy Bonny Light and other crude oil grades. He said this would culminate in increased foreign exchange generation. However, the development has attracted the comments of some observers. For instance, the National President of Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Colman Obasi maintained that the action would attract more patronage to the nation’s crude oil which has not been getting much demand in recent times. He said that the nation would likely sell more cargoes as well as generate more foreign exchange because of the decision. “I think it make sense to cut prices for the future deliveries, especially as the nation stands to attract more buyers to its oil grades. It is obvious that if our turnover is higher than what we currently have, we will be in a position to generate more funds. Indeed, we need to generate more, particularly because of our over-dependence on petro-

Buhari

Dawha

THE WORLD IS WAITING TO WITNESS TO SEE WHAT THE

PRESIDENT

MUHAMMADU BUHARI-LED

ADMINISTRATION WOULD DEPLORE TO BOOST THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY IN PARTICULAR AND THE

Colman Obasi

leum.” “The nation and other members of OPEC should explore legitimate ways and means of boosting its revenue at least during this period of global recession. But I am optimistic that oil prices would leap in future because of expected economic growth in some

NATION’S ECONOMY IN GENERAL oil importing countries,” he added. Coincidentally, his view is in consonance with that of the cartel which has reported that the world will need more energy in the decades ahead, as the global population expands and economies grow, and as countries seek to provide the energy poor with access

to modern energy services, the global need for energy will grow. “In OPEC’s most recent World Oil Outlook, energy demand is set to increase by around 50per cent between 2015 and 2040. I think that most of us here today also understand that the world has enough energy resources to meet these expected future energy needs. The key questions about our energy future relate to deliverability and sustainability. In this regard, it is important to take on board all of the economic, social and environmental perspectives that feed into it. Firstly, to supply enough energy to meet demand and help provide access to modern energy services for all. And secondly, this needs to be done in a sustainable way, balancing the needs of people in relation to their social welfare, the economy and the environment. It is clear that all forms of energy will be needed. But it is crucial that we appreciate just what each energy source can provide in the future.” “Renewables – from wind, solar, small hydro and geothermal – certainly hold promise, but globally their share of the energy mix will still be just 4 per cent by 2040, given their low initial base. The share of biomass, nuclear and large hydro is expected to remain at steady levels throughout the period 2015-to-2040, at around 9 per cent, 6 per cent and 2.5 per cent, respectively. This means that fossil fuels will continue to play a dominant role in meeting energy demand, although their overall share will fall from around 82 to 78 per cent during this period. By the 2030s, the share of oil, coal and gas are anticipated to be at similar levels, at around 25 to 27 per cent. Others will obviously have different views on how they see the future global energy mix. This is natural. But I think it is important to emphasize four key words: practical, realistic, logical and equitable,” it added. The organisation indicated there is a great need to focus on the development of other energy resources. It maintained that over the past two centuries or more, much economic growth has been fuelled by the exploitation of fossil fuels. The cartel disclosed that this has certainly brought real benefits. The organisation maintained that it has helped improve living standards by providing such things as light, power and mobility. “It has enabled the development of industries and the creation of jobs. And it has helped increase life expectancies. In short, the industrialized world has been built with fossil fuels. We should not forget that this has not been the story for everyone. When we start up our cars, switch on a light, turn on our mobile phones, we need to recognize that these everyday things are still unknown to billions of people across the world who continue to suffer from energy poverty. Today, around 2.7 billion people or more still rely on biomass for their basic needs, and 1.3 billion have no access to electricity.” The organisation also tasked member states to work toward the diversification of their economies while sustaining huge investments in oil and gas. This seems is imperative as oil and gas are depleting resources that would be depleted in future. The world is waiting to witness to see what the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would deplore to boost the petroleum industry in particular and the nation’s economy in general.

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Energy Week

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Chevron to sell interests in two offshore acreages STORIES: UDEME AKPAN

hevron has commenced the process of divesting its 40per cent in Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 86 and 88, located in shallow waters at the mouth of the current Niger Delta Basin. African oil and gas report has it that the San Ramon, California based major has invited a number of Nigerian independents to offer bids for its stake in the tracts. OML 86 contains the Apoi fields; the largest being North Apoi (3,500BOPD). It also holds Funiwa (1,300BPD), Sengana and Okubie fields. One recent discovery: Buko, straddles Shell Nigeria operated OPL 286 and is either on trend with, or even on the same structure as the HB field in OPL 286. OML 88 holds the Pennington and the Middleton fields, as well as the undeveloped condensate discovery, Chioma field. On completion of the sale, Chevron would have sold off all the legacy shallow

water assets it inherited when it purchased Texaco in 1999. Between 2013 and 2015, Chevron sold its stakes in five acreages, two of them, OMLs 83 and 85, being former Texaco Nigeria assets. It’s an irony though; Chevron’s largest producing asset in Nigeria, Agbami, is from that turn- of –the- century merger with Texaco; this deepwater field alone produces 250,000BOPD, about half of Chevron’s total operated crude oil production in Nigeria. The company maintained that it is one of the world’s leading integrated energy companies. Our success is driven by our people and their commitment to get results the right way—by operating responsibly, executing with excellence, applying innovative technologies and capturing new opportunities for profitable growth. “We are involved in virtually every facet of the energy industry. We explore for, produce and transport crude oil and natural gas; refine, market and distribute trans-

Oil men at work

portation fuels and lubricants; manufacture and sell petrochemical products; generate power and produce geothermal energy; invest in profitable renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions; and develop the energy resources of the future, including researching advanced biofuels.” “We trace our beginnings to an 1876 oil discovery at Pico Canyon, north of Los Angeles, which led to the formation of the Pacific Coast Oil Co. That company later became Standard Oil Co. of California and, subsequently, Chevron. We took on the name Chevron when we acquired Gulf Oil Corporation in 1984, which nearly doubled our worldwide proved crude oil and natural gas reserves. At the time, our merger with Gulf was the largest in U.S. history,” it added. It indicated that another part of our history is The Texas Fuel Company, formed in Beaumont, Texas, in 1901. The company disclosed that it later became known as The Texas Company and, eventually, Texaco. In 2001, our two companies merged. It stated that the acquisition of Unocal Corporation in 2005 strengthened Chevron’s position as an energy industry leader, increasing our crude oil and natural gas assets around the world. The company maintained that, “Our diverse and highly skilled global workforce consists of approximately 64,700 employees, including more than 3,200 service station employees.” It also added, “In 2014, Chevron’s average net production was 2.571 million oilequivalent barrels per day. About 74 percent of that production occurred outside the United States. Chevron had a global refining capacity of 1.9 million barrels of oil per day at the end of 2014.”

Sahara now controls 18% of OML 18

he stake of Sahara Group in Oil Mining Lease, OML 18 has increased to 18 per cent following its purchase of 40per cent of Eroton. African oil and gas report disclosed that Sahara bought into Eroton as that company finalized its purchase of the 45 per cent equity in the asset belonging to Shell, TOTAL and ENI. It maintained that Eroton is a special purpose vehicle set up for the purpose of that purchase. It is made up of Midwestern Oil and Gas, Mart Resources and Suntrust, the only non- Nigerian of the trio being Mart Resources. The report has it that transaction was

$1.1Billion, though it is unclear how much exactly Sahara Group, led by Tonye Cole, a serial entrepreneur, paid. It stated that OML 18 is the second most prospective of the four acreages that Shell and Co divested from between 2013 and 2015. It holds 1.5BBOE (Billion Barrels of Oil Equivalent) as remaining reserves, according to Shell. The report maintained that in 2012, its production averaged 21,000BOPD from six fields, with 12MMscf/d of gas. It indicated that Shell’s forecast is that it can deliver up to 90,000BOPD oil and 220MMscf/d of gas in the fifth year of an aggressive redevelopment by the new op-

erator. The report has it that with significant shareholding in OML 18, Sahara Group announces itself as a key, Nigerian upstream player. It maintained that after establishing it downstream as both petroleum product and crude oil marketer as well as Electricity generation and distribution firm (it is coowner of the Egbin Power Plant and Ikeja Distribution Company), Sahara could almost claim it was an integrated energy services provider. But the upstream bragging rights were missing. The Group was involved in two expensive dry holes as a partner to BG in deepwater

Commodity

Units

Price

Change

% Change

Time(ET)

Crude Oil (WTI)

USD/bbl.

59.21

-0.40

-0.67%

11:35:31

Crude Oil (Brent)

USD/bbl.

62.50

-0.52

-0.83%

11:36:09

TOCOM Crude Oil

JPY/kl

48,300.00

-250.00

-0.51%

11:35:43

NYMEX Natural Gas

USD/MMBtu

2.73

-0.08

-2.95%

11:36:35

Source: Bloomberg as at June 23, 2015

assets and has failed, spectacularly, to operate its marginal field Tsekelewu since 2003. In 2014, it got aggressive, drilling three wells in the Oil Prospecting Lease (OPL) 274 in northwestern Niger Delta, a result of which it is currently carrying out an extended production test on the Oki field, preparatory to first oil from the field sometime before the end of first half 2015. Sahara Group is a leading privately owned Power, Energy, Gas and Infrastructure Conglomerate established in 1996 with operating companies active in the downstream, midstream, upstream, infrastructure and power sectors. The Group’s strategy is to replicate its successes in Oil and Gas sector in the Energy & Infrastructure sector. To achieve this, Sahara has set out a roadmap for investing in people, processes, strategic acquisitions, principal investments and continuous expansion within, initially, the West African energy & infrastructure space, and then globally.

Energy Week

Aker Solutions, Baker Hughes promote oil and gas studies

ker Solutions and Baker Hughes agreed to cooperate on early-phase studies to help customers improve the overall economics and value of oil and gas field developments. “Aker Solutions’ Front End Spectrum unit and Baker Hughes’ Reservoir Development Services group will provide customers with development concept studies that address the entire value chain - from reservoir understanding and well design to subsea and topsides facilities, including flow assurance and risk management. Each company has expertise from the full spectrum of field development. Initial customer studies are already under way. “Our ability to maximize value is greatest when we can enter a project early at the appraisal and feasibility stages and evaluate the potential of a field’s total development instead of parts of it,” said Henning Østvig, head of Front End Spectrum at Aker Solutions. “This greatly increases our success in finding solutions that improve the overall economics and value of a development by optimizing capital expenditure and production.” “While we always want to find the best solutions for our customers, the current market environment gives us an added sense of urgency,” said Scott Reeves, president of Reservoir Development Services at Baker Hughes. “No tool is more powerful than an early, integrated approach to field design. This helps ensure that all parts of a project are designed to work together throughout the life of the field.” The new agreement comes after Aker Solutions and Baker Hughes in 2014 formed the Subsea Production Alliance to develop solutions that will boost output, increase recovery rates and reduce costs at subsea fields. The alliance uses Aker Solutions’ capabilities in subsea production and processing and Baker Hughes’ expertise in well completions and artificial-lift technology to deliver integrated in-well and subsea systems solutions. The importance of cooperating during the early phase of a project was recognized quickly in the alliance. The Front End Spectrum unit and Reservoir Development Services group maintain independent offices in Houston, Oslo, London, Aberdeen, Kuala Lumpur, Perth, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Moscow. Aker Solutions’ Front End Spectrum unit provides expertise in subsea and topsides systems, life-of-field production management and flow assurance. Baker Hughes’ Reservoir Development Services group uses its subsurface expertise to improve reservoir understanding and determine efficient methods to capture a field’s full potential.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nnaji takes Geometric Power case to President Buhari STORIES: UDEME AKPAN

he Federal Government may intervene to enable the idle geometric power plant in Aba, Abia State become functional. The intervention is expected as the government moves to establish new ways and means of boosting electricity supply in the nation. Already, Geometric Power, led by Barth Nnaji, the former Nigerian Minister of Power, has approached the Buhari government to intervene in its challenge of access to its concession area. The company told the Africa Oil+Gas Report, on the sidelines of a power conference last week, that “the Buhari Government is talking to us over the issue”. Geometric indicated that, on the basis of a 2005 agreement with the Federal Government in which the Aba metropolis in Abia State in eastern Nigeria was concessioned to it, it had gone ahead to construct a 141MW power

plant and built over 105 km of 33kV overhead lines within the Aba metropolis. It has also constructed a 27km pipeline to a Shell gas processing plant at Owaza. But in the process of privatization of the legacy companies (Power Generation and Distribution Companies) of the PHCN, the entire Enugu Electricity Distribution Company was handed over to another party by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) without excising Aba from the sale. “This action was in spite of our valid concession agreement and assurances by President Goodluck Jonathan that the agreement is sacrosanct”, Nnaji notes. “So far about eight committees, including committees of the NCP, NERC, and Ministry of Power amongst others have investigated this matter and come up with the same recommendation. There is no more need for another committee; all that it requires is the President’s decision and firm action that will

ensure the full implementation of their recommendation to sell Aba metropolis to Aba Power”. Geometric maintained that, “We pride ourselves in placing the first Independent Power transmission Station in the country, as well as being one of the first companies involved in urban electrification. In terms of power generation, we brought in the first high efficiency combined emergency power station in 2001 for Abuja.” “The 22 MW Emergency Power Station in Abuja guaranteed the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) the supply of 15MW. While in operation, the power station successfully supplied uninterrupted power to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (formerly National Electric Power Authority) to serve a dedicated distribution network within Abuja and its environs.” “Beneficiaries of the project included the Abuja Central Business District, the International Conference Centre

projects will accelerate the growth and development of the community. The projects commissioned include: Ewheya Hall for the women folks with 1000 plastic chairs, 20 plastic tables and 6 tent canopies; a block of three classrooms and dual desks at Owhrode Mixed Secondary School and a 500 KVA Transformer/Substation balancing of load/

erection of units of existing substation. Addressing the community shortly before commissioning the project, the Managing Director of NPDC, Mr. Anthony Muoneke stated that the projects were part of the NPDC/ Community Investment Programme aimed at promoting sustainable development and peaceful co-existence in the company’s operational areas. According to the MD who was represented by the former Community Relations Supervisor, Mrs. Sylvia Willie, NPDC the adoption of the long term approach known as the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) has given the communities more responsibilities in deciding how investment funds are managed. He added that the GMoU has also provided a platform for building mutually beneficial relationship with the communities as well as creating enabling environment for business continuity and growth. “The new community development/interface model based on the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) was

Bart Nnaji

(ICC), the Federal Secretariat and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) headquarters. This experience led to the Aba Integrated Power Project, a distribution project with an embedded generation company, illustrates GP’s “Integrated Power Solutions Model” of successful power project-islands targeted primarily at enhancing Industrial growth and economic development,” it added.

CSR: NPDC/ND Western commissions 3 projects

n line with the existing Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 34 which the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) inherited from the former operator, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC), the company recently commissioned three projects in Owhrode community. These

Oil rig

entered into with the various communities in Udu cluster to encourage more development at the grass-root level. It will continue to serve as an interface between the community and NPDC”, he said. The President of Owhrode Community, Reverend Markson Ohiarekurhe expressed gratitude to NPDC and its joint venture partner, ND Western for their developmental initiatives in Owhrode. He admitted that the completion of the projects has as a matter of fact addressed the various challenges facing the community. He also called on members of the community to continue to be peaceful in order to attract more developmental initiatives to the community. The ceremony was attended by the Chiefs, women folks, sons and daughters of Owhrode from all walks of life. Owhrode is a pipeline community in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State. The field is being operated by NPDC on behalf of the NPDC/ ND Western Joint Ventures who funded the projects.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

DPR bemoans fake officials, warns operators STORIES: CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

he Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has raised alarm over increasing fraudsters posing as staff of the organisation, cautioning filling station owners and other marketers against falling victims of phantom DPR officials. DPR spokesperson, Mr. Mohammed Saidu, who gave the warning in Abuja expressed worry over what the organisation termed a desperate attempt by some fraudsters to desecrate the integrity of the agency. Saidu said some fraudulent persons have cashed in on the fuel scarcity situation to defraud some unsuspecting marketers, thereby causing overpricing of fuel in some areas. ``The outcome of this scarcity has caused us a lot where people now parade themselves

and go to filing stations extorting money from marketers in the name of DPR,” he said He said the fraudsters were going around filling stations telling marketers that they could sell at any amount they wanted as long as they `settle them’ (fake officials). ``That is why we are still having this problem of over pricing in some of the suburb areas within Federal Capital Territory” he said. The spokesperson called on marketers to be wary of fraudsters that claimed to be DPR officials who go to filling stations to extort money He however maintained that DPR officers on assignment always go with official vehicle clearly marked as `DPR`. According to him all marketers are supposed to know this because ``we don’t allow our officials to go to filing stations with their personal vehicles. ``No DPR officer will go out

on an official assignment without hanging his or her identity card and once you are not with your identity card, you are not representing DPR,” he said. He said the fraudster did not even stop at that but also created a parallel website with that of the DPR, claiming that DPR was recruiting for ExxonMobil. He said they went to the extent of collecting money those unsuspecting Nigerians. ``They created an account where such monies are paid to and we have a lot unsuspecting Nigerians who came with tellers claiming to come and get their money back. ``There were a lot fake ap- Osahon pointment letters from Chev- also issued a counter claim and part of it is to also to sensitise ron, Mobil and so on. ``We want to warn Nigerians Nigerians on how to deal with that before they deal with DPR, those criminals. “Meanwhile, we are working make sure you are dealing with right official by identifying him- closely with relevant security agencies to track and bring to self,” he said. He said that DPR had writ- book all those behind these neten to all the multinationals and farious activities,” he stated.

Infiltration by workers caused NAPSAS dispute – Says Perm Sec

he Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Dr. Godknows Igali has explained the recent protests by some beneficiaries of the National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme NAPSAS, over alleged unpaid allowances saying some were not originally qualified to benefit from the scheme. Igali clarified that the programme was specifically meant for middle level graduates, including Ordinary level Diploma (OND) and below, from the technical background who are not employed but was infiltrated by even PHD Holders, and Degree holders with nothing to do with technical background.

Igali

He also stated that those who are already working rushed in to take advantage of the N18, 000 monthly stipends but were discovered when they could not keep up with normal class attendance. According to Igali, efforts by the authorities to sift out these unqualified persons from benefiting from the scheme which is meant for jobless people met stiff resistance resulting in the protests which temporarily hampered the programme. “The problem we had was that we had made it clear that NAPSAS was going to be for middle level graduates, OND and below, who are not employed and are from the technical background. The total number of applications we received was over 15,000 and we had people who had nothing to do with technical training. We even had three PHD Holders among them and when we raised objection they said just train us we can do anything. That was why we had to design a course on strategic communication, not for the PHD but for other people that had HND and B.sc among others. The major problem

we had was that, there was an infiltration of NAPSAS by those who are working already. So, when the classes started we were able to sift out people who are not attending classes. And we made sure that these category of people did not benefit from the N18, 000 stipends which they resisted leading to the protest” he said. He however assured that the dispute has been resolved and normalcy has return in the scheme which is meant to provide hands-on knowledge of the power industry to the beneficiaries, adding though, that some are still threatening to continue the protest. It is recalled that the beneficiaries of NAPSAS recently alleged that the stipends they are supposed to be receiving from the federal government has not been paid for several months now resulting in the protest which affected the programme which is being handled by the National Power Training Institute, NAPTIN. NAPSAS is expected to close the existing skills gap created by many years of embargo on recruitment in the nation’s power sector. It would be recalled that Pres-

ident Goodluck Jonathan last June, stated while flagging off the NAPSAS programme at the President Villa it is meant to provide employment to youth and sustain the developmental strides in the sector. Government promised to be paying the trainees N18,000 stipend for the period of the training. Former Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo said about 8, 200 artisans and craftsmen are needed in the sector between now and the year 2020, noting the power industry in the country had suffered acute lack of manpower. He disclosed that the first batch of trainees is 7,400 drawn from the 36 states of the federation and Abuja. Nebo stated 3, 700 of the trainees are under federal government sponsorship while participating states will sponsor 100 each. The successor companies inherited companies that have not recruited for over 15 years. And there has not been structured skills training for over 23 years. This resulted in a sector that is bedeviled by an aging workforce. Presently there is huge deficit in the workforce” he said.

Chevron donates clinics, others to schools

hevron Nigeria Limited, CNL has donated 24 chest clinics, 14 libraries and 24 science laboratories to schools in different parts of the nation. The facilities donated under the NNPC/CNL joint venture aim at bringing about improved health care, qualitative education and sustainable development of the nation. Chevron disclosed that the joint venture has so far invested over N2.65 billion to provide scholarships to students in higher institutions nationwide. General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs CNL, Mr. Deji Haastrup, indicated in a presentation that 54,375 Nigerian students have benefited from the programme with an average of 300 intakes annually. Haastrup disclosed that many other students also benefit from other scholarship programmes that the company executes. “More than 54,375 Nigerian students are on the National Scholarship program worth over N2.65 billion with an average of 300 intakes annually.” “Nine Thousand Six Hundred and Seventeen undergraduates currently on the Agbami (Chevron & Deep Water Co-Venturers) Scholarship program. In 2013/14 and 2014/15 academic sessions, 1,166 Agbami scholars graduated with first and second class upper.” “Other types of Special scholarship programs (including for the Visually Impaired and Physically Challenged) and GMoU worth over $1.4 million,” Haastrup maintained. He said the company has also gone into an alliance with other stakeholders to further made positive impact in the education sector. Haastrup said these include the establishing of learning Centers Initiative in collaboration with the Discovery Alliance which has already impacted positively on beneficiaries and the nation. The General Manager said over 15,000 students have access to educational materials & TV channels in under resourced schools. He remarked that the programme, adopted by Delta State Government has increased school enrolment by over 50per cent over three years. Haastrup indicated that greater success has been made in external examinations and competitions at States and Federal levels. He maintained that the company has also made strong impact in the area of health through the instrumentality of it’s the River Boat clinic. The General Manager noted the programme, initiated in 2001 provides free healthcare services to over 33 riverine communities and in 2014 alone, over 50,800 people benefitted.

Energy Week

Sunmonu, Aig-Imoukhuede appointed Chairman, Director of Petralon Energy

etralon Energy is pleased to announce the appointment of Mutiu Sunmonu and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as Chairman and Non-Executive Director (respectively) to The Board of Directors of Petralon Energy Limited. Sunmonu is the former Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) & Country Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria with an oil & gas career spanning over 36 years in Nigeria, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. He was the pioneer responsible for mobilizing the private sector to set up the National Business Council for Sustainable Development (NBCSD) and currently serves on the board of various organizations across multiple sectors of the economy including Real Estate, Construction, Oil & Gas and Education. Sunmonu is the recipient of many awards including; Sustainability Champion (2014 SERA Awards) and Commander of The Order of The Niger (CON). He is a Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (FNSE) and a board member of Imperial Homes (Formerly GT Homes), and Julius Berger Nigeria. Aig-Imoukhuede is the Founder and Chairman of Coronation Capital - a private equity and propriety investment firm targeting the financial services, digital technology, upstream oil & gas and real estate sectors in Sub-Saharan Africa, operating out of Mauritius. He is President of the National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Chairman of Wapic Insurance Group, an emerging West African Underwriter. He also serves on the Board of the Africa Finance Corporation. Aig-Imoukhuede has had a long and successful career in the banking industry at both Guaranty Trust Bank Plc where he rose to Executive Director and Access Bank where he led the Access Bank transformation team. His leadership witnessed the transformation of the institution into one of the largest Banks in Nigeria. Aig-Imoukhuede is the recipient of several awards and National Honours including African Banker of the Year (African Banker), West African Entrepreneur of the Year (Ernst & Young) and Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON). Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Sunmonu said, “I am honored to serve on the board of an indigenous oil and gas company dedicated to global best practice. I look forward to working with the Petralon board and management team as they work towards their vision of collective energy and value for all.”

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

India, China to drive energy demand – BP UDEME AKPAN

ndia and China would continue to drive energy demand till 2035 because of increased investment and production. British Petroleum maintained in its report that by 2035, the world’s population is projected to reach 8.7 billion, which means an additional 1.6 billion people will need energy. It indicated that over the same period, GDP is expected to more than double, with nonOECD Asia contributing nearly 60per cent of that growth. The report has it that globally; GDP per person in 2035 is expected to be 75 per cent higher than today, an increase in productivity which accounts for three-quarters of global GDP growth. “China and India are key drivers of non-OECD growth and are projected to grow by 5.5% per annum (p.a.) between 2013 and 2035. By 2035, they will be the world’s largest and 3rd largest economies respectively, jointly accounting for about one-third of global population and GDP. “ “As China’s level of productivity catches up with the OECD, its rate of growth is expected to slow from 7per cent p.a. in this decade to 4% p.a.

in the decade to 2035. India’s growth moderation is more gradual: slowing from 6% p.a. in this decade to 5per cent p.a. in the final decade,” it maintained. “Primary energy consumption increases by 37% between 2013 and 2035, with growth averaging 1.4% p.a. Virtually all (96%) of the projected growth is in the non-OECD, with energy consumption growing at 2.2% p.a.. OECD energy consumption, by contrast, grows at just 0.1% p.a. over the whole period and is actually falling from 2030.” The report indicated that the projected growth rate of global energy consumption is significantly slower than the recent trend (2.4% p.a. for 200013). It maintained that this slowdown is most marked in nonOECD Asia, where growth has averaged 7per cent p.a. since 2000 and is projected to slow to 2.5% p.a. between 2013 and 2035. The report indicated that this reflects the end of the phase of rapid growth in energy demand in developing Asia, centred on China, driven by industrialization and electrification. It stated that slower economic growth and an accelerated

Fuel pump

reduction in energy intensity* (as economic growth becomes less dependent on heavy industry) play roughly equal parts in explaining the slowing of energy growth. “The fading impact of industrialization is apparent in the split of primary energy consumption by sector. Industry has been the fastest growing sector since 2000, averaging 2.7per cent p.a., but projected growth slows to 1.4per cent p.a. The ‘other’ sector (residential, services and agriculture) becomes the fastest growing sector, averaging 1.6per cent p.a. 2013-35.” “Transport continues to play a relatively small role in

primary energy growth, growing steadily (1.2% p.a.) but accounting for just 15per cent of total growth during 2013-35. Coal suffers a sharp change in fortunes, from being the fastest growing fossil fuel since 2000 (3.8% p.a.), to the slowest growing fuel from 2013 to 2035 (0.8% p.a.).” “This reflects the slowing of coal-based industrialization in Asia, compounded by the effects of environmental regulations and low gas prices in key markets. Natural gas is the fastest growing fossil fuel (1.9% p.a.), with oil (0.8% p.a.) marginally ahead of coal. The fastest fuel growth is seen in renewables (6.3% p.a.),” it added.

Agency supports NAPTIN on capacity building CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

gence Francaise Development (AFD), in partnership with National Power training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), is to integrate the training needs of the privatized power sector taking cognizance of key parameters for development. The integration would focus ways of achieving sustainability, financial autono-

Meter

my, investment opportunities, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Speaking at the inauguration of a Steering Committee which comprised of officials from Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ministry of Finance, National Planning Commission, NAPTIN, DISCOS and GENCOS, the Permanent Secretary, Power, Amb. (Dr) Godknows Igali, who presided over the event, said that Nigerian

Government is grateful for the French initiative, as it would assist NAPTIN to build on the new thinking matrix of sourcing fund for its programmes outside conventional Government allocation. The Permanent Secretary said that with this initiative NAPTIN will deliver on its mandate in critical areas of capacity building for the sector. “As a knowledge driven institution, NAPTIN will make the sector’s workforce to be more industry compliant”, “as the diagnostic Audit proposed by the Steering Committee, will entail a detailed feasibility study to also risk management strategy”. The package of assistance will also include a study tour of Morocco, for the purpose of understudying the model of their vocational training facilities. The Permanent Secretary used the occasion to also thank the French, and other development partners, including Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for their continuous assistance and in-

terventions. He further stated that Nigerian Government is excited the recent approval of 170 million Euros by AFD for the strengthening of the nation’s transmission network within FCT and its environs. The Project Manager, AFD Celine Gratador said the 2-phase strategy of the committee will help increase NAPTIN sustainable programmes, insisting that the new partnership between the French and Nigerian agencies, both public and private, is to launch NAPTIN Training capabilities to higher levels. Earlier, in his address, NAPTIN, Director General, Engr. Reuben Okeke, described the AFD partnership as historic, noting that the intervention will boost the capacity of the critical work force to fit into today’s Nigeria’s power sector. Furthermore, the interministerial partners, Discos, Gencos will through synergy address the existing training gaps tailor-made for the privatized energy sector.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Industry & SMEs

Experts link economy’s under-performance to decaying infrastructure Inadequacy of infrastructure seems not to improve despite various efforts geared towards fixing the decaying infrastructure assets across the broad spectrum of the nation’s economic landscape. The gap in this critical tool for productivity has been described by experts as a major constraint to improved economy requiring urgent attention. ABOLAJI ADEBAYO writes.

ver the past few years, Nigeria’s economy has been under-performing in real terms notwithstanding the impressive indices reflected in the last GDP rebasing exercise. The Nigerian economy grew at an average of 6.8 per cent a year over the past decade, placing it among the fastest growing countries globally. Despite this exciting statistics on the nation’s economic growth rate, millions of youths are in the labour market, rate of under-employment alarming and poverty level in the country remains one of the deepest globally. As analysts have observed, the potential of the economy to create jobs, alleviate poverty and compete effectively in the global economic order has been hampered largely the huge infrastructure gap in the country and its attendant negative implications for productivity at all sectors. The challenges may seem to be trivial but have kept on affecting the sector consistently venomously. This ugly situation has affected the economy that many private and even public enterprises have either gone out of business or relocated to another country. In Nigeria where private sector is not encouraged to invest in infrastructure, government has been trying with little success to bridge the infrastructure gap as billions of naira spent yearly on the assets could be likened to wastage. Unfortunately, with the abundant resources the country is endowed with, which can be judiciously utilised to ensure adequate infrastructure, the situation has not changed tangibly. Explanations by experts for this situation are diverse, ranging from policy inconsistency, lack of maintenance culture as well as lack of policy implementation,

Coco processing machine

Buhari

Bassey Edem

AS ANALYSTS HAVE OBSERVED, THE POTENTIAL OF THE ECONOMY TO CREATE JOBS, ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND COMPETE EFFECTIVELY IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMIC ORDER HAS BEEN HAMPERED LARGELY THE HUGE INFRASTRUCTURE GAP IN THE COUNTRY AND ITS ATTENDANT NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRODUCTIVITY AT ALL SECTORS amongst others. According to the Director General, Lagos Chamber of commerce and Industry, LCCI, Muda Yusuf, Nigeria is replete with several cases of inadequate infrastructures such as irregular power supply, persistent fuel scarcity, bad road network, malfunctioning ports, and erratic telecommunication services.

Yusuf, who gave a gloomy picture of the Nigerian electricity, said, “For the past three decades, inadequate quantity and quality and access to electricity has been a regular feature in the country of over 170 million people with a majority living in abject poverty. He added that despite the changed in the electricity sector, the poverty of energy was still being entrenched in the in the country, where large percentage of the population lacked access to electricity. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of SMEFUNDS, Femi Oye, said beyond electricity, other infrastructures were not adequate while compared with South Africa. He declared that the quest for adequate infrastructures could not be abandoned being the bedrock of economic development. Oye, who noted the sustaining positive trends in infrastructure across Africa, quoted the South Africa President, Jacob Zuma during the president’s Coordinating Council, PCC, meeting at Tuynhuys in Cape Town as saying, “Infrastructure investment spending has quadrupled, exports have increased and Africa is receiving a growing share of foreign direct investment. “It is not surprising therefore that infrastructure development took centre stage at the World Economic Forum on Africa meeting in Cape Town on 3-5 June 2015.

“These positive trends come on the back of improved governance and a much sounder approach to macroeconomic management in our continent. We need to sustain these trends and deepen them.” Zuma emphasized that investments in infrastructure programmes, regional integration and intra-African trade was Africa’s solution for sustainable growth and development. The Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, has emphasised his continued commitment to development of infrastructures in the country, promising to champion NEPAD programmes and projects as he referred to the Agency as a strategic body for Africa’s structural transformation. However, the President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture, Chief Bassey Edem, said that the government has to run inclusive economy for its success on infrastructure development. He said there is a need for a very strong collaboration with the Organized Private Sector, OPS. He said, “Nigeria’s lack of inclusive growth also manifests itself in unequal access to basic services and social programs. Most Nigerians don’t have regular supply of electricity. A very small percentage is able to purchase generators for around-theclock supply of electricity.” The NACCIMA boss listed ways Nigeria could overcome the comatose state of her infrastructural facilities. His panacea included transparent system of private sector participation, diversification of sources of power, independence of the infrastructural regulatory commissions and strict adherence to the rule of law in all government activities and interventions as well as political will on the side of political office holders. Edem noted that for the past three decades, the private sector has been advocating for government to concentrate on the provision of power as the basic catalyst for industrial development. He said that there was no doubt whatsoever that the constant availability of power would benefit all strata of industry, from micro to large, resulting in a huge multiplier effect on the economy and moderation of the cost of living, goods and services. Highlighting the myriads of infrastructural problems confronting the country as well as lamenting the comatose state of infrastructural facilities in Nigeria, the NACCIMA boss said Nigeria must follow the footsteps of other countries embracing the private sector funding of infrastructure. In accomplishing the goal, he said government at all levels must be ready to play by the rules of the game, if it wants foreigners and local private sector player to invest in infrastructural development with confidence.

Cocktail

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Police: Man drives himself to station, asks for DUI arrest

uthorities say a man drove under the influence of alcohol to a small-town Kentucky police station, where he requested that officers arrest him. The Kentucky New Era reports that 26-year-old Christopher L. Stewart drove to Tuesday night to the station in Hopkinsville, near the Tennessee border, and slammed on his brakes, nearly hitting a police cruiser. The newspaper reports

that Stewart approached officers and said he was ready to go to jail for DUI. The paper says he told police he drank a pint before driving to the station. Police say Stewart also attempted to drink a closed bottle of fuel injector cleaning fluid, but officers stopped him. He was charged with driving under the influence. It was unclear whether he had a lawyer to contact for comment on the case.

Oddities

Bill Gates trust to pay $30,000 fine over horse manure

trust affiliated with billionaire Bill Gates will pay a $30,000 fine over horse manure in a settlement expected to be approved on Thursday by a special magistrate in the affluent south Florida village of Wellington. But the Microsoft Corp co-founder, ranked as the

world’s richest person by Forbes magazine, will receive the village’s standard 80 percent discount on the fine, which at one point reached $147,000, said code compliance manager Steven Koch. Gates bought a $9 million estate in 2013 in the name of Mallet Hill Trust in the

Thousands lose power when naked woman crashes into Seattle-area utility

ore than 4,000 people in a Seattle suburb lost power on Friday after a woman driving naked crashed her car into a utility pole, police said. There were live power wires down on the car when a police sergeant came across the crash scene in Shoreline, just north of Seattle, around 1:30 a.m., said Detective Jason Houck, a spokesman for the King County

Sheriff ’s Department. Firefighters and utility crews disabled the wires and found a 24-year-old woman inside the car who was in and out of consciousness, he said. She was not wearing any clothes, he said. The woman, who was not badly injured, was taken to a hospital where blood was drawn to determine if she was driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, Houck said.

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She could face criminal charges depending on the outcome of the test. The crash knocked out power to about 4,400 people for about four hours, Houck said. Seattle City Light had power restored by about 5:30 a.m., the utility said. “Many people didn’t know until they woke up late for work because their alarms didn’t go off,” Houck said

Bill Gates

equestrian community, which is home to the International Polo Club. The trust is affiliated with Gates, Koch said. His property was cited beginning in January 2014 for placing an old manure bin too close to a canal, and for building a second bin without a permit to replace the

old one, Koch said. With as many as 12,000 horses in residence community-wide during the winter season, and 100,000 tons of manure produced a year, Koch said the community took proper disposal seriously to protect the nearby Everglades National Park and other waterways. Koch said code violation notices were sent to the address of record, but apparently did not reach the appropriate contact at Gates’ trust. Fines began accruing at $250 a day in the summer of 2014, Koch said. Koch, who was initially unaware of Gates’ affiliation, said the trust responded in late 2014 only after a reporter figured out who owned the property and the violation hit the news. A representative for the trust did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Civil Service

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Ex-minister urges civil servants to make merit a priority

...As 551 Lagos workers bag Long service awards FRANCIS SUBERU

ormer Minister of Solid Minerals, Mines and Steels, Dr Oby Ezekwesili yesterday urged those in public service to ensure that priority is placed on merit; saying lack of meritocracy in the selection and appointment of public servants is the bane of the country’s development. The former minister who spoke at the 2015 Public Service Day organised by the Office of the Lagos State Head of Service,

where 551 Lagos workers were presented with long service awards; asked leaders in the country to make use of best brains to run public service. According to her, most good coaches in the game of football make use of their first 11 squad to get good result, but added that what is found across the states now are third 11-man squad who are employed and appointed as heads of public service. Hence, she advised President Muhammadu Buhari and other state governors to appoint

public servants based on character, competence and capacity, to overcome the nation’s challenges. The former minister said the nation could overcome its numerous challenges, if only the public servants at both federal and state services are upright and ready to deliver service as professionally as possible but said what obtains in the nation’s public service is a transactional service, where emphasis is placed on selfish gains rather than delivery of public service. She added that over

100 million Nigerians estimated to be unemployed or underemployed should have no business with poverty, if indeed the nation’s public servants could emulate their counterparts in other developed countries and play the roles expected of them. Noting that Singapore and China governments were able to get out of economic woods because they get only competent individuals into the civil service to render public service, adding that today, Singapore could

Directors at the presentation of Ministry of Information’s 2014 Staff Merit Awards in Abuja, recently

African children still suffer deprivation despite global efforts –GPI RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

Non Governrnental-org anization operating under the auspices of Girls Power Initiative (GPI) has decried the spate of suffering and deprivation by African children despite global efforts to curb the suffering. The head, Youth Development in the organization, Helen Kanu disclosed that this year’s Day of the African Child celebration provides ample opportunity to draw global attention to issues affecting children in the continent.

‘the Day of the African Child has been set aside globally to celebrate the African child as well as draw attention to the issues that hinders the healthy lives of the African Child.’Kanu said. The GPI Head of Youth Development noted that the theme of this year’s celebration ’25 years after the adoption of the African Charter: Accelerating our collective efforts to end child marriage in Africa’ was timely as it focuses on child marriage, a major social and health challenge faced across the continent. Helen Kanu expressed shock that the girl-child

was often victim of forced and early marriage, with its attendant implication on their health. “Child marriage affects the victims physically and psychologically; they suffer low self esteem and are traumatized. It also has serious implications on their health.” Helen Kanu called for concerted effort to eradicate early marriages in the African continent due to its harmful effect on the health of the victims. At the ceremony girls from schools within Calabar participated in debates, quiz competition, songs and dance competi-

tion highlighting the dangers of early marriage and the winners carted home various prizes. Earlier, Deputy Coordinator of GPI, Mrs. Ndodoye Bassey-Obongha said the competition would encourage adolescent girls ‘showcase their skills and talents using sexual/ reproductive health and rights information to contribute towards development in the society.’ She said the competition was also to ‘encourage good writing and public speaking skills among young people as well as enable them compete in a healthy way.’

boast of $50,000 GDP while Nigeria could only boast of $2,300 GDP after almost 50 years of oil exploration. Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode,who was represented by his

Deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, charged the civil servants in the state to be creative in their approach to improve on the service delivery,assuring them that government would do everything possible to enhance their welfare.

How NSHIP improves health system in Nigeria –Mohammad MARCUS FATUNMOLE AND JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

he Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Ado Mohammad, has said the establishment of Nigeria State of Health Investment Project, NSHIP, by the Federal Government had been a boost to effective and efficiency health service delivery in the country. Muhammad stated this recently in Abuja at the 2015 Annual Review Report of the programme. He noted that the essence of the meeting was to review the budget implementation of the NSHIP, which was established three years ago, and see how the programme could further improve state of Health in the country. He also informed that on the backdrop of the country’s dwindling health care indices, the demand for structural strengthening of social sectors and local systems was more urgent than ever before. He added that the challenges faced by the nation’s health system included lack of political will, lack of accountability, low confidence in public health facilities, poor infrastructure and motivation, which according to him, had seriously affected the country’s health system. “Comparing the demographic and health survey 2008 with that of 2013 shows that the traditional input of financial methodology has little or no improvement in key maternal and child health in-

dicies, anti-natal care, institutional delievery and skilled birth attendance. “Based on this, there is need to restructure operationalization plan that would focus on reduction of leakage, capacity building and quality service provision.” Speaking further, he said: “Nigeria has made a lot of progress with regards to Maternal, newborn and child health. If you look at where we were in the last five years, and where we are now, you will agree with me that we’ve made a lot of progress. “Several years back showed that about 800 to 850 women died per 100,000 life birth in Nigeria. But, as of last year, when Bureau of National Statistic carried another survey indices, the report indicated that the figure had come down to about 35 per 100,000 life birth. “This is a new approach to service delivery that shift from input to output, to see what has funding really resulted to its a new approach to service delivery so that the focus on how many life have been safe? How many immunization has taken place? Outcome in term of maternity reduction, how many mother have attended anti-natal care. ? To review how far we have gone in output performance in the three states and how we can further fine tune, improve and strenghtening the service delivery in Nigeria. “And performance based survey we carried revealed that there is a great improvement, more women benefit from skilled attendance, more children have been immunized,” he stressed

Civil Service

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

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NYSC seeks support for community development JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

he National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), yesterday, called on the well-meaning individuals and corporate bodies to identify with the scheme by sponsoring the execution of community development projects of corps members. The Director General of NYSC, Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi said their supports became imperative to trickle down even development to rural dwellers, who were about 70 percent of the country’s population. Olawumi made call during the flag off of the 2nd phase of personal community development

service project executed by corps member, Dr Omanudhowho Kennedy (FCT/14B/4578) at Primary Health Care Centre, Kuchingoro, in Abuja. Represented by the NYSC Director of CDS and Special Projects, Mrs Bose Okakwu, the DG explained that NYSC community projects were geared towards improving standard of living of Nigerians living at local level, therefore, they must be supported. “The NYSC scheme is all about service to our fatherland. Corps members are deployed and charged to identify the felt needs of their respective host communities with the view of mobilising members of the communities to address these needs through the

NYSC Community Development Service (CDS). “The impact of CDS activities in our rural communities can be seen in the areas of education, agriculture, infrastructural and technological development, poverty eradication through socio-economic empowerment and health care delivery services. “I wish to reiterate my call on all well-meaning individuals and philanthropists to identify with the

NYSC Scheme by sponsoring the execution of community development projects of corps members.” Olawumi, however, noted that any attack on corps members would not be taken lightly, calling on “host communities to provide security and welfare needs for corps members to enable them give their best.” In his remarks, the NYSC FCT Coordinator, Pastor Alao Olanipekun described the project as “a

demonstration of the FCT NYSC capacity and availability as a tool to affect and effect change at the basic levels of the economy.” Alao maintained that “a healthy community is the bedrock for a wealthy nation,” noting that it was directed towards improving health status of the local residents. The Project Owner, Dr Kennedy Omanudhowho said the free medical service was the second phase

of his NYSC community development project, and that it targets about 50 surgeries, requiring local or required Anesthesia Hernia repairs, Appendectomy, Fibroid, lump excision among others. The occasion also featured a presentation of 56 wheel chairs to less privileged persons, who were the beneficiaries of the first phase of the project.

PTDF empowers 400 graduates with welding skills CONTINUED FROM 16 force that can effectively deliver on Federal Government’s aspiration and targets on Nigerian Content. Commenting, The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Arc Denzil Kentebe who was present at the close-out ceremony, commended the PTDF for producing Internationally Certified Welders towards bridging the capacity gap in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. He said “though the 1,500 welders produced by PTDF is a far cry on the needed capacity in the welding sector, it is a significant step towards bridging the gap” while he assured the Fund that NCDMB will ensure their engagement in the sector and possibly export some of them to other parts of the world. “I want to commend the collaboration between PTDF and NIW to train these welders. I heard all the laudable things said about PTDF and I am sure that is the beginning. We are going to continue as we have done to facilitate this cooperation, we will continue to support the effort and ensure that we deploy as many of these trainees to the oil and gas sector to fill the gap that we have, as we look forward to engaging PTDF in several other initiatives on youth empowerment, developing centres

of excellence for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry”. Earlier in his address, President, Nigeria Institute of Welding (NIW) Dr. Solomon Edebiri thanked PTDF for supporting the Institute to become accredited by the IIW as an authorised National Body and the development of private welding centres and those in Federal Institutions of learning across the country. “As an intervention agency of the Federal Government, PTDF has made great strides in building capacity for welding. Over the last seven years, in the course of training Nigerians, PTDF has successfully supported the development of over 30 privately owned welding training centres and over 10 Federal Institutions in Nigeria. I am optimistic that we should have enough capacity to domesticate any form of welding training locally in Nigeria”. Mr. Edebiri assured the Executive Secretary that the NIW will ensure that welding is practiced in accordance with international best practices and ensure that Nigeria becomes an exporter of welding skills given the fact that most of the trainees who passed through PTDF Welders Training and Certification Programmes are currently working in various places across the globe such as in Brazil, South Korea, UK and some West African countries.

Cross Section of Federal Road Safety Corps during National Summit of Stakeholders in Haulage Operations in Nigeria held in Abuja yesterday PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

410,000 corps members benefit from empowerment JOEL AJAYI ABUJA

ational Youth Service Corps, NYSC, recently, disclosed that Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Initiative embarked by the Scheme three years ago is bringing the expected result, as over 400,000 youth corps member had pass through the initiative. NYSC, also revealed that, no viewer than 772 of corps members have established verifiable thriving businesses in the country, thus contributing to the

country’s GDP National Youth Service Corps Scheme in March, 2012 introduced Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme with thirty hours of training during the ten day Orientation Programme to inculcate spirit of self-reliance among the Corps Members. However, the programme consists of trainings in twelve skill sets namely: Agro allied; Automobile; Construction; Cosmetology; Culture/ Tourism; Education; Environment; Film/Photog-

raphy; Food Processing/ Preservation; ICT; Landscaping/ Horticulture; Power and Energy. According to a released by the Department of Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, of NYSC, over 410,000 Corps Members have undergone the training in the last three years. Out of this number, 772 of them have established verifiable thriving businesses in the country- thus contributing to the country’s GDP. The management of NYSC however, urges the president Muhammadu

Buhari to do more toward funding, well equipped Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Centres across the 37 Secretariats of the NYSC nationwide It will be recalled that in his Presidential inaugural speech, President Muhammadu Buhari noted that Government would embark on vocational training, entrepreneurship and skill acquisition schemes for graduates along with the creation of Small Business Loan Guarantee Scheme to create five million jobs by 2019

Nigerians workers warned against use of fake certificates JUSTIN TYOPUUSU, JALINGO

hairman, Association of Federal Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria Taraba State Chapter, Comrade Solomon Abochol has warned federal, state and local government staff against

use of fake certificates to gain employment. Abochol gave the warning while while speaking to journalists yesterday in Jalingo on the heels of the on the ongoing screening of civil servants across the country. He explained that any staff found using fake

documents or backdating certificate of birth to avoid retirement at the stipulated age will be dismissed in the ongoing staff screening going on in the state. The union leader urged senior civil servants to try to leave a good legacy that would be emulated by junior staff by being trans-

parent, accountable, honest and dedicated to their duties. According to him, a better Nigeria starts with effective and efficient public service and enjoined Nigerians in public and private sectors to uphold standard if Nigeria must achieve the desire change.

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Politics

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

t is no longer news in Nasarawa State that Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura began his second term in office as the executive governor of the state on a clean financial bill of health, as the state is not only debt-free; but is among a handful of states that not only pay the national minimum wage, but also pays its employees their salaries as at when due.

This phenomenon hitherto galvanised the governor to hit the ground running immediately he was sworn in for a second time to steer the ship of the state. Of most motivational force that has pushed the governor’s inspiration to focus without further distractions, as he had experienced during his first four years in office, was the emergence of the new 5th Nasarawa State House of Assembly presiding officers. Nevertheless, it is important to recall that the relationship between the executive and the legislature during the past 4th Assembly was with its peculiar challenges. It had the ups and the downs that more or less impeded the pace of development in the state hence the first term of the governor’s administration had faced a stiff confrontation from the previous assembly when virtually all executive bills, submissions and budget presentations suffered huge setbacks. However, there is no gainsaying that the quality of governance that any state intends to dispense cannot be achieved without the necessary collaboration among the three arms of government, particularly between the executive and the legislature. Perhaps, it might have been on this premise that the governor envisaged, immediately after the election of the two presiding officers, a robust and harmonious working relationship between the executive and the legislature this time around. He said: “Our relationship must be that of one family dedicated to the realisation of the development aspirations of the good people of Nasarawa State. On our part, I assure you (lawmakers) of government’s commitment towards creating a conducive working environment for the House at all times.” Resuming action for the second half of his democracy delivery, Al-Makura donated three mobile hospitals to communities affected by last year’s communal crises to ameliorate their sufferings, due to shortage of medical facilities and personnel. The communities were Iggah, Arikya and Fadama Bauna. These mobile hospitals were designated to serve the host communities and other adjoining communities affected by the crises. The mobile hospitals, National Mirror can report, are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, ranging from laboratory, theater and admission ward for patients in critical need of medical attention before they can be taken to a referral medical facility. The governor said during the distribution of these facilities that “the areas where the hospitals are earmarked have most of their medical facilities destroyed as a result of recent communal crises that ravaged some parts of the state in recent years. The mobile hospitals would go a long way in addressing the medical needs of the crises ridden areas.” He also said that his administration will continue to provide the necessary facilities needed to the communities affected by the crises, especially in the areas of health and education now that lasting peace has returned to the state. Still basking in the euphoria of a debt-free state, the Nasarawa State governor announced to the people of the state recently that President Muhammad Buhari will commission in two months’ the Karu International Market, Karu, which was constructed by the state government. He disclosed this when he paid an unscheduled working visit to the market, even as he added that the state government will demolish all illegal

Al-Makura hits the ground running in Nasarawa IGBAWASE UKUMBA examines the strategies of Nasarawa tate governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, who is said to have hit the ground running immediately after being inaugurated for a second term in office on May 29.

Al-Makura

structures around the market to preserve the beauty of the market. The market which was to be commissioned long ago was however delayed in order to effect some adjustments that would enable it accommodate other category of business men and women. His words: “We have to shift the commissioning because we realised that some categories of businesses were not included in the early project and that is why we added about 1,000 open space stalls that can accommodate tomato and fish sellers and others in that category. “Apart from the locked up stores, eleven cold rooms have also been completed while we have additional 100 hectares of land to accommodate entrepreneurs like Shop-rite and other big businesses.” The governor said that when the market is completed, it will serve both as a tourism attraction and source of employment to the teaming youths across the state and the country at large. In his commitment to consolidate on the provision of accessible healthcare services and free,

Our relationship must be that of one family dedicated to the realisation of the development aspirations of the good people of

Nasarawa State.

qualitative and compulsory education for every child of school going age, Governor Al-Makura has set his agenda for his second term in office. Although these two critical areas would be the centre piece of his administration, Al-Makura was also quick to note that his development effort will by no means be limited to them, saying his mission is to ensure that every community has access to basic health services especially those living in rural areas where there is near total absence of health facilities. To ensure maximum result in this regard, the governor said the government will evolve a special marshal plan to roundly tackle health issues from recruitment and training of health personnel to the provision of adequate infrastructure. He said that the state government is working out modalities with the Nursing Council to increase admission into the state School of Nursing currently undergoing expansion to meet up the required work force in the state health centres. The governor explained that the state government will work out modalities of employing the students before graduation to motivate them and serve to balance up the much needed nursing workforce in the state. To demonstrate his commitment to this course, Governor Al-Makura has donated the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, DASH, Lafia, to the Federal University, Lafia for use as a teaching hospital when the institution commences medical studies. He also promised to give the institution additional hectares of land for expansion to accommodate the school of medical sciences which is in the pipeline in addition to the 260 hectares of land already donated by his administration to the university as permanent site. Similarly, in addition to the three referral general hospital being constructed in Lafia, Akwanga and Nasarawa local government areas of the state, the state government had earmarked N120 million for the renovation and upgrading of the Doma, Keana and Umaisha general hospitals in order to ensure quality healthcare service delivery in the state. On the education sub-sector, Al-Makura assured that government would consolidate on its current achievement in the sector, adding that the provision of more infrastructures would receive paramount attention in his second term in office. He said the nagging issue of shortage of qualified school teachers would also be given priority attention, noting that Teachers Training Colleges, TTCs, would be established in all the 13 local government areas of the state to ensure that would-be teachers are given one year mandatory training in basic principles and practice of teaching before they are engaged. The governor promised to reposition secondary school education in the state in his second tenure of office, regretting that it has been left in the lurch for far too long leading to high level of decay in the sub-sector. He promised that his administration will also make schools in the state Information Communication Technology, ICT, compliant by equipping them with computers and other accessories that would enhance competent teaching and learning.

Politics

Amour Udemude ASABA

elta state Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has sent a list of 12 commissioner-nominees to the state House of Assembly for approval. In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Monday Igbuya, Governor Okowa explained that the nomination was in line with session 192 (2) of the constitution of Federal re-

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Okowa sends commissioner-nominees to Assembly

public of Nigeria. Okowa said early approval of his request would be highly appreciated in order to enable him constitute the state Executive Council, SEC, saying that the list was the first set of nominees for the appointments of commissioners and members of the SEC. The 12 commissioner-

nominees are: Mrs Mary Awhotu-Iyesere, Mr John Nani, Dr Kingsley Emu, Mr James Augoye, Mr Vincent Uduaghan, Barrister Newworld Safugha, Arch Joe Ogeh, Sir Fidelis Tilije and Revd Omatsola Williams. Others include Mr Austin Chikezie, Mr Joyce Overah and Mr Chiedu Ebie. Meanwhile the House

has directed the nominees to submit to the House 35 copies of their curriculum vitae to reach the Clerk of the House before tomorrow and asked them to appear for screening on Tuesday, June 30. The 6th Assembly also yesterday announced the list of its principal officers. The Speaker, Igbuya

who presided over the session, revealed to members that the list of the principal officers was sent to his office by the leadership of the various political parties. In the list, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has Hon Tim Owhefere, Isoko North, as the Majority Leader; Pat Ajudua, Oshimili North, Chief

Whip; Oboro Preyor, Bomadi, Deputy Majority Leader; Michael Diden, Warri North, Deputy Chief Whip and Rueben Izeze, Ughelli South, Majority Whip while the Accord Party has Hon. Festus Okoh, Ika South and Peter Uviejitobor, Udu as Minority Whip and Deputy Minority Whip respectively.

Benue SSG pledges service devoid of fraud Henry Iyorkase MAKURDI

Applicants besiege National Assembly to lobby for appointments.

SDP to Niger gov: Launch poverty quick fixes now Proscilla Dennis MINNA

iger State Social Democratic Party, SDP, has advised the Governor Abubakar Sani Bello led administration to come up with aggressive poverty alleviation quick fixes capable of addressing the menace in view of current hardship faced by the people. It also urged people of the state to exercise patience

with the new government as it struggles to overcome the huge financial challenges militating against its stability. SDP, in a press statement signed by its state party chairman, Alhaji Alfa Mohammed, said: “The state can only quench poverty through the launch of an aggressive alleviation programme capable of not only skilling but also empowering and employing at least 37,000 Nigerlites within the first 150 days of the ad-

ministration, and a total of 100,000 beneficiaries within its first year.” Mohammed said based on the result of a research conducted by a committee of experts from the party, it was discovered that lack of skill among the unemployed youths and dearth of capital to engage in small and medium scale businesses accounts for the large scale poverty and the usual over reliance on government being witnessed in the state. Explaining that the prob-

lem can easily be addressed if the state and the local councils could rally low interest revolving loan of at least N2.5 billion at N100 million per council, SDP said: “Under the scheme to be tagged: “Loan N50, 000 or N100,000 and pay back on daily or weekly bases” strategy, about 1,500 beneficiaries to be drawn from among the unemployed youths and less privileged commodity traders, who would automatically be growing economically in each of the councils.”

Itsekiri youths settle differences, affirm Tonwe as INYC president Theophilus Onojeghen WARRI

he leadership crisis bedeviling Itsekiri apex youth body, Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, yesterday went closer to being over as prominent Itsekiri youth movements affirmed Hon. David Tonwe as its National President. Itsekiri groups comprising Iwere Development Association, IDA, Warri Social Development Association, WSDA, National Association of Itsekiri Students,

NAIS, National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG amongst others said factionalising the youth body would not help the progress of Itsekiri nation. Speaking on behalf of the groups during a solidarity visit to Tonwe, Mr. Weyimi Agbateyiniro said Itsekiri youths decided to resolve the lingering crisis, which has resulted in two parallel leaderships, in the interest of Itsekiri Nation. Agbateyiniro posited that there was no vacancy in INYC, thus anyone parading himself as INYC leader is an impostor and

does not want the progress of Itsekiri people who yearn for a united body to fast track the needed development of its people. The groups, which also profusely apologised to the Tonwe-led executive for forgiveness for the role they played during the crisis, said that their return would make the INYC more vibrant and appealed to aggrieved youths to bury their grievances in the interest of the Itsekiri nation. They said: “We Itsekiri youths today pass vote of confidence on the Hon. Tonwe-led executive. There

is no vacancy in INYC. Our desire is to see Itsekiri nation move forward and we believe in your leadership.” Responding, Hon. Tonwe expressed delight at the development, noting that Itsekiri nation is not anyone’s personal property and thus should be devoid of personal greed that is inimical to the progress of Itsekiris. Tonwe, who is a former local government chairman in the state lamented: “Itsekiri nation in the past has been faced with a lot of challenges and I’m sure you guys understand it.

ecretary to the Benue State Government, SSG, Barr Targema Takema has reiterated the determination of Governor Samuel Ortom-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration to effect the needed change towards enhancing conducive environment for improved well being of the citizenry in the state. The SSG made the declaration yesterday in Makurdi in an interactive session with journalists, stressing that everything humanly possible will be done to ensure that every citizens is carried along in the scheme of things. He observed that as an apostle of change, the government will do everything to ensure that no one is marginalised towards the equitable distribution of what belongs to the state.

He also emphasised that the administration would be built on trust and fairness to ensure transparency in every undertaking, with a view to not leaving anyone in doubt of its programmes and action. The SSG further declared that he would serve the state consciously without diverting any fund meant for public use into personal pocket, adding that “we have vowed not to defraud the government in any capacity.” Takema reasoned that most of the contracts incurred and executed by the immediate past administration did not follow due process. He said: “Right from the onset I had cautioned the immediate past Governor Gabriel Suswam to follow due process in awarding contracts to individuals but my advice was not adhered to and the consequent result is very grievous.”

APC group rejects calls for Lasun’s resignation Tordue Salem ABUJA

oncerned All Progressives Congress, APC, Stakeholders, CAPCS, a pressure group, has dismissed calls by some members of the party on the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yussuf Suleiman Lasun to resign. CAPCS, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Abayomi Ayegbokiki, noted that those making the calls were only out to overheat the polity. It insisted that the election that produced Hon. Lasun as Deputy Speaker was in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Ayegbokiki said: “We make bold to say that apart from the emergence of Hon. Lasun through a democratic, open and transparent election, the process of the election complied with section 50, a and b of the 1999 constitution. “We warned all those who have allowed themselves to be used for this reprehensive act to allow reason to prevail. “For the change which our party promised Nigerians to materialise, all hands must be on deck. “The least President Mohammadu Buhari expect from genuine APC members at this critical moment is for everybody to be on the same page with him.”

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Capital Market

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

CIS endorses NSE’s plan to commence trading in derivatives

hartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has thrown its weight behind plan by the Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE to commence trading in derivatives.

NSE’s Chief Executive Officer, Oscar Onyema, announced recently that The Exchange would commence trading in Naira futures in 2017 in order to help investors hedge against movements in the local currency. Responding to media enquiries, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CIS Adedeji Ajadi described the planned introduction of derivative trading as a welcome development and long anticipated. Ajadi explained that currency derivatives are strong components of risk management and potential instruments for creating li-

quidity either on an organised exchange or Over-the Counter (OTC) market. “Currency derivatives are very efficient risk management instruments. They also provide alternative options for hedging, speculation and leverage. Trading on derivatives would enhance the capacity of market participants to minimise their risk, take advantage of mis-pricing of assets and potentially make more profits from the capital and money market”, Ajadi said. Onyema had at an interview on Tuesday in London noted that it would be awesome if the Exchange could trade Naira-Dollar denominated contract. “Futures and options contracts are asset classes that would be beneficial to foreign

investors. The bourse might offer some futures by the end of 2017. Commenting further, Ajadi explained that the proposed trading in derivatives would deepen the market as a whole since it has capacity to widen the variety of instruments and contracts that can be traded. “Therefore, the planned introduction of currency derivatives (Naira-Dollars options or futures by the NSE is a welcome development that the market has anticipated for quite some time. I believe local and foreign investor alike would be excited about this positive development”, he said. As the name implies, derivatives are derived from underlying instruments such as stocks, bonds, and commodities. There

are other categories of underlying instruments such as weather and emission. The overriding objective of trading in derivative instrument is to hedge against risk. The Exchange had for long been working on the introduction of trading in derivatives, regarded as highly sophisticated. It is expected that the Exchange hires experts to drive trading in these asset classes, train its relevant staff, expose both stockbrokers and the financial press to the new risk management system because it has a huge potential risk and return . Derivatives trading is one of the major courses for qualifying as a chartered stockbroker through the CIS.

Wall St. opens higher on Greek hopes

.S. stocks were higher for the second straight session on continued expectations that Greece is near a deal that will prevent it from defaulting on loans, and data pointing to a rebound in business investment plans. Global markets were higher, with European shares climbing to a three-week high, after Athens proposed new reforms on Monday, which were cautiously welcomed by euro zone finance ministers. “It now appears that we will have a short-term solu-

tion to the problem,” said Andreas Clenow, hedge fund trader and principal at ACIES Asset Management. The Commerce Department said on Tuesday that non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, rose 0.4 per cent last month, offering a tentative sign of stabilization in the manufacturing sector after activity weakened early this year. Federal Reserve Governor Jerome Powell said the U.S. economy could be ready for a first interest rate hike in

September and another one in December this year. Powell said the U.S. economy would likely strengthen in the second half of the year. At 9:49 a.m. ET the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was up 37.23 points, or 0.21 per cent, at 18,157.01, the S&P 500 .SPX was up 3.1 points, or 0.15 percent, at 2,125.95 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was up 2.02 points, or 0.04 percent, at 5,155.99. Six of the 10 major S&P 500 sectors were higher, with the telecommunications index .SPLRCL leading the gains with a 1.65 per cent rise.

European shares hit three-week high

uropean shares extended the previous session’s sharp rally and climbed to a threeweek high on Tuesday, with growing expectations that Greece was getting closer to strike a deal with its international creditors boosting sentiment further. Greece presented new budget proposals that euro zone leaders welcomed as a basis for a possible agreement to unlock frozen aid and avert a looming default. European Council President Donald Tusk called

the Greek proposals “a positive step forward”. He said the aim was to have the Eurogroup finance ministers approve a cash-for-reform package on Wednesday evening and put it to euro zone leaders for final endorsement on Thursday morning. “Still no Greek deal though, but plenty of optimism that we are edging closer. This comes from experience, with years of similar happenings resulting in deals at the last minute,” Mike van Dulken, head of

research at Accendo Markets, said. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 0.9 percent at 1,579.34 points by 0710 GMT after rising to a high of 1,580.14, the highest level since early June. The index closed 2.4 percent higher in the previous session. The euro zone’s Euro STOXX 50 rose 0.8 percent to a three-week high after gaining 4.1 per cent on Monday, its biggest one-day percentage rise since August 2012.

Source: NSE

Inter-Bank Rate Naira

US Dollar

N197 Market indicators All-Share Index 33,380.84points Market capitalisation 11.41trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

UPL

6.05

6.50

0.45

7.44

SEPLAT

315.80

331.59

15.79

5.00

MOBIL

146.01

153.31

7.30

5.00

179.75

188.65

8.90

4.95

PORTPAINT

4.25

4.45

0.20

4.71

NEIMETH

1.28

1.34

0.06

4.69

LIVESTOCK

2.21

2.30

0.09

4.07

TRANSCORP

2.80

2.88

0.08

2.86

DANGFLOUR

3.99

4.10

0.11

2.76

AIICO

0.96

0.98

0.02

2.08

CHANGE

% CHANGE

LOSERS COMPANY

Darden Restaurants’ (DRI.N) shares rose 3.6 per cent to $71.9 after the Olive Garden owner said it intends to separate a portion of its real estate assets into a real estate investment trust, proceeds of which will be used to pay down debt. Green Dot (GDOT.N) jumped 32.8 per cent to $20.31 after three brokerages raised their price targets on the stock after the company said it renewed agreement with Wal-Mart Stores (WMT.N) as issuing bank for MoneyCard prepaid reloadable cards. Rate (%) Inflation

8.2

MPR

Crude oil price

$58.96

OPENING

CLOSING

VONO

1.38

1.26

-0.12

-8.70

NPFMCRFBK

1.14

1.07

-0.07

-6.14

HONYFLOUR

3.80

3.61

-0.19

-5.00

CHAMPION

7.00

6.65

-0.35

-5.00

DIAMONDBNK

4.44

4.22

-0.22

-4.95

EVANSMED

1.59

1.52

-0.07

-4.40

FIDSON

3.40

3.26

-0.14

-4.12

NEM

0.74

0.71

-0.03

-4.05

MAYBAKER

1.50

1.44

-0.06

-4.00

ABCTRANS

0.53

0.51

-0.02

-3.77

FGN Bonds

Offer

Bid

Description

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016

1.15

99.38

13.61

99.53

13.47

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.84

101.99

13.81

102.14

13.72

16.00 29-JUN-2019

4.02

106.03

13.98

106.33

13.89

15.54 13-FEB-2020

4.64

104.01

14.31

104.31

14.22

16.39 27-JAN-2022

6.60

110.46

13.91

110.76

13.84

14.20 14-MAR-2024

8.72

102.21

13.75

102.51

13.69

Closing Market Prices of June 23, 2015

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

Exchange

Rates (N)

24-Sep-15

10.96

11.28

WAUA

270

17-Dec-15

12.43

13.23

USD

197

EURO

214

02-Jun-16

12.45

14.10

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

Tenor

Rate (%)

SWISS FRANC

202

O/N

22.3750

16.0566

POUNDS STERLING

293

17.4381

SDR

273

18.2597

NIBOR

The Fixings of June 23, 2015

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Stock exchange daily equities summary Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001

Equities as at June 23, 2015 Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001

Daily Summary (Bonds) No Debt Trading Activity

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

Daily Summary (Equities) Daily Summary (Equities)

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 2 10 19 31

Current Price 0.50 29.98 33.60

Quantity Traded 100,000 15,243 76,859 192,102

Value Traded 50,000.00 457,622.98 2,589,663.00 3,097,285.98

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 16 16

Current Price 2.30

Quantity Traded 218,820 218,820

Value Traded 498,212.50 498,212.50

410,922

3,595,498.48

Quantity Traded 20,435 6,455,092 137,826 6,613,353

Value Traded 28,609.00 18,060,463.68 5,794,587.74 23,883,660.42

6,613,353 Quantity Traded 26,000 26,000 Page Quantity Traded 110,196 110,196

23,883,660.42 Value Traded 22,440.00 22,440.00 11 1 of Value Traded 5,485,556.88 5,485,556.88

Quantity Traded 175,816 175,816

Value Traded 1,920,509.82 1,920,509.82

312,012

7,428,506.70

Quantity Traded 10,000 10,000

Value Traded 5,000.00 5,000.00

Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 AGRICULTURE Totals

CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U Summary A C N PLC.on Board EQTY Activity Diversified Industries Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE CONGLOMERATES Totals Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol Daily Summary AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals (Equities) 2 116 36 154

Symbol COSTAIN

154 Current Price No. of Deals 5 0.92 5

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 17 17

Current Price 52.39

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 32 32

Current Price 10.50

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Automobiles/Auto Parts Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Symbol DUNLOP

CHAMPION GUINNESS INTBREW NB

Symbol 7UP

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM UNIONDICON UTC

Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

Household Durables

VONO PRODUCTS PLC. CONSUMER GOODS Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONSUMER GOODS Totals

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities)

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. UNION DICON SALT PLC. U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015

Activity Summary onPLC. Board EQTY VITAFOAM NIG

Current Price 1.47 2.88 42.00

Daily Summary Symbol VITAFOAM VONO Symbol PZ UNILEVER

18 47 21 86 172 No. of Deals 18 18

6.65 163.80 19.80 150.01

Current Price 177.20

Quantity Traded 650,950 115,689 410,090 914,894 2,091,623 Quantity Traded 21,331 21,331 Page Quantity Traded 312,979 4,123,089 310,592 213,547 770,021 3,950 28 1,400 5,735,606

No. of Deals 37 62 58 18 35 3 1 2 216

Current Price 4.10 7.00 34.20 3.61 8.12 18.05 11.84 0.50

No. of Deals 31 34 65 (Equities)

Current Price 37.00 850.01

Quantity Traded 72,045 22,208 94,253

No. of Deals 69 15 84 No. of Deals 40 36 76

Current Price 5.49 1.26

Quantity Traded 18,377,400 425,208 18,802,608 Quantity Traded 269,459 357,181 626,640 Page

Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 31.80 45.17

632

27,382,061

Value Traded 4,328,817.50 18,863,666.57 8,138,905.22 137,671,824.54 169,003,213.83 Value Traded 3,790,268.70 3,790,268.70 11 2 of Value Traded 1,257,388.44 28,877,996.50 10,521,964.50 772,812.27 6,340,086.10 74,811.55 315.00 700.00 47,846,074.36 Value Traded 2,563,391.43 18,900,055.52 21,463,446.95 Value Traded 106,513,342.50 535,822.08 107,049,164.58 Value Traded 8,209,432.62 16,084,766.15 24,294,198.77 11 3 of 373,451,367.19

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. CONSUMER GOODS DIAMOND BANK PLC Personal/Household Products ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. FIDELITY BANK PLC UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. CONSUMER GOODS Totals UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC FINANCIAL UNIONSERVICES BANK NIG.PLC. Banking UNITY BANK PLC Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 ACCESS BANK PLC. Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. BANK AFRICA PLC ActivityUNITED Summary onFOR Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Exchange © UNION BANKStock NIG.PLC. FINANCIAL UNITYSERVICES BANK PLC Banking WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC INSURANCE Published byCORNERSTONE The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©COMPANY PLC. MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Activity Summary on Board Mortgage Carriers, BrokersEQTY and Services ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price ACCESS 190 6.10 DIAMONDBNK 33 4.22 Symbol No. of Deals Current Price ETI 86 22.49 PZ 40 31.80 FIDELITYBK 57 1.74 UNILEVER 36 45.17 GUARANTY 248 27.10 76 SKYEBANK 86 2.43 STERLNBANK 15 2.04 632 UBA 122 5.20 UBN 55 9.57 Symbol No. of Deals UNITYBNK 59 Current Price 2.53 ACCESS 190 6.10 DIAMONDBNK 33 4.22 ETI 86 22.49 FIDELITYBK 57 1.74 GUARANTY 248 27.10 Daily Summary (Equities) SKYEBANK 86 2.43 STERLNBANK 15 2.04 UBA 122 5.20 UBN 55 9.57 UNITYBNK 59 2.53 Symbol No. of Deals Current Price WEMABANK 18 1.00 ZENITHBANK 281 19.90 1,250

HEALTHCARE Totals

Value Traded 58,113,336.12 23,880,531.29 Value Traded 206,004,799.10 8,209,432.62 3,830,735.77 16,084,766.15 100,316,848.28 24,294,198.77 4,525,245.39 2,426,499.04 373,451,367.19 32,402,718.73 6,752,279.80 Value Traded 17,804,330.53 58,113,336.12 23,880,531.29 206,004,799.10 3,830,735.77 100,316,848.28 4,525,245.39 2,426,499.04 32,402,718.73 11 4 6,752,279.80 of 17,804,330.53 Value Traded 488,019.14 837,153,534.80 1,293,698,877.99

Value Traded 403,996.44 202,895.00 11 4 of 944.00

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS SOVRENINS WAPIC

No. of Deals 17 8 2 4 12 35 2 1 49 130

Current Price 0.98 1.00 0.50 2.95 0.50 0.71 0.50 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 418,106 202,544 Page 1,888 19,025,000 1,000,000 3,248,464 50,900 500 18,508,605 42,456,007

56,125,000.00 500,000.00 2,332,765.68 25,450.00 250.00 9,254,672.56 68,845,973.68

Symbol

No. of Deals 14 14

Current Price 1.07

Quantity Traded 1,506,000 1,506,000

Value Traded 1,612,510.00 1,612,510.00

No. of Deals 1 1 No. of Deals 80 6 466 50 1 22 115 740

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000 Quantity Traded 2,077,753 137,796 12,789,976 Page 1,170,674 362 143,345 7,522,123 23,842,029

NPFMCRFBK Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol ASOSAVINGS Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Quantity Traded 9,480,990 5,632,513 Quantity Traded 9,162,473 269,459 2,191,076 357,181 3,689,709 626,640 1,864,031 1,190,550 27,382,061 6,242,594 685,977 Quantity Traded 7,050,719 9,480,990 5,632,513 9,162,473 2,191,076 3,689,709 1,864,031 1,190,550 6,242,594 Page 685,977 7,050,719 Quantity Traded 489,283 42,667,633 90,347,548

Current Price 2.81 4.00 8.15 3.00 0.50 28.00 1.40

2,135

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH PHARMDEKO

No. of Deals 3 6 24 32 49 1 115 115

158,153,584

Current Price 1.52 3.26 44.00 1.44 1.34 2.23

Sector

Company name

Processing Systems E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Processing Systems Totals

4,503,998

16,555,260.99

Quotation(N)

Current Price 3.98 11.02 1.69

Quantity Traded 90 3,080 6,070 9,240

Value Traded 341.10 30,935.00 9,772.70 41,048.80

Symbol ETRANZACT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 3.34

Quantity Traded 200 200

Value Traded 636.00 636.00

9,440

41,684.80

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM PORTPAINT WAPCO Daily Summary

Activity Summary on BoardProducts EQTY Electronic and Electrical

Symbol CUTIX

CUTIX PLC. OIL INDUSTRIAL AND GASGOODS Electronic and Electrical Products Totals Energy Packaging/Containers Equipment and Services BETA GLASS PLC. JAPAUL OIL &CO MARITIME SERVICES PLC Published by The Nigerian Stockand Exchange © Totals Packaging/Containers Totals Energy Equipment Services

Symbol BETAGLAS JAPAULOIL

INDUSTRIAL IntegratedGOODS Oil and Totals Gas Services OANDO PLC NATURAL RESOURCES Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Metals Petroleum andEXTRUSION Petroleum Products Distributors ALUMINIUM IND. PLC. CONOIL PLC Metals Totals ETERNA PLC. NATURAL RESOURCES FORTE OIL PLC. Totals

Symbol OANDO Symbol Symbol ALEX CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL Symbol

MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. OIL AND GAS TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Energy Equipment and Services Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Exploration and Production Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals

Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 CONOIL PLC

Exploration and Production OIL AND GAS PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD SEPLAT Energy Equipment and Services Exploration and Production Totals JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC OILEnergy AND GAS Totals and Services Totals Equipment

FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Exploration and Production Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Automobile/Auto Retailers Activity Summary onPart Board EQTY R T BRISCOE PLC. SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Published by TRANS-NATIONWIDE The Nigerian Stock Exchange © PLC. EXPRESS Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Current Price 21.50 11.24 41.00 11.60 174.15 4.45 100.00

Quantity Traded 251,387 500 49,670 274,789 137,950 67,000 212,644 993,940

Value Traded 5,405,031.50 5,340.00 1,934,646.50 3,218,149.93 24,069,596.03 298,150.00 21,341,000.36 56,271,914.32

No. of Deals 2 2 No. of Deals 6 5 6 5

Current Price 1.73

Quantity Traded 27,400 27,400 Quantity Traded 88,200 25,061 Page 88,200 25,061

Value Traded 45,210.00 45,210.00 Value Traded 3,127,976.00 12,530.50 7 of 11 3,127,976.00 12,530.50

138 No. of Deals 204 204 No. of Deals No. of Deals 2 28 2 10 2 99 29 28 No. of Deals 194 No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 37.32 0.50

Current Price 15.83 Current Price Current 10.43 Price 42.00 2.53 188.65 153.31 158.50 Current Price Current Price 331.59

411

1,109,540 Quantity Traded 2,547,353 2,547,353 Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 600 29,698 600 99,480 600 703,078

59,445,100.32 Value Traded 40,457,958.22 40,457,958.22 Value Traded Value6,279.00 Traded 1,191,638.99 6,279.00 250,881.90 6,279.00 129,861,719.55

184,888 166,602 Quantity Traded 1,183,746

27,650,660.44 26,423,512.27 Value Traded 185,378,413.15

Quantity Traded 22,499 22,499

Value Traded 7,458,192.84 7,458,192.84

3,778,659

233,307,094.71

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.81

Quantity Traded 88,243 88,243

Value Traded 71,150.37 71,150.37

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 25,061 Page 25,061

9 8

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 204 204

Current Price 15.83

Quantity Traded 2,547,353 2,547,353

Value Traded 40,457,958.22 40,457,958.22

No. of Deals 28 10 99 29 (Equities) 28 194

Current Price 42.00 2.53 188.65 153.31 158.50

Quantity Traded 29,698 99,480 703,078 184,888 166,602 1,183,746

Value Traded 1,191,638.99 250,881.90 129,861,719.55 27,650,660.44 26,423,512.27 185,378,413.15

Symbol SEPLAT Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 8 No. of Deals8 5 411 5

Current Price 331.59 Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 22,499 Quantity Traded 22,499 25,061 3,778,659 25,061

Value Traded 7,458,192.84 Value Traded 7,458,192.84 12,530.50 233,307,094.71 12,530.50

Symbol Symbol OANDO RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals No. of Deals 204 10 204 10 No. of Deals 28 10 99 29 28 194

Current Price Current 15.83 Price 0.81

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 2,547,353 88,243 2,547,353 88,243 Quantity Traded 29,698 Page 99,480

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 331.59

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL Daily Summary TOTAL

ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

SERVICES Integrated Oil and Gas Services Automobile/Auto Part Retailers OANDO PLC R T BRISCOE PLC. Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © ETERNA PLC.

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 24 1 12 21 30 2 40 (Equities) 130

Daily Summary (Equities)

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Retailers Activity Summary onPart Board EQTY R T BRISCOE PLC. Part Retailers Totals OILAutomobile/Auto AND GAS

Value of Shares(N)

No. of Deals 1 4 2 7

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 CAP PLC Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Quantity Traded

Symbol CWG NCR TRIPPLEG

ICT Totals

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL

Symbol SEPLAT

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol RTBRISCOE Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

Current Price 42.00 2.53 188.65 153.31 158.50

411

Value Traded 12,530.50 of 11 12,530.50

Value Traded Value Traded 40,457,958.22 71,150.37 40,457,958.22 71,150.37 Value Traded 1,191,638.99 9 of 11 250,881.90

703,078 184,888 166,602 1,183,746

129,861,719.55 27,650,660.44 26,423,512.27 185,378,413.15

Quantity Traded 22,499 22,499

Value Traded 7,458,192.84 7,458,192.84

3,778,659

233,307,094.71

No. of Deals Current Price 10 0.81 10 No. of Deals Current Price 11 4.75 1 1.27 12

Quantity Traded 88,243 88,243 Quantity Traded 36,130 Page 13,000

Value Traded 71,150.37 71,150.37 Value Traded 178,457.40 11 9 of 15,990.00

49,130

194,447.40

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 0.54

Quantity Traded 1,221,395 1,221,395

Value Traded 649,860.25 649,860.25

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 3.75

Quantity Traded 71,813 71,813

Value Traded 265,412.49 265,412.49

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals Daily Summary as of 23/06/2015 Printing/Publishing Printed 23/06/2015 15:16:01.001 UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,000 2,000

Value Traded 1,000.00 1,000.00

Symbol UPL

No. of Deals 16 16

Current Price 6.50

Quantity Traded 3,807,375 3,807,375

Value Traded 24,650,946.72 24,650,946.72

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Daily Summary (Equities)

Quantity Traded 320,000 320,000

Value Traded 163,200.00 163,200.00

ABCTRANS

5 5

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Transport-Related Services SERVICES AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Transport-Related Services AVIATION HANDLING Published byNIGERIAN The Nigerian Stock Exchange © COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE Symbol NAHCO

0.51

No. of Deals Current Price Quantity Traded 4 2.08 52,815 No. of Deals Current Price Quantity Traded 31 5.01 199,124Page 35 251,939

SERVICES Totals

Value Traded 108,398.15 Value Traded 1,010,272.06 11 10 of 1,118,670.21

5,811,895

27,114,687.44

EQTY Board Totals

3,787

208,086,064

2,238,624,722.59

Equity Activity Totals

3,787

208,086,064

2,238,624,722.59

1,493,795,582.54

Value Traded 154,052.00 1,532,346.75 9,874,522.00 2,262,106.65 2,731,063.59 1,170.00 16,555,260.99

No Of Deals

ICT IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. IT Services Totals

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

Value Traded 1,000.00 1,000.00 Value Traded 5,859,614.08 551,184.00 105,157,028.86 11 5 of 3,526,318.70 181.00 3,949,490.10 10,593,404.13 129,637,220.87

Quantity Traded 101,350 469,799 224,404 1,569,100 2,138,845 500 4,503,998

Page

1st TierActivity Securities Summary on Board EQTY

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 1 1 3

Current Price 10.54 2,265.00 15.50

Quantity Traded 15 52 100 167

Value Traded 158.10 117,780.00 1,550.00 119,488.10

ETF Board Totals

167

119,488.10

ETP Activity Totals

167

119,488.10

Page

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror I the immediate administration owed salaries because of misplaced priorities. In this administration staff welfare will be given priority. Governor of Rivers State – Nyesom Wike

NOPRIN tasks Buhari on police reform Dare Akogun

etwork on Police Reform in Nigeria, NOPRIN, has call on President Muhammadu Buhari to take urgent steps in strengthening the Nigeria Police external accountability mechanisms as part of the larger police reform agenda. This call was made at the public presentation of two books ‘Through the Lens of the Media Vol.2, a compilation of media reports on the Nigeria Police and reprinted copies of ‘The Revised Lagos State Coroners’ System Law (2007), in Lagos. NOPRIN, a network of 46 civil society organisations

… Frowns at appointment of retired IGP as PSC chairman

committed to promoting police accountability and respect for human right pointed out that the police in a democratic society should not be a law unto itself. National Coordinator NOPRIN Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma in his address stated that the Police in a democratic society should not be a law unto itself; rather it should uphold the rule of law which embodies the values of human dignity. “Public confidence and trust in the police are at low levels owing to a glaring lack of transparency and professionalism in handling of policing assignments and complaints against

erring officers. “A pervasive sense of impunity characterises the affairs of the police, when for instance, officials that shoot innocent civilians at best only posted around until the cases are forgotten,” he said. Giving an instance of a former Commissioner of Police (names withheld) alleged to have converted a suspect properties seized as exhibit into personal use and selling off some. However when the suspect was later acquitted of the crime and he learnt of the development reported the matter to the force hierarchy, the commissioner was only posted

to another command and he is currently an AIG and the matter never revisited again. “What we need is a civilian led PSC that has the courage to investigate all public complaints and cases of police abuse. Appointing a retired Inspector General undermines and renders the PSC ultimately into another department of the Nigerian Police Force. “This is inconsistent with the structure and purpose of the Constitution and the PSC Act 2001

Man cries out over alleged threat by MEND Ademola Adele

L-R: Representative of Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Barrister S.A Quadri; former General Secretary of CDHR; Barrister Malachy Ugwummadu and National Coordinator Network on Police Reforms, NOPRIN, Mr. Okechukwu Nnwaguma, at the public presentation of a book by the group.

popular photographer in Delta State and member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Kingsley Ovwigho Ohwofasa, has called on Delta State and the Federal government to help save his life from suspected members of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, and their close allies, who have continued to threaten his life after a snap shot of their involvement in electoral malpractices in the state. Ohwofasa, who at present is in hiding with family members, said the problem started on May 16, when he narrowly escaped death around 7pm after the group at-

Group hails APC’s amicable settlement of NASS crisis

Dare Akogun

eadership of the All Progressives Congress has been commended for resolve, the crisis in the party caused by the elections of principal officers of the National Assembly. APC Kwara South Lagos branch gave the kudos in a press statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Fattah Amolegbe, Publicity Secretary, Tayo Awodiji, Women Leader, Mrs. Olabisis Abolaji and the Chairman, Elders Forum Chief Ji-

moh Adeoti, at the weekend. It said the path of peace adopted by the party’s National Executive in resolving the crisis was an indication of its readiness to lead the country with wisdom. The group also used the occasion to congratulate Senator Bukola Saraki and prayed that Almighty Allah grant him the wisdom and strength to justify the confidence reposed on him by his colleagues. The group further congratulates Senator Rafiu Ibrahim who represents Kwara South

Senatorial districts and Princess Funke Adedoyin Member representing Irepodun Federal constituency on the election of their colleague as the president of the senate. The statement also exonerated the National Publicity Secretary of the Party Alhaji Lai Mohammed from any blame on the statement issued on the matter on behalf of the party. They argued that what Mohammed did was purely official and as party’s spokesman he must carry out the party’s directive.

and defeats the whole essence of the establishment of the PSC a s a civilian oversight body on policing in Nigeria,” Nwaguma reiterated. Nwaguma also urged the Buhari to ensure that the recruitment process in the Nigeria Police is sanitized and should be adequately funded and equipped with modern crime intelligence and investigative infrastructure that will make resort to violence unwarranted.

The group added that these people that blamed Lai Mohammed were out to cause misunderstanding between the two prominent sons of Kwara in APC. In another development the chairman of the second stakeholder’s summit committee of the group Chief Bode Annifaloyin called on the people of Kwara South to rally round the group to ensure success of the summit that’s coming up in September. Chief Anifaloyin stated that the summit was meant to address social and economic problems that are facing the district.

tacked him few days after the Delta Central National Assembly`s, NASS, re-run election of April 25. A close member of his family, who would not want his identity revealed to Community Mirror said that Kingsley had called at 9.45pm from an unknown location that faithful day to narrate his ordeal, explaining that he was blocked by an un-registered car, along Warri/ Sapele road on his way back from Warri where he had gone to cover a political function. He said Ohwofasa, was forced to stop but on noticing the unfriendly looks of the occupants of the car that blocked him, jumped out of his car, abandoning it, and took to his heels into a nearby swamp, beside the road, as they came shooting after him, while he was lucky to have escaped been hit by bullets, his car was set ablaze. Community Mirror gathered that ever since, Ohwofasa has been receiving threat calls with private numbers claiming they are members of MEND and other cult members, and no one messes up with them and remain alive, threatening him that for snapping pictures of the members of MEND group snatching ballot boxes during the re-run of Delta Central NASS election of April 25, he and his family members’ lives are in danger. Ohwofasa, who is now calling on Delta State government and Federal Government to help save his life and that of his family members, has as a result of the incessant threats, has since relocated his family out of their home into hiding.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Kinsmen urge Ambode to reverse appointment of Ikorodu monarch Dare Akogun

embers of the Lasunwon Ruling House, the family to present the next Ayangburen of Ikorodu, have called on Lagos State government to reverse the purported installation and handover of staff of Office given to High Chief Kabiru Adewale Shotobi because his selection process was fraudulent. A group of princes under the aegis, ‘The Concerned Aspirants’, in a petition to Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, and made available to newsmen, titled: ‘Petition against the Selection Process and Purported Handing Over of Staff of Office to Prince Shotobi Kabiru Adewale’, dated June 3, 2015, to re-

verse the handover of staff of office given to High Chief Shotobi by former Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN few days to the expiration of his tenure. The group alleged that the whole process of selection was not in accordance with due process of law, and asked the authority to declare it null and void, and set aside the handing over of staff of office, adding that Prince Shotobi should maintain his Odofinship. In the 17-point letter, the Concerned Aspirants stated that: “Never in the history since the creation of Ikorodu has the Odofin been allowed to be elevated to the highly exalted position of an Oba. The selection process adopted by the kingmakers is alien to the Oba and Chief Law of Lagos State.” The petition states further that: “The same Prince Shotobi Kabiru Adewale is one of the kingmakers

in which case he did not resign his position when they were constituted in December 2014, hence he cannot be a judge in his own case; it will be deemed under the law that he influenced the decision of the kingmakers.” They claimed that the Council of Oba and Chief Ikorodu Judicial Division did not preside or ratify High Chief Shotobi, adding that the judgement delivered on the 22nd of May, 2015, by the High Court of Lagos State was to effect that the Adegorushen branch of Lasunwon has the right to present the names of candidate(s) for the stool of obaship. The body of princes also alleged that the High Chief also committed some traditional blunders by collecting the staff of office before perfecting his traditional rites, and feared the likely consequences on the community.

I’m tired of this throne - Ondo Regent Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

egent of Akungba-Akoko in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo state, Princess Toyin Omosowon, has said she was tired of being the traditional ruler of the town. Omosowon, who was recently rescued from kidnappers’ den by security operatives, urged kingmakers in the town to commence the process of selecting a new monarch. Speaking with journalists yesterday in Akungba Akoko, she said her reign as Regent of the community had witnessed many predicaments for her and members of her family.

Students drown in well while performing ablutions Wole Adedeji ILORIN

Ijaye Street, Alhaja One bus stop, near Abiola Market, Agege Lagos, after a heavy downpour PHOTO: DARE AKOGUN

Promotion exercise: Police officers seek IGP’s intervention Ifeanyi Eduzor

ome senior Police officers have appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase and the Chairman Police Service Commission Mike Okiro to look into alleged promotion fraud linked to dual staff list at the Force Headquarters, Abuja even as they stated that the matter if not properly handled would not only erode what is left of discipline, but further depreciate Police crime Fighting abilities. Many of them who spoke to our correspondent on condition

of anonymity revealed that the crux of the alleged acrimony in the Force was attributed to an alleged move by a group said to be working in tandem with the Police Promotion Department and the Force Secretary to tamper with the staff list, which is the booklet that shows Seniority and Position of Officers and Men. The aggrieved officers are also pointing accusing fingers at some staff of the Force Promotion Office headed by one Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Erale and /Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Jonathan Towuru, who was reported to

have been elevated to the rank of a Deputy Commissioner of Police few weeks ago. Some of the officers are allegedly threatening imminent doom if the leadership of the force goes ahead to promote participants in Cadet ASP Course 20/2000 shortlisted for promotion to the rank of CSP. This may not be unconnected with the fact that the ASP Induction Course 2000 Participants who are suppose to be seniors to those of the Cadet ASP Course say by that action they would have been shortchanged, in the promotion exercise.

She said: “I am tired of the throne and I have said this several times. I want to return to my family in Lagos. I have on several occasions told the kingmakers and traditional chiefs in the town to help me out.” Omosowon explained that she was not an obstacle to the emergence of a new traditional ruler in the town, saying she had on several occasions called for the installation of a new monarch. The stool of the Alale of Akungba-Akoko became vacant 10 years ago and efforts to fill it have always failed. The Regent urged indigenes of the town to allow peace to reign, saying she would soon leave the throne for a new monarch.

eople of Okerimi-Oro community in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State are still mourning the tragic death of three secondary school boys, who reportedly got drowned inside a well at the weekend. Community Mirror gathered that the three kids, whose ages were between 14, and 15 years, were students of Ayaki Secondary School in the community. Sources in the community said the tragic incident occurred when one of the three kids was trying to fetch water from the well to perform ablution last Friday in readiness for the ‘Jumaat’ service when in a manner yet to be explained, he fell into the well. The second boy, instead of alerting adults around to rescue

his friend, tried to climb down the well to help the victim, but he also fell inside and likewise the third boy, a source said. According to him, members of the community were already reading meanings to the incident because, according to him, the leaves thrown into the well as parts of traditional rituals mysteriously got dried up immediately adding that the well also, instantly dried up as soon as the bodies of the boys were taken out. Efforts to speak with the parents of the deceased proved abortive on Tuesday as they declined to talk to journalists but relations, who did not want their names mentioned described the incident as an act of God. The relations described the late students as agile and promising who were very respectful to elders in the community.

Court declares Oworo monarch bonafide member of Ojora family

Lagos High Court sitting in Igbosere has declared that Olowo Oworo land, Oba Bashiru Olohuntoyin Saliu, is a bonafide member of the Ojora chieftaincy family and be accorded every right due to him as a member of the family. The presiding judge, Justice Candide Johnson made the assertion while ruling in a case instituted by the monarch, who complained that some members of Ojora family denied him membership of that family.

\Justice Johnson made the declaration in his ruling, stating that Oba Saliu has any rights, privileges and benefits like any others family member of Ojora. He then ordered the Ijora chieftaincy family to accept Oba Saliu as member of the family with all his rights. It would be recalled that the monarch took the Ojora chieftaincy title to court when he was denied access and equal right accorded other member of the family in a recent pronouncement.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Photo News

Wednesday June 24, 2015

People & events

L-R: National Programme Officer, UN Women, Adekemi Ndieli; Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase; Police Gender Adviser, AC Bisi Kolawole and Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Kemi Okenyodo, during stakeholders consultative meeting on improving police response to sexual and gender-based violence and gender mainstreaming, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Traffic at Costain roundabout following blockage of Apapa road by tanker drivers in Lagos, yesterday.

A huge fire destroyed large part of East Africa’s biggest second-hand clothing market in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, Kenya, recently.

Greeks gather in front of Parliament in Athens to voice support for their country’s membership in the EU, yesterday.

Widows at a lecture on family rights; curtailing the menace of harmful traditional practices against widows, during the 2015 FIDA Abuja Law Week in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Communication Strategist, Ikeja Distribution Company, Mr. Ayeni Akinola, addressing the community during a protest match by Ajamogun/Onikotun Community Development Association to Ikeja Distribution Company over 6-month incessant power outages in Lagos, yesterday.

Residents watch as houses were demolished in Accra’s slum, Ghana.

Pressure mounting on withdrawal of Confederate battle flag across the US, after South Carolina lawmakers called for its removal from the State House, as protests spread across U.S.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News Wednesday June 24, 2015

In a moral world, Al-Bashir would have the opportunity to defend himself in a court to which all nations should be equally accountable, regardless of their power. –South African Archbishop, Desmond Tutu

Afolabi Gambari

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

akistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has called for emergency measures as the death toll from a heat wave in southern Sindh province reached nearly 700 yesterday. Reports said that the country army had been deployed to help set up heat stroke centres, with temperatures reaching 45C (113F). But officials have been criticised for not doing enough to tackle the crisis. There was however anger among local residents at the authorities because power cuts had restricted the use of air-conditioning units and fans, according to the reports. Matters were also made worse by the widespread abstention from water during daylight hours during the fasting month of Ramadan. On Tuesday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said it had received orders from PM Sharif to take immediate action to tackle the crisis. This came as Sindh Province Health Secretary, Saeed Mangnejo, said 612 people had died in the main government-run hospitals in the city of Karachi during the

Pakistan’s heatwave death toll hits 700 …Protesters blame government’s ‘negligence’

Family member aiding one of the victims of heatwave in Southern Sindh Province, yesterday

past four days. Another 80 were reported to have died in private hospitals. Many of the victims are elderly people from low-income families. Hot weather is not unusual during summer months in Paki-

stan, but prolonged power cuts had worsened the situation. Meanwhile, sporadic angry protests have taken place in parts of Karachi, with some people blaming the government and Karachi’s main power utili-

ty, K-Electric, for failing to avoid deaths. The prime minister had announced that there would be no electricity cuts but outages have increased since the start of Ramadan last week.

Outrage over Rwandan spy’s arrest

he Rwandan government yesterday branded the arrest of its intelligence chief, General Karenzi Karake, as “an outrage”. Karake, 54, was arrested at Heathrow Airport on Saturday, accused of ordering massacres in the wake of the 1994 Rwanda

Karake (in camouflage middle)

genocide. He was arrested by Met police officers under the European Arrest Warrant on behalf of the Spanish authorities. But Rwanda’s High Commissioner to the UK, Williams Nkurunziza, said it was “an insult to our collective conscience”.

Prime Minister David Cameron’s official spokeswoman said it was an “operational matter” for the police who were legally obliged to act on valid European Arrest Warrants. Louise Mushikiwabo, Rwanda’s foreign minister, had called the arrest “an outrage”, adding,

“Western solidarity in demeaning Africans is unacceptable”. Former international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, said he believed the arrest was a “reprehensible abuse” of the law. In 2008, Spanish investigative judge Andreu Merelles indicted Karake for alleged war crimes along with 39 other current or former high-ranking Rwandan military officials. He is also accused of ordering the killing in 1997 of three Spanish nationals working for Medicos del Mundo. But the Rwandan government said it was puzzled by the timing of Karake’s arrest, as he has travelled to the UK several times since the indictment was issued. Karake was remanded in custody after appearing at Westminster magistrate’s court and he will reappear tomorrow. A spokesman for Spain’s National Court said it was now up to the British authorities to decide whether or not to extradite Karake.

xxx

WORLD BULLETIN Ukraine update: US moves against Russian action The U.S. military said yesterday that it will be sending dozens of tanks, Bradley armored fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers to allied countries in the Baltics and Eastern Europe in response to Russian actions in the Ukraine. US Defense Secretary, Ash Carter, said the equipment, which was enough to arm one combat brigade, would be positioned in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland. Carter also said Washington and its NATO allies would boost cyber defense efforts. “We must prepare NATO and our allies for cyber challenges, particularly from Russia,” he said in apparent prepared remarks. “We need to explain to those who doubt the value of our NATO commitments that the security of Europe is vital to everything else we hold dear,” the defence chief added.

Washington hosts Sino-America dialogue More than 400 Chinese officials are in Washington for three days of political, security and economic talks. The countries’ top diplomats and finance officials are gathering for the annual U.S.-China strategic and economic dialogue, viewed as an important forum managing ties between the world’s two leading economies. The breadth of the talks, now entering their seventh year, reflects efforts to deepen and strengthen ties between the global powers. But this year’s dialogue is clouded by mistrust and heightened tensions over China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and suspicions Beijing was behind a massive hack on U.S. government computers in which millions of personnel files were stolen.

ISIS terrorists killed in battle Two terrorists who left Australia to fight for ISIS, Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar, have been killed, a close relative, Zaynab Sharrouf, said yesterday. Both men died in a drone strike in ISIS-controlled territory, Sharrouf, 14, who is Khaled Sharrouf’s daughter and Elomar’s wife, said, stressing the victims were getting into a car when they were struck. Australian media reported that the men were in the ISIS stronghold of Mosul, Iraq.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

NAPTIP rescues 3,000 persons from human traffickers ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Mr Nuhu Gidado inspecting NYSC 2015 parade during closing ceremony at NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Mangu LGA of Plateau State, on Monday.

Katsina Assembly probes diversion of N7.5bn JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

atsina State House of Assembly has commenced deliberation on illegal diversion of over N7.5 billion by the former administration of Ibrahim Shema. Shema, who was elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governed the state from 2007 to end of May this year. The deliberation of the House followed a letter written yesterday to the

Speaker, Sabiu Moduru, by Governor Aminu Bello Masari. The Assembly is also looking into illegal release of N680 million as security support to aidede-camp, ADC, to former governor, DSP Shehu Koko. According to the letter, the said N7.5 billion was diverted from Joint Local Government/SURE-P accounts to account belonging to the state chapter of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON.

It said the diversion was discovered during an interactive session with relevant government officials. The two-page letter, which was read by the Speaker on the floor of the house, said the amount was diverted between December 2014 and May 2015. It said the relevant government officials that spoke on the issue failed to give satisfactory answer on what the diverted money was used for. It, however, said chair-

man of ALGON had tendered document in respect of drug purchases for the local government to the tune of N765 million. The letter explained that no explanation was given with respect to the remaining amount. The speaker, following deliberations on the letter, suggested the forming of a committee to study it. But the House unanimously agreed to continue with deliberation and take action on the issue in the overall interest of the state.

Ramadan feeding: Guise to loot treasury –El-Rufai …pledges compliance as private individual A ZA MSUE KADUNA

aduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday said he would only provide Ramadan feeding to the less privileged as a private individual, not with public funds. El-Rufai added that it was a common secret that the so-called feeding of the poor during Ramadan was a window to loot public treasury with impunity under the cover of religion by previous administrations in the state. In a statement signed by his special assistant, media and publicity, Samuel Aruwan, el-Rufai said the government had stopped issuing con-

tracts to so-called ‘super’ politicians to supply food, beverages and other essentials as Ramadan gifts across the state, “because the process is entirely fraudulent with nothing tangible to show for it, except playing to the gallery to score cheap political goals and fraudulently enrich a few individuals.” The statement explained that government’s decision to discontinue the practice of distributing food items and gifts during Ramadan was to avoid looting the state’s treasury using religion as a cover. “Instead, his generosity to the poor will continue in his private status as a Muslim,” the document said.

It added: “This year, Malam Nasir el-Rufai and his friends are pooling resources to provide Ramadan feeding as private individuals to the vulnerable in our society. This is a healthy way of building a caring society, and if more widely adopted by people of means, will certainly provide for more persons than a fraudulent system of government provision that at best reaches only a few. “His commitment to Zakat is constant and has been done for decades without any form of publicity. The governor encourages people of means to do the same in their private capacities, and not abdicate their religious duty to care for the less well-off to the government.”

According to the statement, while hosting religious leaders last week, “Governor el-Rufai explained that Kaduna State is broke and needs to tighten its finances to serve the people better, in a manner that befits their massive support for change. “He made it clear that the state government will no longer tolerate the siphoning of government resources under the guise of gifts to prominent politicians, public servants and famous figures, or the feeding of indigent persons during religious occasions; neither will it be involved in sponsoring people. “The hundreds of millions of naira involved have not translated into visible feeding points in Kaduna.”

ational Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has disclosed that over 3,000 victims of human trafficking have been rescued by the agency in Kano State. Public relations officer, Kano zone of the agency, Aliu Abba, noted yesterday in Kano that the rescued victims were children between ages 8 and 11, who were ferried from rural parts of the state to the metropolis to engage in menial jobs. He said anti-trafficking agents attached to the agency had severally intercepted human traffickers, who convey children and adults from Kano to Lagos and Abuja where they are engaged as househelps or mendicants. He further disclosed that investigations had

shown that most parents in the state willingly handover their children to traffickers for economic benefits. He said the agency have recorded cases of parents who voluntarily handed over their wards to human traffickers, who ferried them to Asia and some African countries where they are made to work as commercial sex workers. According to Abba, rape cases are rampant in the state, noting that the highest number of cases investigated and prosecuted by the agency were rape cases. He said the agency had succeeded in securing the conviction of 62 persons arrested for human trafficking and other related offences. The agency warned that it had stepped up activities to ensure it apprehends suspected persons involved in the proscribed act of human trafficking.

Al-Makura’s victory: 291 witnesses to testify at tribunal IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

bout 291 witnesses will testify at the hearing of a petition filed by Mr. Labaran Maku of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, before the Nasarawa State governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Lafia, the state capital. Maku is challenging the declaration of Governor Umaru AlMakura, of All Progressives Congress, APC, as governor-elect of the state during the April 11, 2015, governorship election. The petition has the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and APC as second and third respondents, respectively. At the commencement of pre-trial session yesterday, counsel to Governor Al-Makura, Yusuf Ali, SAN, informed the tribunal that all the parties involved in the matter, including the petitioner were ready to present 291 witnesses during the proceedings. The senior advocate disclosed that while 29 witnesses would testify for the first respondent,

Al-Makura, 175 would be testifying for the second respondent, INEC, whereas 27 witnesses would testify for the third respondent, APC, while the petitioner, Maku, would present 60 witnesses to testify for him. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Mohammed, restated that the tribunal would not condone unnecessary delays from the parties involved in the petition. She maintained that the tribunal was committed to dispensing justice within the constitutional 180 days within which to complete its assignment. In an interview with journalists shortly after the pre-trial session, counsel to Al-Makura, Yusuf Ali, assured that the witnesses testifying for the governor in the petition would be exhausted within the time frame given by the tribunal. On his part, counsel to the petitioner, Henry Michael Ihunde, expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation from all the parties involved, noting that the action would enable the tribunal dispense justice within the stipulated time.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Shoola Omotayo Mutiat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Shokefun Omotayo Mutiat . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Salako Abolanle Oyeyemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajanaku Abolanle Oyeyemi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addresssed as Miss Odujeru Oluwaseun Dorcas, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunbowale Oluwaseun Dorcas. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss. Oyedamola Motunrayo Abiiba, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Oyedamola Motunrayo Abe. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti and general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed Miss. Ajimo Bukola Elizabeth, now wish to be addressed as Mrs. Daramola Bukola Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLOO-OMEE: I formerly known and addressed as Mrs Rosemary Onyisi Oloo-Omee, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Rosemary Onyisi Nwoko. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesodun Oluwatoyin Oluwaseun. now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Falore Oluwatoyin Oluwaseun. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t OSUOHA: Formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Joy Adaku Osuoha, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss. Joy Adaku Ikegwu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t I formerly known and addressed as Miss. Owoade Folasade Dorcas, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alani Folasade Dorcas. All former documents remain valid. University College Hospital Management Board and general public to please note.

CHANGE OF NAME t EZECHUKWU: I formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ezechukwu Onyinye Francisca, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ideh Onyinye Francisca. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME t OWOEYE: Formerly known and addressed as Owoeye Hellen Olamirinde, now wish to be known and addressed as Ademeta Hellen Olamirinde. All former documents remain valid. Skye bank PLC and the general public should take note

AKINTAYO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Akintayo Monolape Olamide now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akindipe Monolape Olamide. All former documents remain valid. National population commission and the general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known as Abuta Ololade Valentina, now wish to be known and addressed as Lopez Ololade Valentina. All Documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known as Omogame Mary Mifayo now wish to be known and addressed as Ifedale Mary Mifayo. All Documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known as Ewelike Ikechukwu Henry and Charles Henry now wish to be known and addressed as Ewelike Charles Henry. All Documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t I formerly known and addressed as Miss Olubummo Adenike Abosede, now wish to be know and addressed as Mrs Fatunla Adenike Abosede. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Sport Council Ado-Ekiti and general public note.

I formerly known and addressed as Suleiman Zainab now wish to be known and addressed as Saliki Zainab. All former document remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ngozi Rachael Okoro, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Ngozi Chukwuka Rachael Ekpechue. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Sobande Joke Asisat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Garba Joke Asisat. All former documents remain valid.Ogun State Subeb,Abeokuta South LGEA and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t ALI: I formerly known and addressed as Mrs Ali Stella Nkechi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ugwuanyi Stella Nkechi. All former document remains valid. Crusader Sterling Pension and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t I formerly known and addressed as Onyeka Lawrence Akaeze, now wish to be knnwn and addressed as Onyekachukwu Lawrence Ifeanyichukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t PEDRO: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Arinola Elizabeth Pedro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Arinola Elizabeth Oloruntoba. All former documents remain valid. All authorites concern and general public should please take note

Formerly known and addressed as Ali Mohammed Kobra, now wish to be known and addressed as Mohammed Jubril Kobra. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME t EUCHARIA: I formerly known and addressed as Miss Nweke Blessing Eucharia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Eucharia Blessing Emmanuel Odoh. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t OBIJEKWU: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Obijekwu Livina Nwamarabia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okoli Livina Nwamarabia. All former documents remain valid. NSCDC and General Public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Ghalley Steven, now wish to be known and addressed as Obilor Gale Charles. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Omisakun Funmilola, now wish to be known and addressed as Falodun Funmilola. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Toluwalope Ayomipo Agbola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Toluwalope Ayomipo Olukiran. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ololade Titilope Eniitan, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adebiyi Titilope Eniitan. All former documents remain valid. General public take note Formerly known and addressed as Miss Oseni Sarah Abidemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Shorunke Sarah Abidemi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Kehinde Ganiyat Abolore, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Sholanke Abosede Ganiyat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Atoloye Morenike Oluwatosin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adeniyi Morenike Oluwatosin. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Kehinde Mufuli Bukola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sulaimon Mufuliat Bukola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to inform the general public and authorities concerned that my names were wrongly spelt in the NECO exam result with No. 85057813JG, Nov/Dec 2009, as Olanihu Awomolu Ibidun, while it was spelt as Awomolo Ibidun Anike in my NABTEB exam no. 31040007 Nov/Dec 2012. I hereby confirm that both Awomolo Ibidun Anike is the same person as Awomolo Ibidun Olanihun. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities concerned please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t OKAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Gladys Akuabata, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ogbodo Gladys Akuabata. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t OLIAGBA: I, formerly known and addressed as Oliagba Chimaobi, now wish to be known and addressed as Agu Chimaobi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Agbonteen Olubunmi Ololade, now wish to be known and addressed as Shedrack Olubunmi Ololade. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME t IYASERE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Iyasere Ndidi Patience, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Patience .N. Afam-Onuosah. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Okeke Ngozi Ann and Okeke Ngozi Elizabeth Uzuegbune now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ngozi Elizabeth Chidume. All former documents remain valid general public take note

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Suzana Getrude Livinus, now wish to be known and addressed as Suzana Gertrude Livinus-Didam. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION NAME t I formerly known and addressed as Ofem Usani Ibiang and Ofem Fedrick Ibiang are same person henceforth wish to be addressed as Ofem Fedrick Ibiang. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t EGBO: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Egbo Lilian Onyebuchi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwosu Lilian Onyebuchi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t NNEDUM: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Philomena Obianuju Nnedum, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nnedum Adirika Philomena Obianuju. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t OKAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Debora Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ochu Debora Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME t COMMANDER: I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Commander Ufuoma, now wish to known and addressed as Mrs Osuyi Ufuoma. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Iginla-Akinbami Omolara Adeolu, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Clegg Omolara Adeolu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunyale Mary Aderonke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jolayemi Mary Aderonke. All former documents remain valid. LGEA , I.N.E.L.G and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME t I, Ajegoriogbon Oladosu was wrongly registered as Ajegoriogbon Oladosu Josh for NECO, June/July, 2010 and also wrongly registered as Ajegoriogbon Oladosu J. for WAEC, May/ June, 2011. The two results remain valid. Henceforth, I want to be known and addressed as Ajegoriogbon Oladosu. Ospoly management, general public should take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Emmanuel Jeremiah, now wish to be known and addressed as Onoja Ejuke Jeremiah. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Obinnwa Tochukwu Nwadiogo, now wish to be known and addressed as Onuoha Tochukwu Nwadiogo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION/ CONFIRMATION OF NAME

PUBLIC NOTICE

ADAJI OKENYI FOUNDATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration Under Part C of The Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Nuhu Adaji 2. Mr. Adebowale Spaine 3. Mrs. Bukola Adeyinka 4. Mr. Nuhu Okpanachi John Adaji 5. Dr. Isaac Amuta 6. Justice Ibrahim Shuaibu Atadoga

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To cater for the welfare of the needy and the widow in the society 2. To help the educational challenge people in the society 3. To create awareness within the community the need of good health and Girl-Child education Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Abuja within 28 days of this ppublication.

SIGNED: BARR. STANLEY. A. ATULE ENEDOMOH & CO. SUITE A20 IBRO HOTEL, WUSE ZONE 5, ABUJA.

Formerly known and addressed as Akinyemi Moses, now wish to be known and addressed as Akinyemi Adebayo Jacob. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note Formerly known and addressed as Ogunjobi Mary Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Keshinro Mary Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note I formerly Known and Addressed as Miss Bernedette Ifeoma Umezumba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Bernedette Ifeoma Agu. All former documents remain valid General Public take note.

SECRETARIAL COMPLEX, IKENNE ROAD,P. M. B 2008,ODUGBOLU, OGUN STATE,

There will be Public Auction of unserviceable vehicles/plants of Odugbolu Local Government Council, Ogun State LIST OF ITEMS ARE : Datsun Laurel, TH 10 Roller, Komatzu Pail Loader, Bedford Tipper, Peugeot 504,Nissan Blue Birds, Mazda 626, Cat Grader, Mitsubishi Bus, Nissan Primera/ Sunny, Nissan Vanette Bus, Tractor Euro 700,Used Engines, Toyota Hiluxes, Lister Engine, Case Int Tractor, Tractor Trailer, Feed Mill Mixer, Feed Mill Motro, Diesel Tank And Yamaha Motorcycles. CONDITION OF SALES : 1) The highest bidder shall be the Purchaser 2) Payment is Strictly by Cash 3) Purchases Must be backed with odugbolu local Government Council and Auctioneer Receipts 4) Removal of Vehicles/Plants Purchased is two Working days after Payment. DATE OF INSPECTION : Wed , 24th of June to Wed, 1st of July, 2015. DATE OF SALES : Thursday, 2nd of July, 2015. VENUE: Odugbolu Local Government Secretariat, Odugbolu, Ogun State TIME: 10.00am Prompt.

For further information Please Contact Auctioneer No 08094663239

CHANGE OF NAME t Formerly known and addressed as Miss Deborah Oluwakemi Odulaja, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Deborah Oluwakemi Olarotimi. All former documents remain valid and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

The public is hereby notified that the above named organization has applied to corporate affairs Commission (CAC) for registration under past C of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Bola Gladys Ladipo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.ojo Bola Gladys. All former document remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE POOL OF FIRE AND MIRACLE MINISTRY

AUCTION! AUCTION!! AUCTION!!! ODUGBOLU LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Pastor Ohakwe Okorie Barr. P.C Onyenobi Evangelist Kenneth Okorie Mrs. Osuagwu Tina Rev. David Ogkogkwe Mrs. O Magret

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. For the propagation of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. For organizing of seminars, workshops etc. 3. To empowers humanity and Assist the needies Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registration general corporation affairs commission plot 565 Ndola square Zone 5 Abuja.

SIGNED: BARRISTER P. ONYENOBI 08030596970

LOSS OF DOCUMENTS

This is to inform the general public of loss of offer letter for Customary Right of Occupancy with FCT dated 24/03/2000, in respect of Plot No. 306 with reference no. MFCT/AAC/ AZPO/103 of about 1000 square metres within phase 1 Extension Layout Abaji Area Council belonging to Mr. Akpapher Ismaila. All effort to trace the missing documents proved abortive, if found please return to the nearest Police Station or call 08035609886, 08050905293

PUBLIC NOTICE

SOOTHING HANDS WELFARE ASSOCIATION

The general public is hereby informed that the above named Association has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Mr. Okoi Philip Akpan Mr. Okon Ekanem Essien Elder Uwem Oliver Okon Mr. Uwem Victor Inyang Mr. Effiong Akpabio Akpan Mrs. Idongesit Moses Nnana

- President - Vice President - Secretary - Financial Secretary - Treasurer - Welfare

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:

1. To empower members to become independent. 2. To encourage a Saving Culture. 3. To engender in members the ability to become small scale to medium scale entrepreneurs through group effort. 4. To raise funds for lending to members on liberal conditions 5. To present a formidable resourceful group that can source for help from relevant government agencies and other organisations. 6. To undertake such other activities as are necessary for the benefit of members. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: A.B. COBHAM â&#x20AC;&#x201C;SOLICITORS 35 BASSEY DUKE STREET, CALABAR

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

AAG 2015: Taekwondo body floats seminar

I am very happy to be in White Hart Lane. I do not know who gave the story of a potential Turkey move –Tottenham striker, Emmanuel Adebayor

Sport

Keshi to NFF:

Stop distracting me with gossip

Keshi

....AFCON ticket is my target Joel Ajayi ABUJA

uper Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, yesterday, appeared before the Organising and Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to explain circumstances surrounding his name being included in the shortlist to manage Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire. Keshi who arrived in the Glass House headquarters of the NFF, Abuja at exactly 11:54am, immediately entered the conference room where he faced the Chris Green-led Disciplinary Committee in an almost twohour meeting. Speaking to journalists shortly after facing the com-

mittee, Keshi whose contract was renewed last month confirmed that he gave details of how his name would have appeared as one of those shortlisted by the Ivorian Football Federation. The former Mali and Togo handler who was visibly angry over the situation surrounding his invitation said, “We thank God for the victory in Kaduna against Chad. Now I think what we should be thinking of is how prepared we are to face and win our away match against Tanzania. That should be our mission right now, not what media said about Keshi. “We need to change from all this little gossip and all this stuff, we need to go ahead and forge a formidable team which includes the press, the players, NFF so that we can conquer the world and conquer African con-

Joel Ajayi ABUJA

Emyeama

uper Eagles Captain, Vincent Enyeama, yesterday shunned the call by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to appear before its Organisng and Disciplinary Committee over his purported comment before Nigeria confronted Chad in the first Nations Cup qualifier in Kaduna. Enyeama was quoted to have raised security fears over the NFF decision to play the match at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, saying that the venue is close to the North East of Nigeria terrorised by the Boko Haram insurgents. Irked by his suggestion for possible change of venue, the NFF queried the France-based goal keeper who upon receiving the letter tore it, though he later apologised for his conduct. Not satisfied with his supposed apology, the NFF summoned the Lille

tinent. My focus right now is to prepare for the game against Tanzania.” On his meeting with the Disciplinary Committee, Keshi who refused to divulge details of what transpired between them said, “Everything went well but NFF will talk to you on that, but everything went well. Like you guys just know I never applied for Cote d’Ivoire job.” On whether he applied for job in Cote d’Ivoire, the former Super Eagles captain swiftly answered, “No, my name is in almost every nation. Should I take countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania to court? It happens to every coach; it’s not a big deal.” Mr. Chris Green later told newsmen that the disciplinary committee will do further investigation to verify Keshi’s explanation.

Enyeama shuns NF F disciplina committe r y e

of France shot stopper, who rebuffed their invite yesterday. The country’s football authority had fined Super Eagles midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi, $5000 because of his on-the-pitch behaviour in the match against Chad, which earned him red card and conse-

quent two- match ban by Confederation African Football (CAF). As at the time of filing this report, no member of the NFF disciplinary committee was willing to comment on Enyeama’s failure to appear before them.

Sports

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Glo urges NPL teams to sustain momentum

Transfer:

Mikel insists on

T Mikel

Chelsea departure L

atest reports from London indicate that Chelsea midfielder, John Obi Mikel, is adamant to leave the club after failing to hold down a regular starting place last season. The Nigeria international, who started 18 league games in Chelsea’s EPL-winning campaign, has however been told by the club that he remains part of Manager Jose Mourinho’s fu-

ture plans. Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates is reportedly interested in signing Mikel, but there has been no comment from Chelsea whose management has refused to be drawn on speculation over any of its players. The 28-year-old, who has been capped 64 times by Nigeria, has made 224 appearances since moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2006.

Mikel’s first-team action has been limited recently due to the form of Nemanja Matic and Cesc Fabregas who played leading roles in Chelsea securing their first Premier League title in five years last season. The emergence of youngster Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who is highly rated by Mourinho, has also seen Mikel drop down the pecking order ahead of the coming season.

No regrets losing Madrid job –Zidane

R Zidane

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

eal Madrid legend, Zinedine Zidane, says he would have taken the club’s coaching job if it was offered to him after Carlo Ancelotti’s departure earlier this month. Zidane assisted Ancelotti when Madrid won the Champions League and Copa del Rey in 2013/14, but was in charge of the side’s Castilla team last term. The Spanish club sacked Ancelotti in May and replaced the Italian with ex-Napoli and Valencia boss Rafa Benitez.

“I am a professional and never refuse a challenge,” 43-year-old Zidane said yesterday. “But I am not disappointed I was overlooked in favour of Rafael Benitez. It was felt by the board that now was not the time for me to take over. These things happen naturally, one should not force them. “It was not meant to be on this occasion. Madrid president Florentino Perez chose another coach, and that’s that.”

itle sponsor of Glo Premier League, Globacom, has challenged clubs in the league to sustain the momentum that the season has attained after 13 weeks of action. The race for the title has not been as keen as it is now, as fresh contenders; Sunshine Stars of Akure, Wikki Tourists of Bauchi and Ifeanyi Ubah FC of Nnewi are running neck-to-neck at the top with former champions, Enyimba FC of Aba and Pillars FC of Kano are struggling on the log. “We are delighted to note the intense competition in the league so far and can only expect increased competition among the clubs,” Globacom said in a statement in Lagos yesterday. “As the season enters Week 14 this week, we expect the tempo to increase across all centers as clubs intensify efforts at picking the three points at stake,” the statement added. Glo stated further: “We believe that the recent three-week break allowed the players to rest and the clubs to re-strategise. This has manifested in the stiff competition that we are currently witnessing. “We are also impressed with the performance of Warri Wolves’ striker, Gbolahan Salami in the Super Eagles AFCON qualifier against Chad recently in Kaduna where he scored a goal in Nigeria’s 2-0 win. “We hope other League players will also work hard to earn National team invitation and excel, thus justifying our objective of partnering with relevant stakeholders to build a league that is comparable with any league anywhere in the world.” The telecommunications company also urged clubs in the Glo Premier League to continue to justify the relevance of domestic league players in the national teams. “At the end of the day, the huge investment in the development of players plying their trade in the country would be justified if they form the backbone of the national team,” Globacom further said. “We are equally delighted that the fans have renewed their interest in the league by trooping to the stadia in large numbers to cheer their teams,” the statement concluded.

Iraboh

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Ezeonwuka hails Obiano, tasks athletes on facility

Chika Chukwumerije has excelled in Taekwondo, winning bronze at Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Ifeanyi Eduzor

roprietor of Rojenny Games Village, Oba, Anambra State, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, has expressed delight with Governor Willie Obiano on the completion of the tartan tracks at the Rojenny Stadium, even as he calls on athletes and sports administrators to utilize the facility. According to the vastly travelled sports administrator, the serene Games Village is a fertile ground to nurture budding athletes to stardom. “I’m glad that the laying of tartan tracks at Rojenny Stadium is now completed, so our athletes can now have a place they can race on,” Ezeonwuka told National Mirror yesterday. “I commend Governor Willie Obiano under whose tenure this project was completed and also thank ex-governorPeter Obi who actually started the project. “I can confidently say that this venue is in tune with international standard.” On his resolve to partner with the Anambra government on the project, Ezeonwuka said: “A good dreamer dreams not for what will benefit him only, but what will benefit the entire human race. “I’m happy that the dream of partnering Anambra State Government in this regard is already yielding positive fruits.” Ezeonwuka, who enjoined effective use of the facility, also said: “Nothing stops individuals and Corporate Nigeria from coming here to sponsor age-grade competitions because these are what we need at this time to discover our future Olympians and groom them effectively.”

AAG 2015: Taekwondo body floats seminar Ifeanyi Eduzor

resident of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF), Mr. George Ashiru, has scheduled a one-day training seminar for Saturday to prepare the athletes for the All Africa Games holding in Congo in September. The event which holds at the Business Club, Ikeja Fitness Centre in Lagos will

historic first national taekwondo team to the 4th All Africa Games in Nairobi Kenya in 1987. As the first former international champion to become the national president for Taekwondo federation, Ashiru hopes to bring that 1987 spirit back to 2015 by building on their superlative commonwealth championship of 2014 which produced an unprecedented 10 medals, including 4 gold medals.

Organisers unveil Konamii Season 3 Afolabi Gambari

T Ezeonwuka

be superintended by the NTF president. Ashiru said yesterday that current national champions would attend the sixhour programme of physical and competition training as well as motivational talks. “We hope to use the seminar to inspire the current national team to produce a record breaking performance at the Congo Game,” he said. Ashiru was pioneer Nigerian Welterweight Champion and was part of the

he annual Konamii Football Tournament, organized by Change Africa Project for Orphanage Homes, has been scheduled to hold on Saturday at the Campus Mini-Stadium, Lagos Island. President and Founder of Change Africa Project, Mr. Olamide Olabisi, said the competition which started in 2013 and is now in the third season, was the first Inter-Orphanage Homes Competi-

tion in Nigeria. “We also aim to make it the biggest charity football event in Africa,” Olabisi said. “Our dream as young men is to take this competition to Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, United Kingdom and other parts of the world in the near future,” he added. “We look forward to having over 2, 500 young and vibrant people competing in this competition. “But we also want to support orphans with clothes, food, money, products and

gift items while we look up to sponsors to support our resolve in the years ahead so that we can continue to render this service to the society.” Meanwhile, Vice President/Media Publicity and Communications, Mr. Gbenga Sanusi, has assured invited orphanages homes of a memorable day with football, tug-of-war, dancing, bouncing castle and other side attractions on the cards. “We have ensured proper arrangement for adequate security and other logistics for all participants,” Sanusi said.

Kaduna League: AFN releases qualifiers list

he Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) yesterday released the list of athletes that qualified for the Kaduna leg of the AFN Golden League slated for Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Saturday. Meet Manager, Yussuf Alli, said athletes that qualified for the Golden League would be accommodated and accorded other special treatment by the AFN. According to Alli, Uju Anoliefo, Eucharia Ogbukwo, Chime Nkechi Leticia and Michael Gift will compete in the shot put women event. Kure Samuel Adams, Ezeofor Kenechukwu, Friday Osayande and

Ezeh John Mike will also compete in the men’s javelin while only Anigbata Grace and Nwichi Ngozi Blessing will compete in women’s high jump. Chinazom Amadi, Brume Ese, Ibrahim Blessing Ibukun and Hope Idhe will compete in the long jump women’s event while only Okulaja Babajide and Oladimeji Oluwatoyin will compete in the men’s event. Martins Ogierakhi, Okon Samuel Etim, Wisdom Benjamin and Abdullahi Bashiru will compete in the 110m hurdles, as Okpara Theddus, Obiora Arinze, Ayebide Kindsley and Awoke Chizoba (high jump), Igbinosun Isoken Wisdom, Ezealah Nkem,

Cecilia Francis and Abolaji Omotayo (100m women), Imhoaperamhe Nicholas, Oduduru Divine, Odele Tega Peter and Emuobonuvie Mamus (100m men), Adeloye Oluwatosin, Ossai Rita Vivian, Idamadudu Praise and Josephine Ehigie (women full lap), Orukpe Erayokan, Noah Akwu, Nathaniel Samson and Isah Salihu (men full lap), Akpofa Daisy, Kadiri Sarah, Efe Favour and Nathaniel Glory (400m hurdles women), Hamadjam Soudi, Musa Godfrey Charles, Dessidji Romany and Barnabas David (1500m men) and Customs, CDA, NSCDC, Police and Esteem Athletics Club (relays) will also compete.

L-R: Head of Logistics and Finance, Babatunde Awodiji; Vice President, Event Management, Kola Lawal; Vice President, Intellectual Property, Posi Lawore; Founder/President, Change Africa Project, Olamide Olabisi; Vice President, Media and Publicity, Gbenga Sanusi and Head of Human Resource, Tofola Fabamwo

WORLD RECORD

Largest collection of stickers Vol. 05 No. 1141

N150

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

The largest collection of stickers belongs to Nidhi Bansal (India) and consists of 102,317 stickers as of 16 September 2013, in Bassi Pathana, Punjab, India.

In search of solutions to 8th National Assembly crisis

f you have been frantically looking out for my opinion on the recent National Assembly leadership election, you are probably searching too seriously. My only conclusion is that you must be an extremely interested party for pushing so hard to know my views on the matter. For those who know, I have never been interested in who occupies the positions of Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives until the day of the inaugural sitting. My disinterestedness steams from the fact that, for the contestants are those who do not, in my estimation, have the ingredients for exciting leadership for that important ar m of gover nment, at least

Guest Columnist

Olalekan Waheed

Adigun

as their profiles show! Like I said earlier, I became only interested when the drama started. For me, I see nothing wrong in the June 9 elections. I also do not share in the All Progressives Congress (APC) official position on the outcome. Quoting the party spokesman, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, he had argued: “The party duly met and conducted a straw poll and clear candidates emerged for the posts of Senate President, Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives, supported by a majority of all senators-elect and members-elect of the House of Representatives.” The APC’s thinking was on establishing party supremacy, but I am afraid, that is not a concept we are used to in Nigeria. The meeting the party held to select its “candidates” for the positions is not in any way biding on all members of the National Assembly. A mistake like this is too important to be ignored! Quoting Muhammed further, he said: “All National Assembly members-elect who emerged on the platfor m of the party are bound by that decision. The party is supreme and its interest is superior to that of its individual members.” It is at this point that I understood APC’s frustration. A strategy is good when it works wonders, but it can hurt when one

APC STRATEGISTS LARGELY WENT ON A HONEYMOON AFTER

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI WAS DECLARED WINNER ON 31 MARCH loses a game in one’s own manoeuvres. This appears to be the position of the party today. This time four years ago, I watched members of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) members in the National Assembly display victory signs at the announcement of Aminu Tambuwal as the new Speaker. Suffice to say, Tambuwal joined the newly registered APC to which ACN is a partner. Again, let us look for the constitutional requirements on the matter. To for m a quorum in of the chambers of the National Assembly requires in attendance one-third of its members. If that is correct, those who voted in both chambers had more than half of its members in attendance. It is why I said I saw nothing wrong in any decision that might have been taken! Those members-elect, who decided to attend to an event at the International Conference Centre (ICC) while such an important event was

going on in the National Assembly, could be classified as “boycotts”. I am not in the position to know if the APC just simply decided to boycott the event or what its senators-elect got engaged in was just a time-buying tactic. Whatever might be the case, nothing positive ever comes out of a boycott. It is only an early acceptance of defeat! In my earlier article, ‘APC: The Question of Strategies’, I had argued that the party’s strategies were in fact dangerous. The party won the election, not as a result of a super-fantastic strategy, but thanks to a abysmally poor tactical approach from the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). The APC must be thankful to people like Femi Fani-Kayode and Adamu Muazu for poor handling of the PDP campaigns. I am sorry to say this, it appears to me that APC strategists largely went on a honeymoon after President Muhammadu Buhari was declared winner on 31 March. They largely assumed that with its 64 members in the Senate, all was well. It also appears they assumed the PDP was “dead” beyond resurrection as a result of its loss of power at the centre. President Buhari’s indifference as to who leads the National Assembly only complicates matters. In general, APC post-election strategies are at best below average. Can this be a case of mental fatigue? In general, my unsolicited advice to the APC is that they should now live in the reality of having both houses of the National Assembly out of their control (except things change), at least for the next four years! Adigun a Lagos-based writer, academic, political analyst, wrote via olalekan@olalekanadigun. com

Sport Extra

Boxing: I have no date with Khan –Mayweather

ound-for-pound pugilist, Floyd Mayweather, says his last fight billed for September will be against one of two opponents but rules out British star Amir Khan. Mayweather is adamant

he will walk away from the sport after one more fight, and Khan has dedicated his recent career to chasing a dream date with the unbeaten American before his retirement. Khan has raised his profile

in the United States and this month claimed he was closer than ever to securing a shot at Mayweather who however appears not to reckon with the Briton. “There are two names out there that I’m going to

fight. I’m either going to fight Karim Mayfield or Andre Berto in September,” Mayweather confirmed yesterday. Asked whether he was being serious, Mayweather also asked: “When Manny Pacquiao chose the last guy before me did

you say that about him?” Mayweather’s apparent dismissal of Khan’s credentials is another blow for the Bolton-based boxer who recently said the fight with Mayweather was a “done deal”.

Mayweather

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