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WAEC threatens to withhold students’ results in 19 states over N4bn debt TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

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est African Examinations Council, WAEC, yesterday said 19 states, spread across

Eguridu

Vol. 5 N0. 1165

the six geo-political zones are indebted to it by over N4bn in examination fees.

The Council said, it could not guarantee the release of the 2015 May/June WASSCE results of candidates in those states.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

The examination’s body’s position is coming at a time many of the states still owe their workers several months’ salaries.

The amount covers the examination fees of the canCONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Why Gbajabiamila can’t be House leader –Doguwa P.6

Gbajabiamila

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Jonathan was reluctant to leave power, says Buhari ...insists on non-interference in NASS politics ANGER, ANXIETY AS RESIDENTS UNCOVER RITUALISTS’ DEN IN ABEOKUTA

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OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reflected on the activities surrounding the last general elections and concluded that his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan only conceded defeat reluctantly.

Buhari had before now hailed Jonathan for exhibiting the spirit of sportsmanship, which is often very

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States to access N300bn intervention fund soon –Presidency LEFT: Building used by the ritualists, in Abeokuta. RIGHT: Fetish Items uncovered at the ritualists’ den, yesterday.

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Senate crisis: No plot to remove Ekweremadu –Oshiomhole, Bagudu Lawmakers move against Marafa, Hunkuyi, others

MPR retention: NSE indices drop by 0.91%

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News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Senate crisis: No plot to remove Ekweremadu –Oshiomhole, Bagudu GEORGE OJI AND OMEIZA AJAYI

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wo All Progressives Congress, APC, governors, Adams Oshiomole (Edo) and Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi) have said President Muhammadu Buhari is more concerned about running an all-inclusive government.

Consequently, the governors said the APC has no plan to remove Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from office.

The two governors spoke yesterday during their visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in apparent response to the wave of backlash that attended comments by President Buhari that he would have loved to favour more constituencies that gave him maximum electoral support than others.

According to them, the need to evolve an urgent solution to the National Assembly leadership crisis is the immediate priority of the APC. Answering media enquiries from State House Correspondents, Oshiomhole said they were in the Villa to brief the president on the outcome of their trouble-shooting meeting with members of the APC Senate caucus.

According to him, it has

become necessary to give some form of recognition to the APC lawmakers, who were away during the National Assembly leadership election.

“We went there basically to speak about the issue in the National Assembly. The Progressive Governors’ Forum, PGF, asked both of us to try and engage the APC caucus in the senate on behalf of the forum.

“You are familiar with the situation that has produced a senate president of APC and a deputy senate president from PDP and of course the fact that many APC senators were not present when the elections were held and that they now have what they called quota-a technical issue about whether they formed quorum or not.

“But whatever position you take, the truth of the matter is that majority of APC senators were in a location at the invitation of the party waiting for party briefing when elections were held in the senate and that has produced an upset.

“Now the current effort is to try to see how you would have an all inclusive leadership in the senate; that those who were not present, not because they were sleeping, but because they honoured the party’s invitation. By the time they were done, their colleagues have had election in collaboration with PDP senators

that were present.

“So, I feel the position now is ‘look how do you ensure that having elected this two, that the remaining position that are within the discretion of the APC caucus in the senate are distributed in a way as to give the other group that were shut out of the process a sense of belonging’.

“We are convinced that a winner takes all in this case won’t work and building peace is making concession and power works better when it acknowledges that even the person who is powerless has a right to exist.

“My brother and I spent some time with the senators last night and we had what I think was a useful conversation.

“We have come today

(yesterday) to report to the president what transpired at those meetings and make few suggestions to him and I think for me there is light, as they say, at the end of the tunnel. One thing is clear, we are all APC family, we are all committed to change.

“Nobody is suggesting that we shouldn’t work with PDP. PDP exists in the house, just as APC had existed in the house under PDP government. So, at some point there has to be a way to engage bipartisan. So, that is basically why we are here,” he said.

Asked to rate the performance of the president during his recent visit to the United States, Oshiomhole lashed out at the PDP and other critics of the presidential visit.

“No no no, you have to pity them! We have a president who talks with confidence; not a president that is blabbing and is not sure of what the issues are. He (Buhari) is one that can tell the U.S Senate that look; Nigeria is governed by rule of law. We are not going to do any of those things that is offensive to the culture and tradition of our people.

“We have moved away from a president that doesn’t seem to know his powers to one that understands that he is a president of the country in the continent. So, what do you expect PDP to say? I always say that the day you see armed robbers clapping, you know that things are going wrong,” he said.

Bagudu on his part said APC is fully-resolved to de-

velop a federal parliament that would serve Nigerians.

“I think we are not suggesting what should be done or not done. What is important is to realise that the caucus members of the party are desirous of evolving a solution that will bring inclusiveness so that the senate and indeed the House will remain bodies that will serve the interest of Nigeria as promised by our party,” he said.

Meanwhile, as the senate, which has been on recess since June 23, reconvenes this morning, there are concerns that senators may commence moves to sanction some members, believed to have been responsible for “bringing the image of the senate to public CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

L-R: Former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamani; Mrs. Ekweremadu; Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu; Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Senate President Bukola Saraki and Sen. Godswill Akpabio, during the thanksgiving service in honour of Sen. Nnaji at the Holy Cross Catholic Church Umuenwene, Iji-Nike, Enugu State, at the weekend.

Jonathan was reluctant to leave power, says Buhari CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

rare among Nigerian politicians when they lose in a crucial electoral contest.

The president who was a guest on a breakfast show “Good Morning Nigeria” on the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, also evaluated his performance in the last two months lamenting that the challenges of insecurity, corruption and youth unemployment have undermined his resolve to immediately deliver on his campaign promises.

According to him, the United States of America as well as many world powers had put the then administration under tremendous pressure, a development which he said left Mr. Jonathan with no option than to concede defeat.

“...the US Secretary of State visited here before the elections, he saw the former president, INEC, the opposition too. America’s stand was that they were not going to accept anything done in Nigeria outside the constitution of Nigeria and outside the Electoral Act. “Now, you know what was done to threaten the last election, including threatening INEC by telling them that their security could not be guaranteed and they added six weeks extension to the time of the election.

“Luckily APC won and then reluctantly, the ruling party conceded and the rest, as they say, is history. So really the Americans have shown concern, they spoke to the former president, INEC, the opposition and

maintained the pressure throughout. The Americans were in agreement with Europe and Nigeria,” he said.

On reported under-dealings in the nation’s oil and gas sector, the President said the Federal Government was working assiduously to expose the persons behind the illegal activity.

He promised that his administration would continue to update Nigerians on government’s investigation into the matter.

He said government’s aim was to identify and prosecute all those found culpable.

According to him, the relevant shipping documents are being compiled for onward submission to countries of destination of stolen Nigerian crude oil.

He lamented that up till July 10, Nigeria’s crude oil was still being illegally lifted by some government officials.

“We are going to make sure that those who perpetrated this crime against Nigeria will be faced with facts and be taken to our courts.

We have got the cooperation of some of the countries that are the destinations of our crude and we are discussing with them.

“We have to maintain high confidentiality so that we don’t risk some of the people in Nigeria that are helping us to trace the destinations of this stolen crude and then the accounts where the proceeds are being paid instead of the Federal Government account.

“I do not think the NNPC

knows how many accounts are there in which payments are made on Nigerian crude.

The monumental fraud has been going on for a number of years, a lot of Nigerians cannot comprehend it,” he said.

He however dismissed reports that he was bent on unbundling the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, saying the best way to go about it would be to first establish the fact of the magnitude of the inexplicable way the corporation conducted itself.

“When we do that, we will be on higher moral ground to do whatever recommendations made to us,” he stated.

President Buhari reassured that only patriotic, decent and experienced Ni-

gerians would be appointed as ministers in his government.

According to him, politicians and technocrats would make the list of nominees for ministerial appointments.

He said: “From what I have seen so far, we need really patriotic Nigerians - Nigerians that can work very hard, knowledgeable, experienced, committed Nigerians - to be in charge of ministries.

“A lot of the institutions of Nigeria - important institutions - were compromised.

Everybody was for himself and God for all of us; it’s most unfortunate.

“We have the people, educated people, experienced people but everybody CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday July 28, 2015

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Photo News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Head of Flight Operations, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Capt. Samuel Asare; Accountable Manager, Dana Air, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo; Aviation Safety inspectors GCAA, Mrs. Dorothy Tackie and Capt. Daniel Adjare, during the validation of Foreign AOC inspection of Dana Air by GCAA in preparation for the commencement of Dana’s regional flight operations to Accra, Ghana, in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Development Director, Posterscope, Sub-Saharan Africa, Bruce Burgess; Managing Director, Posterscope Nigeria, Dan Oshodin and Global Insight Director, Posterscope Worldwide, David Gordon, during the media launch of Posterscope Nigeria in Lagos, yesterday.

Managing Director, First October Global Resources Ltd, Mr. Wale Akindele (2nd right), Deputy General Manager, Sharp Altect International, Mr. Varghese Gorge (right), speaking to newsmen during the live demonstration of New Age Digital Printing and Finishing in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Project Coordinator, Ace Agricultural Consulting, Mr. Oluwadamilohun Osinbajo; Chairman, Agriculture and Non-Oil Sector, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Comrade Wale Oyekoya and Project Coordinator, Bama Foods, Baturiya Joseph, during a news conference on enforcement of banned poultry products by Federal Government in Lagos, yesterday.

National News Omeiza ajayi ABUJA

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he Presidency has announced the conclusion of all modalities to allow state governments access the N300bn intervention fund announced recently by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

States to access N300bn intervention fund soon –Presidency According to him, the implementation of a three-pronged financial intervention of President Buhari to assuage workers plight and support the states is now in progress.

“Specifically, state governments will start benefiting from the special

intervention fund of between N250bn to N300bn in a matter of weeks,” he said.

Akande added that at present, planning meetings are being held between members of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC

and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, on the one hand, and also between CBN and commercial banks on the other hand, regarding details of the special intervention fund and the debt relief program of the President for the states.

“Such meetings are re-

viewing loan profiles of the states, issues around restructuring of existing loans, including time span, and reconciling the figures.

“Already, it has been agreed that existing state loans be restructured for 20 years, and regarding

MPR retention: NSE indices drop by 0.91%

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arket indicators of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, yesterday opened for the week on a negative note, dropping by 0.91 per cent.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market capitalisation lost N97bn or 0.91 per cent to close at N10.559trn, against N10.656trn posted on Friday.

Also, the All-Share Index which opened at 31,091.69

lost 284.15 points or 0.91 per cent, to close at 30,807.54 due to price taking.

Market analysts had predicted that the market would remain on a negative slide with the retention of the Monetary Policy Rate, MPR, at 13 per cent.

Prof. Sheriffadeen Tella of the Department of Economics, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, told NAN that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s, CBN,

retention of the interest rate at 13 per cent was not good for the economy.

Tella predicted that there would be movement of funds from the capital market to the money market, due to high interest rate.

A breakdown of the price movement chart showed that 7UP recorded the highest loss, losing N8.90 to close at N185.10 per share.

It was followed by Nige-

rian Breweries with a loss of N4.19 to close at N122.80, while Mobil dipped N3.18 to close at N150 per share.

Forte Oil lost N2 to close at N184, while Total depreciated by N1 to close at N162 per share.

On the other hand, Red Star Express led the gainers’ table, growing by 45k to close at N4.97 per share.

UACN gained 28k to close at N41.40, while Unilever garnered 20k to close at N37.60 per share.

UBA increased by 8k to close at N41.31, while Trans Express grew by 4k to close at 92k per share.

NAN reports that Access Bank emerged the most traded equity in volume terms, exchanging 37.99 million shares valued N192.29m in 158 deals.

Zenith Bank came second with 26.80 million shares worth N458.71m traded in 366 deals, while GT Bank sold 22.71 million shares, valued N589.75m

the bond option, the rates to be applied would be market-based but with a cap to make it affordable.

“Within weeks from now, the states are expected to start benefiting from this two other parts of the presidential intervention,” he added.

exchanged in 332 deals.

Fidelity Bank accounted for 17.19 million shares worth N26.37m, achieved in 77 deals; and FBN Holdings exchanged 10.47 million shares valued N79.99m in 326 deals.

In all, investors bought and sold 184.17 million shares worth N2.29bn in 3,557 deals.

This was against a total of 132.78m shares, valued N1.79bn transacted in 3,388 on Friday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

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Senate crisis: No plot to remove Ekweremadu –Oshiomhole, Bagudu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

disrepute.”

In particular, the senators are expected to sanction some members who petitioned the police, calling for the probe of the alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Order 2011.

The lawmakers may also move against the senators behind a pending lawsuit, which also seeks to adjudicate on the alleged forgery charges against the leadership of the senate as well as the management of the National Assembly.

Some senators under the aegis of Senate Unity Forum had petitioned the Inspector General of Police last month, calling for the investigation of the alleged

forgery of the 2015 Senate Standing Orders by some senators.

The petition, which was signed by the Secretary of the Forum, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, claimed that there was never a time in the life of the 7th senate that its rule book was amended before the termination of its tenure.

The group’s ultimate goal is to nullify the election of Ekweremadu, alleged to be the product of the said illegal senate rule.

Before the said petition, Senator Kabiru Marafa, (Zamfara Central) had made two unsuccessful attempts to get the senate to investigate the source of the 2015 senate rule book.

The senate, according to an APC senator, who did not want his name mentioned, will likely move to suspend about five of the senators involved in the petition and the legal suit.

This would be followed by the setting up of an ad hoc committee (since there are no standing committees of the senate yet) to probe the actions of the affected senators.

And if found guilty, the senate would thereafter determine the eventual sanctions to be imposed on the affected senators.

It was learnt that the upper legislative chamber decided to move against the people, because their actions had exposed the sen-

ate to public ridicule, which has tarnished its image and reputation.

The argument of the senators moving for the suspension of their colleagues was that those who petitioned the police could not first exhaust all the in-house remedies open to them to deal with the issues, an act, which has ridiculed and “desecrated” the image and integrity of the senate before the Nigerian public.

The lawmakers are also expected to commence the screening and confirmation of new service chiefs appointed by President Buhari on July 12 in acting capacity as required by the constitution.

Already, the President

has communicated the Senate President, Bukola Saraki about the new appointments and the President’s letter is expected to be read on the floor this morning.

Meanwhile, the leadership crisis at the National Assembly is far from being resolved.

This is because the peace meeting convened by President Buhari yesterday ended in deadlock as federal lawmakers elected on the platform of APC, failed to reach a consensus as to how best to share positions in the House of Representatives.

Leaders of the Yakubu Dogara and Femi Gbajabiamila faction refused to shift grounds.

The president had earlier in the day urged APC lawmakers not to allow individual personal ambition to succeed in dividing them and consequently allow the opposition-PDP to deal with them.

“This is what the National Assembly has allowed so far, the APC is giving the PDP the allowance to take over the government again.

This is extremely disheartening, I am very worried.

“The only think I can do is to appeal to the conscience of the APC members in the Senate and House. It took us time to get to where we are, I don’t want personal ambitions to scuttle our success and therefore fail to deliver on our promises to the nation,” he said.

At the meeting, which lasted barely 20 minutes, the president urged the lawmakers to meet with the leadership of the party to fashion out ways of resolving the dispute.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Gbajabiamila described it as rancour-free saying it was a “family meeting.

“I believe that by this night, there will be compromise. We are still talking. But I think this is the first time everybody is coming together in a cordial atmosphere.

“It is not about magic, this is a family that has come together and we are here to resolve the problem and we shall move ahead to resolve the issue this evening,” he added.

WAEC threatens to withhold students’ results in 19 states over N4bn debt CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 L-R: Swiss Embassy Political Adviser, Mr. Pascal Holier; outgoing Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel; President Muhammadu Buhari and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Paul Bulus Lolo, when the Swiss ambassador paid a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

Jonathan was reluctant to leave power, says Buhari CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

seemed to be working for himself - how much he could get and as quick as possible.

“We have to look for technocrats and we have to look for politicians and certainly we have to look for decent people in this class to give them the responsibility of being in charge of ministries and important parastatals (agencies).”

On National Assembly leadership crisis, Buhari said as a democrat, he has to kowtow to the constitutional dictates of separation of powers.

He said the National Assembly has in the past 16 years evolved and therefore is capable of administering itself without any interference from other arms of government.

“I have to be very sensitive to the constitution of the country. I do not like to

be told by anybody especially the legislators that I am interfering in their matter.

There are three arms of government: executive, legislature and the judiciary.

“Over the last 16 years, they have developed the system of choosing their leaders. There is no way I can directly interfere. All I can do through the party is to appeal to their conscience that what I already observed, we should go over it as soon as possible. When I say we, I mean the APC. We cannot win the battle and lose the war,” he stated.

Recalling his recent visit to the US, the president expressed delight at the concern shown by his host and Europe on the situation in Nigeria.

“If you can recall, we based our campaign on three basic issues in the country; firstly, security, secondly unemployment,

especially of the youth and thirdly corruption. These are the fundamental issues that I tried to explain to G-7 on the invitation of President Obama (Barack).

“I went there and this was what I discussed with the President of the U.S, the Vice President, the Secretary of State and other organisations and NGOs in the US,” he said.

Buhari added that he has a full knowledge of what it would cost to rebuild the North East, which is being ravaged by Boko Haram.

On whether the Americans are now willing to sell weapons to Nigeria, the president said he has made his demands clear to them as well as Nigeria’s allies in Europe, expressing optimism that the country would get the right support in the onslaught against terrorists.

He said Nigeria has also

registered the support and cooperation of the US and other sympathetic countries that are keen to make sure the Gulf of Guinea is secured so as to make it difficult for crude oil thieves to load at the country’s terminals and illegally export.

“It is not that we do not have trained personnel; not that we do not have basic infrastructure but the problem is that in spite of the money allegedly spent on the operations, the air force is virtually non-existent.

“The aircraft are not serviceable, the helicopters are not serviceable and they are few. There is the need for the air force to conduct a reconnaissance and support the ground troops.

“The arrangement made by the former government will soon expire. We have made this clear to America and G-7 and we need their cooperation,” he explained.

didates sponsored by the affected states for this year’s May\June West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, WASSCE, the results of which are yet to be released and a few for the 2014 edition.

Head of Nigeria’s Office of the body, Mr. Charles Eguridu, who disclosed this at a press conference in Lagos, lamented that the development had prevented the council from meeting its financial obligations to its clients in connection with the examination, including supervisors, examiners and service providers.

While refusing to mention the debtor states in order not to embarrass them, he gave them a two-week ultimatum to pay up; else their candidates’ results will not be released.

Eguridu explained that the council had appealed to the states in writing severally for them to offset their debt with only one responding.

“As I speak to you now, we are cash-strapped as a result of the delay in off-setting the registration fees owed the

council by some states.

“A total of 19 states are indebted to the council to the tune of over N4bn in respect of entry fees for state government-sponsored candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE. “Some states are also still indebted to WAEC in respect of registration fees for the 2014 May/June diet of the same examination.

“We have written to the affected state governments without response and the poor response of these debtor states is threatening the smooth operations of the council.

“We, therefore, want to publicly plead with the affected states to off-set the registration fees of their candidates for the May/ June 2015 WASSCE, as we cannot guarantee releasing their results alongside others in a few weeks’ time,: he said.

He explained that WAEC registered the candidates on credit based on the promise by the concerned states to pay later and more so that they are long standing customers.

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National News

Tuesday July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG promises more investment in research, technology OMEIZA AJAYI ABUJA

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Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate officials, screening Nigeria Customs, Immigration and Prisons services retirees, during nationwide pension verification in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Why Gbajabiamila can’t be House leader -Doguwa TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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ouse Leaderdesignate, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, yesterday declared that in line with the Federal Character principle, former Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, cannot be the Leader of the House.

Doguwa, who spoke during a television programme, said it would be lopsided for one zone to take more positions than other zones in the country. He also disclosed his resolve to drop his fight against speaker Yakubu Dogara.

“On July 3, the party held a NEC meeting, which is the highest decisionmaking body of the party, where Mr President attended. More importantly, the party conceded to Dogara and accepted him as a legitimate son of the party. I therefore have no problem with Dogara, because my own political party has accepted and pardoned him. I have no cause to fight him.

“The fomula is with equity, fairness and justice, and it has not contradicted the provision of our rules neither does it contradict the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It will only amount to marginalisation if one zone takes more than one position like what is being contemplated by the letter purportedly signed by the chairman of our political

party,” he said.

Doguwa, who has been a member of the House since 2003, and was also Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, said Speaker Dogara was still his friend.

“No, I very much disagree with that because Femi has been a very good friend of mine after being in that political arrangement. I speak with Femi every 24 hours, even this morning I spoke with him.

We have also exchanged ideas and views based on the nature I see this crisis and based on the nature he looks at it. My view has always been consistently about the position of the party. I was with Gbajabiamila and was fighting Dogara because he defied the position of the party to become speaker, House of Reps.”

On his decision to dump APC Loyalists group for position of the Leader, he said politics was about interests and not permanent allegiance to certain groups.

“What you must understand is that in politics, what is only permanent is the interest, but associations, partnerships, friendships and whatever under political arrangement is not a permanent thing.

What is important to us is our interest. I want to assure you that this arrangement has accommodated our interest, and we’ll go ahead with this arrangement,” he said.

On the issue of the party’s interest in the House,

Doguwa pointed to the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Rules of the House.

“When you’re talking of party supremacy, as far as I’m concerned, it is a subjective thing. What you may think is the supremacy of the party may not be the same to me. I want to believe no matter how supreme the party is, the provision of our rules and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be supreme,” he said.

He advised that the struggle he and Gbajabiamila undertook against Dogara was not for a particular individual, but for the involvement of some members of their group in the leadership of the House.

Meanwhile, the Adhoc Committee on Code of Conduct of the House of Representatives yesterday warned supporters of Gbajabiamila against disrupting plenary today to press for their demands.

A faction of APC Loyalists, the supporters of Gbajabiamila, had through separate briefings on Saturday and Sunday said they would fight against any arrangement sidelining the wish of the APC leadership that Gbajabiamila be made Majority Leader.

The committee mandated with the responsibility of enforcing discipline in the House, gave the warning through a press statement issued yesterday and signed by its chairman, Hon. Aminu Shagari (APCSokoto) “As we resume plenary

on Tuesday 28, July, the committee wishes to call on all members to conduct themselves in an orderly manner.

“The committee will no longer tolerate any unruly behaviour by any member of the House no matter how highly placed.

“Members who have grievances are advised to explore peaceful avenues of seeking redress instead of resorting to violence on the floor of the House, or the precincts of the National Assembly,” it warned.

The committee also warned that “There are adequate sanctions in place to penalise any member who may want to disrupt the peace during plenary, committee meetings or other legislative functions of the House.

“The House will deal decisively with any member who violates the rules, disrupts plenary, or is found wanting of misconduct and other sundry offences.”

It further advised “members to demonstrate high standard of ethics consistent with the important role of lawmaking and the 8th Assembly Legislative Agenda which places emphasis on the wellbeing of the Nigerian people. We should all be guided accordingly.”

Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas, who issued a statement yesterday on behalf of the Ad-hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, called on his colleagues fighting the Speaker and his supporters to desist.

ederal Government has promised greater investment in research, science and technology, regretting what it said was willful neglect of the sector by the immediate past administration.

President Muhammadu Buhari made the pledge in Abuja yesterday after receiving operational briefing on the activities of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

He said his administration will take concrete actions to correct the neglect of research, science and technology by past governments.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, quoted the president as declaring that his administration will dedicate more resources and energy to the sector because no country can make progress without serious commitment to the development of science and technology.

Permanent Secretary

in the Ministry, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, had enumerated several challenges hindering its effectiveness, including perennial poor funding and the lack of recognition on the part of successive governments of science and technological innovation as a major driver of economic development.

According to her, the focus of the ministry has since moved from academic research to marketbased innovative research aimed at boosting industrialisation.

She sought more support and political will from the Federal Government to encourage scientific research, innovation and local manufacturing.

Also yesterday in Abuja, President Buhari received the outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock and the outgoing Swiss Ambassador, Hans-Rudolf Hodel.

The President thanked both envoys for efforts at strengthening relations between Nigeria and their respective countries.

He wished them success in their future assignments.

Jauro takes over as acting DG NIMASA

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r. Haruna Jauro yesterday formally took over from Mr. Calistus Obi as the Acting Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. A statement by the Deputy Director/Head of Public Relations, Isichei Osamgbi, disclosed that the handover ceremony took place at the agency’s office in Lagos.

The statement said Obi pledged his support for Jauro and urged other staff of the agency to support the new acting director general.

“Obi assured that the excellent working relationship between him and the new acting DG would continue in order to lift the agency to greater heights,” the statement said.

According to the statement, Jauro expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity given him to serve the nation in his new capacity.

He thanked staff of

NIMASA for their commitment to duty and craved the cooperation of all for the realisation of the mandate of the agency.

“I want to thank all staff of NIMASA for the commitment to the objectives of this agency.

“I crave your cooperation so that together we can actualise the objectives for which the agency was set up,” the statement quoted the acting DG as saying.

Jauro, who until his appointment was the Executive Director Finance and Administration in the agency, is expected to be in charge until a substantive Director-General is appointed, the statement said.

NAN reports that NIMASA had on July 21 issued a statement announcing Obi as acting director-general after Dr Ziakede Akpobolokemi’s sack as director general of the agency.

The agency later on July 25 announced the takeover of the position of the acting director general by Jauro.

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Tuesday July 28, 2015

CONSUMER CODE OF PRACTICE - VAS

VALUE ADDED SERVICES (VAS) PROVIDER PUBLISHED BY GENIENG COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE NIGERIAN COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CONSUMER CODE OF PRACTICE REGULATIONS 2007 INTRODUCTION GenieNG Communica ons Limited is a Value-Added Services (VAS) provider licensed by the Nigerian Communica ons Commission (NCC) to offer value added services to the telecommunica ons industry.

We enable our subscribers (through the mobile operators) to access a wide range of addi onal services such as Caller RingBack Tune (CRBT), SMS Infotainment and Entertainment Content, as well as a host of services over IVR. Access to these services can either be via SMS or IVR. 1.1 Purpose of the Code Nigerian Communica ons Commission (NCC) has advised all licensed telecommunica ons service providers in Nigeria to provide a Consumer Code of Prac ce. This Code of Prac ce: • Describes the main services we provide to our customers.

• Explains how to contact us about these services and how you can subscribe to our services.

• Explains the customer’s rights and obliga ons.

• Describes what to do if you have a complaint, how we will resolve it, and what you can do if you are not sa sfied with our response.

1.2 Application of the Code This Code applies to the provision of value added services to the telecommunica ons industry based on VAS license obtained by GenieNG from NCC. It has been developed by GenieNG in line with the established and published NCC’s General Code of Prac ce.

1.3 Code Administration The Code will be administered by GenieNG in line with guidelines from NCC as well as reviews that are to be agreed and communicated by the Commission based on feedbacks at Consumer Forums that may be set-up by NCC from me to me.

1.4 Code Amendment GenieNG may amend this Consumer Code from me to me to conform to set guidelines that may be required

by Law or by the NCC. 2. PROVISION OF INFORMATION TO CONSUMERS 2.1 General Separate minimum periods will apply to the service we supply to you and to each other user depending on the pricing op on and service you choose. The minimum service dura on or period of service for some of our services is a daily request while the maximum period of service for our services is 30 days (renewable on expiry). The service will begin and the minimum period starts on the day you purchase the service via SMS as ac va on is done almost immediately.

Please note that GenieNG services are available in all parts of Nigeria. However, our services are network dependent and certain services may not be available on all networks.

2.2 Service Contracts & Duration Prior to reques ng the service, every subscriber will be expected to read our terms and condi ons which details full terms under which we provide products and services to our customers. It governs the contractual rela onship between us and if any discrepancy exists between the Service Contract and Consumer Code of Prac ce, the Service Contract shall take precedence. A copy of our standard Service Terms is available for download at our website on hƩp://genieng.com/terms.

2.3 General Description of Services We have a lot of services ranging from Caller RingBack Tunes to Ring Tones and True Tones, SMS Infotainment Content such as News, Sports, Forex, Bible, Prayer, Islamic services and a host of other services as our service catalogue expands almost daily.

For detailed descrip on and pricing of our services, please send an email to: info@genieng.com 2.4 Contract Terms & Information A sample of our contract terms and related informa on can be made available upon request.

3. ADVERTISING AND REPRESENTATION OF SERVICES 3.1 Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) All marke ng materials shall be prepared in line with the standard adver ng codes from APCON as well as the Consumer Affairs departments of NCC. 3.2 Availability of Service GenieNG services are not available on all mobile networks and as our services are network dependent, services will be restricted to certain areas within Nigeria where mobile network service is available.

4. CONSUMER BILLING i. All services are paid for via Air- me credit available on the subscribers’ phone. Once service is requested for, the money is deducted from the balance of the customer’s account. ii. Unless otherwise promoted or adver sed, we will normally bill you upfront (in advance) for any charges for the dura on of the service.

5. CONSUMER OBLIGATIONS 5.1 Acceptance of Licensee Terms Consumers shall be bound by GenieNG terms of service once service is requested for. By ac va ng the service on commencement date, you are deemed to accept our service terms.

5.5 Misuse of Service Consumers shall not misuse our services, including by: dishonestly obtaining services; or using services to send messages that are obscene, threatening or otherwise contrary to applicable laws or regula on.

6. PROTECTION OF CONSUMER INFORMATION We know that privacy is very important to our customers and we want you to feel confident about the privacy and security of your personal informa on. We take reasonable care to prevent any unauthorized access to your personal informa on. GenieNG recognizes the importance of your privacy. We use personal informa on that we collect from customers in accordance with strict procedures and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We have set out below some important informa on about the personal informa on we may hold about you, and how we use it. Full details of our Privacy Policy can be made available by wri ng to us.

6.1 General Principles When ordering for certain services, we may ask you for informa on such as name, address, contact phone numbers and email address. We may also ask you other relevant informa on about the service you are using or ordering.

6.2 How we Use your Personal Information We use informa on about you in the following way: • Process of orders you place with us and Charge for services we provide for you (subscriber).

• Communicate with you about how to use the service and let you know about any changes to the service • Market our own products and services. We need your permission to use your informa on for this purpose.

We will assume we have your permission unless you tell us otherwise by wri ng to us at: GenieNG Communica ons Limited - 5, Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

• Carry out market research and analysis on our current products and services and future developments. We will make sure that you cannot be iden fied. We may give informa on in this form to certain other people or organiza ons.

• Prevent and detect criminal ac vity, fraud, misuse of or damage to our network and prosecute and sue those responsible.

• We may provide informa on (in response to requests from authorized law enforcement agencies) to prevent and detect crime and prosecute offenders. We may also provide informa on to protect na onal security. In all cases, we will do so in line with the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

6.3 How long we keep personal information How long we keep any personal informa on depends on how we use that informa on. In some cases, by law

we must keep informa on for a minimum period. Unless specific legal requirements say otherwise, we will keep informa on no longer than is necessary for the purpose we collected or processed the informa on.

6.4 Changes to our Privacy Policy We may make changes to our Privacy Policy from me to me. Your con nuing use of any of our services indicates your agreement to the use of your personal informa on as set out in this Privacy Policy.

6.5 Maintaining Data Quality We take due care in ensuring that personal informa on provided by you are retained and processed in a manner that ensures that this informa on is accurate, relevant and current for the purpose for which it is to be used for.

7. COMPLAINTS HANDLING 7.1 Information to Consumers If you are unhappy with our service please contact us and let us know. It is through your feedback that we are able to review and improve the overall service we provide. If you have a complaint our formal internal complaints procedure is outlined below. We are fully commi ed to addressing all complaints, fully and fairly, and in a reasonable me frame. We do try and resolve complaints by telephone. Should you wish to receive a response in wri ng then please ask.

7.2 Fault Process GenieNG operates a customer service desk which is reachable during working hours via telephone and outside working hours via e-mail. All GenieNG subscribers can contact the help desk via telephone; 01-2705732, email: feedback@genieng.com. Before you contact our support desk please make sure that you have the service you are subscribed to, your mobile number, your username (if any) and summary of the complaint.

This will enable us process and resolve your complaints quickly.

7.3 Resolution Time We aim to deal with problems as quickly as possible and so our help desk assistance will try to resolve the problem as soon as possible. If this is not possible, they will inform you of a cause of ac on.

7.4 Escalation If you need to escalate a complaint about the way we have handled any aspect of your account or the way you have been treated when contac ng the technical support or Customer Service desk you may escalate by wri ng detailing the nature of the complaint to: Client Relations GenieNG Communications Limited 5, Idowu Taylor Street,Victoria Island, Lagos.

7.5 Contacting You When we need to contact you, we will use your e-mail address, mobile or fixed phone number. We will contact you to advice on the outcome of an inves ga on to any complaint which our help desk agents were unable to resolve during the ini al telephone call.

7.6 Special Needs GenieNG is aware of its legal and moral obliga ons to disabled customers. We offer a number of different services for our customers with special needs. These services are designed to not only meet the demands of the current regula ons, but to also enable us to offer the best possible service to these customers.

7.6.1 Special Literature Copies of this code of prac ce in larger print are available by post from us. Our web developers are also working con nually to improve the accessibility of our sites to disabled customers.

7.7 Charges Complaint handling processes shall be provided free of charge. However, we may impose a reasonable charge for complaint handling processes where inves ga on of the complaint requires the retrieval of records more than twelve (12) months old, and where that retrieval results in any incremental expense or significant inconvenience. Any such charges shall be iden fied, communicated and agreed with the subscriber before we bill for it.

7.8 Action on disputed charges When there is an unresolved complaint or billing dispute, the consumer shall be obliged to make payment of any outstanding amounts other than the amount that is specifically in dispute. We shall not impose any addi onal charges in form of credit management or interest while the dispute is being resolved.

7.9 Changes to complain Handling Process We shall from me to me and as may be required by NCC review our complaint handling process. Revised and updated informa on will be posted to our website www.genieng .com 8. CODE COMPLIANCE 8.1 Licensees (GenieNG) Responsibility GenieNG takes its responsibility to the code compliance very seriously and recognises the importance of developing and maintaining good Code that is approved by the commission. The company is commi ed to an ongoing process of improvement in its opera onal performance, seeking not only to comply with legal or mandatory requirements but also proac vely educate her employees regarding the code compliance and providing the required informa on to the Commission as at when needed.

8.2 Compliance Monitoring and Reporting by the Commission GenieNG is in full support and agrees to work with the Commission as well as customers to ensure that the service it delivers in terms of quality and customer support con nues to meet and even exceed developed standards and codes of conduct.

8.3 Consumer Complaints All complaints by consumers will first be lodged and dealt with GenieNG in accordance with Clause 7 of this Code. Where a Consumer lodges a complaint with the Commission and does not ini ally contact us, the Commission will forward the complaint to GenieNG Communica ons Limited for resolu on in accordance with our complaint handling process detailed in this Code.

8.4 Industry Complaints Industry complaints are those made by one Licensee against another for an alleged breach of a consumer code. Industry complaints will also include complaints by a group represen ng consumer interests against a Licensee.

All Industry complaints will be lodged directly with the Commission. Where an Industry complaint is lodged with a Licensee, without evidence that the complaint has been lodged with the Commission as well, the Licensee shall forward a copy of the complaint to the Commission without delay, and will no fy the complainant duly.

8.5 Commission Investigation The Nigerian Communica ons Commission (NCC) is empowered by law and is fully responsible for ensuring compliance as well inves ga on into complaints or breach of code by either GenieNG, her customers or between GenieNG and other providers.

8.6 Appeals Process Where there is a dispute between us that cannot be resolved within 60 days from the first date of lodging the complaint with us, you have the right to refer the ma er to the Head, Consumer Affairs department of the Nigerian Communica ons Commission.

8.7 Confidentiality We will treat any informa on concerning any complaint or compliance in confidence and will not disclose it to anyone except or in accordance with any instruc ons you have given us. However, there are circumstances in which we may be required by law to disclose informa on. Such requests normally come from Statutory Authori es, for example, Police Forces, EFCC and Excise etc. Any such disclosure will be strictly controlled and will be made fully in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

SIGNED: GenieNG Communica ons Limited.

1st Floor Okoi Arikpo House, 5, Idowu Taylor Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

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National News

Tuesday July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Duties collection: Customs suspends GTBank, Fidelity, Diamond bank

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igeria Customs Service, NCS, has suspended three commercial banks from collecting customs duties over their noncompliance with the partnership agreement with the agency on the matter.

The Public Relations Officer of Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made the fact known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Monday.

He said the suspension became effective immediately.

Adeniyi named the banks as GT Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and Diamond Bank Plc and called

on relevant stakeholders to take note of the new development. ‘’The three banks were suspended because they did not discharge their full obligation as partners in the customs revenue collection scheme.

“Unfortunately, they failed to discharge their responsibilities in accordance with the terms of the agreement they signed with Nigeria Customs Service. ‘’We might not be able to provide you with the details now, but we believe that, in the course of our investigations, we will be able to provide more details.

Wike loses bid to relocate tribunal to Rivers ISE-OLUWA IGE

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ivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday dismissed a request by Governor Nyesome Wike to declare as nullity all its proceedings in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC, together with its gubernatorial candidate, Dakuku Peterside, challenging his electoral victory in the 2015 governorship poll in the state.

Wike, in his application, had invited the tribunal to declare the proceedings in the petition against him as a nullity on the account that it was unconstitutional for the tribunal to sit in Abuja.

Wike had further argued that by virtue of section 285 of the 1999 Constitution, the President of Court of Appeal lacked the powers to mandate the tribunal to sit and conduct its proceedings in Abuja instead of a venue within the state, particularly, Port Harcourt, the state capital.

He added that for it to sit in Abuja, the tribunal had been robbed of the territorial jurisdiction to entertain election disputes arising from the 2015 gubernatorial poll held in the state.

But in a considered ruling yesterday, the tribunal headed by Justice Muazu Pindga held that the motion by Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,

lacked merit and substance.

Justice Pindiga held that the tribunal had not violated any provision of the law since the relocation to Abuja was based on security reasons.

The judge disagreed with the claim of the governor on proximity and accessibility as the two major factors that ought to have determined the venue of the sitting, adding that proximity and accessibility cannot be determined in the absence of security of the tribunal members and litigants He said that the President of the Appeal Court acted within the ambit of the law which he said, laid emphasis on conducive atmosphere for the tribunal to hold proceedings.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the last gubernatorial election in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, had dragged Governor Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, before the tribunal challenging his declaration as the elected governor.

Excess petitions: Enugu gets second election tribunal Chairman of the Enugu State Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Michael Edem, on Monday said that the tribunal had received in excess, the number of petitions it could handle.

Edem said at the resumed sitting of the tribunal in Enugu that the Electoral Act allowed each tribunal to handle a specific number of petitions within a stipulated period.

Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara (left) and leader of the Gbajabiamila Group, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, during the meeting between the Presidency and All Progressives Congress caucus in Abuja, yesterday.

Anxiety as Ogun residents uncover ritualist den … human parts, shrine, clothings found FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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onfusion, anger and anxiety enveloped the Inu’osegba community within Akorede Estate, Mile II axis of Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State yesterday, as residents uncovered a bungalow building suspected to be a ritualists’ den.

The building in which severed human wrist, pupil’s school bags and uniforms were found, was uncovered by a search party following the mysterious disappearance of an 18 months old baby identified as Hezekiah Opeyemi Ogundele, who got missing during the preparation for a naming ceremony in the area Sunday afternoon.

National Mirror gathered that following the disappearance of the child, the celebrants had to put the naming ceremony on hold indefinitely, while apprehensive guests and residents began to comb surrounding bushes and homes in search of the baby.

Our correspondent also gathered that the

suspected ritualists’ den from where putrid stench of decomposed human flesh was oozing out allegedly belonged to one traditional worshipper and Ifa priest identified as Chief Olasile Ifayemi who is however, on the run.

The development however, forced the angry residents to storm the area yesterday Monday and vandalised the building where several other severed human parts such as hands, a woman’s breast and intestines as well as other fetish objects were discovered at the detached rooms within the bungalow which also has a shrine.

As at the time journalists visited the scene, various clothes, women’s underwear like bras, pants and other apparels suspected to belong to victims of the ritualists and masquerade regalia were also found inside the building.

Fetish objects, including a human effigy made of wood, padlocks wrapped in black and white threads and assorted charms as well as other ritual items were also discovered in one of the rooms.

Angry youths threatened to set the building ablaze as at the time our correspondent visited the scene.

It was further gathered that a commercial motorcycle operator who visited the building in the wee hour of yesterday Monday had been arrested and handed over to the police at the Lafenwa Divisional Police Headquarters, Abeokuta.

Operatives of the Special Anti - Robbery Squad, SARS, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were sighted making frantic effort to control the enraged crowd who were bent on bringing down the building by setting it ablaze.

Narrating her ordeal, the 26 years old mother of the toddler stated that she had gone to celebrate the birth of a new-born baby with her brother, Olusola Osunleke, who resides in the area when the incident occurred.

“I then ran outside the house into the streets, still searching and that was when I encountered two persons at Chief Ifayemi’s house. I asked if they had seen my son, they denied and started giggling. So, I

left them and continued to search for him,” she said.

Ogundele stated that it was in the process of the search for her missing son that the alleged ritualists’ den was later discovered.

The mother of the toddler alleged that she “strongly” suspected the two occupants she met earlier inside the suspected ritualists’ den while searching for her son shortly after he disappeared and from whom she had inquired the boy’s whereabouts, for the alleged crime.

Shedding tears, she pleaded with the police and Nigerians to help her find her child who would clock one year and eight months tomorrow to save her from her current agony.

But while confirming the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, Abdul-Majid Ali, said there was no link between the disappearance of the toddler and the discovery of the alleged ritualists’ den.

Ali, however, assured that the police have commenced investigations on the matter and would make its findings public.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Court remands man for defiling infant Matthew IrInoye

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ustice Oluwatoyin Ipaye of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja yesterday remanded Kehinde Paul Layode to prison for defiling a twoyear-old girl, name withheld.

The judge remanded the accused after he was arraigned on a one-count charge bordering on rape and defilement.

The prosecution counsel, Mr. Akin George, told the court that the offense contradicts Section 258 of the Criminal Act Law of Lagos State (2011).

According to him, Layode defiled the infant on January 12, 2013, at No 22 Bakare Street, Igando area of the state.

The accused pleaded not guilty when the charge

was read to him.

Trial commenced immediately with the first prosecution witness, Mrs. Mercy Ofaghae, who is also the victim's mother.

Narrating the incident which led to the rape of her daughter, Ofaghae told the court that the accused was a neighbour.

She said: “The incident happened on January 12, three weeks after my husband travelled out of the country. On the fateful night, my daughter was running temperature seriously as a result of teething so I called my neighbour and friend, Mrs. Layode, wife of the accused, who brought Paracetamol for the girl and advised me to bath her.

“But the drug did not suppress the temperature.

Then I told her I have to

rush out to buy Pican (drug) for my daughter and dropped my daughter with my neighbour's husband, (the accused), because the wife was on her way to the salon and we both left the house.

“When I got back home with the drug, I knocked on Mr. Layode's door and he claimed to be in the bathroom but it took him one hour before he opened the door. When he eventually did, I rushed in and took my daughter to my apartment and took off her clothes to bath her before administering the drug.

"When I got to her pant, there was sperm on it and I screamed. Neighbours rushed into my apartment to see what the matter was.”

The witness further said the accused was

among those who came in and asked her if she was accusing him of rape, which made a neighbour to slap him, because she claimed he had actually exposed himself.

Ofaghae also told the court that her daughter was rushed to the hospital and the doctor confirmed that the girl had been defiled after her specimen was collected and tested.

She said: "I was so shocked when I realised what the accused did to my daughter. Though his family member pleaded that I should help them cover the matter up but it seems my daughter was not the first victim because the accused’s brother confirmed it.”

Justice Ipaye adjourned the matter till August 19.

Bunkering: EFCC arraigns oil vessel crew wale IgbIntade

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conomic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday arraigned the crew on board the vessel, MV Peace, for alleged oil bunkering to the tune of 200 metric tonnes of petroleum product.

The crew, including captain of the vessel, James Abatan, was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris of the federal High Court in Lagos on a three-count charge bordering on illegal dealing in petroleum product.

Others were Wasiu Abdul Owonikoko, Patrick Ameh, Johson Ademola, Felix Otto, Chigozie Oguike, Olu Salisu, Jomo Gadagbe, Kunle Oba Saheed and Rasheed Adio.

The EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, alleged that the accused on April 4 conspired to commit the crime by dealing in petroleum product without appropriate licence.

The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 3 (1) (6) (17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

According to EFCC, the

accused allegedly dealt in 200 metric tonnes of petroleum product without appropriate licence contrary to Section (1) (1) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Besides, the accused persons were said to have stored the petroleum in MV Peace without lawful authority, an offence contrary to Section 4 of the Petroleum Act, Cap P10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

When the matter came up yesterday, the defence lawyer, Dada Awoshika, applied for bail of the accused person and urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

He argued that the vessel was duly certified by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to operate on the Nigerian territorial waters, and that the Nigerian Navy gave the vessel approval to embark on voyage on Nigerian waters.

Awoshika said the accused persons had never been arrested in connection with any crime, and urged the court to admit them to bail, assuring that they would not jump bail.

One dies, 3 injured in Lagos explosion FrancIs suberu

L-R: Prof. Oladipo Akinkugbe; chairman of occasion, Prof. Etim Essien; Award Winner/Lecturer, Prof. Oye Gureje and Prof. Akin Mabogunje, at the Nigeria National Merit Award Winners Lecture with the theme:- Hubris Humility and the Humongous Lessons of the Brain; by Gureje, at University of Ibadan, yesterday.

Impeachment: Osun APC asks members to steer clear of Assembly complex boladale baMIgbola OSOGBO

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ll Progressives Congress, APC, Osun State chapter, has directed its supporters to stay clear of the state House of Assembly complex as Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede appears before the Assembly panel today.

The party alleged that Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was "planning a murderous demonstration to usher in Justice Oloyede into the House."

The APC, in a statement

by spokesperson Kunle Oyatomi, said: "We have good information that PDP is planning to use the opportunity to cause mayhem as they have always planned.

"We call on the security agencies, to again be on the alert so that evil-minded people will not breach the peace."

The party also called on all its cadres and mobilisers to ensure that none of their supporters go near the complex.

But reacting, PDP in a statement by Prince Diran Odeyemi, said: "PDP mem-

bers won't go there tomorrow. And we have told all our members to avoid the premises of the House of Assembly as much as possible.

"But our security sources have informed us that 40 members of the notorious group, State Boys, will be dressed in PDP colours, led by a man called Carlos and will ambush Justice Oloyede near the gate of the House of Assembly.

"We are saying this to the entire world now. Though we don’t believe in the committee working on the al-

legations against Mr. Aregbesola, but as a law abiding party, PDP will not be involved in any unlawful act."

Aregbesola

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ne person was killed and three others injured following an explosion that rocked the complex occupied by Golden Penny Flour Mill at Eric Moore, Surulere in Lagos.

The dead person was identified as a 35-year-old man.

The cause of the incident that occurred early yesterday morning was unknown at press time, but eye witness told National Mirror that the incident occurred just as workers were resuming for work after the weekend.

The incident suspected to be a gas explosion caused panic in the Eric Moore axis as many thought it was probably the handiwork of members of the Boko Haram terrorist sect.

Confirming the incident, Director of Fire, Lagos Fire Service, Rasaq Fadipe, said

via text: “There was tragedy this morning as explosion occurred at Golden Penny Flour Mill at Eric Moore. It claimed the life of a young man of about 35 years old.”

Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu, could not be reached to confirm the nature of the explosion.

However, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, said one person was killed with three people injured in the explosion.

It could not also confirm the nature of the explosion.

"We are not sure whether it was gas explosion or that of improvised explosive device, IED, until investigation is concluded," NEMA spokesman, Ibrahim Farinloye, told our correspondent.

He added that the case has been transferred to Apapa Police Station for investigation and that preliminary probe revealed that it was a boiler that exploded.

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South West

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Police parade 13 suspected kidnappers ‌ rescued victim turns kingpin’s lover, associate aBiOdun nejO ADO EKITI

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he police in Ekiti State and the state command of the Directorate for State Service, DSS, yesterday paraded 13 suspected kidnappers responsible for the different kidnaps in the state.

The 11 male and two female suspects, majority of who escaped from the Ado Ekiti Prison during last year's jail break, have been linked to the various kidnap cases in the state as revealed by investigation and attested to by some of the freed victims.

Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Mr Etop James and the DSS State Director Mr Duke Fubara, have declared four persons wanted

in connection with the same offence.

A former kidnap victim, simply identified as Alhaja Damilola, who fell into a romantic relationship with a kidnap kingpin popularly known as AY while in the kidnappers' den, was among the paraded suspects.

Damilola, a textile trader, upon her release, facilitated the kidnap of Mrs Aina, who was released from the kidnappers' den by the police earlier in the month.

A Russian made barrelgun, one locally made gun and charms were recovered from the woman upon arrest by the collaborative effort of the police and DSS. The suspects also included their driver, who was responsible for driving the

victims to their hideout and a pastor who had been giving spiritual guidance and counseling to the gang.

The DSS director said the feat was the result of the collaborative effort of the DSS and police in a bid to stamp out crime in the state.

Fubara added that two other suspects had been apprehended by their operatives, saying one was being held in Warri, Delta State where he was apprehended, while the other one who sustained gunshot injuries while being arrested in Osun State was undergoing treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

The police commissioner assured that kidnapping would no longer rear its head in the state as the

anti-kidnapping team was already out on the trail of the criminals.

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, who praised the security agencies for their collaboration and the results, hoped there would be more successes in this regard.

The governor, who promised continued assistance to the security agencies to be able to perform their duties efficiently, urged them to break the criminal network with neighbouring states to stop the trend of criminals coming into the state to perpetrate crime.

He, however, advised politicians, saying: "Crime should not be politicised. It must be fought by all so that our communities would be at peace".

Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode (left) congratulating Amirul Hajj and Chairman, Special ad-hoc committee for Lagos 2015 Hajj, Dr. Abdulhakeem Abdullateef, during its inauguration in Lagos, yesterday

Femi OyewesO ABEOKUTA

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en of the Ogun State Police Command attached to Agbado Divisional headquarters have arrested two members of the robbery syndicate which operated at Somuyiwa and Dalemo areas of Agbado in the early hours of last Sunday.

The armed robbery gang had laid siege at the two Agbado communities last Sunday at the wee hour between 3.30a.m where they robbed residents of their belongings and injured three of their victims before engaging the police in a gun battle.

The command's spokes person, Muyiwa Adejobi,

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ekiti approves N119m car loan for workers aBiOdun nejO ADO EKITI

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kiti State Government has approved the disbursement of N119 million as car loans to 623 workers in the state public service.

Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, said in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, at the weekend that ministries and departments got N82,120,000 while agencies got N36.8m.

Ojo, in a statement by the state Ministry of Information, yesterday stated that the loans which ranged from N800,000 to N1.5 million, were

Buhari shielding Aregbesola from investigation —Group BOladale BamigBOla OSOGBO

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ivil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun, an Osun State based human rights group, yesterday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of allegedly shielding Governor Rauf Aregbesola from investigation by anti-graft bodies.

The group said the facts and figures presented by Justice Folahanmi Oloyede in her petition sent to the Osun State House of Assembly, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, over alleged financial mismanagement of the state funds leveled against the governor were "too real to be ignored by any government that is committed to fighting

Ogun police arrest two robbery suspects who confirmed the arrest of the two robbery suspects, also stated that the anti-robbery team of the command attached to Agbado divisional headquarters which was responding to a distress calls from the communities, caught the suspected armed robbers in their operation and engaged them in a gun battle that lasted for 30 minutes.

Adejobi further stated that two of the robbery suspects were arrested after sustaining fatal bullet wounds, while others escaped the scene with bullet wounds.

The PPRO added that arms and ammunitions which the police team that

intercepted the robbery gang recovered from them included a locally made gun, some live cartridges, expended cartridges, 15 different types of mobile phones, sets of expensive jewelries, laptops as well as cash sum of N3,000 only.

Adejobi further stated that some of the affected residents have been able to identify some of the items recovered from the suspects, adding that police had taking the three injured residents of the areas to an hospital for treatment where they are responding to treatment.

He also stated that the command has stepped up ef-

forts towards arresting the two fleeing members of the gang who also sustained bullet wounds.

In a related development, the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun has challenged the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Abdul-Majid Ali, to be proactive in his fight against cultism and other nefarious activities in the state.

The governor, who spoke at the Police Command Headquarters in Eleweeran, Abeokuta, where he commissioned the renovated office of the CP, lamented the recent spate of cult related activities in Sagamu and Abeokuta, the state capital.

"approved depending on the salary grade level of the benefiting officers."

The commissioner "stressed the commitment of the present administration in the state to the welfare of workers in the state civil service."

He added that "the loan is to be disbursed in one single tranche to the benefiting officers."

According to the statement, the commissioner "also promised that another batch of beneficiaries of the workers' car loans will be announced before the end of this year."

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, Amosun expressed optimism that the new CP is in a good position to tackle the menace headlong having served in the state before his elevation to the rank of the Commissioner of Police.

He charged the CP to bring his wealth of experience to bear on his duty, promising continued government support in the fight against crime.

In his response, Ali assured the governor that the command would not rest on its oars until the state is rid of cultism and other criminal acts.

graft".

Addressing newsmen in Osogbo yesterday, chairman of the group, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi, said the fact that both Governor Aregbesola and his deputy, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori are yet to be investigated by neither EFCC or ICPC, nearly two months of receipt of the petitions against them, was an indication that the Federal Government was not interested in acting on the matter.

It will be recalled that Justice Oloyede had in her petition to the state House of Assembly, demanded probe of the governor and his deputy over their alleged involvement in mismanagement of state funds But Adeniyi told newsmen that the delay in acting on the petition by the two agencies was sending signals that the graft agencies wanted to give the governor enough time to "perfect many of shady deals and destroy documents that can be used to prosecute the governor."

Adeniyi averred: "We posit that the delay by these agencies to respond to the huge allegations of criminal mismanagement of public funds by the governor is deliberate in order to give the governor and his cabinet time to perfect their fraud by falsifying or destroying incriminating documents.

"Pupils and students in public schools in the state have not written examinations in one calendar year while tertiary educational institutions have also been closed to serious academic duties in months."

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Imo workers rebuff Okorocha, begin strike Chris Njoku OWERRI

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mo State civil servants yesterday remained adamant as they commenced on a five-day warning strike over salary owed them by the state government for the past five months.

The strike, which paralysed socio-economic activities in the state, would elapse on Friday after which the workers would embark on an indefinite industrial action.

When National Mirror visited some ministries and parastatals, it was observed that the offices were closed as gates of the secretariat along Owerri-Port Harcourt Road, were locked.

Labour chairman in Imo, Austin Chilakpo, told newsmen in Owerri yesterday that the strike was as a result of five months salary owed the workers.

He said if government does not comply by paying off the arrears by the end of the warning strike, the union would announce indefinite strike.

“It is unfortunate that workers in the country will work and at the end of the month, they will not be paid

South East

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

for their labour.

“We have applied all local remedies for the state government to see reason with us but all to no avail. So, we have decided to go on a warning strike to drive our point home,” he said.

Reacting to the strike yesterday, the governor expressed disappointment saying that on Monday July 6, the state government and members of organised labour met and agreed that the salary arrears owed workers would be paid up to June, with both parties also agreeing that the payment would be subject to the availability of the bailout fund.

The governor in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, however lamented that the bailout fund had not come.

“It is against the backdrop of these agreements that the state government feels disappointed with the fiveday warning strike which workers in the state have embarked upon now, because the truth of the matter is that the bailout fund has not come.”

According to him, the labour leaders would have done their investigation to know whether the govern-

11

Obiano raises alarm over Awka, Onitsha floods Charles okeke AWKA

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nambra State governor, Willie Obiano, yesterday cried out over the torrential rain that lasted for almost seven hours ravaging most cities across the state.

Obiano, who defied the heavy downpour to inspect the havoc wrecked by flooding in some estates in Awka and Onitsha, hurriedly suspended the weekly Exco meeting following reports of collapse of buildings and flooding.

The governor, who was

among early callers at Udoka Estate where a couple were rescued after the collapse of the wall of their building, and Ngozika Estate where another bungalow was submerged, called on people of the state to stop building on water ways and blocking drainage.

He further called on the people to quit dumping refuse in drains as it is among factors causing flood witnessed in the area.

He however warned that anyone caught in the act will contend with relevant laws and punished accord-

ingly.

The governor expressed sympathy with the retired AIG Ikemefuna Okoye whose house was among those submerged and instructed that the occupants be lodged in a hotel for few days while remedial measures are made to check the flooding.

He also warned those whose buildings are blocking drains that the government will not hesitate to demolish them to save lives.

At 3-3 Onitsha where flooding eroded the foot of the bridge thus obstructing

traffic, Obiano observed that the building which caused the havoc has been pulled down as directed with the Nkisi flood channel opened for free-flow.

He stated that the rescue work on the bridge will be completed in two weeks and once more warned against blocking of the flood channel.

Similarly, facilities and fish worth millions of naira were destroyed at Abube-Nando as flood coupled with yesterday’s rain that started by 7am up to mid-day emptied into the fish pond.

Obi flays criticism of Okonjo-Iweala Charles okeke AWKA

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he immediate past Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, has condemned attempts by some people to tarnish the integrity and personality of the former Coordinating Minister of the National Economy and Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for no valid reason.

Obi stated that it is unfortunate that Nigerians have the attitude of trying to pull down the best the country could offer.

Addressing journalists in Onitsha, the commercial centre of the state, Obi described Okonjo-Iweala as a global star who only came back to serve her country passionately.

He said there is no truth in the allegation by some antagonists of the former World Bank official that the economy was mismanaged during her tenure as a senior minister.

The former governor, who spoke against the backdrop of alleged moves by some political actors to rubbish the record of Okonjo-Iweala as a key minister in the Goodluck Jonathan administration, said nothing will be gained in trying to pull Okonjo-Iweala down.

Obi said: “I have been in several meetings where this woman was crying as she explained and pleaded with all and sundry on the need to save for the rainy day.

“She advised that proceeds from the crude sales should be saved in the Sovereign National Wealth Fund for effective management."

Obi stated that he would remain personally indebted to Okonjo-Iweala because it was from her persistent preaching on the need to save in the Sovereign National Wealth Fund that made him to incorporate savings in foreign currency to the tune of $165m (N25 billion) as at the time he left office as governor.

L-R: An official of Ndiagu Uwani Akpugo community in Enugu State, Igwe-elect, Chief Kenneth Edenkwuor; President, Ndiagu Uwani Akpugo Town Union, Chief Boniface Edeh and Spokesperson of the community, Mr. Osisam Ede, during a press conference on chieftaincy affairs in Enugu, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

… traders count losses, Okada riders celebrate

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raders in Onitsha yesterday counted their losses due to the downpour which led to dismal sales in most markets in Onitsha and its environs.

The downpour, which started at about 6:30 a.m, flooded roads and streets, especially on the outskirts of Onitsha metropolis.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the downpour lasted several hours. |Traders, who defied the rain to open their shops, were drenched notwithstanding the lack of sale.

An abada textile seller

in Main Market, Vincent Obineri, told NAN that it would have been better to spend the day at home.

“It has been a very bad day for most of us in the market; since we did not make a single sale and we are also suffering from cold following the downpour,’’ Obineri said.

A food seller at Osa Market, Mrs Phil Ugochukwu, lamented the poor sales and the flood that has taken over major parts of the road in Onitsha.

“I have waited for most of my customers that do come regularly, but none have showed up.

“My greatest challenge

now is how to get transportation back home, because most of the roads are already flooded,’’ Ugochukwu said.

Meanwhile, commercial motorcycle riders popularly known as `Okada’ were busy making brisk business in the rain as the taskforce that chased them off the major roads ceased operation.

The Okada riders used the opportunity of the rain to increase fares by 100 per cent; as a short distance that should cost N50 attracted N100.

An commercial motorcyclist, Simon Ugwoke, said they were making (their money) in a restful

manner since “there is no disturbance from any quarter.

“Even before noon, I made the amount I usually make in a day, which is about N2,000. And before nightfall I should make over N4,500 to take home,’’ Ugwoke said.

Another rider, Chinedu Okpara, said the downpour was a blessing in disguise to all Okada riders that were able to work in the rain.

“It is has not been this good for us for a very long time now, especially when the government taskforce started chasing us off the major roads,’’ Okpara said.

12

News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sanitise economy before subsidy removal, NLC charges FG

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resident of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, yesterday urged the Federal Government to clean up the system before addressing subsidy or deregulating the nation’s petroleum sector.

Wabba told News Agency of Nigeria, NAN in Lagos that subsidy is not the issue but inherent corruption in the system.

He said it is the inefficiencies in the public sector that

fuel corruption in the country and cautioned that care be taken to ensure they are not transferred to the citizenry.

The NLC president urged the government to recover public funds that had been diverted into private pockets, before looking at the subsidy issue.

“The issue is inherent corruption in the system; it is inefficiency and it should not be transferred to the entire

citizens.

“First, let the system be cleaned up and then we can then look up into other issues that are associated with subsidy or deregulation.

“In every government, the citizens should benefit from the system that is being transferred but in Nigeria, everything is tied to oil.

“Any slight increase in the price of oil, which is what subsidy stands for, will have multiple effects on the citi-

zens.”

Wabba, whilst stressing the imperative for a transparent system, stated: “Everything will go up and at this period when poverty is ravaging the country, I think it is appropriate to find a way around, to make the system transparent.

“The Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) audit shows that a lot of resources are going into private

pockets; let the government work to recover the money in a transparent process.

“Thereafter, we can then look at the subsidy issue.

But for now, I don’t think we should add salt to injury because already Nigerians are on the ground and he who is on the ground is no longer afraid of falling.

“Unemployment is high, many people cannot afford

Group supports DSS over Rivers REC

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Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike (3rd left); Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, Mr. Chris Ezike (2nd left) and National Chairman, PDP, Mr. Uche Secondus (4th left), during the parade of suspects by the Commissioner of Police in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Lagos Assembly summons HoS over judicial officers’ tenure renewal Francis suberu

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agos State House of Assembly has summoned the Head of Service, HoS, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, to appear before the House on Tuesday July 28, over the elongation of tenure of office of members of the state Judicial Service Commission, JSC. The House took the decision sequel to a letter sent to it by members of the commission to notify it that their tenure for another term had been confirmed by the HoS, who they said followed due process in doing so.

According to the House, the continuation of tenure

of office by members of the commission was a flagrant disregard of the provisions of Section 199 of the 1999 Constitution, which states that tenure of office of public officers should end automatically when due.

Reacting to the letter, Speaker of the Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, said the HoS must be invited to educate the House on the due process that was followed to renew the tenure of members of the commission.

He said the executive arm of government has not written the House to counter its position that the commission should be dissolved as its tenure has ended.

Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu from Agege Con-

stituency 01 had earlier observed that the commission could not be a judge in its own matter.

He said the letter from the commission should have been from the state governor not the Head of Service, but that the resolution of the House on their tenure stands.

While agreeing with the speaker, Hon. Lanre Ogunyemi from Ojo Constituency 02 said the HoS must have cooperated with higher authorities on the issue.

He added that the House respects the judicial arm of government, but that it cannot sacrifice its own constitutional responsibility.

Hon. Tunde Buraimo

from Kosofe Constituency 02 observed that some government appointees overstay their terms of offices, adding that the commission cannot prevent the House from doing its job.

Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu from Eti-Osa Constituency 02 emphasised that people should leave office after the expiration of their terms, adding that the executive arm of government makes regulations that don't come before the House.

He stated that regulations are laws and that it is wrong for the executive to make such without informing the Assembly because, according to him, the people are being shortchanged by this.

to eat three square meals a day,” he said.

Wabba insisted that the issue on ground should be how to strengthen our system and put up a structure of good governance.

He urged government to proceed on splitting the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation into two bodies, to enhance its effectiveness.

group, Rivers State Renaissance Transparency Project, has lamented the various attacks and criticism on the Department of State Services, DSS, for questioning the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dame Gesila Khan, over the conduct of the last general elections in the state.

The condemnation was contained in a press statement issued in Port Harcourt by Dr Donalson David-West, Director of Publicity & Communications for the group.

Reacting to a protest letter by members of National Assembly from Rivers State against DSS Abuja, the group noted that the authors are aware their time is up because of the fraudulent election that catapulted them into office.

It said: “It is interesting and instructive that the authors of the panicky pro-

test of blackmail against DSS are all respondents to petitions in the Election Petition Tribunal for cases ranging from unparalleled degree of irregularity to outright non-conduct of election by INEC in Rivers State during the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly election in the state as well as that of April 11 Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections.

“The petitioners, who are currently at both chambers of the National Assembly by fraud, decided to jump the gun by making frivolous allegation of meddlesomeness in their case in the tribunal against DSS. “What a smart way of attempting to hoodwink the general public and divert the attention of the security agencies from doing their work the best way they know it.

Rivers: Police rescue baby from kidnappers

• Gunmen kill abductee, pick N.5m ransom

Dennis naku

PORT HARCOURT

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he police said it has rescued a sevenmonth-old baby who was kidnapped by a threeman gang in Diobu axis of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The police said the suspected kidnappers sneaked into the room of the baby's parents while they were asleep last Monday night and stole the child.

The Rivers Police Commissioner, Chris Ezike, disclosed this while parading the suspects before newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital yesterday.

Ezike said the hoodlums took the baby to Nekede, Imo State where they sold the baby for N200,000 to one

Nkechi Anyanwu, 45.

He gave the names of the suspected kidnappers as Ms. Nne Jaju, 22, Yenubari Sergent, 20, and Wisdom Stephen.

The commissioner said: “The suspects confessed to have conspired and sneaked through a broken window into the room of the sevenmonth-old baby girl's parents' home in the night of 20/7/2015 at Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt and quietly stole the baby."

Ezike further said the accomplices of buyer of the stolen baby identified as Francisca Chukwu, 36, and Joy Uzoechi both resident at Owerri were also arrested, adding that they have made useful statements to the police.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

SUPER TUESDAY

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Politics

Ekweremadu is APC’s only worry –Lawan

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14, 43

nless something crazy happens in the December, 5 Bayelsa State gubernatorial election, the incumbent governor of the state, Hon. Seriake Dickson, remains the candidate to beat as watchers of political events in the state have agreed that the coming gubernatorial race will no doubt be the turning point in the continued existence of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state and a ‘mother of all battles’.

Though, from all indications, the PDP and governor Dickson seem to be steps ahead in terms of structure and finance, but the greatest undoing of PDP and Dickson is the lingering crisis that has refused all ‘medication’ despite the numerous ‘prescription’ from PDP hierarchy in Abuja.

With the removal of the state chairman of the party, Col. Sam Inokoba, and the suspension of many of its other influential members, PDP seems to have shot itself in the foot, because the All Progressives Congress, APC, has opened its doors to accommodate those embattled leaders of the party. The gale of defection, which has since hit PDP in Bayelsa State was a result of that unpopular decision of party executives, who are allegedly sponsored by the governor.

Many party leaders who felt slighted by the action of the governor and those who lost out during the PDP state and National Assembly primaries had formed a formidable opposition to Dickson’s second term bid and have resolved to fight from within the party and scuttle his second term ambition or in the alternative jump ship.

The move by the governor, alleged to be an in-house cleaning process to flush out those loyal to the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience Jonathan, whose influence in the state and national hierarchy of the party still ‘hung like a sword of Damocles’ and those against his second term bid perhaps may spell doom for his re-election.

All these and the new political fortunes attained through the victory of the APC at the national level has increased the tempo of political activities, turned up more aspirants, thrown the door open for more people and added to the misery of the ruling PDP and the tough talking governor.

As Bayelsa PDP continues to fight over who leads it at the state exco, the APC’s battle for the Bayelsa State Government House has begun in earnest with the open door policy it adopted, which has welcomed many viable contenders into its fold. Aside from those that defected openly in the last few days, the rank of the APC is rising gradually and steadily by the day.

Below are the aspirants who have been thrown up both by the impasse in the PDP and the increasing popularity of the APC:

Moses Siasia

The first man to openly announce his intention to take over creek haven, Moses Siasia, the younger brother to former Nigeria international and now Coach of the dream team, Samson Siasia, took everyone by surprise when he openly declared his intention penultimate week. A youth mobiliser, he is from the same senatorial district of Bayelsa East, Sagbama, like the incumbent Hon. Dickson, a fact which may work against him when the argument on zoning resurfaces. His chances to get the nod of the PDP are next to nothing because of his lack of political pedigree and experience.

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri

Lokpobiri was a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003, and Speaker of the House from June 1999-May 2001 before he won election to represent Bayelsa West at the Senate in 2007 where he was till he lost the ticket to return in 2015 general election under controversial circumstances.

Tall, handsome and elegant, this charismatic former senator will beat all contenders to the position without much ado, if those are the qualities needed to govern the oil rich state. From Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state, he is said to be the joker the APC, has lined up to give incumbent governor a run for his money if the PDP gives him the ticket to run for the second term.

Bayelsa guber: Plot to take over Creek Haven hots up Amidst search for a viable and credible opposition candidate to challenge the incumbent governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson and the ending crisis in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, OSAHON JULIUS takes a look at some of those plotting to take over Creek Haven, come February 14, 2016.

Dickson

Silva

Though he has not openly declared his intention to run but high level politicking from powerful politicians in the state point to his direction and going by his charisma, the Law graduate from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, has what it takes to run the state.

who will match the incumbent governor, money for money and gut for gut, the former boss of the NDDC might be considered by the APC. If feelers from a senior APC member, who claims he may be the governorship candidate of the party, come December is true, then all other candidates will have to queue behind Alaibe.

His decision to seek the same ticket on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, was thwarted allegedly by former President Jonathan in 2003 and observers are of the opinion that a well coordinated campaign by the APC with Alaibe as its gubernatorial flag-bearer may signal the end of PDP in the state.

Emmanuel Paulker

The incumbent senator representing Bayelsa Central at the Senate, Paulker is another contender for the gubernatorial race in the state. A former teacher and Commissioner for Land and Housing in the state before he went to the Senate in 2007, Senator Paulker is one of the candidate been penciled down by the PDP to replace Governor Dickson if the crisis in the state chapter of the party failed to find a common ground. He also came from the Epie/Atissa clan in Yenagoa, the state capital, whose people have argued that its now their turn to produce the next governor.

Timi Alaibe

The former boss of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area and a former gubernatorial candidate for the PDP on two separate occasions, 1999 and 2003, but was denied on both occasions. However this time around and with the APC searching for a credible and viable candidate

As BAyelsA PDP continues to fight over who leADs it

At the stAte exco, the APc’s

BAttle for the BAyelsA stAte

government house hAs

Begun in eArnest with the oPen Door Policy it ADoPteD

Barrister Powell Godknows

Another candidate who may also give the governor a run for his money is the former Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development and former chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, Barr Godknows.

Regarded as a man for the youth, there is the likelihood that he may contest in response to the Epie/Atissa people’s clamour to have a fair shot at the governorship position which has eluded them since the creation of the state. A close ally of former governor, Chief Timpre Sylva and in fact was his Special Adviser on Investment in Federal Government projects, Godknows has the endorsement and backing of Yenagoa youths and may be another viable option for the APC if the PDP denies him the ticket.

His constituency, the Bayelsa Central has the population to beat any other contender from other constituency and this may be his joker.

Wariponmowei Dudafagh

He was among those indicted by the state chapter of PDP Disciplinary Committee, set up after the general election and former Senior Special Assistant to the former President Jonathan on Domestic Matters. Dudafagh, according to the PDP, was involved in the sponsorship of an CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

14

Politics

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o you share the view of many stakeholders blaming the crisis in the National Assembly on All Progressives Congress, APC leadership?

What is happening at the National Assembly is politics. In politics, there’s no permanent friend and no permanent enemy. Thus, what is happening there is the issue of interest. We don’t have zoning in APC. What is happening at the National Assembly can be blamed on the leadership of the party, because of its preference for some candidates. Had it been APC leadership adopted our approach here, in Adamawa State, where we charged members of the state House of Assembly, since we formed the majority, that the onus of choosing the presiding officers of the Assembly is their responsibility. We made it categorically clear that as a party we would not have a hand in it; they should just elect their Speaker and inform the party.

But the crisis at the National Assembly can be traced to the party’s preference for Senator Ahmed Lawan, even when Senator Bukola Saraki had indicated interest to contest. Had the party maintained neutrality and allowed the two factions which emerged to go and slug it out, we won’t have had this crisis.

In politics, you sometimes have to employ tricks to get what you want. I believe the Presidency wrote the clerk of the National Assembly, to inaugurate the Assembly at 10 o’clock.

Surprisingly, there was a meeting again with the President around that time. You can see that there’s a trick somewhere, maybe it was the Saraki camp trying to outwit the Lawan camp out of the race. Or, it could be that Lawan camp was trying to use this meeting to scheme the Saraki camp out of the contest by gaining the hearts of other senators.

There’s no way the President will write a letter to the clerk of the National Assembly directing him to inaugurate the Assembly by 10 o’clock and the same President will call a meeting for that same time. Don’t forget there was no communication to the clerk of the National Assembly requesting the shift of the inauguration. So, if you look at it critically there’s a trick somewhere. Since there were two contestants for the position of the Senate President, obviously, you would expect anyone present at the time of the inauguration of the Senate, to emerge as the Senate President.

Take note, also, that at that time the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was in the majority and that gave room for the emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu. So, the leadership of our party should be blamed for this unfortunate development. And being the cause of the crisis, it should fashion a way out to solve the logjam amicably.

For me, it is better to have this crisis now, because in dealing with it, members of the party will understand themselves better. The danger however, is to do nothing about it, because definitely, whether we like it or not, if the problem is not adequately dealt with and resolved amicably, it may rear its ugly head before the next general elections. I believe the party leadership and all the other organs of the party, have set in motion machineries to resolve this crisis. And I believe, very soon they will forget about their differences.

Do you then see a quick end to this crisis?

Yes, because of what is going on. The President, as the leader of the party, advised that the party

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ekweremadu is APC Ahmed Lawan, Adamawa State All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftain in this interview with LIVINUS MENEDI lampoons APC leadership as architect of the raging crisis in the National Assembly, averring that emergence of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, member as Deputy Senate President, is perhaps APC’s only source of worry. Excerpts:

Lawan

is supreme and admonished members to follow what the party wants. It is a game of numbers. If you don’t want Ekweremadu to be Deputy Senate President, DSP, you know what to do. You can impeach him because you have the numbers. I heard that they asked him to resign as DSP; if he can do it amicably, then we would have this crisis resolved much quickly. But the situation whereby, he refuses to do it, then the only thing the APC will do is to call their senators to impeach Ekweremadu and install an APC senator as DSP. Meanwhile, I believe definitely that Ekweremadu will agree with the call of the APC, maybe to resign and allow peace to reign at the National Assembly.

But, don’t you think the crisis is already taking its toll on the APC administration?

You know this government is a new government, it is a baby government, and APC is a baby party. Because this is the first time an opposition party is forming government at the center. Definitely, there’s no way that the administration can move smoothly. Mind you, APC was formed by the fusion of different political parties; definitely, you would expect each party to have its own ideology and understanding. Besides, along the way such

a crisis will come up, one way or the other. Therefore, I want people to understand and see the current crisis as politics. There’s no way you can move in politics without crisis. There must be understanding, sometimes we are learning from our mistakes. I believe APC national leadership is also learning from its mistake.

What is expected of it is to correct the mistakes and that is what it is now doing. People’s expectations are too high on us. People are calling for change and we are not expecting to have this change come easily. So this crisis is only natural. That’s why I said, I thank God, it is happening very early in the life of the administration, when key appointments are yet to be made. Because it would have been more devastating, if we were to be caught midway into the life of the administration.

Our good fortune as a party is that as this crisis coming up now, it affords us the opportunity to deal with some salient issues and resolve them, now, before takeoff.

On the other hand, I think members of the National

I belIeve In the next few days natIonal assembly. where w offIce of the dsp. If ekwerem If he faIls, then defInIte

to fInd a way t

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, June 28, 2015

15

A PUBLICATION OF NATIONAL MIRROR NEWSPAPERS

Flood takes over Asaba, renders residents homeless A MOUR UDEMUDE ASABA

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Asaba taking over by flood after a heavy downpour.

Group withdraws ultimatum on proposed DESOPADEC bill THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

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jaw group under the aegis of Delta Ijaw Oil and Gas Producing Communities has withdrawn its recent ultimatum to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa urging him to halt the ongoing bill to amend the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The Co-ordinator of the group, Chief Favour Izuokumor stated that the ultimatum issued the State Government on the proposed renaming of DESOPADEC, to Delta State Oil Producing Ethnic Nationalities which expired on Monday has been withdrawn to allow for further consultation and brainstorming on the way forward.

According to him, the decision to withdraw the ultimatum is sequel to the intervention of traditional rulers, leaders and critical stakeholders of the Ijaw oil and gas bear-

ing communities.

Izuokumor said, “We shall take a final position on the matter after a more critical look at the government proposal before making our position on the matter known to government.”

He maintained that attempting to run DESOPADEC on the basis of Senatorial districts, the Itsekiri, Ijaw and Isoko nationalities that produces the largest quantum of the oil and gas in the state would be at great disadvantage because the three ethnic groups are all situated in one senatorial district, Delta South.

He added such move would make the three ethnic nationalities, minority in appointment/benefits in all ramification from the proceeds of oil and gas resources from their own areas.

Chief Izuokumor who is also the spokesman of OgbeIjoh Warri Kingdom Council of Chiefs however advised that Dr. Okowa should desist from decisions and actions that is capable of causing another round of unwarranted crisis in the state.

“We voted for him to emerge as Governor and must there-

fore not pay us back with injustice, oppression and marginalization because not all Delta communities or tribe are oil bearing that suffers the devastating effects of oil and gas exploration and exploitation activities in the State”, he added.

Chief izuokumor had led a protest to the State House of Assembly against the proposal by the Governor, Dr. Ifeayin Okowa to re-name the oil intervention agency and structure its operations in a way alleged to be to the disadvantage of the major oil and gas bearing communities.

Ayade appoints new Chairman For IRS, others RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

G

ov. Ben Ayade of Cross River State has approved the appointment of Dr. Ukam Edodi as new Chairman of the State’s Internal Revenue Service

(IRS).

A statement by the Special Assistant Media and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, said the Governor also approved the appointment of Mr. Gabriel Okulaja as the Special Adviser, Department of Public Trans-

port (DOPT).

Other appointments are: Engineer Eval Imoke, Special Adviser, Project Monitoring and Mr. Mfon Bassey, Chairman, Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency.

The appointments are with immediate effect.

n early morning heavy down pour yesterday submerged Asaba the capital city of Delta State, thereby rendering residents homeless. The heavy rain which lasted for over six hours cut off the Okpanam, Ibusa roads, Junior Staff quarter, Jesus Saves, SSS, DLA roads , Okwe, office complex of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB and Women Affairs Primary School within the Asaba metropolis as well as sacking workers from their offices therefore making vehicular movement impossible within the state capital.

Also affected by the flood was some of the offices in the SUBEB complex which collapsed the complex fence. A drive by our correspondent shortly after the heavy down pour, it was observed that many workers and school children were prevented from going to work and school, a situation a cross section of residents described as pitiable and lamenting.

The residents however appealed to the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa led government to a matter of urgency and importance come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the perennial flooding in the state capital and its environs. When contacted on the situation, the Delta state Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani told our correspondent that the state government was already on top of the situation adding that steps were already being taken to handle the situation once and for all.

“Drainages on Okpanam road are being opened and we hope that the issue of flooding in the state capital and its environs would soon be a thing of the past. Government is committed in stamping out the problem of flood from all parts of the state but we want to warn developers against building houses on natural water ways. Governor Ifeanyi Okowa is committed to making life better for all Deltans and none Deltans resident in the state.” Nani stated.

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Tuesday, June 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We were paid to vandalize oil pipelines –suspects OSAHON JULIUS, YENAGOA

...As JTF parades five sea pirates

T

wo of the suspected pipeline vandals arrested by the troops of the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, aka ‘operation puloshield’ at the weekend confessed that they were sent by one Mr. Morris Idiovwa, to carry out the act in order to secure surveillance contract from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. The suspects, Dennis Oneya and Emmanuel Joseph alias Ajegunl, paraded at the 222 Battalion Headquarters, Agbarha-Otor, Ughelli, Delta , confessed that the act will force the NPDC to give the job to one Mr. Morris Idiovwa, from Orogun community.

According to both vandals, they met with Mr. Idiovwa at a hotel in Ughelli, Delta state where it was agreed that they (Dennis and Emmanuel) should embark on the the destruction and cutting of oil pipelines to hasten the signing of the contracts he applied for at NPDC as done by one Mr. Evans, who is currently at large.

Mr. Evans is now at large after being fingered in the pipelines vandalization of an NPDC oil pipeline Ekrejedbor and Ekeigbo communities was subsequently compensated with a contract job

by NNDC before the bubble burst.

Parading the suspects, the Coordinator, Joint Task Force, JTF, Lt. col. Ado Isa, on behalf of the Commander, Major Geneal Emmanuel Atewe, said the suspects having concluded their plan, lo-

Members of the Ijaw Youth Council, Abuja chapter and the Ijaw Students Union, UNIABUJA, during their solidarity visit on Governor Seriake Dickson in support of his second term bid, at the Bayelsa State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

cated a 16 inches pipeline around Inene Village on the night of 22th July, 2015, dug it out and open it through an iron cutter before setting it ablaze around 3: 30 am the following day.

Luck however ran out of one of the suspects, Dennis as he was arrested while fleeing the scene, while preliminary investigation led to the arrest of the other suspects. Other suspects are still at large.

He also disclosed that one Hilux vehicle and one pump action

gun with 77 live catridges belonging to Mr. Evans are still in the custody of the outfit while the suspected culprits are currently with them, pending the outcome of investigation.

Other suspects are Akper David, Marshal, Ogbo and Utorde all from Agbarho, Ogoriba and Ewu communities in Delta state.

In a related development, the JTF also paraded five suspected sea pirates at Logosgbene community, southern Ijaw local government of Bayelsa state, after a

search and cordon operations in the community.

Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the suspects who gave their names as Ebimbo Victor, Ayebamiebi Ogiri, Ebiwari Mackson, Ifieme Avidi and Christain Jacob. The items recovered from them include one AK 47 rifle, a pump action gun, three magazines with 72 rounds of 7.62mm special, a pairs of military camouflage, Samsung smart phone, 115 horde power out boat amongst others.

The suspects according to the JTF spokesman are presently in the custody of the military out where they will soon be handed over to the prosecuting agencies after investigations.

The JTF spokesman therefore used the occasion to call on the people of Niger Delta to key into the zero tolerance campaign against oil thieves and criminality in the region by giving useful information to enable the task force carry its duties effectively.

Total E&P grooms tomorrow’s leaders DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

T

hough the importance of reading cannot be over emphasized, the need to improve the reading culture not only in schools, but in society generally was the focus of the ‘2015 Book Reading’ for select secondary schools in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital organized by the Port Harcourt District of Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited.

A total of fifteen secondary schools, (ten public and five private) were invited for the event with the theme: ‘Reading For Leading’.

The students led by their teachers not only turned up early for the event, they also participated actively in the book reading to the admiration of invited guest and the management of the oil and gas company.

Renown novelist, Dr. Elechi

Amadi led the pack of invited guests, while popular art historian, Prof Bridget Nwanze was the lead speaker at the colourful event.

Setting the tone for the discussion, an author and Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors, Rivers State branch, Mr. Obinna Nwodim read a poem he specifically wrote for the event titled ‘Just Read’.

The presence of the Rivers State Government underscored the importance of the event, with its representative saying that the days of disparity between public and private schools in the state were over.

Mr. Minabelem MichaelWest who is the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, noted that the state has invested heavily in education and expressed happiness that students in public schools across the state were living up to expectation.

Michael-West thanked Total

for choosing 10 public public schools of the 15 selected, saying listening to the students, one can hardly differentiate whether they were from public or private schools.

He said, “I want to thank Total for organizing this programme and for choosing 10 public schools, of the 15 invited for this event.

“With that number and the five private schools that we listened to, you can appreciate their intelligence quotient (iq) and will agree with me that the disparity between private and public schools is fast fading away.

“It clearly shows that the public schools have come to stay as far as this state is concerned. This is because the Rivers State Government has invested heavily in education with quality school and well equipped libraries and facilities in all subject areas,” Minabelem said.

While stressing the need for book clubs to be encouraged in schools, the Permanent Secretary said aside oil and gas, the state has positioned itself in education and have produced literary scholars such as late Ken Saro-Wiwa, Dr Gabriel Okora, Dr. Elechi Amadi, late Dr. Obi Wali, mong others.

Michael-West told the students that reading was key to leading, saying, “you read in books, you are taught in books and you write in books.

That shows the importance of books in education.”

He further said it was not by accident that Port Harcourt won the UNESCO World Book Capital in 2014.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education thank Total for the event, which he said showed a commitment to the firm’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR policy.

He therefore called on other multinational companies and

private concerns emulate the Total E&P to promote the education of children and build a better Nigeria.

In his address, Deputy Managing Director, Total E&P Nigeria Limited, Port Harcourt District, Mr. Nicolas Brunet said the promotion of human capital development through scholarships, book reading and open day events is a tradition which the company was committed to.

“Through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives like book reading, open, scholarship schemes, charity visits, capacity building and skills acquisition trainings, the Total group of companies in Nigeria has championed youth development in action. “The sustainable development of youths/ students in both our host communities and operational areas has formed the pivot of CONTINUED ON PAGE42

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

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Constitutional rows at the local governments IYKE OZEMENA

T

he Muhammadu Buhari administration has to tackle frontally the issue of local governments in dire straits. It is indeed a problem of ambiguous provisions on local governments, which have been subject to various individual interpretations with few authenticated by judicial pronouncements. We know what the 1999 Constitution provides in its sections 7, 8 and 9 regarding creation of Local Government Areas, its functions, administration and finances etc. What is also common knowledge is that it is the third tier distinct unit in the Nigerian federation. If in practice the theoretical bases set above cannot be visible, the evidence would manifest in the form of challenges facing the local government administration across the country. This diagnosis calls for viable options to tackle the challenges.

The challenges faced by this tier of government appear to be the reluctance of the state government to acknowledge the distinct status of local government areas!

Almost all the states have problems with local government. So, when one hears that local government elections were conducted few days to hand over date, it became obvious that the reasons many states want the extinction of local government as third distinct tier are political. Just recently President Muhammadu Buhari hosted the 36 governors with cap in hand for financial bailout, but there was no local government chairman among them. Are the

774 Local Government Areas comfortable?

The LGAs are the ones that do not have viable economies, therefore dependent on stipend from the federal government.

Their absence or rather silence can only be explained by reason that whatever deal the governors struck at the Presidency is acceptable to them.

But one is being naïve to talk about 774 LG chairmen being non-existent. Perhaps, this explains the constitutional rows over local government across the nation in the first few weeks of this administration. It is, therefore, logical to deduce that if indeed there are no local government chairmen in existence, they stood disqualified to receive public revenue meant for them under S.162 of the 1999 Constitution, as argued in the case of Olisa Agbakoba v. Minister of Finance + ors. In order to wriggle out of such undesirable situation the Forum for the Emancipation of Kano State filed a suit against the then Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso in 2004, wherein they argued that it was unconstitutional and illegal for the governor, whether by himself or through his officers, to withhold local government funds.

The 1999 Constitution stipulates that funds belonging to the local governments in the Federation Account shall be allocated to the states for the benefit of their local government areas’ development, and on such terms and in such manner as may be prescribed by the National Assembly. By any length of imagination, one wonders where the state governments found the legal impetus to confiscate and misuse local government funds in the name of con-

THE MUHAMMADU BUHARI ADMINISTRATION HAS TO TACKLE FRONTALLY THE ISSUE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN DIRE STRAITS stitutionally prescribed ‘Joint Account’ with the state government. It is in this same Kano State that recently a Federal High Court in response to PDP’s application restrained the state government from dissolving local government councils, alleging that it would amount to breach of the 1999 Constitution. In the case of Rivers State, it was a timely presidential intervention that saved the state for another round of ‘politics of the sword’ witnessed during Governor Rotimi Amechi’s tenure.

The intervention would have been redundant if we have grown older in a democracy anchored on the rule of law. Under that dispensation, obedience to court judgment is inevitable and the least patriotic act.

What does one expect when Governor Amechi conducted local government election on 23r May, 2015, only six days to his vacation of power in Brick House? Questionable as it was, then Governor-elect Nyesom Wike challenged the legitimacy of the elections and on July 9, 2015 a Port Harcourt Federal High Court nullified the

election. Probably in anger and rejection of the outcome of the case people protested to the point of IG’s intervention with anti-riot patrol men, the kind that marred Amechi era. This time, response from Aso Rock was different from the Jonathan’s indifference.

Be that as it may, there are significant legal implications flowing from the judgment. Governor Wike quickly appointed caretaker committee chairmen and councilors “with due process and rule of law”.

However, the fact that they are caretakers simply suggests that a more solid and constitutional substitute is in the offing.

If not, that would send the signal that the old regime and practices of flagrant disregard of local government status are still with us.

The pertinent question to resolve is what the local government area as third tier of the federation is intended to achieve, if temporary administration is set up infinatum? To find practical solution to this perennial problem should begin by amending the constitution so that responsibilities of local government areas are properly delineated. In some states, local government build access roads, while in others they cannot do that because the state governments are in charge.

For PMB administration to make meaningful progress on local government development, a thorough surgical operation has to be performed on sections 7, 8 and 9 of the 1999 Constitution.

Ozemena is of Ikechukwu O. Ooemelam & Co, Corporate Attorneys/Consultants.

Obasanjo and 2019 presidential race UTUM ETENG

T

he popular saying in the African traditional society runs that “The words of our elders are words of wisdom and that the wise hears and gets wiser”. By implications, it follows that the foolish man remains foolish even when words of wisdom are spoken directly into his ears or face, he pays no hid because he would not recognize same.

The recent words spoken by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when he granted an interview to Channels Television in Abeokuta on Wednesday June 13, 2015, which was also published in the June 16 edition of The Punch, is a pointer to his state of mind in 2007, and will so remain, given his antecedents.

The screaming headline in that Channels Television story was ‘I choose Yar’Adua because others were corrupt’ and also agrees with his words as reported in the body of the story in The Punch newspaper when he said that “one of the people who wanted me in 2007 to support him was “strikingly corrupt”. He said the only way he (Obasanjo) could justify himself before man and God was to go for Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who was the only one among the contenders then that “was not corrupt”.

This statement though refers to the past, it is fully loaded of the present and the future, and should serve as a guide to

the ruling party APC come 2019 general elections. Given that God grants Chief Obasanjo good health and long life (we pray for him), he shall take this same statement as his guide to support whosoever would wish to succeed the incorruptible President Muhammadu Buhari, assuming he refuses to run for a second term in 2019 – it is not out of place for pressure to be exerted on him considering the good work he may have done to enhance the Nigerian project.

Taking a cue from the present supremacy contest in the APC controlled National Assembly sponsored by some perceived professional cum traditional presidential aspirants, a caveat is sounded by Chief Obasanjo as to who he will not support in 2019. It would be recalled that prior to this time, Chief Obasanjo did not hide his support for the presidential ambition of General Buhari during his campaigns and when he Buhari visited him at his residence in Abeokuta. Though Obasanjo was still technically a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as at when the elections were held, he did not compromise his rating of the Jonathan administration as being corrupt requiring no support from him, hence his public endorsement of General Buhari as his preferred candidate.

It is important to note that by Chief Obasanjo’s nature, given another opportunity, he would repeat these same words again and again come 2019. Therefore,

NIGERIANS APPEAR SET TO FLOW WITH

BUHARI AND TO BE WATCHFUL OF THOSE WHO WOULD DESIRE TO SUCCEED HIM IN

2019

those National Assembly members who have allowed themselves to be misguided by some of these traditional presidential aspirants now in the APC, they should quickly think twice and promptly retrace their steps if they still desire to be relevant in the APC family in the years ahead.

Though, Chief Obasanjo made no direct reference to any of the former PDP presidential aspirants, putting one and two together, one could guess (and guess rightly too), who the Owu Chief was referring to.

Those who now concentrate in the divide and rule tactics to break up the ranks and file of the APC should know that Nigerians sympathetic to the APC are watching to judge them from their past.

Though 2019 is still far away, and also that given that the Buhari administration is too young to be properly rated, but by his determination to confront corrupt public officers of the past and present, Nigerians appear set to flow with Buhari and to be watchful of those who would

desire to succeed him in 2019. But by Chief Obasanjo’s caveat, the ruling party has been forewarned and forearmed. The APC is not a party for sale to the highest bidder, for money bags or for those who before now are suspected to be very corrupt. If indeed the APC presidential ticket in 2014 was for sale to the highest bidder, then the likes of our President would not have come first in the last APC presidential primaries with former governor of Kano State coming second and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a distant third.

The corruption perception index of Nigeria has increased tremendously and the people are posed not to give power to any perceived corrupt persons, whether now, before or in future. Hence, those suspected to be corrupt should look elsewhere. Chief Obasanjo is still around for good and his views are highly respected, both locally and internationally.

Chief (Barr) ETeng, a private legal practitioner and human rights activists, wrote from Calabar and can be reached on 08034008723, 08174898377 (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.

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Editorial

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

Police and lingering human rights abuse T

he Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, early last week at a threeday training workshop organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Abuja, disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force paid over N1 billion, apparently as judgement debt or compensation, to Nigerians whose rights police officers and men trampled on in the last three years. “The Challenge of Policing in an Emerging Democracy: Entrenching Human Rightsbased Approaches to Use Force and Firearms by Nigeria Police Officers” was the theme of the training. Arase acknowledged the fact that ‘Police’ Force Order 237, on which the police rely to kill recklessly in the guise of law enforcement and protection of life and property, has not only come under intense local and international criticisms, but constitutes the main root of legal actions against the nation’s police establishment.

Force Order 237 empowers the police to use firearms under the following circumstances, namely: (a) When a police officer is attacked and his life is in danger and there is no other way of saving his life. (b) When defending a person who is attacked and he believes on reasonable ground that he cannot otherwise protect him from death. (c) When necessary to disperse rioters or to

prevent them from committing serious offences against lives and property. (d) If he cannot by any other means arrest a person who, being in lawful custody, escaped and take flight in order to avoid rearrest, provided the offence with which he is charged or has been convicted of is a felony or misdemeanour. (e) If he cannot by any other means arrest a person who takes flight in order to avoid arrest provided the offence is such that the accused may be punished with death or imprisoned for seven years and above.

Before, during and even after the three year, fruitless constitutional amendment exercise the 7th National Assembly embarked on between 2012 and this year, countless civil society groups and rights activists in the country and overseas have remained consistent in their agitation for the repeal of Force Order 237.

Notwithstanding its objectionable position and seeming bias on happenings between the Nigerian Armed Forces and insurgency crisis management in the country, Amnesty International, in a December 2009 report, following claims of mass burial of men killed by the Nigeria Police, whose corpses were dumped at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu State, drew attention to how Force Order 237 encouraged extra judicial killings. Erwin van der Borght, the

July 28, 1976 The Tangshan earthquake measuring between 7.8 and 8.2 moment magnitude flattened Tangshan in the People’s Republic of China, killing 242,769 and injuring 164,851 others. The earthquake is believed to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll. It occurred between a series of political events involving the Communist Party of China, leading to the expulsion of the ruling ‘Gang of Four’.

THOUGH

IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING REPORTED,

THE HUMAN RIGHTS RECORDS OF THE

POLICE ARE STILL NONDESERVING OF A PASS MARK group’s Africa Programme Director, did say then: “Force Order 237 is so impermissibly broad.

It simply gives police officers permission to shoot people. It is against international standards and is being abused by police officers to commit, justify and cover up illegal killings”.

Nigeria-based International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law also told the 7th NASS that Force Order 237 “is… backed by relevant subsections of Sections 33 and 35 of the (1999) Constitution. These subsections are in conflict with their mother sections and inconsistent with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the UN Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power, the Basic UN Principles for the Use of Firearms by the Law Enforce-

ON THIS DAY July 28, 2005 The Provisional Irish Republican Army called an end to its thirty-year long armed campaign in Northern Ireland. The IRA was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about an independent republic encompassing all of Ireland. It emerged in December 1969 after the beginning of the ‘Troubles’.

ment Personnel and the UN Code of Conducts for the Law Enforcement Officers, all of which Nigeria has either signed, ratified or domesticated”.

It is a common experience in the country seeing the police and armed forces personnel employing excessive and deadly force, including extra-judicial killings, as law enforcement strategies or to contain minor security breaches. Though improvements are being reported, the human rights records of the police are still nondeserving of a pass mark; what with legion egregious examples to draw from. All this culminate in the very strong suggestion that a lot more training work is required to redirect the culture of impunity away from the Nigeria Police and replace same with civilized conduct and respect for human rights in line with international best practice under a democracy. The IGP agrees that a policy vacuum exists on how and when firearms may be deployed and the circumstances governing the use of force by the police in the country. Perhaps more significant, however, was his promise to ensure police officers are strictly held accountable for the ways they us firearms. But no tangible improvement may be recorded in the long run on the human rights records of the police until Force Order 237 is extensively reviewed.

July 28, 2010 Airblue Flight 202 crashed into the Margalla Hills north of Islamabad, Pakistan, killing all 152 people aboard. It is the deadliest aviation accident in Pakistan’s history and the first involving an Airbus A321. The aircraft, an Airblue operated Airbus A321-231 narrow-body jet airliner, crashed during a flight from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport to Benazir Bhutto International Airport.

Business

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

BVN: NIBSS, OIS partner on Diaspora enrolment

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Mixed reactions trail FG’s 10,000 units home ownership scheme

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Stakeholders rally to confront e-fraud threats in financial sector

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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

Electricity: Discos face hurdles over moves to review tariffs Over the past few months, there have been raging debate about the desirability or otherwise of the planned review of electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) amongst stakeholders, majority of whom the appeared to be unjustified by all assessment parameters. In this analysis by CHIDI UGWU, the issues of the planned review are laid bare with the likelihood that going ahead with the move by Discos may trigger a major crisis in the power sector.

S

ince Friday November 1, 2013 when the Federal Government handed over its assets and eighteen generation, transmission and distribution successor companies of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria to the “core investors” there have been debate between the distribution companies and electricity consumers over tariff.

Electricity tariff is the pricing structure which Electricity distribution companies charges customer for energy consumption.

It is divided into two parts: the ‘fixed charge’ for supply of energy to a consumer’s premises and the ‘variable charge’ for the amount of energy used at a given period of time.

While the distribution companies premised the attempts to increase the tariff on the losses that they face and the new price of gas, which they claim has increased their cost of doing business in the country, the consumers say the move is arrant exploitation.

National Mirror gathered that the Discos secured from the Nige-

rian Electricity Regulation Commission (NERC) the go ahead to set their tariff in their respective jurisdictions after intense lobbying, saying upward review of the tariff would allow for improved service delivery.

As result, NERC ceded part of its regulatory responsibilities with regards to transparent determination of appropriate tariff payable by consumers in Nigeria’s electricity industry to both consumers and distribution companies in the sector.

NERC said, at the end of the

April edition of the monthly meeting of heads of operators in the country’s electricity industry in Abuja, that its decision on the option of joint consultation and determination of electricity rates by consumers and distribution companies was based on the need to foster transparency and inclusiveness in the way electricity rates are decided and paid in the sector.

Chairman of NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi explained that from the recent disagreements on its review of the Multi Year Tariff Order CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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

Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Electricity: Discos face hurdles over moves to review tariffs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 (MYTO 2.1), consumers and distribution companies would now have to sit down together to discuss and determine a mutually acceptable cost-reflective tariff to be paid in the sector.

Lately, the Discos have intensified efforts to achieve the tariff increase drawing yet again the ire of the enraged consumers who claim that what they currently pay is way out of out the roof and not commensurate with the service rendered.

The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) recently placed notice of intent to review upwards the tariff in national dailies.

Also, the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company indicated that it was proposing a review of the tariff.

The Manager, Corporate Communications, PHED, Mr. Jonah Iboma, said the proposal for a review of the tariff was based on the directive by NERC to the electricity distribution companies to charge what they considered fair to their sustenance.

He stated that the notice of intention to review the tariff had already been published on the PHED website and the company’s offices in the four affected states.

The statement added, “The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company has made public its intention to review electricity tariff. The move comes on the heels of a directive by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission to electricity distribution companies to meet with customers and inform them about the need to review tariff in view of the current realities and challenges in the industry.

“The notice of intention to review tariff has already been published on the company’s website and the company’s offices in the four states that the PHED operates namely: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states.”

Also, the managing director of Enugu electricity company (EEDC), Robert Dickerman said that the company would review electricity tariff in order to improve its services to consumers.

Dickerman explained that EEDC and other electricity distribution companies were reviewing tariff in line with requirement of fair charges to consumers stipulated by the electricity regulatory body, adding the current tariffs do not reflect the actual cost of operations.

This renewed wave of attempts to review the tariff has attracted a deluge of criticism from concerned consumers with some accusing NERC of conniving with the distribution companies to short-change consumers.

Apparently, the Discos and consumers are ultimately heading for showdown if nothing is done to check the trend of arbitrary tariff review by the Disocs. Already, some manufacturers in the country have said that the increase in electricity tariffs will force them to shut down their operations in the near future if development is not urgently addressed.

Different producer groups of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria recently declared that if the NERC failed to revert to the old Multi Year Tariff Order, the industrialists would have no option but to down tools.

Buhari

Amadi

Bolanle Onagoruwa

Croucher

IF THE SUPPLIER INSTALL A METER FOR YOU AND THE METER IS NOT DISPENSING THE AMOUNT OF

KILOWATT HOUR THAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO GIVE TO YOU HE IS LOSING HIS MONEY BECAUSE HE

WILL ONLY CHARGE YOU FOR WHAT THAT METER WILL RECORD A Restaurant Manager in Abuja, Benson Ajayi noted that NERC’s new policy to live the decision of tariff review within the domain of the Discos and consumers would effectively handover the power to fix tariff to the distribution companies and being “businesses their aim is to maximize profits, adding that they would continually increase the tariff every other quarter.

“I think the problem is with NERC which should have known that these people are businesses men who are out to make profit. If you allow them to fix what they charge we should expect upward review every other quarter” “I hope the new government will call NERC to order and reverse the decision because it is not in the interest of the masses”, he added.

Also, Electricity Consumers Association of Nigeria (ECAN) has called on the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to stop any further move to review upwards the electricity tariffs within its area of operations.

In an objection notice by the ECAN which is contained in letter dated 17 June 2015 and signed by its National President, Barrister Chijioke James, which was addressed to Abuja Distribution Company, the association threatened to commence a legal action against Abuja Disco should the latter insists on going ahead to increase tariff.

ECAN stated that it had already complied particulars of infractions by Abuja Disco awaiting its refusal to stay action with regard to its intention to review upwards the electricity tariff `in the region.

According to letter, the objection letter became necessary after an emergency meeting of ECAN convened to deliberate on Abuja Discos’ public notification in a national newspaper on June 12, 2015, and titled: Notice of intention to review tariffs as mandated by Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Parts of the letter which was obtained

by National Mirror in Abuja, reads “After the emergency meeting of ECAN convened to deliberate on your public notification as

caption above, ECAN wishes to register its objection to your intention to review tariffs upwards at this stage and time on the following grounds: “That the constitution and the electric power Act 2005 which you relied on gives a discos responsibilities to the consumers upon which they can rely on to review tariffs as prescribed by relevant laws.

The your persistent refusal to discharge your responsibilities to our consumers within your jurisdiction makes it unjust, inequitable and impossible for you to rely on and or involve the provisions of the law to take advantage of our consumers within your jurisdiction” It also noted that part of the obligations of the distribution company was among others, to provide meters for the consumers which it has failed to achieve, adding that over 50 per cent of the consumers in the area are yet to be metered hence it company relies on estimated billing system which customers have kicked against.

It further reads “That ECAN by response to your publication notifies you of its intention to commence class action against you should you insist on going ahead to unjustly increase tariff under the current circumstances “The particulars of infractions by you are already compiled and awaiting your refusal to stay action on increase in tariff without settling the issues herein raised by ECAN” Last week, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos again stopped the attempt by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to go ahead with its plans to effect a hike in electricity tariff across the country.

This was consequent upon the striking out a preliminary objection filed by NERC challenging a suit filed by a lawyer, Toluwani Yemi Adebiyi, against the proposed hike in electricity tariff across the country.

To ensure equity for both consumers and Discos, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA), Engr. Peter Ewesor, advocated provision of well tested pre-paid meters.

According to him, a well tested meter ensures that there is energy balance between the supplier and the consumer.

“If the supplier install a meter for you and the meter is not dispensing the amount of Kilowatt hour that it is supposed to give to you he is losing his money because he will only charge you for what that meter will record.

Then, vis-a-vis, if the meter is not dispensing energy accurately in which case you are paying more than the energy you receive the Disco is short-changing the customer. So that is the area where NEMSA comes to make sure that there is energy balance between the supplier and the consumer. This is to ensure that whatever the Disco supplies you is what you pay for” he stated.

With the latest order of the courts and mounting opposition to the Discos’ moves to review upwards the electricity tariffs, experts believe going ahead with the proposal may trigger a major crisis in the power sector that could in the long run, make the companies face nationwide consumers’ protests and by implication, lose the war against the popular will and potential for returns on their investments.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

21

BVN: NIBSS, OIS partner on Diaspora enrolment UDO ONYEKA

T

he Nigerian Inter Banks Settlement System, NIBSS, has commenced the enrolment of Nigerians living abroad that have bank accounts in Nigeria on the Bank Verification Number, BVN, platform.

Giving this hint during a media briefing at the weekend in Lagos , the Managing Director, NIBSS, Mr. Ade Shonubi said the services of Online Integrated Solutions, OIS, had been engaged to

enrol Nigerians in their locations abroad and send whatever data they collected to NIBSS. According to him, the BVN registration extension granted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is maximised as NIBSS with the period in partnership with OIS would enrol Nigerians abroad.

Shonubi said among many options to enrol Nigerians in BVN engaging the service of a professional organisation such as OIS with track record remained the best.

He pointed out further that in many countries the law actually

prevents data of their nationals from being captured and stored outside their borers.

For instance he said Nigerian banks in UK are not allowed to share the data of their customers with their parent banks that are here, hence the need to engage OIS that have done such in the past.

He clarified: “ Part of data privacy rules and laws does not allow us getting up to outside the country to set up desk to enrol people.

The first thing we considered was legally what can be done and by who. We did some research to find out who supports the Nigerian em-

bassy in gathering information for VISA and passport applications and renewal. Because by law they are allowed to gather such data so we said we can also get them to do the BVN and that was how OIS was engaged.”

Sonubi said that OIS had been in existence for long and operate in many countries of the world, adding that the company has been doing business with Federal Government.

“Apart from that they have the infrastructure and are ready to commit their resources to getting some of the devices needed for

the project. We insist that our data stays in Nigeria no matter where is being captured from. And I think it is what is obtainable globally and that is what we will do. Our data must remain local for our own protection “, he said.

The NIBSS’ boss also explained that some Nigerian banks subsidiaries had also taken the initiative to assist by registering Nigerian in the countries where these banks exits, adding that the BVN is initiated with the aim that in financial sector operators could identify every person so that their transactions could be lot more secured.

Osun govt tasks AAAN on control of adverts DAVID AUDU

A L-R: Project Manager, Bank Verification Number (BVN), Seyi Ademosun; Executive Director, Technology and Operations, Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), Niyi Ajao; Managing Director/CEO, Adebisi Shonubi, and Head Corporate Communications, CBN Lagos, Innocent Edozie, during a briefing on BVN for Nigerians in Diaspora last Friday in Lagos.

FSS 2020, EPPAN plan 2015 E-Govt Summit

T

he FSS2020 Programme Management Office in collaboration with Electronic Payment System Providers Association of Nigeria (EPPAN) will today flag-off the two-day 2015 Annual e-Government summit in Abuja The summit, with the theme “eGovernment: Key to Sustainable Development” is aimed at influencing the development of standards for the common benefit of electronic payment industry, endusers consumers and regulatory authorities, and to provide forum for cutting – edge interactions on issues surrounding e-payment and self-service amongst others.

The FSS2020 is poised to key

into the e-Governance as a major strategy to provide a veritable platform for the implementation of its 25 transformational programmes with view to developing the nation’s financial services industry and ultimately help in realizing the nation’s aspiration to be one of the top twenty economies by the year 2020.

This is in line with the Federal Government directive in 2009 that all of its financial transactions be carried out electronically to ensure transparency and accountability. It also dovetails into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) policy of cashless economy.

According to the planners, a key objective of the summit,

would be to explore how government could effectively manage the process of innovation in the context of public finance and how technology can improve the process of governance, amongst others.

Dignitaries expected to grace the occasion include the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to deliver the Keynote address, the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, as well as heads of other financial regulatory institutions and other relevant government officials.

Papers will be presented by subject matter experts from the ICT industry and the financial industry.

gainst the backdrop of the uproar and anxieties some political advertisement created during the last general elections, Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has tasked members of the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, AAAN, to ensure stricter control of advertising contents before exposure to the public.

While admitting that the association tried to filter what goes out to the public, the Governor noted that the case of the political adverts during the last general election crossed the ethical line far too long, and called on the association and other relevant bodies to begin to exercise their responsibilities.

In a speech delivered by his Chief of Staff, during the 42nd Annual General Meeting and Lecture of the association, Aregbesola commended the leadership of the AAAN and described them as making positive influence to the society, and who have contributed tremendously to the economy by being a major employer of labour and also being a driver on the wheel of trade and commerce in Nigeria “I am sure your association has misgivings about the adverts

and must surely regret that they were not subjected to your censorship. I think it is in order for you to press for greater legal access and control over products, and especially, political adverts in order to bring greater sanity to the industry” Earlier in his welcome address, AAAN President, Mr. Kelechi Nwosu, noted that Nigeria’s advertising, apart from its contributions to the gross domestic product, GDP, advertising under the auspices of AAAN, had “continued to act as catalyst to national economic growth as well as improve the quality of life. This, we ensure by adding value to goods and services, and offering informed choices to consumers.

“Our members create experiences, feelings and engagement that elevate brands, using traditional and new media to drive innovation and creative solutions.

We are actually the bastion of the Creative industries sometimes creating monster brands out of nothing. We stimulate demand and support industry.

The managing director of TBWA Concepts stated that the objective of our AGM was to evolve policies, articulate options and identify strategies for addressing national issues, particularly those that affect the advertising industry and the Nigerian economy.

NCILT, FAAN to collaborate to improve transport logistics OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he National Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, NCILT, has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, in order to improve the nation’s

transport logistics.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, disclosed this in a statement at the weekend hinted that the Institute also commended the management of FAAN for its commitment to the development of the country’s aviation sector.

Dati stated that the Deputy Na-

tional President of the Institute, Prof. Kayode Oyesiku, stated that FAAN has over the years been improving on the transport logistics of the economy, especially as it concerns aviation sub-sector of the national transport system, adding that the institute would be delighted to partner with the agency to further improve the system in the country.

Dati stated that Oyesiku made the statement when he led the executive members of the institute on a courtesy call to the Managing Director, FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma at its headquarters in Ikeja late last week.

He also commended the efficient service delivery of FAAN at the nation’s airports and observed areas that could be im-

proved upon with the enhanced partnership between FAAN and the institute.

The Director of Maintenance and Engineering of FAAN, Dr. Olufemi Ogunode, who received the members of the institute on behalf of Dunoma, thanked the leadership of the institute for their commitment to aviation development in Nigeria.

22

Business News

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Group tasks Nigeria on economic growth options DAVID AUDU

A

think tank economic group, the Supporting Economic Transformation, SET, in its recent overview of the Nigerian economy, has called on the government of President Mohammadu Buhari to focus on new areas that will bring about the desired economic growth.

The group noted that in spite of the rebased economy that placed Nigeria as the economic giant of Africa, past economic policies had not brought about real transformation, positing that new areas of economic growth need to be identified and supported as a matter of urgency.

It tasked the new government to chart out a new path with new aspirations for Nigeria and to set out a number of tangible policy deliverables which it needs to pursue consistently.

“In order to do this, it should establish an independent advisory group to help set out economic goals in the coming years. More specifically, the new government should establish an inter-ministerial group to prepare a list of deliverables that remove significant binding constraints to inclusive economic transformation.

It advised the government to identify and build on promising new sectors and co-ordinate the implementation of a number of demonstration projects that show the transformative potential of economic activities, adding that these could be government investment led, but more likely would involve private investment, and also to identify ways to improve the dispersion of economic benefits that result in a list of measures to be drawn up based on inputs from an advisory committee from the North.

The new economic agenda, the group stressed, should also

examine ways to raise non-oil government revenues needed for investments in quality public goods.

While identifying the facts that Nigeria has lost competitiveness in manufacturing over the past decade and has failed to develop much productive knowledge, despite the potential to do so on the basis of a decade of significant oil revenues, such that Nigeria today is far from the efficiency frontier in manufacturing and certainly below par in many service industries, it believed that proactive steps could be taken to redirect Nigeria economic output that would ensure growth in the coming years.

Drawing from previous experiences, the group noted that successful transformers have usually been able to articulate a clear growth and development strategy so as to create policy consensus and create buy-in from various parts of the economy.

L-R: Chief Risk Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Tunji Kazeem; Executive Director, UBS Nigeria, Mr. Henry Erimodafe; Chairman, Capital Bancorp Plc, Mr. Olutola Mobolurin; Chief Executive Officer, RTC Advisory Services Limited, Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje; and Chief Executive Officer, Kayode Fahun Production Limited, Mr. Kayode Fahun,during Capital Bancorp investor forum last Thursday in Lagos.

Importation ban hikes frozen food prices ...traders groan as fiscal policy takes toll on business

ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

T

he Federal Government’s enforcement of the policy banning importation of frozen foods, especially turkey and chicken, has continued to impact negatively on consumers as prices of the affected items take a spiralling rising trend in markets nationwide.

Investigation by National Mirror across major markets in Lagos State showed that prices of most of the products have skyrocketed as a carton of turkey which used to sell at about N7, 500 now sells at N11,000 while the price of chicken has increased to N9,500, up from the former N6,500.

At the Dopemu and Agege main markets, a kilogram of turkey is being sold for N1,150 against initial price of N750, while chicken sells for N1, 050 against N650.

A visit to some coldroom across the state showed that only few of them had the items in stock.

The federal government had banned the importation of frozen chicken, turkey in 2003 but since then the items have never ceased to exist in Nigerian markets.

The new measures seem to have a bite following the soaring price of the items barely nine days after the fresh campaign by the customs.

Speaking with newsmen, the Iyaloja of Ajeromi Ifelodun Lo-

cal Government, Afusat Popoola, confirmed that the shortfall in supply was responsible for the price increase.

“Although, it is still available at Ijora market, being the hub of frozen food items, but the availability is in limited quantity and price has increased, this present situation will not only affect turkey and chicken but frozen fish will also be affected,” Popoola said.

A frozen food dealer at Agege market, who identified herself as Iya Shade narrated her ordeal in the hand of the Nigeria Customs Service, while trying to carry her chicken bought at the popular Benin Republic market, Cotonou across the border.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arik Air increases flights on Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route OLUSEGUN KOIKI

A

rik Air, has announced increased flight frequency on the Abuja-Port Harcourt-Abuja route from two to three daily flights.

Media statement by the airline’s spokesman, Mr. Ola Adebanji stated that the new schedule provides its clients with options of flying in the morning, mid-day or evening.

Adebanji stated that the first flight from Abuja to Port Harcourt departs at 07:00 am and arrives Port Harcourt at 08:00 am, the second flight departs at 11:00 am and arrives at 12:00 pm while the third flight leaves Abuja at 4:30 pm and arrives Port Harcourt at 5:30 pm.

He added that the Arik’s Port Harcourt to Abuja service equally operates three times daily with the first flight departing at 08:40 am to arrive at 09:40 am, the second flight departs at 12:40 pm to arrive Abuja at 1:40 pmwhile the third flight departs Port Harcourt at 6:10 pm to arrive Abuja at 7:10 pm, including Saturdays and Sundays.

Commenting on the introduction of the additional flights, Arik Air’s Managing Director, Mr. Chris Ndulue disclosed that the decision to provide three daily flight services on the Abuja –Port Harcourt-Abuja route was taken in response to the yearning of its numerous guests who he said had always longed to have flexible travel times on that route.

Fiat Chrysler nearing U.S. agency fine over recalls

F

iat Chrysler Automobiles NV will agree to pay the U.S. Department of Transportation a record $105 million following an investigation into whether the company delayed acting on safety defects, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Fiat Chrysler will also agree to have an independent monitor evaluate how the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker handles recalls, the person said. The announcement could come as soon as Monday.

The agreement would represent the largest penalty ever imposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the agency that regulates the auto industry and investigates safety defects. It would be the latest in a series of record-breaking fines, superseding a $70 million penalty Honda Motor Co. paid last year.

NHTSA has been stepping up its enforcement efforts following

criticism that it acted too slowly on reports about failed General Motors Co. ignition switches that caused air-bags to lose power. The agency faced similar complaints over its response to reports that air-bags made by could explode, sending shrapnel toward frontseat occupants.

The carmaker’s agreement would follow the recall announced Saturday of 1.7 million of its late model Ram trucks to replace airbags that may deploy inadvertently due to two different faults.

On July 2, NHTSA held a rare public hearing to go over evidence that Fiat Chrysler had taken too long to initiate safety recalls, delayed producing parts needed to fix defects, and didn’t do enough to ensure that consumers complied.

NHTSA officials scrutinized a set of 23 recalls by the company covering more than 10 million vehicles to fix various flaws.

UBS to report 25% jump in second quarter net profit

S

wiss bank UBS (UBSG.VX) will report a year-on-year increase of about 25 percent in quarterly net profit on Tuesday, with around 1.5 billion francs of earnings in the second quarter, newspaper SonntagsZeitung said on Sunday, citing an anonymous source.

UBS spokesman Mark Hengel declined to comment on the report.

The newspaper said the quarterly earnings, which would be much higher than most analysts’ estimates, would bring net profit for the first half of 2015 to about 3.5 billion Swiss francs ($3.64 billion), a 50 percent increase from the first

half of 2014.

The report cited an insider as saying the quarterly profit would have been even higher, if not for write-offs of about 200 million francs.

More than half of the quarterly net profit was generated by the bank’s Swiss subsidiary, with 700 million francs from corporate banking and 150 million in asset management, the newspaper said.

UBS’s chief rival, Credit Suisse (CSGN.VX), reported 1.1 billion francs of quarterly net profit last week, outstripping the average expectation of 783 million francs.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Jobs & Career

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

Ambode tasks youths on technical skills for entrepreneurship devt

...as State Broadcasting Corporation pensioners lament unpaid entitlements Tola a kinmuTimi

L

and

attended by budding youth entrepre-

david audu

neurs and others who would like to venture into business, also featured

agos State Governor, Akinwumi

the inauguration of the Young Entre-

Ambode, has urged youths to

preneurs’ Club. The club is aimed at

embrace technical and voca-

tional education to promote quality

providing motivation and guidance to

entrepreneurs that could compete ef-

the aspiring young business leaders Meanwhile, retirees of the State’s

fectively in local and global business

Broadcasting Corporation, owners of

environments The Governor assured the youths of

Radio Lagos, Eko FM and Lagos State

his administration’s commitment to

Television Service, have appealed to

supporting their entrepreneurial ini-

the the Governor to save them from

tiatives aimed at making them produc-

starvation and homelessness.

The Retirees, under the aegis of Re-

tive agents in the nation’s economy.

Ambode made the call at the 3rd An-

tirees of Lagos State Broadcasting As-

nual Lagos State Enterprise Day with

sociation, say they have been languish-

the title ‘Promoting Trade Skills for

ing in poverty since living service and

Improved Productivity in Entreneur-

have continued to face hardship be-

ship Development’ organised by the

cause the previous governor, ignored

Lagos State Technical and Vocational

all their calls to look into the issue.

Education Board (LASTVEB).

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, at the event, the Governor explained that the newlycreated Ministry of Employment and Wealth Creation was in fulfilment of the electoral promise to make life better for Lagosians.

He assured: ‘’Our administration is committed to promoting and encouraging the acquisition of technical and

According to the pensioners, the or-

Ambode

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba

vocational education as major instru-

improve the efficiency of their enter-

ments for youth empowerment, job and

prises by putting proper structures in

wealth creation.”

place, seeking continuous knowledge,

Ambode declared that the Ministry would identify and work with all stake-

L

of Southern Afri-

A notice by the company

hinted

ca before joining

In her keynote address, the Private

search of jobs and create business sup-

Sector Development Adviser to the

port centres and advised young entre-

State Government with the Depart-

preneurs to do everything necessary to

ment for International Development of

ergy

CEO in 1999.

When Lafarge Blue

gic

Sourcing

responsible

for

try, Blue Circle

Circle he stayed

worldwide

in 1988. Prior to

in Manila to in-

gy strategy and

this appointment

tegrate the two

sourcing of

he worked as a

companies, leav-

farge’s $12B/y ex-

lecturer in Impe-

ing in 2003 to be-

ternally sourced

rial

come

inputs.

regional

that the former

Science and Tech-

president

for

In

Group

nology,

Lafarge in Latin

2013,

America.

dinott

Manag-

Strate-

took

of

over

&

the cement indus-

College

London

ing Director, Mr.

University

Guillaume Roux,

1983 to 1988.

from

In 2007, he became

regional

enerLa-

September Mr.

Hod-

was

pointed

ap-

Group

Executive

Vice

on

While at Blue

the Board as a Di-

Circle, he worked

president

rector.

in the Technical

Western

is

Centre and also

– Cement, includ-

currently

Min-

managed the UK

ing Morocco. In

dent of

ing Engineer and

cement plants be-

2012, he became

reau, the Europe-

spent his early ca-

fore going to the

Executive

an Cement Trade

reer in the mines

Philippines

President – En-

will

remain

Hoddinott a

British

as

endeavours.

holders to give identity to those in

Lafarge Africa appoints Hoddinott, new Group MD

afarge Africa has appointed Mr. Peter Hoddinott as its Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

taking risks and be strategic in their

for

President – Per-

Europe

formance. He is

Vice

PresiCembu-

Association.

ganisation had since 2013 stopped paying retirees gratuity due to paucity of funds.

Their spokes- person,who pleaded anonymity for fear of being witchhunted, disclosed that the pensioners’ situation had worsened by the provision of the new pension scheme which does not allow retirees to draw from their contributions, held by Pension

the British Government, Mrs Alessan-

Managers until the bond is released by

dra Lustrati, explained that one could

the employers.

become an entrepreneur naturally or

He lamented further that the LSBC’s

nurture, adding that entrepreneurship

financial situation took an unfavour-

could also be acquired through learn-

able turn when in 2013, former Gover-

ing, encouragement and the right envi-

nor, Babatunde Fashola cut the month-

ronment.

ly subvention to Radio from about N10

She advised young would-be entre-

million to N2 million and further re-

preneurs to identify and build their

duced it to N1.2million and N800, 000

skills improve their access to informa-

for Television before he left office.

tion, resources, finance and technol-

“Presently, the two stations struggle

ogy and also come up with business

to pay salaries living management to

visions and ideas in order to succeed.

continually complain of lack of funds

The Executive Secretary of LAST-

to settle retirees. Consequently they

VEB, Mr Olawunmi Gasper, said that

repeatedly appealed to the former Gov-

60 per cent of the problem of youth un-

ernor, before he left office, but turned

employment could be tackled through

deaf ears to their cries”.

technical skills’ development and entrepreneurship.

He canvassed the need for improved engagement of the private sector to

They also claimed that their files had not been treated since 2013, but now gathering dust in the office of the Head of Administration.

ensure improved investments in the

The retirees, who claimed that they

youth, using Technical and Vocational

had not been paid for three years, said

Education (TVE) as a tool to inspire

that they had written to the Ambode to

them to achieve their full potential.

come to their aid to save them from un-

The programme, which was well

told hardship.

Jobs & Career

24

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Responsibility for your career development rests on your shoulders

W

ant to develop a successful career in process improvement?

10 tips on how you can make it happen from Shady El Safty, Quality Manager at General Motors China.

The people whose careers seem to grow the fastest follow similar patterns of behavior: they understand competition exists, they recognize the steps they need to succeed, and they understand who is responsible. They take charge of their career and accept full responsibility for their growth.

Having lived and worked in different countries, over the years I have often been asked by people about what brought me to a specific country or into a specific job. When I think about my own life and career, there are top 10 tips for career development that I found very helpful and I would like to share with you.

1. Build your Dream It is very important to think about your dream and the vision for your own life and career. You need to think of it as a whole. You cannot distinguish between your personal and your professional life.

You only have one life and you need to define your goals and ambitions. These may change over time and that’s perfectly fine. But without goals nothing can be achieved.

Put in writing your mission, vision and goals. If you write something down, there is a 100 -percent chance that it will

get done. Write your personal mission statement, and if necessary, write a “stopdoing” list. Set three goals: the secret to getting on top of time management is setting three goals set three goals for the year, the quarter, the month, the week and the day.

2. Believe in Yourself As your skills increase, you gain more experience and a clearer understanding your significance to your organization.

Believing in yourself, your skills, and your ability to succeed are critical success factors for your career development. And never forget the people who have helped you along the way.

3. Never Stop Learning A proven way to advance in your career is to be continually acquiring new knowledge. Stay on top of trends or developments in your field and make sure that your current résumé reflects those needed skills. Take specific actions to improve your skills. Look for opportunities for training. Read books. Read blogs. Make an effort to learn new skills and practice them as much as you can in your current job. Always remember these words “If you are not moving forward, you are moving backward.”

4. Sharpen your People Skills Strong interpersonal skills play a crucial role in gaining the respect of your boss and co-workers; they will also attract the notice of outside influencers who

might open new doors of opportunity for you. Be friendly, outgoing, and personable. Listen carefully to people, and practice being a clear and effective communicator. (To be continued next week)

Want to develop a successful career in process improvement? 10 tips on how you can make it happen from Shady El Safty, Quality Manager at General Motors China.

Workers in an office

Get ahead in your career with these important tips

W

e live in a highly competitive world – succeeding in a given career has become increasingly difficult. It is therefore important that you begin now to carefully plan your career. Find below, important tips to help get you ahead in your career.

Do a personal SWOT analysis When starting out on a career or changing careers, making an informed decision about where best to apply your talents is necessary. A personal SWOT analysis can help you determine where your are most likely to find success in the professional world. Strength – determine what you do well and where your skills will shine; Weakness – discover the areas where you need to improve; Opportunities – look at the external factors that you can take advantage of to find a new job or change career direction; Threat- these are external factors that could hurt your job / new job prospect.

Be a problem-solver When you go to your manager with a problem, it is advisable that you have a suggestion in mind to solve that problem.

Even if your manager doesn’t take your

suggestion, you will look like a problemsolver, not a complainer.

Don’t let the fear of making mistakes hold you back Making a mistake can be a humbling experience as well as a learning experience.

Mistakes can serve you well if you utilize the lessons you learn from them properly and try not to make the same mistake twice. If you are afraid of making mistakes, you won’t have the courage to venture out in something new.

Be an asset to your company Making quick impact in your company gets you more attention and support. You don’t have to wait five years to get on a project, start one today. You have to learn as much as possible and start mastering your job so you can move on to the bigger projects faster. Take note that managers always want to know how much impact you are having on the company, such as increasing revenue, decreasing costs, lowering downtime rate. Always measure the outcome of your projects and keep track of results as it is going to help you justify promotions.

By Gbenga Sogbaike @ Jobberman. com

Trainers in a workshop

Temporary, part-time jobs surge promotes inequality, says OECD

A

surge in self-employment and temporary or part-time jobs over the past two decades has been a key factor behind the rise in inequality in the world’s industrialised countries, according to a major new study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) The Paris-based club,

which has been a driving force in arguing that increasing inequality jeopardises economic growth, says more than half of all job creation in its 34 member countries since the mid1990s has been in “non-standard work”, which accounts for about a third of total employment.

With such jobs tending to be lower-paid and less

secure than their full-time, permanent equivalents, some economists have described this phenomenon as the rise of a “precariat” – and the OECD says the growing prevalence of nonstandard work has widened wage inequality.

“Non-standard workers are worse off in terms of many aspects of job quality. They tend to receive less

training and, in addition, those on temporary contracts have more job strain and have less job security than workers in standard jobs. Earnings levels are also lower in terms of annual and hourly wages,” the OECD says.

“In the six years since the global economic crisis, standard jobs were destroyed while part-time

employment continued to increase,” it says, in the new report, In It Together: Why Less Inequality Benefits All, the latest in a series on inequality.

In general, inequality has tended to rise across OECD countries in recent decades. The report says that the richest 10% of the population now earn 9.6 times the income of the poorest 10%, up from 7 times in the 1980s – and the shift to non-standard work has played a role.

(Source –theguardian.com)

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

Real Estate & Environment

Mixed reactions trail FG’s 10,000 units home ownership Controversy has continued to trail Federal Government’s Home Ownership scheme, as beneficiaries of the first phase are yet to access their mortgages, heightening speculations that the scheme may have been stalled.

OLUFEMI ADEOSUN reports.

AfDB boss lauds Infrastructure Bank’s creation 27

I

n its renewed bid to address the nation’s growing housing deficit, the Federal Government in 2014, established the Nigeria Mortgage Refinancing Company, NMRC. Under the refinancing model, low income earners are expected to have access to mortgages at a long term and flexible repayment plans.

During the launch of the first phase of the project, aimed at providing 10, 000 housing units for low income earners in Abuja.

The then Minister of Finance and Co-

ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala had during the flagoff of the project in Abuja, said the housing initiative as aimed at addressing the supply side of home ownership, advising subscribers to apply on a portal created by the company for home of their choice.

The Minister had noted with optimism that the process would be simplified under a new framework that would reduce the processing of application for mass housing project from 18 months to about six weeks.

Okonjo-Iweala however explained that

with the inauguration of the NMRC and its subsequent take-off, the financial barriers to accessible and affordable housing schemes in the country would be removed.

According to her statement, “We want Nigerians to own their houses at affordable cost. The NMRC’s mission is to provide long term funding for the housing sector. Since the ability of banks in providing mortgages is limited by the fact that 80 per cent of all deposits are on 30-day period, which does not ensure great level of sustainability in providing resources for the CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Cool ceiling ideas

NESREA raises alarm over sale of hazardous 28

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mixed reactions trail FG’s 10,000 units home ownership scheme CONTINUED FROM 25 housing sector, the NMRC’s gives tenure for financing up to 10 to 15 years.

“So instead of people not being able to own houses as they would have to pay-up in 12 or 18 months, we are changing that now, so that for 10 to 15 years, people can pay for their own houses.”

However, despite assurances of transparency as well as expression of optimism on the potential of the project to address issues of access to finance for home ownership, beneficiaries to the first phase of the 10,000 housing scheme, have described it as being politically motivated.

Some of them, who express their displeasure over the scheme, said the project appears to be one of those political gimmicks, designed to sway votes from the electorate, rather than genuinely geared towards addressing perceived housing challenges in the country.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Tolu Odebunmi told National Mirror that, he applied for a two bed-room apartment and was eligible for mortgage, but he has not heard from the mortgage firm attached to him n the last one year.

According to him, the best he has heard from the firm was a text message and a follow-up mail, informing him that his application was successful.

He said, since he could not locate the address of the mortgage firm in Abuja, where he resides, he had failed to fill a heap of documents sent to him by the company for fear of being duped.

“When the project was advertised, informing anyone interested in affordable home to apply on a special portal created for it, I first took the news with a pinch of salt. However, I decided to give it a shot based on the assurance by the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala that the project will not be hijacked by moneybags as well as the cronies of people in government.

“When I received a text message from a mortgage company which I would not want to disclose its name for security reasons, I was so elated, heaved a sigh of relief that at last my dream of owning a

Estate

Osinbajo

Ambode

CONTRARY TO MY BELIEF THAT THE HOUSES WERE ON GROUND, I WAS JOLTED WHEN I WAS ASKED TO GO AND LOOK FOR A HOUSE OF MY CHOICE IN THE FCT. WHEN I EVENTUALLY GOT A 3-BEDROOM APARTMENT AT A COST OF OVER N10 MILLION, THEY TOLD ME THAT I AM ENTITLED TO ONLY N3 MILLION LOAN

home of my own was about to come to fruition. But I was wrong as unfolding events since then later revealed.

“Contrary to my belief that the houses were on ground, I was jolted when I was asked to go and look for a house of my choice in the FCT. When I eventually got a 3-bedroom apartment at a cost of over N10 million, they told me that I am entitled to only N3 million loan’’, he narrated.

Another beneficiary, who would not want her name in print alleged that the housing programme was a scam.

According to her, since she was noti-

fied that she won a slot for a one-bedroom apartment, nothing has happened beyond that.

“As I speak, I am still awaiting correspondence from the Federal Government as to the next line of action, “She stated However, commenting on the project, the National President, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria, REDAN, Rev. Ugochuckwu Chime explained that it would be wrong for anyone to say the housing project was a scam, urging those who had subscribed to it, to exercise some patience and allow the new government to

Former Minister of Land, Housing, Akon Eyakenyi

settle down “The scheme exists and I believe it is going to work. What is required is restructuring. For instance, within the last one month, there was a meeting of housing stakeholders, involving the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development; Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN,, Nigeria Mortgage Refinancing Company, NMRC, Mortgage Bankers Association of Nigeria, MBAN, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC’’, he stated.

The aim of the meeting, according to him, is to coordinate and harmonise approach to some of issues.

“We believe this is the right thing to do, instead of engaging in an undue criticism which will not add any value to the growth and development of the housing sector.

We believe it is through constructive coordination and engagement of one another that can unlock the potential in the sector.

Chime, who expressed optimism that the current administration would tackle head-on, various constraints in the housing sector, however assured that REDAN would monitor the project to ensure its workability.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

MORTGAGE NOTESNOTES MORTGAGE

C

Email: malik@gmail.com

Fasanya-Osilaja

Facility Management as tool for Productivity enhancement and Cost reductions

T

he importance of facilities management to effective operation of public and private sector is globally accepted, hence the dedication of today as the World Facilities Management day to create awareness of the contribution of the Facilities Management services to national economies.

There is a considerable lack of consensus regarding the origin of Facilities Management.

Some authorities traced the origin of Facilities Management to an era of scientific management and subsequent explosion in office administration in early 1900s.

The main catalyst in the 1960s towards Facilities Management was the introduction of computers in the workplace.

The energy crisis in the 1970s brought home the importance of cost-in-use and the need to better manage costs associated with premises that support the organisation’s business.

Facilities Management as a term may have been coined in 1964 by one of the originators of the concept, Ross Perot.

He used the term ‘computer facilities management’ to describe the maintenance of his client’s computer system.

Herman Miller, an office furniture manufacturer brought together a group of knowledge property users and advisers in about 1979, who understood the importance of space planning and value of space, and who could consequently understand the relevance of the permutations, which could be contrived from his new furniture systems.

Very quickly this group established itself as the Facilities Management Institute (FMI) and it is the Facilities Management Institute that is generally credited with the coming of the term ‘Facilities Management’.

The Facilities Management Institute then was founded in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1979 as an offshoot of parent company Herman Miller Inc. The aim was to establish and advance Facilities Management as a new management science and professional activity. Facilities Management Institute laid the groundwork for organisational recognition of the importance

of facilities in corporate strategic planning.

A year later, in 1980, the National Facilities Management Association (NFMA) came into existence, born of the need to create independence from Herman Miller’s Facilities Management Institute.

National Facilities Management Association very quickly evolved into the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). The author and Mr. Adeoye of Mobil (Nigeria) were among the first Nigerians to be listed in International Facility Management Association directory of 1996 as professional facilities managers.

By 1993, the British Institute of Facilities Management (BIFM) was formed through the merger of the Association of Facilities Managers (AFM) and the Institute of Facilities Management (IFM).Facilities Management later spread to other parts of Europe, the far-East and Nigeria in mid 1990s via International Facility Management Association.

The term ‘Facilities Management’ is often applied to a whole range of activities from janitorial services to equipment maintenance. College of Estate Management defines: ‘Facilities Management as the active management, integration and coordination of an organisation’s business support services, together with associated human resources; and its buildings, including their system plants IT equipment, filing and furniture and to assist the organisation achieve its strategic objectives’.

Facilities Management can encompass operational, tactical and strategic levels. Operational issues concern day to day management of facilities and focus on maintenance and repair, security, building services among others.

Tactical issues concern customisation and planning, and focus on understanding the needs of the organisation in terms of facility support and implementation solutions that add value. It embodies management of processes and coordination of efforts to deliver facilities which reflect

We have Environmental Impact Assessment, says Eko Atlantic SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

with Malik Egbunike

the organisation’s needs.

The strategic issues attempt to predict organisational direction and provide integrated solutions. Facilities Management is defined here as a high-level management activity, in concert with the strategic planning of the organisation, and with access to or participation in key decision-making processes. By establishing a correlation between key business drivers and space drivers, the facility manager’s function becomes strategic with the ability to provide influential predictions about future costs and their potential impact on profitability.

Facilities Management has an important business support roles which contribute to aspects of business such as risk management, productivity, recruitment and retention, maximising the value of capital investment in assets, managing the cost of facilities and addressing corporate responsibilities issues such as environmental sustainability and climate change. Thus, it is in the best interest of organisations, both public and private, to embrace facilities management as important business support function that provides facilities solutions to satisfy business needs. xxxxx The core competencies of facilities management identified

by British Institute of Facilities Management include the following: • Business Strategy • Risk Management • People Management • Negotiating • Management of FM processes • Financial Management • Support Services Management • Information Technology • Relevant Legislation • Space Management • Environmental Issues • Interfacing with Specialists • Facilities Strategy • Org. Behaviour/Struc

Continues Next week

ABOUT THE WRITER Malik Egbunike is FNIVS, FIoD, CBIFM Chairman, Total Facilities Management Limited.

For feedback, please send e-mail to malik@gmail.com

27

ontrary to allegations that Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, was not obtained before dredging of Atlantic Ocean by Lagos State Government as well as some private investors, Eko Atlantic Company said, it has its EIA. Last week, a human rights group, Legal Defence and Assistance Project, LEDAP had asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to halt the ongoing dredging of Atlantic Ocean on the ground that the EIA was not obtained before the dredging.

Lagos State Government in partnership with some private investors had embarked on the dredging of the Ocean to create Eko Atlantic City Eko Atlantic City, largely owned by a consortium of foreign companies, involves deep dredging of the Atlantic Ocean and construction of high-rise commercial and residential buildings on the recovered shores of Bar Beach, Kuramo Beach and Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to LEDAP, the project was embarked upon without a prior Environmental Impact Assessment, raising the fears that such dredging would lead to flooding and overflowing of coastal environment as well as rural communities along the banks of the ocean in the nearest future.

In its suit, which has yet to

be slated for hearing, the group claimed that if the project was not halted, the environmental safety of the communities along the coastal banks of the Atlantic Ocean would be in jeopardy.

It claimed that the project would have a destructive impact on the aquatic life in the entire Nigerian territorial waters and the environment of the coastal communities including Victoria Island, Lekki Peninsula and several fishing settlements on the west coast of the ocean.

LEDAP said, “The dredging of the ocean and construction of buildings on the reclaimed land under Eko Atlantic City will not only flood the coastal areas in coming years, but will destroy aquatic life in the entire Nigerian territorial waters of the ocean, including fishes and animals, thereby negatively affecting the rich ecosystem of the ocean, the Lagoon and adjourning rivers, swamps and wetland of the country.

“Most of the rural fishing communities, who depend on the ocean and surrounding waters for livelihood, will be utterly displaced and impoverished.”

Among others, the group is seeking an order mandating the Lagos state government and South Energy Limited to adequately resettle all the communities on the coastal banks that are already affected or likely to be affected by the ongoing dredging.

AfDB boss lauds Infrastructure Bank’s creation

P

resident of the African Development Bank Group, AfDB, Donald Kaberuka, has welcomed the creation of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, AIIB, noting that it would be an important partner in closing infrastructure gaps in Asia and Africa.

Speaking during a farewell visit in Beijing, Kaberuka said the new instrument is a welcome complement to the work of other multilateral development finance institutions.

“Once the new bank has put in place its new business plans, we will be in a better position to determine specific areas of cooperation’’, he said.

Kaberuka met with Mr. Jin Liqun, head of the AIIB, as well as the newly-elected president of the New Development Bank of BRICS countries, Kundapur Vaman Kamath.

President Kaberuka also met Chinese authorities, as well as heads of Central Bank, Silk Road

fund, Exim Bank, China Development Bank, China Investment Corporation, among others. He gave a lecture on “Investment Opportunities in Africa” at the Centre for China and Globalisation in Beijing.

China joined the AfDB in 1982, and subsequently the African Development Fund in 1985. The AfDB has signed various MOUs with Chinese institutions including Exim Bank, China Development Bank, and the Agricultural Bank of China. All these work on optimizing each other’s comparative advantages and financial instruments to foster Africa’s development, particularly in the areas of infrastructure and private sector.

China hosted the AfDB’s 2007 annual meetings. In May 2014, it created a ten-year US $ 2 billion Africa Growing Together Fund.

The money is to be used alongside AfDB’s resources to finance eligible sovereign and non-sovereign guaranteed development projects in Africa.

28

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cool cei

GO DARK

Walls in the master bed room are covered in Donghia’s Sil k Texture II, and the ceiling is painte d in Benjamin Moore Regal Select in Night Horizon to dramatize the soa ring space in a Long Island Shingl e-style beach house decorated by Rob Southern.

Source: S Sour So our urce ce:: www.housebeautiful.com ce www.h ww housebeautiful.com

NESREA raises alarm over sale of hazardous pesticides OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

N

ational Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, has alerted the public on the prevalence of sale of hazardous pesticides in the nation’s markets.

A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary of NES5 ( $ 0 U6XOH 2 \RIR LQ $EX ja yesterday, said the Agency mounted surveillance in markets, where the banned chemicals were known to have been sold to farmers.

According to him, investigation carried out in pilot states of Lagos, Enugu, Osun, Benue and Katsina revealed the presence of banned pesticides in most of the markets visited.

He added that traders, who could not display those substances on shelves, were ready to provide them for customers on demand.

Some of the banned substances, found in the market include Chlodimeform, Butachor and

Orizo Plus.

The statement reads in part, “These pesticides have been proven to be harmful to humans and the environment. Owing to their hazardous nature, they are placed under the category of banned and restricted agro chemicals under the Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions. In humans, these banned pesticides cause discomforts such as abdominal pains, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting as well as skin and eye problems.

“In the long run, they could lead to cancer, neurological problems, dementia, and reproductive problems such as miscarriages, birth defects, and premature birth.

“Repeated application of the banned agro chemicals leads to loss of biodiversity and many of them are not easily degradable.

They persist in the soil, leach to ground water and surface water, thereby contaminating the environment’’, he said.

Experts have linked poor agricultural yield to the use of banned chemicals. For example

Nigerian cocoa is not accepted in the international market because of the chemicals used on the produce.

“It was not therefore surprising that most traders and farmers whom NESREA interacted with during the surveillance exercise complained of illnesses, such as dizziness, constant headache, and allergic reactions. While some of the farmers were aware of the ban on the pesticides, most of the farmers were ignorant of same.

“Investigation showed improper handling of agro chemicals by the traders and farmers. For instance, most traders and farmers do not use Personal Protective e Equipment (PPE) when handling g the pesticides.

“When the pesticides expire, e, the farmers applied overdose e with the belief that it would make e them more effective. There wass also the problem of indiscrimiinate disposal of empty chemical/ / pesticide containers.

“As fallout from the investigaation, sensitization exercises were e carried out in Lagos, Katsina and d Benue by NESREA in conjuncc-

tion with West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) under World Bank Assisted Project to enlighten farmers and traders on the proper management of pesticides. More sensitization will hold in Enugu and Osun states within this quarter.

“After the sensitization of the farmers and traders on the use of chemicals, compliance monitoring and enforcement would follow immediately. The Agency would begin the arrest and prosecution of dealers in and users of these banned chemicals.”

East-West Nigeria road construction

Banks tighten standards for

F

oreign banks, including Nigeria have tightened lending standards for commercial real estate loans, just as Bangko Sentral Pilipinas, BSP, introduced stricter rules on bank’s real estate exposure.

Senior Bank Loan Offi-

cers’ Survey showed a net tightening of overall credit standards for commercial real estate loans for the 12th consecutive quarter.

“The net tightening of overall credit standards for commercial real estate loans was attributed by respondent banks to per-

ceived stricter ov banks’ real estat along with bank tolerance for risk said.

The central banks reported s lateral requirem loan covenants a wider loan marg

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

ling ideas

29

GOLD LEAF To make the Tony Duquette chandelier feel more at home, Ruthie Sommers had decorative painter Peter Bolton create an elaborate tree design in gold leaf on the dining room ceiling.

Jacaranda and plum trees inspired the vibrant pink Penny Morrison fabric on the front of the chairs and the Claremont floral on the back. Rug from Melrose Carpet.

LACQUER

In the kitch en of a New York apartment designed by Philip Gorrivan, iridescent mosaic tiles and a ceiling lacq uered in Benjamin Moore’s Oce anic Teal pick u p a color fr om the wallpaper in the hallway . Thonet barstoo ls by York Street Studio. Rom an shades in Homer wool in Verdigris by Gorrivan by High land Court.

Dubai Property market losing steam

U

nited Arab Emirate property portal Bayut.com, has said, the real estate sector of the country is losing steam amassed over the last two years, foreseeing a market sorting itself out by steering clear of extremes.

Though, experts had projected a gloomy scenario for Dubai’s market, the fact remains that the on-ground situation is much better and far less troublesome than predicted by pessimists.

Dubai market has indeed seen growth slowing down, but the size of the market is constantly increasing thanks to the continued trust of investors in its ability to bounce back and

real estate loans

versight of te exposure ks’ reduced k,” the BSP

bank said stricter colments and along with gins, short-

er loan maturities, and increased use of interest rate floors for commercial real estate loans.

For the next quarter, the BSP survey showed most of the respondent banks expects to maintain their credit standards for commercial real estate loans.

The survey also revealed the demand for commercial real estate loans was also unchanged in the second quarter based on the modal approach.

“A number of banks, however, indicated increased demand for the said type of loan on the back of

clients’ improved economic outlook and banks’ more attractive financing terms,” the central bank added.

Over the next quarter, a number of banks expect demand for commercial real estate loans to continue increasing in the following quarter.

its rising status as one of the most important business and leisure hubs east of Africa.

Abu Dhabi, on the other hand, faced no such glitches or criticism and continued to see a calm and consistent rise is rental and trading values, introducing regulations that are certain to add to the market’s charm manifold.

Bayut.com reports the performance of the UAE property sector in H1 2015 exceeded expectations, with an industry-wide economic diversification acting as the key driver for sustained growth. Less and less dependence on oil means Dubai is now far from the effects of oil price crunches like the one currently persisting, and boasts of an economy whose beauty is not merely skin deep.

The concerns regarding the property market slowdown have somewhat been - to put them squarely - exaggerated and inflated.

We have maintained for some time now that the market is undergoing a much-needed easing that would help it paddle away from troubled speculative waters. A recent LBS survey also stated that no drastic

outcome was expected from the current easing.

But Bayut.com has noticed that the scepticism has mostly been a case of the glass being half empty.

Though the slowdown continues, it will only be some time before things turn around and head upwards. We reckon things will move the other way come 2016 and rise there from, and our optimism banks on bright prospects of a continuous rise in the emirate’s population, its status as a top tourist resort, its world-class leisure and hospitality facilities, and its importance as the core regional business hub.

Many a study has now seconded our argument against negative and overdrawn forecasts of massive drops in property values. In our last market report, we highlighted a number of factors responsible for the market slowdown, such as the Dubai government’s measures against market overheating, a stronger dollar, Russian crisis and sanctions, oil price crunch effecting foreign investors, Euro zone issues and a dreary IMF forecast for the global economy.

30

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lamudi tasks cash-stripped firms on property markets

F

orbes Park in Makati is no place for cash-strapped individuals or families looking to rent a house in an exclusive subdivision or a gated community, global online property platform Lamudi revealed in its latest report.

Lamudi Philippines said Forbes Park—known as the home of business tycoons and expats—commands an average rent of P402, 459 a month, the highest among exclusive subdivisions in Metro Manila.

Based on its latest data, Lamudi said there are more than 60

houses for rent in Forbes Park at present with an average number of bedrooms of 4.3.

Lamudi said the second most expensive is nearby Dasmariñas Village, where average monthly rents stand.

Urdaneta Village follows at P269, 984, and Bel-Air at P182, 240.

The average number of bedrooms of rental houses in these three villages is 4.11, 3.8, and 3.6, respectively, Lamudi reported.

The posh Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa City, meanwhile, ranks fifth with monthly aver-

age rents at P174, 121.

Lamudi said rental houses in this village are also relatively bigger, with average number of bedrooms at 4.15.

Pasig’s Valle Verde and Makati’s San Lorenzo Village come in at sixth and seventh place, where for-rent houses charge almost similar rates at P147,792 and P147,216, respectively.

Lamudi revealed that the cheapest rents among Metro Manila’s exclusive subdivisions could be found at present at Magallanes Village in Makati, where rents average P114, 213

per month.

Lamudi Philippines managing director Jacqueline van den Ende said the price comparison analysis aims to enable real estate brokerages and tenants gain deeper insight into Metro Manila’s leasing market.

Van den Ende added it will be interesting to include in the future not just price movements but also how long do rental homes stay in the market, which would help leasing agent’s better plan their marketing strategy.

Lamudi said other expensive subdivisions such as Quezon

City’s Corinthian Gardens and Ayala Heights, and Taguig’s McKinley Hills Village were not considered in the analysis as these places have too few listed rental houses.

Lamudi is a global property portal focusing exclusively on emerging markets, generating about one million visitors per month.

Lamudi Philippines last May acquired local counterpart MyProperty.ph to further cement its position as largest online real estate market in the Philippines.

Century Properties introduces new concept in ownership

C

Chinese property

China plans $2.3trn new property investments worldwide

W

ith the Chinese government proposing taking a significant step towards removing restrictions on the export of privately held capital under a programme called the Qualified Domestic Individual Investor programme, Chinese wealth could be reinvested in international real estate and other assets around the globe.

Chinese property portal Juwai. com estimates QDII2 - if rolled out nationally- could theoretically deliver as much as $2.3 trillion to international residential real estate markets alone. The likely amount is probably closer to $661 billion.

The latter figure depends on a reasonable estimate that wealthy

Chinese individuals allocate approximately 10 percent of their total assets to international real estate, both commercial and residential.

The size of these figures highlights that, “If China undergoes a material liberalization over the next decade, the increase in gross flows will likely be very large relative to the world economy”, says Juwai.com executives.

International property gives Chinese investors the additional benefits of enabling them to diversify their risks, and is attractive to buyers motivated by investment, education, lifestyle and immigration.

Corporate investors will be

permitted to purchase overseas assets up to $1 billion in value, up from the current limit of $300 million.

Andrew Taylor, co-CEO of Juwai.com, says, “We estimate that the pilot program, rolled out nationally, would enable almost US$661 billion of new Chinese money to flow into international real estate markets. That’s a conservative estimate. Nor does it include other factors that might increase investment, such as China’s growing economy and wealth.

“If I had to sum up the impact in just a few words, I would say jobs, new construction and economic growth.

entury Properties’ hotel fractional ownership is a unique kind of investment that opens doors for more premier usage rights and financial return. PR photo A new and hardworking investment opportunity has been made available to the local market, and its attraction lies in its ability to maximize the growth opportunities in the hospitality industry, provide branded hotel stays and present an exciting array of international vacation privileges to its investors.

The Century Fractional Ownership Program is the first of such investment concept in the Philippines.

Offered under Century Acqua Lifestyle Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of Century Limitless Corp., it is ideal for those who would like to enjoy short-period hotel vacations in the Philippines and at the same time enjoy annual investment returns.

The program allows the purchase of preferred shares of Century Acqua Lifestyle Corp., which owns 152 hotel units at Novotel Suites Manila.

Preferred shareholders are entitled to four weeks of stay in the hotel, access to multiple vacation destinations worldwide through an international travel exchange program, hassle-free property management and a share in the net room rental revenue at the rate of 40 percent for all the 152 rooms.

“Through Novotel Suites Manila, we are introducing to the country the concept of fractional ownership for a hotel real estate property. This gives the subscribers of the preferred shares a number of usage nights in the hotel in a year with the remainder of the fractional being leased out. Owners will then be able to enjoy the benefit of a financial return on the lease,” said Tim Hallett, chair of Century Acqua Lifestyle Corp.

Hallett, who has 17 years of experience in hospitality development throughout Asia and the Middle East, is also the chief operating officer of Century Properties Hotels and Leisure Inc. The company will serve as the administrator and asset manager of the 152 units and assist the preferred shareholders in managing their usage rights.

This fractional ownership model, Hallett explained, is different from a timeshare scheme, which comes without ownership and is limited to the usage rights of the property.

Another exciting benefit is that shareholders will get a one-year Gold Membership at Interval International, an independently-operated exchange company based in Miami, Florida, which allows for hotel stay exchanges at more than 3,000 affiliated properties in different parts of the world.

Preferred shareholders will also enjoy an ACCOR Plus membership.

Mortgage home applications upticks in U.S

M

ortgage Bankers Association, MBA, Builder Application Survey, BAS, for mortgage applications for new home purchases increased by 1 percent relative to the previous month. This change does not include any adjustment for typical seasonal patterns.

“As house prices continue to recover, mortgage applications for the purchase of newly constructed homes increased slightly in June. Application activity in June was slightly higher compared to the past two years, leading us to estimate that new homes sales increased 8 percent from May on a

seasonally adjusted annual basis,” said Lynn Fisher, MBA’s Vice President of Research and Economics.

By product type, conventional loans composed 67.2 percent of loan applications, FHA loans composed 19.6 percent, RHS/USDA loans composed 1.0 percent and VA loans composed 12.2 percent.

The average loan size of new homes increased from $320,744 in May to $321,678 in June.

The MBA estimates new singlefamily home sales were running at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 496,000 units in June 2015, based on data from the BAS. The new home sales estimate is de-

rived using mortgage application information from the BAS, as well as assumptions regarding market coverage and other factors.

The seasonally adjusted estimate for June is an increase of 8.1 percent from the May pace of 459,000 units.

Aviation

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

Stakeholders set ways to boost unviable airports’ traffic Most of the Nigerian airports apart from three are under-utilised, yet, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, spends millions of naira on them yearly to keep their facilities in best standards. In this analysis, OLUSEGUN KOIKI assesses the state of the airports and what stakeholders feel could be done to make them viable.

O

f the 22 airports managed by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, only three reached the million mark in 2014, which accounted for over 78 per cent of the 14 million passengers’ traffic movement while the other 19 were either semi-active or dormant.

The three viable airports are the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos; local and international with 7, 373, 507, Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja; 4, 169, 676, Port Harcourt Airport; 1, 337, 530 passengers’ movement within the period.

The three airports above are responsible for over 70 per cent of FAAN’s annual revenues with the Murtala Mohammed Airport, raking in about N1.3 billion for the agency monthly despite all the loopholes in the system.

The semi-active airports are Kano with 433, 263, Enugu International Airport, 337, 530, Benin, Calabar, Jos, Owerri, Ilorin, Asaba, and Osubi.

The dormant airports include Akure; 5, 731, Katsina; 11, 276, Minna; 15, 205 and Maiduguri; 11, 103 with passengers’ movement. Others are Makurdi, Ibadan, Bauchi, Sokoto, and Yola among many others.

The airports above are apart from other four airports owned and controlled by State Governments across the country while other state-owned airports are still in the pipeline.

Airports in the pipeline are Osogbo International airport, Osun State, Agro Cargo Airport, Sagamu, Ogun State, Bayelsa, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Niger and Zamfara airports.

Some of the FAAN’s airports are so dormant that Fulani herdsmen could stray into the runway because there is no perimeter fence while some villagers spread their farm produce in some areas so close to the runways.

Despite their underutilisation, FAAN and other agencies maintain their staff and full-fledged departments in them.

This is even when what the airports generate annually is insufficient for their maintenance.

However, stakeholders and professionals said despite the unviability of many of the airports, large chunk of FAAN’s revenues are expended on either the semi-active or dormant airports most especially in the last remodelling exercise, which gulped some billions of naira.

Some analysts are of the opinion that nothing could be done by government to improve the lot of airports except to

Inside view of the recently remodelled Benin Airport

It would cost much to maIntaIn each of those aIrports because revenue Is lImIted to passenger servIce charge, landIng and parkIng, concessIons and rents

leave them in the hands of private operators or reduce some of their charges.

The former Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos Commandant, Grp. Capt. (rtd) John Ojikutu suggested that the semi-viable and dormant airports should be handed over to state governments or private investors for improved results.

He noted that for instance, FAAN level of personnel at dormant airports like Akure, Ibadan, Ilorin, Minna Kaduna and others generally could not be less than 50 for mainly security officers and commercial whose average salary could be more than N50,000, adding that the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, too would have same level of personnel; mainly air traffic controllers and others probably less or not more than 10 and whose average salary couldn’t be less than N50,000.

He said, “The average air traffic movement at these airports annually is as low as 1,000 to 2,000 and passenger traffic is on the average of 10,000 annually. It would cost much to maintain each of those airports because revenue is limited to passenger service charge, landing and parking, concessions and rents.

“Also, the total revenue is far less than what government spends to maintain the airports. With the national economy gasping for breath always, government should hands off these unprofitable airports and hand them over

to State governments or as concessions or outright sale to private investors under the Public Private Partnership arrangement.”

Also, the immediate past General Secretary of Aviation Round Table, ART, Mr. Sam Akerele in an interview with our correspondent picked the Lagos airport as the only viable one in the country, maintaining that others were only struggling to survive.

He said that a situation whereby a State Government spent about N20 billion on the construction of an airport only for the government to generate less than about N1bn from the airport in a year and warned that most of the airports might be diverted for other purpose in the future.

He said, “Either we like it or not, only one airport is viable in this country and that is the Lagos airport. For instance, a State Government will construct an airport with about N20 billion and makes less than N1 billion from that airport in a year. Are we moving forward or backward?

“If care is not taken, the airports will turn to football pitches in the future because the government might find it difficult to continue to maintain unviable airports when the viable ones are still been consistently maintained and upgraded by the government. Most of these airports are unnecessary and have political undertone.”

Also, an aviation consultant, Engr.

Lafeef Ejioye decried the construction of airports by State Governments, stating that of all the airports in the country, only Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt airports are viable.

Ejioye emphasised that rather than construct airports for economic reasons, several of the country’s airports were constructed for political purposes.

For instance, he criticised the planned construction of Osogbo Airport by the Osun States Government when Ibadan, Akure and Ilorin airports that are closed by are still unattractive to air passengers.

He explained further that these underutilised airports have full complements of staff while the usual government activities of contract awards and payments for services are still on going in such airports.

“To me, it will end up being a white elephant project. There are other pressing issues in Osun State than the State Government to commit huge sums of money to building an airport for passengers’ patronage.

“There is no point building an airport in a state where many public facilities like schools, water, agricultural produces, medicare and others are crying for attention. The issue of airport is a misplaced priority in the state.”

However, an aviation professional, Capt. Dele Ore believed opening of airports in some states would open them up to investors.

According to Ore, every airport could be viable inasmuch as it is handled by private companies and government provided enabling environment for such company to succeed.

Ore said provision of airport in the states would create jobs for the locals and open up such state for investors.

“It may not be economically viable, but yet politically expedient and very viable for that reason. We have 36 states and the Federal Capital; you can see that agitation would be for at least 36 airports in this country. You must be aware that there was Ido-Osun airstrip that has been there as early as early 1925 and I remembered in the 60s, I landed into that airstrip.

“That is a potential site for an airport already, in which case you are not going to start acquiring lands, evacuating and paying compensation. Government should not have anything to do with managing an airport. Airports are not efficient because they are being managed by the government.”

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Aviation

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Nigerian pilots better than expatriates – Professionals StorieS: oluSegun KoiKi

P

rofessionals in the nation’s aviation industry have tongue lashed airline operators in the country for their preference to foreign pilots over the indigenous experts.

Rising from a one-day forum organised by the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, in Lagos, the stakeholders agreed that Nigerian pilots were better educated than their foreign counterparts.

A former pilot with the defunct national carrier, Capt. Prekeme Porbeni, insisted that indigenous pilots are better trained than foreign pilots, but decried that despite this, they are poorly treated and enumerated by their employers in the sector.

For instance, he alleged that some of the so called expatriates hardly put in 200 hours flying times before being given employments by some airline operators in the system while their unrecognised counterparts put up to 1,000 flying hours.

Porbeni specifically mentioned that a particular airline in the sector had over 50 foreign pilots on its pay-

roll with less than 10 indigenous pilots, stressing that most indigenous pilots are jobless because the airlines refused to engage fresh graduates from flying schools.

He said, “Some people claimed that Nigerian pilots are poorly educated that is why they are jobless in the sector. I want to disagree with this assertion. Nigerian pilots are one of the most educated and trained in the world today and for anyone to say they are not well trained, such a person is indicating NCAA, which gives them their license after their training in the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT, or anywhere in the world they might have been trained.

“I am saying this with all emphasis because we write exams with these foreigners and know their performances. We are better off, but the problem with us is that some of us have inferiority complex and prefer white people as our pilots to our own professionals even when they don’t have the experience of the indigenous pilots.”

Also corroborating Porbeni’s position at the occasion was the former Rector of NCAT, Capt. Adebayo

O

the youths in the continent.

The presentation was made by the airline’s Head of Sales and Ticketing, Nigeria, Mrs. Genevieve Fiewor during a courtesy visit by the students and their parents to the carrier’s corporate office in Lagos.

Miss Kyllians Emmanuella, an SS2 Student of Murtala Muhammed Airport Secondary School, MMASS, Ikeja who came 2nd in the Secondary Schools Category of the air transport writing contest, and Mr. Igweonu Tobenna, a 100 Level Law Student of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, who also took 2nd position in the Tertiary Institutions Category of the contest emerged as recipients of the AWA Prize, which includ-

L-R: Personal Assistant, Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Ma’azu Dahir, Director of Operations, Capt. Henry Omeogu, MD, FAAN, Engr.

Saleh Dunoma and the Chief Executive Officer, CEO, McZoll, B.E. Odege and the Benin Aiport Manager, Mr. Sunday Ayodele during the tour of the airport recently.

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

This car park at Lagos international airport

A

Capt. Araba

Araba who insisted that the college went beyond industry standards in the training of students pilots and issuance of certificates.

Araba maintained that Nigerian pilots were one of the best in the entire industry and that their recent joblessness should not be taken as “being poorly trained.”

He explained that if the young pilots were engaged by the indigenous airlines, it would save costs for the carriers and create better employment opportunities for professionals in the sector.

Airline honours students, opens Washington route

ne of the emerging carriers in the continent, Africa World Airlines, AWA, has offered incentives to some young Nigerian students for excelling in the recently concluded 6th National Travel Essay Competition, NTEC, 2014/2015, organised in Lagos by the Travel & Business News.

This is just as the airline disclosed that plans had been concluded to commence air services that would connect Nigerian leisure and business travellers between the key cities of Lagos, Accra and Washington effective this weekend.

The airline said that the incentives were part of its corporate culture of identifying with young talents and empowering

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ed a free ticket to Accra, Ghana as well as other gift items.

The topics of their essays were; “Airport Development as a Stimulus for Economic Growth,” and “Encouraging more Women into Helicopter Aviation,” in the Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions categories respectively.

Commenting on their performances, Fiewor commended the recipients for their well-researched and carefully written articles, which revealed a high sense of dedication and interest in knowing more about the aviation industry.

bout three years ago, a new car park very close to the Central Mosque at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos was opened for operation by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN. The agency felt that the construction of a new car park at that particular site within the airport was necessary to ease traffic congestion at the complex and further improve revenue to its coffers. Airside wholeheartedly supports this initiative.

But, the disheartening aspect of the car park is that the same facility is concessioned to and owned by a former Managing Director in the same agency.

Airside gathered that the car park was allegedly constructed to the tune of N500 million by the same Chief Executive Officer, CEO, when he was still in office even when there is nothing tangible on the empty land. The other pathetic news is that

the CEO claimed to have borrowed N400 million from a particular commercial bank and sourced N100 million from his own pocket to finance the project.

Now, for the past three years that the project has been on, the former boss said he was yet to recoup his investment from the project and only God knows when the car park would eventually be handed over to FAAN. Airside insists this is part of the loopholes in the system that the Mohammed Buhari-led administration should look into.

How can a sitting CEO concession a project to his company? When was the project advertised for interested concessionaires to participate in? Who were the government delegates during the contractual agreement? Can a party who has an interest in a case and made to be the judge be fair? Airside and other interested parties are waiting for necessary action.

Why NCAA should not grant new AOCs

A

t a recent media chat by the Aviation Round Table, ART, one of the executives disclosed that no fewer than 15 applications from intending airline operators were in the table of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, awaiting Air Operator’s Certificate, AOC. The Non-governmental Organisation, NGO, informed that most of the intending carriers are not so different or even worse than the existing airlines in the sector and severely kicked against the issuance of AOC to any carrier until some things are corrected in the system.

Airside wants to align with these industry experts. Not quite long, some new airline operators were issued AOCs

by the industry regulator, but rather than improve from their just two aircraft, they are crawling, some are yet to commence operations and even threatened to sue NCAA if it withdraws its license while one that commenced flight operations almost immediately have since closed shop.

It is unfortunate that most of the sponsors of these airlines have little or no knowledge about the rudiments of the industry and only interested in their immediate profits.

To make the matter worse, they don’t allow professionals employed to do their jobs professionals and prefer to command even from their points of ignorance. Not the right time to issue new AOCs by NCAA.

Air Cote D’Ivoire unveils growth strategy

A

ir Cote D’Ivoire (HF) recently held a partnership building and business strategy sensitisation workshop with leading travel agents in the country.

The event which was held in Lagos, provided a forum for travel partners to gain closer insight into the airline’s growth strategy for the Nigerian market as well as showcase its vast network of connections to major cities in West and Central Africa.

The airline’s Head of Commercial, Mrs. Aicha Ouidi Baba Moussa was on hand to offer solutions to agents’ concerns as well as provide answers to their questions regarding the business.

The Country Manager, Nigeria, Mr. Moustapha Fofana, opened the discussions with a presentation that outlined the vision, goals and business model of the carrier with particular reference on how travel agents could partner with the carrier to grow its market share in the country.

“We are a regional carrier with a strong focus on business travel and a commitment to make travel within West and Central Africa a seamless and stress free experience,” he said, adding that; “Air Cote D’Ivoire currently flies to nineteen destinations within the region with its hub in Abidjan.”

Speaking further, Fofana noted that the Nigerian market was very

important for Air Cote D’Ivoire in the light of its performance since operations began into Lagos in January this year.

The airline prides itself on offering customers personalised services, comfortable and spacious Business Class seats, power outlets in every Business Class seat and two for every three Economy Class seat; Individual Headphones in all classes as well as several other value added benefits through its Frequent Flyer Programme known as “SMILE.” In the area of safety, Fofana stressed that Air France was the airline’s technical partner both as an investor and in the area of aircraft maintenance.

Insurance

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

PenCom targets 20m CPS’ subscribers by 2019 Tola akinmuTimi

T

he Director General of the National Pension Commission, (PenCom), Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, has projected that contributors to the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) would hit 20 million by the year 2019, up from the current 6.5 million.

Making this projection at the at the 3rd International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the PenCom boss assured participants at the forum that the Commission would continue to promote the investment of pension funds in Africa in furtherance of the vision of the African Union’s, AU’s, long term economic development plan tagged, Agenda 2063.

The AU Agenda 2063 is both a vision and an action plan, a call for action to all segments of African society to work together to build a prosperous and united Africa based on shared values and a common destiny.

The AU Agenda 2063 is expected to translate this vision and ideals into concrete objectives, milestones, goals, targets and actions/measures and it is supposed to enable Africa remain focused and committed to the ideals envisaged in the context of a rapidly changing world. In operational terms, the Agenda 2063 would be a rolling plan of 25 years, 10 years, 5 years and short term action.

Anohu-Amazu who spoke on the topic “Leveraging Pension Funds for

Financing Infrastructure Development in Africa” during one of the discussion panels, explained that PenCom was committed to the realization of the vision and ideals of the AU Agenda 2063 by promoting the investment of accumulated pension fund assets across the continent.

She said: “PenCom is committed to promote sustainable pension fund investments on the African continent and welcomes the AU Agenda 2063 as well as the Programme for Infrastructure Development (PIDA). It would project same through the annual World Pension Summit (WPS) ‘Africa Special’ in collaboration with the WPS Amsterdam.”

On the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, the PenCom Director General, who expressed dissatisfaction with the level of coverage of the scheme 11 years after it was established; expressed the Commission’s determination to raise the coverage through the about-tobe-launched Micro-pension initiative.

She pointed out that the Nigerian pension reform represented a major initiative in Domestic Revenue Mobilisation (DRM), an AU policy that stemmed from the realisation that Africa should take responsibility for its own economic development through the mobilization of un-utilised funds.

“Applying these pension funds to economic development is being

Amazu

pursued through initiatives on infrastructure and real estate investments domestically. There is also ample room in the near future for same to be extended to viable African investments,” Anohu-Amazu said.

Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU) in its 50th Anniversary Solemn Declaration, rededicated themselves to the continent’s accelerated development and technological progress and laid down the AU Agenda 2063 vision and eight ideals to serve as pillars for the continent in the foreseeable future.

They also directed the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) to collaborate with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), African Development Bank (AfDB) and New Partnership for Africa Development, NEPAD, to develop Agenda 2063 through a people-driven and extensive consultation process.

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Wind, hail storms raise insurance claims in U. S

W

ind and hail storms in Reno County July 23-24 were severe enough to draw insurance company catastrophe teams to set up drive-thru facilities around the city by the weekend, providing backup for Hutchinson agents scrambling to cover an influx of automobile claims.

Laura Radford, State Farm catastrophe team manager, said her team of 17 assessors, from as far as Florida, saw about 30 customers Sunday and about 110 on Monday. The facility takes six appointments every 15 minutes and has scheduled about 120 per day for the next several days, according to Radford. Before the team leaves in a few weeks, Radford says she expects they’ll serve at least 1,000 State Farm clients in their makeshift facility.

Immediately after a large hail storm, automobile claims take prominence, simply because homeowners often see their cars before they check their roofs, according to State Farm spokesman Jim Camoriano. As of Monday, State Farm reported 750 claims from homeowners and 1,500 from automobile owners statewide from the July 23-24 storms.

“You can safely say the overwhelming majority of those (claims) are in Reno County and Hutchinson,” Camoriano

said.

Bob Hanson, director of communications for Kansas Insurance Department, said cumulative hail damage reports for the July 23 storm will not be released until later in August when the department will call companies for total claim estimates.

Progressive and American Family have drive-thru facilities in the Conklin Cars and mall parking lots where the storm hit the hardest. But it’s not just insurance companies pitching tents off of K-61.

John Halstead, of Wichita, who set up an Fix-it-Right Auto Hail Repair in the old Hibachi parking lot on 17th Avenue, said his teams are prepared to do PDR, paintless dent repair, on the spot, or at least find someone who can.

“We try to get them to come from the insurance company directly to us,” Halstead said.

“Body shops often have a long wait, there’s a million people coming it right now. We just kind of expedite the process.”

Halstead said he is expecting several hundred customers, and will keep his Wichitabased team in Hutchinson, under the red and white striped tent, until business dies down.

At the rate the tents are going up, it doesn’t look like that will be any time soon.

Sanath Kumar named Director & GM of GIC Re

S

anath Kumar, Director and General Manager, New India Assurance (NIA), has been shifted to GIC Re in the same capacity.

The post was lying vacant since Yugandhara Rao was transferred to South Africa by GIC Re to head its subsidiary there in June 2014.

GIC Re is sole reinsurance firm in the Indian insurance market.

“Kumar has been posted in GIC Re until further orders,” an official

of the Finance Ministry told PTI today.

Kumar, a veteran figure in public sector general insurance industry, would be the senior-most official at GIC Re when he joins the Corporation in the first week of August.

The posting of Kumar in GIC Re assumes significance on two counts. The post of CMD at GIC Re will fall vacant within a week as incumbent A K Roy is retiring this

month-end.

Kumar is one of the top contenders for one of the two posts - CMD, GIC Re and CMD, National Insurance Company- for which Government has completed interviews early this month.

“Government may appoint him as the acting CMD of GIC Re from August 1,” the official added.

Eight senior officials of the public sector general insurance companies had faced three panels during

interviews.

The panels consisted of top bureaucrats, regulators, and insurance professionals. These included Financial Services Secretary Hashmuk Adhia, Department of Personnel & Training Secretary Sanjay Kothari, former Chairman of Sebi & Life Insurance Corporation, G N Bajpai, former IRDAI member Mathew Vergheese, ex-National Insurance Company CMD V Ramaswamy and IRDAI Chairman TS Vijayan.

33

Vijayan

34

Insurance

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

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Insurance industry’s growth prospects bright – Experts Tola akInmuTImI

D

espite its yet to be fully explored potential, experts have projected that in view of recent improvements in headline indicators, the insurance sector in Nigeria is set for a gradual but progressive growth in the years ahead given the increasing interest of foreign investors in the sector.

Part of the attractions of the market with strong long-term investment returns fundamentals are the increasingly innovative diversified products as well as policies that most of the operators are developing and promoting to deepen insurance penetration in the country.

According to the statistics on the industry released by the National Insurance Commission, (NAICOM), the industry regulator, as at last year there were 58 policy writers, comprising 29 general insurance companies, 15 life insurers and 14 composite insurers offering a full range of services.

NAICOM also reported recently that more than three million Nigerians had some form of insurance, up from less than 1million in 2007, adding however that coverage rates vary, with higher levels for property and automotive insurance as against the very low take-up of personal policies.

With greater acceptance of insurance products, premiums and assets have consistently been increasing over the past few years as gross premiums rose from less than N100 billion (about $502m) in 2007 to N302 billion (about $1.51bn) at the end of last year.

Daniel

Similarly, the value of asset values rose significantly during th same period, rising from N347.1 billion (about$1.74bn) to N711.4bn (about $3.57bn) by the end of 2014.

An appraisal of the industry by the Oxford Business Group, OBG, recently indicated that the rise in premiums was already attracting new investors, in spite of the large number of existing players.

Specifically, the OBG, noted in its latest report that reports by the media on the nation’s insurance sector showed that more than 12 foreign insurers, including the UK’s Prudential Life and Liberty Group of South Africa, were opening talks with regulators to enter the market.

The report however quoted the out-

Hassan-Odukale

going NAICOM’s insurance commissioner, Fola Daniel, as admitting that while the increased interest from overseas underwriters remains desirable, the Commission would have preferred the potential entrants to buy into existing firms, rather than coming in as distinct new players.

Daniel’s stance aligns with the regulatory strategy of past years which based on the regulatory policy in introduced in 2007 by NAICOM that raised the capitalization base for operators prompted a round of mergers and acquisitions, with the number of firms in the marketplace falling from 117 to its present level of 58.

Reflecting on the state of the market recently, the Managing Director of Leadway Assurance Company, Mr.

Oye Hassan-Odukale, believes that the market is big enough to absorb new players.

He said: “I think we will all co-exist together. At the end of the day, the consumer will get a better product because there will be competition.”

One of the major platforms upon which improved participation of more investors in the industry could be positioned is the increasing innovation by operators, largely supported by enabling policies and regulations by the NAICOM, which has improved the variety of products in the market.

For instance, industry experts have identified Islamic insurance, or takaful, as one of the products that could further help in deepening insurance penetration in the country.

They noted that a large muslim population in the country, takaful, which is an Islamic insurance product that also appeal to non-Muslims, could deepen the market and improve the industry’s contributions to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, significantly.

Although the first set of regulations for the takaful were released in 2013, NAICOM is now putting in place all of the supporting pillars for the development of Islamic insurance.

Despite the very promising prospects of the industry, analysts believe that the current fiscal challenges characterized by falling oil prices and the attendant dropping revenue for Nigeria could hamper the drive towards improving the performance of the industry in the short and medium terms.

Mutual Benefits Assurance takes policy to Ladipo market traders Isaac asabor

F

ollowing a partnership between the Mutual Benefits Assurance and Ladipo Market Traders Association, a group plan insurance coverage packaged by the insurance company has been introduced to the traders who majorly specialize in auto-spare parts business.

Apart from the insurance coverage, the traders would also gain access to loan facilities and asset acquisition under the auspices of Mutual Benefits Insurance and its sister company, Mutual Micro Finance Bank.

The Group Managing Director of the insurance company, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi, who disclosed this during a dinner with executive members of the market association said that the traders with the partnership had positioned themselves to gain from the immense benefits that are inherent in the insurance coverage.

He said: “This offers you the opportunity to protect your business, protect your assets and also plan for your family and loved ones”.

Ogunbiyi said that having realized that the challenges facing the insurance industry is not just about lack of awareness but accessibility and availability. He said the company has been fashioning out marketing strategies in the last five years to ensure that customers of the company’s products have access to them and also find the products available to them; at their doorsteps.

He said to achieve the goal of ensuring that the need of the customers are met that the company’s branch networks, partnerships, and agency system has been designed to increase accessibility and distribution channels so that a larger percentage of the population have access to their products.

He added that with the company’s 85 branch networks with 55 of them located in the rural areas of the country, Mutual Benefit is set to deepen insurance penetration. He said with the partnership reached with Ladipo Spare Parts Market so far that the company will cover the risks of the traders and ensure that they benefit from Mutual’s micro finance bank products.

The President of Ladipo International

Traders Association, Mr. Ikechukwu Obiuno, in his response said he welcomed the partnership with the insurance company, particularly as it would empower the traders with loan facilities for business and asset acquisition.

He said Mutual Benefits has distinguished itself from other insurance companies that have visited the market in the past with their products but were unable to offer them the kind of valuable policy which Mutual Benefits has offered them in Ladipo Market. He assured Mutual Benefits Insurance that an enabling environment would be created for it to succeed.

In the same vein, the head, Strategy, Mr. Babajide Oniwinde, National Insurance Commission(NAICOM) said the traders who fell within the Small and Medium Enterprises, SME’s , constitute an important sector of the economy that are readily making their contributions to the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the country but that they are constraint in their line of business. He said the partnership which the traders have entered with Mu-

tual Benefits would enable them transfer their risks to the underwriters who are invariably specialists in the business of risk management.

Oniwinde said NAICOM as a regulatory body is readily equipped to protect insurance policyholders and ensure that claims are paid by insurance firms and will penalize any firm that is found not to be doing so.

Ogunbiyi

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Money

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35

Stakeholders rally to confront e-fraud threats in financial sector

As financial institutions operating in the country continue to lose billions of naira to e- fraud yearly, industry regulators, experts and operators have continued to forge a common front to confront the menace in view of its negative implications for the nation’s economy.

UDO ONYEKA reports.

T

he report that Nigerian banks lost over N199bn to e- fraudsters between 2000 and 2014 is indeed sad news to all banking industry stakeholders.

But more worrisome is that many of these frauds were successful due to inappropriate and reckless management of customers’ data by financial institution officials.

Security assessment of Nigerian banks’ websites in the last two weeks carried out by Easy Solutions Limited, a global e-fraud protection firm, indicated that electronic fraudsters had invaded Nigerian banking environment, deploying over 185 fake mobile applications on the websites of 15 out of 17 Deposit Money Banks, DMBs with which they are extracting customers’ personal and financial information with intent to steal money from their bank accounts.

The study showed that Nigerian banks in the past few weeks faced defacement attacks on their websites. Other attacks include email spamming targeting both banks’ websites and customers’ emails with intent to slow the websites and steal customer financial data.

Easy Solutions, which presented these findings at a one-day e-payment anti-fraud forum organised by Winigroup Limited in Lagos last week for Chief Information Officer, CIOs, of banks and Central Bank of Nigeria,CBN, officials, also revealed that the banks are under constant cyber defacement attacks in recent times.

Director, Banking and Payments System Department, CBN, Mr Dipo Fatokun, said that this development was a threat to the stability of the banking industry and said that to battle the upsurge of e-fraud, CBN would work with relevant stakeholders to establish an industry security operations and a risk information centre in order to reduce e-payments frauds to the barest minimum and enhance trust in the payments system.

In February this year, Deloitte had said that phishing and insider threats will continue to be biggest cyber threat sources in Nigeria, especially as crude oil prices continue to fall.

In May, the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, e-Payment Fraud Landscape Report stated that there was 85 per cent success in fraud attempts. It also noted that Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, had most fraudulent transactions while Internet banking fraud loss was put at N3.2bn within the last one year.

International Director, Easy Solutions, Mr Jeremy Boorer, said: “We looked at 17 Nigerian banks few weeks ago for signs of fake mobile apps. In 15 of them, we found the following: The first to 10th banks checked were found with 13, 10, 17, eight, 11, eight, nine, 13, seven and 20 fake mobile apps respectively. The 11th to 15th banks were also found with 11, 14, 13, 16 and 15 fake mobile apps.”

According to Boorer app stores were full of fake apps claiming to come from banks. He warned that once a customer downloads and

Emefiele

UBA GMD, Philip Oduoza

Fatokun

Social media SeemS to be a concern aS bankS create Social media accountS and aSk proSpective cuStomerS to open bank accountS on Social media enters financial information, including credit/ debit cards details and personal identity numbers ,PIN, his/her money is gone as the fraudster will clone the cards or transfer the money through online banking immediately.

“In the last four weeks, we discovered that hundreds of defacement at-tacks are going on Nigerian banks by hackers. It highlights the fact that the websites are not totally secure.

Email is still the primary attack channel. They pretend to be customers of the banks to contact the bank. E-fraud is initiated through account takeover, new account and true person/mule,” he said.

Boorer said all channel fraud happens in one of the above fraud types through malware, phishing, social engineering, account opening process gaps, KYC/CIP among others.

“Social media seems to be a concern as banks create social media accounts and ask prospective customers to open bank accounts on social media.

“Fake banks are springing up on the social media and the data that are used to open such accounts; you don’t know and where it ends.

There are financial motivations to trick people to create social media accounts to steal financial/credit information which are sold in the dark internet market for as low as $10 by competing dark internet hacker sites”, he said.

Fatokun, who was represented at the even

by Head, Banking and Payment System, CBN, Mrs Margaret Ogundana, said the apex bank was not just advocating e-payments but doing all it could to ensure that users’ funds are well protected as they embrace e-payment.

“CBN has been in the forefront in the fight

against e-fraud in Nigeria. Several initiatives, directives and fora of this nature had been the major in our activities at CBN,” he said, noting that the apex bank in 2010 introduced EMV cards policy which reduced the card fraud to the barest minimum.

According to him, “Then, upward increase in fraud incidences became alarming in 2014.

Reports from Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System, NIBSS, Plc indicated that 1,461 cases of electronic fraud were recorded in that year, which was a significant increase from the previous year’s figure.

“In response, CBN mandated all DMBs to comply with the provisions of section 3.2 and 3.4 of the Standards and Guidelines of ATM Operations in Nigeria, by installing anti-skimming devices on their ATMs. We have a policy that restricts banks from approving international card transactions unless the customer has informed his/her bank. As at today, almost all the banks have installed hard and soft anti-

skimming measures on ATMs in the country, “he added.

Fakokun pointed out that CBN has issued a number of directives to banks towards strengthening the controls and processes for managing fraud.

These include the two-factor authentication implementation for internal banking processes, PCIDSS certification and the review of operations of instant payments system within the country.

“We are not unaware that the fraudsters have become well organised and seem to always be ahead of the curve in compromising implemented controls, hence we are committed to continuously improving the payments landscape to respond effectively to new threats”, he said, adding that CBN had partnered with NIBSS to procure and install an industry antifraud solution.

“The solution is an industry fraud monitoring tool that ensures behavioural monitoring, patterns and hold/block controls on transaction suspected to be fraudulent. In the same vein, CBN also directed all stake-holders to establish and maintain dedicated Fraud Desks in their respective organisations. This was aimed at providing an avenue for exchange of information and coordination of industry response to fraud attempts and incidents,” he stated.

Standard Chartered to cut costs over declining commodity prices

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s the fall in commodity prices including crude oil continues to impact on banks’ profits globally, Standard Chartered Group said it has reviewed its organisational structure as part of efforts to deliver $1.8bn cut in costs by 2017.

Specifically, the United Kingdom-based lender said the review would improve accountability, speed up decision

making, and reduce bureaucracy.

Consequently, Standard Chartered said it had appointed Mr. Bill Winters as its new Group Chief Executive Officer.

Winters, it said, would lead the new management to deliver a plan to address the future performance of the group by year end, and put in place the new structure.

According to the bank, the

group’s new geographical structure will rationalise its eight existing regions into four new regional businesses.

It said Greater China and North Asia including Hong Kong, China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan would be led by Mr. Ben Hung; while ASEAN and South Asia which includes Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and Bangladesh would be led by Ajay Kanwal.

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Global Business

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Debt conundrum to keep Greek banks in months-long freeze

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reek banks are set to keep broad cash controls in place for months, until fresh money arrives from Europe and with it a sweeping restructuring, officials believe.

Rehabilitating the country’s banks poses a difficult question.

Should the euro zone take a stake in the lenders, first requiring bondholders and even big depositors to shoulder a loss, or should the bill for fixing the banks instead be added to Greece’s debt mountain?

Answering this could hold up agreement on a third bailout deal for Greece that negotiators want to conclude within weeks.

The longer it takes, the more critical the banks’ condition becomes as a 420 euro ($460) weekly limit on cash withdrawals chokes the economy and borrowers’ ability to repay loans.

“The banks are in deep freeze but the economy is getting weaker,” said one official, pointing to a steady rise in loans that are not being repaid.

This cash ‘freeze’ is unlikely to thaw soon, although capital controls may be slightly softened, such as the loosening on Friday of restrictions on foreign transfers by businesses.

“Ultimately, you can only lift the capital controls when the banks are sufficiently capitalized,” said Jens Weidmann, the head of Germany’s

Bundesbank, which pushed the ECB to pare back bank funding, leading to their three-week closure.

The debate is interlinked with a wrangle over reforms, about Greek sovereignty in the face of European controls and whether the country can recover with ever rising debts that have topped 300 billion euros, far bigger than its economy.

Were another 25 billion euros to be piled on top - the amount foreseen for the recapitalization of Greek lenders - it would add to debts that the International Monetary Fund has argued are excessive.

Greek officials, alarmed by a downward spiral in the economy, want an urgent release of funds for their banks.

Four big banks dominate Greece. Of those, National Bank of Greece, Eurobank and Piraeus fell short in an ECB health check last year, when their restructuring plans were not taken into account. The situation is now dramatically worse.

“We want, if possible, an initial amount to be ready for the first needs of the banks,” said one official at the Greek finance ministry, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “That should be about

Greek Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras

10 billion euros.”

Others, including Germany, however, are lukewarm and could push for losses for large depositors with more than 100,000 euros on their accounts, or bondholders.

There are more than 20 billion euros of such deposits in Greece’s four main banks, dwarfing the roughly 3 billion euros of bonds the banks have issued.

Imposing a loss, something the Greek government has repeatedly denied any planning for, would be controversial, not least because much of this money is held by small Greek companies rather than wealthy individuals.

General Electric aims big in energy storage after battery step back

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eneral Electric Co wants to be a “sizable” player in the market for systems that store energy to manage power volatility, a sector the company expects to quadruple to $6 billion by 2020, the head of GE’s energy storage business told Reuters.

Demand for industrial battery systems is being driven by increasing reliance on intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar power and the potential to add energy to the grid quickly when

GE product

power needs spike.

This need has attracted a wide range of companies, including Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors Inc, which said in April it plans to package batteries for use for utilities as well as homes and businesses.

“We believe in the space and its ability to grow,” Jeff Wyatt, GE’s general manager for energy storage, said in a recent interview. “We think we can be a sizable player within it, and that’s really what we’re intending to do.”

GE over the past year has overhauled its approach to the energy storage market, as it saw weaker demand for the battery it developed.

Now Fairfield, Connecticutbased GE is repositioning itself as a one-stop shop for power producers seeking to install energy storage systems, offering inverters, control systems, software as well as financing options.

Earlier this year, it scaled back production of its own Durathon industrial batteries, reducing its manufacturing workforce from 200 to 50 at the Schenectady, New York plant where the battery is made.

The company is focused on improving Durathon’s longevity, including managing its chemical degradation.

As part of its new energy storage package, GE is offering customers the option to install lithium-ion batteries made by other companies.

Despite the allure of battery systems, experts say their expense is a major factor preventing power operators from using them more broadly.

American Electric Power Inc has not invested in a significant energy storage installation since 2010, because it is unclear whether

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

British Airways stops flights to Uganda’s Entebbe airport

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ritish Airways has said it is stopping all flights to and from Uganda as they are “no longer commercially viable”.

The last flight out from Entebbe airport to London’s Heathrow will depart on 3 October 2015, the UK carrier said.

British Airways operates four flights a week to Entebbe.

However, their rates are not as competitive as the ones offered by other airlines, says BBC Uganda analyst Alex Jakana.

It offers the luxury of direct flights from Uganda to the UK, but some Ugandan travellers prefer to use airlines going via the Middle East, despite the longer journey time, he says.

In a statement, British Airways said it was “sorry for any disruption” to travellers who had already booked their flights.

Entebbe is Uganda’s busiest and only international airport.

Every week, at least 49 domestic flights and 490 international flights depart from there, according to the travel website Tripadvisor.

British Airways aircraft

Fund to target whisky connoisseurs in China

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new £3m fund has been set up to allow whisky connoisseurs in China to invest in some of Scotland’s rarest drams.

The fund, generated by members of the Single Malt Club China (SMCC), will be used to buy rare and valuable malts for the Chinese market.

The initiative was announced

by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as she arrived in China for a trade mission.

Ms Sturgeon also revealed new figures showing food and drink exports to China totalled £85m last year.

During the mission, the first minister will open the SMCC’s new Whisky Experience Centre in Beijing, which will showcase the malt whisky production process with photographs and items from distilleries.

Chine Bank Governor, Zhou Xiachuan

It will also display single malts that are available in China.

The SMCC, which was set up in 2005, imported 60,000 bottles of Scotch last year.

The new £3m Whisky Investment Fund is expected to help lift that figure by another 20 per cent over the next year.

Ms Sturgeon said: “The Single Malt Club China has worked hard to promote Scotch whisky for a decade and now has nearly 5,000 members throughout China.

“It also works with 31 of our distilleries, so the support for our industry is clear, and this fund will allow Chinese whisky connoisseurs to invest in some of Scotland’s finest and rarest drams.”

The move comes as Scotch whisky firms look to boost sales in China, which have been hit by an ongoing austerity campaign by the Chinese authorities.

According to figures released recently by the Scotch Whisky Association, direct exports to the country fell by 23 per cent to £39m last year, making it Scotch’s 26th largest market by value.

However, overall food and drink exports to China rose by 12 per cent to £85m last year, according to new data announced by Ms Sturgeon.

Fish and seafood made up the bulk of exports, with £43m worth of products, followed by whisky (£39m), meat (£1.4m) and cereals (£1.1m).

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

37

Rights Issue: UBA lists additional N12bn shares StorieS: JohnSon okanlawon

U

nited Bank of Africa, UBA, has said that 3,298,138,756 ordinary shares of the bank were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The additional shares emanates from the just concluded rights issue of 3,298,138,756 ordinary shares of 50 kobo at N3.50 per share The bank’s outstanding shares has now increased from 32,981,387,566 to 36,279,526,322 ordinary shares.

However, the bank results for the three months ended March 31, 2015 showed a profit before tax of N18.4billion, which is 36 per cent higher than the N13.5billion pre-tax profit it declared for the corresponding period of 2014.

Its profit after tax rose by 35 per cent year-on-year from N12.6billion in first quarter of 2014 to N17billion in the review period.

The profit growth followed a 22 per cent rise in UBA’s gross earnings. The results showed that the bank’s gross earnings rose from the N68.1billion it made in the first quarter of 2014 to N83.1billion in the three months under review.

Speaking on the result, the Group Managing Director, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, explained that the performance was satisfactory and represented a great start to the year for the bank, despite the uncertainties about the Nigerian economy during the quarter.

He said, “We witnessed what can

NSE trading floor

best be described as a quantum leap in our profit and balance sheet drivers.

“Besides the significant growth in profits, I am also impressed by the six per cent quarter-to-date growth in deposits and the low 1.6 per cent Non-Performing Loan ratio, which reflects our prudence. It shows our focus on both profit drivers and risks within our operating environment.”

He said that the operations of UBA’s African businesses contributed over

Expert attributes PFAs’ low performance to unstable capital market

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he Chairman, Trustfund Pension Plc, Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme, has blamed instability in the capital market and non-payment of salaries, for the low performance of Pension Funds Administrators,( PFAs).

She listed some of the challenges in the business environment to include the falling oil prices, negative forecast of the outcome of the general elections and the devaluation of the naira.

Olejeme, who spoke through a director in the company, Peter Esele, said that “if one looks at the fact that Trustfund management declared the same 25Kobo dividend in 2013 and 2014, one may not appreciate how the difficulty in the environment in 2014 was.

“We should not forget that the preparations for the 2015 general elections was at all-time high in 2014, the crash in the price of crude oil in the international market also happened in the same year and nonpayment of salaries even at the federal level also took place during that

year.

Olojeme also linked the devaluation of the naira and the instability of the stock market where TrustFund invested about 30 per cent of its money as part of the reasons for its low performance of the company.

“Overall, we have about 70 per cent of our resources invested in one form of money market or the other.

Coupled with all of these, were all the negative forecasts about the outcome of the general elections.

She described all these constraints as formidable factors that impacted negatively on the performances of businesses, adding that for TrustFund to be able to march what was declared in 2013 is a great achievement.

The company’s Chairman also expressed the Board’s delight that the shareholders showed massive understanding during the trying period and pointed out that with an improving operating environment this year, the company’s shareholders would be better off in terms of returns on investment by next year.

one-fifth of the group’s earnings in the first quarter and expressed optimism about a more positive outlook as the bank’s pan-African operations increasingly gain critical mass across the African markets.

“We remain focused on cross selling initiatives and niche market play, as we remain committed to building a leading pan-African financial services franchise and delivering superior value to our shareholders,” he said.

According to him, the significant growth in profit after tax means that the bank’s earnings per share at the end of the 2015 financial year is forecast to rise by 35 per cent to N2.06 from N1.53, if the first quarter growth rate is sustained, while return on equity is expected to rise to 24.8 per cent from 22.1 per cent within the same period, showing significant improvement in returns to shareholders.

Also, the Group Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Nwaghodoh, said the bank tapped into efficiency gains in its operations to boost profitability.

“We hope to sustain this impressive quarterly performance through the year especially with the recent upgrade of our core banking application which will drive operational efficiencies across the group,” Nwaghodoh said.

UBA recently completed an upgrade of its core banking application, including its online banking platform which will lead to more stability, greater security and better user experience as well as improved process, faster turnaround time and robust customer relationship management.

It is one of financial institutions, offering banking services to more than eight million customers across 605 businesses offices in 19 African countries and three global financial centres.

Dubai stocks lead Mideast declines amid oil slump outlook

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ubai stocks retreated at the weekend, leading equity markets lower across the Gulf, after oil dropped to the lowest in fourmonths and some investors sought to benefit from the DFM General Index’s rally last week.

The benchmark gauge dropped 1.3 per cent, the most in almost three weeks, to 4,147.63 at the close. Emirates NBD PJSC, the United Arab Emirates’ secondbiggest lender by assets, slid the most in five weeks.

Emaar Properties PJSC, the developer of the world’s tallest tower, lost the most since July 8. Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index fell 0.8 per cent in Riyadh, the most in a month.

The drop is “a combination of profit taking after a good start to the earnings season and investors pric-

ing in the impact of Iran’s nuclear deal on oil prices in the short term,” Sanyalak Manibhandu, the head of research at NBAD Securities LLC in Abu Dhabi, said by phone. “If oil were to go another $5 lower, we could see another mini-scare in equities.”

Brent crude fell to a fourmonth low on Friday on signs the global surplus will grow following Iran’s agreement to curtail its nuclear program in exchange for lifting of economic sanctions. Dubai stocks rallied the most since April last week after companies reported better than estimated quarterly results. Profit for Emirates NBD climbed 26 percent and for Emaar Malls Group PJSC leapt 43 per cent.

Emirates NBD lost 2.3 per cent on almost four times its

average three-month daily trading volume. The drop followed the stock’s best weekly gain of the year on the back of a 41 per cent increase in first-half profit.

Emaar, the parent of Emaar Malls, retreated 1 per cent.

Saudi Basis Industries Corp., the world’s secondbiggest petrochemicals producer, advanced 0.7 per cent on more than twice its threemonth average daily volume. The company known as Sabic beat second-quarter profit expectations and said it’s studying investment in U.S. shale gas projects.

Abu Dhabi’s ADX General Index retreated 0.4 per cent.

Qatar’s QE Index slipped 0.3 per cent, and Kuwait’s SE Price Index and Oman’s MSM 30 Index both slid 0.1 per cent. Bahrain’s BB All Share Index was little changed.

38

Features

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PINE renders assistance

Victims of Boko Haram in Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State, donated by PINE receiving relief items from Red Cross officials

INUSA NDAHI, MAIDUGURI

T

he lingering crisis of Boko Haram which started since 2009 to date has claimed the lives of thousands of people with many others injured as well as displaced about two million people displaced from their ancestral homes who are now taking refuge at various camps in the north east sub region.

The most hit state is Borno which is the epicentre of the insurgents. In the state alone, 22 out of the 27 local government areas have been sacked with Internally Displaced Persons from the affected communities continuing their lifetime in agony at various camps in the state capital, Maiduguri.

It is against this backdrop that the Presidential Initiative for the North East Committee (PINE) on Monday, 13th July, 2015 flagged off another second round of free distribution of food items and other relief materials to the people affected by the boko haram deadly activities in Borno, Bauchi states and other parts of the country.

Prior to these initiatives, PINE had in December 2014 and in March this year embarked on the same gesture, where it distributed many trucks of 16

MANY VICTIMS OF THIS INSURGENCY HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES, BUT THE DISTRIBUTION OF THESE RELIEF MATERIALS ASSISTED THEM BREAK THEIR RAMADAN FAST WITH THE DISTRIBUTED RELIEF MATERIALS AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS OF LIFE. THE DISTRIBUTED MATERIALS WILL ALSO BE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN THE IDPS MEET THEIR FOOD AND HEALTH CARE REQUIREMENTS, BEFORE THEY RETURN TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMMUNITIES IN THE AFFECTED STATES. food and non-food items such as mats, blackets, Matches, buckets, soaps, spaghetti, among others in Konduga and Beneshiek council areas of Borno state. Other states visited during the same period and also benefitted from the exercise were Bauchi, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe respectively.

Flagging of the distribution which took place at Nganzai, Magumeri, Biu and Damboa Local Government Areas, the PINE team leader of Nganzai, Alhaji Ado Ali who led other members of his team with other officials of Red Cross International and National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA to Gajiram, Nganzai council area said, two trucks of 60,000 of 10kg of rice were allocated to Nganzai

alone, in which, out of the 30,500 targetted households, two bags were to be given to each in order to cushion their immediate hardships.

Ado said, already, PINE apart from distributing 16 different food and nonfood items in May 2015 to the Internally Displaced Persons and victims of insurgency, the Committee discovered that it has 79,000 assorted bags of rice in stock at the north east zonal office of NEMA in Maiduguri, hence, it selected five Local Government Areas to include Nganzai, Magumeri, Damboa, Jere, and Biu who are to benefit from the exercise.

He noted that two trucks were allocated to each of these council areas, in addition to other new initiatives such

as provision of drugs and health care facilities, rebuilding destroyed communities and put the displaced people back to their homes to continue their normal lives through farming and other socio-economic activities in no distant future.

Responding on behalf of the District Head of Nganzai, who was represented by Alhaji Bukar Gajiram, thanked PINE and the federal government for the gesture, which according to him, will go along way in alleviating their sufferings.

Alhaji Gajiram noted that the people of Gajiram have all resolved to settle in their communities despite the incessant attacks by insurgents, and therefore called on government and

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Features

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

to Boko Haram victims

Victims of Boko Haram in Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State receiving relief items from Red Cross officials

other humanitarian organizations and international donor agencies to emulate such gesture so as to make them feel as citizens of the country.

He said, Nganzai headquarters of Gajiram has only three boreholes, unfortunately, these boreholes were not functioning as it was vandalized by insurgents on the recent attacks on the community and called on the government to reconstruct or rehabilitate the boreholes for his people to have access to potable drinking water.

He also said, almost all primary and post-primary schools in the area have been destroyed including hospitals, and appealed for urgent steps by government to rebuild these destroyed facilities for the benefit of his people who were at that time observing Ramadan Kareem.

Simultaneously on that day, PINE distributed over 240 metric tons (48,000 bags of rice) of relief materials to other Boko Haram victims Magumeri council areas of Borno state in meeting their basic needs of life in the affected communities.

The Accelerated Relief Distribution Programme; therefore ,targetted at cushioning the economic hardship amongst the victims.

Speaking at the distribution of materials at Magumeri, Secretary of PINE, Alhaji Umar Gulani said that the target of PINE; was for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 35 communities in Borno and Bauchi states.

His words: “Many victims of this insurgency have not only been displaced from their homes and communities, but the distribution of these relief materials, will assist them break their Ramadan fast with the distributed relief materials and other basic needs of life.

The distributed materials will also be enough to sustain the IDPs meet their food and health care requirements, before they return to their respective communities in the affected states.”

He further disclosed that the second phase of relief distribution programme commences at the end of Ramadan fast and on Sallah Day cel-

ebration.

“The Federal Government is always determined to alleviate the plights of all displaced persons affected by Boko Haram insurgency, as long as the relief materials for distribution are available for all victims living in the rural and urban centres of affected states in the North East,” said Gulani.

PINE, according to him, distributed all the “required and needed relief materials” to targeted five Local Government Areas of Borno, including the ones in Bauchi and Adamawa states affected by insurgency.

“We are partnering with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Nigerian Red Cross (NRC), in reaching out to these targeted beneficiaries who have not been displaced; but seriously affected with lack food, as most of them did not till their farmlands, because of ongoing Boko Haram insurgency,” said the PINE scribe.

Secretary of Nigerian Red Cross, Comrade Mohammed Zannah Darma, also satisfied with the procedures of reaching out to the targeted beneficiaries, stating that their team had earlier went to the villages for accreditation, before distributing the relief materials.

In another development, a day after the flagging off ceremony, PINE said, it has concluded arrangement with LAFARGE Company, maker of Ashaka Cement PLC, based in Gombe state to invest about 100 million dollars in order to create jobs and alleviate poverty ravaged by activities of boko haram sect in the region.

This was disclosed by the Secretary of PINE, Mallam Umar Gulani who was in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital with his team in continuation of the distribution of relief materials to victims of insurgency in Jere Local Government Area and some parts of the Maiduguri metropolis.

In Jere local government alone, more than 5,500 bags of rice, sanitary materials, rain jackets among others

39

Secretary of PINE, Mallam Umar Gulani, presenting relief items to victims of Boko Haram at Farm Centre IDPs camp in Jere, Maiduguri metropolis.

were freely distributed to over 3,000 households including the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at various camps.

Gulani said, he was in the troubled state to personally monitor the distribution of 79,000 assorted bags of 10 kg packaged rice and other relief materials to the people of the state inline with the federal government's determination to cushion the hardship faced by victims of Boko Haram, especially the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) taking refuge at various camps in the state.

Gulani who also took his time and visited some IDP camps and distribution centres at Farm Centre, Gomari Airport primary School, Old Gomari primary school and Mairi primary school, expressed happiness with the orderly conduct exhibited by victims who queued in to receive the items, and promised that PINE is working assiduously with other agencies to ensure that victims of insurgency are not only taken care off in terms of provision of food and non-food items, but to economically integrate them into the society by rebuilding their destroyed houses, places of business, schools and hospitals.

He said, to achieve these goals, PINE has set up short, medium and large term plans for the traumatized people, through improvement and engaging in modern agriculture and other occupations to create jobs for the teaming unemployed youths in the region.

The short and medium term plan according to him, is the ongoing distribution of relief materials as palliative measures, provision of mobile clinical facilities to areas recently liberated by the military, rebuilding their destroyed places of worship, houses and business centres, while the long term plan will involve partnership with national and international investors to create jobs and generate revenue to the poverty striking region, especially Borno state which is the epicenter of boko haram.

The PINE did not stop from Borno

as it moved to Bauchi state last week and donated relief materials worth N350 million to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Presenting the items, the PINE Chief of Staff, Alhaji Mohammed Danjuma said PINE had provided relief items for distribution, targeting over 16,000 IDPs in 8 local government areas of the state.

Danjuma said PINE distributed none food items and food items which includes rice, maize, mats, blankets , dozens of textile materials, sanitary pads, vegetable oil, palm oil to IDPs in the said local government areas.

The staff officer, said PINE had designated 8 Local Government areas of Dambam, Zaki, Katagum, Darazo, Alkaleri, Gamawa, Bauchi metropolis, and Kirfi Local government Areas to facilitate smooth assistance to the IDPs. He added that PINE had provided food items, mats and clothing materials for distribution to the affected persons in various communities in the state. " These communities have provide succor from other places, although the number is over strengthening, as the number of IDPs are quite enormous that is why we are targeting over 16,000 of them". He stressed.

He noted that the gesture was to assist the displaced persons and to mitigate their sufferings and it should be a continue process, It has been reported that hundreds of families, displaced

by Boko Haram insurgency in Borno Yobe and Adamawa states have been taking shelter in Bauchi state being an area bordering three most hit states of Borno Yobe and Adamawa.

Responding on behalf of the IDPs, Mrs. Salamatu Mohammed, a mother of three who could not have a certain on the whereabout of her husband expressed her appreciation to the Federal Government for the Initiatives.

She said this will give them a sense of Belonging, but pray to get back to her home town soonest as she pray God to restore peace to the nation.

40

Global Business

Verizon wireline workers authorize strike amid contract negotiations

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erizon Communication Inc’s (VZ.N) wireline unit workers on the U.S. East Coast have voted to go on strike, if needed, amid contract negotiations, the unions representing them said on Saturday.

At a rally in New York, the unions announced that 86 per cent of Verizon’s 39,000 wireline employees have voted to authorize a strike. This comes a week before their current contracts expire on Aug. 1.

The vote to strike does not mean work in the wireline business, which includes FiOS Internet, telephone and TV services, will come to a halt as the board of the unions Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers that represent the employees have yet to approve it.

“Our members are clear and they are determined – they reject management’s harsh concession-

ary demands, including the elimination of job security, sharp increases in workers’ health care costs, and slashing retirement security,” Vice President for CWA District One Dennis Trainor said in a statement.

The company’s union-represented employees in the East work under 27 collective bargaining agreements in nine eastern states in the United States and Washington D.C. Verizon’s plans to cut costs by controlling healthcare and pension-related benefits over a three-year period are at the center of union negotiations.

“Union rallies and strike authorization votes are useless distractions that achieve nothing,” Verizon spokesman Rich Young said. “We believe their time would be far more beneficial focusing on the important contractual issues that need to be resolved.”

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Thai airline

reduce Thai Air capacity by five per cent, President Charumporn Jotikasthira told Reuters in a telephone interview.

The company aims to cut capacity by 15 per cent during the second of 2015.

“It’s normal that we have to cut costs and adjust flights to suit changing situation,” he said adding the airline has set budget of 5.3 billion baht ($151.86 million) for the voluntary retirement scheme.

The number leaving excludes those that will reach retirement age in 2015, he said.

Thai Airways aims to cut operating costs by up to nine billion baht this year, Charumporn said.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pearson says in talks to sell its 50% stake in The Economist

B

ritain’s Pearson (PSON.L) is in talks to sell its 50 per cent stake in The Economist to the other shareholders of the weekly newspaper, with one, Italy’s Agnelli family, confirming it wants to increase its stake.

The move comes on the heels of Pearson’s sale of the Financial Times newspaper to Japanese media group Nikkei, announced this week as its focuses on its education business.

“Pearson confirms it is in discussions with The Economist Group Board and trustees regarding the potential sale of our 50 per cent share in the group,” the company said in a statement on Saturday.

Vice President, David Young “There is no certainty that this Verizon said in late June it process will lead to a transaction.”

Pearson did not name the potenoffered salary hikes to 39,000 employees in its East wireline business after its first negotiating session with representatives of the two unions.

The wage increases were subject to an agreement between the company and the unions. In 2011, the last round of talks had ended in a strike.

Thai Airways to cut 1,401 jobs, suspend flights to America hai Airways International Pcl (THAI.BK) plans to cut 1,401 jobs through voluntary retirement this year and suspend its loss-making flights to Los Angeles and Rome as it pushes ahead with a restructuring plan, its president said on Sunday.

Thailand’s national carrier aims to reduce operating costs and capacity by 20 per cent under the two-year plan, which also calls for aircraft sales and a reduction in staffing.

The firm is one of several state-controlled companies that the military government has targeted for reform since seizing power in May 2014.

The flight suspension will

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

From Oct. 25, the carrier will stop flying from Bangkok to Los Angeles and to Rome. The lossmaking routes cost the company more than 100 million baht a year, he said The flight suspension to Los Angeles will close Thai Airways operations in the United States.

The firm suspended flights to New York in 2008, also because the route was unprofitable.

But Thailand’s flagship carrier will double the number of flights from Bangkok to London and Bangkok to Frankfurt to twice daily, he said.

To further reduce costs, Thai Airways will cut the frequency of its flights to Kolkata, India, he said. It will also transfer operations of three routes, Hyderabad in India, Changsha in China and Luang Prabang in Laos, to its Thai Smile mid-range unit, the president said.

Charumporn reiterated his expectation that Thai Airways’ operation will break even at the end of this year, although the bottom line would be impacted by rising restructuring costs.

Thai Airways still has 50 routes that are either loss-making or have low returns, the company said in a statement on Sunday

tial buyers.

People familiar with the matter said, however, that the group of families and staff and former staff that own the remaining 50 per cent are talking to Pearson but need to raise cash to fund the deal.

Italian holding company Exor (EXOR.MI), the investment company of the Agnelli family and a major shareholder in Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCHA.MI), said later on Saturday it was in talks about raising its stake, which stands at 4.72 per cent, according to its website.

Any increased investment in The Economist Group would represent a minority shareholding and there was no certainty a deal would be concluded, it said in a statement.

Pearson headquarters

Teva nears deal for Allergan’s generic drugs unit – Source

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eva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA.TA) is in advanced talks to buy Allergan Plc’s (AGN.N) generic drug business following a thus far unsuccessful effort to acquire peer Mylan NV (MYL.O), according to a person familiar with the matter.

Jerusalem-based Teva, which has offered to buy Mylan for $40 billion, is now close to an agreement to acquire Dublin-based Allergan’s generic drugs unit for between $40 billion and $45 billion, the person said on Saturday.

A deal could be announced as early as next week, the person said, cau-

Teva MD, Yitzhak_Peterburg

tioning that negotiations had not yet been completed and asking not to be identified because the discussions are confidential. Teva and Allergan representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

Large drug makers are trying to realign their operations to focus on a small number of leading businesses, while smaller specialty and generic producers are seeking larger scale. Allergan’s branded drugs business makes products such as Botox and Alzheimer’s drug Namenda. Its generics business makes up about a third of the company’s total revenue.

A successful deal with Allergan would give Teva, which has a market capitalization of $60 billion, a much bigger footprint in the generic drugs sector. It would also offer opportunities for significant cost synergies and tax savings.

Last year, Actavis Plc outbid Canadian drugmaker Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (VRX. TO) and activist investor William Ackman to merge with Allergan and adopt its name. Allergan now has a market capitalization of $121 billion.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Tuesday, June 28, 2015

Lawyer seeks committal of CNS to prison THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

A

Warri-base lawyer, Mr Obefemi Ainerua has urged the Federal High Court in Warri to commit the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) to prison for disobeying court judgment. Justice Abubakar Shittu had in a judgment de-

livered on Feb. 4, 2015 ordered the Nigerian Navy to released the Vessel christened MT JOCHEBED with registration No: 377874 and IMO NO: 7388578 to the owner, KUTI Ltd on bond or reasonable conditions.

Shittu also ordered that any petroleum products that may be laden on the vessel should be discharged into the custody of the

Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

KUTI had dragged the EFCC and the Nigerian Navy as 1st and 2ndrespondents respectively in a Suit No: FHC/WR/CS/124/ over the confiscation of the MT JOCHEBED by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta after it was stolen from the owner by suspected sea pirates in the creeks. The suit

L-R: Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman, Arik Air, Sir Joseph Arumemi Ikhide and Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, during a reception in honour of the police chief by the Sabogida Ora community in Edo State, at the weekend.

PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

was filed on Nov. 26, 2014 before the federal high court in Warri.

The applicant prayed the court to order the respondents to release his vessel seized on Oct. 12, 2014 on bond or unconditionally.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Ainerua, while briefing newsmen yesterday in Warri, said the motion to appear in court was served on the Respondents adding that the 2ndrespondent(Nigerian Navy) did not deemed it fit to appear in court during the hearing of the motion. Ainerua said consequent upon court’s judgment, the applicant wrote a letter dated May 15th to the CNS requesting for the immediate release of the vessel pursuant to the judgment.

He said the 1st respondent (EFCC) ordered the applicant to provide responsible person to take the vessel on bond adding that the 2ndrespondent (Nigerian Navy) bluntly refused to honour the legal advice. “Upon the contemptuous refusal of the 2nd respondent to obey the judgment, the applicant filed Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of order of court and served on him through her agents and surrogates (CNS). “The Respondent has even still gone ahead with her willful disobedience of the order of the court by willful-

ly and contemptuously refusing and neglecting the release of the Vessel MT JOCHEBED. “It is our humble submission that this is a wanton and grave disobedience of the valid and subsisting orders of this Honourable court, This is Contempt of this Honourable Court,” he said.

Ainerua contended that it was duty-bound for any individual to obey the order of any competent court unless such order was discharged.

“It is the plain and unqualified obligation of every person against, or in respect of whom an order is made by a court of competent jurisdiction to obey it unless that order is discharged. “The uncompromising nature of this obligation is shown by the fact that it extends even to cases where the person affected by an order believes it to be irregular or void,” Ainerua said.

While frowning at the outright disobedience by the office of the Chief of Naval Staff, he posited that the continued seize of his client’s vessel by Navy was not only illegal but arrogant show of impunity.

He urged the new CNS to order NNS Delta for the immediate release of the vessel to its owner.

NTF nabs suspected crude oil thieves In Warri THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

F

ive suspects, alleged to be illegal oil bunkerers have been arrested by men of the National Task Force, NTF, in Warri, Delta State. NTF which is saddled with the responsibility to flush out the activities of illegal importation/smuggling of goods, small arms, ammunition, light weapons and monitoring of oil pipeline vandalisation made the arrest on Wednesday.

The suspects were apprehended by Delta State Command of the National Task Force in Ogunu, Warri South Local Government Area of the state. Niger Delta Mirror learnt the arrest was carried out around Elf road off Ogunu, during which unspecified gallons of locally refined kerosene and Diesel were recovered from the suspected hoodlums.

The State Director, National Task Force, Chief Dada Sam Okonta, while briefing newsmen in Warri, yesterday, on the efforts of his command in carrying out its mandate,

said the suspects have since been handed over to the men of “B” Division Police Station, Warri for interrogation and possible prosecution.

Okonta, represented by Head of Administration & Finance, Mr. Tony Ikhile, disclosed that the arrest was made possible in their renewed commitment to rid Delta State of every illegal act and ensure that only those who are legitimately empowered by the law were allowed to do business in the area.

He gave the names of the suspects as Ejiro Idegbe, Pascal Oluwa, Jude Otoguia, Arure Gabriel and Okua Christopher. He noted that the suspects would be made to face the full wrath of the law to serve as a deterrent to those who are in the illegal business.

According to Chief Okonta, “The suspects had just returned from their illegal refinery at unknown location through the river to their depot where they do illegal bunckering of diesel, kerosene and pms at Ogunu when my men swooped on them and got them arrested.”

He vowed to intensify the war against illegal importation, smuggling of goods and small arms, adding that pro-

liferation of small arms in the society is giving his command serious concern. He warned all those involved in illegal ac-

tivities to desist from such as his men were ready more than ever before uncomfortable for them to operate.

Rivers community petitions IGP over chieftaincy tussle DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

S

ome residents of Ibaa community, Emohua local government area of Rivers State have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase over what they described as incessant killings and harassment of residents by suspected hoodlums.

Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, the community leaders, Eze Kinsley E. Nyenke and Engineer Princewill Nwankama said they had been forced to flee from the community for seven years. The duo also said their property worth millions of naira had been destroyed by suspected criminals in the community.

They attributed the crisis to a chieftaincy tussle between the Omusunu village of the Ibaa community and two other autonomous blocs that are currently contending for the stool of a new Paramount Ruler of the commu-

nity after the death of the former monarch to that throne years ago.

The Ibaa chiefs also alleged that the problem in the area has led to the death of about 22 youths suspected to have been murdered at different times by some persons alleged to be sympathetic to other interest groups to the throne. Eze Kingsley E. Nyenke specifically said his younger brother, Samuel Nyenke who had just finished his Masters program in one of the US universities was murdered when he came home on a visit. Nyenke lamented that he was shocked when a team of policemen indicted and accused them of sponsoring the boys who go about killing innocent people in the community. “We were arrested on a trump up accusation and were detained in Abuja for two days. “The constitution of our community makes it clear that ascension to the throne of the paramount ruler of Ibaa would be rotational among the three autonomous blocs in the community.

“In my bloc alone we have

about three contenders to that throne. What I want is for people to feel free to seek interest to the throne but not by being threatened as some persons are presently doing”.

They however called on IGP Arase to ensure that the police team handling the case was changed and that the matter should transferred from the Abuja homicide department to any other zones in the country as they were no more comfortable with the way the case was being handled.

While tasking the Police to ensure that peace returns to Ibaa, the community chiefs appealed that a fresh panel of investigation was set up to properly investigate if truly they were involved in the crisis rocking the community or it was just a frame up by their oppositions. On his part, the state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ejike noted that his Command would soon come up with a template that would put an end to the problem bedeviling the community.

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Tuesday, June 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lawmaker supports construction of dual carriage way RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

A

Cross River State House of Assembly member representing Boki II state constituency,Mr Hilary Bisong on Monday lauded Government of Cross River state for conceiving the plan to construct a dual super carriage highway to link

the state with its environs.

Bisong lauded the government in a chat with journalists in Calabar stressing that the super highway when completed is likely going to attract investors who would generate employment opportunities for the army of unemployed youths in the state.

The super carriage highway which is one of the signature

projects of Gov. Ben Ayade is expected to be constructed from Calabar to Obudu local government area of the state.

The lawmaker who is the Chairman House Committee on Tourism, Culture and Event Management, said that Gov. Ayade’s vision and commitment to construct the dual carriage highway through the Public

Private Partnership was worthwhile. ``The Calabar-Obudu highway has been neglected over the years with little or no attention paid to it. We thank God that the governor has noted the construction of that road as one of his signature projects. ``Now is the time for all Crossriverians to weigh their support

L-R: Chairman Faith Foundation School, Deacon Felix Azubike Agu; Best Graduating Student, Master Victory Azubike; Proprietress of Faith Foundation School, Pastor Mrs. Jane Azubuike, and, Chairman of the Occasion, Deacon Udochukwu Ogbonna, during the 3rd graduation Ceremony of the School in Port Harcourt.

Total E&P grooms tomorrow’s leaders CONTINUED FROM PAGE16 our CSR capacity building programs,” he said.

He reiterated the company’s commitment towards encouraging young Nigerians to retain the habit if reading as a way of life, saying ‘today a reader, tomorrow a leader,”Brunet said.

He explained that this year’s theme: ‘reading for leading’ was choosing to encourage the young ones as future leaders, “to equip you adequately through reading wide for knowledge”.

Mr. Brunet acknowledge the ‘huge) partnership Total shares with the Rivers State Ministry of Education and the University of Port Harcourt in organizing events like this for youths/students development. A book reading session by the students presided over by the guest reader and a teacher in the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Bridget Nwanze, from a 68-page book titled: Success in examination written by Arty Pereira was a spectacle to behold, as the students read with the precision of newscasters.

The message of lead speak-

er and role model, Prof. Nwanze, who was the pioneer head, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Port Harcourt and presently the institution’s curator as well as orator to the students was very instructive. She admonished the students on the need to make good choices in their quest for knowledge, saying don’t just go to school, choose good schools.”

Speaking further, Prof Nwanze said,”There was nothing special about reading without the zeal to do so.,” even as she advised the students to look out for the opportunities of scholarships to boost their academic dreams and unexpectedly receiving resounding applause not only from the students, but the entire audience, including the management of Total E&P. She also made the youngsters understand that there was nothing they cannot achieve academically if they were serious, pointing out that it begins with studying hard and studying hard is reading.

While rounding off, the Art historian gave a practical example of herself seeking knowledge in four top Ni-

gerian universities namely: Universities of Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, even when she was already married with children, just after bagging her first degree.

“In five years I got four children. After my fourth child I went for the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC in 1979 at the Government Technical College, popularly known as Craft Centre in Port Harcourt,” she explained. Continuing, she said, “You see, marriage and having children did not stop me from pursuing my dreams, I was moving on and I believe that is something those of you who are girls can achieve too if you have the zeal and understanding with your spouse.”

She also has a message for parents when she said, “My daughter was best graduating student in Law at the University of Benin (year not stated) because I was monitoring.”

On why she was consistent in the arts, the academic said, “when you are well read, you come out and contribute to the wealth of knowledge in that field.”

Students, she rapped it all up, “There is nothing impossible for you to get there, just be serious. Without reading, you cannot get there!”

In his summary of the chapters read by the guest reader and the students, the moderator and lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Justin Mgbechi Gabriel said some students resort to short cuts like cheating to pass exams because of ill preparation and lack of confidence. According to him, “Be confident and do not depend on other means like cheating or visiting native doctors to help you pass your exams. Start early to prepare for life’s challenges,” he said, a point which was corroborated by the Rivers State Chairperson of All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, ANCOPS, Mrs. Augusta Fubara.

Mrs. Fubara, who has interacted with students at several fora harped on the dangers of cheating, describing it as an evil practice that will cut short ones dream as a student. Like most speakers before her, the state ANCOPS boss lauded the oil giant, Total E&P for putting the event together, saying, “Total has passion for students

behind the governor to help him achieve this gigantic project. ``The neglect of this road has denied the state a lot of economic benefit’’, he said.

He averred that the road when constructed would attract more traffic to the Tinapa business and leisure resort in the state to help it function effectively. ``Cross River is a tourism destination. We need good roads to attract more tourists to the state and to expand our tourism industry. ``If this road is constructed, most business mogul from the northern part of the country will prefer to bring their goods to the state and this will in turn generate some revenue into the state coffers. ``We in the house of assembly are going to support the governor and also to give him a backing to accomplish his signature projects in the state’’,Bisong maintained.

The ASsembly man pointed out that Cross River which now has the Calabar International Convention Centre (CICC), would function effectively if they is a good road network. ``Today we have the CICC in the state, some people who may wish to use the centre for their seminars, workshops and conferences may prefer to come by road.Bissong said.

and youth development.

“They (Total) do not only give us fish, they also teach us how to fish,” she concluded, while urging the oil and gas firm to sustain the programme.

Speaking as a special guest, renown author, Dr. Elechi Amadi also commended Total for its effort in getting people to read, pointing out that reading is for leading. “Without reading, people cannot acquire knowledge.”

Amadi buttresses the corporate social responsibility of the company when he said, “Most multinational companies are interested in making profit and making their shareholders happy.

“They hardly invest in the development of our young one who are future leaders like Total is doing with this book reading programme,” he said, telling the students that “the more books you read, the more lives you lead.” In his vote of thanks, Executive General Manager, Port Harcourt Administration, Total E&P, Joseph Ajilore gave the assurance that the book reading event which the company started in 2011 will hold next year.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

C’s only worry –Lawan Assembly are fighting for their right. I therefore, want to call on APC national leadership to make some adjustments, since election of principal officers of the National Assembly lies with the senators and members of the House of Representatives.

From the foregoing, do you envisage the implementation of the party’s directives by the lawmakers?

The problem we are facing here is that of the DSP. The misnomer in the election of National Assembly presiding officers as far as APC is concerned is the emergence of Ekweremadu, who is not an APC member as DSP. All the other principal officers of the National Assembly are members of our party, Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara who emerged Senate President and Speaker respectively. As the majority party, we are supposed to produce the Senate President, DSP, Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader as well as other key principal positions.

But I understand the party has advised Ekweremadu to resign. But, the question is: what if, he refuses to resign?

Then, definitely, the party will have no choice than to ask its members in the Senate to impeach Ekweremadu.

Now, again, it is too early to begin impeachment in the legislature!

But you will need to have 73 senators to effect the removal of the DSP? Well, even in the PDP, there are some members that don’t want him to be the DSP. This is politics for you, there’s no permanent friend and no permanent enemy, but only permanent interest.

There has been this talk about political alliance and realignment being the root cause of the crisis plaguing the APC at the National Assembly. What is your advice to members within the APC knowing full well that it is a conglomeration of parties?

Once you become a member of the APC, you ought to forget about your former party. Anyone still talking about his former party is working at cross purpose with the APC. That said, politics is a game of interest. There’s bound to be situations whereby some people in order to get what they want they will have to engage in all manners of manoeuvres. They can tell you, ‘oh, I am new PDP, that’s why you don’t want to carry us along’. Or, at times they can even say, ‘oh, no! Is it because we are from the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, that is why you don’t want to carry us along’? In politics, you must know how to manoeuvre to get what you want and you are free to do so, but I can assure you that in the APC, we are one family, and we are going to move together to bring about the needed change.

Do you think there’s need to placate some segments of the party, particularly, Senator Bola Tinubu who perhaps feels let down by the outcome of the National Assembly elections?

Initially, what the APC wanted was to have the Senate President from the North East and the Speaker from the South West. But, the reverse now is the case. Now, we have the Senate President from the North Central,

s you wIll see changes In the

we have problem Is wIth the

madu, chooses to resIgn, fIne.

ely the party wIll have

to remove hIm.

Saraki, who is more or less, seen as a Yoruba man, while the Speaker is from the North East. This is politics for you; sometimes there are no fixed outcomes. So people should not take it as a crisis that is going to consume this country. On the Tinubu aspect, he may decide to show dissatisfaction with the outcome but that is what God has decreed. We should forget about our own interest, and put the interest of Nigeria first, and then, followed by that of our party.

So, your take is that this crisis will not consume the APC, nor will it consume the expectations of the people who voted the APC? Sure! It would not consume anybody. As a young party, you will surely have some hitches on the

Politics

43

way. What we are going to do is to find a way to tackle all this problems. Already, APC national leadership has taken steps to resolve the issues amicably. Even though, the NEC meeting held recently, is what we expect them to have called since. But they didn’t do it. It is after the damage now that they started calling for meetings, which ought to have taken place, long before the inauguration of the National Assembly.

Look at the crisis at the national level, do you find the same problem at the state levels? No. I believe in the next few days you will see changes in the National Assembly. Where we have problem is with the office of the DSP. If Ekweremadu, chooses to resign, fine. If he fails, then definitely the party will have to find a way to remove him.

Group urges Buhari on good governance •Cautions mischief makers to leave Bogoro alone EzEkiEl TiTus BAUCHI

P

eace Mobilisation Group of Nigeria, PMGN, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to embrace enemies of democracy, whose sole aim is to truncate the education policy of his administration through religious and ethnic diversity.

This was just as PMGN also cautioned mischief makers to toe the path of honour and leave the executive secretary of Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUNF, Prof Suleiman Elias Bogoro alone to enable him concentrate in his renewed commitment to turn around tertiary education in Nigeria.

PMGN President, Alhaji Sani Musa, made the observation while briefing newsmen in Bauchi at the weekend, adding that those angling against Bogoro’s position as TETFUND boss are street touts in their desperation for power, describing the move against Bogoro as an act of disservice to the nation.

Musa said: “It is a shame the detractors of Bogoro have even gone spiritual since the dissolution of board

of Federal Government paratatals to ensure his ouster from office in spite of the giant strides he has attained. We want to warn the sponsors of campaign of calumny against Bogoro and their agents from Bauchi State to steer clear.”

Expressing regret that if the allegations that some top All Progressives Congress, APC, chieftains in Bauchi State have petitioned President Buhari,

through the party to sack Bogoro from office, is true, Musa said this development may justify them as enemies of democracy and the entire administration of Buhari whose determination is to work with credible personalities like Bogoro.

PMGN added that Nigerians are tired of the destruction of mischief makers who are using religion and ethnicity to achieve personal ag-

grandizement, advising the APC-led Federal Government not to allow such elements to derail its plan for Nigerians.

He expressed disgust at the way everything is being politicized in the country, saying that PMGN will not fold its arms and watch credible personalities intimidated through politics of vendetta to the detriment of future generations.

UPP recommends probe of immediate, past judicial officers AdEolA Tukuru ABUJA

U

nited Progressives Party, UPP, National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has recommended that a searchlight be beamed on immediate and past judicial officers whose judicial pronouncements by way of judgments and orders smack of travesty of justice Okorie, in a press statement yesterday in Abuja said this will go a long way to serve as punitive measure against corruption in the judiciary and make judicial misconduct unattractive, unprofitable and disgraceful.

He said: “We believe no new law or amend-

ment of existing laws is required to embark on this important and crucial aspect of sanitising the Nigerian society and restoring discipline and morality in Nigeria.

“We are advising on this initiative because we observed with frustration how the efforts of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, the Nigeria Police, and the Department of Security Service, DSS, have been rendered ineffective by the judicial arm of government.

“Beneficiaries and perpetrators of corruption in Nigeria are vi-

cious, dangerous and subversive. The fight against corruption must be holistic and decisive if the cankerworm must be excised from the fabric of our society permanently.

“It is on the basis of this that we urge the President, as a friendly opposition party which also committed ourselves to a constructive engagement to his government, to turn his attention to the judiciary at this point in time.

“Nigerian judiciary is so corrupt that it will frustrate his efforts as it has always done in any attempt to bring corrupt public officers, companies and other citizens to justice.”

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bayelsa guber: Plot to take over Creek Haven hots up CONTINUED FROM PAGE13

All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, candidate for Kolokuma/Opokuma 2 state constituency to defeat the PDP candidate during the rescheduled Assembly poll, and that alone speaks volumes of the influence of this young man in his constituency. With loads of cash and the backing of the First Lady and former President, the PDP may consider this young man if the national headquarters of the PDP go ahead to allow the embattled factional chairman of the state party, Col. Inokoba, to supervise the primaries which from indication may be the option. Though like most others, he is yet to make public his decision to run or not.

Francis Dufugha

Journalist and publisher of influential Niger Delta Herald, Dufugha is another candidate whose posters were the first to adorn the streets of Bayelsa. A man who has never fail to tell the people of his desire to put food, which is currently scarce, on the table of Bayelsans is perhaps one candidate that will surely give impetus to the race to Creek Haven. During a chat with National Mirror, he said the need to create an enabling environment for investment, building socio-economic infrastructures, building consensus among sister states of Rivers and Delta to reduce the rate of kidnapping in the state was the reason for his desire to go to Creek Haven.

He is from Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area in Bayelsa Central senatorial district and contesting on the platform of the PDP. He might have the cash to throw when the chips are finally down but he is certainly not a candidate you can wave off with the back of your hand, he has the backing of his immediate constituency, the media.

Chief Timipre Sylva

For the PDP and some politicians in the state, the fear of this former governor, whose rising profile in the state has continue to soar immediately after the emergence of the APC, at the centre, is the beginning of wisdom. The defection of hundreds of PDP chieftains to the APC, with all pledging allegiance to him ahead of the gubernatorial polls, speaks volumes of his chances if he eventually decided to contest the gubernatorial election. Though he has not made any pronouncement on whether he will or will not run, Sylva still has scores of loyalists, even in the present administration of Hon. Dickson, and this may well work in his favour.

Another factor to consider is the fact that APC may want to compensate him for his loyalty in the past years, especially in the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari, to the detriment of his own brother and kinsman, Jonathan. However his tenure as the state governor of the state was said to be the most turbulent in term of security, as the state was almost over run by cult related criminalities, and thus most residents are very skeptical and weary of his second coming.

Another short coming is that his kinsmen, who felt lost out in the present political arrangement at the federal level after the PDP lost the centre may want him to operate from the federal level and act as an arbiter between the state and the Presidency.

Mr. Preye Aganaba

Aganaba is a product of the Ijaw struggle and is one of the sons of King Geoffrey Filinti Aganaba, whose house was one of the first places used to plan and coordinate

Siasia

Lokpobiri

Paulker

Alaibe

Godknows

Dudafagh

things towards the creation of Bayelsa State. This trait of making one’s self and properties available for the overall benefit of all is one thing Aganaba inherited from his father, who was the Ibedaowei of Kolokuma kingdom in the days of the struggle for the creation of Bayelsa State.

A computer engineer from, RSUST, PortHarcourt, he has been a private businessman and entrepreneur. Aganaba came into political limelight when he contested the Bayelsa Central senatorial district under the platform of the APC in the last general election but controversially lost to the PDP candidate. He is perhaps one of the people’s choices, probably because of his belief and conviction that no godfather can be stronger than the collective will of the masses.

A good choice he may be, but the mass movement of eminent Bayelsans into the fold of the APC may become a stumbling block for the young man.

ed Officer of the Order of the Niger, OON, in 2006 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources in May 2010 and redeployed to Ministry of Power in March, 2013.

Dr. Igali hails from Eniwari town in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He has served all around the world since joining the Foreign Service in 1982. During his stay at headquarters, he distinguished himself as an expert on economic diplomacy and served as Secretary to about 10 Nigerian Economic Missions abroad, between 1986 and 1991. He last served as Nigeria’s ambassador to the Scandinavia.

During the stay in the Scandinavia, he was responsible for exchange of 12 Economic Missions, with visible impact on foreign investment inflow into Nigeria. He also successfully hosted Nigeria’s 500-man delegation to COP 15 Climate Change Summit in December, 2009.

Dr. Igali is an expert in negotiation, conflict resolution and sustainable development. He is a tactician and sharp thinker and is regarded as one of the intellectual forte in Nigeria’s present crop of senior diplomats, technocrats and administrators.

He is a good choice for Bayelsans if he got the nod but he is not an everyday politician and mobilisation at the grassroots level may be difficult as he has been away from his people for too long and local politics may also be too cumbersome for him. He is a good candidate for any political party if they are ready to cover his weakness and turn them to their advantages. The best there is if Bayelsans actually want change in their status, politically, educational, morally or otherwise.

aison office. Without argument, Chief Ikiogha has emerged as a distinguished politician in Bayelsa State.

A close ally and kinsman of former President Jonathan, he has moved up the social and political ladder steadily and was purported to be the brain behind the emergence of the incumbent governor and was prominently mentioned as one of those who masterminded the removal of Sylva as governor.

From Kpansia Epie in the present Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Ikiogha had a brief working experience with the Rivers State Civil Service before proceeding to study Industrial Chemistry at the University of Port Harcourt, where he graduated with honours in 1987.

A traditional title holder of Otomolo Ibe in Epie kingdom, Ikiogha was appointed Special Adviser on Oil and Gas Matters by former governor of Bayelsa State and former President Jonathan. He also served under the Sylva administration as commissioner twice.

He may be a strong politician but not a good public relation person; regarded as a snub who does not carry the youth along, but he may spring a lot of surprises if he decided to be a kingmaker, instead of trying to be the king. One thing going for him is that he has made some money but is he ready to spend? He is also from the Epie/Atissa clan, which people has not tasted the governorship once and the desire of his people may drive him there, but can he be trusted to be in the driver’s seat? Time will tell.

There are still other masquerades that are yet to unveil themselves, waiting patiently for the outcomes of primaries in the major parties but one thing that is sure is that there will be a battle in Bayelsa come December and God save the grasses.

Amb Godknows Boladei Igali

He is a seasoned diplomat, technocrat and administrator with over 30 years’ working experience in public service. He holds a Ph.D in Political and International Studies from University of Venezuela.

He lately served as Nigerian ambassador to the Nordic countries: Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, between 2008 and 2010, where he was dedicated to the issues of climate change. Dr Igali was award-

one thing that is sure is that there will be a battle in come anD

bayelsa

December

goD save the grasses.

Chief Diekivie Bovie Ikiogha

Former Chief of Staff, CoS, to the incumbent governor, Hon. Dickson, before he was unceremoniously remove and taken to Abuja as CoS, Bayelsa State li-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

T

Politics

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

he pronouncement by President Muhammadu Buhari in far away United States of America that his cabinet may not be constituted until September has continued to generate more reactions from Nigerians. This is coming barely two months of Buhari’s inauguration on May 29.

This delay, in putting a cabinet in place, to many, appears to be throwing up a lot of intrigues and suspense, not only among the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, stakeholders but from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Nigerians at large.

President Buhari is bent on effecting change in all facets of the country’s lives, hence bearing the burden of change.

By convention and in previous PDP-led government, the President relied heavily on state governors in drawing a ministerial list. The governors according to tradition, recommend three candidates from their respective states to make the Federal Executive Council.

Buhari’s decisive step in stamping out corruption by appointing credible ministers into his cabinet, has warranted many political pundits to opine that picking these potential best hands must have been the cardinal reason that has brought hiccups to his cabinet list.

What is more, having run a far-reaching campaign, raising public expectations to an all-time high in the build-up to his Presidency, it is quite instructive that his ministers are not just the best the country can offer, but must be answerable to him alone as their boss.

Beside his plans to have a smaller cabinet in line with constitutional provisions, Buhari had questioned the logic behind governors or anybody nominating candidates for his cabinet.

Constitution wise, appointment of ministers is the prerogative of the President as he deems fit without apology to anybody.

Meanwhile, reactions from the opposition and some Nigerians, especially financial pundits, are beginning to suggest dissatisfaction over Buhari’s lethargy in appointing ministers. They opined that the delay would have negative implications on the nation’s economy as developments at the moment are believed to be on halt. The effect according to some analysts has begun to take its toll on the capital market.

An expert said: “The delay by President Buhari in naming his cabinet members and other official coupled with no clear economic policy direction yet, has been attributed to the loss recorded in the capital market.”

Data released on June 18 by the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, showed that the market lost N238 billion or 2.07 per cent, just three weeks into the inauguration of President Buhari.

Capital market analysts believed that the dip in the market could be linked to Buhari’s failure to name his ministers, especially his economic team since becoming President. This uncertainty in the economy policy direction of the government has made foreign investors to cut down on investments.

A financial expert Mr. Olutola Oni said that at first, hopes of investors were raised after a peaceful election. But weeks after the inauguration of the President and cabinet not constituted, this has affected investment in the country.

Oni said: “When the elections were conducted peacefully and the transition was peaceful, people expected that the incoming government would consolidate on that, roll out the list of those that would form the new government and make one or two policy statements.”

He noted that investors are concerned about the economic team Buhari will put up and its ability to handle the twin issues of insecurity and corruption which are key parameters for investment to flourish.

But APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that the ministerial list of President Buhari is being delayed because the President is conducting a thorough check on the background of those he wants to appoint into his government.

While the President and the APC, attributed the delay to credibility of the candidates, following resolution by the President to work with competent credible characters who have proven records of integrity, void of corruption, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu, in an interview with Sahara TV on June 13, monitored by National Mirror, claimed that the President is yet to appoint ministers into his cabinet because he did not

Buhari and burden of ministerial appointment

45

ROBERT AWOKUSE looks at President Muhammadu Buhari’s position and the implication in the delay of ministerial appointment.

Buhari

receive handover notes from former President Goodluck Jonathan on time.

Shehu said: “The President did say he would hit the ground running, but he has not been given the chance to hit the ground running because the administration that he succeeded, the Jonathan administration did not deliver the handover notes until two or three days to the inauguration, meaning that these handover notes were submitted at a time when everyone had been consumed by inauguration activities.

“To be fair to him, he would have hit the ground running if the previous government had handed over the notes early. However, the Jonathan government did not even permit any minister to interact in any way with the Buhari Transition Committee. Evidently, we had our hands tied behind our backs until we took over. Thus, there is nothing shady about it”.

Recent reports however, as anticipated by many, showed that the President is likely to forward to the National Assembly soon, no fewer than 12 ministers having enlisted 19.

But the possibility remains sceptical as no concrete indication has signalled such hope.

Before now, Buhari, when asked if he had outlined his cabinet and identified those he wants to work with said: “I am not just speaking about it, I have not put anything on paper, so nobody has seen it and I haven’t discussed it with anybody. I am just keeping it close to my chest.”

In practical terms, Buhari’s position and approach to sensitive issues as this may be said to be in consonance with the adage: “look before you leap.” To some analyst, it is a welcome style, which to them, would enable him to scout for right individuals that will stand the test of time, considering the fact that Buhari would not be comfortable with the idea of picking a minister today and in no time

These careful sTeps by buhari in appoinTing his minisTers may be applauded aT some shades, buT iT brings To mind ThaT a prolonged hope wearies The mind.

dropping him on grounds of incompetence and abuse of office.

Also, his appointing of ministers is linked with wide consultation of people with proven integrity, whom he believes share in his sentiments. On further questioning on the outline of his ministers, he said: “I have been around long enough to know people that I can approach for things like that.”

But while he is being endured and accommodated on this delay at some quarters by those who thought it right, others have heavily criticised him, alleging that economic stagnation is currently being experienced as a result of the absence of ministers.

Recall that during the PDP 16 year rule, it was the governors and some other influential members of the party that make recommendations or nominate persons they deem fit for ministerial appointments.

This practice, in Nigeria’s presidential system, which could be explained as an act towards inclusiveness was, however, usually indicative of political patronage or deferment to strong political actors for their roles in securing victory for the party at the elections. In turn, the governors or political leaders would nominate party members or cronies as sign of compensation for loyalty or to strengthen their political base hence political considerations tended to take prominence over competence in the selection of ministers.

National Mirror gathered that Buhari may run a lean cabinet and also eliminate the slots for ministers of state to reduce the cost of governance.

These careful steps by Buhari in appointing his ministers may be applauded at some shades, but it brings to mind that a prolonged hope wearies the mind. Therefore, Buhari as much as he is being meticulous about who works with him to entrench sanity in the system, should also be quick to understand that the hopes of Nigerians hang on him as many believe that the economy is on hold following the absence of ministers.

Already, analysts are wondering whether Buhari’s move will go down well with the governors and other stakeholders of the party, who would feel shut out by the president’s decision.

This is because no sooner had the elections ended than intense jostling began for ministerial positions and other juicy slots. Names were bandied about as part of lobby for positions by party chieftains for those regarded as technocrats.

The lobby for offices also took another dimension with agitation for what offices should be zoned to which geo-political region. Already, some offices like the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , SGF, has reportedly been zoned to the South- East, while clamours are on for the Petroleum Ministry to go to the South-South, which Buhari however has maintained to personally oversee.

Weeks after he won the election, reports had it that the President directed governors, elected on the platform of his party, the APC to forward three names as ministerial nominees from their states.

It was gathered that three criteria were given to the governors, which their nominees must meet: technical competence, proven integrity and loyalty to the party.

As his inauguration drew close, a new narrative emerged. Reports revealed that Buhari rejected the ministerial list sent to him by the state governors and the party leadership in the states on the basis that it was out of place for the state governors to handpick his ministers for him, even when they, on their own, undertake the appointment of state commissioners.

The role of the party leadership in stabilising the issue is critical, analysts opine. Some have argued that the supremacy of the party could help to nip some of these nagging issues in the bud.

46

Politics

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Kogi women demand inclusive governance ahead of Nov poll Olufemi adeOsun ABUJA

A

head of Kogi State gubernatorial poll, a group under the auspices of Kogi Women in Politics, KWIP, has advocated the involvement of women in the governance of the state.

KWIP also appealed to Kogi women to contest all elective position in the forthcoming election, insisting that women were known to succeed where men falter.

Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, KWIP National Coordinator, Hajiya Zainab Mohammed, said the organisation is out to push for the 35 per cent affirmation action in the state.

She described as intolerable the continued neglect of women in sensitive positions in the state since its creation, about 24 years ago.

Hajia Mohammed said: “It is disheartening to know that Kogi women for many years have been relegated to ordinary political onlookers with little or no position created for women by the political actors in the state.

This singular act of gender negligence has heightened mistrust and lack of confidence between the government and the governed.”

In order to address the

drift, Hajiya Mohammed said that the group had commenced mobilisation of women from all the electoral wards in the state for the launch of a campaign tagged:”Kickstart Objective Good Governance Initiative, KOGGI.” According to her, the initiative will not only help to enthrone people-oriented government, but also the one that would make real promises of democracy and fulfill them.

In her own contribution, KWIP director, Hajiya Habiba Ismaila, said the organisation would mobilise women in the state to abstain from voting if the gladiators in the forthcoming election refuse to provide a level playing ground for all to pursue their political aspiration.

She said the group would also work to ensure that a woman become deputy governor in the state.

Ask which political interest the group is pursuing, she said: “We are not a political group, rather, we are a non partisan organisation committed to ensuring adequate representation of women in the governance of the state, irrespective of political affiliation. We will also engage in mass sensitisation to enlighten Kogi women on their political rights.”

Lagos East: Tribunal upholds Ashafa’s election Olajide OmOjOlOmOju

L

agos State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal has dismissed the petition challenging the victory of Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa, the senator representing Lagos Easr senatorial district, at the March 28 National Assembly Elections.

The tribunal upheld the victory of Senator Ashafa of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the rightfully elected senator representing Lagos East senatorial district.

It would be recalled that Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the senatorial district, Mrs. Olabisi Salis-Ayodele had approached the tribunal,

challenging the declaration of Ashafa as the duly elected senator for the district.

Hailing the verdict of the tribunal, Senator Ashafa described it as another momentous occasion when justice has aligned with the people’s votes.

Ashafa thanked all supporters of the APC in Lagos State for their patience and steadfastness, saying that the verdict of the tribunal would afford him more time to focus wholly on the business of legislation in the Senate.

He said: “This is not just my victory. It’s a victory for democracy and a victory for the party – a reflection of how the people voted. I believe that the APC as a party will validate the mandate given to it at all levels and continue to strengthen our democracy.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Anti-party: Osun APC sets to sanction ex-Rep, others BOladale BamigBOla OSOGBO

F

or allegedly involving in anti-party activities in the last presidential and National Assembly polls, All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ede North Local Government Area of Osun State, has stated its readiness to sanction some members of the party from the area.

Those to be sanctioned include an immediate past member representing Ede federal constituency in House of Representatives, Hon Adetunji Tajudeen

Ajagbe. Others are former local government APC chairman, Alhaji Opadola Surajudeen and party leader ward 1, Oloba Atapara, Ede, Alhaji Jimoh Oladeji.

Ede North APC, in a letter jointly signed by its chairman and state Organising Secretary, Mr. Lateef Oyelowo and Olayiwola Sikiru respectively, and three others, and addressed to APC state chairman, copies of which were made available to newsmen in Osogbo, alleged that three leaders of the party from the local government, worked against its candidates in the poll.

The APC leaders involved were also alleged to have compelled several members of the party to vote for candidates of the opposition parties during the poll.

Upon sensing the move, the letter said some APC leaders had intervened, but the move failed and could not stop many members of the party from voting for opposition parties’ candidate.

The letter read: “ a team led by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam, had appealed to the aggrieved members but all to

no avail.

“Furthermore, another team led by Dr Peter Babalola also met the aggrieved members and despite the appeals and several promises made to address their complaints, they insisted on not working for our party.

“Senator Isiaka Adeleke also met them, but yet they maintained their position.”

It however urged the state executives to take appropriate action against the erring members, so as to serve as deterrent to others and to maintain discipline in APC.

L-R: Member, Abuja Original Inhabitants Youths Empowerment, Mr. Umar Makeri; Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Ezekiel Kuje and member, Mr. Stephen Tumaka, during a press conference calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint Abuja indigene as Minister of FCT, in Abuja, at the weekend.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

AVM Atawodi joins Kogi guber race Wale iBrahim LOKOJA

A

head of Kogi state All Progressives Congress, APC, gubernatorial primaries, which draw nearer, another aspirant, Air vice Marshal Salihu Atawodi, rtd, has indicated interest to join the race to rule the state, The retired Air Vice Marshall vows he will stem criminal activities and create job opportunities if given the chance.

The former Air Force officer turned politician disclosed this in Lokoja at the weekend while addressing stakeholders and youth leaders across the state.

He stressed that the fragile security situation

in the state where kidnappers and armed robbers have made it their den can only be handled by an experienced security expert who have enough military background like him.

Atawodi said: “Kogi State, said to be a gate way to the Federal Capital of Nigeria, Abuja has been under siege of hoodlums.

Surprisingly, the present setting in the state could not found solution to their onslaught, which has become an embarrassment to the indigenes of the state. I know the language, dose and solution to these criminals ravaging the state, if given the mandate to rule the state.”

He enjoined the people of the state to remain calm and calculative, adding that another oppor-

tunity has come for them to change and institute the leadership that will address their plight, not those who will come and feather their personal nests.

The governorship aspirant stated that as one of the stakeholders of the state, he had been so vocal of the obvious ineptitude of the previous administrations, adding that since they are not ready to effect the desired change, he has decided to come out and offer his service to clean the mess they have thrown the state to.

He said it was highly noted that the present administration signed litany of Memoranda of Understanding, MoU, with international core investors, but unfortunately none

of it has materialised because of the fragile security condition of the state.

He added: “Nobody will agree to stake his money in an environment that is riddled with violence, armed robbery and kidnapping.

Until the investors are sure that the hoodlums operating in the Confluence State are cleared to a manageable level, it is not feasible for them to come in and stake their money.”

Against this backdrop, he pointed out that he will use his military experience and connection to apply the necessary dose that will keep the hooligans tormenting the state off, for investors to come in and develop the mineral resources, create jobs and income for the people of the state.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

47

Index dips further by 0.9% …as NSE wins African regulator award

Johnson okanlawon

T

rading in equities closed on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as more investors sold their holdings to take profit from the gains recorded previously.

The All Share Index dropped 0.94 per cent to close at 30,807.54 points, compared to the decline of 0.40 per cent recorded on Friday to close at 31,091.69 points.

Market capitalization shed N97 billion to close at N10.56trillion, compared to the decrease of N29 billion recorded on Friday to close at N10.66 trillion.

Red Star Express Plc led the gainers’ table with 45 kobo or 9.96 per cent to close at N4.97 per share, followed

by Transnational Express Plc to close at 92 kobo per share.

Costain West Africa Plc gained three kobo or 4.48 per cent to close at 70 kobo per share, while Academy Plc appreciated four kobo or 4.40 per cent to close at 70 kobo per share.

UBA Plc rose eight kobo or 1.89 per cent to close at N4.31 per share.

Conversely, Portland Paints Plc depreciated 25 kobo or 5.15 per cent to close at N4.60 per share, while Mansard Insurance Plc was down 14 kobo or five per cent to close at N2.66 per share.

Nigerian Police Microfinance Bank Plc shed 85 kobo or 4.96 per cent to close at N16.30 per share, while Caverton Plc lost 21 kobo or 4.95 per cent to close at N4.03 per share.

Union Bank Plc fell 42 kobo or 4.94 per cent to close at N8.08 per share.

A total of 184.2 million shares valued at N2.28 billion were traded in 3,557 deals.

Meanwhile, the Exchange has been named the African Regulator of the Year at the 6th African Business Leadership Forum and Awards.

At the award which took place on Friday in London, the Exchange was also presented with a Special Commendation Award by the US Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.

A statement from the Exchange quoted the organisers of the award, African Leadership magazine, UK, as saying that the award is being conferred on the NSE for its effective regulatory policies and programmes implemented

across national, regional and international levels which has encouraged actions beyond compliance with applicable laws.

“We at African Leadership Magazine UK, recognize your efforts in enhancing stakeholder’s engagement while contributing to the growth of the National and Regional brand through practical impact on the people. Your unflinching passion for creating a reliable, efficient and an adaptable exchange hub in Africa cannot be overemphasized, “it added.

The Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, noted that the award is a strong affirmation of the audacious reforms we have been implementing to create a fair and orderly market that inspires the trust and confidence of domestic and foreign investors.

Source: NSE

Inter-Bank Rate Naira

US Dollar

$1

N196.95 Market indicators All-Share Index 30,807.54 points Market capitalisation 10.56trn

Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

CHANGE

% CHANGE

REDSTAREX

4.52

4.97

0.45

9.96

TRANSEXPR

0.88

0.92

0.04

4.55

COSTAIN

0.67

0.70

0.03

4.48

ACADEMY

0.91

0.95

0.04

4.40

Diamond Bank’s gross earnings hit 103bn in half year 2015

ETERNA

2.22

2.25

0.03

1.35

UACN

41.12

41.40

0.28

0.68

NAHCO

4.62

4.65

0.03

0.65

Johnson okanlawon

UNILEVER

37.40

37.60

0.20

0.53

CHANGE

% CHANGE

D

espite the tough operating business environment, Diamond Bank has improved its first half year 2015 performance with N103.0 billion gross earnings, representing six per cent increase over the N96.8 billion recorded in the corresponding period of last year, amongst other positive indices.

According to the unaudited results released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the bank’s capital adequacy ratio rose 18.6 per cent, a 3.6 per cent increase from the 15 per cent minimum required by the Central Bank of Nige-

ria.

Speaking on the result, the Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Uzoma Dozie, said the bank’s sustained growth was hinged on implementing strategies that promote sustainable growth and profitability in the long term.

He said: “Our innovative, customer friendly services, and retail banking strategy are showing positive results and will enable us to sustain low cost of funds. In the quarters ahead, we will focus on driving non-interest income, as we continue to explore opportunities to grow our market share responsibly. We shall expand customer relationships,

enhanced by our elaborate channels and excellent service delivery” He explained that the group will continue to deploy new technologies and digital applications to drive financial inclusion and convenient banking amidst a decline in the pace of economic activities and weak economic fundamentals.

A further analysis of the result showed that loans to customers increased by N2.6 billion, but customer deposits, declined from N1.5 trillion to N1.4 trillion Dozie attributed this to the bank’s deliberate decision to improve the efficiency of its funding structure, and effect of implementa-

FBN fund retains ‘Aa (f)’ rating

T

he FBN Money Market Fund managed

by FBN Capital Asset Management, has retained its Agusto & Co fund risk rating of ‘Aa(f)’.

A statement from the firm yesterday explained that funds with this rating are considered to have minimal to low risk of investment loss due to net asset value volatility.

It said that the fund has consistently showed high performance yields and offers 13.24 per cent(yield as

at July 24, 2015.

The statement quoted Agusto & Co, as saying that the fund retained this rating as a result of the good credit quality of its underlying assets, low exposure to liquidity and interest rate risks and the capability of the investment management team, with the portfolio manager having over 22 years of investment management experience.

In addition, it added, the zero currency risk, being the effect of denominating

the investments in the fund in naira, also contributed to the renewed rating.

The FBN Money Market Fund is a short-to-medium term investment solution that provides stability, liquidity and income on a quarterly basis to unit holders.

The fund typically offers higher interest rates when compared to the rates on a normal bank savings accounts, and investors can invest with as little as N5,000.

tion of Treasury Single Account, TSA, by the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He stressed that the bank’s focus remains on retail banking and providing convenient and easy banking to the micro, small and medium-scale enterprises segment.

“The bank has, however, continued to grow its corporate and mid-tier business segments. The concept of value chain management helps us to provide endto-end solution to the distributors of our corporate clients and ultimately improve value for both us and the customers,” he added.

Rate (%) Inflation

8.2

MPR

13

Crude oil price

$58.96

Exchange

Rates (N)

WAUA

270

USD

196.95

EURO

214

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

SWISS FRANC

202

POUNDS STERLING

293

SDR

273

UBA

4.23

4.31

0.08

1.89

LIVESTOCK

1.97

2.00

0.03

1.52

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING

CLOSING

PORTPAINT

1.40

4.60

-0.25

-5.15

MANSARD

32.30

2.66

-0.14

-5.00

NNFM

3.23

16.30

-0.85

-4.96

CAVERTON

8.91

4.03

-0.21

-4.95

UBN

14.68

8.08

-0.42

-4.94

EVANSMED

0.83

0.58

-0.03

-4.92

7UP

3.98

185.10

-8.90

-4.59

CILEASING

1.10

0.50

-0.02

-3.85

COURTVILLE

1.44

0.50

-0.02

-3.85

TRANSCORP

0.95

2.22

-0.08

-3.48

FGN Bonds

Bid

Description

Offer

Price

Yield

Price

Yield

13.05 16-AUG-2016

1.10

98.72

14.31

98.87

14.16

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.80

100.70

14.60

100.85

14.51

16.00 29-JUN-2019

3.97

103.05

14.95

103.35

14.85

15.54 13-FEB-2020

4.60

101.90

14.94

102.20

14.85

16.39 27-JAN-2022

6.55

105.79

14.97

106.09

14.90

14.20 14-MAR-2024

8.68

96.31

14.96

96.61

14.90

Closing Market Prices of July 10, 2015

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

15-Oct-15

13.57

14.07

7-Jan-16

13.24

14.17

2-Jun-16

12.85

14.52

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

O/N

14.7500

1M

14.1621

3M

15.9148

6M

16.6935 The Fixings of July 13, 2015

Capital Market

48

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Stock exchange daily equities summary Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017

Equities as at July 27, 2015 Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017

Daily Summary (Bonds) No Debt Trading Activity

1st Tier Securities Sector

Company name

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

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

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 15 10 25

Current Price 26.00 31.19

Quantity Traded 88,578 47,114 135,692

Value Traded 2,281,723.00 1,508,978.46 3,790,701.46

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 11 11

Current Price 2.00

Quantity Traded 123,803 123,803

Value Traded 246,064.21 246,064.21

259,495

4,036,765.67

AGRICULTURE Totals

36

Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015

CONGLOMERATES Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

Symbol AGLEVENT JOHNHOLT TRANSCORP Daily Summary UACN

No. of Deals 6 1 103 (Equities) 48 158

Current Price 1.10 0.94 2.22 41.40

Quantity Traded 15,439 100 5,072,583 1,712,250 6,800,372

Value Traded 17,714.90 94.00 11,341,659.66 70,622,351.02 81,981,819.58

Sector

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Company name

No Of Deals

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Symbol COURTVILLE

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 433,780 433,780

Value Traded 217,390.00 217,390.00

Processing Systems E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Processing Systems Totals

Symbol ETRANZACT

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 3.18

Quantity Traded 59,650 59,650

Value Traded 198,634.50 198,634.50

Telecommunications Services MASS TELECOMMUNICATION INNOVATIONS NIGERIA PLC Telecommunications Services Totals

Symbol MTI

No. of Deals 6

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 499,998

Value Traded 249,999.00

6

499,998

249,999.00

14

993,428

666,023.50

Value Traded 1,036.00 1,260,185.42 673,277.00 11,214,497.50 4,756,490.26 47,546,459.60

ICT Totals Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 INDUSTRIAL GOODS

Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 14 14

Current Price 0.70

Quantity Traded 733,000 733,000Page

Value Traded 507,887.86 12 1 507,887.86 of

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 47.97

Quantity Traded 5,821 5,821

Value Traded 265,321.18 265,321.18

Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC Activity Summary EQTYPLC CEMENT CO. on OF Board NORTH.NIG. DANGOTE CEMENT PLC INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DN MEYER PLC. FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 10.05

Quantity Traded 184,313 184,313

Value Traded 1,832,700.13 1,832,700.13

Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 1.50

Quantity Traded 16,000 16,000

Value Traded 25,120.00 25,120.00

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.00

Quantity Traded 120 120

Value Traded 1,200.00 1,200.00

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS

2,607,109.17

No. of Deals 2 3 5

Current Price 1.52 39.50

923,254

Packaging/Containers AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Quantity Traded 28,433 11,751 40,184

Value Traded 41,227.85 487,313.97 528,541.82

3,282,483

235,726,924.97

Value Traded 1,724,418.10 5,447,547.82 17,682,187.91 120,910,715.76 145,764,869.59

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

158

Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015

Printed CONSTRUCTION/REAL 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals

Daily

Daily Summary (Equities)

1st Tier Securities

Daily Summary (Equities)

Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Summary as of 27/07/2015Totals

Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals Personal/Household Products Activity Board PLC. EQTY P ZSummary CUSSONSon NIGERIA UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. CONSUMER GOODS Personal/Household Products Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Personal/Household Products Totals

6,800,372

32

Symbol CHAMPION Daily Summary GUINNESS INTBREW NB

No. of Deals 23 (Equities) 37 13 183 256

Current Price 5.12 141.50 18.24 122.80

Quantity Traded 335,500 39,823 952,298 987,560 2,315,181

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 31 31

Current Price 185.10

Quantity Traded 41,777 41,777 Page

Value Traded 7,778,104.92 2 7,778,104.92 of 12

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM

No. of Deals 32 35 102 10 15 1 195

Current Price 3.20 5.92 28.99 3.10 6.62 16.30

Quantity Traded 645,196 1,033,329 1,312,437 59,885 157,064 200,000 3,407,911

Value Traded 2,061,946.60 6,123,653.48 37,736,227.65 191,993.40 1,019,229.75 3,260,000.00 50,393,050.88

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 3 44 47

Current Price 35.05 850.00

Quantity Traded 1,860 95,475 97,335

Value Traded 61,938.00 81,158,164.15 81,220,102.15

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals 10 1 11 (Equities)

Current Price 5.65 1.24

Quantity Traded 1,301,000 20,000 1,321,000

Value Traded 7,022,748.50 23,600.00 7,046,348.50

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 21 53

Current Price 29.00 37.60

Quantity Traded 93,291 2,452,219

Value Traded 2,700,000.46 92,178,583.75

Symbol

No. of Deals 74

Current Price

Quantity Traded Page 2,545,510

Value Traded 12 3 of 94,878,584.21

Daily Summary

CONSUMER GOODS Totals

614

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC BANKon PLC. ActivityWEMA Summary Board EQTY ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC FINANCIAL BankingSERVICES Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Insurance Carriers, Brokers AIICO INSURANCE PLC. and Services

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price ACCESS 158 5.05 DIAMONDBNK 42 3.99 ETI 29 19.63 FIDELITYBK 77 1.54 GUARANTY 332 24.98 SKYEBANK 59 2.08 STERLNBANK 87 2.15 UBA 150 4.31 Daily Summary (Equities) UBN 51 8.08 UNITYBNK 10 2.21 WEMABANK 17 0.90 ZENITHBANK 366 16.98 1,378 Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Symbol No. of Deals AIICO 13 Current Price 0.90 CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CONTINSURE 11 0.83 CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. CORNERST 6 0.50 GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GNI 1 0.50 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. GUINEAINS 1 0.50 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTENEGINS 1 0.50 Published byLINKAGE The Nigerian Stock Exchange ASSURANCE PLC © LINKASSURE 12 0.50 AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC MANSARD 8 2.66 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. MBENEFIT 2 0.50 N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NEM 20 0.63 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NIGERINS 29 0.50 REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC REGALINS 1 0.50 STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC STACO 1 0.50 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. UNIC 1 0.50 Daily Summary as ofINSURANCE 27/07/2015 PLC WAPIC WAPIC 9 0.50 Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals 116

Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC DEAP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT & TRUST PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

HEALTHCARE Totals

9,728,714

387,081,060.25

Quantity Traded 37,994,941 1,541,320 1,761,529 17,195,583 22,708,117 1,685,424 5,557,162 8,718,339 226,194 322,045 551,781 26,801,162 125,063,597 Quantity Traded Quantity349,008 Traded

Value Traded 192,292,078.52 6,065,377.61 34,770,558.41 26,373,547.31 569,747,168.11 3,560,315.98 11,937,911.51 37,135,684.84 1,833,471.80 713,116.82 501,775.09 458,708,649.15 1,343,639,655.15 Value Traded Value Traded 314,624.76

178,638 7,560 100,000 2,700 1,000 Page 1,829,490

149,247.54 3,780.00 50,000.00 1,350.00 500.00 12 4 of 914,745.00

279,000 6,500 988,292 197,884 1,000 1,000 3,650 93,506 4,039,228

746,075.00 3,250.00 619,763.96 98,942.00 500.00 500.00 1,825.00 46,753.00 2,951,856.26

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 27 27

Current Price 1.10

Quantity Traded 667,620 667,620

Value Traded 702,021.20 702,021.20

Symbol UNHOMES

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 5.50

Quantity Traded 668 668

Value Traded 3,493.64 3,493.64

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS DEAPCAP FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 42 13 4 326 44 8 87 71 595

Current Price 2.70 4.00 0.64 7.65 2.80 0.50 22.90 1.34

Quantity Traded 564,529 Page 688,954 79,000 10,472,369 2,297,153 142,284 2,457,680 2,308,701 19,010,670

Daily Summary (Equities)

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

81,981,819.58

2,118

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN

No. of Deals 8 2 13 8 4 1 36 36

Current Price 0.58 3.31 43.50 1.36 1.52 6.32

1,497,835,903.75

Quantity Traded 1,162,990 9,500 59,812 123,836 31,300 500 1,387,938

Value Traded 674,534.20 30,875.00 2,402,525.05 170,315.72 45,385.00 3,005.00 3,326,639.97

1,387,938

3,326,639.97

Paper/Forest Products THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Paper/Forest Products Totals

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. Daily Summary as ofOIL 27/07/2015 MOBIL NIG PLC. Printed 27/07/2015 MRS 14:32:17.017 OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Page

6

of

Current Price 2.72 21.92 10.31 39.90 8.80 170.01

Quantity Traded 400 59,396 68,550 260,396 542,365 279,666

Symbol DNMEYER FIRSTALUM PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 1 4 12 73 208

Current Price 0.73 0.50 4.60 99.00

Quantity Traded 1,100 3,400 310,530 Page 1,700,496 3,226,299

214

Symbol BOCGAS

Current Price 4.86

Quantity Traded 4,215 4,215

Value Traded 20,990.70 20,990.70

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.67

Quantity Traded 11,000 11,000

Value Traded 7,040.00 7,040.00

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol THOMASWY

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Advertising PLC Exchange © Published by AFROMEDIA The Nigerian Stock Advertising Totals

6

15,215Page

8

28,030.70 12 of

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 31,400 31,400

Value Traded 15,700.00 15,700.00

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 102 102

Current Price 13.56

Quantity Traded 1,821,566 1,821,566

Value Traded 24,773,795.64 24,773,795.64

Symbol BECOPETRO CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 2 7 25 45 10 1 17 107

Current Price 0.50 40.85 2.25 184.00 150.00 49.66 162.00

Quantity Traded 4,446,349 29,494 310,902 123,765 31,518 40 88,402 5,030,470

Value Traded 2,223,174.50 1,144,662.14 710,070.00 22,901,487.21 4,726,819.68 1,887.20 14,356,379.00 46,064,479.73

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

Quantity Traded 3,090 3,090

Value Traded 989,139.86 989,139.86

SEPLAT

6 6

319.00

217

6,886,526

71,843,115.23

Symbol AFROMEDIA

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000 Page 1,000

Value Traded 500.00 9 of 12 500.00

Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.71

Quantity Traded 47,400 47,400

Value Traded 32,232.00 32,232.00

Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 21 4 25

Current Price 4.97 0.92

Quantity Traded 577,108 351,318 928,426

Value Traded 2,820,575.76 323,212.56 3,143,788.32

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 12 12

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 3,070,095 3,070,095

Value Traded 1,536,047.50 1,536,047.50

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 3.89

Quantity Traded 12,000 12,000

Value Traded 44,570.00 44,570.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 10,050 10,050

Value Traded 5,025.00 5,025.00

Symbol ACADEMY

No. of Deals 6

Current Price 0.95

Quantity Traded 71,000

Value Traded 67,450.00

Symbol LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 1 2 9

Current Price 1.14 6.03

Quantity Traded Page 963 2,663 74,626

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 Road Transportation Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 Totals

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 0.52

Quantity Traded 56,221 56,221

Value Traded 29,785.07 29,785.07

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Printed 27/07/2015 14:32:17.017 Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 7 31 (Equities) 38

Current Price 1.98 4.65

Quantity Traded 65,391 739,926 805,317

Value Traded 125,548.30 3,468,753.53 3,594,301.83

No. of Deals 9 9 No. of Deals 111 1 1

Current Price 4.03

Quantity Traded 110,220 110,220 Quantity Traded 5,115,355 60 60

Value Traded 444,186.60 444,186.60 Value Traded 8,914,149.34 30.00 30.00

184,174,563

2,294,047,542.13 30.00

Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 Hotels/Lodging Printed 27/07/2015 IKEJA14:32:17.017 HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. SERVICES Printing/Publishing Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC OILSupport AND GAS and Logistics Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors SERVICES Totals CAPITAL OIL PLC Activity Summary on Board ASeM Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

DAARCOMM Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary Symbol CAVERTON

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol CAPOIL

EQTY Board OIL AND GASTotals

OIL AND GAS Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CAPITAL OIL PLC ASeM Board Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Symbol CAPOIL

3,556 1 No. of Deals 1 11

Equity Activity OIL AND GAS Totals Totals Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © ASeM Board Totals

Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30Fund ETF Exchange Traded Exchange Traded Fund Totals Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF ETF Board Totals NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF ETPExchange Activity Traded Totals Fund Totals

ETP Activity TotalsStock Exchange © Published

by The Nigerian

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Current Price 0.50

Current Price 0.50

60 Quantity Traded 60 60 60

3,557 1

Daily Summary (ETP)

Equity Activity Totals Exchange Traded Fund

12

Value Traded 770.00 1,700.00 1,375,281.40 7 of 12 168,343,565.97 235,173,263.15

No. of Deals 5 5

Exploration andon Production Totals Activity Summary Board EQTY

ETF Board Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

No. of Deals 1 16 (Equities) 17 15 44 25

NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCES Totals Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Support and Logistics Activity Summary on Board ASeM

Value Traded 5 1,524,292.61 of 12 2,756,136.02 48,190.00 79,995,541.25 6,508,198.29 71,142.00 56,522,354.18 3,113,023.15 150,538,877.50

148,781,783

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals Daily Summary as of 27/07/2015 NATURAL 14:32:17.017 RESOURCES Printed 27/07/2015 Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Chemicals Totals

Symbol AFRPAINTS ASHAKACEM Daily Summary BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM

184,174,623 60 Page

60

1 3,557

Symbol LOTUSHAL15 Daily Summary NEWGOLD VETGRIF30 Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

(ETP)

184,174,623

No. of Deals 2 1 1 4 No. of Deals 2 4 1 1 44

Current Price 10.13 2,094.00 14.00

Value Traded 10 of 12 1,049.67 15,213.35 83,713.02

Value Traded 30.00 30.00 30.00

2,294,047,572.13 30.00 11

of

30.00

12

2,294,047,572.13

Quantity Traded 9,675 51 25 9,751 Quantity Traded 9,675 9,751 51 25 9,751 9,751

Value Traded 98,201.05 106,794.00 350.00 205,345.05 Value Traded 98,201.05 205,345.05 106,794.00 350.00 205,345.05 205,345.05

4

9,751

205,345.05

4

9,751 Page

12 205,345.05 of 12

Current Price 10.13 2,094.00 14.00

Page

12

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12

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

Community Mirror Today 25th of July 2015, Nigeria has successfully completed one year without any case reported of the wild polio virus. Achieving this feat has placed us firmly on the path to eradicating this paralyzing disease from our land.

President Muhammadu Buhari DARE AKOGUN

A

Anambra High Court, Onisha, presided by Justice C.N. Mbonu Nwenyi has fixed the arraignment of the former governor of Ananmra, Mr. Peter Obi and Mr. James Nwafor CSP accused of demolishing Chief Bonaventure Mokwe hotel, called “Upper Class Hotel”, sometimes in August 1, 2013.

According to the affidavit sworn to by Patience Udeoku and filed at the High Court Registry on 24 of November, 2014 stated that “ leave is granted to the plaintiff/applicant to serve the writ of summons and other processes in this suit on the defendant by substituted means to wit”.

The summon reads “By pasting same at the gate of the first defendant, Mr. Obi in Amatutu Village, Agulu in Anaocha local government area of Anambra State and by serving the second defendant the writ of summons and other processes in this suit through any officer in charge of legal Department of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office, Awkuzu or by pasting same on the entrance gate of the SARS office, Awkuzu”.

Issued at High Court, Onitsha under the seal of court and hand of the presiding judge this first of December, 2014.

In a press briefing organised

Court to begin hearing of suit against Peter Obi

WARRI

A

s measure to curb the growing insecurity in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State the council has announced restriction of commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada from 7: 00 pm and warned all Okada riders to cooperate as anyone caught flouting the directive will be dealt with according to the law.

Chairman of the council Mr. Emmanuel Egbabor has expressed worries of over the deteriorating security in the area following spate of criminal activities in the Delta State Polytechnic community of Ozoro.

Egbabor who spoke in Ozoro specifically warned youths in the local government to desist from criminal acts and other vices capa-

BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO.

O

Maintenance of traffick light at Agidingbi by the state government in Lagos, yesterday.

recently, in Lagos, Mokwe told journalists that, the recently ended judicial staff strike at Anambra State slowed down the pace of the case, along with the deliberate effort of the Anambra State government to rely on pathetic technicalities instead of confronting the claim proper.

Mokwe stated that “It will be recalled that I personally instituted two law suits against Anambra State government

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

act does not include protection against unlawful acts. Peter Obi’s instant demolition of my hotel (Upper Class Hotel) during his term without a minute investigation or judicial involvement is the behest of an unlawful act.

“It was an act done principally for his single benefit of criminally acquitting a choice property. An unlawful act cannot quality for official duty of a state governor, he stated.”

starts properly from the court of Appeal level because of the umbilical cord relationship between the high court and the state government”.

Mokwe said the law suit against Mr Obi which an order of court has been issued for him to be served by way of newspaper publication will finally draw a line between immunity and its limit.

Public servant protection

Council restricts okada operation in Delta THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN

Suspected vandals apprehended in Osun

ble of destroying their futures.

He warned that the council would not allow criminals to turn the council into haven for illicit acts as anyone caught will be severely dealt with by security operatives in the area.

Egbabor however appealed to youths not to make themselves as willing tools to be used to foment trouble.

Consequently, he urged those that had been recruited into cult groups to renounce their membership forthwith while those expelled from the Delta State polytechnic Ozoro are strongly advised to leave the town in their own interest.

“I advise the good people of Isoko North Local Government to be security conscious and report all suspicious movements to security agents.

“Those who have recruited youths to use them for criminal

activities will be dealt with. As a council, we will not allow anyone to take laws into their own hands in this local government.

“We are working closely with all security agencies including the vigilantes to ensure that Iso-

ko North returns to that peaceful place as it used to be.

“The council is ready to partner with responsible individuals and corporate bodies to ensure that there is peace in Isoko North”, he stated.

peratives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC have nabbed one Ahmed Abdulahi, suspected to be vandalising facilities at Ekoinde Waterworks, in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun state.

The suspect, it was learnt, was apprehended while cutting cables of the transformer that powers the station.

Also two more suspected buyers; Usman Mohammed and Badmus Musiliu, were arrested by security operatives, relying on the information given by the Ahmed.

Parading the suspects, the NSCDC commandant in the state, Mr. Tajudeen Balogun, parading the suspects during the weekend in Osogbo, Balogun said another suspected buyers of stolen cables, Salisu Abubakar was also appended.

Balogun explained that two suspected vandals had gone to the scene of the crime to steal cables, but met their waterloo, when NSCDC men, acting on tip off, foiled the move and arrested one of them while the other one escaped.

He added that the suspects would be charged to court after investigations into the matter had been concluded.

“Two suspects went to the waterworks and vandalised the cables attached to the transformer which power the station.

Our men were alerted and they promptly stormed the place and arrested one of them, while the other one escaped.

Child trafficking: Ishaku calls for vigilance JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

T

araba State Governor, Mr. Darius Ishaku has called on parents in the state to be vigilant and security conscious so as not to risk the lives of their children.

Ishaku made the call while reacting to the rescue of seventeen children from an alleged child trafficker in Ibi local government area of the state.

In a statement by his Deputy

Chief Press Secretary, Audu Mijinyawa, and made available to newsmen the governor condemned the act and called on parents to be more vigilant in ensuring the security of their children whom he described as “special gifts from God.” Community Mirror checks revealed that the 17 children were handed over to one Pastor Gofwen Gobapji of COCCIN Church in Jos for training by their parents and guardians.

Danladi Anthony, a guardian to one of the children told journalists

in Jalingo that the pastor offered to help train their children in Jos under the church program and they willingly handed over their children to him in good faith, wondering while the police are tagging it as kidnapping and child trafficking.

Pastor Gofwen was arrested in Ibi local government area of the state two days ago with the children, while trying to cross river Benue to the neighbouring Plateau by men of the Nigerian Police on patrol.

50

North

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Aircraft collisions: AIB raises safety recommendations to FAAN, others … to release accidents reports soon OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

he Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, said it has raised at least eight critical safety recommendations to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA and Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, on how to prevent recurrence of

recent ground collisions involving aircrafts at the nation’s airports especially at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, MMA, Lagos where no fewer than two incidents occurred in recent weeks.

AIB in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi, was however, silent on the safety recommendations to the above agencies, but stated that if the recommendations

were followed, it would further improve safety at the nation’s airports.

The agency also said that in the next couple of weeks, it would release the preliminary report of its investigation into the collision of Emirates Boeing B777-400 and Hak Air B737400, which occurred at the international wing of MMA earlier in the month.

It would be recalled that an Emirates aircraft, B777-400 with over 300 passengers onboard had on Monday 6th July, 2015, had

a ground collision with a Hak Air aircraft parked at the apron wing of the airport.

The Emirates aircraft, with the flight number EK782 Lagos to Dubai had its right hand wingtip with contact with the tail of a Hak Air aircraft parked at the apron of the airport.

Less than two weeks later, another ground incident involving two FirstNation Airbus 319 aircraft also occurred at the same airport.

The accident, which oc-

curred on Friday July 17, 2015 had the aircraft wing tip touched the wing tip of another sister aircraft already parked at another gate.

The airline blamed the FAAN’s marshallers at the Murtala Mohammed Airport Two, MMA2, Lagos for the incident, insisting that the incident was avoidable if the marshallers had been diligent to avoid marshalling the aircraft wrongly.

Again, last Tuesday, an Aero Contractor aircraft from Lagos to Abuja, made a mid air return due to a burst tyre few minutes after take-off.

The aircraft a B737 with registration number NG127 had about 141 souls onboard.

Oketunbi in the statement however, stated that

no one was injured in all the incidents.

He explained that the agency had commenced investigations into the serious incident involving Aero Contractor at the airport on July 21, 2015 in which its Abuja bound flight was aborted.

The statement added: “The aircraft, a Boeing 737 lost a tire on take-off, which necessitated the crew to make an mid air return.

“Also being handled by AIB is the investigation into the serious incident involving a hawker 125800XP aircraft belonging to Swat Technology Limited with registration Number N497AG in Port Harcourt on June 11 in which the aircraft veered off the runway on landing at the airport.

Nigeria’s Insurance industry capitalisation hits N337bn

C L-R: A member of the Board of Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prison Services, Dr. Mustapha Zakariya; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji; new Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mr. Abdullahi Muhammadu, and another member of the board, Dr. Francis Ulinfun, after Muhammadu’s decoration in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Flood destroys 50 houses, properties in Zamfara

Z

amfara State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, on Monday said 50 houses and properties worth millions of naira have been destroyed in Tsafe, Tsafe Local Government Area of the state.

The Executive Secretary of the agency, Mr Sanusi Kwatarkwashi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Gusau.

Kwatarkwashi said the flood, which destroyed a

school building in the town, resulted from the Sunday downpour in the area.

He attributed the incident to the blockage of drains and building of houses on the natural waterways by the residents.

According to him, most of the houses affected in the area were built along the waterways.

The executive secretary told NAN that the erection of such structures was against town planning rules and regulations of the state.

Petition challenging Mark’s election adjourned till today

N

ational Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Makurdi has adjourned the petition challenging the election of Senator David Mark (PDP-Benue South) to July 28 due to absence of witnesses.

Mr Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had challenged the election of Mark in the March 28 polls.

The tribunal had on July 15, subpoenaed two witnesses from INEC to testify at the commencement of the trial on Monday.

When the petition case came up for hearing on Monday, Onjeh’s counsel,

Mr Tunji Oso, called seven witnesses, and applied for an adjournment to enable him filed the subpoenaed witnesses.

Oso decried the gloomy relationship with INEC, and expressed regrets that witnesses from the commission declined appearances despite substantial notices on them.

He complained that electoral cases were time bound and wondered why INEC was dragging the matter by not showing up in the court.

He appealed to the tribunal to compel the subpoenaed witnesses to appear and testify at the next sitting

because the petitioner could not continue fielding evidences without the testimonies of the INEC witnesses.

It would be recalled that the two subpoenaed witnesses were two directors of the commission, one from its headquarters in

charge of Card Readers Information and another from Benue.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice Mosumola Dipeolu, therefore, urged INEC counsel, Mr Lawal Tengi, to assist the tribunal in bringing the witnesses.

ommissioner for Insurance, Mr Fola Daniel, on Monday said the Nigerian Insurance Industry overall capitalisation has grown to N337 billion.

The commissioner announced this while presenting a keynote address at the 2015 maiden Insurance Mega Conference in Abuja.

According to Daniel, the sector’s capitalisation grew from N98 billion in 2007 to N337 billion in 2010.

Daniel also said that the Gross Premium Income, GPI, increased to N303 billion in 2014 from N100 billion in 2007.

He added that the professionalism exhibited by practitioners in the sector contributed to the growth and making Nigeria the second largest insurance market in Africa.

According to him, the industry rose from the fifth position it occupied in 2007 to second best in 2014, adding that the reasons for

recording the tremendous growth in the industry was largely due to effective utilisation of all opportunities created by legislation through appropriate guidelines of National Insurance Commission NAICOM. “Now, we have better compliance with insurance legislation both by operators and consumers as there is substantial increase in the level of compliance especially, in compulsory insurance,” he said.

Daniel urged the Federal Government to constantly emphasise the importance of risk management through insurance mechanism.

“The Industry has potential to be a major driver for advancing national development.

“As a matter of fact, for a country to develop its economic endowments, it must first have supportive insurance Industry,” he said.

Ganduje tasks Northern Speakers Forum on insecurity

K

ano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje on Monday urged the Northern Speakers Forum to expedite action in addressing the security challenges facing the region.

The governor gave the charge in Kano when he received speakers of the 19

northern states Houses of Assembly on a visit to his office.

He said the region has suffered a lot of setback especially in the areas of education, economy and security.

Ganduje, said he hope that with the commitment, zeal and dedication of the

newly elected speakers, the region would restore its lost glory.

The governor urged the forum to always work harmoniously with their respective state governors to achieve success.

He appealed to politicians to embrace the culture

of forgiveness and be vanguard of peace in order to move the country forward.

According to him, the issue of unemployment and street begging in the north required much of legislative actions, urging them to do everything possible to ensure success on those areas.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

51

11 persons jailed for smoking Indian hemp ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

A

L-R: Controller of Prisons, Kebbi State, Alhaji Yazidu Alhassan; Chief Judge of Kebbi State, Justice Bala Mairiga; Chief Registrar of the state high court, Mr. Abubakar Sadiq and his Sharia Court counterpart, Alhaji Shehu Randali, during the visit of the Chief Judge to Birnin Kebbi Old Prisons, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Why Nigeria is technologically deficient, by Wada WALE I BRAHIM LOKOJA

K

ogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, has disclosed that Nigeria is still grappling with how best to situate vocational training and education in human resource development to effectively achieve the dream of technological advancement.

Wada who disclosed this while opening a one day seminar on Nigeria/ Korea Friendship Institute of Technology at Government House, Lokoja yesterday, stated

that in spite of all its laudable achievements in the education sector, especially at the tertiary level the country is still lack behind in technology development.

The governor who presented a keynote address at occasion, stressed that all, “I am expected to do is to say very few words, as a way of directing and situating the various speeches and presentation, in order to give a global and comprehensive focus on what the expectations and tangible outcomes of today’s

discourse should be”.

He pointed out that developed economies such as Japan, Korea, USA and Germany have all along placed more emphasis on vocational education, stressing that other emerging developing countries, especially in the new development alliance known as the BRICS countries, Brazil, India, China and South Africa, have followed suit.

He stated that Nigeria and other Africa countries have remained at the consumer level taking in all the products of science and technol-

ogy from the developed countries rather than becoming producers.

The governor maintained that what is said to be the technology or technical know-how that is transferred to Nigeria remains like borrowed clothes that do not fit our size or development because of inadequate or ineffectual planning. It is a matter of regret that in the 21st century, Nigeria still imports mundane and taken-forgranted everyday technology products such as tooth-picks and tooth brushes!

Lalong to set up panel on gas explosion

P

lateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has said that a committee would soon be constituted to investigate the chlorine gas leakage that led to an explosion at the Laminga Water Treatment plant at the weekend.

The explosion, which occurred Saturday morning, killed eight people and left 121 others hospitalised.

Lalong, who visited the site of the explosion at the Laminga water treatment plant, said the committee would be expected to unravel where and why the leakage occurred.

“The idea is to find out what actually happened and work toward

averting a recurrence,’’ he said.

The governor commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives from inhaling the chlorine, and prayed for a speedy recovery for those hospitalised.

Mrs Hannatu Datong, Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Water Resources, who received the governor, said that the leakage was as a result of a rusted nozzle which fell off from one of the chlorine cylinders.

She said that the incident occurred around 12 a.m. on Saturday, affected two water board staffers and residents of the area.

The Permanent Secretary, however, told the governor that the residents around the water board area were trespassers into the water board’s land.

She debunked rumours that water pumped from the water plant was not fit for human consumption since the incident occurred.

“The water is fit for consumption; there is absolutely no problem with the water being pumped out.

“The chlorine gas leakage has in no way infected or affected the water we pumped out; in fact, it has absolutely nothing to do with the water we pumped out.

“So, people within

Jos-Bukuru metropolis are advised to ignore such rumours and consume the water without any fear,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, Dr Filimon Golwa, the Acting Chief Medical Director of the Plateau Specialist Hospital, where most victims of the chlorine explosion were taken, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that the death toll was still eight, while 113 persons had been discharged.

According to him, 121 persons were admitted after the incident on Saturday.

He disclosed that the state government had settled the medical bills of the victims.

Kano Senior Magistrate Court sitting in NomansLand yesterday sentenced 11 persons to six months in jail for smoking Indian hemp.

Before the sentence, police prosecutor, Sergeant Haziel Lepdawa, told the court that the police arrested the convicts from a location within Kano metropolis, where they converge and engage in indiscriminate smoking of Cannabis Sativa, Indian hemp.

He further said the culprits made the atmosphere noxious to residents of the area, adding that, they acted in a manner he described as “criminal conspiracy and constituting nuisance to Kano public”.

According to him, the convicted Indian hemp smokers were arrested around 8pm on July, 15 at a black spot located within Kano metropolis.

He informed the court that, investigations into the matter have been completed; he prayed the court to proceed on a summary trial of the offenders.

According to the charge sheet, the 11 persons found to have erred are, “Abdullhamid Ibrahim, 22, Hafizu Garba, 35, Sammani Sabo, 23, Mustapha Ibrahim,26, Muazu Sani,23, Abba Gambo,22, Abubakar Ibrahim, 20, Hamza Husaini, 27, Falalu Mohammed, Usman Abdullahi and Ali Abdullahi.”

The convicts admitted the allegations levied against them before the court, they pleaded with the senior magistrate court for leniency.

Senior Magistrate, Ahmed Hassan Fagge, considering the fact that they are first time offenders before his court, ordered them to pay N10.000.00 as option of fine each or proceed to serve six months in jail.

El-Rufai sues The Union over N90bn assets story A ZA MSUE KADUNA

T

he Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday signed writ of summon at State High Court Registry to sue Union newspapers over a story it claimed the governor had declared an asset worth N90 billion and 40 mansions at the Code of Conduct Bureau.

El-Rufai, arrived State High Court along Bida road in company of his deputy, Bala Yusuf Bantex, his lawyer and other top government functionaries 12:45 pm.

Speaking with journalists shortly after signing the writ of summons, El-Rufai, who denied having N90billion asset and 40 mansions described the story as untrue and malicious.

The governor revealed that he had declared his assets even before his swearing in on May 29, 2015, at the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The governor maintained that the Union newspaper must come

out in court and prove that: “I am as rich as they claimed” El-Rufai said: “I am here to sign papers to file a suit against a newspaper publication that claimed falsely that I declared N90billon as my assets and that I had 40 mansions” “It has taken a bit of time for the lawyers to put together the papers, but we are definitely suing them. Let them come and prove that I am as rich as they claimed. If I have all these money as claimed by the newspaper, I would do a lot more for Kaduna State with the money.

“No one can be sworn into office as governor without declaring his assets. So, every governor in Nigeria, every elected official must have declared his assets before the chief judge swears him in. It is not even a question requiring an answer” Although, El-Rufai’s lawyers were putting final touches on papers to file the case following the signing of writ of summon by the governor.

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News What we don’t want is to see individuals coming to our country and claiming our welfare entitlement.

–BRITISH CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER, GEORGE OSBORNE

Paul arhewe,

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

U

.S. President Barack Obama told Ethiopia’s leaders yesterday that allowing more political freedoms would strengthen the African nation, which had already lifted millions out of a poverty once rooted in recurring famine.

Obama was speaking after talks with Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on the first trip by a U.S. president to Ethiopia, one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, which is often criticised for its rights record.

He gave a similar message in Kenya last week at the start of his Africa tour, stressing the importance of human rights amid economic progress.

Ethiopia’s opposition failed to secure a single seat in a May parliamentary election, drawing skepticism from Washington, which has also criticized Ethiopia’s detention of bloggers and journalists. The government insists that those detained have committed crimes.

“The governing party has significant breadth and popularity and, as a consequence, making sure to open additional space for journalists or media or opposition voices will strengthen rather than inhibit the agenda that the prime minister and the ruling party have put forward,” Obama told a news conference.

Hailemariam, speaking at the

More political openness would strengthen Ethiopia –Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama (2nd L) and his delegation, including National Security Advisor Susan Rice (L), sit down to a bilateral meeting with Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn (3rd R) at the National Palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia yesterday

same briefing, acknowledged his country was a “young democracy” that had more to do, but said he had “minor differences” with America about the speed of that process. He said Ethiopia needed journalists to be ethical and not have ties to violent groups.

Obama’s careful phrasing, noting economic progress amid political restrictions, drew some criticism from opponents.

“The Americans know (the

situation) but they are cautiously looking away,” said Merara Gudina, vice chairman of the Medrek opposition coalition. “They choose to wine and dine with dictators instead.”

Maya Foa of the rights group Reprieve criticized Obama’s reference to “a democratically elected government”, saying this was “woefully misplaced.”

Ethiopia, run by Hailemariam’s ruling party for a quarter

of a century, is on track for 10 percent growth this year, helping transform a nation that was brought to its knees by communist purges in the 1970s and famine in the 1980s.

Obama praised Ethiopia’s development record that had pulled “millions of people” out of poverty in the past 15 years in the nation of 96 million, although he said there were still too many people struggling.

Somali president warns al-Shebaab after hotel attack

S

omalia’s president yesterday gave a defiant warning to Shebaab insurgents a day after they killed at least 13 people in a bomb attack on a hotel that houses several diplomatic missions.

The suicide vehicle attack, the latest in a string of bomb blasts and killings in the war-torn Horn of Africa nation, came as US President Barack Obama left neighbouring Kenya and headed to Ethiopia, both key nations contributing troops to the African Union force battling the Al-Qaedaaffiliated Shebaab.

The White House strongly condemned Sunday’s “abhorrent” attack.

“The devastation was huge, and so far 13 people, all of them innocent civilians, have been confirmed dead,” Somali government security officer Ahmed Ali said.

“Some of the wounded died last night, while other bodies were recovered under the wreckage of nearby buildings.”

Initial reports had put the death toll at six.

The Jazeera Palace hotel is home to the diplomatic missions of China, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and is popular among Somali government officials and foreign visitors.

Beijing said Monday one of its embassy staff was killed and three others slightly wounded.

AU troops helped rescue survi-

vors, including Kenya’s ambassador to Somalia, spokesman Paddy Ankunda said.

The hotel has also been the target of Shebab attacks in the past, including in 2012 when suicide bombers stormed the hotel while President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was inside.

Mohamud condemned Sunday’s bombing.

“This was an attack on a sym-

A man standing on rubble next to the damaged Jazeera Palace hotel following a suicide attack in Mogadishu, yesterday.

bol -- the Jazeera Hotel was a place where the international community met their counterparts in Somali politics, business and civil society,” he said in a statement Monday.

“But I have a message for the terrorists: the Jazeera Palace will be rebuilt and it will soon be back in business. That is how we respond to callous attacks such as this -- attacks that, as is so often the case, harm only innocent Somali citizens and our international colleagues who are here to help.”

Journalist Mohamed Abdikarim, who worked for Universal TV, was also among those killed, the National Union of Somali Journalists said in a message of condolence to his family.

The Shebab said the suicide bomber had attacked the hotel “in retaliation for the killing of dozens of innocent civilians” they claimed had died during attacks last week by Ethiopian forces against Shebab bases in southern Somalia.

AFRICA BULLETIN

Man arrested after taking ‘weapon’ into Ghanaian president’s church

Ghanaian authorities on Sunday arrested a 36-year-old man who carried a “weapon” into a church where President John Dramani Mahama and his family worship, the government said in a statement.

The unidentified man was arrested after his “fidgety and suspicious behaviour” was noticed during the morning service at an Assemblies of God church in Accra, according to a statement signed by Communications Minister Edward Omane Boamah.

“He was escorted out by security personnel and, following a search, the weapon was found,” the statement said. It did not provide other details about the suspect or the weapon that was allegedly found.

Mahama and his family were not in the church at the time of the incident, the statement said.

Burundi’s parliament opens after disputed poll Burundi’s parliament sat for the first time yesterday after President Pierre Nkurunziza won a disputed election last week, with a leading opposition figure taking his seat despite having boycotted the vote.

The United States called the July 21 presidential vote “deeply flawed”, while regional observers said the poll “fell short” of being free and fair. The opposition, which also boycotted parliamentary elections held on June 29, has accused the government of violence and intimidation against its members.

Nkurunziza’s decision to seek a third five-year term plunged Burundi into its worst crisis since an ethnically charged civil war ended in 2005. The opposition says Nkurunziza’s bid violated the constitution and could spark another conflict.

S’African police boss disputes Marikana massacre report South Africa’s police chief has criticised a judge-led inquiry which blamed her officers for the killing of 34 miners in what became known as the Marikana massacre.

Riah Phiyega said police management did not have “murderous intent” on the day the striking miners were shot in 2012.

It was the deadliest police action in democratic South Africa.

President Jacob Zuma is under pressure to sack Ms Phiyega following the findings of the inquiry.

She has until Friday to inform him why she should keep her job, reports the BBC’s Pumza Fihlani from the main city, Johannesburg.

Her allies see this as a slap in the face, and believe she is being unfairly targeted.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sport

AAG 2015: Okagbare gets Obajimi’s challenge 55

I feel challenged to give my best to this club that is ambitious to achieve great things in the future –Manchester United midfielder, Bastian Schweinsteiger

Heartland FC of Owerri players hailing their fans before a match.

The team is charged for the second stanza of the 2014/15 Glo Premier League season

AFCON 2017:

Chukwu cautions Oliseh against Tanzania

Joel AJAyi ABUJA

F

ormer Super Eagles Coach, Christian Chukwu, has called on Sunday Oliseh and players of the senior national team not to underrate their Tanzanian opponents in the second 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier scheduled for September in Dares Salam.

Chukwu who spoke exclusively to National Mirror in Abuja maintained that any attempt by Coach Oliseh and

the players to approach the match unprepared could leave a crack in Nigeria’s quest to qualify for the AFCON in Gabon.

Nigeria missed out of the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea after winning the 2013 edition in South Africa and is desperate to regain its place in the continental soccer.

However, Chukwu expressed confidence in the ability of Oliseh to restore the nation’s winning pattern during his reign as Eagles’ handler.

“Oliseh and his players should not underrate Tanzania. It’s better to plan

better and score more goals against your opponent than to be caught unawares just like what happened during last Nations Cup qualifier against Congo that made us not to qualify for Equatorial Guinea,” Chukwu said.

He added, “Oliseh is more qualified to lead Super Eagles. What experience does he need to get? He has played under top coaches. He has gone for coaching course. He captained the national team. the difference is that people are looking at coaching Super Eagles as when you come in the morning you teach them how

to head ball and do certain elementary things, that’s not so.

“A national team requires a good manager and I believe that Oliseh will be one of the good coaches we will produce in this country. The mistake Keshi made like every other coach was that he did not qualify us for Nations Cup. And in his contract it is stated that if you don’t qualify us, you go. There is no other mistake.”

Oliseh is expected to release the list of players who would prosecute the qualifier against Tanzania later next month.

Glo League: Heartland charged for 2nd stanza, eye CAF ticket

A

s the second stanza of the Nigeria Premier League resumes this weekend, Heartland goalkeeper, David Obiazor, believes strongly that his side are on the right path to realise their continental ambition this season.

The Naze Millionaires finished their first term campaign strongly in fourth place on 32 points, four points behind

leaders Sunshine Stars and are expected to restart their campaign at third placed side Wikki Tourists in next Sunday’s match day 20 clash at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium (ATBS) in Bauchi.

But Obiazor said the Owerri outfit are determined to garner quality points in the second stanza that will earn the side one of the African tickets in the

league.

“We are keenly looking forward to the restart of the second stanza to further improve on our first-term performances.

“Our target remains to claim a continental ticket at the end of the season,” he told supersport.com.

The former El Kanemi Warriors shot

stopper added, “The league holds our entire hope for a shot at the continental level after the painful exit at the Federation Cup at the hands of nonleague side BJ Foundation FC. “Our calculation for a guaranteed ticket is not to go below the second spot at the close of hostilities and we are working towards it.”

Sports

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Tuesday, July 28, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Women’s League live on TV Paul ErEwuba

T

UCL prelims:

Monaco axes

Elderson Echiejile

Echiejile afolabI GambarI

WITH AGENCY REPORT

S

uper Eagles defender, Elderson Echiejile, was a surprise exclusion yesterday from the Monaco squad for today’s UEFA Champions League tie at Young Boys of Switzerland.

Echiejile, who has been actively involved in the French club’s pre-season and even captained the team in a recent tune-up game, had expected to feature in the away tie.

It could not be ascertained at press time yesterday if the

defender’s exclusion was due to injury or illness, but reports said the Nigerian had demonstrated eagerness to play a major role in the Ligue 1’s side runs this season.

A source close to the former Sporting Bragga of Portugal player, however, told National Mirror in Lagos yesterday Echiejile’s omission could be due to the coach’s game plan.

“He is not injured or suffering any illness to the best of my knowledge,” the source said, adding, “I don’t think that will distract him from his

ambition for the new season.

“There are still many more games to come and certainly he will get to feature.”

Also missing in the Monaco line-up is Tunisian centre back Aymen Abdennour who is undergoing serious transfer talks with AC Milan and Barcelona.

But Mali’s U-20 player, Adama Traore, who joined from Lille for this season, was included.

Overall winner of this game over two legs will qualify for the group stage of the Champions League.

Adejumo, a role model –Shote IfEanyI Eduzor

S

ponsor of the maiden Alhaji Adejumo Memorial Blind Doubles Tennis Championship, Alhaji Adetola Olanipekun Shote, has described the late president and former trustee of Lagos Tennis Club, Alhaji Raheem Adejumo, as a role model.

Shote told National Mirror that the late Adejumo, who was former president of Nigeria Olympic Committee, had dedicated his life to sports development, even as he charged members of the Lagos Tennis Club to sustain Adejumo’s ideals to elevate the club.

“Adejumo’s influence in his life had informed my resolve to sponsor this

tournament,” Shote said.

“He introduced me to tennis through the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club which helped me to overcome the health challenges I faced in my younger days,” he added, stressing, “Nigerians should learn from my life experience and engage in sporting activity to elongate their lives.”

President of the tennis

club, Rotimi Edu, who commended the sponsor, however urged other members and corporate organisations to emulate the gesture in the club’s interest.

Meanwhile, the duo of Peter Osagie and Dayo Akerele defeated Seun Olawumi and Gbolahan Oki by 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to win the tournament’s final game at the weekend.

Captain Shina Akinfenwa (m) flanked by officials of Cargolux Merchants Express staff at the competition last weekend

he Nigerian Women Football League (NWFL) has announced that matches of Nigeria’s female elite division will be aired live on television.

Chairperson of the NWFL, Dilichukwu Onyedinma, disclosed that the arrangement was an innovation to promote the newly inaugurated Women’s Premier League which kicks off next month.

Delta Queens are the defending champions of the women’s league.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation has redeployed

former secretary of the Nigeria Nationwide League (NNWL), Emmanuel Adesanya, to the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) as the Secretary.

Adesanya was directed to take over from the former secretary, Isaac Ajisafe, who has been redeployed to the Football House.

Adesanya was head of the Inter-Clubs Unit in the NFF Competitions Department and has served as secretary of the Super Eagles and the U-23 team. He was secretary of the U-23 team that won Africa’s first Olympic football gold medal at Atlanta ’96 Games.

NWFL boss, Onyedinma

Boxing: Fijabi wins GOtv jackpot IfEanyI Eduzor

L

ight welterweight boxer, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, on Sunday night was adjudged the best boxer of the 3rd GOtv Boxing Tournament held at the National Stadium, Lagos, carting away the N1million prize.

Fijabi, who was the best overall fighter at the last edition held early this year, showed class against his opponent, Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo, whom he dominated in their eight round bout to be declared the best boxer of the night, also winning a trophy dedi-

cated to late Mojisola Ogunsanya.

“My victory is evidence of hard work and experience garnered during my amateur days,” Fijabi told National Mirror, even as he commended GOtv for reviving professional boxing in Nigeria.

In the main bout of the night, National Light Middleweight champion, Sule “Tyson” Olagbade retained his title when he recorded a unanimous points decision victory over his challenger, Abolaji “Afonja Warrior” Rasheed while Sunday Ajuwa defeated Femi Ajayi by a 2-1 split decision.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

55

Mercyjacob_26@yahoo.com Tel: 08063056537

AAG 2015:

Okagbare

gets Obajimi’s challenge

F

ormer Technical Director of Athletics Federation (AFN), Rotimi Obajimi, has advised star athlete Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor, to brace up for the challenge ahead at the All African Games slated for September.

Okagbare at the weekend came close to winning the women’s 100 meters final in the 2015 London Diamond League Anniversary Games with Cote d’Ivoire’s Muriel Ahoure giving the Nigerian a tough challenge.

“Okagbare remains a medal hope for Nigeria at the All African Games,” Obajimi told

National Mirror yesterday.

“It was the same submission I had before she competed at the London 2012 Games.

But the fact is that she still has lots of work to do to attain the standard expected of her ahead of the Congo Games.

“By now I expect Blessing to be running 10.7 but I don’t know what is holding her from measuring to that height.

“Nonetheless I know she will make Nigeria proud but she has to challenge herself to cross the Ahoure hurdle as this will determine her runs at the Congo event.

“As we know, every other athlete at the Africa Games will strive to outshine Blessing. Because of this huge expectation on her, she needs to work extra hard, comport herself and be physically and mentally alert.”

Okagbare is top of the 100m Diamond Race with eight points along with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Regina George was less impressive in the women 400m on Friday, running 51.95 seconds in the race won by Natasha Hastings of the USA with 50.24

National Trials: Warri ready for athletes

A

thletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) will host the 69th National Athletics Trials in Warri, Delta State from July 30 to August 1.

The four-day event will be staged at the Warri Township Stadium.

According to AFN President, Evangelist Solomon Ogba, the championship will enjoy success in the oil-rich city after regular host Cross River pulled out recently.

“We had no option than make alternative plans since Cross River State government unceremoniously pulled out from sponsorship,” Ogba said.

The AFN boss, however, declined disclosing financial aspects of the new deal with Delta State, even as he commended the state government for its gesture.

National Mirror gathered that the trials will serve to produce athletes that would rep-

resent Nigeria at the World Championships in Beijing next month and the All Africa Games billed for Congo in September.

Blessing

World bits…

Biwott dominates road race

K

enya’s Stanley Biwott dominated a quality field with an imperious solo performance to win the Bogota Half Marathon, an IAAF Gold Label Road Race, in 1:03:15 on Sunday.

Biwott had entered the race as the overwhelming favourite for one of South America’s only two IAAF top status road races after having run the fastest half marathon in the world this year with his 59:20 performance in The Hague.

With the Colombian capital sitting at an altitude of around 2600 metres, this race was never going to be about fast times for Biwott– who finished fourth in the London Marathon earlier this year–but he gave a good impression in the opening kilometres that he was targeting Geoffrey Mutai’s course record of 1:02:20.

Holzdeppe, Storl shine in Nurenberg

W AFN boss, Ogba

Star Quote…

It’s all about the journey, not the outcome –Carl Lewis (US track and field legend)

orld champions Raphael Holzdeppe and David Storl were among the leading performers at the German Championships in Nurenberg, which concluded on Sunday after three days of action.

Holzdeppe showed he is rounding into his best form ahead of the defence of his world title in Beijing, winning the pole vault with a lifetime best of 5.94m.

After first-time clearances at 5.60m and 5.70m, he waited until his two remaining opponents– Tobias Scherbath and Carlo Paech–had bowed out before upping the bar to a PB height. Once again, he got over it on his first attempt, adding two centimetres to the championship record and moving to second on the 2015 world list.

Rodriguez wins for Cuba

Y

orgelis Rodriguez brought the Pan American heptathlon title back to Cuba in commanding fashion by breaking the 16-yearold Games record, set by her compatriot Magalys Garcia, with a personal best total of 6332 in Toronto on Saturday (25).

Leading by 63 points at the end of day one, the 2012 world junior champion produced a season’s best in the long jump (6.25m) and javelin (48.32m), both marks being close to her personal bests, and increased her lead by almost 300 points.

WORLD RECORD

subscribers on two YouTube FastestMost marathon dribbling basketballs As of 7 July 2014, “PewDiePie”, aka Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (Sweden), had 28,292,944 YouTube subscribers for his comedic videogaming highlights.

N150

Vol. 05 No. 1164 Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Of Radio Biafra and the urgency of now

I

t is no more a hidden secret that since the last presidential election that brought in President Muhammadu Buhari to power, discordant tunes have become even strident in some parts of the country. It appears that for every national election that comes and goes, some sections of the country feel they had unjustly been schemed out of the power equation, and their reaction is quickly taking up arms against the Nigerian state. Today’s Nigeria, more than ever before, reeks of anger by one ethnic group against the other. This anger stems from a feeling of alienation that readily evokes emotion rather than rea-

Guest Columnist

Raheem

Oluwafunminiyi

son. It is why the discordant tunes have shifted from the Niger Delta to the other side of the Niger, forcing its resentful narrative on the naïve who have little or no idea of the past.

Not too long ago, the public was awash with the news of a terrestrial radio station, Radio Biafra, an FM bandwidth airing in most parts of the South-South and South Eastern states, allegedly run by a foreign-based Nnamdi Kanu who goes by the nom de plume, Director. This station began as an internet radio station and had few followers until it somehow found its way on terrestrial radio with a tunein frequency. Since the last general elections, the station has been known to spew inciting statements, calling for violence against certain ethnic groups in the country and canvassing secession for South East from Nigeria. One would have thought with the monster called Boko Haram and the headache militant agitations in the Niger Delta region gave us few years back, some useful lessons would have been learnt by the Nigerians state on this particular issue, and thus move abruptly against Radio Biafra, yet we seem quite passive about it.

The question is why now? There is no answer to this other than the fact that some elements believe the last presidential election was a gang up by some regions against the other and as such must openly express their grievances even if it means inciting others

ACHIEVING AN ASPIRATION THROUGH VIOLENCE HAS NEVER TAKEN ANYONE TO

ELDORADO

to violence. When Mr Kanu portrays the Nigerian state as a “zoo” and the people living in it as “animals”, or gives a sense of belonging to a people he calls “Biafrans”, charging them to unequivocally reject the 2015 presidential election, we surely need not take such diatribe with kid gloves. At a time when we are still battling the monster Boko Haram and having just in the last four years put an end to militant agitations in the Niger Delta, all we need now is peace rather than another monster rearing its ugly head in the East.

We must not take it lightly that a radio station operating illegally in Nigeria has first broken the rules of engagement. Knowing full well that quite a number of the radio’s growing followers, which include traders, village dwellers, school children, commercial bus drivers etc., are not in tune with the realities of the past and present, it is likely we may have much trouble to contend with sooner if nothing is done now. It is not clear what Mr Kanu wants and how he intends to go about

his secessionist aspirations, but hate speeches and calling for secession will never do much to bring his dreams to reality. While it is understandable that the last presidential election had bred a level of regional dissatisfaction, it however, shouldn’t be a reason for using egregious narratives to fight the Nigerian state.

Mr Kanu appears as one who doesn’t understand the implication of his actions. Merely assessing him, one can assume he was not born before and during the Biafra war and may be excused for being credulous. When you compare the number of victims of the war on both sides, add it up with the number of Hutus and Tutsis who died during the Rwandan genocide and envision the lives that would be lost if Nigeria goes to war against its own people today, one can easily admit Mr Kanu is only playing to the gallery.

Achieving an aspiration through violence has never taken anyone to Eldorado; rather it inflicts life-long wounds on those who promote it. Since the end of the civil war, Nigeria is yet to get out of the shock and pains it inflicted on its own children. It was a war that shouldn’t have occurred and will for many years come to haunt us a nation.

Sadly, a war that almost tore us apart as a nation is what Mr Kanu wishes to rekindle. The war declared by Boko Haram in the North East is enough evidence that war only comes to consume our men, women and children.

While properties lost may be rebuilt, we can never do same for the needless wasted lives.

The authorities must begin to act fast and take a firm stand on Radio Biafra and all its promoters. The station is a ticking time bomb that may explode if we do not nip it in the bud.

Oluwafunminiyi wrote from Abuja via creativitysells@gmail.com

Sport Extra

M

anchester United Manager, Louis van Gaal, yesterday reiterated his stand to retire from football in 2017, saying he will not break a promise made to his wife, Truus, on his honour.

“There is no going back

Van Gaal insists on retirement plans on my decision,” the Dutchman said, stressing, “I am going to be 64 next week.

So, in 2017, I have to quit.”

Van Gaal, who steered United back into the Champions League in his first

season at Old Trafford last term, has enjoyed success with former clubs Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam and says he is satisfied with his feats.

“The only place left was the Premier League. Now I am here,” the gaffer added, while expressing desire to win the EPL this season.

“We have to fight for it.

That is the most important

thing. Until the end we have to challenge for the number one. And maybe we are.

“The long-term vision is to win the EPL or an FA Cup or a Champions League.”

Van Gaal

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