March 31, 2016 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Ekiti lawmakers on the run, allege threat to lives Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

Lawal Daura

olitical crisis rocking Ekiti State may have assumed a new dimension as nine

members from the state’s House of Assembly yesterday left the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, for Ibadan, Oyo State, where they addressed journalists on their plight in the hand

of security agents trailing them for arrest. The lawmakers, led by Deputy Speaker, Adewumi Olusegun, said they were on the run because CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Police seal Kogi Assembly P.12

Arase

Budget details ready in 2 weeks –Reps H Vol. 6 N0. 1338

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Ubong Ukpong ABUJA

ouse of Representatives yesterday said the National Assembly needed two weeks to work on the details of the 2016 budget. This disclosure came against the backdrop of the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Appropriation Bill as passed last week by the National Assembly. The President had withheld his assent, saying he would only perform this sacrosanct duty when he CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Edo 2016: We’l vote against Oshiomhole’s candidate P.11 –APC chieftain

Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Makurdi during her visit, yesterday.

Corruption: Italy probes Shell over Malabu oil deal Group storms NASS, protests Buhari’s anti-corruption war

PHOTO: NAN

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Nasarawa uncovers 1,600 ghost workers, pensioners P.45 MDAs record 3,599 cyber attacks in 10 months – NITDA

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has seen details of the budget. It would be recalled that the National Assembly finally passed a budget of N6.06trn on Wednesday last week, an amount that is N17bn lower than the original N6.07trn presented by the executive in December last year. The document was subsequently transmitted, without the details to the Presidency within 24 hours by the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Salisu Maikasuwa. Briefing journalists on the matter, Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Jibrin Abdulmumin, explained that it was not abnormal for the President to withhold assent to a bill until he sees the details. Abdulmumin said with the series of challenges faced in the course of working on the budget, it would be very difficult for anybody to start throwing stones at the National Assembly. He described the budget as the most challenging the National Assembly had ever passed in its recent history because of its many controversies and omissions. He explained that since the budget was brought to the National Assembly late, it was necessary the committee took its time to avoid any mistake. “The general public should note that the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and 2016 budget proposal came to NASS very late. “A lot of dusts were raised over different versions of the budget circulated in the National Assembly; again some ministers disowned the content of the budget during their defence,” he said. Jibrin added that amidst the inconsistencies and discrepancies associated with the budget, NASS had been deeply engrossed in perfecting the anomalies. He further added that NASS had also “been ironing out the wrinkles and stretching the twists inherent in the 2016 Appropriation Bill.” This, he said, was to ensure that the nation moved forward without stagnation of administrative processes. “In view of the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding that characterised the 2016 budget, it will be unpatriotic of NASS to forward the details without being extra-careful, meticulous and cautious in discharging its duties.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Budget details ready in 2 weeks –Reps “This is to ensure we do not make the same mistake that the executive made,” he said. The chairman said the Appropriation Committee needed to scrutinise the original proposal of the budget sent by President Buhari. He added that it also needed to scrutinise the reports of various standing committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, to arrive at a clean copy of the budget details. According to him, that would in no way affect any envelop already passed or the aggregate expenditure. He stressed that NASS held the President in high esteem and would continue to support his administration in the interest of the nation as it had always done. “At the risk of sound-

L-R: Mr. Goodie M. Ibru, OON; Dr. Raymond C. Obieri, OON; Dr. Oba Otudeko, OFR; President, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, current President, NSE; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON; Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, OFR, and Mallam Ballama Manu, at the Closing Gong ceremony in honour of past presidents at the Exchange, yesterday. ing immodest, the NASS approved the President’s special advisers without hitch, approved ministerial nominees without ran-

cour and approved supplementary budget without delay,” he said. The lawmaker disclosed that details of the budget

should be ready for transmission to the executive in about two week’s time. “We would take a week or two to work on the de-

tails. We are doing the final harmonisation checks here and there. That should not take more than a week or two,” he said.

Ekiti lawmakers on the run, allege threat to lives CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

of the latest invasion of the state by one CSP Mohammed Abubakar of Force CID, Abuja. Chairman, House Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, assisted by Dr. Omotoso Samuel, and Chief Whip, Akinniyi Sunday, while addressing journalists, said there were moves to infiltrate their ranks through monetary inducement amounting to one million dollar to impeach the state governor. The lawmakers unequivocally restated their loyalty to the governor as they maintained that, “no amount of intimidation, arrest, detention, harassment and monetary inducement will make us dance to the tune of those whose only interest is to truncate the government and return to power through the back door. “They lost election in June, 2014 and they lost four other elections in 2015. They should stop trying to get to power through the backdoor. They should stop this harassment, intimidation and use of federal power to oppress innocent Nigerians.” While sensitising Nigerians on the dangers the continuous victimisation and invasion of Ekiti State by security agents portend for the nation’s democracy, the lawmakers further alleged that their lives and existence were now being

threatened by agents of the Federal Government. “We no longer feel safe in our various homes in Ekiti State. “We want Nigerians to help us ask the police and their APC collaborators what the arms they claimed were stockpiled during the election were used for? Could arms have been stockpiled and no violence, death or attack was recorded during and after the election? Why is the APC in Ekiti State willing to bring to ridicule all agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria just because the party

lost an election fair and square, close to two years ago? “And why are the police not arresting APC Chairman, Jide Awe, who is wanted for alleged murder and T.K.O. Aluko, who was declared wanted by the court for perjury, and instead providing security cover for them? “Even though we believe that the InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, a thorough bred professional, cannot be part of this clandestine plot, we call on Nigerians to impress it upon the police not to allow the force

to be used by desperate APC politicians. This is because doing so will further expose the penchant of the Buhari administration for dictatorship. “No member of the assembly is remaining in that state. It is not a question of nine of us here with you. All of us, the 26 members were targeted, but they were trying to arrest 11 of us, some of us seated here have their names in their target. “We are not going to hide for them. We will resist them with the last blood in our vein, we won’t be coerced, let it be

known to them that we won’t shift ground no matter the amount of intimidation and harassment. We won’t go into hiding,” they said. On whether the ugly development is affecting the parliamentary functions, Olusegun said the lawmakers were still working and passing bills as at Tuesday this week, stressing that they would continue to work under the harsh conditions they had found themselves for the good of the people of Ekiti State not minding their current travails.

FG should exempt varsities from single treasury account, ASUU insists Tunbosun Ogundare

cademic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has once again called on the Federal Government to exempt universities from the Single Treasury Accounts, TSA, policy. The union said the system is highly hampering the smooth operations and development of the nation’s university education. The call was made yesterday at a press conference in Lagos by Lagos Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Dr. Adesola Nassir, who is also a lecturer at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Ogun State. ASUU-

Lagos Zone comprises University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka; Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU, AgoIwoye; Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo; Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun, Ogun State and FUNAAB. Nassir said although the association is not against the initiative as part of measures to ensure accountability and transparency in the management of the nation’s resources, the policy does not work well with the university system because of what he calls the peculiar nature of functions and operations of universities. According to him, ASUU had once advised government to exclude universities from TSA, but was not adhered to.

“Our observation so far is that the policy is fast robbing the universities of opportunity for short, medium and long-time planning to carry out their tripartite mandates of teaching, research and community services,” he said. According to him, since the adoption of the policy, universities have been facing problems of carrying out researches as most of the grants for such from both local and international agencies are being trapped in the account. He cited cases of FUNAAB and UNILAG to drive home the union’s argument. “It is also disturbing that most universities can no longer pay their staff salaries in full for many

months as various deductions from staff salaries such as pension, cooperatives and union dues, among others are not being remitted again into their accounts and this is unacceptable to us,” he added. Nassir also asked the various state governments to properly fund their universities and not to shift their financial responsibilities to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Need Assessment counterpart as most of them according are currently doing. He argued that TETFund in particular was created to perform a palliative role where and when necessary and not to carry out major financial obligations to schools.

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Corruption: Italy probes Shell over Malabu oil deal Tola Akinmutimi and Udeme Akpan

new twist was added yesterday to the lingering corruption allegation over the Malabu offshore oil block (OPL 245) bought by Shell and Eni from Nigeria for $1.3bn as Italian prosecutors commenced investigation of the deal as part of a probe into acquisition of the controversial oil field. A report monitored by National Mirror on Reuters indicated that notice of proceedings had been initiated by the Public Prosecutor in Italy. It was also confirmed that Shell was under investigation by Milan-based judges for alleged international corruption. A top official of the British oil company, Shell, was quoted yesterday as saying that the company “is cooperating with the authorities and is looking into the allegations, which it takes seriously,” and that it “attaches the greatest importance to business integrity, one of our core values,” According to reliable sources, Italian prosecutors are said to be working closely with an anti-fraud team in the Netherlands in order to determine whether the two oil companies paid bribes to obtain licences for the Nigerian oil block The OPL 245 block, which has been at the centre of a series of long-standing disputes, was initially awarded in 1998 by former Nigerian oil minister, Dan Etete, to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company in which he holds substantial shares. The field was later sold in 2011 to Eni and Shell. Shell, which sold some Nigerian assets in 2015, has been active in the country since 1937. According to documents from a British court, Malabu Oil received $1.09bn from the sale of the oil block which is estimated to have up to nine billion barrels of crude oil, while the rest went to the Nigerian government. Royal Dutch Shell’s headquarters in the Hague was reportedly searched last month by Dutch police and prosecutors as part of this new strand of investigations.

It would be recalled that in 2014 a Milan court had placed Eni under investigation over the $1.3bn (about 901m pounds) purchase in 2011 of Nigeria’s OPL-245 offshore oil block by the Italian major and Shell. Prosecutors later expanded the scope of their investigation to include Eni Chief Executive, Claudio Descalzi. While the state-controlled oil company and its CEO denied any wrongdoing, the former has insisted that it dealt exclusively with the government of Nigeria, paid fees into a government account and did not use intermediaries for the transaction. Prior to the latest investigations by Italian prosecutors, the oil block and the transactions on it had been subject of public discourse both in Nigeria and other countries, including efforts by the Federal Government a few weeks ago to get more details about the controversial deal. For instance, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, recently re-opened investigations into the scandal and invited the immediate past Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to explain his role in the alleged transfer of about $1.1bn to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited for the

Son of the deceased, Olumide Braithwaite and Lagos white cap chiefs led by Obanikoro of Lagos (right) during the Oba of Lagos delegation’s condolence visit to the late Dr. Tunji Braithwaite family in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

sale of oil block OPL 245. Rather than honouring the anti-graft agency’s invitation promptly, Adoke, in a letter to the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, dated December 31, 2015, claimed he acted in the best interest of the country and accused some top politicians and online media as orchestrating smear campaign against him. Adoke stated that Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 was granted to Malabu Oil and Gas Limited by the administration of late

General Sani Abacha, in 1998 and was subsequently revoked by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2001and re-allocated to Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep Limited (SNUD) in 2002 under a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) arrangement. He explained that Malabu, who felt aggrieved by the unilateral revocation of the contract, petitioned the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum and after a public hearing, the House recom-

mended that the block be restored to the oil company. He added that Malabu also sued the government and SNUD claiming several declaratory reliefs including an order setting aside the re-allocation to SNUD and a restoration of the block to Malabu. “The suit was struck out but on appeal, the parties entered into a settlement dated 30th November 2006, which were executed by my predecessor in office, Chief Bayo Ojo,” he added. He said a key term of

the settlement was the restoration of Oil block 245 to Malabu by the government even as he maintained that pursuant to the Terms of Settlement, President Obasanjo in 2006 rescinded his earlier revocation and restored the Oil block 245 to Malabu but not before SNUD had already “expended huge resources of over $500m to de-risk the oil block under the existing arrangement with the government and had found oil in commercial quantities.

day morning, he washed his clothes and ate. In the evening, he went to the restaurant to rest and was arrested. The soldiers took them from there and went to execute them in the forest.” A resident, Jide Olorunsola, said men were killed in the creek to cover up the crime and make it appear that that was where they were caught. “They made it appear like they were vandals and that they caught them in the creek. If they find you outside at 9 p.m., they will start to harass you for no just cause,” he said. Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had begun investigations

into the deaths. He said: “The Ibafo division of the command got the information that three people were taken by some men at a beer parlour on Sunday around 8 p.m., and they were shot dead and their corpses were floating on the high sea at Arepo. We are investigating and we are going to get the perpetrators. “Meanwhile, the Divisional Police Officer is trying to get an ambulance and consult medical practitioners, to see how we can evacuate the corpses. “Also, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) has sent enforcements to the community to assist the DPO to forestall breakdown of law and order.”

Soldiers kill three in Arepo Patience Ogbo

hree persons identified as Biodun Mohammed, Chicago and Body, have allegedly been killed by military and naval officers at Arepo, Ogun State. According to residents, military personnel arrested the men from their homes on Sunday and took them to the bush where they were allegedly shot dead. Protest, however, rocked the community yesterday when the corpses were found as family members and friends of the victims blocked the only entrance into the area, preventing vehicular movements in and out. The protest caused

heavy traffic, which spilled over to the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Motunrayo, wife of Mohammed said military officers stormed her home and took her husband away on Sunday only for her to hear of his death She said: “On Sunday around 7 p.m., military officers numbering about seven came to the restaurant where my husband was with his friends. I can indentify two of them. I asked them what his offence was, but was asked to keep quiet. “One of them pointed a gun at me and threatened to shoot me dead if I moved closer. They did not allow my husband or his friend to utter a word. They took them away

and since then, we didn’t hear from them. “I went to report at the soldiers’ base in Ebute and they said they were not holding my husband. But this morning (yesterday), some landlords in Voera Estate, where he was killed, came to inform me that they had found his corpse in the bush.” Mohammed’s mother, Safura denied allegations that her son was a criminal. She stated that Mohammed was a furniture maker, who lived in Sagamu, Ogun State but only came to Arepo to celebrate Easter with other extended family members. She said: “My son is not a criminal. He was a furniture maker. On Sun-

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FG to establish PHC in each ward –Minister

ederal Government is set to establish one Primary Healthcare Centre, PHC, in each ward across the country, says Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole. He spoke yesterday in Abuja at a forum entitled, ‘Policy maker summit: Evidence and Prospects for a Healthy Nigeria.’ Adewole was represented by Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire. He expressed hope that the centres would create access to healthcare for the people. “In our quest to improve health output, we aim to provide one PHC per ward in Nigeria, culminating in about 10, 000 facilities. “These facilities will be functional, serviceready and able to provide quality services at affordable cost.’’ Health, according to Adewole, is a major factor in the quest for national development. The minister expressed satisfaction that in the last 10 years Nigeria had recorded some “progress and challenges” in the sector. Listing some of the achievements, he said between 1990 and 2008, maternal mortality in Nigeria fell from 1,100 to 546 deaths per 100,000 live births. Adewole also said the average estimated number of malarial infections had declined by 20 per cent since 2000. He further noted that Nigeria had been removed from the list of countries with wild polio virus. He said: “The achievements are pointers that Nigeria is heading in the right direction towards improving the health of its citizens. “As we shift our focus from Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to Sustain-

able Development Goals (SDGs), it is as important as ever that we remain focused on achieving results. “We recognise that impact evaluations are not easy to get at and that they require an important investment of financial resources and manpower. “There is no doubt that the lessons learnt from these evaluations will provide deep insights as we pursue our agenda toward universal health coverage in Nigeria.’’ Also, the Acting Country Director of World Bank, Mr Sateh El-Arnaout, said much was expected from Nigeria in the health sector as Africa’s most populous nation. He, however, identified poverty as a major hindrance to healthcare access and provision. He noted that the summit was aimed at taking stock and to share valuable experiences relating to four health sector impact evaluations. El-Arnaout identified the four sector impact as maternal and child health, primary health care service delivery, prevention of sexually transmitted infections and prevention and treatment of malaria.

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FG, World Bank review intervention gains in health sector Chidi Ugwu, ABUJA

ederal Government in collaboration with the World Bank said it would review and draw lessons from the experiences of its previous successful key interventionist programmes in the health sector to improve on overall health sector with greater focus on maternal and child health cases. Minister of Heath, Isaac Adewole, said the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank would review and build on the success stories it recorded in its intervention programmes in addressing issues bordering mainly on maternal

and child heath, coupled with achieving Universal Health Coverage. Adewole was represented by the junior minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire, at the policymakers’ summit and policy roundtable with the theme: ‘Evidence and Prospects for a Healthy Nigeria.’ He explained that the impact evaluation exercise focuses on drawing from positive experiences of Subsidy-reinvestment and Empowerment Programme: Maternal and Child Health Project (SURE-P), which is aimed at dramatically reducing maternal and child mortality through increased human resources capacity and incentives for health care delivery.

The Minister said the stakeholders would also be focusing on quality improvement and Clinical Governance Initiative (QICGI), which pilots quality improvement packages as part of the Saving one Million Lives Initiative. The goal, he said, is to substantially boost quality at primary healthcare centres. “It is critical for us to know if our public health investments are bearing fruit. We want to ensure further that those policies and programmes that are working are made better,” he stated. In his remarks, the acting country director of the World Bank, Sateh Chafic El-Arnaout, said: We are drawing from evidencebased information to beef

up policies that are appropriate and impactful on perfect health indicator. “From the exercise so far, the government of Nigeria is heading in the right direction through learning from experience, and it is testimony to evidence-based research which would help in beefing up future policies. “Evidence-based results today push us to do more. As some of our findings reveal that incentivising healthcare workers is a key factor. So we ask, what sort of incentives do we provide, how much incentives and who benefits from them? This would help to optimise initiatives and incentives, ensuring resources are optimally utilised.”

Cross section of Police Commissioners from states at a seminar to mark the 11th biennial 2016 Police Week in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

NACA unveils HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Law

ational Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, has unveiled a popular version of Nigeria’s HIV/AIDS AntiDiscrimination Act 2014, to avail more people a chance to understand and utilise the law. Director-General of NACA, Prof. John Idoko, while unveiling the law in Abuja on Wednesday, said the popular version was prepared in collaboration with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AHF. Idoko said the popular version of the law consists of lay terms and graphic illustration that will make the law more useful in grassroots community settings.

He said Nigeria was one of the few countries in the world with an anti-discrimination law related to HIV/ AIDS. According to Idoko, making a popular version of this law available will result in increased demand for testing services and improved quality of life for people living with HIV in Nigeria. “The law makes it illegal to discriminate against people based on their HIV status. “It also prohibits any employer, individual or organisation from requiring a person to take an HIV test as a person to take an HIV test as a precondition for employment or access to

services. “I hope that the law will create a more supportive environment, allowing people living with and affected by HIV to carry on their lives normally in their communities and at their work places.’’ Country Programme Manager, AHF, Dr Adebayo Towolawi, said the need for the implementation is to ensure accessibility and implementation for the general populace and to benefit people living with HIV/ AIDS. He said this will set precedence for more laws to be simplified in the country and for more orientation to be carried out. Dr Bilali Camara, UN-

AIDS Country Director and UNAIDS focal person for ECOWAS, said zero discrimination remains at the heart of ending AIDS by 2030. “This popular version of the Anti-discrimination Act 2014 will support the zero discrimination targets directly,’’ he said. He added that the UNAIDS is also working in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and a coalition of lawyers on human rights. Camara said the coalition provides free legal services to people living with HIV/AIDS whose rights are infringed. National Secretary, Net-

work of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Mr Abdulkadir Ibrahim, also appreciated the government for passage of the bill that respects the dignity of their members. Ibrahim said: “The law will go a long way in ensuring the dignity and rights of our members are fully respected. “Presently, because of stigma and discrimination, many people living with HIV/AIDS are finding it difficult to access treatment especially in rural areas. “NACA assisted us with many copies of this law, we have disseminated it to state chapters of the network and we are working with the state chapters to domesticate the law.’’

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

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L-R: Second Zonal Superintendent, Alapere Zone, Pastor Ezekiel Olu Adebayo; Zonal Superintendent, Kosofe DCC, Pastor Samuel Adeyemo Adedayo and Director of Evangelism, Christ Apostolic Church, Alapere Zone, Lady Evangelist, Elizabeth Sade Adebayo, after the Induction of Pastor Ezekiel Olu Adebayo as Second Zonal Superintendent of Christ Apostolic Church, Alapere Zone, in Lagos, recently.

L-R: CEO, Consumer Business Group for Huawei, Mr. Latin America Tyrone Liu, displaying Huawei wristwatch with Mr. Lionel Messi, during the unveiling of Lionel Messi as Huawei Brand Ambassador, yesterday.

L-R: Former Chairman, Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), Lagos chapter, Otunba Francis Meshioye; Chairman, Mrs. Abiola Laseinde and her husband, Mr. Adewale, during the Investiture of the 8th Chairman of the Institute in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R; Service Manager, PAN Nigeria, Mr Subash Sehgal; Service Network Manager, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr Chidera Ejiofor and Technical Head, M-Store, Mr Gagandeep Lakhanpal, at the launch of Samsung Service Centre, Opebi, Lagos, recently.

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We’re working hard to relieve Nigerians’ pains –FG Joel Ajayi Abuja

ederal Government says it is aware of the difficulties Nigerians are currently facing over the lingering fuel scarcity and poor power supply, and that it is working round the clock to provide relief for the citizenry. Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this yesterday in Abuja during a visit to the corporate headquarters of Daily Trust newspaper, as part of his tour of media establishments in the country. According to him, as a government propelled into office by the power of the people, it could not but feel the pains of the compatriots, and it deeply empathises with them.

He said, “Our message to our compatriots is that this administration, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, is working round the clock to ease the pains of Nigerians, and very soon, the efforts of the government will begin to yield fruits for the benefit of Nigerians. “Government is aware that Nigerians have started questioning the genuineness of its Change Agenda. “We understand the skepticism of Nigerians in questioning whether this indeed is the change they voted for. I can tell Nigerians that our Change Agenda is real, and that indeed Nigerians will get the change they voted for.” On the fuel situation, the minister said imme-

diate measures are being taken to end the scarcity while medium and long term solutions are being worked out to prevent a recurrence. “Petroleum supply and distribution have been ramped up across the country by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to ensure product availability in the country, but repeated trips to filling stations and the backlog are making it impossible to immediately feel the impact. “Monitoring has also been intensified to ensure full compliance with approved prices. Violations of approved prices and hoarding of petroleum products attract severe penalties, including giving out petroleum products free

to the public, sealing off fuel stations found to be hoarding petroleum products, payment of fine as well as withdrawal of Marketer’s Licence,” the minister said. Alhaji Mohammed said in the medium term, the supply constraints due to foreign exchange challenges are being resolved through collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria on innovative ways of closing the gaps in accessing foreign exchange. He also announced the willingness of the International Upstream Oil Companies to support major oil marketing companies with some of the required foreign exchange, thus complementing the efforts of the NNPC which has been solely importing the refined products, in

addition to the fact that the corporation is pursuing an improved model for ‘crude oil for refined product’ exchange to eliminate inefficiencies. “The ultimate is to ensure self-sufficiency in refined products supply by ramping up our local refining capacity. All local refineries will be made to run at a minimum 70 per cent capacity utilisation in the weeks ahead. This is in addition to the initiative of increasing the combined capacity of the domestic refineries through co-locating smaller but cost efficient modular refineries within the existing refineries premises,” he said. On the power situation, which he blamed largely on lack of gas supply to the power generating stations, he said the NNPC is

seeking alternative sources of gas supply after the attack on the Forcados Export Pipeline forced the cutoff of gas supplies to the stations. The minister added that even the gas supply that was cut off following the attacks on the Forcados Pipeline would soon be restored as Shell, the operators of the pipeline, has awarded the contract to repair it. In addition, he said work is nearing completion on the transmission projects in five states in the South East and South South that should ensure that power stations in those regions are able to work at full capacity, thus adding another 800mw to the national grid “While we give no excuses for the challenges currently being faced by Nigerians, because they voted for us specifically to address those challenges, we appeal to them to bear with us as we strive to provide the much-needed relief in the days ahead,’’ the minister said.

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Group storms NASS, protests Buhari’s anti-corruption war

…says it’s a move to stifle opposition Obiora Ifoh Abuja

rotesters yesterday stormed the National Assem-

bly over the anti-corruption war of President Muhammadu Buhari’s All Progressives Congress, APC, government. The protesters, under

the aegis of Nigerians United for Progressive Change, NUPC, in a protest letter to President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, appealed to the Na-

tional Assembly to rise up to correct the executive arm of government from further progressing in error on the shoddy and ill-motivated anticorruption fight.

The group described the current anti-corruption war as a ruse and smokescreen to distract Nigerians from the true state of the economy. Speaking on behalf of the group, national convener of NUPC, Solomon Adodo, said, “We are dismayed, disenchanted and utterly worried by the negative twist the anti-corruption war of this administration has taken.” Adodo pointed out that the fight against corruption can only be described as political witch-hunt and desperate attempt to muffle the voice of opposition political parties and

any voice of dissent or constructive criticism. The group, however, described Yushau Shuaib as hero over his resignation as FOSSRA Chief Media Consultant, and demanded the immediate dissolution of Professor Itse Sagay’s committee as it lacks credibility. It also called on President Buhari to sit at home and face the economic challenges of unemployment and poverty. Responding on behalf of President of the Senate, Dennis Maji, from the office of the Sergeant-At-Arm, promised to give the letter to the relevant authority at the National Assembly.

MDAs record 3,599 cyber attacks in 10 months – NITDA

Miss Chioma Augusta Ugwu of Augusta Chioma Foundation (a youth corps member) distributing food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at New Kuchigoro Camp, during Easter celebration.

Arase promises human rights-compliant police George Opara Abuja

nspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, has initiated programmes to transit the Nigeria Police from a force that infringes on the rights of its citizens with impunity, to one that is conscious and sensitive to citizens’ rights in the discharge of their duties. Arase said this yesterday at the 2016 Nigeria Police Week seminar and book launch held at the National Universities Commission, Abuja. In a compendium entitled ‘Nigeria Police Force (1861 2016) Establishment profile’, which documented the nearly 145 years’ history of the Nigeria Police, which was also designed to entrench the virtues of rule of law in policing. However, some discussants reasoned that with the present structure of the federal system of government the achievement of democratic policing would be difficult. But the IGP said with the present administration’s change agenda; he was determined to bequeath to this nation a reformed police force that would be ready to face its future within the dictates of the rule of law.

And to ensure proper internalisation and practice of the evolving reform, the police have distributed free copies of an operational manual of international human rights protocols and guidelines to men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force. This manual covers police investigation, arrest, detention, use of firearms, management of civil disorder, protection of victims, protection of women, prevention of crime and abuse of power, police command management, community policing and policing in a constitutional democracy, among others. Former IGP, Sunday Ehindero, in his remark, believes that contemporary policing should be human rights-driven. In retrospect, the former IGP acknowledged that crime rate has gone beyond armed robbery which dominated his era to insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and cyber crimes. He added that Arase has surpassed the past IGP’s in terms of performance in fighting crimes and other welfare schemes. Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Danbazau, however, pointed out that the police trigger the criminal justice system through arrest and advised police investigating officers not to always assume that suspects

are guilty without allowing them to go through the criminal justice system. He added that without proper investigation, there would be

no justice which, according to him, results in prison congestion where many inmates await trials and suffer for a long time unjustly.

We’re yet to get bailout fund –Kogi gov Obiora Ifoh Abuja

ogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, said yesterday that the state is yet to receive bailout fund from the Federal Government. Bello, who made the remark while fielding questions from State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was, however, hopeful that the state government would access the fund. “We applied for it and it’s undergoing processing, so right now, I have not gotten any bailout,” he said. The governor disclosed that he was working hard to correct all improper processes by the last administration in order to access the bailout fund. He said, “Well, I think, to the best of my knowledge, the last administration either did not go on with the process properly, which we are doing now to correct whatever was not done properly, so that we can access it for our people.” On the crisis rocking the state’s House of Assembly, Bel-

lo said Kogi, contrary to what many believe, is peaceful. “My house is sitting and we have absolute peace in Kogi State. I am not aware that the National Assembly is supposed to have taken over, but the state is absolutely in peace and the legislative activities are ongoing. “I am the executive governor and the executive is functioning and we are doing the best we can. So, for the legislature, it’s their own business and they are on it. I have a speaker that is sitting right now, so I don’t know if there is any problem there,” he said. The governor, however, urged the people of that state to continue to seek peace and be ready to work with his government. “They should remain calm; Kogi State has bled over a long period of time. This is not the time for political crisis, this is the time to work and I am here to work, I am not here to have any political fuss with anybody, whoever is ready should join me and let’s fix Kogi State,” he enjoined.

ot less than 3,599 cyber crime attempts were made on networks of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government between April 2015 and February this year. Mr Vincent Olatunji, Acting Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja, said 2,500 of such attempts were successful, but quickly restrained. The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports the acting DG speaking at the opening of a threeday training organised by the agency for network administrators in government and private agencies. “It is important to note that internet usage in Nigeria is increasing. “No fewer than 90 million people are regular internet users, and ecommerce and online transaction are running into billions of naira daily. “Therefore, consistent capacity building and campaign for network administrators and other internet users will go a long way in repelling internet attacks across the nation,’’ he said. He assured that NITDA would continue to

protect the nation’s cyber space from cyber attacks. Mr Abdul-Hakeem Ajijola, an ICT consultant, in an address, told participants that eight per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Production was lost to cyber crimes yearly. Using 2014 as case study, Ajijola said the nation’s GDP was 568.51 billion dollar (about N113.3trn) of which 450 million dollar (about N89.55bn) was lost to cyber crimes “Our economic losses will grow exponentially unless pre-emptive measures are taken to mitigate and eliminate the capacity of cyber criminals to take advantage of our environment,’’ he said. Mr Ruhama Zain, a cyber security expert from Malaysia urged legitimate network administrators in the country to work round the clock against activities of cyber criminals. “Cyber criminals have no fixed time for attack, therefore network administrators should always be guarding their networks against attacks and attempts,’’ Zain said. The workshop was organised by NITDA in collaboration with its Malaysian counterpart, Malaysian Cybertechnology Agency.

South West

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lawyer cautions against sacking of 648 LAUTECH staff Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

n Osogbo-based legal practitioner, Mr. Kanmi Ajibola, yesterday urged Osun State government to halt further action on its plan to retrench about 648 staffers of Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

L-R: Chairman, Board of Directors, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Dr. John Olatunde Ayeni (left) with Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun when the management team of IBEDC paid a courtesy visit to the governor at his Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta office, yesterday.

Lagos to begin prosecution of tax evaders Francis Suberu

agos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, yesterday said it will begin enforcement of the state’s tax laws and prosecution of tax evaders and offenders from April 1, 2016. This was contained in a release signed by Head, Corporate Affairs, of the state revenue service, Monsurat Amasa. According to the release, under the Personal Income Tax Act, a taxable person is statutorily required to file a return of income for the preceding year within 90 days from the commencement of every year of assessment. The statement added that “every employer of labour is required to file all emoluments paid to its employees for the preceding year, not later than 31st of January each year. Therefore, any taxable person or corporate organisation, who fails to file their tax returns with LIRS by the stipulated date, is in breach of provisions of the law, which is a criminal offence punishable under the

tax laws.” The statement said the LIRS, having put all necessary machineries in place to ensure enforcement of the tax laws with effect from April 1, 2016, has war ned all erring taxpayers to comply; restating that full weight of the law would be brought to bear on taxable persons who fail to file requisite retur ns as provided by the law. It says while many taxpayers have complied willingly by filing their returns in the last few months, it is disheartening that a large fraction of eligible taxpayers are still not complying. “In the wake of little or no proceeds from the federation account, the focus of the present administration in renewing infrastructure and general development of the state cannot be achieved by the attitude of those who deliberately refuse to discharge their civic responsibility to the state. “Without revenue, all of those things that facilitate our progress as a civilized community will not materialise, if

there are no infrastructural developments like roads to get to business sites, businesses cannot thrive, if we do not have all the services that government is compelled to offer e.g. security, education, healthcare, law and order as it is being proffered by the court, then we cannot make progress collectively,” the statement read. The LIRS had in the last three months embarked on massive advocacy and enlightenment programmes, taking people through a process of education on laws bordering on tax administration, the need and benefits of paying taxes as and when due. According to Executive Chairman of LIRS, Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, “we have a robust database that captures all taxable individuals and firms in Lagos State as well as transactions for the purpose of audit, so there is no hiding place for any tax evader.’’. The chairman called on every taxable person in Lagos State to take advantage of the window on or before the March 31 deadline to ensure that his or her tax return has been duly

filed. He added that the Lagos State Attor ney General and Commissioner for Justice will through the Rapid Tax Prosecution Unit commence prosecution of tax defaulters in Lagos State without further notice.

Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, Ajibola, who claimed not to have been hired by the affected staff of the hospital, said despite the fact that Osun State government has been served with court processes on the matter, feelers reaching him indicate that the staffers would still be sacked. He advised Governor Aregbesola to prevail on the governing board of the hospital to discontinue the retrenchment process to allow the matter pending before court to run its full course. According to him, four years ago, management of the teaching hospital advertised vacancies in the hospital and employed those they considered qualified among the applicants. “Insisting now that

these staffs that were recruited after fulfilling all laid down conditions will be laid off is unacceptable. That is why I take it upon myself to stand up for these people. “But despite duly serving Osun State Government and all its relevant agencies, I have been informed that the process of sacking the workers is still on. That is tantamount to working against the Rule of Law,” Ajibola said. He further averred that the audit committee set up by state government to verify all staffers of the hospital affirmed that retrospective approval was given for the employment of the affected staff. “Since that has been confirmed, no other excuse can be given as to why the workers should be sacked. Approval was given for their appointments and due process was followed. We appeal to Governor Aregbesola to immediately stop the process of sacking the staff. At least to allow the case before the court run it full course,” he concluded.

Group seeks good governance in Ondo Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

non-partisan organisation in Ondo State, Ondo State Technical Working Group, OSTWG, has urged political parties to consider the need for good governance in the choice of their candidates in the November 26 governorship election in the state. The group said people who will play politics with issues affecting the state should not be allowed to rule the state after the exit of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, considering the present economic crisis. It urged political parties to present statesmen and administrators, who have all it

takes to resuscitate the dwindling economy of the state, as their candidates. The group’s Director of Research, Mr. Kolawole Johnson, and Head of Project Analysis, Engr Adedayo Ogedengbe, spoke yesterday in Akure during a breakfast meeting with journalists. OSTWG lamented the way some politicians place more emphasis on their personal agenda than the collective interest of the state. It said, “The politicians of today, especially of the Nigerian stock, have not been able to practice the politics that promotes good governance. Rather, they are taken back by sentiments of their immediate interest and that of

their group. “This has made the electorate and masses to be at the receiving end of their self-aggrandising politics, thereby denying the governed proper dividend of true democracy and good governance. “It is therefore, pertinent that concerned stakeholders should not continue to permit this act of impunity being perpetrated by the so called politicians that are sacrificing good governance on the altar of political interest that is most time selfcentered. “OSTWG hereby rises to the occasion in Ondo State to raise the bar and improve the quality of debate during the present electioneering process.”

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South West

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Amosun calls for better service before tariff increase

Members of Otodo Gbame community and environs protest ongoing dredging and sand-filling of their communities at Ikeja, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Unions threaten Caverton Helicopters over anti-labour practice Olusegun Koiki

eadership of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE, has threatened to ground operations of Caverton Helicopters Nigeria Ltd. over alleged anti-labour practice in the company. A letter addressed to Managing Director of the helicopter company, dated 30th March, 2016, with reference number NUATE. G S / M D. C AV E R T O N / ENP/007-016, signed by the union’s General-Sec-

retary, Comrade Olayinka Abioye, and made available to our correspondent, insisted that all avenues to address the anti-labour issues of the airline had been futile. Abioye declared that Lagos, Warri and Port Harcourt offices of the helicopter company would be shut down completely in the next seven days till further notice. The letter accused the management of deducting staff salaries without any iota of consideration for rules, logic and applicable standards.

It pointed out that there would not be further discussions with management of the airline, stressing that the unions had exhibited high sense of responsibility and maturity in getting the matter resolved. The union explained that the letter served as a final notice of industrial action and urged its members in the airline to be prepared for the action It would be recalled that NUATE had last December threatened to ground operations of

the company over illegal deductions of salaries to the tune of 1,000 per cent. The union had insisted that management erred by deducting staff salaries without any logic and applicable standards. The letter purported further that management used “this discriminatory, segregated, corrupt and fraudulent exercise to rob some” of its members as a result of the closeness of some staff to certain elements within and outside the company.

gun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has urged power distribution companies in Nigeria to demonstrate capacity for service delivery before embarking on any form of tariff increase. The governor stated this yesterday while hosting management team of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, who paid courtesy visit to his OkeMosan, Abeokuta, office. “The problem is that people are worried that when they are charged higher tariffs, they may still not get effective service. You need to demonstrate to people that you have the capacity to deliver service. “Power is key to development. I pray that we get it right and you will see the astronomical development Nigeria will experience. “The good thing is that the present administration ably led by President Muhammadu Buhari realises the importance of power and it’s doing everything to get it right,” Amosun said. Speaking earlier, Dr. John Olatunde Ayeni, Chairman of IBEDC Board of Directors, who led the distribution com-

7-day ultimatum: Oyo denies rift with labour force Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

yo State government has denied there is crisis between it and civil servants over salary payment. It would be recalled that organised labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiation Council, JNC, at the end of an emergency congress on Tuesday issued a 7-day ultimatum on nonpayment of five months’ salary arrears. But the state government in a release yesterday titled: “Re-Oyo Labour Ultimatum to state government”, signed by Special Adviser to the

Governor on Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, said there was a good relationship between the two sides. According to him, the situation, which is not peculiar to the state alone, was because of the dwindling oil revenue, stating that the state government needs the understanding of workers on the issue. He added that the state government is open to dialogue with the labour force, noting that a meeting between the labour force and Governor Abiola Ajimobi has been scheduled for today. The release read: “The attention of the Oyo State Government has been drawn to media reports insinuating disharmony

between the state government and the state branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress over payment of salary arrears. “To say the least, the unfortunate situation foisted on the country by the dwindling accruals from oil, the country’s major source of revenue, is a major concern to all and sundry and it is highly regrettable. “While the government empathises with workers and pensioners over the attendant inability to pay salaries and other emoluments as it usually did in the past, we solicit continued understanding of the labour over the matter. “Meanwhile, it is important to note that leadership of the labour

unions and the state government have had a very robust understanding on this matter long before now, following which an agreement was signed on the modality for the payment of salaries as finances are available. “Indeed, the options of reduced salaries and reduction in an otherwise bloated workforce were considered but deferred in concession to the workers; instead a staggered salary payment strategy was proposed by labour and acceded to by government. “To this end, it was agreed that about 90 per cent of income accruing from the state’s monthly allocation from the federation account should be dedicated to the workers

while the remaining 10 per cent would be deployed to the running of other aspects of governance. “Till date, the state government has not reneged on the letter and spirit of that agreement. “The ultimatum issued by labour is therefore not only surprising but unnecessary and uncalled-for in the prevailing circumstance. “The governor has since authorised a meeting scheduled for this Thursday with the labour leaders. “So, we can only urge workers and their leadership to allow reason to prevail by not truncating the industrial harmony currently existing within the state.

pany’s management team on the visit, had listed refusal to pay the new tariff as a major setback for the power sector. Ayeni explained that the IBEDC team came to the governor because “the state contributes the largest revenue base for our company.” He added that “in appreciation of the state’s contribution to our revenue base, we have put Ogun State on our premium customer base.” Ayeni also promised that IBEDC is set to embark on an aggressive metering plan for the state in line with its performance agreement in order to ensure that estimated billing is eradicated. “New infrastructures are being deployed to replace obsolete ones inherited from the PHCN era. This is also part of our efforts to improve power supply to our customers,” he said. The IBEDC chairman also announced the completion of a new 132/33KV substation to complement the Ojere 132/33KV substation commissioned in 1982. “We are glad to inform you that efforts are already geared towards shifting part of the load congestion in Abeokuta to the new Substation for power supply improvement,” Ayeni said. The IBEDC boss also seized the opportunity to explain the circumstances leading to a recent protest by residents of Ibafo/Mowe axis of Ogun State who complained of not having access to power supply. “The demonstration was actually due to the failure of an NIPP contractor to complete the 33KV line from the newly completed 330/132/33KV substation near Akute. We are working with NIPP on this to ensure the completion of the project and restore power to the affected areas,” Ayeni said.

South East

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Biafra: Kanu cries to Britain for help Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

etained leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday

called on the British government to come to his aid over his continued detention by the Federal Government. In a terse letter through

one of his lawyers, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu described himself as a victim of travesty of justice and gross human rights violation due to his prolonged detention by the Federal

Government. Kanu, who expressed readiness to stand trial, said however that what he was yearning for is fair trial as opposed to persecution. In the letter dated March

Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu (right) with Chairman, Umuahia South Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze G.C.Onwuka, when he led other members of the council on a courtesy visit to the governor in Umuahia, yesterday.

2,500 nursing mothers get free medicare in Enugu Emmanuel Ezeh, Enugu

o fewer than 2,500 nursing mothers are benefitting from a free medical care in Enugu State under the

auspices of Childhood Neuropsychiatric Disorders Initiatives, CNDI. CNDI chairman, Dr. Muideen Owolabi Bakare, who briefed journalists yesterday, said the programme was taking place

in Enugu and Lagos simultaneously. He disclosed that the programme taking place in two designated centres – St. Patrick’s Hospital, Asata, Enugu, and Gov-

Umahi to offset medical bills of citizens aged 80 plus Aliuna Godwin, Abakaliki

bonyi State Governor, David Umahi, yesterday stated his preparedness to offset medical bills of citizens of the state aged 80 and above. Governor Umahi disclosed this during a service of songs in honour of his late mother, Mrs. Margaret Umahi, held at the Akanu Ibiam International Conference Centre, Abakaliki. He noted that the state government would enact a law to make it partially the responsibility of the state to offset medical bills of the aged, especially people of 80 years and above. He said, “We want to propose a bill to the House of Assembly on how to take charge of the medi-

cal care of our aged ones - from the age of 80 years. “Immediately after this event, we are sending a bill to the House of Assembly to make it compulsory for Ebonyi State government to henceforth, take partial responsibility of the medical care of these ones.” Umahi described the allegation that he has stopped payment of pensions as untrue and reiterated that it is a punishable offense if pensioners are not paid between 15th and 20th every month. His words: “When I was coming here, somebody sent me a text and alleged that I stopped paying the pensions of our aged ones. I want to state clearly that I never did that. “I still want to restate my earlier stand that all pensioners must be paid

between 15th and 20th of every month and failure to do that is punishable.” Governor Umahi described his late mother as a mediator who mediated for the family in its relationship with God and man. He said his mother’s demise was still like a dream but was happy that she died a fulfilled woman. In a remark, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, described late Deaconess Umahi as a disciplinarian whose legacies and hard work would continue to be a remarkable history for mortals. Ekweremadu lauded the developmental efforts of Governor Umahi and urged him to sustain the tempo in remembrance of his late mother. r.

ernment Health Centre, Abakpa, is being supported by the Department for International Development, DFID. Bakare, a consultant psychiatrist, said the programme titled, ‘Tracking Maternal Depression and Child Growth,’ is focused on “identifying women with signs and symptoms of post-partum depression when they bring their children to immunisation clinics at primary healthcare level.” He further hinted that within the programme, “interventions would be provided for women with signs and symptoms of post-partum depression identified at immunisation clinics at primary healthcare level.” While calling on nursing mothers suffering from such conditions to visit the two designated centres in Enugu State, he stressed that “untreated post-partum depression may last for many months or longer.” He identified the symptoms as loss of appetite, lack of sleep, intense irritability and anger, overwhelming fatigue, loss of interest in sex and thought of harming yourself or your baby, among others.

24, 2016, and addressed to the British High Commissioner in Abuja, the Biafra agitator, who had filed a suit before the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, against the violation of his rights, said he was wrongly arrested and put in detention. He drew the British envoy’s attention to his rights and privileges as a British citizen. “It is repeating the obvious to state that our client is a full British citizen, by virtue of which position he is entitled to all rights, privileges and protections, guaranteed under British laws and conventions. “We are therefore, constrained in the circumstance, to formally notify the British government through this medium, of our well-informed reservations, and apprehension, that our client is undergoing persecution in the charge above referred, and deliberate design by the persecutors to frustrate every effort of the defense team aimed at giving our client a fair trial,” Kanu’s lawyer submitted in the letter.

It was the submissions of Kanu’s counsel that the unlawful detention of his client from October 14, 2015 till January 20, 2016, without any lawful orders of court, and in flagrant disobedience of orders of courts of competent jurisdiction, all directing for his unconditional release and discharge, amounts to a gross violation of his fundamental human rights. Ejiofor, who chronicled all the alleged abuses of Kanu’s fundamental human rights, recalled that the Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja specified in the First Information Report originally filed against him had discharged his client of all bogus and frivolous allegations against him, yet “the Department of State Security, that dragged him to court refused to obey the orders of the same court.” This position, according to Ejiofor, “was in keeping in line with the pronouncement of the President if the Federal Republic of Nigeria in his media chat telecasted live on December 29, 2015.

Aliuna Godwin,

unpatriotic towards their fellow south easterners. He urged those currently in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari to make sure they use their positions to better the lot of their people. “All the governors in the South East zone should decamp to the APC so that they can benefit from the present administration; the challenge facing the South East is because of the type of leaders they had in previous administrations. Tell me how some of them were able to assist their people while in position,” he asked. He called on politicians and the people of the South East zone to learn to live together and avoid politics of bitterness, rancour and vendetta. According to him, “we are the ones marginalising ourselves and so we need to support the Buhari-led administration so that all the dividends meant for us can come to us.”

APC chieftain urges S’East governors to join party Abakaliki

chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Chinedu Ogah, yesterday called on all governors of the South East geopolitical zone to decamp to the APC and stop accusing the APC Federal Government of marginalisation.

Ogah, who was a former youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and who defected to the APC, made the call during a chat with newsmen in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state. He accused prominent Igbo leaders in past administrations of the country of marginalising and diverting democracy dividends meant for those in the South East. Ogah, who is also national coordinator of the Buhari/Osinbajo Initiative for Demonstrating Change in Nigeria, further accused them of being greedy, selfish and

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South South

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Edo 2016: We’ll vote against Oshiomhole’s candidate –APC chieftain Onazena Abbey, Benin

hieftain of All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Francis Inegbeniki, has called on Governor Adams Oshiomhole to reconsider his stand on his preferred candidate, Godwin Obaseki, and settle for an aspirant from Esanland or risk being voted against by delegates to the party’s primary from Edo Central Senatorial District. Inegbeniki, who gave the advice in a chat with newsmen at his ancestral home in Opoji, Esan Central Local Government Area, also appealed to Oshiomhole not to believe his commissioners that leaders of Esanland support his choice of successor.

“I know the governor has a right to support any aspirant, I also have the right to support any candidate I have sympathy for. What I am saying and which I have been saying, is that the governor should also look in the direction of Edo central because in Edo central we have qualified aspirants. “I am using this opportunity to again appeal to Comrade Oshiomhole to look in the direction of Edo central because it is only when you feature an Esan governor that development will be evenly distributed.” He noted that since Edo South already had its turn in the eight-year reign of former governor Lucky Igbinedion, while Oshiomhole from Edo North was

at the verge of completing his eight years tenure, it was only fair that Edo Central is allowed to produce the next governor. “We people of Esanland will speak with one voice; the governor should not allow all these small commissioners to deceive him. I am aware that some so-

called leaders who could not win their wards went to Benin and the governor felt he had met with Esan leaders. I want to assure the comrade governor that on that day, they will disappoint him. We are saying that Comrade should seat down with us, he has the right to be sympathetic to

somebody but we are telling him we have the best candidates.” On the much-agitated Esan Agenda, he said, “I no longer want to refer to it as Esan Agenda; this is the real Edo Agenda, because if we are all Edo people, equity demands that Edo Central should also test the

Osadebe Avenue. At the moment, I don’t have any aspirant I support, but as a leader who Edo central people entrusted their mandate, I want to say that if the Comrade doesn’t look in our direction, we Esan people will look in the direction of other persons.”

Tribunal hears Sylva’s application to inspect election materials Doosuur Iwambe, Abuja

ayelsa State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja will today hear the application filed by governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, seeking to inspect election materials used for the December 5, 2015, and January 9, 2016, governorship election in the state. Among the 37 materials sought to be inspected are the ballot papers used for the two elections, police security report, video and audio report, appointed observers’ reports, duplicate copy of the certificate of return issued to Governor Seriake Dickson. Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kazeem Alogba, fixed hearing of the application for today following agreement of both parties in the matter. The tribunal had earlier adjourned other applications challenging the competence of some portions of the petition to April 7. One of the applications was filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, represented by Mr. Alex Ejezieme. Meanwhile, there was

a crack in the Action Alliance, AA, over a petition seeking to nullify the election of Governor Dickson on the ground of unlawful exclusion. The crack emerged when the national legal adviser of the party, Mr Anaukyaa Nenge Peter, disassociated the party from the petition and demanded to withdraw it. His ground was that the party’s national leadership, through his office, did not authorise filing the petition. He further told the tribunal that the petitioners did not have the party’s mandate to use its name to file the petition. However, another faction of the AA, led by Rev Johnson Alozie, through their counsel Oba Maduabuchi insisted that the national legal adviser lacks locus standi to withdraw a petition he did not file. He told the tribunal that national legal adviser of the party takes directive from the national think-tank, being the highest decision organ of the party and that there is no resolution before the tribunal from the party mandating him to withdraw the petition.

L-R: Rivers State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Emmanuel Aguma (SAN); Governor Nyesom Wike and Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Port Harcourt branch, Mr Denis Okwakpam, after the governor’s inauguration of the Local Organizing Committee for the 2016 NBA Conference in Port Harcourt, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Why Rivers is hosting national events –Wike Dennis Naku,

Port Harcourt

overnor Nyesom Wike says Rivers State government is hosting national events to disprove sponsored rumours that the state is not peaceful. Inaugurating the Local Organising Committee, LOC, for the 2016 Nigerian Bar As-

sociation, NBA, Conference at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, Wike said business interests are flourishing in the state because of the calm atmosphere. He said Rivers will host the NBA National Conference in August, the PDP National Convention in May and Federal High Court Le-

gal Year celebration in September. He explained that these events would attract thousands of visitors to the state. “We are hosting high profile conferences to attract thousands of people to the state. These people will witness the ambience, security and beauty of Port Harcourt

…We’ll commission several roads before May 29

Dennis Naku,

Port Harcourt

ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that several ongoing road projects in the state would be completed and commissioned by the first anniversary of his administration on May 29. Wike, who spoke on Wednesday while inspecting ongoing road construction in Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre and Etche local government areas, said the road projects would be sustained during

the rainy season because of the technology being applied. He said the state government will also fund the road projects constantly because of their relevance to the state’s economy. The governor expressed satisfaction with the level of work at Eliozu-Oro-Igwe Road, Rukpokwu-Eneka Road and the Igwuruta-Chokocho, urging the contractors to keep up the pace of work. He said, “By May 29, we

shall commission another set of roads in the state. I am impressed by the progress of work on the roads we inspected today. “Though the rains are here, the construction of roads will continue. We are using sharp-sand, hence there will be no need to stop work on the roads.” At Igwuruta-Chokocho road, Wike urged Etche people to continue to support his administration and PDP, stressing that PDP is the only party that fulfills its promises.

first hand. “They will understand that the stories they are told are false and sponsored negative propaganda. In the last few months, we hosted four international football matches with our guests enjoying the peace and beauty of the state,” he stated. The governor charged the LOC members to ensure the 2016 NBA Conference was the best in the history of the association. He charged them to also put in their best in the interest of the legal profession and the state. He said as chairman of the LOC, he would act as general supervisor to monitor the process of organisation. In his remarks, the Alternate Chairman and state Attorney-General, Mr Emmanuel Aguma, SAN, said the main organising committee and the nine sub committees have been programmed to deliver a historic national conference.

North

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Finally, police seal off Kogi Assembly Wale Ibrahim Lokoja

ogi State House of Assembly has finally been sealed off by a stern-looking team of policemen from Force Headquarters, Abuja. This followed an order by Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, that Kogi State House of Assembly complex be sealed off yesterday. The main entrance to the assembly complex was blocked by stern-looking and heavily armed policemen early in the morning, barring members who were

billed to conduct ministerial budget defence from accessing the complex. Staff of the assembly, who reported for work in the morning were subjected to scrutiny and only allowed in upon confirmation of their employment status through their identity cards. Assistant Superintendent of Police, A.A. Adeniran, who led the police team from Abuja to seal the complex yesterday, stated that “we were directed not to allow any assembly member into this complex; only the staffers of are allow in to perform their official duties.” While reacting on the seal-

Agriculture, mining best sectors for economic diversification —Ex-Plateau Speaker James Abraham Jos

ormer Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Titus Alams, has identified agriculture and mining sectors as offering the best opportunities to diversify the nation’s economy. Alams, who spoke with journalists yesterday in Jos on the challenges facing the country, noted that since the era of oil has passed, “all that is needed now is a proper and workable blueprint, seasoned with the commitment and political will to implement it. ``The times are hard, given the global economic recession. ``With the passage of the 2016 budget, Nigerians are praying that the economy improves soonest so that they can begin to enjoy dividends of democracy,’’ he said. Alams, who is Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain, said Plateau State was in a better position to reap from the two sectors if the state government would exploit them. He said the state is blessed with not just good and fertile soil, but a wonderful weather and numerous solid minerals begging to be tapped. According to him, ``these two sectors, once tapped, will turn around the fortunes of Plateau State and its citizens.’’ While stating that times are no longer the same, Alams advised Nigerians

to change their lifestyle by cutting costs, especially on frivolities. ``Even the federal and state governments must reduce their spending to help us withstand the economic recession and overcome it in time,’’ he advised. The former speaker advised government to prioritise the education sector to improve the quality of education in the country. He also urged government to make policies that would encourage the growth of trustworthy leaders who would effectively pilot the affairs of the nation in the future. ``We must all ensure that our children receive the best education so that we can move forward as a nation and catch up with other de-

off, Mr. Aliyu Akuh, who is the deputy to the embattled speaker, Momoh-Jimoh Lawal, stated that the crisis remained unresolved as earlier directive to return to the status quo ante by the House of Representatives was ignored by the five members. Akuh explained that it was an aberration for five out of the 20 members of the assembly to impeach the speaker on whose leadership the remaining 15 members had passed a vote of confidence. Akuh said the 15 members considered the action of the minority five members as an infringement on the constitution of the country, adding that in a good demo-

cratic setting, such infringements must be challenged. “What happened with five members seeking to impeach a speaker in a house of 20 members is an aberration, unheard of and more so that some members’ names and signatures were forged and included as being part of them. “We had to go to a higher authority which is the National Assembly, vested with the constitutional powers to intervene in such situations. “The House of Representatives ordered the seal-off and it was concurred by the Senate,” he said. On the position of the law with the suit filed by the

five members at the Federal High Court, Lokoja, challenging the intervention of the National Assembly on the impasse, Akuh said there was no injunction or court order restraining the National Assembly. In a swift reaction, the factional speaker, Alhaji Umar Imam, described the seal-off of the Assembly complex as illegal, arguing that for the National Assembly to have gone ahead to seal-off the assembly in spite of the fact that the matter was pending in court smacked of illegality. Imam who spoke through his chief press secretary, Umar Ali, disclosed that the action of the Na-

tional Assembly was aimed at stunting the growth of the state as all legislative businesses especially the passage of the 2016 Appropriation Bill would be affected. It would be recalled that the House of Representatives had earlier ordered the closure of the Kogi State House of Assembly following its inability to carry out its official function, though a factional group have been sitting on weekly basis until they adjourned for the Easter recess. But penultimate week, the Senate also concord and ordered the seal-off of the Kogi State House of Assembly.

Kogi State Governor Yahya Belo (left) and Information Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.

FCTA disburses N1.6bn bailout for council staff salaries Adeola Tukuru Abuja

ederal Capital Territory, FCT Administration, has released N1,679,825,308 as bailout to the six area councils in FCT for payment of two months’ salaries owed their workers. FCT Minister, Malam Muahammad Musa Bello, revealed yesterday that Kwali and Bwari area councils got N251,120,125 and N289,724,550, respectively. Others are Abaji, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abuja Municipal area councils, which received N267,724,550,

N295,708,856, N262,559,501 and N312,987,740, respectively. The minister emphasised that the money was a bailout fund released to the councils, which must be used to offset the two months’ salary arrears owed the area council workers. Malam Bello further disclosed that the bailout for the six area councils would be recovered by the FCT Administration from the10 per cent of internally generated revenue, IGR, statutorily due to the councils. Also speaking at the occasion, the FCT permanent secretary, Dr. Babatope

Ajakaiye, noted that the FCT Administration has been able to give this bailout because of its strict fiscal management and therefore admonished the area councils to imbibe discipline in funds management. The permanent secretary urged the councils to cut down on their expenditure, stressing that the era of frivolities is gone forever. He warned that the bailout must be used strictly for the payment of staff salaries as stated in the agreement between the FCT Administration and the area councils. Dr. Ajakaiye further revealed that due process and

necessary legal steps were followed in the approval and subsequent release of the bailout funds. He said the Administration approached the National Assembly for virement of its funds for the purpose, while area councils’ legislative arms have also given their nod to the chairmen to secure the bailout via letters to the FCT Administration. FCT’s Association of Local Governments of Nigeria chairman who is also the chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Mr. Micah Jiba, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, thanked the FCT minister and the perma-

nent secretary for their fatherly disposition in coming to their cause. He promised that the money would be used for just the purpose it was meant. Meanwhile, chairman of the FCT National Union of Local Government Employees, Comrade Tanko Shemdi, has appreciated the FCT Administration for intervening by assisting to bring the crisis to an end. It may be noted that four members of the FCT Traditional Council, led by its chairman and the Ona of Abaji, were witnesses at the occasion.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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UK party unveils British Commonwealth National Card

itizens from 54 Commonwealth nations who are resident in the United Kingdom, will now benefit from the British Citizenship Enhancement Status as well as be protected from unlawful arrests and

harassment. They will also have access to unlimited travel in Britain and her territories, as well as possess valid rights of residence. These were made possible by The Commonwealth Lib-

Lagos promises to promote Braithwaite’s philosophy, ideology Francis Suberu

agos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday promised that the state government will do all within its capabilities to promote the ideals and philosophies of the late prominent lawyer, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite. Ambode said this on Wednesday when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the late foremost nationalist in Victoria Island, Lagos saying the state government will not allow his philosophies die with him. The governor who was accompanied on the visit by members of the state’s executive council to commiserate with members of his family emphasized that his demise is a major loss not just to Lagos State but also to Nigeria. Ambode said,” On behalf of Lagos State, I want to say this is an event that touched us. We are concerned about it. We will like to take deeper part in whatever the family is

going to do because this is a great loss to Lagos State. This is a great loss of a great man of Lagos State. And we intend to celebrate him in that manner. “Whatever it is that we do even as a government or as a party, they are things that always project us. If there is any person that is on the side of the masses or the poor, this is one thing that Dr. Tunji Braithwaite believed in. He preached it; confessed it and fought it during his lifetime.” The governor said Braithwaite’s message was always consistent and constant, though he was on the other side of the political divide. According to Ambode, Tunji Braithwaite was always thoroughbred; “that is why we have come here not only to console or say just anything. But we must equally point out that everything I am also doing is on the side of the poor and is on the side of the majority, which he believed in; which he confessed; which he stood for during his lifetime.”

eration Party, TCLP, a British political party through the British Commonwealth National Card, BCNC, recently in London. The epoch-making ceremony, backed up by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UDHR 1948 would afford all members of commonwealth nations, automatic British subject status. According to Protectorate Identity Commission, an Agency of TCLP, some of the benefits of being a holder of the British Commonwealth National Card in the 21st Century include:: “The Protection of the identities of The commonwealth citizens and non-commonwealth

citizens and their Rights of Recognition in the globalised sustenance of economic relations”. Chairman of TCLP who is also the President, Commonwealth Treaty Alliance Commission, Professor Alexia Thomas, stated that, “The Commonwealth Liberation Party has unveiled the British Commonwealth National Card, through the Commonwealth Treaty Alliance Commission. 54 Sovereignties have been brought together under a Treaty enforceable by the UDHR 1948.” “The future of greatness is the protection of human race, human values, human dignity, Brotherhood bond

and the Upholdment of Citizens Equal Rights, Legal Compromise, Alienation of Hate Crimes with Upholdment of Respect for Social Values and Social Integration. “The Unveiling of the BCNC marks the beginning of Commonwealth Citizens protection in the Global World for their Upholdment of Justice, Human Rights, Civil Liberties and Human Dignity. In that regard, they are by law allowed to have Equal Rights and Equal Values to be accorded same privileges with nationals in their respective countries of residence. “The BCN Card serves as

identity for the card holder to be able to travel within the axis of the Commonwealth nations, while the Office of the Commissioner for Governance, CFG and The Office of the Commissioner for Diplomacy, CFD will also be in negotiations with NonCommonwealth countries and their governments to accord recognition to the BCN Card. “The BCN Card has met the threshold and stem its autocracy of social integration and a Plug in of Purity of Laws. All ordinance of Government and Power Ambit must accept the BCN Card under the UDHR Convention 1948.

L-R: Widow of the late Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, Mrs. Grace; first daughter, Dr. Omowunmi Braithwaite and Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, during a condolence visit to the family at their residence in Lagos, yesterday.

S/West PDP insists on North retaining National Chairmanship Kemi Olaitan Ibadan

or the second time in less than a month, the South-West leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday said the position of the National Chairman of the party should be retained by the northern part of the country. This was part of the communique issued yesterday at the end of the stakeholders’ meeting of the party in the

zone held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. In the communique signed by the Zonal Chairman of the party, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe and other leaders in the zone, the South-West PDP maintained that by retaining the position in the North, it would afford the party the opportunity of letting their members from that part of the country having a sense of belonging. While stating that the party in the zone is not making

case for the National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to stay put beyond the May 30 date that the various organs of the party agreed on, it said members from any other part of the country is also free to contest the position. The communique read, “Thus, it was with a profound sense of responsibility that over 70 per cent of the functional leaders of the zone under the leadership of the zonal chair-

man, arrived at the decision to allow the North retain the position of National Chairman of the party. “Besides, those pushing a contrary position to that which we have expressed should put forward their reasons beyond the worn-out tales of we have not done it before. “We urge all the leaders and elders who have appended their signatures on the position paper asking the North to retain the National

Chairmanship of the PDP to remain steadfast in their resolve. Let us intensify the campaign.” Leaders of the party present at the meeting include the party’s National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, state Chairmen from Lagos, Captain Tunji Shelle, Yinka Taiwo (Oyo), Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa (Osun), Comrade Idowu Faleye (Ekiti) and Chairman, Organization and Mobilization Committee of the party in the zone and Sen-

ator representing Ogun East, Senator Buruji Kashamu. Others are Senator Olu Alabi, Senator Teslim Folarin, Senator Felix Ogunwale, Brig-Gen. Raji Rasaki, Hon. Dokun Odebunmi, Dr. Saka Balogun, Mrs. Bose Adedibu, Alhaji Saka Balogun and Senator Ayo Adeseun. The meeting was also attended by the National Women Leader of the party, Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe as well as the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

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Aspirants scramble to

co-aspirants . His campaign billboards and banners boldly carried the inscription “Mr Integrity”. He recently challenged other aspirants to an integrity test and tasked party delegates to the party’s primary to probe aspirants contesting the ticket Ogiemwonyi is a graduate of the University of Benin. He bagged a B.Sc. (Hons) in Applied Physics in 1974 and obtained a post Graduate Diploma (PGD) in Petroleum Engineering in 1976 from the University of Ibadan. He was also at Harvard Business School for top management course. He is a celebrated technocrat and a professional.

Onazena Abbey Benin

he battle as to who succeeds Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, come November 2016 has not only tear the State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress apart, the party has been polarized along interests and primordial sentiment while the long existed enviable and unprecedented cordial relationship between the Governor and his Deputy, Dr Pius Odubu has equally went sour . The already tensed political atmosphere went bizarre when the Comrade Governor who said he cannot afford to stand aloof and watched helplessly as to who succeeds him, unfolded his preference for Godwin Obaseki, Chairman, Edo State Economic Team Political alignment and re-alignment of party stalwarts and members to the camp of their choice aspirants has also be on the increase while the aspirants who are currently soliciting for votes from delegates to the party’s primary, appeared to have defied the Governor’s directives banning political activities to avoid been distraction in his bid and mission to finished strong . Meanwhile the gang up and calculated plot of other aspirants including prominent stakeholders of the APC against the Governor across the three senatorial districts has become alarming by the day. Besides the clandestine move to team up with one of the aspirants from Edo South to undo the Governor at the party primary, there are equally threat by some leaders in Edo Central to vote massively against the preferred candidate should the Governor declined to listen to their agitation to allow the Esan people produce the next governor In a jointly placed full page advertorial signed by representatives of the gubernatorial aspirants except Godwin Obaseki, the APC aspirants raised alarm over alleged move to doctored the delegates list and warned the party state chairman, Barrister Anslem Ojiezua and indeed the national leadership against such attempt. Allaying the fear of imposition, state chairman of the party, Barr. Anslem Ojiezua posited ‘’The word ‘imposition’ is alien to our party. There would be nothing like imposition. The Governor has the right to support any candidate of his choice but that does not amount to imposition. The party will conduct primary and allow for equal, fair and level playing field for all aspirants ‘’ For the Comrade Governor, his ancestral constituency[Edo North] where he conspicuously have overwhelming control of the party’s delegates to the primary may likely decide the result of the primary while votes from Edo Central particularly from Edo will be shared amongst the aspirants. Political analysts are however of the opinion that what recently appeared to be mass dis-engagement of those who owe their allegiance to the Deputy Governor from their appointments ahead of the party primary was part of the game plan by the Governor whom they claimed was not unaware of the hurdles before him, to whittle down and checkmate the seeming ravaging influence and power of the Deputy

Barrister Kenneth Imansuagbon (APC)

Imasuagbon The Governor has however said his actions were purely devoid of politics but on grounds of corrupt practices and administrative deficiencies by those affected. They also posited that the Governor’s chances seemed brick as an appreciable number of elected local government officials including council chairmen and councilors who are equally delegates to the primary would have been disenfranchised with the expiration of local government chairmen’s tenure come April 20. Odubu was said to have boasted as at the last count when he paid host to some of the party delegates in his Government Reserved Area, GRA residence of being currently in control of over 500 delegates out of the over 3000 projected delegates expected to vote at the primary, some of whom he allegedly claimed are his foot soldiers canvassing in his favour. Justifying why Governor Oshiomhole settled for Obaseki, a Chieftain of the party, Rev. Michael Egharevbha advanced as reasons, the fear of getting Edo State enmeshed in financial moribund and desire for continuity and accountability in governance According to him ‘’The continuity we want is progressive continuity and not redundant one, not a desire to be a governor by all means. History has shown that those who are desperate about governorship never get it. Obaseki just came and he has been with us. We now need a better reason to fill the golden shoe that Oshiomhole is leaving. We don’t cast aspersion because we are all in the same party, Obaseki can do the job and after eight years any other person can come On the part of the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP , the drive by the national leadership and the state chapter of the party to return Edo amongst comity of PDP controlled South-South States may have been re-enforced and perfected with the second coming of the State Party Chairman , Chief Dan Orbih in the just concluded party congress

Ogiemwonyi In his maiden speech, Chief Orbih said the newly elected executive will not only ensure that Edo state becomes one of the PDP controlled states in the comity of south-south states but that the task was much more easier by the failure of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s led government Those who have indicated interest to succeed Governor Oshiomhole in the APC and PDP include; Dr Pius Odubu APC; Godwin Obaseki, APC; Kenneth Imansuagbon , APC ; Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, PDP; Engineer Chris Ogiewoni, APC; Mr Osaro Onaiwu, PDP; Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, APC; Major Charles Airhiavbere, APC; Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen , Osarodion Ogie, APC; Comrade Peter Esele, APC; Blessing Agbonmhere .

Engineer Chris Ogiemwonyi [APC] Chris Ogiemwonyi is a former Minister of State for Works under former President Goodluck Jonathan administration . A gentle and highly intelligent man, he defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congres, APC in 2014 Also former Managing Directors, Nigerian Gas Company Limited and National Petroleum Development and Group Executive Director NNPC[ 2005-2007[2003-2005][20072009] respectively. He equally enjoys goodwill and recognition from the highly respected Benin palace. Omo N’ Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolor, Oba Erediauwa accorded him a royal bead as a mark for his meritorious service to the nation when he retired home His political opponents and critics are not at ease with his impeccable track records throughout his almost 35 years in service, a development they claimed was uncommon with an average typical Nigeria’s civil servant. He has since opened campaign office while he is solely relying on his credibility in public service to give him advantage over his

Ken Imansuagbon is famously called ’rice man’. He has become a recurrent political decimal and a house- hold name in Edo State .He has the penchant for distributing free rice to Edo people during Christmas period on yearly basis since the last ten years. He was a co-founder of the then AC in the State. His gubernatorial ambition dated back to 2007 where he was tactically schemed out during the party’s primary by the party leaders who latter settled for Governor Adams Oshiomhole As a frontline financier and a philanthropist , he equally played a vital role in the party which later metamorphosed into ACN and now APC. He again joined the governorship race precisely in 2012 under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP , but lost at the party’s primary which he claimed was orchestrated and designed by the leaders of the party in favour of General Charles Airhiavhare He hails from Edo Central Senatorial District and currently championing the course of justice, fair play and equal opportunity for all amidst controversial purported zoning of the governorship seat to Edo south by the party He left the PDP prior to the presidential election in 2015 and delivered his ward to the APC having earlier predicted that President Buhari and indeed APC will take over governance from the party that once pride itself as the largest in Africa

Mr Osaro Onaiwu, (PDP) Mr Osaro Onaiwu, is the Coordinator of PDP’s Governors Forum. Although he appears to lack the political structure and grassroot support having distanced himself from his constituency for so long a time. But his close contact with the PDP Governors especially in the South- South region may give him advantage over others. His critics always regard him as one of the Abuja based politicians

Godwin Obaseki, (APC) Mr. Godwin Obaseki is touted by political analysts and watchers as likely to pick the Edo APC governorship ticket . He does not only has the support of Governor Oshiomhole, he is the preferred candidate and the Chairman of Edo state Economic Team in the last seven years He remains the engine room of the present administration and the economic brain to the wonders Governor Oshiomhole has been able to perform in the state in the last seven

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succeed Oshiomhole

years in areas of road constructions, regular payment of workers’ salaries amidst the dwindling federal allocations , red- roof revolution and massive infrastructural development across the three senatorial districts. Many of his opponents had since collapsed their structure for him in view of the Governor’s judgment . To them the governor wears the shoes and knows exactly where it pinches in the last seven years and therefore in an advantage position to determine the best amongst the contestants . His general acceptance across the three senatorial districts has been overwhelming by the day He served on the Presidential Committee on the Reform of the Nigerian Pension System. He also served on the Committee on the Re-activation of the Nigerian Bond Market set up by the Securities and Exchange Commission. He is an active member of the NSE and currently serves on its Governing Council. He has also served on many of the committees of the Exchange. However his critics said he is being imposed on the party and that as a capitalist, he may not bid the people’s interests. He has equally acknowledged the seeming gang up by other aspirants against him but said they will fail .

[PDP]

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu

Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was a former Secretary to the State Government under Governor Lucky Igbinedion’s administration. While in PDP, he spearheaded the Grace Group which later metamorphosed to AC. He became the South- South leader of the APC and later, the Director -General Oshiomhole Second Term Campaign Organisation where he played major role in the second coming of the Comrade Governor. He fell apart with the governor during the party’s primary about two years ago and left for the PDP. He is one of the frontline gubernatorial aspirants under the PDP and enjoys sympathy from both the PDP and APC having built a formidable structure in APC. He is widely accepted by all and has built a political structure across the three senatorial districts with large followership. In Edo Central, the party leaders unanimously endorsed him and donated a campaign office to him. He is likely to pick the party’s ticket From all indications, he remains a factor and a candidate to beat by any candidates the APC may settled for, although his opponents have always harmed on the alleged role he played during what they termed the locus years of Governor Igbinedion administration

Dr Pius Odubu, (APC) Dr Pius Odubu, is the Deputy Governor Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He hails from Orhiomwon Local government Area of the State. He was a former member, Federal House of Representatives between 1999-2007 and has been an outstanding and loyal deputy to the Governor in the history of Governor/Deputy relationship in the State. His record of loyalty is currently on trial over clash of interest with his boss as to who becomes the next Governor. He is equally not

Obaseki

Iduoriyekemwen

Meanwhile the gang up and calculated plot of other aspirants including prominent stakeholders of the

APC against the Governor

across the three senatorial districts has become alarming by the day. a push over, he is presently banking on the sympathy of his supporters and foot soldiers who expected the Governor to repay his loyalty with the Governorship ticket . Odubu is faced with the challenge of breaking through the dreaded political tentacle and historical track records of the Comrade- Governor who parades unprecedented electoral victories both as NLC President and since his incursion into politics in 2007 when he became Governor of the State. His critics have always pin-point his abysmal and poor representation of the constituency Orhionmwon/ Uhunmwode Federal Constituency as a federal lawmaker between 1999-2007 under the Peoples Democratic Party , PDP. Odubu’s billboards are currently positioned in strategic places in the state while fillers has it that he will formally declared his intention to run for the governorship election and officially open his campaign secretariat situated at the Government Reserved Area [GRA] in Benin City, the State Capital

Professor Oserheimen Osunbor, (APC) Former Governor Oserheimen Osunbor is a professor of Law and the immediate past governor of Edo State. He was sent parking from Osadebey Avenue by Appeal Court’S verdict which nullified his election and declared Adams Oshiomhole as duly elected Governor. He hails from Edo Central Senatorial District. One of the hurdles before him is the purported zoning of the governorship ticket to Edo South .

He is counting on his stewardship in office to pick the party’s ticket . the agitation of his kinsmen centred on fairness, justice and equity. They are of the view that since Edo South has completed its eight years as governor during Lucky Igbinedion administration and Edo North are at the verge of completing their term in the person of Governor Oshiomhole, it is only fair and just to allow Edo central produce the next governor

Major Charles Airhiavbere, (APC) A retired Army General. He was the National Coordinator of the Goodluck2Goodluck Organization prior to the 2015 general election and PDP flagbearer during the 2012 governorship election as he contested against Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the APC He was one of those who defected to APC moment President Goodluck Jonathan lost the presidential election. He is certainly one of the money bag aspirants hoping to take advantage of his fellow aspirants at the party’s delegates primary He is completely seen as a stranger in the party, yet to be fully integrated and fused into the party structure

Hon. Mathew Iduoriyekemwen (PDP) Mathew Iduriyekemwen, a former majority leader, Edo State House of Assembly and also former Edo Commissioner, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. His ambition and acceptability cuts across the three senatorial districts. He has the support of the youth and prominent party lead-

Odubu ers like former Minister of Works, Architect Mike Onolemenmen. He may likely pick the party’s ticket owing to his unflinching loyalty. He has the record of not decamping from the party since inception [1999] .He recently said only the people and not PDP Governor’s Forum will decide who becomes the party governorship candidate in Edo. His mission as governor borders on laying strong economic foundation for the state and creating enabling environment for investors.

Blessing Agbonmhere, (APC) Blessing Agbomhere is the Executive Director of Gatekeepers Foundation, Abuja. He is apparently the youngest among the APC governorship aspirants. He has vowed to probe all the past administrations in the state including Governor Adams Oshiomhole administration when elected adding that his decision was informed by series of petitions and allegations of fraud on some of the contracts executed. He frowned against imposition of candidate and boasted of having the support of over 2,600 delegates to the party’s primary

Osarodion Ogie, (APC) Osarodion Ogie , a brilliant and easy going lawyer was the former Chief of Staff to Governor Adams Oshiomhole and the present Commissioner for Works. He was earlier been projected by many as the Governor’s anointed candidate . He is the Governor’s right hand man till date. He has since collapsed his structure in obedience to the Governor’s preference for Godwin Obaseki

Comrade Peter Esele, (APC) Former president of Trade Union Congress, TUC]. He is relatively new in the game of politics . He equally hails from Edo Central Senatorial District He believes Governor Oshiomhole has every right to support candidate of his choice and that he was not deter by the development but clamoured that the democratic space should be widen to allow popular participation adding that only the delegates alone can determine who becomes the party’s flagbearer

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Ekiti 2014: I spent 26 days in EFCC, Police , DSS nets over APC petitions —Aluko Abiodun Nejo Ado Ekiti

mbattled former Secretary of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP in Ekiti State, Dr Tope Aluko, said yesterday that he had spent 26 days in the nets of the Department of State Services, DSS, police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC following petitions that greeted his revelation of how the 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State was allegedly rigged. Aluko, who told journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday that he remained a PDP member and state secretary, said the petitions from the All Progressives Congress, APC against him, culminated in his invitation from the security agencies. He said: “It is APC that

is writing petition against me over this issue which I trashed out on Channels Television recently. They wrote petition against me and I have stayed 12 days with DSS, five days with police and five days with the EFCC. So I’m actually on bail from these security operatives. “During the interrogations, they asked me so many questions and as truthful as I can be, I gave them the answers, because I said I wanted to do restitution and that is what I’ve done,” he said. Aluko had on television early in the year, alleged that the state governor, then as PDP governorship candidate, got $37 million to use the military to rig the said election which returned him as Governor of the state. Aluko said: “The APC has been writing petitions against me and it came as a

rude shock to me when the state government said that I’m Judas. They (those in the government) are the Judas anyway, because they betrayed me. I am still a member of the PDP”. But the state governor insisted that Aluko “is the present-day Judas of Ekiti State”, saying: “The man is a Grade A scammer who is living large on the millions he is making from his present anti-Fayose agenda.” The Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications, Lere Olayinka, said in a statement that “Aluko has turned himself into a tool in the hands of the APC. He stated: “Aluko and his likes can continue to run from pillar to post, all their efforts will come to naught and like the Biblical Judas, we will all live to see how those he treating him like

their man Friday now will dump him.” The governor’s spokesperson said it was laughable that someone who was duly expelled from the PDP was still claiming to be member of the party, saying; “Can Aluko be member of PDP by force even when PDP has said he is not wanted?” He said: “In saner climes, Aluko, who by himself confessed to have committed crime should be in jail by now. But because the APC Federal Government is willing to use even Shina Rambo to achieve its aim of returning to power in Ekiti through crude means, Aluko is being provided with security cover and that is unfortunate.” Meanwhile, the three members of Ekiti State House of Assembly whose whereabouts were declared unknown in the wake of

Members of the Committee of Anambra State People’s Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives Elect, on a peaceful protest demanding the Independent National Electoral Commission to obey the ruling of the Supreme Court, at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Falana, Iloh, others mourn Braithwaite Samuel Adetimehin

minent Nigerians continue to visit the residence of the late Pro-democracy activist and Lawyer, Dr Tunji Braithwaite who died in Lagos last Monday to commiserate with his family . Speaking during his visit to the Victoria Island residence of Braithwaite yesterday , the General Overseer of the Soul Winning Chapel, Lagos, Rev. Moses Iloh described the late Dr. Braithwaite as a true child of God.

”His death is a great loss to the Nation and the family, but I want the children and relatives to emulate him”, he said. The National Action Movement in a statement signed by its Head Project Nigeria and Spokesman, Olawale Okunniyi said Braithwaite will be honoured for being an indefatigable inspiration to the National Action Movement of Democracy Forces in Nigeria, a mass platform which in collaboration with the Nigerian Labour Movement prosecuted the struggle against the re-

gime of removal petroleum subsidy imposed by Jonathan administration in 2012. “The late Dr. Braithwaite who was 79 years of age then partake in the struggle which was eventually won for the masses of Nigeria”, he said. Also eulogizing Braithwaite, Lagos based human right lawyer, Barrister Femi Falana (SAN) said the late Braithwaite was a consistent fighter who made it possible for Government to pay compensation for victims of military destructions.

“When the Ransome Kuti’s house was burnt by unknown soldiers, though late, Dr. Braithwaite stood in for Ransome Kutis in the suit against the then Attorney-General of the Federation but pronouncement was made that from then on Government should pay compensation to anyone whose property is destroyed by his agent”. Falana said Braithwaite was a great lawyer for 55 years, who no one has ever talk bad about as he only take cases of progressive focus.

the alleged invasion of the House by DSS on March 4 rejoined their counterparts yesterday. The three lawmakers, Hon. Sina Animashaun, Musa Arogundade and Badejo Anifowose, it was disclosed, went underground to avoid unnecessary arrest, following the arrest and detention of their colleague, Hon. Afolabi Akanni. At a news conference addressed in Ado Ekiti by the

Speaker, Kola Oluwawole and Chairman, Assembly Committee on Information, Gboyega Aribisogan, the Assembly said: “The three members and some governor’s aides had to go into hiding when it became obvious that the DSS was desperately after them too” The Assembly also issued an order to its members not to honour any invitation from the men of DSS henceforth.

Rivers rerun election: Women ask Buhari to question Wike Adeola Tukuru Abuja

omen Arise for Justice, yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to question the Governor of Rivers state, Chief Nyesom Wike over thousands of people who lost their lives during the just concluded rerun election in the state. The women who were over 1,000 in number stormed the Presidential villa in Abuja during a peaceful protest stated that all these deaths, abduction ,intimidation and destruction of property were the product of the do or die politics that characterised the Rivers state rerun election. The National President of the Group, Jummai Samuel Pukat, said the Governor should be held responsible for all the atrocities since his body language and utterance directly constitute instruction to his political killers to deal with those not on the same side with him. According to her, “It was Governor Wike who threatened that there are areas that people from the federal level cannot access in the state. It was him who said anyone coming from outside Rivers state for the rerun must first write their will, which implies that he was confident of how to ensure federal agents do not make it out of Rivers state alive” She said that all that died in the Rivers state rerun election must not die in vain, adding that those who lost their properties must be reassured that there is still a government

and that it enforces the law. “Our sons, brothers, husbands and fathers cannot be continually cut down in their prime with the federal government remaining indifferent simply because their murder took place in Wike‘s Rivers state. “We cannot wait until more governors join in this killing spree. We dare not contemplate what will happen if Wike’s approach to treating human life becomes the new normal thing . As mothers we no longer have the ability to sleep at night when our loved ones have to undertake even the most basic assignment in Rivers state,” he said. Pukat said the deafening silence from the federal government has made Wike to continue insulting and assaulting our sensibilities with lies meant to shift the blame for the killings of others. She said history will not be kind to them if the memory of the dead is so desecrated with lies “ Our hearts bleed Mr. President. We are worried and confused and we ask if Rivers state is still part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”

Wike

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Still on the JAMB debate EXISTENTIAL HUMANISM

FRY

NDUBUISI

Professor Ndubuisi is of the Dept of Philosophy, UNILAG

fryndubuisi@nationalmirroronline.net (08023016709 SMS only)

Views

Thursday, March 31, 2016

ducation is unarguably one of Nigeria’s biggest industries. It is both a challenging and profitable business. This is a good example of an invaluable commodity that most people strive to acquire at all cost. Our own situation is complicated given the government lethargy and less than commendable efforts in this sector. This is ironically the sector that holds the key to the development of all sectors and all nations. It is for this reason that there is active private sector participation in the sector. This is a welcome development. But this is associated with its own problems, especially the public and important examinations like the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has always been in the news for good and for bad reasons. The body’s UTME remains one of the most important public examinations around. The board, a child of circumstances, came into being to tidy up the near chaotic admission processes

into our universities in particular and other tertiary institutions in general. To a large extent it has fulfilled this role, especially the incidents of multiple admissions and the cost prospective candidates had to contend with. But in spite of this success, JAMB has had to face immense criticisms, some objective and others parochial. This year’s UTME exercise for the 2016/17 academic session has been very contentious. The conduct of the examination has been faced with criticisms. The education minister expressed satisfaction with it, though worried about the fate of candidates that were not computer literates. He wanted to know how such people could be taken care off. There have equally been pockets of protests by candidates that felt their chances were narrowed as a result of no fault of theirs. Some of the affected candidates carried their protest to Lagos State House of assembly, as well as to the National Assembly. These have fortunately attracted the attention of the members of the House of Representatives, who after a long deliberation endorsed the use of the computer based test. It is worth noting that the protests range from erratic computer system to poor network, and the annoying tales of provided options not tallying with the questions given. The JAMB registrar, Professor Ojerinde stoutly defended his board, arguing that organising the UTME in Nigeria is becoming a war, due to the activities of owners of special centres. He lamented the desperate measures being adopted by owners of these special centres to perpetuate irregularities,

JAMB should examine all the complaints associated with the last examination and proffer solutions to them stressing that the organisers of the protest ‘’did not do it in the interest of the candidates but done as a result of their frustration due to their inability to perpetuate their planned acts of irregularities’’. These are strong words that must not be glossed over. It will be of interest to the body and the general public to know the outcome of the investigation of a centre owner, who allegedly made frantic but futile efforts to compromise some JAMB officials. The issue is germane for public debate. JAMB is the gateway to higher institutions (both private and public) in Nigeria. The body, in spite of all the criticisms, has done reasonably well. However, there is still room for improvement. Professor Ojerinde has shown so much anxiety and interest on how to make the body work more efficiently. The introduction of computer-based test is a wonderful innovation. This is so given the fact that candidates get their results less than 24 hours after the examination. This development leaves no

room for the manipulation. It has also reduced reasonably the incident of missing results among other ills. However, despite these positives, there is the need for a re evaluation of the computer base test. Let me state unequivocally that discarding the system is not an option! That would mean going back to the dark era of manipulation of scores and missing results. JAMB should examine all the complaints associated with the last examination and proffer solutions to them. Foremost is the issue of rickety computers that were given to candidates. This must stop. All the computers for UTME must be satisfied fit and proper for this all important examination. In addition, there should be reserved computers to address unforeseen contingencies. Besides, there must be efficient internet network services, and servers must be in perfect conditions. Tertiary institutions, public and private, should be given priorities as centres. Why must JAMB continue to have special centres? The practice must stop. Aside, while the examination goes on, genuine complaints must be collated and a day or two set aside for a repeat the examination for the victims, if necessary. A parting shot: Candidates that aspire to be in higher institutions of learning should strive to be computer literate. It is no rocket science. The world is going digital; Nigeria should not be left behind. Professor Ndubuisi is the Vice Chancellor, Christopher University, Mowe, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

Revisiting the dialectics on transgender phenomenon It is a welldocumented CRITICAL STROKES

KAYODE

KETEFE

kketefe@nationalmirroronline.net 08032147720 (SMS only)

oday is the International Transgender Day for Visibility, a day set apart to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by this people worldwide. The following conversation between a Nigerian “Conservative” and “Liberalist” underscores the perspectives on and understanding of the transgender phenomenon in this country. Liberalist: Hurray, today is the International Transgender Day for Visibility! Let’s join hands to raise awareness on LGBTI rights. Conservative: What is that supposed to mean? I hope you know there is anti-gay law in Nigeria? Thanks to our leaders, our country is being protected against foreign bad practices trying to make incursions into our territory. Liberalist: Well done! You have a law by which people of different sexual orientations would be clamped into jail; those who support them and agitate for their rights will also suffer similar fate. Is that what you are excited about? Don’t you think this amount

scientific fact at least

1500 animal

species practise homosexuality!

to trampling on other people’s human rights? Conservative: What human rights? Don’t tell me you support immorality? Do you think it is appropriate for a man to be sleeping with a man and a woman with a woman? That is abomination; it is alien to our culture! Liberalist: The problem with your position is that you have already assumed a number of things and jump into conclusion on the basis of your assumptions. These people, I mean the Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersexes (LGBTI) are unanimous on one thing: They did not choose to be the way they are; nature made them like that. Just consider for the moment if nature truly made them the way they are and their sexual preferences are not their own making, will punishing them not amount to punishing a dog for barking and a bird for singing? Conservative: I don’t agree with you! God will not create anybody in an immoral way. People would choose to practise abominable things out of their own perversion. Liberalist: But what evidence do you have that it is not the way they are made? You are just expressing personal opinion by saying

they chose to be like that. Conservative: You may call it personal opinion, but it is an opinion based on human experience. If you look at human anatomy, you would find that God designs a man for a woman and vice versa. Even in the animal kingdom, you would not find a male dog mating with a male dog nor would you find a she goat mating with another she goat. It is only among us human beings you would find such sexual incongruities! Liberalist: Now, let us get down to being factual. It is not correct to say that homosexuality does not occur among animals. It is a well-documented scientific fact at least 1500 animal species practise homosexuality! Go to Google for proof! Conservative: Much of the information on the internet is put there by the West to deceive us. This forms part of conspiracies to make all of us go gay! Whatever may be the case, we should not allow bad practices to spread into our land. Liberalist: Thinking it can spread unless curtailed is an emanation from an unyielding mindset that these people deliberately decided to be like that. If you start to punish all babies born with dreadlock (Dada) and throw them into prison for instance, will it stop the birth of babies born with dreadlock? If you start to ostracize all the albinos born in the society, will that stop the birth of albino babies? Freakishness is part of nature. Conservative: Those are different! Liberalist: You said so! Now let us get more factual. Let me ask you a question: Who is a male and who is a female?

Conservative: Why? Don’t tell me you cannot distinguish a male from a female if you see one. Liberalist: Well, not always! Did you know that you cannot absolutely say a person is a male or female through physical appearance alone? This is determined in absolute sense through scientific tests. At times someone would have physical appearance of a particular gender, but inwardly he/she would belong to the other sex. Conservative: Are you talking of the hermaphrodites, they are not…. Liberalist: No, I am not talking of hermaphrodites. Did you know that gender tests are conducted these days by the organisers of the competitive sports to determine true gender of athletes? Even in female football, they do it to ascertain the true gender. So determining the gender goes beyond the physical assessment alone! Conservative: How does that justify being gay? Liberalist: So, if a person claims, I may have the appearance of a female, but I am really a male inside me and my sexual preference is towards females, what rights have you to say no? Conservative: See, no intellectual argument can persuade me, I want to follow the ways of God! Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Thursday March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

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

The National Economic Council retreat

he Federal Government, at the end of a two-day retreat by the National Economic Council (NEC) in Abuja, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, declared that it would inject N350 billion into the nation’s economy in the next quarter of the year to stimulate economic activities and create jobs. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said the government was“… specifically looking at contractors who have laid-off staff”, and how many Nigerians the N350 billion would assist to put back to work. A number of resolutions were listed for action by the NEC at the said retreat, which if vigorously implemented, could help in bailing out the FG and states from their economic predicaments; and possibly lessen the grinding economic quagmire Nigerians are currently contending with. The retreat resolved, for example, that the federal and state governments will make concerted and consistent efforts to diversify revenue sources and focus on fiscal responsibility as a critical element in macroeconomic balance; while the FG in particular will maintain a 30 percent capital expenditure vote in the national budget. National targets for self-sufficiency, subject to proper monitoring, were also set for such staple food crops like rice – 2018; and wheat – 2019. The target for self-sufficiency in tomato paste

production is 2016. In addition, states are to set up on-stop-shops, where they currently do not exist, to attract investments; state ministries of education will collaborate with state Universal Basic Education Boards to actualize the Teacher Corp programme; the FG will provide logistics support on the proposed upgrade of 75 existing National Directorate of Employment facilities to Empowerment Centres; while a single register as platform for targeting the authentic poorest and vulnerable for safety net programmes will be institutionalized. State governments were also asked to identify at least two crops in which they have comparative advantage; and initiate/implement deliberate policies to create access to funds for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. Government’s concentration on ‘contractors who have laid-off staff’ when it announced the N350 billion lifeline is by no means strange, following government’s suspension of many ongoing infrastructural projects for reasons not unconnected with budget approval by the National Assembly, falling oil prices/the country’s economic misfortune and the need to re-evaluate or prioritise projects, et cetera. But should we put aside the misfortune of monumental corruption that dogged the country for decades, for the simple reason that the President Muhammadu

The NEC retreat, we must say, produced nothing but a wish list that demands steely political will, sincerity,

determination and commitment Buhari government is now doing something tangible to tame it; as well as the outstanding number of unpatriotic, non-committed, callous and selfish public officials that do not care to extend service that match value-for-money to citizens, the major reasons Nigerians are today grinding in economic penury include the country’s reliance on oil as a major foreign exchange earner, without using the gains of oil when the price was high to diversify the economy, let alone saving for the rainy day. Besides, the country is generally export dependent, to the point that toothpicks were proudly brought into the country by merchants. You pay for imports with hard currency. And because of the nation’s craze for imports, the government and its monetary authorities are under persistent pressure to have enough dollars in stock, a development made possible, not by exports emanating from the Nigeri-

an soil, but by petro-dollars earned from oil. Is it then a surprise that with plummeting oil prices, the cost of dollar is skyrocketing, while that of naira is falling? Had the Nigerian economy been diversified for long, the nation would have parried the shock of global fall in oil prices and Nigerians will carry on with their lives with minimal economic pain. But the contrary is presently the case. Added to the economic burden are infrastructure deficits in critical sectors like electricity, roads, rail, the downstream oil sector and even water, among others, a situation that cumulatively translate to difficulties and high costs in virtually all fields of endeavour. The NEC retreat, we must say, produced nothing but a wish list that demands steely political will, sincerity, determination and commitment particularly by the political and bureaucratic elite to be made reality. Not leaders and public servants that will revert to profligacy and reveling when oil prices rebound for the better. As we speak, government’s forex restriction policies, import ban and eroded value of the naira are taking their toll on the living condition of Nigerians. Hospitable policies and infrastructure that can help diversify the economy through agriculture, manufacturing and technology, et cetera, are what the country urgently needs.

ON THIS DAY March 31, 1990

March 31, 1998

Approximately 200,000 protestors took to the streets of London to protest against newly introduced Poll Tax. The Community Charge (commonly known as “poll tax”) was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of domestic rates in Scotland from 1989, prior to its introduction in England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flatrate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the local authority.

Netscape released Mozilla source code under an open source license. Mozilla produces many products, such as the Firefox web browser, Thunderbird e-mail client, Firefox Mobile web browser, Firefox OS mobile operating system, Bugzilla bug tracking system and other projects. Netscape Communications is an American computer services company, best known for Netscape Navigator, its web browser.

March 31, 2004 Iraq War in Anbar Province: In Fallujah, Iraq, four American private military contractors working for Blackwater USA, were killed after being ambushed. A private military company (PMC) provides armed security services. PMCs refer to their staff as “security contractors” or “private military contractors”. Private military companies refer to their business generally as the “private military industry” or “The Circuit”.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

IN CONJUNCTION WITH

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Education Today

AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI (ABUAD) In ABUAD, You Get It All —Dr Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti State Governor.

WOLE ADEDEJI

xcept a caution is applied in the appointment of a new rector for the Federal Polytechnic Offa (FEDPOFFA), Kwara State, the once peaceful campus may be thrown into chaos. This is as a result of the appointment of a successor to Dr. Mufutau Olatinwo whose tenure expired recently after serving the school for two terms. As usual, the polytechnic has always witnessed this kind of scenario just like every other public tertiary school in the country as members of the polytechnic community are already in disagreement on the profile of who becomes the next rector. Our correspondent who visited the main campus of the institution last week observed that crisis was gradually brewing as the leaderships of the two staff unions accused the management of bias in its selection style and procedure so far. While attributing whatever crisis and it likely consequences that may follow the appointment to the management and representative of the Minister of Education, the Chairman of the institution’s branch of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics, SSANIP, Chief Ayodeji Bankole and his Non-Academic Staff Union, NASU, counterpart, Mr. Emmanuel Alli accused both the minister’s representative and the management of being biased in their selection judgment so far. They said the two sides responsible for the selection were not only insincere in their judgment but seemed to have sacrifice merit in their decision. They said the manner the officers in charge of the appointment pruned down the long list of 32 applicants to 13 and later to eight was done in bad faith as the method used according to them was strange in any screening exercise known to the 24-year-old polytechnic. Bankole, for instance, explained that SSANIP was in total disagreement with the first screening, saying the exercise schemed out many qualified and interested persons in the position as advertised by the Registrar of the school, Mallam Hammid Raji last December. “What they did was at variance with the newspaper advertisement for the position and we pointed this out at a meeting with the acting rector with the expectation that they would correct the error. But we were surprised to see that they went ahead with the second screening and still shut out those

Appointment of new rector:

Crisis brews in FEDPOFFA ... mgt, staff unions disagree on procedure

Federal Polytechnic Offa main entrance

who should have been there on merit but accommodated those who should not have even made the list,” he noted. Explaining further, he said, “What we know is that the advertisement specifically asked for an applicant who must be a member of staff of the polytechnic, be a chief lecturer and most importantly must be a lecturer from a graduating department in the school. This last condition means that any

lecturer who is teaching a non major course is not eligible. But while those who fall in the preferred areas of teaching were dropped, many of those who are out of this requirement were invited for interview scheduled to hold in Abuja, the federal capital territory.” Because of this development, National Mirror gathered, three of the applicants who were dissatisfied with the outcome of the screening went on protest which the union

members joined. “That was why we called the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education not relevant in this matter,” he added. Now, what appears most strange in the matter according to them is that the Acting Rector, Dr. Ayo Olaosebikan, also an applicant is not just a member of the Expanded Management Committee but also the Chairman of the committee that screened the candidates. “What do you expect?” Bankole queried. The committee of course cleared her while many of those who met the requirements as advertised in the newspapers were dropped. When we protested the action, she told us she left the meeting when her own case was to be determined. Another hiccup is that the same registrar who signed the advertisement also served in the committee that worked outside the guidelines prescribed in the advert. “For instance, the acting rector studied English Language and Cultural Communication in her first and second degree and what she has been teaching all along is the Use of English. But in the polytechnic system, we don’t graduate students in English language and there is nothing like Cultural Communication but Mass Communication in the system. So, from all indications, the acting rector does not qualify to apply let alone cleared at the screening. We should not also forget that she presided over her own screening. It is neither that we are against her person nor that we have a particular candidate in mind over others, our stand is for people in charge to do things in the right way. We want a new leader to emerge through due process. “But part of the problem is the representative of the minister who knows the right thing but doing otherwise. The registrar who also signed and placed the advertisement is another problem because as the secretary to the committee, he is expected to stand on the truth. Corroborating him, the chairman of CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

‘‘

Ghana clears WAEC Excellence Awards 21

Uncertain paths to Nigerian medical degree 23

FUTA, British universities partner to tackle human habitat challenges 21

Education Today

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ghana clears WAEC excellence awards

Don advocates local content in engineering designs …for 4th consecutiveberiatime and Nigeria, which usually presents Saidat Alausa

Tunbosun Ogundare

Professor of Agricultural Mechanisation at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Ogun State, Prof. Adeniyi Olayanju, has stressed the need for Nigeria to evolve sustainable local engineering designs that would bring about rapid transformation. He said this while delivering the university, 151st inaugural lecture titled, “Man, Material and Machine: The Tricycle for Agricultural Mechanisation,” recently. According to him, the trio of man, material and machine constitute the wheels of a tricycle that would drive agricultural mechanization; therefore, the country needs to have good engineering designs that would be locally-based towards diversification of the non-oil sector. The inaugural lecturer examined the three factors of production; man as a designer, material either plant or animal that exhibits characteristics that have to be understood before an efficient and effective machine could be built, in order to mechanize agriculture. According to the don, the raw materials available in Nigeria, such as agro-allied or solid mineral, have peculiar characteristics and qualities, which only local engineers could discover and adopt to meet their design needs. He also made case for local engineering capacities in the design and fabrication of equipment and machinery for the processing of local raw materials. The don however ascribed the poor performance of available equipment to the limited application of process engineering design calculation in the fabrication, which was reaffirmed by a recently-conducted survey by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), that most of the locallyfabricated process equipment in the country was not based on detailed engineering design calculations and drawings. Therefore according to him, for products of local manufacturers, process equipment and machinery to be integrated into meaningful activities of national economy and acceptance in foreign markets, he advised that deliberate plan should be evolved for continuous improvement in the product design, quality of products, finishing, material selection, cost reduction and product flexibility. He also called on the government to provide incentives and create a conducive environment that would transform science and technology into efficient engineering practice for the country and to also promote local engineering capability in the design and fabrication of equipment and machinery in the processing of local raw materials. The don also called for virile interaction among the academia, industry and government establishments in the fabrication of process equipment and plants for sustainable industrial development.

or the fourth consecutive years in a row, students from Ghana emerged first, second and third best candidates in the 2015 May\June West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, winning all the three WAEC Excellence Awards for the year. Surprisingly also, they are all from the same Wesley Girls’ High School in Cape Coast. A total of 1,883,775 sat for the exam in the sub-region. The trio are Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye (1st Prize), Miss Ruth Ewura-Ama Awadzi (2nd Prize) and Miss Danielle AmoMensah (3rd Prize) As usual, the exam was held simultaneously in all the five member countries of WAEC including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Li-

over 70 per cent of candidates for the exams on yearly basis. This revelation was contained in a press release issued by the Head of Public Affairs Department at the headquarters office of the examination body in Ghana, Mr. Abiodun Aduloju in respect of the 64th Annual Meeting of the examination body held in Ghana, recently. He also disclosed that the first prize winner, Jessica Quaye won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa. Aduloju noted that all the three had since been honoured with their prizes at the council’s annual meeting which had the President of Ghana, John Mahama in attendance as a keynote speaker. Nigeria hosted the last year meeting on behalf of Liberia which was originally billed to host it but for the Ebola outbreak in the country.

Aduloju, however explained that the council which is the highest decision making organ of the organisation condemned pockets of malpractices that are still occurring during exams in various member countries and consequently advised WAEC Research Department, universities as well as other research institutions in member countries to focus more on critical national issues with a view to finding solutions to them. “The council also appealed to the researchers and research institutions to make their research reports available to guide the member governments in policy formulation and implementation while appreciating the move by the government of Liberia to rid the school system of unqualified teachers by retraining crop of auxiliary teachers on ground,” Aduloju stated. The council holds its meeting annually in rotation among the five member countries.

Chairman, League of Muslim School Proprietors(LEAMSP), Lagos chapter, Alhaji Raheem Fatai(3rd left); Team leader, Developing Effective Private Education in Nigeria, Lagos Office, Dr. Gboyega Ilusanya(4th left) and other participants shortly after this year’s school managers’ training programme organised by LEAMSP, in Ikeja, recently.

Muslim school owners restrategise for excellence Tunbosun Ogundare

he proprietors of primary and secondary schools who are Muslims came together recently in Lagos for training to enhance their performance and make their schools attain world-class standard. The forum, the type of which holds yearly under the aegis of League of Muslim School Proprietors (LEAMSP) has “pragmatic innovations in school management” as it theme. The keynote speaker at the event, who is also the Director-General of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo expressed delight that the league often trains members to sharpen their tools, saying doing so shows they really understand that nobody is above learning. While urging them to make good use of the training back home, she asked them to also often times organise similar training programmes as applicable for their teachers and support staff including the security guards and receptionists. According to her, every member of staff in a particular school is as important as the other in the business of that school.

Noting that the aim of the state government is to ensure standard is maintained in both public and private schools at all levels, Soyombo however urged participants to always make their schools learning friendly and classes interactive by taking respective student ability to assimilate into consideration. In his own contribution, Team leader of Developing Effective Private Education in Nigeria, DEEPEN, Mr. Gboyega Ilusanya said apart from the provision of adequate and right facilities in schools, well- organised classrooms, the use of competent teachers and right teaching aids were also important to have effective teaching. He spoke on “Modern teaching techniques.” Arguing that there is a mark difference between paper qualifications and competency, Ilusanya said workers should be rewarded base on performance and their outputs rather than qualifications as the practice in the country. According to him, an HND holder who teaches better than his or her degree holder counterpart deserves promotion and reward than the latter. Earlier in his address of welcome, the

Chairman of Lagos State chapter of the group, Alhaji Fatai Raheem told members to be innovative and stop doing the same things in the same way over again if expecting to get a better result. “So we all must be ready to learn new things each day as school managers so that we can discharge our duties more effectively and make our society a better place to live,” he said. According to him, the responsibility of making Nigeria great lies in education and as a major stakeholder in the sector, we must not but contribute our own quota to achieve that aim because failure in education connotes failure in other spheres of our existence as a nation. Raheem however urged members of LEASMP to continue to strive for excellence in order to consistently produce well-rounded students that would be globally competitive. Two of the participants, Mrs. Sadiq Fatimah from Festac Town Muslim Community Primary School and Mr. Yakub Lawal from Muslim Association of Nigeria Primary and Secondary School urged the government to create enabling environment for them to practice optimally.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

AUN to open law school, says VC

Kemi Olaitan

Abuja

he Vice Chancellor of American University of Nigeria (AUN), Dr Margee Ensign, has disclosed that plans were underway to open a worldclass law school in the country in August. She disclosed this while addressing journalists at the school’s 9th Career Fair held in Abuja, noting that more emphasis would be placed on gender law, environment law and humanitarian law. She said the proposed law school would be the best in the country as the focus would be different from the rest. Ensign had earlier revealed that the university commits about 15% of tuition generated annually into granting full scholarship which covers tuition fees, accommodation and transportation to students faced with financial difficulties. She however cleared the air on two misconceptions held by majority concerning the institution located in Yola, the Adamawa State capital. “And I want to make it clear that AUN is not the most expensive school in the country, there are secondary schools two miles from here that cost more than AUN. AUN has not increased tuition in the six years I have been the president, AUN is so far from being the most expensive. “Secondly we are the only university that uses our own income for poor kids to come; we have the scholarship exams in the six geo political zones. It is holding once in a year and we have hundreds of children doing it,” the AUN President added. In his remarks, the Dean of School of Law, Prof. Oladejo Olowu, said the courses were only components of the broader LLB. programme running in the various schools of law operating in the country. Decrying the attitude of Nigerians especially the lawmakers over the issue of gender equality in the country, he noted

Ezekiel Titus Bauchi

he National Commission for Nomadic Education has officially handed over the Tsakani Magona Nomadic Primary School to Toro Local Government Council in Bauchi State to run. Handing over the school, which is a block of three classrooms, the Director of Social Mobilisation of the commission, Alhaji Muhammad El–Nafaty said the school was established to cater for primary education need of nomad Fulanis in the area. While advising the various communities in the local government area to by enrol their children into school, the director also appealed to them to provide adequate security to the school so as to protect it from vandals. Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the State Nomadic Education Commission, Alhaji Musa Ardo, commended the commission for the gesture, stressing that it will assist the Fulani nomads to acquire knowledge. CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

Polytechnic shut over students’ protest

Regina Otokpa

Enrol your children, commission urges Bauchi communities

Education Today

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Ibadan

here was pandemonium on Tuesday in Eruwa, the headquarters of Ibarapa East Local Government area of Oyo State as the police and other security agencies swooped on students of the Polytechnic , Eruwa following their protest against the management of the school. National Mirror learnt that the students were protesting the dismissal of students of Higher National Diploma (HND) Business Administration as well as hike in fees charged for late registration by the management. A source within the campus who confirmed the development, said “the students were protesting the introduction of late registration fees and dismissal of HND one students of Business Administration.” However, it was gathered that the protest did not go down with the management of the school who then called in the police in the town. It was further learnt that this led to alleged gun shot on a student while another, a female student, alleged to be asthmatic was tear gassed. The two students were said to be undergoing treatment in an undisclosed hospital. The source while speaking further on the crisis, said “the affected HND one students of Business Administration were told to go home after being admitted, paid their school fees and had even been receiving lectures. The school now said they cannot admit them again, telling to go

home and come back next session.” The source stated further that the school management hinged their excuse on the fact that the affected students studied Public Administration for their National Diploma (ND) courses. It added that the students however insisted that the management gave them the go ahead to apply for Business Administration for their HND programme which they complied. It was on this premise, according to our source that, the students were admitted, but were surprised when the management made a U-turn and sent them packing through a notice on the board. As if that was not enough, while the students were making appeal against the decision, the source noted that the students requested that the management return all monies, especially school

door till around 5.00pm yesterday for fear of arrest while some others were at the time of filling this point being detained at Sango police station, Eruwa. All efforts to get the reaction of the management of the school on the development proved abortive, but one of the principal officers who spoke under condition of anonymity confirmed the protest but declined to confirm or deny the reasons for the protest. Following the protest, the management of the polytechnic, has ordered the students to go on semester break as indicated in a short message service sent to the students later in the day. The message reads, “Owing to disruption of academic activities this 29th day of March 2016, the management therefore decided to allow students to proceed on semester break and will be informed when academic activities will resume”.

L-R: Winner, 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature, Fiston Mwanza Mujila from Democratic Republic of Congo ; nominee, Rehana Rossouw; Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher and another nominee, Penny Busetto at the awards ceremony in Lagos last weekend.

Tunbosun Ogundare

fees paid into the coffers of the management. But they were shocked as the management told them that when they return for their course next session, it will be sorted out.” The second reason for the protest which centred on payment of late registration fees for both the Daily Part Time (DPP) and full time students, it was gathered that the students appealed to the management on the basis that most of their parents who work as civil servants under the state government are being owed several months of salary. The two sections of students affected under this category are DPP students who pay N37,500 and their full time counterparts who are currently paying N28,250 as their school fees were billed additional N2,500 as late registration fees and N300 as bank charges. It was also gathered that students were forced to remain in-

he Federal University of Technology, Akure, [FUTA] and the London South Bank University [LSBU] as well as the De-Montfort University [DMU], both from the UK recently held a joint conference in Akure, the Ondo State capital. The overriding objective of the forum according to FUTA’s spokesman, Mr. Adebanjo Adegbenro in a press release was for participants to proffer solutions to lingering global economic, social and environmental challenges with special focus on developing countries. And the theme of the conference was “21st Century human habitat: Issues, sustainability and development.” Delivering a key note address, Director of Centre for Renewable Energy Technology [CRET] at FUTA, Prof. Olurinde Lafe said Nigeria would have to source for energy in multiple ways and adopt community energy storage to overcome its power instability. Diagnosing power situation in the country, the don blamed the situation on over centralised system, paucity of energy sources, outdated architecture of power lines and lack of

FUTA, British universities partner to tackle human habitat challenges effective storage in the system. He said by all indications Nigeria had the potential to generate energy in hundreds of thousands of megawatts if it effectively utilizes available resources, especially in the area of mass refuse generated by the populace. According to him, there is massive opportunity in waste-to energy, saying Nigeria’s 245 million tons annual waste production can yield 160 Twh (or 160 Billion kwh) of electricity per annum. To implement this, the don also recommended capacity development of local work force and persistent maintenance, among others. While urging government, tertiary schools, communities and stakeholders to rise to the challenge of local power generation, the professor emphasised the need to appropriate the use of alternative renewable energy sources through the use of Biomass, Biofuels, Hydro, Geothermal, Ocean waves and Tidal Current. In his own, Chairman, International Or-

ganising Committee [IOC] and Dean, School of the Built Environment and Architecture at London South Bank University, England, Prof. Charles Egbu said the conference deals with issues of sustainability in its entirety as it embraces all facets of human endeavor. Earlier in his opening address, the Vicechancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola said the conference was an event that had further brought Nigerian and international professionals, academia and policy makers together to deliberate and resolve issues that concern humanity and the environment.

Education Today

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Obasanjo lauds UNIMAID VC Inusa Ndahi Maiduguri

he Vice-Chancellor of University of Maiduguri, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi has been described as a visionary leader and builder of the highest standard. Former President Olusegun Obadanjo who made the description on Tuesday while inaugurating and inspecting some capital projects initiated and constructed by the incumbent vice -chancellor spread across the university community also said Professor Njodi had not only transformed the institution into a modern university but provided conducive and standard learning environment for our children and grand children. Obasanjo however noted that the institutions today stands high in terms of adequate academic and working facilities and amenities compare to other university established within the same period. He commended the vice chancellor for his foresight, commitment and courage for taking the bull by the horn despite all the challenges to embark on such modern, standard and beautiful structures. The former president also said the buildings and entrepreneurship constructed and established by the university will actually stand the test of time with the quality and standard they were executed. He appealed to students of the university to be grateful that, they are lucky to be admitted into the institution while millions of others could not be admitted while cautioning them to face their studies more seriously, avoid any social vices, shun cultism on campus and be good ambassadors of the university. According to him, the students are lucky to have an entrepreneur center within the campus along with their academic studies where after graduation; they can equally be business men and women or venture into entrepreneurship. He noted also that agricultural business is a good venture to entrepreneurs urging the students to embrace the opportunities given them by making good use of the facilities available put in place by the vice chancellor. Obasanjo inspected the new ultra-modern Senate complex before commissioning the newly constructed convocation square of the university and presidential source as well as the newly established Entrepreneurs Center located at the complex area of the campus before finally commissioning the newly constructed Fire Service Complex of the university. Former president was also hosted to a dinner by the university Monday night after he paid homage to the Shehu of Borno, HRH, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai Ibn Umar El Kanemi.

Appointment of new rector: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19 Meanwhile, the number NASU, Mr. Emmanuel Alli of aspirants has been nartold National Mirror that his rowed to two – the Acting Recunion took the position not tor, Dr. Ayo Olaosebikan and to witch hunt anybody but Dr. Olatunji from the original only interested in transparency in the selection exer- nine aspirants following the cise that would produce the interview held in Abuja penultimate Monday. next leader. However, there were still “We are only trying to folcomplaints from the staff low what the advert specified that Dr. Olaosebikan had and nothing more. Anything her doctoral degeree online short of this will create crisis which we don’t pray for. from the Harvard University, We want peace to reign su- USA. The qualification, acpreme in our polytechnic,” cording to them negates the new directive by the Federal he stressed. Beside the union leaders, Ministry of Education that who are clamouring for fair online doctor of Philosophy, play and transparency in the PhD holders could no longer whole exercise, two among be accommodated in the acathe aggrieved applicants, demics. However, in his reaction to Dr. M.A Fowomola and Mr. the claims against the Acting A.T Otunola had since sent Rector, Mr. Ladi Badmus, the petitions to the NBTE in Kapolytechnic Public Relations duna for intervention to save Officer debunked the claims the school from impending CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 crisis.

L-R: Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, Tia Solarin University of Education (TASUED) chapter, Ijagun, Ogun State, Dr. Akinsanya Adebayo; Coordinator, Lagos Zone, Dr. Adesola Nassir and Chairman of the Lagos State University (LASU) chapter, Ojo, Dr. Adekunle Idris at the zone organized press conference on the position of ASUU on the Single Treasury Account policy of the Federal Government held in Lagos, on Tuesday. PHOTO: TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE

Tunbosun Ogundare

he management of King’s College, Lagos has reemphasised its determination to equip students of the school with entrepreneurial skills that would easily make them economically engaged in future. This was disclosed by the Vice Principal of the college (Academics), Mrs. Elizabeth Ibezim during the school annual career fair organized by the Guidance and Counseling Department of the college last week. It was themed: “Career Choice: A vocational/entrepreneurship option.” Decrying the high rate of unemployment among

King’s College reiterates commitment to entrepreneurship studies young graduates in the country, Ibezim said the problem could have been curbed if skills acquisition programmes in secondary schools were vigorously promoted and pursued. She noted that there was hardly any home visited today without the presence of one unemployed graduate. “That is why King’s College is organising career fair every year where we expose our students to various vocational skills that will make them employers of labour rather than to stay at home and wait for white collar jobs that are not even there after school,” she stressed.

In addition to listening to different talks by invited professionals, the students at the fair exhibited their self-made products which included sanitizers, hand wash, hair cream, beads, tie and dye materials, shelf, wooden hangers and sockets, among others. “By doing all these while in school, one will not expect them to be jobless after school and that is what we are propagating,’’ she said. One of the experts who delivered talk at the forum, Mr. Kola Masha, who runs an impact investing firm, urged the students to also step up efforts in tailoring their ac-

tivities towards the agriculture sector. He noted that there is need to broaden the horizon of the students about the various job opportunities that could be derived from such sector rather than see it as entirely farming with hoe and machete.

Oluseyi, Principal

Gombe govt must do more for education —Centre Williams Attah Gombe

he Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), has called on the Gombe State Government to do more in improving

the education sector of the State rather than politicizing issues when much is still being expected. The State Government has always re-iterated its stand on education as its first, second and third priority, but CITAD through a

research it made recently said the Government has succeeded in achieving more cheep political points on the education sector than what is really obtainable on the ground. This disclosure was made during a town hall meeting

Students of City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State performing during the school’s inauguration, last week.

it organized for stakeholders yesterday on promoting social accountability in the education sector in Gombe State which was held in Kumo, Akko Local Government Area of the State. According to the Programme Officer of CITAD, Malam Kabiru Dakata, following billions of naira budgetary allocation into the education sector year in year out, there is very little to show for the improvement of education which has suffered failure in the recent past where the standard has continued to deteriorate. He said “our research has shown that there are still poor infrastructures in the schools, poor accessibility to schools, poor enrollment, poor teacher’s welfare, poor dedication as well as engagement of poorly qualified teachers in schools.” He said little wonder that

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Education Today

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Uncertain paths to Nigerian medical degree

ate last year, precisely, November 2015 Professor Julius Okojie, in his capacity as the Executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) summoned the stake holders in the Nigerian medical profession to a Workshop in Abuja to fashion out a new Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard (BMAS) for colleges of medicine and Dentistry Nationwide. The August gathering came up with a seven year MBBS programme that includes a four year Bachelors of Science (B. Sc.) in the Basic Medical Sciences such as Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry followed by a three years programme leading to a Bachelors of Medicine/Bachelors of Surgery (MBBS) and Bachelors of Dental Surgery (BDS) respectively. It was also reported that the Commission also made provision for a four year pathway for interested graduates of Nursing, Pharmacology, etc acquire the medical degrees. According to the NUC Secretary, the consensus was that the medical training programme should be essentially a Post Graduate programme, which is similar in essence to the American training Programme except in the details. That was barely five months ago! It is therefore very exasperating that the Midwife of that consensus would appear to cast aspersions on that decision by suggesting that medical students now require a minimum of 11 years to acquire the medical degree. Given that each mortal could be subject to some moments of mental dysfuntionality, the nation should be able to bear with the unexpected pronouncements of the Executive Secretary. The speech which was presented by the deputy Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Chiedu Mafiana appears to represent an attempt by the NUC boss at testing the waters by introducing what obviously is an unpopular idea which only succeeded in fluttering the dovecote of the Nigerian academic world. It is becoming apparent that the greatest problem of the Nigerian education terrain is policy inconsistency, what is often described as policy somersault by others. We have transited too often from one system to the other and currently it does not appear we know, or care to know which system we are operating! Previously, the Nigerian educational system oper-

Appointment of new rector: CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 by the staff unions, saying there was no basis for their allegation. Speaking on the allegation that the Ag. Rector was the chairman of the committee that screened the aspirants including herself, Badmus said it was the Deputy Rector, Academics that stood in for her during the screening. Also, he denied the fact that the Acting Rector does not have her degrees in related programmes in the polytechnic. According to him, Dr. Ayo Olaosebikan had her first degree in English, Cultural Communication for her second and doctoral degrees. He added that the vacancy advertisement in the Daily Trust of December 15, 2015 for the position didn’t ask for ‘Chief lecturers’ in a major department that has been producing graduates but in any of the courses in the school. Also, he averred that the fact that the rector had her PhD online from USA does not inhibit her qualification for the post. Badmus said no one had come up with

a proof that he or she had made enquiries from Harvard University and the university disclaims her as their old student. “Dr. Olaosebikan attended her PhD graduation in America. That the Education Ministry stopped further engagement of online PhD holders does not sack those who had gotten their degrees years before that directive was given”, the polytechnic spokesman added.

Enrol your children CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Musa Ardo further indicated that Bauchi State had over 300 nomadic schools across the state and pledged the state government commitment to support the schools, so as to achieve the desire goals. Receiving the primary school, the Education Secretary to Toro Local Government, Alhaji Jibrin Ningi expressed delight with the gesture and promised to support the school. He also appealed to benefitting communities to send

ated what was regarded as the British system with a five year secondary school followed by the a two year Higher School Certificate Programme before a three to five year University Education. The Higher School Certificate which is equivalent to the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level was a very important transition stage in the educational progression allowing psychological, academic and physical maturity before stepping onto the university stage. We dumped the British system and adopted the American system but only haphazardly, but still retaining vestiges of the British system. Until now, while the rest of the educational system is American in nature, the Medical programme still retain the British University system in that it is purely an undergraduate programme extended from five to six years. According to Dr. Louis Okoye, a private medical practitioner in Plateau State, the elimination of the Higher School Certificate programme which hitherto served as a critical control element left the nation’s Medical Programme exposed to infiltration by unqualified products from the malpractice infested Senior School Certificate programme, and the products became subsequently corrupted! At the same time, other practices were introduced into the Medical training programmed which has further reduced the quality of candidates admitted with the concomitant reduction in their products. These practices include the introduction of the preliminary or basic studies programmes, the quota system and the illegal “concessional admission” through which university administrators flood the system with unqualified candidates. Without doubt, it should be ap-

parent that no good product can be fashioned from these defective raw materials! The new system that was allegedly fine tuned in November 2015 is essentially an American system requiring a first degree to qualify for medical school but the similarity is only superficial since the final degree, MBBS is still a bachelor’s degree; why! From what I read, the Nigerian version provides for a seamless transition into medical school from a narrow base of undergraduate degree programmes (Bachelors degree in Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry) compare to a much broader base for the American system. The American system also requires that candidates attains a CGPA not less than of 3.5 in a four point grading system which translates to 4.37 in a five point grading system. In addition to a good interview performance, the American candidate is further required to sit for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) which assesses key skills and knowledge that are prerequisite to success in the study and practice of medicine. If the quasi-American system adopted by Nigeria would function, it will be necessary to fix a minimum CGPA not less than 3.5 for the nation and for each individual university to allow informed decision by the applicants to the medical schools. Allowance should be made for applicants from other institutions in order to achieve the necessary heterogeneity in the student population. A test akin to the MCAT of the American medical college system would be necessary to screen out holder of inflated degrees awarded by an increasing number of institutions in Nigeria. Though the current emphasis appears optimized towards producing more medical doctors, it will not solve the problem of medical tourism currently confronting Nigeria which may be tied to the quality and operating environment of available personnel rather than inadequacy in the number. Improvement in the quality of trainees, training facilities, work environment and work ethics would enhance the quality of the output by Nigerian doctors, and curtail medical tourism. The current review is only the first step in the long road to reformation!

Saidat Alausa

nternational School, Lagos (ISL) took time out recently to reward some students who distinguished themselves in character and in learning at the 29th annual speech and prize giving ceremony which took place at the school. In her welcome address, the Principal, Mrs. Adora Ojo said the ceremony marks another milestone in the history of the school, and a day to celebrate some of the hardworking students who have distinguished themselves consistently in their respective subjects. According to her, management of the School are particularly proud of the noteworthy achievements of the award winners adding that it is an indication of the school’s pursuit of excellence in everything they do. Ojo declared that the essence of organising the event is to encourage other students and staff to emulate those being celebrated so that ISL will continue to uphold the excellence in learning and in character which it is known for.

Proprietress,Floral School, Iju-Ishaga, Lagos, Mrs. Kemi Bamidele (middle) with teachers and pupils of the school during their Annual Cultural Day recently..

School rewards brilliant students In his lecture titled “Optimising Nigerian Secondary Education-An Appeal of Excellence in Learning and Character,” an alumnus of the School, Mr. Korede Akinpelumi said the philosophy of education is based among many others on the development of the individual into a sound and effective citizen fully integrated into the community. He suggested that all primary school leavers should be provided with the op-

portunity for education of higher level, irrespective of sex, social status, religious or ethnic background. He also said governments should provide trained man power in the Applied Science, Technology and Commerce at sub-professional grades while students with a desire for self improvement and achievement of excellence should be encouraged. One of the award winners, 18-year-old Odinikaeze Henry who scored nine AIs

in the May/June 2015 Senior School Certificate Examination organized by the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) said the result has propelled him to make the decision of graduating as the overall best graduating student of his set when the time comes. Different award prizes and endowment prizes were given to students who distinguished themselves in their academic and morals.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Edited by: Saidat Alausa saidat.alausa@yahoo.com 08027633686 L-R: ViceChancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Prof. Charles Ayo; Education Secretary, Living Faith Education Commission, Prof. Bridget Sokan; inaugural lecturer, Prof. Olufemi Adeyeye during the university’s 6th inaugural lecture, recently.

Encomium as EKSU honours historian with public lecture Saidat Alausa

foremost Professor of History, Gabriel Ishola Olawola has been described as an accomplished scholar whose story is a success. Dean Faculty of Arts, Ekiti State University, EKSU, AdoEkiti, Professor Oladipo Kolawole made the remark at a grand ceremony and public lecture organised by his faculty in honour of the erudite scholar. Professor Kolawole who delivered the welcome address further described Prof. Olomola as an epitome of discipline, selflessness, leadership, humility and good life. In a lecture delivered by a professor from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof. Akin Alao said governments at all levels in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa have been blamed for not according indigenous knowledge its prime importance in the national quest for socio-economic and political development. In the lecture titled: “Knowledge Production and Utilization in Africa: African Roots of Alternative Dispute Resolution System,” Prof. Alao called for the adoption of African juristic thoughts as this according to him will produce egalitarian, peaceful progressive societies in Africa where peace and justice will reign. According to him, if African roots of alternative dispute resolution system are adopted, it will lead to situations where there will be fewer delays in the course of justice by eliminating unnecessary technicalities.

UNILORIN VC bags international award

or his contributions to multidisciplinary research and inter-tertiary institutions collaborations in Africa, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali has been rewarded with another prestigious award.The award, a brainchild of The Research Nexus Africa Networks, was presented to Prof. Ambali in Accra, Ghana, recently. The Vice-Chancellor was among the six distinguished world renowned academics honoured at the 2016 edition of the International Multidisciplinary Cross-Border Conference on Science, Technology, Education, Arts, Management and the Social Sciences (iSTEAMS) held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Ghana.

Miftaudeen Raji And Daniel Chukwu 200L MASS COMM, UNILAG

t was a mixture of exposure and fun as the Mass Communication students, University of Lagos embarked on a visit tagged “2016 Media Tour” to foremost Pan-African broadcast news channel, Television Continental (TVC) of the Continental Broadcasting Service at Ketu, Lagos. The president, Mass Communication Students’ Association (MCSA), Onyeka Okorie, led the delegation of students on the trip. According to Okorie, the tour was intended to intimate students with the environment and the facilities of the media industry. She added that the asso-

Scholar wants African students enlightened on roles as change agents Abdul Ganiy Shehu and Oyedeji Oyeniyi UNILORIN

ean of Students Affairs, Kenyatta University Kenya, Dr. Edwin Gimode has stressed the need to educate African youths on their role to liberate and transform the continent into what others will reckon with. He disclosed this during the visit of the university’s Students’ Union executives to the University of Ilorin, recently. He stressed that the future of Africa lies on the shoulder of the youths and implore them to be good ambassadors of the continent. The Kenyatta University don, who is also a Historian however expressed

his happiness on his first visit to Nigeria to see physically what he has read about the country in history books and journals. During the interactive session to formally welcome their visitors the University of Ilorin, Dean of Student Affairs Prof. Talabi expressed his profound happiness to see the Kenyatta University representatives on the campus and wished them a peaceful stay. President, University of Ilorin Students’ Union Alao Ibrahim, used the opportunity to educate their visitors on the how the Students’ Union is run in the country. He also intimated them of the Students’ Union activities, giant strides and programmes. Also speaking at the programme, KUSA president, Mr. Sam Mukua said the union in his institution is made up

of two arms of government; the Kenyatta University Students’ Association (KUSA), which is the governing body and the Congress that comprises of the general students’ populace. He further highlighted the programmes initiated by the university. The UNILORIN Students’ Union president in his concluding remarks indulged their counterparts from Kenya to incorporate the e-voting system during their Students’ Union elections as it is the practice in the university. While his counterpart from Kenyatta University in his own final remarks advised the UNILORIN Students’ Union to introduce a Certificate Course in Leadership, that will be taken by all students during their final year, as it’s the norm over there in their institution.

When UNILAG students on excursion to television house

ciation acknowledged the need to support the teachers by exposing students to the practical aspects of Mass Communication. Numbering about a hundred, they were received at the entrance by the station’s IT broadcast engineer, Mr. Debo Okewole, who took them round different departments in the station. The first department visited was the inject department, where live fields, and clips are collected by the news gathering crew and stored in the server system. Okewole said the clips would afterwards, be taking to the editing boot for finetuning. The apparently excited students were later led to

the production control room (PCR) where the news content was done. He described some of the equipment in the PCR to the students.

Okewole also showed the students the station’s camera room as well as the editing boot. They also visited TVC Nigeria news room, the

graphics department, Cromer, a virtual set and the station’s make-up room. He said using the make-up room was imperative for whoever wants to come on

Mass Communication students, University of Lagos, Akoka, during a media tour, recently.

set. The tour, however, was brought to a climax at the Ozone Cinemas, Yaba, where the students viewed an epic movie titled: “Allegiant.”

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Edited by: Saidat Alausa saidat.alausa@yahoo.com 08027633686

Take vocation skills very seriously, Bida Poly students told

Deputy ViceChancellor, University of Benin, Prof. Lawrence Ezemwonye with other officials shaking hands with the Bingham University’s football team during the 16th Biennial National Medical Students’ Games hosted by UNIBEN, recently.

Ogunsaki Joan

HND 2, Mass Comm, FEDPoly, Bida

irector, DEEDS Unit, Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger State, Dr. Ismaila Adejumo has urged students to begin to embrace entrepreneurial skill as the current trend in the country no longer favour white collar jobs. He gave the advice during the Entrepreneurial Development Practical session organised by the school, recently. According to him, the practical session was to empower student economically and make themselves reliant through acquisition of the skills required. The practical session featured soap making, digital television installation, poultry keeping among others. He said that the session was necessary because judging from the Nigerian present economic state; student needs to cultivate the idea to be able to try out other things themselves and live happily where the government jobs don’t come. Speaking with Campus News, Katherine Eze, an ND II student commended the institution’s management for such gesture, stressing that she is getting empowered about options to survival after school and not to only rely on her certificate. According to her, she wishes that the management continues with this trend, as it will better the life of the Nigerian students.

Sport is vital to good education —VC, Lead City Saidat Alausa

ice-Chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Prof. Olufemi Olubanjo has described sports as a good component to a complete educational process. He also disclosed that it was the reason the institution is striving to provide the best facilities for sporting activities within the campus. He stated this at the weekend while addressing students during the closing ceremony of the annual VC Sports Tournament held at the institution. The VC who frowned at the dwindling fortune of the school’s sports in the country opined that the role of sport in educational process cannot be undermined as it helps in shaping the lives and brain of the students. “Active involvement of students in sporting activities takes their minds away from many social vices, unproductive ventures, and ungodly acts which are detrimental to their future,” he noted. According to the Director of sports, Lade Aloba the students took part in ten sports during the week long annual sporting event which had entered its 8th edition. The department of physical and health education came first at the end of the tourney that cut across Tennis, Badminton, Basketball, Chess, squash, athletics, swimming, table-tennis and football.

UNIBEN tops medal table in medical students’ games Eddy Uwoghiren and Ekene Ahaneku

400L Med & Surg, UNIBEN & 400L Med & Surg, IMSU

he host university, University of Benin, Edo State, top the medal table at the 16th Biennial National Medical Students’ Games which ended last Saturday. The game which was organised by the University of Benin Medical Students Association saw no fewer than 22 medical schools with 1, 500 participants from across the country in attendance. Delivering keynote address, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of administration, Prof. Lawrence Ezemwonye urged the students to embrace sporting activities, saying the era of medical students shying away from sporting activities had gone. The DVC cautioned them to desist from being triangular saying beyond the stethoscope they should look for other ways of earning a living of which sports was one of them. Ezenwonye, who called on administrators of medical colleges to desist from discouraging medical students from participating in sports by fixing lectures and tutorials during the sporting hours said this was against National Universities Commission (NUC), directive. He also called for a review of the medical curriculum to include space for students to engage in sporting events. On his part, Director of the Standing Committee on NiM-

Yomi Ayeleso

300L, BUS ADMIN, AAUA

he Vice-Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, AAUA, Ondo State, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, has urged the electoral bodies to ensure that people’s

SA Games (SCONGA), Joel Akujieze, said he was delighted the event was holding in UNIBEN 17 years after it last hosted. He thanked medical students for trooping out in their numbers across the nation to witness the event. National President of NiMSA, Haruna Kerenge stated that the game was instituted years ago to create an avenue for medical students to socialize and have fun. He commended the level of sporting facilities at the university, saying such was unprecedented. He implored other universities to borrow a leaf from UNIBEN. The opening match between UNIBEN and Bingham University, Jos ended 3:0 in favour of UNIBEN and thereafter they held a variety night. The bulk of the games took place on the fourth day starting with athletics for both gender categories at the morning hours. The students proceeded to the Olympic size swimming pool for the swimming competitions of both male and female categories. When the medal table was unveiled, UNIBEN topped the table with 31 gold, 14 Silver and 11 bronze. UNILAG and Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma came second and third respectively with 9 gold, 7 silver, 4 bronze and 6 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze. The event ended with a gala night which featured many student artistes.

AAU VC tasks Ondo electoral commission on credible poll votes count during the upcoming local government and gubernatorial elections in the state. He said this while deliv-

Vice-Chancellor, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Olubanjo shaking hands with the university football team during the closing ceremony of the annual VC Sports Tournament held at the institution, recently.

ering a keynote address at a workshop held for board members and staff of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC). Ajibefun who identified the conduct of credible elections as one of the major ways to enhance sustainability of government programmes and projects, stated that there is violence and much agitation when people feel that the electoral process does not represent their interest. The AAUA VC observed that the conduct of good and credible election is the duty of everybody including the

highly and lowly placed as well as political parties. He stressed the need for political parties to educate their members so that they could play their roles as expected. Also speaking, the Chairman of ODIEC, Prof. Olugbenga Ige said the workshop is one of the steps geared towards actualizing free, fair and credible election during the upcoming elections. He described the workshop as another step geared towards producing an effective work force needed to move the wheels of the commission forward.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Trouble spots, troubled waters

HE NATION ON SUNDAY of March 27 welcomes us this week with just three gaffes: “Mixed reaction greets sackings” This is no news: mixed reactions greet sackings “DIG commends army, police over (for/on) Yobe attacks” Lastly from Fatai Atere Way: “Onitsha is better now, say Obiano” What is going on here? Let us continue with a visit to Champion House, Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos: “Soldiers take over troubled spots” (Daily Champion, March 28) Let peace reign: trouble spots, but troubled waters “President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, expressed sadness over the sporadic violent protest (protests)….” (Vanguard, March 28) “Police arrest four over Maiduguri explosion” Do we arrest the entire editorial team for (not over) lexical recklessness? “Bribery enthrones mediocrity and crucify merit.” (Source: as above) The Tabernacle of bribery crucifies merit. “Gang up against Buhari will fail” (NIGERIAN Tribune, March 28) Phrasal verb: gang up; noun: gang-up (which applies here) “We were treated to another similar incidence.…” All newspapers should know the difference between ‘incidence’ and ‘incident’ (which applies here). “Although the governor’s last minute romance with the main opposition party is held against him.…” Saturday People: last-minute romance “Thus, a core investor…with regards to optimal use of the machinery.…” (THE GUARDIAN, March 28) Either: as regards or with regard to…. “In the heydays of the goggled General when fuel was often unavailable…” (Source: as above) Stranglehold of oil workers:

heyday (uncountable) “Last year, many houses of the Igbo in Ajegunle, a suburb of Lagos, were razed down.…” (THISDAY, March 28) No word abuse: simply razed (not razed down). Discard the contrary views by some registers! Yet another headline gaffe: “Restrictions on inter-bank foreign exchange trading is (are) killing the market.” “Armed robbers now have good company–street thugs and unofficial vigilante groups.” (Still from THE GUARDIAN) Democracy as a disincentive: vigilance group “Buhari points accusing fingers at….” (DAILY SUN, March 28) People in the news: Buhari points the finger. No obtuse addition “Nigeria is at a crossroad” (VANGUARD, March 28) Fixed expression: at a/the crossroads “Stationeries badly needed by.…” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, March 28) ‘Stationery’ is non-count. “But what appears criminal is the desire of these off-springs of.…” (DAILY CHAMPION, March 28) ‘Offspring’ does not take any inflection. The next three goofs are from VANGUARD of March 28: ”… the process of economic integration from which will emerge an economic block (bloc).…” “There is a tussle going on between these two (would it have been three?) arms of government.” “Nigerian leaders and politicians have continued to adopt and acquiesce to (in).…” “Globacom sets (set) to rule domestic market” (Nigerian Tribune, March 28) “I have been briefed that the wrangling among the leaders of PDP are (is) over.” (SUNDAY VANGUARD, March 27) BusinessDay of March 28 disseminated a recurring impro-

priety: “Now that the Police has (have) taken over the supervision of the….” “…and ensure it does not reoccur again.” (THE GUARDIAN, March 28) ‘Reoccur again’? Run for cover, my dear reader! Just recur. Recur, recurrence, recurrent. Occur, occurred, occurrence. “Lack of incentives anger (angers) local manufacturers” (THE GUARDIAN, March 28) “They provide temporary relief.” (Source: as above) ‘Temporary relief? I strongly object to that clumsy expression because there is no permanence in ‘relief’. “The patients pay for each act of ‘healing’ through their noses.” Get it right: they pay through the nose or excessively. “At the launching programme (launch) in Abuja.…” “A cursory look at the figures show (shows) that.…” Daily Sun of March 25 circulated copious shibboleths: “The end point is that people wait for between three to five hours to pay in their drafts.” English without tears: between three and five “With the attainment of the highest office at any strata of government….” Singular: stratum; plural: strata. “It may be difficult for Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu to resurrect again politically after his disastrous outing in the presidential elections.” Please, yank off ‘again’ in the interest of lexical sanity and our democracy. “They better not rely on INEC.” This way: They had better not rely on INEC. “Like (As) we had said at various forums. …” “So, the government cannot ask the Supreme Court to interprete the law.” Spell-check: interpret. “…the reduction in the number of road accidents and causalities.” (National Mirror, March 28) This way: casualties.

Datforte students show skills at inter-house competition LAUTECH students assured S A of conducive environment aidat

lausa

esidents of Agege and its environs were treated to first-class displays of vigour and athletics as Datforte International Schools held its 2016 annual inter-house sport competition at Agege Stadium, Lagos. Amid colourful displays of calisthenics, March past,

sprint races and other events, which tone was set early by the police band on display, the students and members of staff thrilled visiting parents, friends and other guests with superlative performances. Declaring the event open, the Chairman/Patron, Chief Uche Okereke, noted that education of the child is incomplete without physical activities like games, adding

that Datforte with its extensive facilities and conducive environment would continue to set the pace for other schools to follow. In the sprint, 25m boys category, Green House came 1st, while Red house beat Blue House to win the girls section. Blue House was also on point in the boys 50m, 100m and 200m junior races, while Green

house won the 100m and 200m junior girls. In the senior 200m, Yellow House won for the girls while Red House won in the boys’ category. Earlier, the school Proprietress Princess Titilade Ijiwole enjoined the students to imbibe the spirit of hard work, determination, drive and excellence in all they do for sustainable success.

Proprietress, Datforte International School, Princess Titilade Ijiwole (3rd left back row) with some of the students representing Yellow House during the school 2016 annual interhouse sport competition, recently.

Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo.

he Vice-Chancellor, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Prof Adeniyi Gbadegesin, on Tuesday restated the commitment of his management team to ensuring a conducive environment exists in the campus. Speaking at the occasion of 2015/2016 matriculation ceremony held at the campus of the university in Ogbomoso, the vice chancellor said efforts being geared towards providing a peaceful academic environment must however be reciprocated by students by being diligent and committed to their studies. Prof. Gbadegesin, who advised the new students to give undivided attention to the main purpose of coming to the university, added that extra-curricular activities, though good for their wholesome development,

but warned against allowing such to take the place of the academic work of the students. Counseling them further, the vice-chancellor said “By formally admitting you today as members of this community of learning, the complexion of the population is bound to experience a change but this is expected to be a change for better. “Many of you are testing for the first time, freedom from parental control and monitoring. It is for your good that you handle the freedom with caution. Misused freedom is actually worse than slavery. “The university authorities will continue to pay due attention to your welfare and ensure conducive atmosphere for you to learn and achieve the purpose of your being here”. The Registrar of the institution, Mr. Jacob Agboola later administered oath of matriculation on the students.

Business Thursday, March 31, 2016

Aviation stakeholders laud FAAN over ICAO audit report 28

Assessing NCC’s new regulatory regime on unsolicited text messages 31

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG targets 50% e-government compliance in three years 32

CSEA predicts modest growth in Nigeria’s foreign reserves Tola Akinmutimi

he Centre for the Study of Economies in Africa, CSEA, has projected a modest growth in Nigeria’s foreign reserves at least in the near term if the upward trajectory in the global oil market prices continues unabated. The policy research organization, which made the projection in its latest edition of its Nigeria Economic Update released Tuesday, hinged the positive outlook on the easing market conditions in the international crude market. According to the Centre, while sundry measures being put in place by the government, including the directive to EFCC to investiage cases of forex speculation, to ensure improved management of the foreign exchange market and by implication, help to stem the decline in the value of the naira on account of speculative demand may not be unjustified, the imperative of having a well-designed framework cannot be under-estimated. It stated: “While these temporary ad hoc measures can limit volatility in the forex market in the shortterm, a well-designed framework is required to manage the forex market within the medium and long term. Given the sustained increase in the price of crude oil in the period, the foreign reserve increased slightly by 0.14 percent ($35 million), from $27.84 billion to $27.88 billion. “With easing market conditions

in the international crude market, a modest growth in Nigeria’s foreign reserve is expected to continue, at least in the near term”, the CSEA added. On the relatively rising oil prices at the international market which saw the OPEC’s weekly basket price increased significantly by 11 per cent from $31.53 on March 4, 2016 to $35.08 per barrel on March 11, 2016, the research organization attributed the upward trajectory in oil prices to short-term supply-side shocks in the oil market. Specifically, it noted that this was largely caused by production disruptions in Iraq, Nigeria, and the United Arab Emirates, the sharp fall in

OPEC’s oil production as well as the increasing cost of production in the United States.. Appraising the performance of the nation’s capital market during the month under review, the CSEA noted that while the All-Share Index (ASI) and Market Capitalization appreciated by 0.65 per cent with ASI appreciating from 25, 820.10 points to 25,988 between March 4 and March 11, the Market Capitalization increased from N8.88 trillion to N8.94 trillion within the same period. It noted further that recent data by the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) on the performance of the market showed that the total value of transactions on the Exchange declined by

23.93 per cent from N110.56 billion in December 2015 to N84.10 billion in January, Foreign Portfolio Investment fell by 15.54 percent from N51.35 billion to N43.37 billion, while domestic investment declined steeply by 32.21 per cent from N59.21 billion in December 2015 to N40.73 billion between December 2015 and January 2016. The research organization reported that the huge decline in investments in the marker was not unconnected to the rising risk profile of the Nigerian economy as well as the capital controls still in place in the country.

ndigenous shipping companies under the aegis of Ship Owners Association, SOAN, have lamented the crippling effects of the decline in the prices of crude oil at the international market on the nation’s economy and the impact on shipping business. The National President of the association, Engr. Greg Ogbefun, disclosed that more than 95 per cent of shipping activities that the Nigerian ship owners engage in revolve around the oil and gas activities, covering both upstream and downstream sectors. According to him, due to the over-

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

Dana Air

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc., Nnamdi Okonkwo and theChief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Segun Awolowo at a joint press conference on Export Management Program aimed primarily at enhancing export readiness of micro small and medium scale enterprises, MSMEs in Nigeria which took place in Lagos on Tuesday.

Nigerian ship owners lament crude oil prices’ impact on operations FRANCIS EZEM

concentration of shipping activities on oil and gas sector, the sharp decline in the price of crude oil naturally brought about a drastic reduction in the level of activities in both the upstream and downstream segments of the industry, thereby adversely affecting the shipping component. He said: “Shipping activities in Nigeria have been restricted to the upstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas sector because the International Oil Companies are only ship charterers. So the dwindling fortunes of the industry occasioned by the decline in the crude oil price is currently taking its toll on the Nigerian ship owners

and so we are operating on the skin of our bodies” “In the light of this fact, shipping activities in the country are still at a zero level because everything revolves around the oil and gas activities, therefore what affects the oil and gas activities affects the shipping activities, which is not good enough, especially given the huge size of the nation’s market and also being an import-dependent country” he further lamented. As a solution to this problem, advised that Nigerian ship owners must be proactive and consider the option of diversifying their operations, especially since the present government is also thinking about

de-emphasizing oil and gas as the only revenue earner for the national economy by promoting non-oil exports. For instance, he suggested that the operators should begin to think of participating in container shipping business, particularly within the coastal and inland waters, which is also in tandem with the intent of the Coastal and Inland Shipping Cabotage policy. For instance, he suggested that Nigerian ship owners should begin to think in the direction of acquiring or going into bareboat charter of feeder vessels that would takeover containers and other bulk cargo brought into Lagos.

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

Business News

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Aviation stakeholders laud FAAN over ICAO audit report Olusegun Koiki

layers in the Nigerian aviation industry have commended the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, for last week’s success of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme, USOAP, on the nation’s airports Stakeholders said that despite the obvious gaps in the system before the arrival of the ICAO team, FAAN’s management was able to close the gaps and by so doing, met the expectation of the world aviation standard-setting body. The President of Air Transport Service Senior Staff Association, ATSSSAN, Comrade Benjamin Okewu said FAAN worked hard to earn ICAO approval by upgrading the standards of some facilities and closing the open items. He also remarked that the agency had embarked on training of personnel, which is not conclusive but open-ended. The labour leader, however,

pointed out that embarking on total fencing of airports across the country would take a lot of resources and time, but insisted the nation’s airports were no longer porous as people claim because the runways are well protected and the security personnel are well trained to do their job. He said: “I feel we merited the high score. During the last time there were open items, but a lot of those issues were addressed. The issue of training is gradual so ICAO understands that this would happen over time and that it is ongoing.” Also, an industry consultant and the Chief Executive Officer, Belujane Konsult, Mr. Chris Aligbe, said although the infrastructural status of the airports in the country may not attract a high rating, declared that so much work had gone into safety and security over the years. He said that Aviation Security personnel had been properly trained and attributed this to Dunoma’s immense experience in the area of safety and security. “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, has done a lot to

enforce compliance in the airlines and in the agencies. I think the Aviation Security, AVSEC, is doing so well because Dunoma was in charge of security before he became the Director of Operations. He made sure that what was done, was done well. Besides, the General Manager, Corporate Communications of

FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati said that before the ICAO audit, FAAN focused on providing critical equipment on the airside of all its airports in order to enhance landing and takeoff of flights”. Aligbe advised the authority to continue to work on the rehabilitation and expansion of airport terminal facilities, providing

landing aids and provision of runway lighting. Dati said there had been significant infrastructural improvement at the airports, adding that recent figures released by National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, attested to the fact that passenger movement had grown appreciably in recent years.

L-R: (Back Row) Ibrahim Waziri Umar, Branch Manager Birnin Kebbi Keystone Bank Ltd; Ufuoma Komiti Oliver, Vice Principal Basaura Institute of Comprehensive Education; Alh. D. K. Wundu, the school’s PTA Chairman; Juliana Ogboka Abechi, Representative of JAN; Haj Safiya Mu’azu, Divisional Head (Sokoto, Keystone Bank Ltd); Alhaji Ismail Oladoja, Principal of the school; Musibau Salawu, Branch Manager (Koko Branch, Keystone Bank Ltd); and some of the students during the National Financial Literacy Day held in the school recently.

Orange SA, Bouygues to seal pact on Emirates airline extends online check-in to 48 hours mobile phone purchase ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

range SA and Bouygues SA are racing to reach an agreement on Orange’s purchase of Bouygues’ mobilephone business in time for the boards of both companies to vote on the transaction Wednesday, according to people familiar with the matter. The companies had set a goal of concluding a deal by Thursday, but hurdles remain and it’s possible the talks won’t succeed by the time the boards hold separate meetings tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are confidential. The talks may still end in failure, they said. Some Bouygues Telecom assets will be sold to France’s two other wireless carriers, Iliad SA and NumericableSFR, in the transaction to avoid antitrust issues. Discussions have been under way for months over a longsought deal to reduce the number of mobile-phone companies in France to three from four. The talks, which would value Bouygues Telecom at about 10 billion euros ($11.2 billion), have been slow as the companies struggle to align the interests of all four parties, plus find an agreement on how big a stake in Orange the French government will retain, people with knowledge of the negotiations have

said. Orange and Bouygues declined to comment on the state of the talks. France, the biggest shareholder in Orange with about 23 percent, would reduce its holding so that the carrier can issue shares to Bouygues to pay for the unit. Sales and earnings for French wireless companies have been crimped since Iliad entered the market in 2012 with cutrate phone plans. The competition wiped out the profit of Bouygues’ telecommunication unit, which had been a cash cow for the construction company. (Source – Bloomberg.com

mirates Airline has extended its online check-in to 48 hours before departure, from the earlier 24 hours effective from Monday this week. With this extension, customers around the world can now check in online on both desktop and mobile devices from 48 hours to 90 minutes before flight departure. According to the Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Marketing & Brand (Digital) of the airline, Alex Knigge, the increased lead time would offer customers greater flexibility in choosing their seats, and reduces waiting times at the airport as they

would already have their boarding passes before arriving at the airport. He said passengers could drop their luggage at online check-in counters before heading straight through to immigration and security for flights to and from the United States, while online checkin would be available 48 hours before departure; boarding passes would only be issued 24 hours in advance. “We have always taken into account feedback to improve the customer journey and the extension of online check-in is a result of that. By allowing check-in from 48 hours before departure we are providing our customers added flex-

NBC sells $1 billion in ads for Rio Olympics

David Audu

BC, a unit of Comcast Corp said it had sold $1 billion in national ads for the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, as the network prepares to broadcast a rare Games where some of the most high-profile contests will air live in prime time for U.S. audiences. NBC said in a statement on Tuesday that the Games, which start on Aug. 5, were on pace to generate the biggest Olympics advertising sales ever. The $1 billion figure includes national broadcast, cable and digital ad sales, the network said. “We’ve surpassed the $1 billion

mark four months ahead of (the 2012 Summer Games in) London,” Seth Winter, NBC Sports’ executive vice president of advertising Sales, said in a statement. By nature of a short time zone difference between Brazil and the United States, the Rio games will feature more live events such as track and field and swimming than in London, over 17 consecutive nights in August. U.S. advertisers have already bought out some inventory, but some prime-time advertising is still available on the main NBC broadcast network and cable channels, according to NBC. The network has not yet revealed its streaming plans for on-

line viewing but said digital ad sales were healthy. Live streaming of events at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi generated tens of millions of dollars in advertising. NBC signed on two years ago to pay $7.65 billion for the right to air six Olympic Games from 2022 to 2032 before any other U.S. media company could bid. NBC and rival networks have been stocking up on live sports content, which is popular with advertisers because large audiences watch in real-time and cannot skip the TV commercials. “The Olympics’ ability to dominate prime time for 17 consecutive nights is unmatched,” Winter said.

ibility to choose their preferred seats for a more comfortable journey. This is just one of the many initiatives we are implementing to enhance our customers’ experience online,” he explained. He said the earlier check-in window would also enable more seamless communication with customers should there be unexpected flight delays or disruptions, adding that for members of Emirates Skywards, the airline’s frequent flyer programme, the extended check-in time would also mean better availability of upgrades. In addition to online check-in services, Knigge said the airline also operates car park check-in facilities around the clock at its hub in Dubai. As a result of the initiatives, he explained that customers can look forward to shorter queues at the various check in and bag drop points as they can choose to check in and drop their luggage at the car park check-in facilities from 24 hours to six hours prior to departure easing the crowds during peak travel periods. Alternatively, customers travelling out of Dubai can choose to drop their luggage at one of the 46 dedicated bag drop counters in Economy Class or separate counters in First Class and Business Class at Dubai International Airport from six hours to 90 minutes prior to departure. An additional 10 bag drop counters are available in the dedicated USA flight checkin zone.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Global News

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Boeing to cut 4,500 jobs to reduce costs T he world’s largest plane manufacturer Boeing plans to cut more than 4,500 jobs by the middle of the year to reduce costs. A company spokesman said about 1,600 positions will go through voluntary redundancies while the rest will take place through attrition. Most redundancies are set to come from its commercial aircraft division as customers cut back on orders. Hundreds of executives and managers are also expected to lose their jobs. A spokesperson from Boeing said Boeing promised only to use “involuntary layoffs” as a last resort: “Staffing reductions through mid-year, including hundreds of executives and managers, are projected to total approximately 4,000 positions none of which involve involuntary layoffs.” The cuts account for almost three per cent of Boeing’s workforce, which comprised 161,000 people at the end of last year. Boeing is reacting to concern that demand for its jets is slowing. The US company has also been losing market share to rival Airbus Group SE. Boeing delivered a record 762 planes last year, exceeding its previous forecast. However, last year saw a big fall in new

Boeing

orders. Customers in the Middle East and Asia, who had been on a spending spree, have been cutting back. As of 31 December, Boeing’s backlog of orders stood at 5,795, representing more than seven

and a half years of production at the current rate. With Boeing and Airbus factories running at full capacity, airlines have been reluctant to spend billions of dollars on aircraft that they would not receive for several years.

Asian reaction to Fed comments largely positive

any investors have been haunted by looming US rate hikes, which is like a sword hanging over the head,” equity trading head of Shanshan Finance Wu Kan said. “Yellen’s remarks gave investors some breathing space, and improved risk appetite.” Two Chinese lenders made their debut in Hong Kong on Wednesday - Zheshang Bank and Bank of Tianjin.

Together the banks raised a combined $2.6bn (£1.8bn), however their shares were trading lower than their initial offer price as investors continue to be wary of non-performing loans and the earnings potential of some of China’s lenders. Elsewhere, stocks in Australia were higher after touching a near one-month low on Tuesday. Sydney’s S&P/ASX 200 closed up 0.12 per cent to 5,010.3 points.

London prime-home values fall on `Brexit’ fears

ome values in London’s best districts fell for the third consecutive quarter as financial-market turmoil and the risk that the U.K. may vote to leave the European Union damped demand, according to broker Savills Plc. Properties in neighborhoods defined as prime central London declined 0.8 per cent in the first three months of the year, Savills said in a statement on Wednesday. Values probably won’t rise this year, according to Lucian Cook, the broker’s head of residential research.

Housing estate in London

Home sales, which have slowed since the government increased stamp-duty sales tax for the most expensive properties in 2014, will continue to suffer as potential buyers await the outcome of a referendum in June to determine whether Britain will withdraw from the European Union. Such a move that could cause companies to cut investment and relocate workers from London. “Unlike other parts of the London housing market, the prime markets remain fairly

price sensitive and increasingly dominated by needs-based buyers,” Cook said. “Given historic levels of price growth, the increased tax burden and political uncertainty stemming from the pending mayoral election and EU referendum, our view is that we are unlikely see any price growth over the course of 2016 as the market continues its adjustment.” Prices in London’s best neighborhoods, including Belgravia, Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Mayfair, have surged 17.6 per cent in the last five years and are expected to rise 21.5 per cent by the end of 2020, according to Savills. Values have dropped 6.7 per cent from the peak in the third quarter of 2014. The government in December of that year changed stamp duty sales tax so it escalates to 12 per cent on every pound a buyer spends above 1.5 million pounds. Prime home prices across all of London were down 0.3 per cent in the first quarter, marking a 1.2 per cent decline since the 2014 peak.

U.S. jury finds GM ignition switch was defective

eneral Motors (GM.N) sold vehicles with a defective ignition switch, but the part was not to blame for a 2014 car accident, a U.S. jury found on Wednesday in the first verdict since the company was forced to recall millions of vehicles. The verdict on Wednesday in a two-week trial in Manhattan was announced after the eight jurors deliberated less than a day to decide that a Saturn Sky in the car crash on a bridge in New Orleans was “unreasonably dangerous” and that GM failed to warn the public about its safety risks. Dionne Spain and Lawrence Barthelemy of New Orleans said they have suffered back pain and other injuries when a faulty switch in Spain’s 2007 Saturn Sky slipped out of position and caused it to crash, while GM said the accident was minor and the result of slippery roads. While the jury found that Spain and Barthelemy had suffered injuries, they said that the switch was not to blame. “The jurors studied the merits of

Cain

the case and saw the truth: this was a very minor accident that had absolutely nothing to do with the car’s ignition switch,” GM spokesman Jim Cain said in a statement. The case was selected to serve as a bellwether, or test, for several hundred similar injury and death cases involving the switch, which can slip out of place, causing engines to stall and cutting power to the brake, steering and air bag systems. GM has admitted that some of its employees knew about the problems for years, but failed to flag it as a safety issue and order a recall.

Foxconn agrees to buy Sharp after slashing original offer

aiwan’s Foxconn agreed to acquire Japan’s Sharp Corp (6753.T) at a big discount to its original offer, capping a month of wrangling that sowed more doubt over whether the two companies can work well together and fend off fierce competition from rivals. Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (2317.TW), will pay about $3.5 billion for a two-thirds stake, cutting its initial offer by nearly $900 million following the emergence of previously undisclosed liabilities at Sharp. The deal marks the largest acquisition by a foreign company in Japan’s insular tech industry and the end of independence for a 100-year-old company that started out making belt buckles and mechanical pencils. It also gives the world’s top electronics contract manufacturer

Sharp

control of Sharp’s advanced screen technology which it does not have, and helps strengthen its pricing power with major client Apple Inc (AAPL.O). Under the revised terms, Foxconn will pay 88 yen per Sharp share, the companies said in a statement, a 35 per cent discount to Wednesday’s close and likely reflecting in part Chinese obsession with the lucky number eight. Foxconn has also agreed to buy all 200 billion yen ($1.7 billion) worth of preferred shares owned by Sharp’s two main creditor banks, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. It also has the option of increasing its stake in Sharp next year. The firms had been on the verge of finalizing terms last month when contingent liabilities at Sharp were suddenly revealed, causing Foxconn to hit the pause button on the deal.

Capital Market

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary STOCK MARKET Equities as at REPORT March 30, 2016 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities Sector

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

Info Tech

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Assessing NCC’s new regulatory regime on unsolicited text messages

After close to 24 years battle over the menace of unsolicited text messages by Mobile Network Operators, there appears to be some ray of hope for millions of telecom services subscribers as the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, unveils a new regulatory that will put an end to the days when the MNOs act with impunity on such messages. Isaiah Erhiawarien reports.

ince the introduction of mobile phone services into the country, Nigerians in the last 24 years had had to battle with several challenges that came with making maximum use of the services with one of such challenges constituting a nuisance - the unsolicited text messages from the MNOs. The Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, has fine Dambatta Shittu tuned plans to tackle the menace of unbroadcasted via the mobile network can Just every other text messages, all solicited text messages through a proonly be sent as an end-of-call notificaSMS messages, either single or multiposed regulatory regime that will put a cast via bulk SMS, from corporate bodies tion. drastic check on such abuses and by imThe Commission stated that mobile plication, enable subscribers to prevent must be accompanied by the registered telephone number of representative of operators must ensure that such messuch SMS from getting to them. sages sent as an end-of-call attachment the company or establishment. The document, titled ‘Consultation can include contact information of Also, the telephone number must Paper on Procedures and Guidelines for sender in case the receiver is interested have been registered under the SIM regthe Provision of Value Added Services istration database while the identity of in the advert and wants more informain Nigeria’ will enable subscribers to eftion. Also, where practicable, the SMS the hosting service provider whose SMS fectively block the sources of such text message can include a procedure for platform is used for generating the bulk messages. storing the advert if the receiver so deSMS must accompany the message. According to the Commission, after sires. A situation whereby such messages every legal tidying up, the new policy This is just as it cautioned that all thrust will require that all personal were not accompanied by the above information, the NCC stated that must not other forms of unsolicited mobile admessages, either single or multicast verts are hereby barred on the mobile be connected or routed by network opvia bulk SMS, must be accompanied by erators, adding that only messages sent network and that these include, IVRthe registered telephone number of the through NCC-licensed hosting service based adverts, SMS-based adverts and sender, meaning every subscribers with providers should be accepted and such voice call based adverts (including robot a smartphone can block such number. hosting service providers will be held calls). This differs from the present trend, The Commission stated that a subwhereby it is difficult to block unsolic- responsible for any scam, illegal and scriber who has given a ‘do- not-disturb’ subversive messages sent via their bulk ited text messages that come with names notice must not be sent any form of adSMS platforms. without any number to enable the subvert stressing that operators sending the Similarly, the document indicates scriber block the number. advert must ensure that the messages that all advertisements, product inforAlso in a case where the caller desires mation, marketing messages and other comply with industry code of conduct to add a name or a title to the message, unsolicited text messages from compaand Advertising Practitioners Council the document demands that the number nies, businesses and commercial houses of Nigeria (APCON) regulations, and must still be sent along warning that and advertising agencies that are to be that operators will be held responsible any text message not accompanied by properly registered caller ID must not be switched by any mobile network operahe ommission stated that a subscriber who has tor. given a do not disturb notice must not be sent any As for multicast messages that are sent via bulk SMS, the identity of the form of advert stressing that operators sending hosting service provider that owns the bulk SMS platform must accompany the the advert must ensure that the messages comply message in addition to the sender’s idenwith industry code of conduct and dvertising tity. The document, which the regulator ractitioners ouncil of igeria said conforms to the provision of Sections 71-72 of the Nigeria Communicaregulations and that operators will be held tions Act (NCA) 2003, did not spare the responsible for any scam subversive inciting mobile activities of corporate organisations, classifying unsolicited text messages advertisement sent via end of call notification from them as corporate messages.

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for any scam, subversive, inciting mobile advertisement sent via end-of-call notification. Commenting on the development, Silas Davis-Okonji, a software developer, said that the quest for proper regulation of the Value Added Services in the country was long over-due as the issue of unsolicited text messages affects everyone. According to him, he said that if well implemented it means that subscribers will heave a sigh of relief saying that the development since the introduction of mobile phones has been an unpleasant experience. Welcoming the new plan by the NCC to come hard on the menace of the unsolicited text messages, President of the National Association Telecoms Subscriber, NATCOMS, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo said that it has been long struggle to getting the regulator to tackle the menace. He thanked the new leadership of the Commission for the bold step taking to draft the document urging that the NCC be firm on its implementation and that no erring operator, host service provider or VAS provider is spared when they erred. Chief Executive Officer and Cofounder of Truecaller, Alan Mamedi, said that the urgency to tackle the menace which spam messages have become to mobile network subscribers in Nigeria compiled it to introduction to an app that solves the problem of unsolicited text messages. He said, “We are at a crossroads of sorts, in terms of spam messages we receive on our mobile phones, and despite the evolution of services in other areas, little has been done to curb the number of spam messages we receive on a daily basis.”

Info Tech

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG targets 50% e-government compliance in three years Stories by Isaiah Erhiawarien

he Federal Government has set a three strategic master plan whereby government will be 50 per cent eGovernance compliant to ensure effectively delivery of all government services. The Acting Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Mr. Vincent Olatunji, who dropped the hint during a media briefing in Abuja, said that at least 50 per cent of cities in the country would be covered by 2019. According to him, the agency was keen to promoting the development of smart city technology

and projects as key national policy through its e-Government Unit stressing that the e-Government Unit of the agency had put in place some key projects owned by states government to ensure that state were working toward compliant. He said that NITDA was working at an extremely conservative rate of one smart solution in each zone annually, exclusive of Abuja and Lagos, which had special status in the programme adding that government is confident of going ‘smart’ in over 50 per cent of our cities by 2019. “The projects include traffic flow management, smart flood management, secondary school learning hubs, smart solutions for

managing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), smart Internally Generated Revenue Systems and Integrated Public Transportation Systems”, Olatunji said. He stressed that the pressures on urban infrastructure and the environment certainly indicates that NITDA needs to ensure that new actions and solutions are deployed to fix the increasingly

complex challenges noting, “we are demonstrating a new service delivery paradigm based on multistakeholder engagement to develop, deploy and manage smart solutions for the benefit of the average Nigerian citizen.” According to him, NITDA is set to promote Internet of Things, IoTs, and e-governance standard platforms and tools in which dis-

parate systems owned by different federal and state service entities communicate and share information. “The Nigeria smart city development approach must also key into other existing policy provisions such as those of cyber-security, broadband, software and e-government development”, he said.

Nigerian appointed head of Vodacom Business in Nigeria

Nigerian, Lanre Kolade, has been appointed to head Vodacom Business Nigeria, one of the world’s leading total telecommunications providers. His appointment as the new Managing Director was confirmed through a statement from the company which makes him successor to, a South African, Guy Clarke, who left after eight years in that capacity. Clarke returns to South Africa to take up the role of Managing Director, Vodacom Business Africa. Kolade has been in the Telecoms industry for over 19 years and has recently served as the Managing Director of Vodacom Business responsible for business growth in West, East and parts of Southern Africa excluding South Africa, Nigeria and Zambia. A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa and the London Business School, UK, the new appointee is a seasoned and innovative business leader who is passionate about people and great customer service. Vodacom Business Nigeria

provides innovative total communications solutions to enterprises in Nigeria, ranging from IPVPN, internet of things (IoT), cloud & hosting services, enterprise mobility applications that transform key value chains such as healthcare, agriculture and education. Commenting on his appointment, Chairman of Vodacom Business Nigeria, Vuyani Jarana described him as a senior leader and key component of the succession management plan saying that he is a perfect choice to lead the company at a time when the Nigerian economy, like most African economies, is undergoing major difficulties. In his acceptance statement, Kayode said that Nigeria’s economy is fast digitizing, enterprises must invest in digital platforms that will enable them to capture the opportunities presented by a fast digitizing Nigerian consumer. He added that Vodacom Business Nigeria is well positioned to help enable enterprises in Nigeria to take advantage of opportunities brought by the digital economy saying that he is committed to delivering best customer service.

(L-R) Director, Digital Business, Etisalat Nigeria, Adia Sowho, Conference Committee Chairman, Nigeria Computer Society, Jide Awe, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission and Tony Ajobo at the eWorld Forum 2016 sponsored by Etisalat Nigeria in partnership with eWorld Magazine in Lagos

Customers define our innovation, says Samsung

ustomers of the Samsung brand of smartphones are behind the several innovations that the consumer electronic company has over time introduced into the Nigerian device market. Speaking at the launch of its latest smartphone, Galaxy S7 Edge and S7 in Lagos, the Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Paul Lee, said that the new Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge highlight the most refined phone experience ever by combining the latest technology that users expect from Samsung’s Galaxy series. He said that the successors to Galaxy S6 Edge and S6, the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and S7 are a blend of premium components

with the most advanced Samsung technology saying that they are imbued with incredibly intelligent cameras, and have set a new industry standard for design, craftsmanship and performance. Lee reiterated the company’s commitment to fulfilling its brand promise of inspiring the world and the future by bringing new and outstanding innovations to the doorstep of consumers. “Our innovative technology has adequately captured customers’ aspirations and desires,” he said. Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa’s Information technology and Mobile Division, Emmanouil Revmatas, described the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge as de-

NIRA seeks nominees for 2016 .NG web awards

he Nigeria Internet Registration Association, NIRA, managers of the country’s Internet real estate, is inviting the Internet community in the country to nominate the best nominees for the 2016 .ng Web Awards. NIRA in a statement said that the .ng web awards was designed to will recognise the excellent achievements of members, stakeholders and the general public, “who have contributed towards building a sustainable economy using technology relevant to the Domain Name System (DNS) industry.” According to NIRA the winners for each category will be determined through an online voting and decisions of a Competent

Award Jury selected based on their relevance and expertise saying that that was the reason for inviting the Internet community to vote for their preferred choice on the association website. Based on the award criteria adopted for the 2016 .ng Web Award, the company or organisation must have been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and is doing business with a .ng domain name either at the second level or third level. The domain name must have been registered for at least six months. NIRA said, “for the 2016 .ng Web Awards, all qualifying websites were considered irrespective of whether they are hosted locally or

not”, saying that winners in each category will gain access to the .ng Web Award Icon, which is available in various sizes and formats for inclusion on websites and marketing collateral. The 2016 .ng Web Awards nominees as announced by NIRA include the Technology Company of the Year, Most Innovative Web Company/Organisation, Best Banking Website/Portal, Best Educational Institution website/portal, Technology Startup Company of the year, Best Hosting Company, Most Valuable Youth Organisation, .ng Media Award, Best State Government, Public Sector: Star Website Award and NiRA Presidential Awards.

vices that draw the line between the smartphones that are currently available in the market and what comes next. “The all new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge represent the new galaxy of unlimited possibilities, and with these, Samsung is setting the bar higher for the entire mobile industry. Our customers are the inspiration for any innovation and we are aware that they spend more time with their phones than ever, these devices are designed to not only look great, but feel great as well and very comfortable to hold,” added Revmatas. The Galaxy S7 has a 5.1-inch display screen, while the Galaxy S7 Edge has a 5.5-inch screen. They both feature Super AMOLED display, allowing for clearer videos and images with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 (Quad HD). Both devices have 200GB expendable memory augmenting their 32GB of internal storage. The devices also feature IP68 water and dust resistance, which prevent the devices from damage when submerged in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes at a time. The S7’s waterproofing includes sealed ports. The S7 series come imbued with longer lasting batteries. While the S7 comes with an inbuilt battery of 3,000mAh, the S7 edge features 3,600mAh battery, large enough for a day or more.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Brands & Marketing

Communication, key to tackling Africa’s problems – APRA

….unveils APRA Calabar 2016 Ambassador DAVID AUDU

he African Public Relations Association, APRA, has identified effective communication as one of the key strategies in pulling Africa out of the current political, economic and social problems and repositioning economies on the continent on the path of broadbased and information-driven growth. The Secretary General of the association and Managing Director of CMC Burson Marstellers, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, disclosed this in Lagos during a media chat to announce the associations’ readiness to hold the APRA 2016 conference scheduled for Calabar, Cross River State in May. With the theme ‘Leapfrogging Africa: The Role of Communication’, Okusanya said the theme emphasis the key to the challenges of Africa which essentially lies in communication. “When we look at the issues of economic emancipation, infrastructure deficit, improved governance, citizens’ engagement etc, communication has a most significant role to play and it is against this backdrop that we have chosen to discuss and proffer solutions”. APRA which has been in existence for half a century is described as one of the central and most significant interaction platform for the practice of public relations in Africa.

Founded in 1975 as the Federation of African Public Relations Associations, FAPRA, in Nairobi, Kenya, the association was later re-registered in Nigeria as the African Public Relations Association, APRA, in 2008. APRA is a non-governmental, non-political, and non-profit making professional association, established to foster unity via interaction and exchange of ideas amongst public relations practitioners in Africa as a whole, and through communication, promote social, political and economic integration on the continent. The secretary general explained further that the conference will draw attendees, speakers and facilitators from Africa, Europe, Asia and North America and will deal with diverse topics such as PR Function: The Role of The Trusted Advisor, PR & Ethics, Creating Value through Content Creation & Story Telling, Innovate or Die, Creativity in PR, Handling Public Affairs Briefs. Others are Reputation Management for Country Branding; The Future of Tourism in Africa, Managing Employee Relations and Expectations; The Role of Communication in the Attainment of Sustainable Development Goals, How Not to Communicate During Crisis, New Trends in Corporate Media Relations and PR campaigns that shook the world as well as the Holmes Report as a case study.

How a decade of Twitter keep brands on their toes

s Twitter clocks up its first decade, some brands are looking for more sophistication in its services while others are still confused about what to use it for. “Most clients are still figuring out the role for Twitter,” says, executive creative director and co-founder of digital agency Poke, Nik Roope. “After all the commotion over the years you would have thought companies would have figured it out but most haven’t. This hasn’t been helped by new platforms entering the fray, fracturing demographics and shifting use and culture of the incumbent platforms like Twitter.” But talk the likes of Tesco and Audi and you sense these are brands that do have a clear idea of what they get out of the platform. It’s mainly about customer service, according to the supermarket chain’s digital marketing director Toby Horry. “A lot of customers are using Twitter as a service channel and we’ve really

embraced that, so we now have a lot of people who may historically have been telephone-based customer service who are now operating largely in the Twitter space,” he says. Where conventionally Tesco might have taken a couple of days to respond to customer service queries, Twitter allows the brand to be “very immediate”. Audi has also settled into using Twitter as a direct channel to individual customers. “We’ve moved away from considering Twitter as a platform that provides a wide reach, like Facebook for instance,” says Emma Page, the car brand’s digital and social media communications manager. “If Twitter were to disappear next month, we’d lose a platform for managing customer care and conversing directly with our fans.” Twitter has heightened people’s expectations about customer service and speed of response to complaints, according to Roope, who believes its open nature is key

to its future. “Twitter, as the only really open forum, is good for encouraging discourse, and for keeping brands on their toes,” he says. These words are echoed by Audi’s Page, who comments that Twitter has evidenced how diverse the brand’s audience is. “There are Audi fans and automotive fans who are all hugely knowledgeable, ready to let us know which models they particularly like or dislike, engage in debate about the competition and generally keep us on our toes,” she says. Adds Roope: “Being more conversational, Twitter forces brands to understand how gesture and behaviour are at least as important as ‘content’ in these spaces. “With the intensity of attention, Twitter is a crucible for evolving the way brands speak more generally – no matter how strict your brand’s tone of voice and attitude is, everyone more or less softens up on Twitter and is forced to become more customer-centric.”

L-r: President, PRCAN, Mr John Ehiguese; Cross River State Chairman NIPR, Chief Mrs. Obo Edet; Secretary General, African Public Relations Association, APRA, Mr. Yomi Badejo-Okusanya and Ambassador for APRA, Kate Henshaw, at the Identity Unveiling of APRA Calabar 2016 Conference in Lagos recently.

He said there will also be a pre-conference session for consultants to be cordinated by the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria, PRCAN, on “The Business of PR: Managing a Successful Consultancy”. Expected speakers at the APRA Calabar 2016 will include His Excellency, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Erastus Mwencha, Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the President of International Public Relations Association, IPRA, Bart de Vries, President International Communications Consultancy Organisation, ICCO, Maxim Behar, and five major PR networks namely, Weber Shandwick, Fleishman Hilliard, Hill & Knowton, Grayling and Burson Marsteller. Other speakers, he said include the Chairman and CEO of Burson Marsteller Africa, Robyn de Villiers, who has well over 25 years of strategic communications experience advising clients across multiple sectors. Badejo also unveiled one of Nigeria’s Nollywood star, Kate Henshaw, as the APRA Calabar 2016 ambassador. “We have carefully selected her for many reasons which include her firm belief in the ‘Unstoppable Spirit of Africa’ which resonates with our philosophy and her passion for entertainment in Africa, which she has been able to develop into an admirable and exportable craft, hence, her face is well known across the continent”, adding that she accepted to play the role free of any financial commitments. Highlighting the choice of Calabar as venue, Okusanya noted the place of Calabar as tourism destination in Nigeria, and by extension Africa. “Calabar boasts of an international museum, a botanical garden, a Free Trade Zone and Port, an international airport, an integrated sports complex, a cultural centre, one of the most prominent universities in the country – the University of Calabar, a Slave Trade History Park and several historical and cultural landmarks. It also has several standard hotels, resorts and amusement parks. Speaking on the exploit of the association over the years, he said, APRA has not wavered in hosting her flagship event, the annual conference, in the 40-year existence of the association. “Till date, 27 editions have been held across

various countries on the continent in placess such as Lagos, Abuja, Accra, Kumasi, Nairobi, Mombassa, Addis Ababa, Mauritius, Abijan, Yaounde, Dakar, Johannesburg and other cities. On the contribution of the association in fostering relations among practitioners on the continent, the general secretary said the annual conference being the largest gathering of public relations practitioners on the continent attracting participation from Europe, North America and as far as Asia has always provided the opportunity to review and measure the progress of practice vis a viz global practice. “It has also helped in building a strong fraternity of public relations professionals on the continent. Over the years, we have had the privilege of hosting outstanding speakers both from within and outside the profession. Increasingly, the conferences have been sought after as a ‘must host’ for many countries who wish to use it as a platform for energizing practice. Besides the yearly theme APRA has five key intervention areas including promoting the economic integration of Africa; promoting its infrastructural development and technological advancement; promoting good governance; promoting social welfare in the areas of education, health care, poverty reduction and promoting tourism, leisure and entertainment. “We have kept the flag of the association flying and maintained a reasonable level of visibility for it. We have also been able to bring in more national associations to join us in our quest. Our challenges as expected include the very limited resources to prosecute our aims. Traveling across Africa to preach the gospel of public relations has also presented its own obstacles especially flight connections and entry visa requirements. We would also like our practice to be more engaging across the various sectors of Africa. The secretary general however lamented that lack of fund to fully carry out its programmes made the impact of public relations yet to be fully felt and appreciated across spectrums. “One of our key desires is to also deepen the practice in line with global standards. We are well aware of these numerous challenges and in spite of them; we intend to continue pursuing our noble goals”, he noted.

Brands & Marketing

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Congolese novelist clinches £15,000 Etisalat prize for literature STORIES: DAVID AUDU

oet and novelist from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Fiston Mwanza Mujila, recently emerged the winner of the 2015 Etisalat Prize for Literature for his debut fiction novel, Tram 83. Mujila was rewarded with a £15,000 cheque, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück and an iPhone 6s. He will also attend the Etisalat Fellowship at the prestigious University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, under the mentorship of Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland. The novel, Tram 83, originally written in French, was translated into English by Roland Glasser and published by Deep Vellum. Fiston Mwanza Mujila is the first Francophone writer to win the prestigious Etisalat Prize for Literature, the first ever pan-African prize that celebrates debut fiction books by

African authors. The Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher, while speaking at the event said Etisalat is delighted again to celebrate the richness and strength of African literature, stressing that Etisalat Prize for Literature bears out this year’s theme, ‘Representing the Diversity of African Voices’. “Diversity is somehow wonderful in its own right, but its importance is not for its intangible beauty, it is that diversity is a huge source of innovation. Africa’s diversity is increasingly recognised as it brings new approaches to world literature. The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Idiat Oluranti Adebule represented by the Permanent Secretary, Education District 1, Lagos, Mrs. Yinka Ayandele, commended Etisalat for instituting the PanAfrican Literature Prize and posited that it would boost the reading

culture as well as writing skills of youths and students in the continent. “Let me commend the management of Etisalat Nigeria for instituting this laudable Literature Prize since 2013. It is indeed a demonstration of commitment to the promotion of African Literature and creative writing which could bring Africa out of poverty as we are in a knowledge-based economy. “This initiative is the best way to enhance the reading culture and help develop the writing skills of our youths and students. It will also bring them to limelight in order to be recognized as potential literary giants in the mould of legendary Chinua Achebe, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiango, amongst others.” Kuti Ojuolape Modupe was also announced winner of the Flash Fiction category of the Etisalat Prize. She received 1,000 Pounds and a high-end device.

L-r : Jaiye Opayemi, Publicity Secretary, PRCAN, Yeye Adenike Shobajo, Member, PRCAN, Yomi Badejo- Okusanya, Member, PRCAN, Guest Speaker, Lampe Omoyele, Managing Director, Nielsen West Africa,John Ehiguese, President, , Mojisola Saka, Hon. Treasurer, and Muyiwa Akintunde, Vice President all of PRCAN at the 6th edition of PRCAN Monthly Breakfast Meeting sponsored by StanbicIBTC Bank and Soulcomms in Lagos recently.

42% of retailers are not EMV-compliant

he October 2015 deadline to implement EMV payment technology has long passed, but still 42 per cent of retailers have not updated their systems in spite of the increased risk of liability. EMV which stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa is a global standard for cards equipped with computer chips and the technology used to authenticate chip-card transactions. Thanks to the Visa- and MasterCard-backed initiative, individual retailers are now liable for fraudulent card purchases made in the United States. There are roughly $8 billion in fraudulent card purchases each year, according to CardHub, which puts retailers at a high degree of

risk. Target was forced to pay out roughly$329 million in expenses following its data breach in 2013. Not surprisingly, Target is among those retailers now fully EMV compliant and reached that milestone ahead of the deadline. Close to 43 per cent of retailers that have experienced data breaches in the past five years have not updated their terminals, according to a new survey by CardHub. Ask at checkout, and the reasons given vary from a shrug to an assurance that the store is checking signatures to offer added protection. But few shoppers are likely asking while 56 per cent of shoppers don’t care if a retailer’s payment terminal

is enabled and 41 percent don’t even know if their card contains a chip, according to the study. Many large retailers are EMV compliant. CardHub surveyed companies and found that Walmart, Target, The Home Depot, Macy’s, Walgreens, CVS and Best Buy were 100 per cent compliant as of March. Most however, are in state of transition or have yet to begin implementing changes. Several have experienced data breaches—including Kmart, Albertsons, Supervalu, Staples, BeBe and Neiman Marcus—but are still not fully compliant. Only 60 per cent of the retailers that had pledged to complete terminal upgrades before Oct. 1 have done so.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Walmart to raise $3m to combat hunger

almart has launched its first campaign to fight hunger and aims to provide 75 million meals through food banks. The “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign is a nationwide initiative encouraging shoppers to purchase specific items from vendor partners and participate in a social media campaign to provide meals to those in need. Walmart aims to donate up to $3 million to Feeding America based on the public’s participation in the campaign. This will be combined with vendor and customer donations. Walmart is working with five suppliers—Campbell Soup Company, General Mills, Kellogg Company, the Kraft Heinz Company and PepsiCo—to offer three ways to take action through social, online and in-store participation. For each participating product

purchased in Walmart stores between March 28 and April 25, the manufacturer will donate $0.09 to Feeding America, enough to secure one meal on behalf of local food banks, according to a company statement. Shoppers are being asked to use the hashtag #FightHunger on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use unique Snapchat filters in some stores. There’s even a custom emoji on Twitter for the “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign. For each online act of support, Walmart will donate enough to help Feeding America secure 10 meals (an equivalent of $0.90) on behalf of member food banks, up to $1.5 million. Shoppers can also donate at the register during checkout. Walmart is making an initial donation of $1.5 million to Feeding America to help reach its $3 million goal.

CMOs spend more on social, mobile marketing – Study

ocial media marketing spending is on the rise despite the fact that marketers continue to struggle with measuring success, according to a new study from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. “The CMO Survey” predicts that social media spending will climb to a 20.9 per cent total share of marketing budgets over the next five years (up from just 5.6 percent in 2009). Marketers also indicated that social is not yet fully integrated into their overall marketing strategy. When asked to rate how effectively social media is linked to their firms’ marketing strategies on a 1-7 scale where 1 represents not at all integrated and 7 represents very integrated, marketing leaders report an average score of 4.2. “Perhaps this lack of integration is why almost half of marketers, 47.9 per cent, agreed that they haven’t been able to show the impact of social media yet, according to LinkedIn’s Marketing Solutions Blog. “In B2B product marketing, this inability to show results was particu-

larly striking: 61 percent of these marketers said they couldn’t demonstrate social media’s impact. Meanwhile, just 42.1 percent of B2B services marketers said they couldn’t prove social’s ROI.” The survey also found that just 11.5 per cent of marketing leaders report they are able to prove the impact of social media quantitatively. A total of 40.6 per cent report have a good qualitative sense but not a quantitative assessment, while 47.9 per cent report have not been able to show any impact yet. “Proving the value of any marketing tactic is an age-old problem,” according to LinkedIn’s Marketing Solutions Blog. “In the survey, 19 percent of marketers said they were unable to show the impact of long-term spending, which is a remarkable admission in this age of data-driven marketing.” With spending up, marketers will surely be working hard on improving measurement of social efforts to prove ROI to the C-suite.

Promasidorrewardsstaffforcommitmenttoservice

romasidor Nigeria, a fast moving consumer goods company, FCMG, has rewarded some of its staff who have served the company in the last 10, 15 and 20 years. Remarking at the long service awards held at the company’s headquarters in Lagos, Managing Director, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Olivier Thiry, said the occasion was meant to appreciate the commitment and contributions of the affected members of staff over the period of time they have worked with the company. Thiry said it is commendable for one to work with an organization for a minimum of 10 years. His words: “The high quality of your service is part of the factors that

Promasidor rides on from inception to its current level. I promise you all, Promasidor will continue to explore every available avenue to make your continued service more enjoyable and rewarding.” He stated that the reward to the affected employees was just a token from the management to the dedicated and committed employees who strive to place the company ahead of competitors in the market. His words: “This is just a gesture to reciprocate your support for the organisation over the years. Without your invaluable commitment, there would not be Promasidor. The management considers today as a memorable day in the life of all the affected employees and in our corporate life”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Leonard Okachie

Thursday, March 31, 2016

nited Nations (UN) Women has launched an innovative partnership with leading media houses to galvanize attention and concrete action towards the 2030 Agenda. The launch held at the UN Headquarters in New York, during a packed side event of the 60th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. According to the statement by the UN Headquarters, the Step it Up for Gender Equality Media Compact brings together a broad coalition of media outlets from every region who work in print, broadcast and online news media to ensure wide reach and robust efforts towards women’s rights and gender equality. Recognizing the influential role media can play in driving women’s empowerment and gender equality, the Step it Up for Gender Equality Media Compact facilitated by UN Women will function as an alliance of media organizations who are committed to playing an active role in advancing gender issues within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. The outlets will implement the compact by scaling-up the focus on women’s rights and gender equality issues through high-quality coverage, complemented by gender-sensitive corporate practices. Leading up to the launch event, more than 35 leading media outlets signed up as founding members of the Media Compact. From grass-roots to national and international media players, the diverse group of initial members reach millions of readers and viewers in Africa, Arab States, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Latin American regions. “Media have great influence over how we perceive and understand the world around us. That influence has many dimensions. Even when reporting is entirely factually accurate, if it is reported predominantly by men, about men, it is actually misrepresenting the real state of the world. At UN Women, we want to address this through partnership to change the media landscape and make media work for gender equality,” said UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. “This level of support and leadership from media houses and newsrooms alike is what is needed to ensure that we can achieve gender equality and women’s rights by 2030,” she added. By signing up to the Media Compact, the outlets are committing to a range of concrete change actions: championing women’s rights and gender equality issues through editorial articles; ensuring inclusion of women as sources in stories produced, aiming for gender parity; adopting a gender-sensitive Code of Conduct on Reporting; ensuring women journalists are provided mentors and guidance for career advancement, and many others. Speaking at the New York launch event, which was moderated by the Under-Secretary-General of the UN’s Department

UN women launch partnership with media on gender equality

Advisory board of UN Women

of Public Information, Cristina Gallach, media representatives from South African Broadcasting Corporation, Good Housekeeping and TV Azteca, all founding members, were unanimous in their support of the newly launched partnership, underlining that they will engage continuously through the Media Compact to push for gender equality in their news coverage and their newsrooms. Step it Up for Gender Equality Media Compact’s founding members include: AllAfrica, AMARC (World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters), Al

Wasat (Bahrain), Cambodia Centre for Independent Media, Care2, Citizen News Service (India), Dawn (Pakistan), Devex, El Telégrafo, (Ecuador), Eurovision Regional News Exchange for South East Europe – ERNO, France 24, Others are Good Housekeeping, Guatevision (Guatemala), Gulf Daily News (Bahrain), Instituto Patrícia Galvão (Brazil), Inter Press Service, Marie Claire, Monte Carlo Doualiya (MCD), Naewna Group (Thailand), Nómada.gt (Guatemala), Philanthropy Age, Pravda, Reportaje De (Guatemala), South African Broad-

casting Corporation, Siempre Mujer, and Teen Voices. Also among the founding members included: The Daily Star (Bangladesh), The Express Tribune (Pakistan), The Jakarta Post (Indonesia), The Jordan Times, The National (UAE), Thomson Reuters Foundation, Radio France Internationale, TV Azteca (Mexico), UN Dispatch, UN News Centre, Voice of Democracy (Cambodia), Women’s eNews, Women’s Feature Service (India). Many more are expected to join the Media Compact in the coming months.

Media urged to encourage women participation in politics Dare Akogun

ollowing the poor outing of female representation in the Buhari-led administration, gender activists have called for the full support and active participation of women in politics. This according to them is to ensure that women’s voices are heard in the nation’s helm of affairs. At a media parley organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and Voices for Change (V4C), and the UKAID, the activists said political participation of women in Nigeria has been largely through appointment, rather than election, as no woman has ever become an elected Governor, President, Vice President or Senate President in the country. Director WARDC, Dr. Abiola AkiyodeAfolabi noted that the low level of women

participation and representation in governance and political processes in Nigeria accounts for the significant perpetuation of the social conditions of abuse and discrimination that Nigerian women suffer. She stated: “Although women account for nearly 50 percent of the nation’s population in 2006, women hold less than 10 percent of the principal elective positions at the Federal and state levels. “The low level of women’s participation and representation in governance and political processes in Nigeria accounts for the significant perpetuation of the social conditions of abuse and discrimination that Nigerian women suffer. “This has been acknowledged in the mid-point report on MDGs, where the Nigerian government cited social and economic inhibitions, coupled with women’s apathy to political participation as key to obstacles to achieving gender equality in the country.

“WARDC is of the firm opinion that creating a support base and pool of women willing to contest, strengthening women’s alliances and collective pressure strategies is key to allowing deeper changes as concerns women participation in Lagos State. “To this end it is thus important to create across generational movement pushing for women’s leadership and political inclusion and ensure women in leadership issues are broadly publicized.” She further stated that the media has a huge role to play in setting the agenda for discussion on women participation in politics. “The media by the power they wield can educate and enlighten women on their political rights and the media can create greater visibility for issues that affect women from participating in elections on an equal basis with men “, Dr. Abiola added.

Media

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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NIMC seeks NUJ collaboration on news dissemination He also disclosed that the commission cannot survive without partnering with media, adding that journalists needed to have first-hand knowledge of activities of the commission to be able to report them well adding that commission door is open to media to get the accurate and verifiable information. The Senior Manager/Head Corporate Communications in the commission, Loveday Chika Ogbonna, clarified some issues, saying that processed cards are sent to the location the bearer made registration. He explained that if one needs his card to be issued to him in his present area of residence, such person has the option, according to him to ask for card transfer. The NUJ was represented by eight of her members led by the Chairman Raphael Ekpang.

Joel Ajayi ABUJA

ational Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has said the commission is ready to partner with FCT Correspondents Chapel of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the area of information dissemination as well as capacity building. This was agreed upon recently in Abuja when the leadership of Correspondents Chapel paid a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Director General/CEO of NIMC Engr. Aliyu Aziz. In his opening speech, the Chairman of the FCT Correspondents Chapel Raphael Ekpang congratulated the new appointed Director General who was represented by the General Manager Operations, NIMC, Abdul-Hamid Umar, for his elevation to the position. According to him, the chapel which has over one thousand members wants to partner with the commission in the area of capacity building. According to him, we are here today to congratulate the new DG on his new appointment and to pledge members’ commitment in reporting the activities of the commission accurately. In his response, the DG NIMC Engr. Ali-

NUJ, Lagos

yu Aziz, agreed that members of the NUJ need training. He cited an example with the way many Nigerians addressed the commission as ‘National Identity Commission’ instead of National Identity Management Commission. DG revealed that there are few misconception that needed to be corrected out

there, media is needed to reach out to over 170 million Nigerian who may not understand all these misconception. “We have a lot of jargons and local errors about commission that need to be corrected and with the help of media it can be corrected that is why we need to work together as one body to achieve the desirable change”, he said.

Media Abroad

Police named worst abuser of journalists in Uganda

new report has accused Police of being a leading abuser of press freedoms and rights in Uganda, adding to its notoriety as the most corrupt government entity. According to the 2015 press freedom index report published by the Human rights network for journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), the police accounts for 75 percent of abuse cases against journalists documented last year. A total 143 cases were documented by

the organization and of them, 107 cases against journalists were committed by the police. This is 67 cases more than what was recorded against the police in 2014 despite assurances from the police leadership of a better working relationship between the force and journalists. “The violations include assault, inhumane treatment, and detention and release without charge. Journalists were brutally assaulted, arrested and their cameras confiscated for taking [pictures] of the police

Al-Jazeera to lay off 500 staff worldwide

l-Jazeera is to cut about 500 jobs worldwide, with most of the layoffs expected in the broadcaster’s home base in Qatar. The news network said the cuts were in line with changes in global media; many organisations have been forced to reduce staff and tighten budgets – though the state-funded channel will also have been impacted by falling oil prices. The move will bring down al-Jazeera’s global staff of about 4,500 by more than 10%. Acting director general, Mostefa Souag, said the network had spent months evaluating options. He said: “Based on this review, we have embarked on a workforce optimisation initiative that will allow us to evolve our business operation in order to maintain a leading position and continue our recognised commitment to high quality, independent and hard-hitting journalism around the world.” Al-Jazeera was launched in 1996 as an Arabic-language news channel. It radically altered reporting of the region and grew to have a global impact with more than 70 bureaus around the world. An English-language channel was launched in 2006. It has since scaled back its ambitions, announcing in January the closure of its American cable news channel, launched

in October 2013, after consistently low ratings. The slump in oil prices, which has left crude selling at around $40 (£28) a barrel compared to more than $100 in mid-2014, has led Qatar to make cuts to other statefunded institutions, as well as laying off many workers in the energy sector. Even after slashing government spending, the Gulf state expects to run a budget deficit of more than $12bn this year. But the al-Jazeera redundancies could also reflect a waning enthusiasm by rulers in Doha for the soft power and foreign influence offered by the broadcaster, which says its mission is to “provide a voice for the voiceless in some of the most underreported places on the planet”. Source: The Guardian (UK)

Souag

using extreme force [against] suspects especially during public meetings and demonstrations,” Robert Ssempala, the HRNJU national coordinator, said on Tuesday during the launch of the report at Imperial Royale hotel, Kampala. A case in point of police brutality is that of WBS TV cameraman Andrew Lwanga who was battered by former Old Kampala division police commander (DPC) Joram Mwesigye. Lwanga was incapacitated and is scheduled to undergo spinal cord surgery. Ssempala also cites other cases of journalists who were shot at in Jinja, Mityana and Wakaliga, a Kampala suburb. Apart from the Old Kampala DPC’s case that is currently before the Buganda Road chief magistrate’s court, the organization has failed to successfully prosecute other cases against police officers because they were “dismissed by the police leadership as mere actions of individual officers.” “The police has dubbed the media as opposition leaning and thus deserving what they were getting,” Ssempala said. The general public comes second to the police in the violation of press freedoms with 25 cases documented last year from the different parts of country. The report also reports five cases of violations orchestrated by resident district commissioners (RDCs) and four by media owners. “Self-censorship increased among journalists working for media houses owned by politicians or businessmen affiliated to the ruling NRM. Journalists hosting programs on governance issues fell victim of witchhunt and summary dismissal for hosting opposition politicians,” Ssempala said. The press freedom index report also lists Uganda prison services, the UPDF and private security guards among the perpetrators of the violations although their cases are not as pronounced as those of the police. Source: The Observer (Kampala)

Real estate portal releases report on emerging markets Leonard Okachie

ouse-hunting is moving online in the emerging markets as property-seekers embrace the internet as a tool for finding their dream home, according to a new report from global real estate portal Lamudi Nigeria. Lamudi, the real estate classifieds marketplace focusing on the emerging markets, this week released its second annual research report. The 2015 real estate market report provides expert insights into the future of real estate in countries including Mexico, the Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The report found that the house-hunting process is shifting online in emerging markets, with both property-seekers and real estate agents reporting increasing use of online tools including real estate portals and social media within the sector. While using property portals is a common practice in developed markets, it is a relatively new phenomenon in emerging markets where internet penetration remains low but rising fast. Lamudi’s 2015 real estate market report found that in the Philippines, a dramatic increase in Internet penetration has had a profound effect on local businesses, including those in the real estate industry. A survey of local brokers revealed that 91 percent of all professionals observed a significant increase in online inquiries. In addition, 59 percent of those surveyed cited online listings platforms as their channel of choice to advertise properties. Similar trends have been observed in Pakistan where a survey of local househunters revealed that 85 percent of respondents believed the role of the Internet in house-hunting has increased. Likewise, in Sri Lanka, a customer survey showed that 75 percent of property-seekers believed the internet has dramatically transformed the way people find a home to buy or rent. In Indonesia, onsite data reveals that online property searching is driven by people between age 25 and 34, which is the primary age bracket for first-time home buyers.

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Young & Next Media

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Group recommends psychiatric test for politicians Leonard Okachie

orried by the senseless looting and embezzlement of the nation’s wealth, the founder of Champions Youths Development Association of Nigeria (CHYDAN), Chief Umar Bameyi has recommended psychiatric test for Nigerian politicians and public office holders to ensure their mental wellbeing before assuming office. Bameyi made the call during CHYDAN Cultural Day celebration at Agbado-Crossing, Ifo, Ogun State, urging the youths to always participate actively in politics to ensure good governance. Bameyi further advised the youths to keep their eyes on the politicians, hold them accountable and never hesitate to vote out the non performing leaders at the expiration of their tenure. He noted that its abnormal and completely irresponsible for anyone to hide money inside soakaway, GP tanks or even bury it on farmlands, stressing, “No right thinking person will do that, that is madness. “How can any right thinking person steal what his or her

Bameyi

Legislators jumping fence at the National Assembly complex, Abuja

next generation will not be able to use. In fact, 90 per cent of Nigerian politicians and public officials are mentally sick. “If President Muhammadu Buhari meant well for Nigeria, he should immediately empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that politicians undergo psychiatric test before contesting for any elective position to ensure good governance. “This should be one of the

INEC criteria for contesting, and the psychiatric test should strictly be done by INEC to avoid compromise. The same thing should be done to all the public officials before assuming office. “Look at what have been going on since Nigeria gained independence, politicians killing politicians, insulting one another, fighting one other, throwing all sorts of things at one other. They don’t even care about their official duties, travelling here

and there, looting and siphoning our resources leaving the masses at their own mercy. They are completely heartless. To be factual with you, these politi-

cians have no fear of God. Election has been ‘do or die affair’ in Nigeria.” The CHYDAN President also recalled that the country has witnessed cases where the lawmakers climbed National Assembly gate just to gain entrance, throwing chairs at one another, and queried the sanity of the lawmakers. He continued : “ Bad enough, the Senate President is facing 13 criminal charges, going to court with over 70 senators to intimidate the judge, leaving the National Assembly shut down. “On 18th March, 2016, Saraki went to court with 80 lawyers and over 60 senators and equally sponsoring some youths to protest against his removal. Is that normal? What kind of example are they setting for God sake? Since the 8th Senate assumed office, they did nothing rather than strategizing on how to loot the national treasury.

Solidstar features Davido in ‘Wait’

Council to rehabilitate under-aged prostitutes in Lagos

ducation Department of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State has vowed to rescue under-aged girls on menial jobs or prostitution in hotels. Head of Department of Education in the LCDA, Mrs. Abimbola Whenayon, gave the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). She said that officers of the department would begin the rescue and rehabilitation exercise in April. The officer said many underaged girls had been lured into menial jobs in hotels or as sex workers by their relatives who brought them to the state under the pretext of better life. She said that the girls would be reunited with their parents and subsequently enrolled in schools to become better citizens. She said many under-aged girls were deceived and brought to Lagos by close relatives with the promise that they would be enrolled in schools or work. Whenayon maintained: “When I was in Surulere Local Government, we rescued some girls, rehabilitated and enrolled them in schools. “I am new in this LCDA, but by April, after the holiday, I will start going into it fully to rescue the girls who are being exploited. “We will get a place for them, rehabilitate them, send them to school and even seek partnership with private organisations to train those who are not interested in school

“We will train them in vocational skills that will make them very responsible citizens instead of becoming sex workers or bar girls. “After a while, we will link up with their parents or family anywhere in the country so that we can reunite them. “If I get government’s support, It will be a success because when I was in Surulere Local Government, I was supported and we helped a lot of under-aged girls.’’ Whenayon also reiterated the council’s commitment to educate illiterate adults in the area

through the adult literacy programme. According to her, this is in line with the directive of the Federal Government. She said that about 80 adult students were currently receiving classes in 25 different centres in the area.

L-R: Solidstar and Davido

Leonard Okachie

chievas Entertainment star artiste Joshua Iniyezo popularly referred to as Solidstar has released an

D’banj, Tiwa Savage, others thrill at #HeinekenGidiFest Leonard Okachie

ighly anticipated third edition of the #HeinekenGidiFest went down last Saturday with performances by several A-list artists and the first ever Heineken ‘Live Your Music’ – THE TAKEOVER session in West Africa. The event which held at the Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, had performances from D’banj, Tiwa Savage, Yemi Alade, Phyno, Timaya, Adekunle Gold and others. Fans were treated to THE TAKEOVER, a unique music experience which allows them to ‘takeover’ from the music DJ using customized wristbands provided by Heineken Nigeria. “Heineken is as into live music experiences as their fans are. That’s why it celebrates, encour-

D’banj with his dancers on stage

ages, and enables music fans to be more active music live-rs,” said Ngozi Nkwoji, Senior Brand Manager, Heineken Nigeria. “Because to fully experience music, it’s not enough to just listen to it, you have to live it.” The event was hosted by Nigeria’s Sensei Uche and South

Africa’s Nomuzi, while Heineken ‘Live Your Music’ – THE TAKEOVER session was hosted by David Jones David. Heineken also provided free transportation for music ‘livers’ as part of its commitment to the ‘Don’t Drink & Drive – Enjoy Heineken Responsibly’ message.

amazing feel-good music entitled WAIT; and this time he features Sony Recording artiste, DAVIDO. This is coming after the earlier leak of song, which had created hysteria and anticipation among fans who couldn’t wait to listen to the song put together by two of Nigeria’s top music stars. Solidstar has been on a run of musical form lately, releasing massive tracks such as Baby Jollof, which featured Mavin’s first lady, Tiwa Savage, Good Woman and another hot track, My Body featuring Timaya. This new song with Davido is a dancehall funk that is sure to get music fans grooving from start to finish. According to the artiste team, the song is about the readiness of a man to wait patiently for his woman until she is ready to take the plunge with him. The video to the song was directed by Avalon Okpe, and it has also been released. The picture quality of the video further adds value to the song, as well as a nice message from Solidstar to everyone at the end of the video, which says “No Sex Before Marriage, Wait Without Regrets”.

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Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Foundation organises save-one symposium Leonard Okachie

isturbed by the future of the younger generation, the initiator of Olukoga Support Foundation, Otunba Fatai Olukoga has called for the need to foster the consciousness of the youths towards leadership and entrepreneurship hereby promoting dependency and self discovery. Olukoga, a retired Permanent Secretary and the immediate past Special Adviser on Education to Lagos State Governor, stated this during a Save-One symposium, which held recently at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu. He also extolled the virtues of all leaders who have contributed to the well being of the younger ones and their education, even as he urged everyone present to play their role diligently and ensure they save at least one person. He advised that preaching real peace in the world had to begin with the children, stressing that the motive of the foundation which is neither political nor profit making, is to save the next generation.

Some dignitaries at the Save-One Symposium in Ikorodu, Lagos

Highlight of the symposium was a quiz competition among secondary schools in Ikorodu metropolis, which was won by Miss Omobamilaye Olayeni of Oriwu Senior Model College Ikorodu. She received a grand prize of laptop for her effort, while Quadri Ibrahim of Ikorodu Senior Grammar School came second and won a tablet. Bien Victoria of Ikorodu Senior High came 3rd and won a rechargeable fan alongside the

4th placed winner Okanlawon Ayomide of Lagos State Civil Service Model College. Majority Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade commended the initiator for the idea of the symposium and urged him not to relent on his effort. Similarly, SA to the State of Osun Governor on Media, Hon. Tunde Olowu, while thanking the founder, charged the youths take advantage of

the opportunities that abound, adding that they should not limit themselves in whatever target they have set for themselves in life. Other dignitaries at the event chaired by Hon. Saheed Ibikunle, included founder of Rhoda Youth Centre, Hon. Rotimi Erogbogbo, Hon Folasade Olabanji-Oba, Alhaja Sherifat Ogunniyi (one time Best Principal in Nigeria) Mayor Deen Sanwoola.

Parental absence affects brain development in children –Study

esearchers in China have found that children who have been left without direct parental care for extended periods of time show larger gray matter volumes in the brain, according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Throughout the world, due to political upheaval, economic necessity or other reasons, parents sometimes are compelled to travel away from home for months or years at a time, leaving their children behind. In China, large numbers of workers are migrating away from their children in pursuit of better jobs. Researchers wanted to study how this migration has affected the millions of children who have been left in the care of relatives for a period of more than six months without direct parental care from their biological parents. “We wanted to study the brain structure in these left-behind children,” said study author Yuan Xiao, Ph.D. candidate at the Huaxi MR Research Center and the Department of Radiology at West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. “Previous studies support the hypothesis that parental care can directly affect brain development in offspring. However, most prior work is with rather severe social deprivation, such as orphans. We looked at children who

Group advocate youths mobilisation for agriculture

were left behind with relatives when the parents left to seek employment far from home.” For the study, which was led by Professor Su Lui and conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital & Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, MRI exams from 38 left-behind girls and boys (ages 7 to 13) were compared to MRI exams from a control group of 30 girls and boys (ages 7 to 14) living with their parents. The researchers then compared the gray matter volume between the two groups and measured the intelligence quotient (IQ) of each participant to assess cognitive function.

The researchers found larger gray matter volumes in multiple brain regions, especially in emotional brain circuitry, in the left-behind children compared to children living with their parents. The mean value of IQ scores in left-behind children was not significantly different from that of controls, but the gray matter volume in a brain region associated with memory encoding and retrieval was negatively correlated with IQ score. Since larger gray matter volume may reflect insufficient pruning and maturity of the brain, the negative correlation between the gray matter volume

A cross section of students at the Lagos schools debate finale, recently

and IQ scores suggests that growing without parental care may delay brain development. “Our study provides the first empirical evidence showing that the lack of direct parental care alters the trajectory of brain development in left-behind children,” Xiao said. “Public health efforts are needed to provide additional intellectual and emotional support to children left behind by parents.” Co-authors on the study are Lili Yang, M.D., Zhihan Yan, M.D., Yuchuan Fu, M.D., Meimei Du, M.D., and Su Lui, M.D. Source: Radiological Society of North America

ederation of Informal Workers Association of Nigeria (FIWON), an NGO, has called for the mobilisation of youths to develop agricultural potentials in Osun state. The State Coordinator of the group, Mr Olayinka Ibrahim, made the call in Osogbo in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). He said youths should be encouraged to go into farming especially as the nation is passing through some economic difficulties. ``The agricultural opportunities will help to create more jobs and put smiles on faces of youths instead of waiting for white-collar jobs,’’ he said. Ibrahim suggested some partnership with farm specialists with the state government to ensure participation of youths to enhance food production. Dr Olofin Bamidele, the Head of Academic, Osun Odua Farmers Academy, who also spoke with NAN, called on informal workers in the state to embrace opportunities that would better their living conditions. Bamidele decried the increase in unemployment rate and the rampant cases of robbery and social vices due to idleness of most youths in the state. He, however, advised the government to set up agroindustry and farm academy in the state to help train and retrain youths and farmers for agricultural exploit.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

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Community Mirror Let me again repeat what I to have saying Goodluck hasthe no It seems mebeen the time hasthat come for us toJonathan re-examine personal agenda in convening thisfornational legal and constitutional framework policingconference. in Nigeria.

Richard Ndoma, CALABAR

bout 40 shops worth millions of naira have been gutted by fire at Ikom main market in Cross River State. The inferno, which started at about 2am on Tuesday, was attributed to power surge from public power supply, and could not be contained in spite of frantic efforts by shop owners to put it out. The state’s fire service station in Ikom, which was contacted for intervention, could not act due to complaints of lack of facilities to combat the fire. But Director General of the state’s Emergency Management Agency, Mr. John Inaku, who visited scene of the incident, described the destruction as serious. Inaku, who said he was there on a rapid assessment of the destruction, said efforts would be made by the state government to ameliorate the suffering of the victims. He said the burnt shops re-

Fire razes Ikom main market …Millions of naira lost

quired total rehabilitation and urged the victims to remain calm. One of the victims, Mr. Augustine Chinedu, who said he lost virtually all his goods worth millions of naira, said it was devastating and urged government to urgently come to his aid. Miss Agbor Okey, a fashion designer, said the incident has put her and the family under trauma as it was their only livelihood. Kelechi Anayo, a dealer in traveling bags and boxes, lamented that he had lost everything in the shop and wondered what he would do next with his life. Chairman of Ikom main market traders union, Mr. Caleb Agwu, called on government agencies, NGOs and philanthropic individuals and organisations to help in cushioning the effect of the disaster.

Ekiti Rep empowers constituents Abiodun Nejo, ADO EKITI

eople of Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency in Ekiti State, comprising Ikole and Oye local government areas, were full of joy as they received empowerment items from the lawmaker representing them in the House of Representatives, Hon Kehinde Agboola. They were especially happy that the largesse, which is part of his electoral promises to attend to their welfare needs, came in about nine months after he assumed office at the National Assembly. Agboola, who is Deputy Chairman of House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics and Ekiti State caucus leader, said the event was part of his effort to give back to his people and ensure democracy dividends got to his constituency. According to him, all the items distributed on the occasion were targeted at supporting or boosting economic activities of the people just as computers for the palaces of traditional rulers and NUT and NULGE would aid administrative duties and Information

–SPEAKER HOUSEPRESIDENT OF REPS, HON. YAKUBUJONATHAN DOGARA GOODLUCK

Technology. The lawmaker, who thanked the people for reposing confidence in him to represent them in the National Assembly, assured them that he would continue to work for them to ensure development of the federal constituency and its people as well as the state in general. He said he was with the youth of the area in the struggle for getting federal employments. According to him, “as a result of our efforts, the construction of Omuo-Ikole -Ijero Road and Itapaji Dam rehabilitation are in the 2016 budget. When these are done, our people will benefit immensely from them and the accompanying socio-economic benefits.” Items distributed to his constituents included a Mazda bus presented to a driver; a wheelchair for a physically-challenged cobbler; 50 laptops and desktop computer sets for palaces of traditional rulers in the federal constituency; laptop and desktop computer sets to NUT and NULGE offices in the two councils, 50 power generating sets; 100 sewing machines; 100 hair dryers; 100 flour mixers, and N2 million cash distributed among some party members.

Over 40 shops razed at Ikom main market, Ikom, Cross River State

Philanthropist gives free eye glasses, medical check-ups Ebere Ndukwu

chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bashiru Dawodu, recently offered free eyes glasses and medical check-ups to over 400 people at Ajibulu Health Centre, Mafoluku, Oshodi. Dawodu in what he described as his little contribution to the society that brought him up, said he decided to give back in order to affect their lives in the little possible way he could. The event, which witnessed the

presence of APC chieftains in the area, saw many of the recipients smiling home with joy and happiness. The free medical check-up was carried out by an international medical mission from Atlanta, Georgia, USA, but was sponsored by Dawodu. Speaking after the event, Dawodu said he has been doing the free medical check-ups for the past three years. “I have been doing this solely on my own. The government cannot do it all alone. Lagos State is trying in that aspect even more than all other states, but we still

need to do ours when we are privileged,” he said. When asked if there was any political motive behind the programme, the APC chieftain said, “Every human being is a political animal. So, I cannot rule out political ambition. But all I know is, if my people beckoned on me to come forward and serve them, why not?” While reststating his love for the people, he said; “Don’t forget this is where I grew up, so serving my people should not be a problem. Oshodi is a very big city and it will be very interesting to serve if I am called upon.”

sociation had pencilled down three major orphanage homes (Ozanam House, Ikeja; Adebayo Orphanage Home, Agege; and Compassionate Home, all within Lagos West Senatorial district, to be visited during the recent Easter celebration. He said, “Our association in conjunction with Mrs. Adeola, wife of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, representing Lagos West Senatorial district at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, would be visiting three major orphanage homes to celebrate this year Easter and donate home items, food stuffs and provisions to them, one of them is where we are today, others - Adebayo Orphanage Home at Fagba,

Agege, and Compassionate Orphanage Home at Idowu Egba, Alimosho, will be visited on Easter Sunday and Easter, respectively. “Though, we are not billionaires, but from the little we have we decided to share with those who don’t have, we believe in giving, especially to the poor. When others are celebrating the Easter festival with their families at homes, we are here celebrating with the homeless. Today is very special to us because Jesus came to this sinful world and died for our sins; He was crucified on the cross, He gave His life for us to live. So, we are emulating Him that is why we have decided to give from the little we have to the less privileged in our society.”

We’ll continue to assist less privileged –Adeola’s aide

ersonal Assistant (PA) to Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola and President of Ibigiga Support Association (ISA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Mr. Kunle Akerele, has said his association was determined to assist the less privileged in the society. Akerele stated this when ISA visited Ozanam House, an orphanage home at Celestial Church Street, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, to donate home items, food stuffs and provisions, recently. Speaking with journalists after the gifts presentation, Akerele said his association’s major agenda was to support and show concern for the less privilege in the society, noting that the as-

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Market capitalization sheds N260bn in 2 days Johnson Okanlawon

rading in equities continued on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday with the market capitalization decreasing by N45 billion, representing 0.52 per cent drop in index. This implies that within 48 hours, the capitalization had declined by a whopping N260 billion, a development analysts attributed to waning investors’ interests in stocks. Stock analysts noted that while investors appear to be pausing for breath, however, there’s no real conviction that

the current risk-averse disposition will come to an end soon in the absence of major positive economic news, even as investors focus on company earnings and outlooks. The All Share Index depreciated 0.52 per cent to close at 25.145.28 points, compared to the decline of 2.40 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 25,277.29 points. Market capitalization shed N45billion to close at N8.649 trillion, compared to the drop of N215 billion recorded the preceding day to close at N8.694 trillion.

Vitafoam Plc led the gainers’ table with 45 kobo or 9.53 per cent to close at N5.17 per share, followed by NASCON Plc with 48 kobo or 7.27 per cent to close at N7.08 per share. Champion Breweries Plc added 14 kobo or 4.76 per cent to close at N3.08 per share, while Livestocks Plc rose five kobo or 4.67 per cent to close at N1.12 per share. Flourmill Plc added 86 kobo or 4.64 per cent to close at N19.40 per share, while Neimeth International Plc was up three kobo or 4.55 per cent to close at 69 kobo per share.

On the flip side, United Bank for Africa Plc shed 33 kobo or 9.27 per cent to close at N3.23 per share, while United Capital Plc lost 11 kobo or 5.61 per cent to close at N1.85 per share. FBN Holdings fell 17 kobo or 5.36 per cent to Inter-Bank Rate close at N3.00 per share, Naira while PZ Cussons Plc N196.98 dipped N1.19 or 4.98 per cent to close at N22.71 Gainers and Losers indicators Gainers and29/03/2016 Losers through Market Start Date End Date 30/03/2016 per share. Start Date 29/03/2016 through End Date 30/03/2016 Print Date 30/03/2016 All-Share Index 25,657.48 points Print deDate 30/03/2016 Sterling Bank Plc Market capitalisation 8.82trn preciated eight kobo or 4.91 per cent to close at N1.55 per share, while Airservice Plc declined 10 kobo or 4.91 per cent to close at N2.00 per share.

FG to raise N219bn in Treasury bills

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday said the Federal Government plans to raise N218.89 billion in short-dated treasury bills on April 7, this year. The bank said it will sell N55.40 billion of three-month and N33.49 billion of six-month bills and N130 billion of

one-year debt, using the Dutch auction system. The results of the auction are expected to be released today. According to the CBN’s issuing calendar for treasury bills, the same amount of bills on offer will also be due for repayment the day of the auction. The CBN had said it

would raise N1.07 trillion worth of treasury bills for the second quarter of the year. It said N303.77 billion would be issued in the 91day bill, N169.98 billion in the 182-day bill, while N599.63 billion would be issued in the one-year bill between March 17 and June 2. For the first quarter, a

Transcorp posts N3.3bn pre-tax profit in 2015 Johnson Okanlawon

ransnational Corporation of Nigeria yesterday announced its audited 2015 financial results, declaring a profit before tax of N3.3billion for the period. The company’s operating profit rose 11 per cent, from N14billion in 2014 to N15billion, while its turnover stood at N40.8billion. According to the result presented to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, total comprehensive income stood at N1.4billion for the period under review. Analysis of the company’s balance sheet increased by N32billion to N202.9billion, compared to N170.8billion recorded in 2014. The increase in plant property and equipment reflects the impact of expansion projects un-

dertaken by Transcorp Hotels Plc, specifically the upgrade of Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja and developments of Transcorp Hilton Ikoyi and Port Harcourt. Tax payable stood at N1.3billion following the corporate restructuring of the Group with the successful merger of Transcorp Ughelli Power and Ughelli Power Plc and shareholders funds stood at N87.5billion. As part of its continued effort to enhance shareholder value, the company has recommended to shareholders for approval of a bonus issue of one Ordinary Share of 50 Kobo for every 20 Ordinary Share of 50 Kobo each held by shareholders. Commenting on the results, the President and Chief Executive Officer of

the company, Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom, noted that the company displayed relative resilience in 2015 despite various macroeconomic and industry challenges. “We continued to maintain top line in 2015 and adapted cost-management measures to keep our administrative expenses within line. Our current expansion agenda within the Hospitality, Oil & Gas and Power sectors will provide the platform for sustainable growth within the medium term. “Following recent government intervention in the Power sector, particularly with tariff increase, we expect that a strong growth in our power business in 2016.” The Gas shortages still remain a challenge,” he said. He explained that the

S/N Symbol S/N 1 Symbol VITAFOAM 1 2 VITAFOAM NASCON

2 3 NASCON CHAMPION 3 4 CHAMPION LIVESTOCK 4 5 LIVESTOCK FLOURMILL

8 9 FCMB SEPLAT 9 10 SEPLAT WAPCO 10 11 WAPCO DANGCEM 11 12 DANGCEM 7UP 12 13 7UP TRANSCOHOT

MPR

Crude oil price

$58.96

19.40 0.69 0.69 0.79

0.76 0.80 0.80 300.00

0.79 0.83 0.83 310.00

300.00 77.00 77.00 162.05

310.00 79.00 79.00 164.05

0.03 10.00 10.00 2.00 2.00 2.00

162.05 151.59 151.59 4.98

164.05 153.00 153.00 5.00

2.00 1.41 1.41 0.02

4.98 14.44

5.00 14.48

0.02 0.04

0.93 0.40 0.40 0.28

14.44 3.98

14.48 3.99

0.04 0.01

0.28 0.25

3.98

3.99

0.01

0.25

3.08 1.12 1.12 19.40

0.48 0.14 0.14 0.05

7.27 4.76 4.76 4.67

0.03 0.03 0.03 0.03

4.55 3.95 3.95 3.75

0.05 0.86 0.86 0.03

4.67 4.64 4.64 4.55

3.75 3.33 3.33 2.60 2.60 1.23 1.23 0.93

Losers for Equities S/N

Symbol

UBA S/N 1 Symbol UCAP 1 2 UBA FBNH 2 3 UCAP

Losers for Equities 2016-03-29 2016-03-30 Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) Loss(N) % Change 2016-03-29 2016-03-30 -9.27 3.96Closing Price(N) 3.23 Loss(N)-0.33 % Change Closing Price(N) 1.96 1.85 -0.11 -5.61 3.96 3.23 -0.33 -9.27 3.17 1.96 23.90 3.17

PZ 3 4 FBNH 4 5 PZ STERLNBANK

AIRSERVICE 5 6 STERLNBANK TIGERBRANDS 6 7 AIRSERVICE

-0.17 -0.11 -1.19 -0.17

-5.36 -5.61 -4.98 -5.36

2.43 2.00 2.28 2.43

-0.12 -0.10 -0.11 -0.12

-4.71 -4.76 -4.60 -4.71

1.55 22.71 2.00 1.55

0.91 2.39 1.38 0.91

0.87 2.28 1.32 0.87

111.83 1.38 1.16 111.83 0.70 1.16

UNITYBNK

3.00 1.85 22.71 3.00

1.63 23.90 2.10 1.63 2.55 2.10 2.39 2.55

AFRIPRUD 7 8 TIGERBRANDS CONTINSURE 8 9 AFRIPRUD FIDELITYBK 9 10 CONTINSURE

8.2

18.54 0.66 0.66 0.76

OANDO

management will con- 12 14 TRANSCORP DEAPCAP 13 UNITYBNK ZENITHBANK tinue to adapt proactive 14 15 DEAPCAP 16 GUINNESS approach to the challeng- 15 17 ZENITHBANK CUSTODYINS 16FGN GUINNESS Bonds TRANSEXPR ing business environment, 17 18 CUSTODYINS 19 NAHCO 18 TRANSEXPR adopting diversified busi19 NAHCO Description ness model, strong corpoPublished by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © rate governance and excel15.10 27-APR-2017 Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © lent execution of identified 16.00 29-JUN-2019 strategies to drive growth 15.54 13-FEB-2020 in the near term. 16.39 27-JAN-2022

Inflation

5.17 7.08 7.08 3.08

13 14 TRANSCOHOT GUARANTY 14 15 GUARANTY OANDO

Gain(N) % Change Gain(N) 0.45 % Change 9.53 0.45 9.53 0.48 7.27

4.72 6.60 6.60 2.94 2.94 1.07 1.07 18.54

NB 10 11 FIDELITYBK 11 12 NBTRANSCORP

Rate (%)

US Dollar

Gainers for Equities Gainers for Equities

2016-03-29 2016-03-30 2016-03-29 2016-03-30 Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) 4.72Closing Price(N) 5.17

5 6 FLOURMILL NEIMETH 6 7 NEIMETH WEMABANK 7 8 WEMABANK FCMB

total of N1.22 trillion was raised from treasury bills sale. The country issues treasury bills as part of a borrowing plan to finance part of the government budget deficit, help manage liquidity in the banking system and curb inflationary growth.

Source: NSE

107.00 1.32 1.11 107.00 0.67 1.11

0.56 0.70 11.31 0.56

0.54 0.67 10.96 0.54

108.93 11.31 3.82 108.93 1.16 3.82 4.00 1.16

105.75 10.96 3.72 105.75 1.13 3.72 3.90 1.13

Bid

4.00

Price

3.90

-0.08 -1.19 -0.10 -0.08

-4.91 -4.98 -4.76 -4.91

-0.04 -0.11 -0.06 -0.04

-4.40 -4.60 -4.35 -4.40

-4.83 -0.06 -0.05 -4.83

-4.32 -4.35 -4.31 -4.32 -4.29 -4.31

-0.03 -0.05 -0.02 -0.03

-3.57 -4.29 -3.09 -3.57

-0.35 -0.02 -3.18 -0.35 -0.10 -3.18 -0.03 -0.10 -0.10 -0.03

-0.10

-2.92 -3.09 -2.62 -2.92 -2.59 -2.62 -2.50 -2.59

Offer

Yield

Price

-2.50

Yield

Page

1.08

104.96

10.09

105.11

3.25

114.56

10.57

114.86

10.47

3.87

112.10

11.56

112.40

11.47

Page

9.95

5.83

120.50

11.46

120.80

11.40

14.20 14-MAR-2024

7.95

109.35

12.32

109.65

12.26

12.50 22-JAN-2026

9.81

100.24

12.45

100.54

12.40

Closing Market Prices of March 30, 2016

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

Exchange

Rates (N)

30-Jun-16

8.15

8.32

WAUA

270

USD

196.98

22-Sep-16

8.71

9.10

EURO

214

16-Mar-17

9.31

10.22

CFA

0.32

NIBOR

YEN

1.64

Tenor

Rate (%)

SWISS FRANC

202

O/N

15.0000

POUNDS STERLING

293

10.6864

12.4601

SDR

273

13.8466 CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016

1 of

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, March 31, 2016

World News We will continue to press aid for our people from wherever we can find it. We believe it is in the right direction. –ZIMBABWE PRESIDENT, ROBERT MUGABE

Crisis: Brazil President, Rousseff, faces impeachment Afolabi Gambari

WITH AGENCY REPORT

Brazil President Dilma Rousseff A corruption investigation into a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme at the state-run oil company Petrobras has embroiled dozens of the country’s leading businessmen and politicians. Rousseff was the chairwoman of Petrobras during many of the years of the alleged corruption. But she denied the allegations. If impeaching proceedings

move forward, they would essentially freeze Rousseff ’s government for 180 days while the President fights these efforts. During that time, a caretaker government would step in -- possibly headed by the vice president, assuming he doesn’t resign. All this uncertainty comes as Brazil grapples with its longest economic downturn since the 1930s.

Brazil is also ground zero for the Zika virus, which the World Health Organization says “is now spreading explosively.” Brazil has reported more than 4, 000 cases of microcephaly, a neurological disorder in which babies are born with small heads, in infants born to women infected with Zika while pregnant.

‘Somali-bound’ weapons intercepted

orces of the French Navy patrolling the northern Indian Ocean yesterday seized a ship full of weapons allegedly heading towards Somalia. Hundreds of assault rifles, machine guns and anti-tank weapons were found, according to the officials who said the weapons were seized under a UN embargo to prevent arms from getting to

Somali Islamist militants. Earlier this month, the Australian navy intercepted a cache of arms on a fishing boat off Oman, also believed to be on its way to Somalia. The vessel was not registered to any country and the CMF did not reveal any further information about the people transporting the weapons. UN sanctions authorise the

interception of weapons heading for Somalia. However, the UN allows the Somali government to buy light weapons for its fight against the insurgents.

Niger: Opposition leader gets bail

Niger opposition leader Hama Amodou

court in Niger Republic yesterday ordered the release on bail of opposition leader, Hama Amadou, who went to France earlier this month for medical treatment. Amadou, who was imprisoned in November to face baby-trafficking charges, which he denied, arguing they “were politically motivated”, had campaigned for elections in February from behind bars.

WHO downplays Ebola threat Ebola is no longer an extraordinary health event and the risk of the virus spreading is low, the World Health Organization said yesterday. It means the disease is not thought to be a public health threat to countries outside of those affected in West Africa. A small cluster of cases are still occurring in Guinea, but Sierra Leone and Liberia have not had any in months, although experts said countries must remain vigilant for new flare ups of the dreaded ailment. There have been 12 of these to date, the most recent on March 17 in Guinea but the world health body insisted that countries had reacted to the clusters quickly to contain them. And all original chains of Ebola transmission have ended in the three West African countries that were plagued by the disease.

he political crisis in Brazil yesterday spiraled closer to a tipping point, with the government appearing at risk of implosion months before the Rio Summer Olympics begin. President Dilma Rousseff ’s odds of being impeached appear stronger than ever now that the country’s largest political party said it’s pulling out of her coalition government. The latest crisis began when federal police took Lula da Silva in for questioning as part of a long-running corruption investigation. A few days later, Rousseff, his handpicked successor and protégé, named him chief of staff, a move that largely protects him from prosecution. That appointment prompted massive street protests. A legal battle has ensued trying to block Lula da Silva’s appointment while efforts to impeach the President have gained momentum. Rousseff won a second term in 2014, but she’s battled controversy since.

WORLD BULLETIN

Trump’s aide charged Donald Trump’s Campaign Manager, Corey Lewandowski, has been charged with assaulting a journalist at a campaign event. Lewandowski is charged with simple battery over his encounter with former Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields. Police alleged that after a news conference in Florida March 8, he grabbed her arm when she tried to ask Trump a question, leaving a bruise. But Lewandowski has planned to plead not guilty, according to the Trump campaign team while Police in Jupiter, Florida, where he was arrested, have released new footage of the alleged assault. The charge comes during a difficult time for Trump, just ahead of next week’s Wisconsin primary where he is neck-and-neck with Senator Ted Cruz.

Space-bound satellite faces threat The seized cache of arms

His party boycotted the run-off vote on March 20, won by President Mahamadou Issoufou with 92 per cent of the vote. “The decision [of the court of appeal] is clear, he is free as of today (yesterday),” Amadou’s lawyer, Mossi Boubacar, said in Niamey. The ruling means Amadou will not have to return to his prison if he goes back to the Niamey, but it is not

yet clear whether the baby-trafficking case will continue. More than 20 people were accused of involvement, including Amadou’s wife, but they have all now been released on bail. The court ruling comes a day after the opposition coalition met the prime minister with a view to finding a solution to the stand-off that has followed the second-round vote. President Issoufou will be sworn in for his second fiveyear term in office on Saturday.

Dozens of Japanese scientists and engineers are scrambling to save a satellite as well as more than a quarter of a billion dollars of investment tumbling out of control in space. Hitomi, meaning the pupil of the eye, was launched last month and was designed to study energetic space objects such as supermassive black holes, neutron stars, and galaxy clusters, by observing energy wavelengths from X-rays to gamma-rays. But time is now running out to save the mission. On Saturday, the US Joint Space Operations Center (JSpOC), which tracks space debris, detected five small objects around the satellite. Ground control in Japan managed brief contact with the spacecraft after that, but then lost contact. The satellite also appeared to show a sudden change of course, and observers on Earth have seen it appearing to flash, suggesting it may be tumbling.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wheelchair tennis is dormant, coach cries out

Sport

We do have the greatest fans in the world, but I’ve never seen a fan score a goal. –Jock Stein (1982)

AFCON 2017 ouster

Super Eagles players after the ouster from AFCON 2017 in Alexandria, Tuesdsay

Pinnick under pressure to resign Everest Onyewuchi

resident of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Amaju Pinnick, and the Executive Committee Members of the federation are under pressure to resign their positions following the Super Eagles failure to qualify for the 2017 AFCON finals. A newly installed NFF Board chaired by Pinnick was just settling into office when the Eagles failed to qualify for the 2015 AFCON finals and Nigerians did not hold the board responsible for the Eagles failure to defend their 2013 title in Equatorial Guinea.

But stakeholders are not ready to accept excuses for Nigeria’s failure in Alexandria, Egypt on Tuesday, saying the country is missing the AFCON party back-to-back under the leadership of Pinnick. “Amaju should resign. It’s a shame. If I were him, I wouldn’t need anybody to tell me to throw in the towel after I failed for a second straight time,” former FCT FA chairman, Emma Attah, told africanfootball.com. However, former Super Eagles coach, Chief Adeboye Onigbinde, said the defeat to the Egyptians had been there for decades as it would be wrong to blame the present crop of coaches and players.

“I’m not happy with the result, but not disappointed as we saw it coming. We have depended on mere wishes and as it’s said, if wishes were horses beggars will ride,” Onigbinde told supersport.com. A former captain and also erstwhile coach of the senior national team, Christian Chukwu, while expressing his disappointment with Nigeria’s ouster, praised caretaker coach, Samson Siasia, for his efforts. “The team lacked the zeal to score goals in the early hours in the match. We played good enough, but we did not strike our opponents’ net early not until we were one goal down. “The boys should have strat-

egised on how to score early in the second half, but instead they held on to the ball. I still give kudos to the coach for a good job,” Chukwu told News Agency of Nigeria. Former Assistant Super Eagles handler, Joe Erico, put the blame squarely on the Pinnickled NFF. “The NFF should be serious with preparations and take decisions that would salvage the shameful situation that has befallen the team in recent times. “It is sad that we lost and are out of the competition in the qualifying series for the second consecutive time even with the quality of players that we can boast of.

“This I believe is as a result of poor preparations and lack of seriousness by the football administrators; they just have to get back to the drawing board and get the right decisions for future purposes,” Erico told NAN. A banker, Idris Fadugba, blamed the loss on leadership squabble in the football house and lack of adequate preparations. “We have seen how our federation won’t keep off from directing the daily affairs of the national team because of reasons no one can understand.”

Our focus now on 2018 World Cup –NFF

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said yesterday that it has shifted its focus on how to make the Super Eagles qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup to be hosted by Russia. In a lengthy statement, the leadership NFF said like most Nigerians, they are saddened by the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup

of Nations finals following a 1-0 defeat by seven-time African champions, Egypt, in Alexandria on Tuesday. “We see this failure to qualify as an unfortunate turn of events, because it came despite the undoubted efforts of the Coaching crew led by Coach Samson Siasia and the players led by the captain, Mikel Obi, and the efforts of the NFF lead-

ership who not only supported the technical crew but also provided necessary support regarding comfortable travelling arrangement and accommodation for the team’s home and away matches. “In the next one week, the Technical and Development Committee will meet to make recommendations to the NFF Board on the way forward for

the Super Eagles, but already, we can disclose that the NFF has now fully shifted its focus to activating its already prepared plan to give the team all the support it needs to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, while continuing to build a sustainable football culture for Nigeria in order to make Nigerian football once more a force to be reckoned with,” the statement said in part.

Pinnick

Thursday, March 31, 2016 CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. ELIZABETH MONISOLA FASORANTI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AYODELE MONISOLA OLUYEMISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

My name was wrongly written as CHINWE NWAUGA IZIOGBO instead of NWOGA CHINWE IZIOGO and my date of birth was also wrongly written as 8th October, 1997 instead of 23RD OCTOBER, 1992. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

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CHANGE OF NAME

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm and certify that UMARU AUDU LERUMBASITEMI, UMARU MUSA and AUDU UMAR refer to one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as AUDU UMAR. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public please take note.

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PUBLIC NOTICE

THE ZION ADORATION FIRE MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under “Part C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Apostle Paul Eze 2. Evangelist Gift Eze 3. Deacon Emeka Ozoejim 4. Evangelist Ifeanyi Ajas AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Promotion of community development and child welfare as much as possible and to engage in charitable benevolent and other activities towards the poor. 2. To help men and women discover who they are and also discover, recover, maximize and build their God given purpose potential thereby fulfilling their destinies on earth. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication. SIGNED : CHAIRMAN

APOSTLE PAUL EZE

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CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to confirm that my name was wrongly written as NGOZI UZOHO ANA, that my correct name is VIDAH UZOHO ANA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general Public should take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

OLANIYAN: I, formerly known and addressed as OLANIYAN MARIAM BOLAJI, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDUL GANIY MARIAM ADEWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ODUSOGA AYOTUNDE OLUWATOYIN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEBAYO AYOTUNDE OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OMOH-YEMHE ENE-YEMEH AKPENE now wish to be known and addressed as OMOHYEMHE ENE-YEMEH BAKARE. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. GABRIEL COMFORT OLAPEJU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OGUNNIRAN COMFORT OYEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General Public should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

AGADA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AGADA GRACE NDIDI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADECHI GRACE NDIDI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHRISTOPHER OMOKUPE CHRISTIANA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ONAIWU OMOKUPE CHRISTIANA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OSUNLANA CHRISTY OPEYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed MRS. AKINBOYO CHRISTY OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. OSUN TEPO and General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as IHUEZE ANITA SHAITA, but now wish to be known and address as OKUOVARA ANITA SHAITA. All former documents remain valid. General public to take note. CHANGE OF NAME

EZEOKE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZEOKE HOPE CHIDIOGO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OKEKE HOPE CHIDIOGO. All former documents remain valid.General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as GANIYU WASIU, now wish to be known and addressed as GANIYU ABDULWASIU AFOLABI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

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

I formerly known and addressed as PEACE SAMUEL, now wish to be known and addressed as PEACE SAMUEL DANIYAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OGUCHE JOY ILEBAYE, now wish to be known and addressed as DANIEL ILEBAYE JOY. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME EDEH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EDEH CHINAGOROM PRECIOUS, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. NWACHUKWU CHINAGOROM PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ANI ANTHONIA CHIKAODIRI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKAFOR ANTHONIA CHIKAODIRI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ELUM: I, formerly known and addressed as ELUM CHUKWUEBUKA, now wish to be known and addressed as ALUMONA EMMANUEL AMAECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ANIUDE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ANIUDE AMAKA JENNIFER .V., now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHUKWUMA AMAKA VERONICA JENNIFER. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHUKWU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NKEM CHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. EKWE MERCY EBERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, IKE OBIORA EMINUS, am the same person as AFOAMUTA OBIORA EMINUS. henceforth, i want to be known and addressed as IKE OBIORA EMINUS. All former documents remain valid. ECOBANK Plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

GEORGE: I, formerly known and addressed as GEORGE AUGUSTINA EFANGWU, now wish to be known and addressed as EFANGWU REMI AUGUSTINA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

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

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME NWODO: I, formerly known and addressed as NWODO VENATUS FRANCIS IGWEKAMMA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWACHUKWU VENATUS FRANCIS IGWEKAMMA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ENE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ENE JANE UKAMAKA and MRS NWODO JANE UKAMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. NWACHUKWU JANE UKAMAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ADOJUTELEGAN OLUWASEUN TOSIN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. BAMIGBOYE OLUWASEUN TOSIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ANIEFON-NTE-ABASI EFFIONG EDET now wish to be known and addressed as SUCCESS EDWIN EDET. All former documents remain valid. F.C.M.B, general public and relevant authorities should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABEJIDE RASHIDAT ADEJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as ODIETE RASHIDAT ADEJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as TAIWO FALILAT, now wish to be known and addressed as SESAN WALE FALI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as YAKUB SIMON, now wish to be known and addressed as YAKUBU ABDULLAHI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as OGWU EPHRAIM CHUKWUDI, now wish to be known and addressed as OGWU EPHRAIM. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as ATTAH O. IDAKWOJI, now wish to be known and addressed as YUSUFU OKPANACHI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as FUNKE MODUPE BURAIMOH, now wish to be known and addressed as FUNKE MODUPE OGUNBURAIMOH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PROUD TRADERS ASSOCIATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied for registration with the Corporate Affair Commission, Abuja. Under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. BOARD OF TRUSTEES 1. Ngige Neta — Chairman 2. Ogbu James Okechukwu — Vice Chairman 3. Anoh Sunday — Secretary 4. Orji Ike — Member 5. Ezeilo Nonso — Member THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To promote the trade of its members 2. To take care of the welfare of its members Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication. No 45/47, Martins Street, New Oluwole Market, Opposite Nigeria Careat House, Lagos. OLAYELE FATUROTI ESQ.

Formerly known and addressed as OKONKWO OBIAGELI EVAN, now wish to be known and addressed as OKAFOR OBIAGELI EVAN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

LOSS OF TITLE DOCUMENT

Notice is hereby given of the loss/Misplacement of the Federal Government of Nigeria Certificate of Occupancy Registered as no: 75/75/38 at the Federal Lands Registry, Ikoyi, Lagos Dated 15th January 1998 which said property is situate at house No.5, close 9, Satellite Town, Lagos

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nasarawa uncovers 1,600 ghost workers, pensioners Igbawase Ukumba LAFIA

asarawa State government yesterday uncovered about 1,600 ghost workers and pensioners on its payroll following a bio-metric exercise in the state recently. The ghost workers and pensioners were uncovered at both the state and local government levels during a bio-metric exercise carried out by Skye Bank Plc. Executive Director of Skye Bank Plc, the consulting firm that carried out the exercise, Idris Yakubu, disclosed this to journalists shortly after CHANGE OF NAME

North 45

Thursday, March 31, 2016

presenting the final biometric report to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura at Government House, Lafia. He maintained that with the uncovering of those illegitimate payments on the payroll of the state, government can, with well implementation of the bio-metric report, be saving about N83million on monthly basis. He said further that with the conclusion of the bio-metric exercise, the number of legitimate persons on the payroll of the Nasarawa State government now stand at 58,000. Yakubu concluded that the exercise, which the bank carried out for the CHANGE OF NAME

state government, was on zero cost as according to him; “it was part of the bank’s social responsibility to its host community,” even as he continued that the implementation of the report would block financial leakages and save funds for meaningful development in the state. Governor Al-Makura, while receiving the report, thanked Skye Bank for doing a wonderful job which is timely with the implementation of Treasury Single Account, TSA, and Bio-metric Verification Number, BVN, in all financial transaction in the state aimed at adding more efficacies of checks and balances of accountability. CORRECTION OF NAME

Masari signs N114bn budget into law James Danjuma KATSINA

overnor Aminu Bello Masari on Wednesday signed the 2016 Appropriation Act of N114 billion into law. The Act is the first for the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration since it assumed office in May last year. The budget tagged ‘Budget for Restoration of Hope’, was initially N111.4 billion, before the House of Assembly jerked it up to N114 billion. Speaking shortly after signing the Act, Masari said the state government would need the support of stakeholders to ensure 90 per cent implementation of the budget. He said current administration through the budget, intends to restore the pride CHANGE OF NAME

and dignity of the state, with priority given to education, health, agriculture, water and security. In the area of security, the governor said close to one billion naira had been spent to check cases of cattle rustling, with more than 11,700 animals so far recovered to date. The governor, however, warned against the trampling on the rights of others in public places, by those hiding under the guise of carrying out religious activities. Obviously referring to a planned peaceful demonstration by the Shi’ite group which was banned yesterday; Masari said no group or people would be allowed to illegally take over public places. He said while everyone has the right to practice his or her religion, such right CONFIRMATION OF NAME

ADESUBOKAN: I, formerly known and addressed as ADESUBOKAN YETUNDE VICTORIA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ADESUBOKAN IYABO VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLADELE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLADELE FUNKE CHRISTIANAH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OYEBAMIJI FUNKE CHRISTIANAH. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ANYANWU: I, formerly known and addressed as ANYANWU UCHENNA VICTOR, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ANYANWU CHARLES NKEMJIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

SEDIQ: I, formerly known and addressed as SHADRACK SEDIQ, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MOSES APOSTLE SEDIQ. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OBI IFEANYI AUGUSTINE, now wish to be known and addressed as AGBARAKWE IFEANYICHUKWU AUGUSTINE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as FRANCIS CELINE, now to be known and addressed as FRANCIS CELINE CHINASA as CHINASA should be added to my name. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ONWUKWE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OBY GLORY ONWUKWE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OBY GLORY OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

TIJANI: I, formerly known and addressed as TIJANI AKOR DAUDA, now wish to be known and addressed as TIJANI IZIEN AKOR. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ALFA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ALFA OLAYINKA FLORENCE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. BAMIDELE OLAYINKA FLORENCE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME MOUNMBEGNA: I, formerly known and addressed as MOUNMBEGNA POUONKOUSSOU PHILIPPE EMMANUEL, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MOUNMBEGNA PHILIPPE. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OGEDENGBE: I, formerly known and addressed as MRS. OGEDENGBE OPEYEMI CHRISTIANA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. OGEDENGBE OPEYEMI AINA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

MOSES: I, formerly known and addressed as ANGELA MOSES, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ANGELA DANIEL SENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ABDULSALAM: Formerly known and addressed as ABDULSALAM MORIAMO AINA, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULSALAM MARIAM AINA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

SODIQ: Formerly known and addressed as MISS SODIQ HUBAIDAH MONISOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ELEGBELEYE HUBAIDAH MONISOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as GARBA HARUNA SARKI now wish to be known and addressed as GARBA S. FAWA. All former documents remain valid, Skye Bank, First Bank, Maiyama LGA and the general public should take note.

I, formerly known as MRS. ADEMOLA FOLASHADE GRACE, now wishes to be known and addressed as MISS ADEGOKE FOLASHADE GRACE. All former documents remain valid. The Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, Access Bank, GTBank and Ecobank should please take note.

NNABUIKEM: Formerly known and addressed as NNABUIKEM PATRICK AGINA now wish to be known and addressed as NNABUIKEM EMMANUEL AGINA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

SULAYMAN: Formerly known and addressed as SULAYMAN LUKMAN ABIODUN now wish to be known and addressed as IDIAGBON LUKMAN ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

VAST FOUNDATION AND EMPOWERMENT THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE TRUSTEES OF THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION WITH HEADQUARTERS IN LAGOS WISH TO APPLY TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER ‘PART C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Okobah Kingsley Chuks 2. Miss Ekwubi Gloria Ukwandi 3. Mr. Okobah Ekene Francis

…………… Chairman ………….… General Secretary …………… Member

I am ONYEOZIRI CHINAGOROM DESMOND and not OZOEMENE ISREAL TOCHUKWU as being wrongly spelt. All documents bearing ONYEOZIRI CHINAGOROM DESMOND remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ADDITION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

OKEZI: Formerly known and addressed as OKEZI CAROLINE TIEMORIA now wish to be known and addressed as OKEZI CAROL TIEMORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To provide funds to youths and traders at the grass root level who meet the organization set out criteria. 2. To provide a platform through which the less priviledged could be self employed. 3. Provision of aids to the orphanage home.

EBOIGBE: Formerly known and addressed as EBOIGBE FOLASHADE OMOTAYO now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNYADE FOLASHADE OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. ………………………………….. JULIUS ADEOSUN OLAOSEBIKAN ADEOSUN & CO. BARRISTERS, SOLICITORS AND NOTARY PUBLIC, 229 IKOTUN IDIMU ROAD, IDIMU, LAGOS STATE 07068971207

IBRAHIM: Formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM SHAKI OLABISI now wish to be known and addressed as IDRIS SHAKIRAT OLABISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL EDET, now wish to be known and addressed as EMMANUEL EEIKOCHO OMALE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, ADEYEMI TEMITOPE EMMANUEL, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLAYEMI ADEYEMI TEMITOPE. All documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as FONAH TAWAKALT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FONAH TAWAKALITU ABIMBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

Formerly known and addressed as AGBAPURU O. ANTHONY, now wish to be known and addressed as INNOCENT ANTHONY OBUMNEKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MOHAMMED: Formerly known and addressed as MOHAMMED ZAKARI ATTAHIRU, now wish to be known and addressed as MOHAMMED KATUN ATTAHIRU. All former documents remain valid. Unity Bank and general public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ONAMADE: Formerly known and addressed as ONAMADE BOLANLE SELIMOT now wish to be known and addressed as ONAMADE BOLANLE SELIMOT LAWAL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

AKPORSU: Formerly known and addressed as AKPORSU ELIZABETH KUHORLU now wish to be known and addressed as AKPORSU ELIZABETH NSEOBONG. All former documents remain valid. Heritage Bank and the general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

EZUGWU: Formerly known and addressed as EZUGWU CECILIA NGOZI now wish to be known and addressed as UGWU CECILIA NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formally know and addressed as MISS FALOLA FUNMILAYO AWERO now wish to be know and addressed as MRS. OLAWUYI FUNMILAYO AWERO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

would be checked if it goes against the interest of majority of the populace. He said the state government would not allow what happened in Kaduna State to repeat itself in the state, adding that efforts would be made to “ensure that the state remain peaceful as it has been.” Masari said the state government was not afraid of criticism, and was ready to “take the pill of bitterness” from anyone or group. He, however, called for prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors to ensure that they deliver on the promises made. CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly known as MISS AMINULLAH BOLANLE RUKAYAT now wish to be addressed as MRS. BADMUS RUKAYAT YOYINSOLA with Corrected age of 15th May, 1980 instead of the stated 15th May 1985, All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. MOJIROLA AWEDA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MUYIBAT ABIODUN AWEDA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as IGUEHIDUWA BRIGHT OSASUMWEN, now wish to be known and addressed as IGUAHIDE BRIGHT. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly known as MR NWOGUO EMMANUEL, now wish to be called and addressed as MR UGOCHUKWU EMMANUEL DIVINE. All my former documents bearing Nwoguo Emmanuel are hereby valid as Ugochukwu Emmanuel Divine. My SSCE certificates that was mistakenly written as (NwoguoEmmanuel) should also be valid as Ugochukwu Emmanuel Divine. General public and Authorities Concerned should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

TIKARE: I, formerly known and addressed as OYEYINKA OLAWALE GEORGE TIKARE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as PRINCE TIKARE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, JACOB JANE MARY is one and same person bearing JACOB PRECIOUS MARY. All documents bearing both names are mine and hence remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

SAMSON: Formerly known and addressed as SAMSON ONYELUKACHUKWU ENYI now wish to be known and addressed as SAMSON ONYI ENYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IGHERE: Formerly known and addressed as IGHERE APEAKHUYE now wish to be known and addressed as NWABUEZE IWEKA EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. STANBIC IBTC, SUPER ENGINEERING Co.LTD. and the general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME MGBODILE: Formerly known and addressed as MGBODILE ANAYOCHUKWU VINTUS now wish to be known and addressed as MGBODILE ANENECHUKWU VINTUS. And my correct date of birth is 12-81974. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SHEKONI: Formerly known and addressed as SHEKONI ABIOLA OWOLABI now wish to be known and addressed as SHEKONI ABIOLA MOJEED. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

INYANG: Formerly known and addressed as INYANG OKON ENYIEOKPON now wish to be known and addressed as EDIDIONG OKON ENYIEOKPON. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as ABRAHAM UMUAKPERO PHILIP now wish to be known and addressed as ABRAHAMUYOYOGHENE PHILIP. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Sports

Thursday, March 31, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ew Morocco coach, Herve Renard, hailed his team yesterday after the Atlas Lions became the first qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon. The 47-year-old who guided Zambia and the Cote d’Ivoire to the most prized African football trophy was speaking after a 2-0 home win over Cape Verde sealed first place in Group F. “I was amazed by the determination they displayed,” he said after a second-half brace from Youssef El Arabi secured victory in Marrakech. “It is important that we maintain in future games the same mindset that was shown when we beat the No. 1-ranked African team twice within four days. “What we achieved was considerable, but we must remain calm and begin preparing for the finals,” he told reporters. Renard replaced Badou Zaki as coach of under-performing Morocco a month ago and made a winning debut last Saturday with a 1-0 success in Cape Verde. The Frenchman, who believes wearing a white shirt on match days brings luck, sprang to prominence in 2012 when he steered Zambia to Africa Cup glory. Perennial underachievers Cote d’Ivoire were next to benefit from Renard, winning the 2015 final against Ghana in Equatorial Guinea on penalties after another goalless decider. Morocco has set the Frenchman, once a garbage collector and night-time cleaning contractor in Paris, the stiff targets of reaching the 2017 Cup of Nations semi-finals and qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

AFCON 2017

Renard hails Morocco qualification

Renard

Stop booing Ronaldo, Kaka tells Real fans

F Ronaldo

City defender, Demichelis, charged with betting

anchester City defender, Martin Demichelis, has been charged by the Football Association over alleged betting offences. BBC Sport reports that the Argentine, 35, is accused of committing 12 breaches relating to matches between 22 and 28 January 2016. Demichelis has until April 5 to respond to the charge. However, there is no suggestion that the charge relates to any of the 25 league and cup games in which he has featured for City this season. New rules that came into force for the 2014-15 season mean players and coaches are prevented from betting on any worldwide footballing activity. The FA has the power to fine or suspend any person found guilty of a rule breach.

Arsenal name Elneny Player of the Month

gypt international, Mohamed Elneny, has been named the Arsenal Vitality Player of the Month, the club announced yesterday. Elneny, 23, was in fine form for the Gunners during the month of March and has duly been rewarded for his efforts - topping the club’s online poll, beating Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil to the accolade. His first goal for the club, a stunning strike against Barcelona at Camp Nou, was also voted as the Goal of the Month, completing a clean sweep for the Egyptian international. The former Basel midfielder returns to club action this weekend, having helped the Pharaohs to the brink of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-0 win over Alex Iwobi’s Nigeria in Alexandria on Tuesday.

Elneny

ormer Real Madrid striker, Kaka, has called on the team’s fans to show more respect to Cristiano Ronaldo, who was booed during a La Liga match against Celta Vigo earlier this month. Ronaldo became Real’s all-time top scorer this season, and has scored 41 goals in all competitions in the current term, but the Portugal forward continues to endure a fractious relationship with the club’s supporters. “Cristiano is a great player and I’m not just talking about his quality, but what he has contributed to Real Madrid...,” Brazil international, Kaka, who now plays for Orlando City in the MLS, told Spanish radio station, Cadena Cope, yesterday. “I’d like to see supporters show more respect to Cristiano for what he has done for this club. Hearing people boo Cristiano is not right after everything he has done for this club.” Ronaldo, who responded to the booing in the Celta Vigo match by scoring four goals in the second half in a thumping 7-1 win, is top scorer in La Liga this season with 28 goals. He is two ahead of Barcelona forward, Luis Suarez, as he bids to become the league’s No 1 marksman for a third straight year. The Portuguese overtook Raul as the Real’s all-time top scorer last October, grabbing 324 goals in 310 matches, compared to the 741 games the Spaniard needed to score 323. The 31-year-old also set a record with 11 goals in the Champions League group stage this term, but has been criticised for failing to score in the biggest games against teams like Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Wheelchair tennis is dormant, coach cries out A Nigerian wheelchair tennis player

ssistant Coach of Wheelchair Tennis, Kayode Savage, yesterday attributed the poor development of the sport to dearth of activities in the first quarter of the year. Savage told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that there had not been any competition for players or any course for technical officials in the first quarter. NAN reports that the last major event for wheelchair tennis was the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Senior Open Championship held in 2012. According to Savage, there is no way players’ skills can be appraised when they are denied the opportunity of taking part in competitions.

“We entered the year with high expectations, hoping that we will have series of programmes for players and officials. “But to my surprise, the first quarter is almost gone and nothing was achieved,” Savage said. “My suggestion is that the body should at least be able to hold one championship in a quarter, to help to keep the sport going and to motivate the players. “The significant way to motivate players is to be consistent in their careers by staging competitions, whereby they can exhibit their skills and we are able to evaluate them,” he added. The coach further said that the general development of the sport in the state would be in

jeopardy, stressing that wheelchair tennis needed more awareness at the grassroots. “Organising quarterly competitions in the state would attract athletes from within the state, whereby athletes would get to familiarise and socialise among themselves. “Competition is a facilitating forum that can bring our upcoming athletes together, whereby they will see and interact with one another, in one big family,” he added. Savage, however, recommended that corrective measures should be adopted in the second quarter, to make-up for lost programmes, in addition to the ones listed in the federation’s calendar of activities for the period.

NCF explains inability to hold women’s meet

eam Manager of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Joseph Eshua, has blamed paucity of funds for the federation’s inability to hold the national women championship. Eshua told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos

Cricketers

on Monday that the postponed championship would hold immediately the body could access funds. He noted that the sixth edition of the championship which was supposed to hold in 2015 was also postponed because of lack

of funds. “The federation has not forgotten about the women’s national championship and we are still very much on it. “The problem we are having now is the issue of accounts we can operate with, because of the Single Account System (TSA) that we have in the country. “Also, we are yet to receive financial assistance from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for this same reason. “We are assuring cricket fans that immediately we get access to funds, a date will be fixed for the championship,” Eshua said. NAN reports that five states have qualified from the preliminaries played in five geo-political zones last November to feature in the event. The states are Rivers, Oyo, Anambra, Kaduna and the FCT. Rivers won the fifth edition of the championship in 2014.

NTF inaugurates black belt college exco Ifeanyi Eduzor

ewly elected executive board members of the Nigeria Taekwondo Black Belt College led by its president, Uzoma Onwuchekwa, has been inaugurated by the President of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation (NTF) Grand Master George Ashiru. Those inaugurated at the Auditorium of the University of Lagos Guest House, Akoka, Lagos includes the president, Onwuchekwa; Secretary General, Yemi Adeyemi; Public Relations Officer, Wufai Ewa; Financial Secretary, Tunji Akinwande and the Treasurer, Aramide Ajayi. Also inaugurated were the six vice presidents representing the six geopolitical zones of the country. They include; Usman Mohammed, Vice Presi-

dent North-East; Ibrahim Yahuza, North- West; Abdulmumuni Yusu , North-Central; Collins Rockson, South-East; Kehinde Salawu, South-West and Tony Ekandem vice president for South-South. In his inaugural speech at the occasion, the black belt president promised to use his position to unite all aggrieved parties in taekwondo as well as bring about innovation in the sport, even as he admits that he has a big task ahead of him following the footsteps of his predecessor, Grand Master Ashiru. He thanked the president of NTF, who was also the immediate past president of the NTBBC for repositioning taekwondo sport in the country. The occasion was also used to give a seasoned Martial Artist and sports journalist, Patrick Ibeh his 4th Dan Black Belt Certificate.

Chukwumerije

Chi supports sports in Nigeria

s part of its commitment to identifying with local football clubs and the opportunity it brings, Chi Limited, Nigeria’s beverage and snacks manufacturer has reiterated its resolve to continually support local sporting activities across the country Chi Limited recently supported the ‘Lagos Marines’ football team at the University of Lagos, a backing the company says is in line with its policy of fostering a healthy lifestyle and youth development through the promotion of local football clubs and sporting engagements. According to Chi Limited’s Head of Marketing, Mr. Probal Bhattacharya, “The youths of Nigeria represent a large percentage of our consumers and their passion for sports makes our support for ‘Lagos Marines’ more meaningful. The brands at Chi Limited reflect vitality, activity and health – the same values that you find in sports. The support to ‘Lagos Marines’ comes at a time where many marketing budgets are under pressure due to the current macroeconomic challenges. However, we will stay committed in supporting sports in Ni-

geria” The company’s Managing Director, Deepanjan Roy, stated that marketing at Chi Limited also has to be cost conscious and efficient. “At the same time, we are convinced that companies like Chi Limited have a social responsibility to continue supporting the communities where we are active. During difficult times this is even more important than during easy times. It is our belief that supporting local sports is a worthwhile investment as we continue to seek more ways to adding value by fostering youth development through various initiatives,” Roy said. Expressing delight at the initiative, the management of Lagos Marine commended Chi Limited for identifying with the club. For them, this partnership is a step in the right direction as it further portrays the company as a socially responsive organisation. “Chi Limited has demonstrated their support for local sports activities and we appeal for other companies to replicate this,” management of Lagos Marines said.

WORLD RECORD

Largest violin

N150

Vol. 06 No. 1338 Thursday, March 31, 2016

The largest violin is 4.27 m (14 ft) long, has a maximum width of 1.4 m (4.5 ft), made by the Vogtland masters of violin and bow making in Germany, and completed on June 14 2010.

Mr. President, can we really prevent our own Brussels?

y friends all, Brussels, prior to the latest terror attacks that struck its very soul, had always basked under the illusion that terrorism was other people’s problem. Not even the fact that the felt clutch of terror had in recent times dealt devastating blows to nearby states like France made the Belgians rise more appropriately to forestall any eventualities. They have now paid the price of what to me was arrant slackness and complacency. The warning signs were there! The Belgians had just helped the French arrest Abdeslam, the mastermind of the Paris mayhem that killed many. Shouldn’t they have known that the enemy would want to avenge their prized asset now in Belgian clutch? Even the Nigerian prophet, TB Joshua in a broadcast on his universally-watched Emmanuel TV, warned days before that

Guest Columnist

Sola

Ojewusi

there was an impending strike and asked the Belgians and other Europeans to be on red alert. Shouldn’t these signs, spiritual or temporal, have made the Belgians to be more conscious of the clear and present danger they faced? The death of dozens of innocent travelers is the consequence of this complacency. My point today is to use the sad Belgian example to drive home the need for the Nigerian authorities to wake up to the possibility of this act of madness here. This is even more pertinent given the recent declaration by ISIS that Nigeria is one of their enemy nations. So are we really prepared? Terror now strikes in the most unlikely of places. Or how do we explain the deadly attack on revelers in a place as remote as the beach of Grand Bassam in Cote d’Ivoire? This came in the wake of similar attacks in a Bamako, Mali hotel last November, which claimed 27 lives, and that of another hotel in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in January, which claimed 23 souls. Despite warnings by security analysts that Ivory Coast would be next, no one listened. Now, what lessons have we learnt from this trio of attacks? I surveyed our entire security apparatus and my heart sizzles for lack of conviction about our readiness for the big one. Forget the much-ballyhooed surrender fantasy of Abubakar Shekau in the past week. Terrorists are like stubborn nanny-goats. Beat them mercilessly today and be under the grand illusion they’ve been beaten for good. The next

Terrorists thrive in sensational

outrage.

They

nurse no qualms about outlandish cruelty day, you are in for the shock of your life when the goats return to the same place in pursuit of fresh mischief. Religious fanatics are die-hard bastards and you must be in constant vigilance against their incessant mischief. Terrorists thrive in sensational outrage. They nurse no qualms about outlandish cruelty. In the pursuit of their warped agenda, nothing is too sacred or untouchable, not even the serene innocence of a sea beach. So what are we doing about our beaches and other soft targets? I was at Eleko and Elegushi beaches recently and I saw people in pure bliss enjoying their hard earned rest after the drudgery and stress of the hustles of Lagos, apparently oblivious of the yawning danger in the wake of the Grand Bassam atrocity. I didn’t see any sign of any security arrangement in sight. The question is, Are we so sure that we are immune to what happened in Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso? Are our security forces so preoccupied and inundated with the strife in the North-East that not a cogent thought

is spared for the security of other regions? Just last week, the President arguably declared Rivers State the deadliest place in the recent dispensation despite the fact that we all know the comparatively mind-boggling security status of the North Eastern theatre of war. To me this statement is at best a kind of self indictment for the tactical blunder of over-concentration on Maiduguri, Yola etc, while other parts of the nation are at the mercy of sundry goons. We must continue to protect those regions, but not without consideration for other areas. I wonder if the President really spared a thought for Nigeria’s own beaches and other vulnerable sites, while vociferously condemning the dual atrocities of the Ivory Coast and Belgium! No, my leader, we have to do better than mere rhetoric. We must send a message, loud and clear, to would-be terrorists that we would never allow them near our national treasures and the places where we hold our ways of life sacred. We must demonstrate our preparedness for the children of evil and not wait till they strike before coming out with some deuced condemnation after the culprits had vanished. Terror has become a micro-political instrument for the periodic display of the fundamentalists’ insane manliness. So what’s the best response to souls who kill for the enforcement of their warped ideology? Vigilance, vigilance, vigilance and more vigilance. Copious, glaring security is no longer an exhibition of cowardice; it is expediency and wisdom. To frustrate the clear and present danger of terrorist atrocities, vigilance must be asterisked and written in capital letters in our security lexicon. We have passed the age of security illusion. In a world of fundamentalist lunacy, where not even your brother could be trusted, we must look ahead and stymie the advance of evil before it comes knocking on our door.

Sport Extra

njured captain, Wayne Rooney, is excited to be part of the fierce competition for places in England’s starting line-up for the Euro 2016 finals in France. England face Russia, Slovakia and Wales in Group B of the 24-team tournament that starts on June 10. The 30-year-old striker’s place in

Euro 2016:Rooney excited by competition the first-team has come under serious threat from in-form Tottenham Hotspur forward, Harry Kane, and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, with both leading the scoring charts in the Premier League this season. “I have never taken my place for granted. Obviously, you want to

play and it is great that competition is now there. With the quality we have got, it is exciting to be a part of,” Rooney, England’s record goalscorer, told ITV on Tuesday. Rooney has been out since February 13 with a knee ligament problem but is expected to return in time for

Manchester United’s league trip to face Tottenham at White Hart Lane on April 10. “If everything goes according to plan, I’m back outside running now and I’m hoping to be full training within the next week or 10 days, so not too far away,” Rooney said.

Rooney

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