Monday, March 25, 2013

Aig-Imoukhuede, Yuguda may replace Sanusi as CBN gov EXCLUSIVE AYO OLESIN

DEPUTY EDITOR (BUSINESS) Sanusi

Vol. 3 N0. 584

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ndications have emerged that President Goodluck Jonathan may be considering the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, Mr.

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State to replace Mallam Lamido Sanusi as the Governor of the Central CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

Monday, March 25, 2013

Achebe: Kinsmen, OBJ mourn passage Rivers set to honour him with a film

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2015: Jonathan tightens noose on governors EFCC, ICPC enlisted to prevent defection to APC North West PDP pass vote of no confidence on President EXCLUSIVE AYODELE OJO AND A ZA MSUE

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resident Goodluck Jonathan is leaving nothing to chance in his quest for re-election in 2015 as he tightens the noose on the state governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The action is against those perceived to be opposed to his ambition.

It was learnt at the weekend that the antigraft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC – have been tacitly co-opted into the Jonathan’s project.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Kalabari threatens Shell over royalties

Opposition parties are power grabbers, says Tukur P.11,13

Sunmonu

BUSINESS SECTION Nigeria LNG to buy six ships from Samsung, Hyundai THE

Again, gunmen strike, burn three schools in Borno Kano CAN laments effect of attacks on church attendance P.12

FG plans 40% cassava bread by 2015 P.A6

Members of the First African Church Mission, Jehovah Shalom, Broad Street, during the Palm Sunday celebration in Lagos, yesterday. More photos on page 2.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Free ree inside d

Police rescue Army General from abductors

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Monday, March 25, 2013

Pope Francis delivers his blessing to the palms and to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square during Palm Sunday Mass yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Sunday School Superintendent, Sister Dupe Sowunmi; People’s Warden, Bro. Bunmi Osunrinade; Guest Preacher, Rev’d Samuel Omolaja; Boy Jesus, Master Ogunlusi Oladimeji; Vice Lay President, Lagos Mainland Diocese, Engr. Babatunde Odufuwa and Bishop Lagos, The Rt. Samuel Ajayi, during the 2013 Palm Sunday of The African Church Cathedral Salem in Lagos, yesterday.

2015: Jonathan tightens noose on governors CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Already, some incriminating documents exposing looting of public funds by some governors have been submitted to the president. “Some information about corrupt activities are still being gathered,” a security source said.

The documents detailed how the governors have corruptly enriched themselves through contract awards and money laundering.

“There are enough grounds to nail some of these governors. We have established cases of corruption against them but you know, we cannot prosecute them because of the immunity they enjoy.

“The President as the Commander-in-Chief is in possession of the reports of investigation on some of the governors.

You know there is no way we can investigate the governors without the knowledge of Mr. President. This is in line with our normal duty but you may read political meanings into it,” a top operative of the EFCC disclosed to National Mirror.

The source confirmed to our correspondent that they are only waiting for the go-ahead of President Jonathan to begin arrest and prosecution of some political appointees, aides and associates of some of the governors who were involved in some questionable transactions in their states.

A source in the Presidency told our correspondent that President Jona-

than had already shown a South-South governor incriminating documents detailing his involvement in money laundering.

The governor is not in good terms with the President and does not hide that fact.

“Not long ago, the President invited the governor to the Villa for a briefing.

In the course of his engagement with President Jonathan, he was given a report indicting him for money laundering. The evidence could not be faulted by the governor.

The president only told him to change his ways,” the source said.

It was gathered that throughout the week he was confronted with the overwhelming evidence of money laundering, the governor followed Mr. President to all his engagements in Abuja.

Already, the son of Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, a potential presidential aspirant, is facing prosecution over money laundering offence.

The governor has stated that he is the target of the attack.

Niger State Governor Aliyu Babangida has also cried out that the government of Jonathan is after him.

According to the strategists of the president, the antagonistic governors “would be stripped naked through the prosecution of their aides who are helping them to stash away illegal funds.”

This approach was adopted during the Oluse-

gun Obasanjo administration when the EFCC was the arrowhead of the attack against Joshua Dariye in Plateau State and Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State.

A competent source told National Mirror that the governors are aware of the plot. This is why some of them have not openly declared for the controversial All Progressive Congress, APC. “The fear is that any attempt to openly declare for APC means an open declaration of war against the President which the governors may not be able to stand,” an aide of a governor told our correspondent.

National Mirror learnt that the failure of the President and national leadership of the PDP to whip some of the PDP governors into line has led to the adoption of the fresh strategy.

It has been learnt that some of the governors have started reaching out to the President in the face of the reality on ground.

A source said a couple of the governors have met President Jonathan to pledge their loyalty to his government and reelection. Some of the governors have even denied joining those opposing the president.

“What the governors really want is an assurance from the President that they would not be harassed and prosecuted after the completion of their tenures in 2015.

But the approach they are adopting is what the

president does not appreciate,” the source said.

In another development, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto State has denied a report in a national newspaper yesterday that himself and seven other PDP governors have concluded plans to defect from the party.

Wamakko, in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday by his Commissioner of Information, Mallam Nasir Danladi Bako, said: “I wish to hereby state categorically that this story is not true and is without basis. I call on the public to discountenance the story and ignore it.

“As has been stated on several occasions by Governor Wamakko, the present administration both at federal and state levels are just approaching midterm of their four-year tenure. Therefore, all elected officials owe the voters, and indeed Nigerians a duty to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy as per the promises they made during their various campaigns and rallies.

“Governor Wamakko hereby calls on all those charged with the duty of governance to concentrate on this onerous task rather than engage in premature chase for 2015 offices.”

Also, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has denied plans to leave the PDP along with seven other governors ahead of the 2015 elections.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, Governor Ahmed said there was no iota of truth in the report and dismissed the publication as the handiwork of mischief-makers bent on causing disaffection in the PDP. “Governor Ahmed has no intention of leaving the PDP now or in the future. I wish to state with all emphasis at my disposal that the report is untrue and could only have been orchestrated by mischief makers. Governor Ahmed remains a loyal and committed member of the PDP and sees the current realignments in the party as normal in any political association. It is his belief PDP is certain to come out stronger,” Akorede said in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday.

Ahmed said that the current disagreements in the party are temporary.

“At any rate, Governor Ahmed believes that it is more fruitful to focus on delivering good governance and improving public confidence in our democracy rather than speculating on the 2015 elections which are still two years away,” he said.

Meanwhile, facts emerged at the weekend that PDP in the North West as well as governors and stakeholders in the zone have passed a vote of no confidence on President Jonathan’s performance and his public utterances ahead of the 2015

elections.

The zone’s stand was made known during a closed-door reconciliation meeting held at Gen. Hassan Katsina State House, Kawo, where they told the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, that they were not comfortable with President Jonathan’s recent outing in Maiduguri when he addressed former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sherrif, as his friend.

The stakeholders said the ex-governor was the architect of the Boko Haram insurgence in the North.

The meeting, which reconvened after the opening session at Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Indoor Sports Complex, Murtala Square ended about 1a.m. on Saturday.

At the meeting, participants maintained that if President Jonathan fails to amend his ways and improve on his performance and stop making vexatious public utterances before 2015, he may lose the zone to the opposition.

National Mirror learnt that the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, and the governors of Katsina and Kebbi states, who attended the opening session were absent at the night meeting. Only Kaduna State governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, two deputy governors and Tukur among other members in the seven North West states controlled by the party were present when the party members made CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, March 25, 2013

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PhotoNews

Monday, March 25, 2013

Group Managing Director, Global Fleet Group, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, OFR (right) and Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, at the wedding of the daughter of the presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, Love, and Stephen Ogah, at Ota, Ogun State, at the weekend.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

L-R: Special Adviser to Lagos State governor of on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello; Managing Director, Noah’s Ark Communications, Mr. Lanre Adisa and Chairman, Board of Directors, Mr. Kola Abiola, at the Noah’s Ark Creative Safari in celebration of the agency’s fifth anniversary in Lagos, at the weekend.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Nigeria 50 Award winner, Mr. Arjan Mirchandani of Euro Global Food & Distilleries; Chairman, Transcorp Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, at the inaugural Nigeria 50 Awards in Lagos, recently.

L-R: In-coming Managing Director/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, out-going MD/CEO, Mr. Rajan Swaroop, member of the Board, Mr. Paul Usoro-Usoro (SAN) and Chairman, Board of Directors, Dr. Oba Otudeko, during the send forth for Swaroop in Lagos, at the weekend.

NationalNews

Pension thief verdict: NJC to decide Talba’s fate in May EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

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he National Judicial Council, NJC, will decide the fate of Justice Abubakar Talba of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in May. A highly-placed source in the Council told our correspondent that members of the NJC would meet in two months’ time to deliberate on the report of the fact-finding panel set up on February 20 to investigate Talba’s “slap-on-the wrist” judgement on a convicted pension thief, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu.

Yusufu was sentenced to a two-year prison term with an option of fine of N750,000, which he met without much ado.

Meanwhile, the investigative panel that probed complaints by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which prosecuted Yusufu on a three-count (amended) charge of stealing over N23 billion police pension fund, concluded its two-day sitting last week.

The panel, which is

scheduled to meet this week or next, was said to have heard from Talba and his legal team.

The meeting, it was gathered, is to carefully consider Talba’s submissions in relation to the January 28 judgement.

According to the source, members of the panel will take into consideration provisions of Section 309 of the Penal Code, which Yusufu was later charged under, the amount involved as well as the claim by the EFCC that an agreement was reached for the convict to serve a “custodial sentence”.

He said: “The fact-finding panel has concluded its sittings and members may meet this week or next to consider submissions sideby-side with the petition.

“The panel did not lose sight of certain fundamentals such as the law under which the anti-graft commission tried convicted Yusufu, the amount involved, maximum prison term, and the insistence by EFCC that it had an understanding - which was brought to the trial judge’s knowledge

- for a custodial sentence.

“After their meeting, it is hoped that a clean report will be submitted to Council in May, for appropriate decision.”

It was also learnt that the NJC, under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar, is determined to restore the incorruptible image of the judiciary, as the last hope of the common man.

The judiciary recently came under severe attacks from concerned individuals and groups, over Talba’s judgement, which many described as a “slapon-the wrist”.

To further register its dissatisfaction, the anticorruption agency rearraigned Yusufu on a fresh four-count charge bordering on his failure to disclose his assets, as they relate to his interest in a

company called SY-A Global Services Limited.

In the fresh charge, the anti-corruption commission is alleging that Yusufu failed to declare his interest in N250,000,000 domiciled in a fixed deposit account with Zenith Bank, as well as another N10,000,000 traced to First Bank of Nigeria Plc; all in the name of SY-A Global Services Limited.

The former Assistant

Director is accused of not declaring his interest in N29,000,000, which was fixed on his instruction by one Danjuma Mele in his company’s account with Diamond Bank; an offence punishable under Section 27 (3) of the EFCC (Establishment, etc.) Act Cap E1 2004.

Yusufu was, however, granted bail on March 18, after spending 47 days in Kuje Prison.

Passengers demand N100m compensation from Aero Contractors WALE IGBINTADE

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orty passengers of Aero Contractors, whose flights were abruptly cancelled on March 13, have demanded N100 million as compensation for paid tickets.

The passengers, who expressed disappointment over what they termed as lackadaisical attitude of the aviation firm, also demanded a public apology.

In a letter of March 22, signed by the passengers’ solicitor, Miss Abigail Somoye, and addressed to the

Managing Director, Aero Contractors Company of Nigeria Limited, the passengers said the compensation was for the irreparable loss which they suffered.

Besides, the passengers also gave an ultimatum of 14 days for their demand to be met or the airline would face a lawsuit.

The passengers are Adidi John, Dr. E. Iwuoha, Dr. Gbadamosi, Dr. Iloh Jude, Michael Afolabi, Ibezito Ogbona, Emenike Ikewuonu, Wale Lawal, Justice Amos, Victor Oropo, Victor Ezemobi, Olatunde Popoola, Joy Ndukwu, Habila Ishia-

ka, Oyewale Raphael, Ibrahim Suleiman, Dr. Azuara Ifeanyi, Orhonor Abigail, Dr. Bayo Windapo and Mrs. I. Eze. Others are Farouk Magaji, Coker Olufemi, Dr. Kayode Joe, Dare-Williams Oladimeji, Mr. Kingsley Chika, Dr. Moses Ani, Dr. Oladeji Femi, Dr. O. P. Ani, Mrs. Folakolade Temidayo, Mr. Tseghomi Oteri, I. Essien, Amani Brou, Mike Nnaji, Justice Ukpabi, Ayanda Muyideen, Eohoi Godwin, Bernard Favour, Atuluku Helen, Eke Chukwuemeka and Bamidele Ogunbiyi.

They were slated to

board planes to Port Harcourt, Calabar and Abuja on March 13, but were shocked when they got to the airport and discovered there was a showdown between the management and staff of the airline which grounded its operations.

They claimed that neither were they notified of the cancellation of the flights nor did the firm make alternative arrangement to enable them get to their destinations that day which resulted in mental and physical torture, huge financial losses owing to missed business opportunities.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, March 25, 2013

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Aig-Imoukhuede, Yuguda may replace Sanusi as CBN gov CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Isa Yuguda, is also said to be lobbying to get the plum job and is actively pushing his candidacy through Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

Sanusi, whose tenure end early next year, has said he would not seek reappointment for a second five-year term.

The CBN governor, whose grandfather was Emir of Kano, had openly expressed his interest in becoming the next Emir.

Even before Sanusi’s declaration, Presidency sources had said he was not likely to be nominated for another term despite enjoying a rather successful but controversial tenure.

Sources said top Presidency officials feel that Sanusi’s nomination might become a problem for President Jonathan if he is put forward next year as the CBN governor has become one of the biggest critics of the administration’s huge spending on political office

holders and other cronies of those in power.

It was learnt that the CBN governor had stepped on toes of some key members of the administration including members of the National Assembly and some Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, bigwigs who feel that Sanusi cannot be part of a government which he continues to embarrass by his utterances and are determined not to confirm his appointment for a second term.

Sanusi has consistently expressed misgivings about the size and spending habits of the government and said recently that Nigeria cannot make any progress if 70 per cent of revenues continue to be expended on running the government.

Yuguda, 56, who will complete his second term as governor in 2015, faces an uncertain future thereafter.

Sources close to his camp say he believes he is amply qualified for the post and the CBN governorship is sure way of keeping himself in the corridors of power.

The Bauchi State governor had served as Managing Director and Chief Executive of the defunct Inland Bank between 1992 and 1999. He was then appointed Managing Director/ Chief Executive of NAL Merchant Bank holding office until June 2000 A 1979 graduate of Economics of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Yuguda obtained a Masters in Business Administration in 1998 at the University of Jos in Plateau State, he began his banking career with the Federal Mortgage Bank, in 1981 and also worked with Savannah Bank before moving over to Inland Bank.

He was appointed Minister of State Transportation by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and was moved to the Ministry of Aviation in May 2003 and served until he left office in June 2005.

He was elected governor of Bauchi State in 2007.

Presidency sources however said that Yuguda’s candidature would face some hurdles as he is not seen as

a reliable ally. He was one of the first governors to endorse Jonathan’s candidature shortly after President Umaru Yar’Adua died, even though he is married to the daughter of the late President.

Aig-Imoukhuede is being tipped based on his newly-found closeness to Jonathan. The Access Bank boss has become an almost regular fixture in the corridors of power and he was recently appointed to head a Presidential Committee on Verification and Reconciliation of subsidy claims and payments, which indicted 21 oil firms of fraudulent activities in July and recommended that they jointly refund N382bn found to have been wrongly paid as subsidy.

The Access Bank boss is already due to step down in December when he would have completed 10 years in office based on new corporate governance rules imposed by the CBN in the wake of the banking sector crisis and at 46, he will be the youngest CBN governor

Vice-President Namadi Sambo (fourth right) National Chairman Peoples Democratic Party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur (third right)and other members of the PDP National Working Committee at the celebration of the committee’s first year anniversary in Abuja yesterday.

2015: Jonathan tightens noose on governors CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

their views known.

A source who attended the meeting, told National Mirror that North West PDP family expressed their disappointment over President Jonathan’s actions on some national issues.

It was also gathered that one of the PDP stakeholders’ grievances was President Jonathan’s controversial state pardon recently granted to his former boss, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The source said: “One issue extensively discussed was President Jonathan’s public utterances.

The North West PDP delegates also expressed disappointment on President Jonathan’s recent visit in Maiduguri where he called the former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sherrif as his friend because they believed Sherrif was one of the architects of Boko Haram. Why should our president addressed him as his friend?

They also accused Presi-

dent Jonathan of underperformance saying Mr. President should change his ways before the 2015 elections because North West zone and people in general are not happy with some of his actions and utterances.”

It was also learnt that Tukur has perfected plans to reach out to Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his Niger State counterpart, Dr. Babangida Aliyu to drop their 2015 presidential ambitions, which is be-

lieved to be causing ripples among northerners.

Sambo had earlier warned members who are bent on destroying the party to desist from such action.

“We must shun all overtures by those who are bent on destroying the party through anti-party activities and be unified in our quest to strengthen a party that has made its mark and improved the lives and well-being of our citizens,” Sambo had said.

if he gets the job.

Aig-Imoukhuede has had a remarkable banking career of over two decades. A law graduate of the University of Benin, he rose to the post of executive director in just 10 years at Guaranty Trust Bank. In March 2002, Aig-Imoukhuede resigned his appointment to lead a team of young bankers to take over Access Bank Nigeria becoming managing director as 33.

Last year, AigImokhuede carried out an audacious and controversial takeover of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc and the merger of both banks was completed in January making Access Bank one of the top five banks in Nigeria.

He is a Director of Africa Finance Corporation, AFC, and fellow of the African Leadership Institute under the auspices of Aspen Institute, Colorado in the United States. He is also honorary fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers, CIBN, and an Alumnus of Harvard Business School, Executive Management Programme.

CBN sources however said that government may choose one of the serving deputy governors to fill the post when it becomes vacant.

One is Mr. Tunde Lemo, 53, who is currently Deputy Governor, Operations Directorate and has been on the CBN board since January 2004.

Lemo, a chartered accountant and banker, was Managing Director of Wema Bank between 2000 and 2003 and has been responsible for a wide range of policy initiatives aimed at deepening and reducing the cost of banking services among other strategic functions. He had previously served as Deputy Governor, Financial Sector Surveillance and chairman of the Abuja Securities and Commodities Exchange and Nigeria Export Import Bank and is a director of the AFC. Another strong contender is Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, who came into office in 2009.

Moghalu, 49, a lawyer with a PhD in International Relations, is responsible for implementing reforms aimed at ensuring the quality and stability of the

banking system and also serves on the board of directors of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, as well as being the Chairman of NEXIM and the Financial Institutions Training Centre, FITC. He is also a member of the Economic Management Team, EMT. Sanusi’s replacement would have big shoes to fill as the incumbent has gained huge respect in international financial circle on account of his sweeping reforms in the banking sector and outspoken views.

Sanusi, who was named Central Bank Governor of the Year by London-based Banker Magazine in 2011 had sacked the chief executives of eight banks within four months of assuming office after an audit found evidence of mismanagement and reckless lending.

He has pushed for stability in the currency and helped bring inflation down below 10 per cent, while at the same time antagonising lawmakers by criticising their spending and courting controversy for his outspoken views, most recently on China’s role in Africa.

Sanusi-led the Monetary Policy Committee in increasing the benchmark interest rate by six percentage points to a record 12 per cent from September 2010 to October 2011 to bolster the currency and curb inflation.

The retention of the interest rate at 12 per cent amid evidence that inflation was being reined in, has elicited criticism from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry and several financial analysts who have called for monetary easing to facilitate increase lending to the real sector especially the small and medium enterprises.

The Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane said, “That quality of character, that boldness is a quality that will be difficult to find amongst policy makers in Nigeria.”

An Emerging-Markets Strategist at Standard Bank Group Limited, Mr. Samir Gadio, said last week that the government should name his replacement soon to help ease investors’ concerns and manage the transition.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG begins clearing of pipelines’ right of way nationwide UDEME AKPAN

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he Federal Government has embarked on massive clearing of illegal structures in and around oil and gas pipelines as part of measures adopted to tackle vandalism and oil theft in all parts of the nation.

The exercise is further targeted at securing the facilities for maximum operations, including releasing commercial crude oil for export to boost foreign exchange as well as improved supply of petroleum products for domestic consumption.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which embarked

on the exercise through its subsidiary, the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company (PPMC), confirmed that some of those structures were used to steal crude oil and petroleum products from NNPC pipelines.

The Corporation said the exercise executed at additional cost through the use of contractors would be continuous in order to ensure that the pipelines were completely rescued from vandals who have over the years done a lot of havoc to them and other facilities.

The spokesman of PPMC, Mr. Nasir Imodagbe, who confirmed the development in a telephone interview yesterday, stated that the clearing would be

followed with improved monitoring to prevent reconstruction of such structures.

He said the intervention became imperative because encroachment of pipelines had attained an alarming proportion in recent times.

Imodagbe said: “The government will not compensate owners of such structures because these are illegal structures that constitute serious threat to the security, safety and operations of the pipelines.

“The activities of vandals affect operations because pipelines occupy strategic place in the downstream sector, involving refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products.

Imodagbe said vandalism affect activities because the PPMC receives crude oil from the National Petroleum Investments Management Services, NAPIMS for supply to the nation’s refineries, even though some are imported to meet domestic shortfall.

According to PPMC records, over 5, 000 arrests have been made across the nation. It was learnt that while some of the cases have been resolved, others have already been settled by the Courts.

The initiative that has moved to Aba-Port Harcourt line was started at Arepo, Ogun State some weeks ago before the Corporation moved to other areas noted for encroachment,

vandalism and oil theft.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, disclosed that an indigenous engineering firm, ENIKKOM, was mobilized to redirect the pipeline from the reach of vandals with modern technology to monitor the facility regularly.

Yakubu said in matching words with action and to continue to improve the right of way of the pipelines, the NNPC has also built a watch tower, police post, and would ensure that the hot spots would be completely secured, adding that this would also prevent the loss of lives. NNPC will also build a long wide platform that will ensure easy access at anytime for the security forces over the swamps.

The NNPC helmsman observed that the project has a very high cost benefit to the Corporation saying that the Corporation records a loss of six hun-

dred million naira every week that the System 2B is hacked down by vandals.

Yakubu said the project has the full support of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the top leadership of the security agencies and appealed to State Governments, Local Government, Communities and other stakeholders to join hands with the NNPC to stamp out pipeline vandalism for the growth of the economy.

The Managing Director of the Pipelines and Products marketing Company (PPMC), Prince Haruna Momoh, said with the two hundred and fifty eight tanks in the twenty one depots and a holding capacity of 2.6 billion litres of petroleum products and with the over 5,000km network of pipelines across the country, the NNPC is ready to constantly wet the nation with products.

...The world understood Africa better through him –OBJ •Ngige, others mourn

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ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo has joined others in morning the late literary giant, Prof. Chinua Achebe.

According to Obasanjo, Achebe’s death is a great loss to the nation.

The former President L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Chaplain, Aso Villa Chapel, Ven. Obioma Onwuzurumba and the Guest Preacher, Minister for Power, said: “While he lived, Prof.

Prof. Chinedu Nebo, at the special church service to mark the 2013 Palm Sunday in Abuja, yesterday.

Achebe has by his person and through his works demonstrated an important perspective of the soul of the African and his world view at a period when the continent was undergoing some of the chiefs scheduling a meeting most significant changes in He said: “I love and have he is known as “a Man of NGOZI EMEDOLIBE read A Man of the People the People”, he instead uses to formally announce the its history. over and over again, mostly his position to increase his death of Chinua Achebe in “Because of what he a cultural practice called wrote and showed, the world personal wealth. ivers State Gov- because of its portrayal of The minister’s riches “Igbo Mgba,” which is done understood Africa better. ernor Chibuike leadership as it is in Africa. and power prove particu- when individuals with out- This is a well deserved tribI have also commissioned Amaechi has larly impressive to Odili’s standing personalities pass ute that can never be taken that a movie be made out of planned to honour the late girlfriend, who cheats on on. Achebe, who was one away from Prof. Chinua it for the benefit of our peoliterary giant, Prof. Chiof them, held the Ozo title, Achebe.” him with the minister. ple, especially our youths nua Achebe, with a film ‘Ugo Bere N’Oji’ (The eagle Odili agrees to lead an who are the leaders of toThe Senator representing that will be adapted from on the Iroko tree) before his Anambra Central, Dr. Chris opposition party in the morrow.”

A Man of the People, a The book, released in face of both bribes and vio- death last week.

Ngige, canceled the constitubook written shortly be1966 is a 167-page narrative lent threats; he triumphs ency summit he had schedfore the first military coup of Odili, a school teacher in over the minister, however, uled in honour of the late in Nigeria. writer who hailed from his Amaechi’s plan to hon- a fictional country closely when a military coup forces senatorial district. our the late literary giant resembling post-colonial his old teacher out of office.

National Mirror gathThe Ekiti State House was contained in a tribute Nigeria.

Odili receives an invita- ered that the modalities for of Assembly Speaker, Hon. by the Rivers State Governtion from a former teacher the shooting will be unfoldAdewale Omirin, said that ment House. the revival of the education In the tribute signed by of his, Chief Nanga, who is ed soon.

Meanwhile activities in sector by the Federal Govhis Chief Press Secretary, now the powerful, but corOgidi, Idemili North Loernment was the greatest Mr. David Iyofor, the gover- rupt Minister of Culture.

As minister, Nanga’s job cal Government Area of honour that the nation could nor said he was fascinated is to protect the traditions Anambra State, heightened give to the late literary giant. with the book. of his country, and though yesterday with red cap Achebe In a statement by his me-

Achebe: Amaechi plans movie on A Man of the People

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dia aide, Mr Wole Olujobi, the Speaker praised the late Prof Achebe, who died on Friday at the age of 82, for his selfless service to the nation and the international community at a time when material acquisition was the order of the day.

He said: “Naming a national monument after him by the federal or state government may be considered as a way to immortalise this man, but I want to point out that the government must take a step further by repositioning the education sector, which was the main fight of Prof. Achebe before his death.

“Our education sector is appalling as at present time, Prof. Achebe pointed these out several times during his lifetime and called for redress, but little was done in this direction. I hereby call on the Federal Government to do what it thinks is right to ensure that the dreams of this man for Nigeria in the area of education are fulfilled”.

Also paying tributes, former Minister of National Planning, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, said the road accident which crippled the famous author was “another calamity of the country.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, March 25, 2013

Police rescue abducted Army 24 hospitalised after fire incident General, kill one, arrest two SAM OLUWALANA

SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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en of the Delta State Police Command have rescued Major General Peter Unode, who was abducted by gunmen in Ughelli, the headquarters of Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, last week.

Unode was rescued in Ozoro, the headquarters of Isoko North Local Government Area of the state by a police team led by the divisional police officer in the council area, on Saturday.

The General was abducted at Ekiugbo in Ughelli Local Government Area by four gunmen last Wednesday. Information available to National Mirror from the

police yesterday, indicated that Unode was thereafter whisked away from the scene in a Toyota Sienna bus.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Adaba, said Unode was freed unhurt from captivity in a text message to our correspondent yesterday.

Adaba said the retired General was brutalised and dehumanised by his abductors, adding that policemen attached to Ozoro Division, who acted on a tip-off, stormed the criminals’ den in the area.

Adaba said one of the criminals was killed while two others, who sustained gunshot injuries in the gun duel, were arrested.

The commissioner of police said the building where

the retired Army chief was held would be demolished to serve as a deterrent to others.

The police boss said; “Major General Peter Unode was rescued in Ozoro on the intervention of the DPO in the area. He was chained to an armchair and blindfolded.

Arrangement is on to bring down the building.

“In a fierce gun duel, one of the kidnappers was gunned down while two others were arrested with gunshot wounds. The rescued General described the raid of the kidnappers’ den where he was chained, as a commando style, and praised the bravery of the tactical and disciplined squad led by the DPO in Ozoro. No ransom was paid,” an obviously elated Adaba added.

Make fight against TB part of centenary anniversary –NMA TOBORE OVUORIE

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he President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, has called on the Federal Government to make the fight against tuberculosis, TB, one of its centenary anniversary projects.

The NMA President made the call at the commemoration of this year’s world TB Day yesterday.

According to Enabulele, this could be achieved by massively investing in TB research activities towards the discovery of the much needed anti-TB vaccine.

“This they can do by bridging the funding gaps in NTP budgets and instituting endowments to universities and other research institutions/organisations to motivate scientists for the task of discoveries and breakthroughs in the areas that has to do with zero deaths from TB, faster treatment

modalities, a quick, cheap and low tech diagnostic test, among others.”

He, however, called on the Federal Government to establish a National Centre for Disease Control in order to achieve effective surveillance and control of diseases as well as fulfilling an earlier agreement of giving 15 percent of Nigeria’s national budget to health care.

“We therefore call on the Federal Government to accord top priority to budgetary allocations to the health sector by complying with the Abuja Declaration of 2001 by allocating the prescribed 15 percent of Nigeria’s national budget to health care.

“This we believe, with sanity in public spending, would help to positively address many, if not all, of Nigeria’s diseases of public health concern that continue to denigrate the image of our country, Nigeria.”

Noting that the Federal Government alone cannot

eradicate the scourge of TB in the country, Enabulele equally called on other stakeholders to save Nigeria from being ranked among countries with the worst health indexes.

“We also call on private entrepreneurs, the corporate world and friends of Nigeria to save our country from this embarrassing tag of under development! high TB burden! high HIV burden! high MDR-TB burden, among the comity of nations.

“In addition, NMA calls on research organisations to give greater attention to Nigerian-prone issues like TB. We therefore call on governments at all levels, corporate organisations, religious bodies, community gender-based socio-cultural organisations, professional associations, trade unions, and individuals to wake up to the reality of the fact that Nigeria has the highest TB disease burden in Africa and 10th largest in the world.

10 First Class graduates offered automatic employment HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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ndo State government has promised to give automatic employment to 10 First Class graduates of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, as part of its promise to reward hard work and excellence.

The state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, made this known at the weekend

during the 4th convocation ceremony of the institution.

The state government also promised to employ graduates who may not be interested in academics, promising to absorb them into the state’s civil service, adding that the gesture is aimed at encouraging others to work harder.

Mimiko, who had earlier commissioned some projects on the campus, said

his administration would continue to be committed to making the university one of the best in the country, saying the institution’s fees are among the lowest in the country.

His words: “We have ensured that the admission of students into AAUA is purely on merit, there is no governor’s list, no VC list, that is why we are getting good results from our students,” he said.

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fire outbreak in Ogoloma community, Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, yesterday, resulted in the hospitalisation of about 24 people.

The incident, which happened between 5.00am and 6.00am yesterday was said to have created panic among residents of the area, as there was no fire men in the community to put out the inferno which burnt for hours.

According to an eyewitness account, the fire was caused by some people who stored petroleum products in a residential building that was the only property affected by the inferno which affected many people resulting in varying degree of injuries.

Members of the community said they have made frantic calls to officials of the Nigerian

National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to help in putting out the fire but that help was not forthcoming as the officials ignored their SOS call.

Reacting to the incident via a text message, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, told journalists that the NNPC refused to send fire trucks when the community requested for it.

Describing the action of the NNPC as unfortunate and unacceptable, Semenitari said the fire outbreak occurred in a community hosting NNPC facilities.

She further: “The NPPC Refinery refused to send a fire truck when requested despite the fact that this was a fire outbreak in their host community. The community had to battle until the Rivers State Fire Service arrived to put out the fire.

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“The NNPC officials’ reaction to the incident is most unfortunate and unacceptable. The Rivers State government is shocked at such insensitivity to the plight of a host community.

A prompt action from NNPC would have reduced the level of damage,” the commissioner said.

When contacted, the Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Emenike Umesi, claimed that he was just coming into the state, saying that he has been away on official duties.

“I am just coming in from Nassarawa State.

I will confirm from my men on the ground to get details,” Umesi said. The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Port Harcourt Refinery, Mr. Ralph Ugwu, could not be reached for comments, as his cell phone was switched off as at the time of filing this report.

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Forget centenary celebration, face insecurity, poverty, ASUU tells FG KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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L-R: Wife of Ogun State governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun; Governor Ibikunle Amosun and former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Sarah Sosan, at the funeral service of Madam Olabisi Amope Phillips at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, at the weekend.

Fayemi not under pressure to replace deputy –Govt

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kiti State Government has refuted reports that Governor Kayode Fayemi was under pressure to replace his ailing deputy, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka.

The government made the rebuttal in a statement issued at the weekend by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Yinka Oyebode.

The statement also accused some newspapers

of publishing false report on the deputy governor’s health condition, as well as misrepresenting the meeting between Fayemi and Olayinka’s elder brother, Chief Olusegun Famuagun, who is the Sasere of Ado-Ekiti.

The statement reads in part: “While it is true that the governor and Chief Famuagun met, the governor did not tell the respected High Chief that he was

under pressure to replace his deputy; neither did he allege that some politicians had started lobbying to be considered for the position that is not vacant.

“The widely reported falsehood is at best a figment of the imagination of the writers.

“We urge journalists to continue to be guided by the ethics of the noble profession and stay clear of fictitious writing.”

FG allocated oil blocks to incompetent firms –Monarch OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

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ome oil companies given licences by the Federal Government to operate in the Niger Delta, especially in Mahin Kingdom in Ondo State, have abandoned their blocks because of lack of equipment, despite excess oil deposits in the area.

The Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Minerals Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, who is the Amapetu of Mahin Kingdom, Oba Lawrence Omowole, who said this, blamed the Federal Government for the development.

Omowole said the government allocated oil blocks to wrong hands when there were many reputable companies that bid for them.

The traditional ruler called for the revocation of licences of oil companies that had derailed in their statutory responsibilities to their

host communities.

He also said many government projects in the Niger Delta Region failed because the contracts were awarded to people not familiar with the terrain or had no idea of “what it takes to put such projects in place”.

Omowole, who solicited the involvement of traditional rulers in the award and execution of government projects in their domains, also suggested that government should appoint TROMPCON members into the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. According to him, the traditional rulers know the kind of projects that are relevant to their communities and the appropriate time to execute them.

The monarch berated the NDDC Managing Director, Christian Oboh, for not operating an open door administration which he said was crucial for any government or organisation to succeed.

He said: “We have made

several efforts to meet with the NDDC Managing Director to let him know the problems confronting his commission’s projects and to at the same time proffer possible solutions. But he locked his office door against us.

He has failed to learn from his predecessor’s mistakes.

“As traditional rulers in the Niger Delta Region, we are in the best position to advise him and show him the right path if truly he wants to succeed. On several occasions we were in his office but he never wanted to see us.”

The TROMPCON chairman said there must be synergy between the commission, the royal fathers and all the interventionist agencies in the interest of the development of the region.

On oil derivation, the monarch said the position of the traditional rulers was that the money should be paid directly to the local government for judicious use.

he Chairman of the University of Ibadan chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, has berated the Federal Government for displaying lack of capacity to check the menace of insecurity in the country.

Ajiboye said this at the weekend while participating on a private radio station programme monitored in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He challenged the Federal Government to face the daunting issues of insecurity, poverty, hunger and youth unemployment

in the country headlong, urging President Goodluck Jonathan to forget the centenary celebration.

The ASUU chairman described the centenary celebration as unnecessary and another avenue for some public officials to loot more money from the country’s treasury, insisting that it was senseless for the leadership of the country to be setting up committees for the centenary celebration when terrorists were killing innocent Nigerians with impunity.

Ajiboye also faulted the call for the change of name of Nigeria to Commonwealth of Nigeria as diversionary and uncalled for.

was released SatGunmen abduct Akure businesswoman, reporter urday night, after spending over 48 hours in the as NTA newscaster regains freedom

OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

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unmen have abducted a businesswoman, Kehinde Olusanya, at her Ayedun Quarters residence in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Kehinde is the daughter of the late High Chief Josiah Olusanya, the Asamo of Akure.

The incident occurred barely two days after a nursing mother and reporter with the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Akure, Olubunmi Oke, was kidnapped in the state capital on her way home after she read the news for the day.

Oke, however, has re-

gained her freedom.

It was learnt that Kehinde was kidnapped about 1am on Saturday in the presence of her twin sister, Taye, after her abductors forcefully gained entry into their apartment.

The kidnappers, numbering four, reportedly broke into Kehinde’s apartment and ordered her at gun point to follow them, taking her away in a car without removing any item from the apartment.

Her whereabouts were unknown while her abductors had not established any contact with her family as at the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the NTA

kidnappers’ den. She has since been reunited with her family.

The Ondo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, thanked all those who played one role or the other in securing Oke’s release.

The Council Chairman, Akin Owanikin, said in a statement yesterday that: “We commend the spirited efforts made by the family and we pray that nothing of such will take place in the family and our union again.

“We also use this medium to call on the government and security agencies to step up protection of Nigerians in their homes, places of work and in all places.”

Ajimobi, Oke mourn Adegbite, Obadare, Akinnola

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and the Ondo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olusola Oke, have expressed shock and sadness over the deaths of Chiefs Samuel Adegbite, Bayo Akinnola and televangelist, Prophet Timothy Obadare.

Ajimobi said Adegbite, Akinnola and Obadare died when the Nigerian nation required their business acumen, philanthropy and spiritual interventions most.

This is contained in a statement issued by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo.

Ajimobi recalled that Adegbite had invited him,

a little over a year ago, to the donation of a school to his village at Igbo-Oloyin in Ibadan, saying that he was well-loved among his people.

The governor also said that Adegbite was a patriot of note whose main bother all his life was the development of Nigeria and Oyo State.

He said: “We will sorely miss Chief Adegbite in Oyo State. He was an elder statesman who was preoccupied with the progress of our state and the promotion of good governance.”

Also, Ajimobi said Akinnola was one of the foremost entrepreneurs that the country could boast of, adding that his death had robbed the

country of his philanthropy and patriotism.

He said: “As the Lisa of Ondo Kingdom, Chief Akinnola was a man of culture who recognised the pride of place that the people’s past should occupy.

“At his death, we have lost a man who was generous and was a humanist to the core.”

Ajimobi also recalled that Obadare was one of the earliest televangelists who evangelised the whole of the South-West on television and throughout the country with his powerful crusades.

He said the prophet’s death was the exit of one of the greatest foot-soldiers of Christ among humanity.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Monday March 25, 2013

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I’ve Jonathan’s support to challenge Mimiko’s victory – Oke OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

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eoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the 2012 election in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke, at the weekend, said that he has the support of President Goodluck Jonathan to challenge the victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko, at the tribunal.

He said this while debunking the rumour that he has been disowned by President Jonathan and the party’s national body for challenging Governor Mimiko’s victory.

Oke, who was speaking with journalists in Akure, said he had a cordial and excellent relationship with the President, adding that the rumour was one of the antics of the Labour Party, LP, to destabilise the PDP and cause confusion within the party in the state.

He said he had the approval and support of President Jonathan and national leaders of the party to challenge the last election, which according to him, was manipulated.

The PDP standard bearer said he bear no grudge against President Jonathan for congratulating Governor Mimiko after the October 20, 2012 election, saying that the

President was only performing his constitutional duties as the head of the nation.

His words: “I have excellent, cordial, perfect and undaunted relationship with Mr. President and the PDP national leaders.

I have their support to challenge Mimiko’s victory at the tribunal.

Mimiko has exploited several avenues, using government machineries to cause crisis between PDP in Ondo State and in Abuja.

But he has failed.

PDP is still a formidable party in the state and no amount of unfounded rumour and antics of the LP-controlled government and its agents can pull our party down.”

Oke, however, expressed disappointment over the presence of some PDP leaders from outside the state at the second term inauguration of Governor Mimiko, particularly Governor Theodore Orji, whom he described as his intimate friend and confidant.

“I was amazed when I saw Governor Orji at the second term inauguration of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

Governor Orji is not just a friend but a confidant. He is part of my project. If at all he would come as a governor, I expected him to have let me know,” Oke said.

L-R: Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi and Chair-person, state House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs, Mrs. Abeni Olayinka, at the unveiling of the state's Social Intervention Centre, in Ado-Ekiti, at the weekend.

Child defilement: Speak up, Lagos govt tells victims’ parents MURITALA AYINLA

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he Lagos State government has urged residents and relations of victims of child defilement to open up, saying it has set up a witness protection unit that will protect witnesses from the commencement of prosecution to the end.

Speaking with National Mirror, the state SolicitorGeneral and Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, who made this disclosure, said the era of stigmati-

ACN elders commend Osun’s development strides

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he Elders’ Council of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has lauded the giant development strides being made by Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola.

At a meeting held in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area on March 22, 2013, the council took a critical look at all the programmes initiated and being executed by Governor Aregbesola and resolved to publicly commend him for doing a good job in the state.

The body said the governor was able to achieve that much in spite of the daunting challenges of governance bequeathed to him by the immediate past administration in the state.

In a communiqué signed by the Chairman of the council, Engineer Sola

Akinwumi, the body which also commended the National Chairman of the ACN, Chief Adebisi Akande, for his matured leadership, also commended the state governor for his administration’s laudable strides in urban renewal, development of roads and other infrastructure, education and empowerment.

According to the council, the achievements of Governor Aregbesola has made them proud and lifted the popularity of the ACN among the people of the state, who they noted, are marvelling at the sheer size and depth of the projects going on all over the state.

The council particularly stated; “That the governor has made the council proud by his various developmental activities, especially in the areas of road infra-

structure, urban renewal, O’School, O’Uniform and others too numerous to mention.”

The elders also expressed joy at the provision of employment for thousands of jobless youths through the recent recruitment drive into the state public service apart from the recruitment of another set of 20, 000 volunteers into the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, OYES. On the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC, the council lauded the roles of Chief Bisi Akande, Governor Kayode Fayemi and other ACN chieftains for their efforts at “bringing Nigerians together for the achievement of development and egalitarianism” through the formation of the new party.”

sation and fear for the safety of a witness to give evidence had been taken care of by the state government.

He said; “They should speak out, people should speak out. The era of stigmatisation is over. I can tell you in the Ministry of Justice now; we have a witness protection unit that will protect the witness from the commencement of the prosecution to the end. The fear of stigma and attack has been taking care of.

He said people can now give evidence against their neighbours, when they in-

dulge in any such act as the state would not hesitate to relocate such witness in the interest of justice.

“Crime of such magnitude shouldn’t be swept under the carpet. The fear arising from what will happen to witnesses when they get back to their area after the case is over should not be there.

“We have instances where witnesses are relocated to another place by the state government because they said they live in the same community with the prosecuted person. This was done to ensure they give evi-

dence truthfully and in all honesty without perjury.

“We invite them to say the truth because the victims could betheirownchildren.So,if such issues are swept under the carpet,wearedoingourselvesmore harm. At the unit, confidentiality is paramount and protection witness is sacrosanct.

“Unfortunately, people don’t know that defilement case has time limit. That is why immediately it happens they should talk.” He added that if they are afraid to go to the police station, the Ministry is ready to take over such case with competent prosecutors.

Aregbesola’s aide robbed A DEOLU A DEYEMO OSOGBO

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rmed robbers at the weekend stormed the official residence of the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy in the Office of the Osun State Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, carting away important documents.

Okanlawon in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo, said he was stunned by the development, which he described as ungodly, but said that the case has been reported to the state police command.

The head of the bureau, who expressed optimism that the police would get to the root of the matter, said the

armed robbers “were interested in some documents as evident in the massive upturning of all the books and documents kept in the room.”

His words: “I got to my apartment in the evening of Wednesday March 20, at about 6.55pm to meet a strange development.

My room was ransacked by unknown person or persons, apparently after I had left for office at the Governors’ Office, Abere. We met the entrance door intact but my room was literarily turned upside down by those who appeared to be in search of what I still cannot fathom.

“My bookshelves were brought down and all books and documents turned upside down. My wardrobe was scattered

with many documents, books and magazines while my printer was smashed.

“A few files containing some documents were also brought out of their drawers and scattered all over the places. The motive of the criminal intruders still remains unknown to me till now as they did not make away with any item.”

Aregbesola

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Monday, March 25, 2013

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MASSOB plans protest against killing of Igbo in North CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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he Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has expressed worry over what it described as the senseless killings of Igbo in some parts of the country.

MASSOB has, therefore, vowed to protest the killings

if the Federal Government does not initiate measures to contain the menace.

The group said it was particularly aggrieved that the brutal killings of Igbo in some states in the North had “become a constant ritual without any major measure taken by the Federal Government to stop the gradual elimination of the helpless people.”

In a statement signed

by MASSOIB Regional Administrator in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Elder Uchenna Ugwu, the group called on the people to stay at home beginning from June 8, 2013.

He disclosed that the protest, which will start from Orlu in Imo State, is to register members’ displeasure over the killing of six in-

nocent Igbo traders in 2005 by the police and the dumping of over 40 dead bodies into Ezu-River in Anambra State by the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) and the inability of the Federal Government to stop the incessant killing of Igbo in some states in the North.

The statement reads: “Each time there is problem between Hausa or any-

body, it is the Igbo that are always targeted. We are not going to take it anymore.”

The group, therefore, asked residents of Amaifeke, Umunna, Okporo, Umtanze, Ihioma, Eziachi, Umuowa, OwereEbeiri, Mgbee and Ocasiato towns to stay at home on June 8, saying that MASSOIB “will not be held responsible if any harm is

done to any person or group of people who disobey the directive.”

He said the movement of the people including vehicular traffic within the affected towns in Orlu Local Government will be restricted, shops, markets, motor parks and industries will also remain shut from 6am to 4pm on the said day.

Council shuts two ‘medical schools’ in Enugu DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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Enugu State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Jude Akubuilo (left) and a representative of the Postmaster-General of the Federation, Chief Leonard Nwankwo, during the launch of Commemorative Stamp on Enugu Centenary held in Enugu, at the weekend.

Group asks Tambuwal to abide by court ruling on Rep’s election TOLA AKINMUTIMI ABUJA

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group, the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has lent its voice to mounting agitations by civil society groups calling on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to inaugurate Mr. Tony Nwoye as the legally elected member representing Anambra East/West Federal Constituency.

The human rights advocacy group expressed its disappointment over the continued stance of the leadership of the House of Representatives on the matter after a competent court had declared Nwoye, the former National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), as fulfilling all valid requirements to be inaugurated as a member of the House.

HURIWA, in a statement issued by yesterday in Abuja by its National Coordinator, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Officer, Miss. Zainab Yusuf, asked the House lead-

ership to comply with the rule of law and swear -in Mr. Tony Nwoye without any further breach of the law.

It stated that to continue to disobey the court ruling would be tantamount to abuse of office, arbitrary and unlawful act by the leadership of the House of Representatives.

HURIWA said it was aware that on July 13, 2012, Mr. Tony Nwoye secured the order of mandamus/ judgement mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Mr. Tony Nwoye as the candidate of the April 2011 general election and also to issue him with Certificate of Return in compliance to Supreme Court’a verdict of 9/6/2012 in appeal No SC/69/2012 between Prince Emeka versus Lady Margery Okadigbo in which the apex court, among others, affirmed Mr. Tony Nwoye as the validly nominated candidate for the election by virtue of the fact that only the list produced by the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is sacrosanct.

The group also affirmed

that information available to it indicated that the House leadership deliberately breached the law by refusing to inaugurate Mr. Tony Nwoye.

It said: “Any further violation of the law by the Federal House of Representatives in this instance remains an affront to democracy, rule of law and respect for the fundamental human rights of a Nigerian.”

The rights group, therefore, asked to Speaker Tam-

buwal to respect the law and the legal advice offered him on September 12, 2012 by the Director of Legal Services of the National Assembly by immediately inaugurating Mr. Tony Nwoye rather than allow the current occupant of the seat, Mr. Chriskato Ameke, who from all available court records is adjudged not to be the validly nominated candidate of the ruling party which won the coveted seat.

he Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has shut the main campus of Luminar International Centre for Health and Alternative Medicine located at Mgbowo in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The Council, which carried out the exercise in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Health, also closed down the institution’s outreach centre in Agbani Road, Enugu.

Head of MDCN’s enforcement team, Dr. Henry Okwuokenye, said the health institutions were closed down for allegedly without license from regulating authorities.

Okwuokenye said it was unfortunate that a school should be opened where medical personnel were trained without any form of regulation from any authority, wondering what would be the quality of the graduates from the institution.

He expressed shock over the number of patients at the Awgu main campus of the institution, stressing that “it is even more worrisome that there is nobody to attend

to these patients.”

Dr. Okwuokenye said: “We have come and we have seen that they train students here; nobody was given accreditation to run the school; this institution is illegal and fake; so it stands closed.

“You can see they just told us that the institution belongs to one Professor Okoro Akpan, but I can tell you authoritatively that the professor himself has no practice license let alone training others. He is not registered here in Nigeria, yet he is registering others.”

The MDCN insisted that until the authorities of the institution complied with practice directive as provided in Cap M8 of the Laws of Medical and Dental Act, the school would remain shut.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Enugu State Ministry of Health, Dr. Moses Otiji, said that the government would not spare people who toy with health of others.

Otiji, who represented the state Commissioner for Health during the exercise, said: “We have about nine patients that are not being attended to by anybody, no doctor, no nurse, not even a pharmacist.

Ohanaeze chieftain kicks over agreement violation DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

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he secretary of the 2013 Ohanaeze Election Committee, Chief Richard Ozobu, has flayed a chieftain of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Dr. Joe Nworgu, for violating the agreement reached by the two factions of the group.

Ozobu said it was wrong for Dr. Nworgu to violate the peace agreement and went to the media claiming to be the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in his reaction to the Kano bomb

blast last week.

In his reaction to the alleged impersonation”by Nworgu, Chief Ozobu emphasized that the 2013 Ohanaeze election impasse had not been resolved, noting that it was an act of indiscipline by Nworgu to assume he is the authentic SecretaryGeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Ozobu, therefore, described every statement made by Nworgu as a personal opinion and not the mind of Ndigbo as Nworgu claimed.

He said: “The statements were not from proper authority. They were his per-

sonal views and not that of Ohananeze. Even as a semimember of Ime-obi, Joe Nworgu should be properly guarded. Why did he say he cannot guarantee the safety of the people?”

Ozobu stated that even though, Nworgu spoke for himself, he should have appealed to the federal and state governments to bring the culprits of the Kano motor park bombing to justice.

He said: “Nworgu should have asked the civil leaders in the North to talk to their people that if there are people they suspect, they should report them to the law en-

forcement agents.”

Ozobu urged Ndigbo resident in the North to form a neighbourhood watch to protect themselves.

Ozobu said that for the crisis rocking Ohanaeze to be resolved, the five South-East governors would have to be present in a reconciliatory meeting, expressing optimism that the protracted problem would soon be resolved.

He charged all those parading themselves as elected officials such as O.A.U Onyema and another from Delta State to be careful and stop making unguarded statements.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Monday March 25, 2013

Kalabari threatens Shell over royalties SAM OLUWALANA

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hiefs of Kalabari land have threatened to kick out Anglo-Dutch oil giants, Shell, from their land if it goes ahead with its plans to reduce royalties to the people of the area, a step the company said it will take due to rising incidents of crude oil theft in the region.

The chiefs representing

the kingdom, which includes Asari-Toru, Akuku-Toru and Degema Local Government Areas, said any slash in the royalties being paid to them will amount to a breach of the agreement signed with the people.

This warning was handed down yesterday by the traditional ruler of the kingdom, the Amayanabo of Kalabari, His Majesty, Prof.

Theophilous J. T. Prince-

will, Amachree X1, while answering questions from journalists shortly after a special service at the African Church, Buguma City, in Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state.

The occasion was to mark his 11th anniversary on the throne as Amayanabo of Kalabari Kingdom. He noted that the funds were part of the extant agreement between Shell and the

kingdom to assist in the development of the area.

Princewill said; “Shell keeps mentioning that they were going to shut down their Trunk line. For the last six years or so, they gave us some money which we used in providing projects. Now that they are coming to the second phase of that agreement, they call it Global Memorandum of Understanding (G-MoU).

L-R: Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio; Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Keshi; goalkeeper, Vincent Enyema and goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu, posing with the AFCON trophy, during the reception organised for Super Eagles in Uyo.

Rather than increase that which is due to us, they want to reduce it by more than half, whereas in the last five years that they have benn operating, there was a promise to have 10 per cent increase annually.

Instead of finding it necessary to review it upwards now that they are going to enter into a new agreement, they want to slash it down by more than a half.

Of course, the Kalabaris will not agree,” he warned.

“Although, they said because of crude oil theft, they have their production in the Kalabari area dropped, but we did not believe that, that has happened. But if we go by that, there are other areas that there is no production whatsoever, but they have increased allocation to them.

“It is only in areas where they are having the fattest cow, they now want to decrease. So, if they want to insist on reducing what mandate they gave us, we will say no, we will not accept it. You either increase it or you don’t operate in our area,” he further warned.

Princewill added that the

11

Kalabari Council of Chiefs had met severally with Shell, where the latter was told that whatever is in the territory belongs to the people and that the firm was only allowed to go and exploit it.

“If what they are doing is to make us suffer for it, we ask them (Shell) to pack up their things (facilities) and go, because we will not beg them to come and do it. If they don’t do it, there are other companies that will come in to do it. For many years now in Ogoni area, Shell is not operating, yet Nigeria has not died. If we stop Shell from operating in our territory, Nigeria will not die and that is our position.”

It will be recalled that the Managing Director of SPDC, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, had, in a news briefing in Port Harcourt, on March 2, said the firm may be compelled to shut down its Nembe-Creek Trunk line, NCTL, following the upsurge in crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, particularly in Kakrama, a community in Kalabari land and Awoba, in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

Navy arrests 70 suspected oil thieves

Crisis looms as militants vow to blow up vessels

•Destroys illegally refined AGO

AMOUR UDEMUDE

SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

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uthorities of the NNS Delta, Warri Naval Base, have arrested 70 suspected oil thieves in Warri, the commercial nerve-centre of the state.

National Mirror gathered yesterday that about 27 drums of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil, AGO, were impounded during the raid by the naval personnel on Friday.

It was leant that the security operatives, who acted on a tip-off, stormed the scenes of the illicit operation near the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, premises and Ugbuwangbue community in Warri South West Local Government Area, of the state, in the early hours of Friday.

The impounded petroleum products were burnt at the naval yard located along NPA Expressway in Effurun, the headquarters of Uvwie Local Government Area of the state. The destruction of the prohibited item was supervised by the Commanding Officer of the NNS Delta, Commodore Mohammed Garba.

It will be recalled that crude oil theft recently assumed a worrisome dimension in the Niger Delta as the Anglo-Dutch oil firm, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, threatened to suspend operations in the region until the ugly trend was tackled by the government and security agencies.

Garba, in an interview, said 40 of the suspects, who were exonerated in the course of the investigation, have been freed. He said 30 others, who were found culpable, would be handed to a

sister security agency, for prosecution.

The NNS Delta boss lamented that the activities of the oil thieves were hampering the economy of the country and vowed to end the ugly trend in the area under his jurisdiction.

“Nigeria must survive as a nation and that is why I am advising the perpetrators of such crime against the state to desist forthwith because what they are doing is not good for our nation and the illegality will not allow the nation to reach its full potentials economically,” Garba added.

ASABA

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major crisis is brewing in the Niger Delta as a militant group, the Coastal Revolutionary Forces, CRF, has vowed to blow up the ocean-going vessels of Lamnalco Nigeria Limited, an oil servicing company, over an alleged plan by the company to casualise workers from the region.

The militant group is also protesting the relocation of the company’s headquarters from PortHarcourt to Lagos.

According to a state-

ment signed by Seiya Gbentua and Akpan Edidem and made available to our reporter yesterday in Asaba, CRF said Lamnalco’s stampede of its staff to join Nigerian Seafarers Collaborating Unions, NSCU, following a recent National Industrial Court, NIC, verdict despite the pendency of stay of execution notice till the Federal Appeal Court verdict on the issue, reveals rumoured intent of making their brothers in Lamnalco casual workers ahead of a planned outright sack.

The militant group, however, warned that Lam-

Deregulation: Reduce cost of governance, NGO tells FG SOLA ADEBAYO WARRI

A

non-governmental organisation, The Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, yesterday asked all levels of government in the country to reduce the cost of governance.

The group also debunked the claim by the Federal Government through the Minister of Information and Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, that deregula-

tion of the oil sector, was the answer to a stable economy, adding that wasteful spending by the three levels of government is hampering national development.

FJHD, in a statement yesterday by its National Coordinator, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, said Maku lied by claiming that the economy would collapse if the downstream sector of the nation’s oil industry was not deregulated.

Ikimi’s words: “I disagree with the Federal

Government and I make bold to say that it is the prohibitive cost of governance that would eventually truncate the Nigerian economy rather than its petroleum subsidy regime.

“I am yet to come to terms with the prohibitive cost of running both the Federal Government and the National Assembly and if I may ask, why is a Nigerian senator earning as much as N15million per month or better still, why should a member of the House of Representatives

earn as much as N12million per month in terms of salaries and allowances outside their constituency allowances?

“The numerous senseless overseas’ trips by the President with huge government delegations often transcend into billions of naira in terms of estacodes and otherwise.

“Why on earth is the Federal Government bent on hiking the pump price of petrol when as a matter of fact an Abuja High Court has since declared illegal the deregulation of the downstream sector"

nalco Nigeria Limited and its affiliates, Delta Afrique and Smith Lamnalco, cannot force its loyal staff to join unsolicited union in what is known as a plot to casualise and bite the finger that fed it in its 21 years of operations in the region.

“We hereby place the Chairman and Directors of Lamnalco Nigeria Limited on notice to distance himself from the actions of the Managing Director, Mr. Ian David Hugo, by sacking him and halt the anti-Niger Delta policies he is being made by vested interests to pursue.

Otherwise, the group said the Board of Directors should be prepared to share in the blame with the managing director for the coming serial attacks on its vessels from Lagos to Calabar for which we will give no further notice. “We would see which is better between human policies and engagement of security forces for your/company protection, when the battle line is finally drawn,” CRF said.

CRF among other things, accused the company of high-handedness and inhuman activities in the region that had at a time led to the death of one James Nwosu.

12

North

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Again, gunmen strike, burn three schools in Borno INUSA NDAHI AND AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST

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t least three schools were yesterday morning confirmed burnt after a midnight blast and shooting by some gunmen and soldiers in Biu, Borno State.

Residents and security sources in Biu, a town 185km away from Maiduguri, the state capital, confirmed to journalists on telephone that the three private schools were attacked during the curfew hours amid several explosions during the night.

Biu residents, who spoke

•Boko Haram: Kano CAN laments effect on church attendance

on condition of anonymity, doubted the non-complicity of soldiers in the attack since the troubled town had been in curfew that starts at about 5:30pm.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said the three burnt private schools comprised of Godiya Primary school, Lajada Private school and Standard Private school.

“We were shocked by attack on the schools because the whole of Biu closes at 5:30pm to observe the curfew imposed on the town since the Wednesday robbery attack at Coca Cola

mini deport that led to the death of a soldier and three others, the source, who is a local government official, said.

“We cannot but ask the soldiers to explain to us how three schools could be burnt during the curfew hours and none of the culprits was arrested,” lamented the angry official.

A senior security officer in Maiduguri, who cannot be quoted directly as he is not officially assigned to speak to journalists, said the attack was predominantly targeted at schools.

Efforts to get a com-

ment from the Joint Task Force (JTF) failed as the telephone of Lt-Col Sagir Musa, its spokesman, was switched off as at the time filing this report.

Meanwhile, the Kano State Government has initiated measure to tackle crimes in the commercial city of Kano.

The state government has begun registration of commercial tricycles, which is now being used by gunmen to launch attacks on residents.

With the ban on the activities of commercial motorcycles by the state, gun-

men have resorted to the use of tricycles to carry out their deadly activities, especially in the outskirts of Kano city.

Disturbed about this development, the government ordered the registration of tricycles as part of the measures to check crime rate in the state, especially the activities of Boko Haram militants.

According to investigations, a few weeks after the registration of tricycles began, most tricycles, especially those owned by foreigners from neighbouring African countries disappeared from the streets due to their inability to meet the stipulated conditions for registration.

However, Chairman of Kano chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Ransom

Bello, yesterday lamented that the renewed violence perpetrated by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect is taking its toll on Christian activities.

Bishop Bello said Christians had stopped attending Sunday services because of the fear of likely attack by the sect members.

The cleric, who is the General Overseer of Calvary Church Assembly, told National Mirror that the church’s activities had been grossly affected since last Monday’s attack on the Kano Central Park in which many people were killed.

He said none of the churches in Kano could boast of 20 per cent attendance of congregation, adding that many worshippers boycotted yesterday’s service.

Niger seeks people’s understanding on new transport policy PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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Applicants awaiting screening at the Peace Corps of Nigeria’s recruitment exercise in Bauchi, at the weekend.

‘Revolution is solution to Nigeria’s woes’ HENRY IYORKHASE MAKURDI

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r. Joseph Targema Orkar, an elder brother to the late coup leader, Major Gideon Orkar, has suggested revolution as a solution to Nigeria’s woes.

He said that Nigeria “needs revolution to achieve the ideals which the country’s founding fathers fought and died for.”

Dr. Orkar said: “The only option left for the citizens is to stage massive protests in order to eradicate the massive corruption that has become a way of life in the country.”

In an interview with National Mirror in Makurdi, the Benue State, Dr. Okar defended the failed military putsch led by his younger

brother 23 years ago, saying: “Gideon played his own role because the situation immediately after the April 22, 1990 coup was still conducive for any brave and determined person to successfully complete it.

“Gideon was in a wrong place at the time, as Nigerians were either too afraid or not prepared for a revolution. When Gideon of old testament in the Bible called on the people to come out, they poured out in large numbers, but God said he didn’t need as much to give him success. When my late brother carried out that coup, a lot of Nigerians, including the late Moshood Abiola, condemned him.

“All is not well with Nigeria as leaders used foul means to get to power and yet people are saying that

revolution cannot hold in the country”.

Orkar, however, said that revolution did not necessarily mean a military coup, as civilians have been known to successfully carry out such.

He said: “We have watched on television how people in other countries poured into the streets to demand for change without minding the risks to their lives.

“Here in Nigeria, people are too afraid to venture out, even when they are too unhappy with their conditions and what is going on in the country” On what should be done to keep the memory of Gideon Orkar alive, he said it is the responsibility of Nigerians to do so.

He said: “If Nigerians

see anything good in his struggle, then they should continue it not through a military coup, but by sensitizing the masses”.

Debunking the alleged excision of the North from the rest of Nigeria during the April 22, 1990 coup, Dr. Orkar said Gideon did not out excise that part of the country as he gave conditions for its continued stay.

he Niger State Government has sought the understanding of the people of the state over the ban it placed on the activities of commercial motorcyclists.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Saidu Ndako Idris, who spoke during a visit to his office by the representatives of students of Justice Fati Lami Abubakar College of Legal Studies in Minna, said that the chaotic traffic problem caused by the policy would soon be addressed. Describing the ban as a new transport policy, the government said it had begun taken measures to address the challenges posed by the decision.

It will be recalled that the Niger State Government recently banned the use of commercial motorcycles in Minna and its environs as it launched 1,000 tricycles and 14 buses with a promise to

provide more.

During the launch, the state governor, Alhaji Babnagida Aliyu, said that the policy was aimed at saving lives constantly lost to recklessness of commercial motorcyclists.

The SSG, however, told the students that the government would soon add more tricycles and buses to the existing fleets to facilitate easier and cheaper means of transportation.

Idris expressed the government’s readiness to welcome meaningful suggestions on how to implement any policy initiated.

He thanked the students for the visit and commended them for the matured way they presented their views on the new transport policy and other issues raised.

Earlier, the students’ spokesmen, Mr. Usman Yanda Idris and Mr. Adamu Jibrin, told the SSG that the new transport policy had caused much problem for residents of Minna, especially students.

Cleric wants chapel built at Katsina Govt House JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

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cleric has called for the construction of a chapel at the premises of the new Katsina State Government House to enable Christian guests have a place to worship.

The resident Pastor of

Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Dutsinma Council Area, Evangelist Isyaku Lawal, made the call yesterday during a special prayer session organised for the peace, unity, progress and development of the country.

Lawal said the old and new Government Houses have a mosque where Mus-

lim guests and workers worship, and that building a chapel at the new Government House would enable Christians to worship.

By constructing the chapel, the cleric said that senior government officials, who are Christians, would have a place to worship whenever they visit the Government House.

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Politics

Ripples over Dickson’s Rumour Management Committee

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Again, PDP govs shun reconciliation meeting Opposition parties are power grabbers, says Tukur

OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

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he reconciliation move in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered a setback yesterday as majority of its stakeholders, particularly state governors shunned the grand finale of the party’s parley held in Abuja.

Only two governors, Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom) and Idris Wada (Kogi), out of the 23 elected on the platform of the PDP attended the event.

Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Ibrahim Dankwabo (Gombe), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Abdulfatah Ahmed sent their deputies.

Even the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, did not attend

the event.

President Goodluck Jonathan did not attend the event but his deputy, Namadi Sambo was present.

As speculations swelled at the venue that state governors of the party had boycotted the event held inside the International Conference Centre, chairman of the PDP governors’ forum, Governor Akpabio told the gathering that he had the mandate of all the governors of the party to represent and speak on their behalf.

Before Akpabio entered the venue, there was only the governor of Kogi, Wada and deputy governors of Rivers, Niger, Bauchi and Katsina states in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, took on the opposition parties accusing them of being power grabbers.

Tukur declared that their sole aim of merging is just to stop the PDP at all cost and grab power for selfish interest.

He stated this in Abuja when the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party marked its first year in office.

He told the gathering that: “The sole purpose of

the gang-up of chauvinists masquerading as so-called ‘Progressive Democrats’ in order to confuse the masses, is to stop PDP at all cost, and grab power by all means, to serve their narrow irredentist agenda.

“We want it to be on record, that our party acknowledges the right and entitlement of all political parties to exist and compete for political power.”

Tukur noted that the PDP acknowledges and respects the rule of electoral practices and recognises that a party that does not perform well can be voted out of power as easily as it was voted into power.

“In a democracy, political parties are not anti-system and anti-constitution in their mode of operation.

National interest mediates all their engagements and

actions,” he said.

Tukur reiterated the commitment of the PDP to the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. He said this has drawn its support from the broad majority of Nigerian peoples.

He said: “We stand for democracy where votes count, and remain the party that Nigerians prefer and support in the country.”

Rep’s seat: House cautions NANS on protest TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he House of Representatives has cautioned the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and its former president, Comrade Tony Nwoye, to shelve their planned protest at the National Assembly premises today.

NANS has insisted that the Anambra East and West Federal Constituency seat being occupied at the House

by Hon. Chriscato Amaeke must be vacated for Nwoye.

But Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, at a press briefing at the weekend called on the students’ body to await the Supreme Court judgement on the matter.

He said: “We do not have anything personal against Nwoye, all we are saying is that the full course of the law must be followed to its logical conclusion. This is hinged on the fact that we do not want this institution rubbished by repeated swearing-in of members who have cases.”

L-R: Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Rasaq Atunwa; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Muhammed Gana Yisa, during the signing of the 2013 Appropriation Bill in Ilorin at the weekend.

Mark seeks new global economic model GEORGE OJI ECUADOR

S

enate President David Mark has called for a new global economic development model, which must be more sustainable, equitable, all inclusive and will ensure that resources are allocated according to social needs.

He regretted that the cur-

New group to defend Yoruba emerges

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new political pressure group, the South-West Defenders (SWD), has emerged with the sole objective of defending the Yoruba nation.

The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Lere Olayinka, who made this known in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday, said “membership of SWD cuts

across religion and political divides.”

His words: “Our main objective is to defend our collective patrimony as Yoruba people of the South Western Nigeria from predators of whatever platform and leaning.

“Even though we are still reaching out to like-minds, we already have in our fold, top professionals, politicians, religious leaders who

are tired of the self-marginalisation of our people and the deceits from our political class.

“Already, we have set up six working committees and their reports, which will form our modus operandi will be ready in three weeks time.

“We therefore seek support of all well-meaning Yoruba sons and daughters in this quest.”

rent model is skewed in favour of the developed economies and merely makes developing countries consumer nations.

Addressing the 128th session of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Quito, Ecuador at the weekend, Mark further regretted that the current model of development has been overhyped by its over-emphasis on the economy, at the expense of other local variables of human development.

The Senate President, who is the head of the Nigerian delegation to the biannual conference, suggested that local factors must be injected into the new development model to make development meaningful and realistic.

The theme of the conference is, “From unrelenting growth to purposeful development: New approaches, New solutions.”

Mark also raised the issue of inequality of the global economy, which shockingly reveals that 20 per cent of the world population control 80 per cent of the economy and resources.

He said the implication of this is that a small wealthy minority in the advanced democracies control the bulk of the world’s resources while the poor majority in developing countries grow poorer.

Mark also frowned at the current bailout programmes of the world financial institutions, such as the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Trade Organisation (WTO), which give priority to only the developed economies without any consideration to the developing economies.

“I have never heard of bailout for any emerging or young democracy. Yet, what

we need to bail out all developing countries is less than 50 per cent of what is given to one nation today,” the Senate President observed.

Mark observed that development should be about increasing life expectancy, improving health care, providing education for all, poverty reduction, food security, improved nutrition, peace, healthy life styles and diets, clean drinking water, and sanitation and protecting the environment.

According to him, by doing so, we not only meet our current challenges but also safeguard the rights of future generations.

“Development should be bottom-up and not topdown. To ignore indigenous knowledge systems and impose outside models on developing countries is surely a recipe for disaster,” Mark said.

14

Politics

EMMA GBEMUDU writes on the controversies trailing Governor Seriake Dickson’s decision to set up Rumour Management Committee in Bayelsa State.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Ripples over Dickson’s Rumour Management Committee

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he Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, is one political leader in the Niger Delta whose actions and policies always court controversy. The Toru-Orua born politician has made it clear to all that cared that he had no regrets for previous policies undertaken in his one-year-old administration. In fact, since his assumption of office as governor of the oil-rich state, Dickson has moved from one controversy to the other.

And he has again been enmeshed in a fresh one over his decision to set up what he called a Rumour Management Committee, which stakeholders and political analysts in Bayelsa State have roundly condemned, saying it would amount to wastage of taxpayers’ fund that could have been channelled to people-oriented and developmental projects.

But this is not the first time such committee would emerge in the state. It would be recalled that a former governor of Bayelsa, Timipre Sylva, at the twilight of his administration, appointed his kinsman as a Special Assistant on Rumour Mongering, a development viewed by many then as nothing but political patronage.

Already, concerned citizens of the state are raising eyebrows on the bloated number of Dickson’s aides, which they described as political patronage, to settle his array of friends and political associates. Analysts are of the opinion that the number of aides, which Dickson parades does not augur well for a young state begging for infrastructural development and wondered what role the proposed committee would play and how far it would go when put in place.

However, it is clear that the governor has the passion to attract development to the 16-year old state, as work on several projects in different parts of the state are ongoing. What is of major concern to the people and political analysts in the state is their completion on schedule. This is as the people of the state have even expressed reservation on the ability of the governor to adequately monitor the progress of the projects due to his incessant foreign trips.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, had only last week issued a press statement on the setting up of the proposed Rumour Mongering Committee, but a cross section of the people of the state, who spoke with National Mirror argued that the committee was not necessary and should not be the preoccupation of a serious government that is worth its salt.

Iworiso-Markson, however, in defence of his principal said the state government was disturbed by the incessant rumour mongering where the person and office of the governor was always at the receiving end.

Part of the statement read: “Piqued by the disturbing trend of incessant rumour mongering in Bayelsa State and a situation whereby the person and office of the governor is always at the receiving end, His Excellency, Hon. Henry Se-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dickson

riake Dickson, has decided to set up a high powered committee to address this ugly trend.

“The committee, which will be inaugurated next week will be tasked with the responsibility of not only finding a permanent solution to rumour mongering in the state, but will also be saddled with the responsibility of fishing out persons who make it a habit to peddle rumours and spread false and misleading information to the public.”

In an interview with National Mirror, the Project Officer of the Environmental Rights Action (ERA), Bayelsa State chapter, Alagoa Morris, urged Dickson to suspend the setting up of the committee and view rumour as an essential part of society.

Morris said: “While I will not support the peddling of false rumour or falsehood, I urge the government to sheath its sword and continue to see rumour as an essential part of human society, especially in an unenlightened society.

It is not by force that rumours could be eradicated; only proper education and adequately bridging the communication gap between the government and the people can reduce rumour. It cannot be totally eliminated in the society because rumour is not just negative, it is positive too. Besides, what is wrong if people in the street know and talk about certain things that are true and pertain to those in authority.

“Government should go about the promise to serve the people rather than

seeking to gag the people. After all, it is not every information dished out to the people from official channels that are true; some are also false. And we can identify some of the false information from state-owned media in the state.

For instance, in 2005, when the rumour started that our former governor was arrested and detained in London, the state Ministry of Information, through the radio tried to make Bayelsans believe that it was a false rumour. This is wrong, the people deserve to know the truth and those in government have no prerogative over the truth; they cannot decide to tell us untruth as truth.”

Morris, however, cautioned political opponents of government, civil servants and the rural dwellers, whose stock in trade is rumour mongering to desist from the act and learn to respect people’s rights, while advising the state government against all kinds of violation of citizens’ rights.

The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Markson Fefegha, who expectedly backed the governor’s decision to set up the committee, has expressed his determination to work with its members to ensure effective information management in the state. He also added that his job will not clash with the committee’s work.

His words: “I support the governor setting up a committee on rumour mongering. Rumour mongering is damaging .The committee’s function will not clash with mine. We will work together. The committee will work with us, we will assist the committee. They said the CPS is doing my work; he is not doing my work. I could remember in 1995 when a young lady peddled a rumour in Lagos that my mother was dead when she was still alive, people started calling me, asking why I didn’t inform them that my mother was dead. The lady who peddled rumour is now living in Yenagoa.”

But a senior lecturer at the Isaac Boro College of Education, Tari Dadiowei, argued that the proposed committee will amount to duplication of functions and therefore not necessary for now. The lecturer noted that the governor has commissioners, Special Advisers, council chairmen and policemen working in all parts of the state.

He said: “For me, it is not necessary; it is a duplication of functions because you have commissioners that are representing you and they are from some communities. If there is anything happening about the government, they should know and inform the government appropriate-

THE COMMITTEE WILL BE TASKED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF NOT ONLY FINDING A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO RUMOUR MONGERING

IN THE STATE, BUT WILL ALSO BE SADDLED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FISHING OUT PERSONS WHO MAKE IT A HABIT TO PEDDLE RUMOURS AND SPREAD FALSE AND MISLEADING INFORMATION

ly. We also have police officers, Divisional Police Officers located in the various local governments of the state; we also have other government functionaries like the council chairmen.”

Dadiowei further observed that the various strata of the state government had no links and trust among themselves. “If there is anything going wrong in the local governments, they can also inform the chairmen and the chairmen can inform the state government. I think the major thing lacking is that there is no link between the various segments of the government. There is no adequate link and trust among government functionaries. If they have trust among themselves, there is no need for setting up a rumour management committee,” he explained.

He said that at the end of the day, the governor would end up using the committee to satisfy his party stalwarts and the purpose he has in mind may be truncated. He noted that there was no need for such committee if the commissioner in charge of the Information and Orientation Ministry is effective.

Another lecturer at the Niger Delta University, who craved anonymity said: “The governor should be pre-occupied with the task of developing the state and putting smiles on the faces of the governed, rather than proposing to set up a less fancied rumour mongering committee. How many serious governors have set up rumour mongering committees in their states?”

In the same vein, the chairman of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Tarinyo Akono, said it was not necessary constituting any committee to manage rumour mongering, even as he advised government to re-organise the information management system in the state. Akono said that there were lots of lapses identified in government’s information management system.

His words: “It is not necessary for the governor to set up the rumour committee, but he should re-organise the information management system in the state. There are a lot of lapses there. In fact, I am advocating for a summit on information management in the state where we can sit down and discuss on how to disseminate and manage information. That should be the best idea or strategy. What will the rumour mongering committee do? Will it go from house to house to tell people things that are happening? The government is just congesting the system to create room for some persons to feed. The Information Commissioner, the CPS and the SSA are doing their own information management. Even those whose functions are not related to information management are doing their own. It is a complex system. It is not organised.”

Critics of the administration say the rumour mongering committee may have political undertone and have urged the governor and his lieutenants to thread softly.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, March 25, 2013

15

Alams’ pardon: In defence of Jonathan HeartBeat

IF WE HAVE DRESSED PRESIDENT JONATHAN IN THE

CALLISTUS

GARB OF AN EMPEROR

OKE

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY)

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have followed the national and international rage over the recent state pardon President Goodluck Jonathan granted his former boss in Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. For the President bashers, he has committed a taboo by giving reprieve to a man that is generally seen as a by word for corruption. Such pardon, they reason, would undermine the nation’s anti-corruption drive.

The hot airs over reprieve for Alams are understandable because such denunciation is the only option left for Nigerians in a matter where President Jonathan has unconstrained power to do as he did. Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) settles it.

Perhaps, we need to situate the issue within the context of our milieu pressures.

Political values influence political behaviours. If political behaviour is a function of political culture, how then do we use international standards to assess the compliance of our local politicians with international best practices?

We need to ask ourselves some questions. First, what are the legitimate objec-

E

very responsible government acts in the interest of the public, as whatever a government chooses to do is the open definition of public policy. Today, we blame government for every ill that plagues our land, expecting it to act with dispatch in public interest. Yet, if government must act with the urgency and intensity we expect, it must necessarily abridge the diverse and often conflicting vested interests that have limited our ability to reach our full national potentials. The problem with our nation is the erosion of a national culture built on INTEGRITY. When integrity is asphyxiated in any polity, the essence of public service is lost as hedonism and pursuit of vested interests take the instinct of virtually every stakeholder. We all lament that our constitution is deficient in certain areas and advocate that our nation must be guided by the rule of law, yet we are not united around the core value of integrity that needs to be addressed for the protection of our collective national interest. We all cry for national rebirth without appreciating the depth of integrity deficit in our national polity.

There are three dimensions to the compromise of this core value in Nigeria: abdication of public service, professionalization and desecration of politics, and celebration of corruption. The sin of abdication of public service is a product of desecration of the noble art of politics and condoning of corruption in public and private life in the country. Mahatma Ghandi, the man Indians deify as father of the nation, in 1925 illustrated these vices as poli-

WITH SUCH AWESOME POWER, WHY NOW CRUCIFY HIM FOR EXERCISING THE POWER IN WHATEVER MANNER?

tives of state pardon? It is not spelt out in the constitution, so the presumption is those who wield such power must place national interest above personal interest. Secondly, what is the rationale for allowing individual leaders, mere mortals that could be swayed by less noble considerations, to overrule courts’ judgments?

Prerogative of mercy is an arcane relic from the past when law was regularly trumped by the whims of kings. As they are wont to do, these kings grant pardons to celebrate their birthdays, raise an army, or just to raise money etc. Why allow such intrusion into modern governance, particularly in a republic?

If we have dressed President Jonathan in the garb of an emperor with such awesome power, why now crucify him for exercising

the power in whatever manner he deems necessary? The constitution does not hold him accountable for the use of this power.

May be our thinking is that he should be swayed by popular imagination in deciding who he should pardon. Wherein then lies the discretion in the exercise of such power?

Say, since when has politics joined the list of noble professions? As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be.

For those who think highly of politics and so expect the best conduct from politicians, let me share with you the disillusionment of Plato, the king among ancient philosophers. In his historic “Letters VII and VIII” he recounted the short sightedness of his political ambition in his conviction that the rule of a certain “Thirty Wise Men” would bring about a revolutionary change in the government of his days. “I expected that this government would bring about a change from corrupt to an upright administration. I found that it took these men no time at all to make the previous government look like an age of gold.”

Again, when Socrates, his teacher, was put to death, he summed it up thus: “For the kind of men who were active in politics, and the principles on which things were managed, it was difficult to take part in public life and retain one’s integrity, and this feeling became stronger the more I observed and the older I became”. Plato lived between 427 and 347 BC in Athens, Greece. Politics has since retained that scum image.

In this country we impose impossible

moral restraints on our leaders and set unattainable high moral standards for them, which even politicians in the more developed climes are struggling to grapple with. It must be understood that morality and politics are poles apart. Indulgence in platitudes is the religion of politicians and breaking of promises their forte. This is a universal truism.

The USA that led the West to denounce President Jonathan does not have the moral right to do so. Her political history is replete with monstrous abuse of executive power of clemency. In 1974, President Gerald Ford gave Richard Nixon (his former boss before Watergate swept him out of office) a full and unconditional pardon for any crimes he might have committed against the United States while president.

On January 20, 2001, his last day in office, President Bill Clinton pardoned 140 Americans, among who was his half brother, Roger Cassidy Clinton, who got reprieve for a 1985 conviction. And in January 2011, Arnold Schwarzenegger, as California governor, shortened the sentence of Esteban Nuñez, son of his friend and former State Assembly Speaker, Fabian Nuñez, who was jailed for manslaughter, from 16 to seven years.

In our own type society where primordial sentiments are still very strong and germane to socio-politically acceptable conducts, it would be a big moral burden on President Jonathan not to lift his hand to help Alamieyeseigha, his kinsman when he has the opportunity. He is only being human.

Integrity in our public life tics without principle, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity and worship without sacrifice.

Our nation rates very high in all these disturbing indices, needing serious and collective intervention. In discreet and practical terms, our government must make fundamental decisions that would produce radical changes in our culture of disdain.

There is optimism that the various reform initiatives of the current government will manifestly address these issues.

At the street level, however, the understanding of reform is the withdrawal of rights and privileges, and curtailment of freedoms. Therefore, it induces trepidation and rejection. Yes, reform may seem punitive (and of course would ‘block’ some vested interests), its longer term goals and objectives are to ensure equilibrium in the society by expanding access to national wealth, ensuring provision of public goods and services and guaranteeing protection of life and properties of all citizens.

The kind of urgency we want the government to address the accumulated challenges demands the initiation and pursuit of radical reform policies that must definitely inconvenience everyone in implementation. They will manifest in rigid state control, seemingly over-regulation of public life with strong monitoring, compliance and deterrence strategies of enforcement that out punitive in outlook.

Without being overly prescriptive, what our nation needs in this difficult moment is

THE SEED OF OUR NATIONAL REFORM SHOULD BE SOWN IN BENCHMARKING OUR NATIONAL CORE VALUE ON THIS VITAL INDEX OF GOOD GOVERNANCE the regulation of our public life in a manner that does not cause extreme dislocation, nor induces shock and glut. Since our first sin in Nigeria is the abdication of public service, we need a restoration of pride in public service through consolidation and alignment of the public sector with recognition, empowerment and reward of bureaucrats and technocrats who are invaluable to national growth and development, but have suffered a high degree of de-motivation and insecurity in the recent past.

The pursuit of our national reform project must be real and tangible in its criminalization of corruption in all its ramifications. It must, of course, seek to deprofessionalize political offices but ensure that only citizens with impeccable record in public and private sector management are attracted into politics to continue “TO SERVE WITH INTEGRITY”. The seed of our national reform should be sown in benchmarking our national core value on this vital index of good governance. Our reform agenda should the capable of exor-

Mirror of the moment ABDUL-WAREES SOLANKE

korewarith@yahoo.com, 08090585723 (SMS only)

cising the nation of the cardinal sins illustrated by Mahatma Ghandi.

In assuming public office and conducting public affairs, we must adhere to the Seven Principles of Public Life, the Nolan Principles: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Reforming Nigeria is a hydra-headed challenge, demanding full attention to reach our Canaan. We must acknowledge and respect the genuine agitations of many Nigerians on the future of our country, but such agitations and expressions will be meaningless without the fundamental issue of evolving a national culture built on INTEGRITY. This should be our beacon as we engage ourselves in the subject of national rebirth. Happily, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has given an insight into what a New Nigeria will look like with the definitive actions he has outlined to cleanse the rot in our economy.

Solanke, Korewarith@yahoo.com, is Head, Voice of Nigeria Training School, Ikorodu, Lagos

Editorial

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Monday, March 25, 2013

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Oshiomhole vs Adoke: Backlash of Oyerinde’s murder investigation

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he Tuesday March 12 confrontation in Aso Rock between the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the Minister of Justice and AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), that made them miss the trading of punches by a whisker, eminently amplified how frustrating the nation’s criminal justice system has become; as well as the non-seriousness (whether deliberate or contrived by the state) of those vested with the awesome power of dispensing justice. While we doff our hats to all those who made it impossible for Oshiomhole and Adoke to exchange blows at the last Council of State meeting, it may be said that Oshiomhole has never veiled his disappointment in the obvious mismanagement of the investigation of the murder, on May 4, 2012, of his Principal Private Secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde.

Last January, for instance, the governor accused the Nigerian Police of being responsible for the assassination. Speaking in Abuja during the launching of a new Code of Conduct for the police, Oshiomhole raised a very curious allegation that both the assassin and the weapon used to murder the late Oyerinde were in police detention as at the time the killing was carried out. “The

WE THINK THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE

DSS

AND POLICE REPORTS ARE AS CLEAR AS CRYSTAL man who was involved in the murder, according to the record of the police, including the entry made by a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in a police station, was already under police detention at the time my private secretary was murdered. The weapon that was used for the murder was used for armed robbery earlier, recovered by the police and under police custody at the time my secretary was murdered. So, the man who murdered my secretary was in police custody… The only conclusion that can be reached is that the police ordered the killing of my private secretary”, the Edo governor stated.

There have been two contradictory reports on the Oyerinde murder investigation, one by the Directorate of State Security (DSS), which seems more reasonable and logical; and another rather suspicious report by the police. The DSS report, for instance, fingered one Mohammed Ibrahim Abdullahi as the leader of the four-man gang that robbed

and killed Oyerinde. Abdullahi was said to have confessed that he shot the deceased through his bedroom window, and took DSS operatives to where he hid the three guns he and his gang used for the operation. The guns were also recovered. The gang leader stated, in addition, that one Saidu Yakubu, another arrested suspect, supplied him the guns, and that his gang attacked Oyerinde based on careless information the hoodlums got from the deceased’s gateman, who was said to be in the habit of talking recklessly about the affluence of his boss (Oyerinde) at the slightest opportunity. The other three members of Abdullahi’s gang also corroborated the statements of their gang leader.

On the other hand, the police named Muritala Usman, Danjuma Musa, Auta Umaru Ali and Moses Asamah Okoro as members of the gang that killed Oyerinde, and identified one Garba Maisamari, a receiver of stolen goods, as the alleged sponsor and mastermind of the killing. Till date, however, the police version is yet to add up. To worsen the situation, the DIG charged with the investigation, instead of sending his report to the Edo State Director of Public Prosecution for necessary action, took it to the Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation. Nigerians were to

be told later at a public hearing on the murder investigation by the House of Representatives last month that no suspect had been arraigned in court nine months after the murder because, according to Adoke’s representative at the hearing, one Mr. POT Olatigbe, the AGF was confused as to which of the two reports by the DSS and police to act on.

From all indications, therefore, Adoke must have courted Oshiomhole’s anger when he casually suggested that the Edo State government dragged him into the matter, which ought to be handled

by Edo State. Whereas the report was referred to his office by a police DIG, and the AGF’s office sat on it without re-directing same to the Edo State DPP. The Oshiomhole-Adoke face-off has, however, exposed the rump of the ostensibly twisted murder investigation, with Olatigbe, the Deputy Director in the AGF’s office who exposed Adoke’s ‘dilemma’ hurriedly transferred, allegedly shortly after his revelation. Still, Adoke owes the nation a patriotic duty to send the reports on the murder investigation to the appropriate quarters. Since he is confused and not competent to handle the matter, the Edo State DPP should be given a free hand to do a thorough job of it. We think the differences between the DSS and police reports are as clear as crystal.

ON THIS DAY March 25, 1996 The European Union’s Veterinarian Committee banned the export of British beef and its by-products as a result of mad cow disease(Bovinespongiformencephalopathy,BSE).BSE,commonly known as mad cow disease, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease (encephalopathy) in cattle that causes a spongy degeneration in the brain and spinal cord. It has a long incubation period, about 30 months to eight years, usually affecting adult cattle at a peak age.

March 25, 1975 King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was shot dead by a mentally ill nephew. Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (April 1906 – March 1975) was the King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975.

As king, he is credited with rescuing the country’s finances and implementing a policy of modernization and reform, while his main foreign policy themes were pan-Islamism, anti-Communism, and pro-Palestinian nationalism.

March 25, 1957 The European Economic Community (EEC) was established.

The EEC, later renamed as the European Community (EC) in 1993, was an international organisation created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957 to bring about economic integration, including a common market, among its six founding members: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg,theNetherlandsandWestGermany.Itwaslatertobecomeone of the first of the three pillars of the European Union (EU).

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Tightening the noose on

car makers Increasing stiff regulations and sophisticated consumer perceptions across the globe are engendering another rash of recalls by various car manufacturers. The global automobile industry may be in for another tough time as they contend with issues bordering on defective components and safety issues

By Semiu Salami

T

oyota Motor Corporation recently surpassed General Motors as the world’s leading auto manufacturer, reclaiming a title it lost to the American car maker in 2011, following a series of huge recalls that tarnished the public’s perception of the manufacturer.

However, less than two years after it regained its prime position, there are fresh facts that suggest that Toyota’s triumph may be short-lived and may indeed, be heading back to the pre2011 era.

Recently, the company announced the recall of 1.3 million cars internationally, including 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States to fix airbags that could be deployed inadvertently.

The Japanese automaker said its third recall since October 2012 will involve more than a million cars affected by an IC chip in the airbag control unit that can potentially malfunction when it receives electrical interference from other parts in the car. The defect would essentially

cause airbags to deploy spontaneously, Toyota spokesman, Naoto Fuse, was quoted to have said.

In January this year, 3,235 units each of Toyota Corolla, Highlander, Sienna, Tundra and Venza, all 2013 models were recalled for various faults ranging from seat, wiper and airbag defaults.

The Toyota recall is coming as the company tries to recover from a damaged reputation following a series of recalls between 2009 and 2011 that were related to unintended acceleration problems.

The financial impact from the airbag recall would likely cost Toyota about five billion yen ($55 million), Koichi Sugimoto, a senior analyst at BNP Paribas in Tokyo, had said in a statement, stressing that “While this cannot be ignored, this amount is not going to dent Toyota’s operations and share prices are unlikely to be impacted much.”

TRW Automotive Holding Corp. manufactured the airbag control unit in the vehicles, although the problematic chip is supplied by another company.

Aside from Corrolla and Matrix, Toyota said it will also recall 385,000 Lexus IS and its series,

including 270,000 Lexus IS vehicles in the US over wiper problems, Fuse said.

The wiper arm nut of the front wiper in these vehicles may not be tight enough and the wiper may not work under certain weather occasions, including in snow, he said.

In 2007, Toyota issued a recall on the optional All-Weather Floor Mats Toyota sold for its 2007 and 2008 Camry and Lexus ES 350 models. These mats could move forward while the car was in motion, causing the accelerator pedal to become stuck. In early 2009, Toyota issued a second recall, this time for the 2004 Toyota Sienna, in which the carpet cover could also become stuck and lead to unexpected acceleration. Later that year, the company recalled 4.4 million more Toyotas due to the same problem. This was expanded the next year to include another 1.1 million cars.

In late December 2012, Toyota settled a consolidated lawsuit for approximately $1 billion with claimants who alleged economic loss. The first of hundreds of wrongful death or injury lawsuits was settled in mid-January. As of 2010, at least 89 deaths were found to have been potentially connected to unintended acceleration problems in Toyota cars.

Incidentally, Toyota is not the only culprit in the increasing automobile recall fiasco. Nissan is also recalling some of its newest models, the 2013 Nissan Altima, Leaf, Pathfinder, Sentra and Infiniti JX35 for an air-bag problem.

Nissan said the sensors on the front passenger seat may malfunction and turn off the air bag. Those sensors would normally only turn off the air bag if there was a small child seated there or the seat was vacant. The automaker said it noticed the problem in December because of warranty claims and began investigating.

The Altima is Nissan’s topselling car with 49,000 sold in 2012.

The affected vehicles were manufactured from Sept. 11 through Oct. 4, 2012. In these vehicles, the fuel tank assembly may not have been properly sealed, which could result in a gas leak when the tank is full.

This could lead to a fire.

BMW is also recalling almost 570,000 cars in the US and Canada because a battery cable connector can fail and cause the engines to stall. The recall affects the popular 3-Series sedans, wagons, convertibles and coupes from the 2007 through 2011 model years. Also included are 1-Series coupes and convert-

ibles from 2008 through 2012, and the Z4 sports car from 2009 through 2011.

The cable connectors and a fuse box terminal in the cars can degrade over time, and that can break the electrical connection between the trunk-mounted battery and the fuse box at the front.

If that happens, the cars could lose electrical power, causing the engines to stall unexpectedly.

Volkswagen has also recalled a record number of vehicles in China to replace defective gearboxes that may result in the loss of acceleration, in a move that may cost Europe’s largest carmaker more than $600 million.

The recall covers 21 types of vehicles including versions of the Scirocco, Bora, Touran, Octavia, and Passat vehicles produced as far back as 2008 and as recently December 2012.

For Volkswagen, which sold four of China’s top 10 selling cars last year, complaints about its gearbox system in China are not entirely new.

In May, the Wolfsburg, Germany-based carmaker agreed

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Cover

Michael Ade Ojo, Chairman, Elizade

Olusegun Aganga, Minister for Trade

to extend the warranty for the transmission technology to 10 years, compared with the standard warranty of two years, to address consumer concerns.

China’s quality inspector said it began investigating complaints related to faulty Volkswagen gearboxes in March 2012.

Two months later, the company extended its warranty for the transmission system after several rounds of talks with the regulator.

A malfunction of electronics in the gearbox or inadequate pressure may result in the loss of power, presenting a safety threat, according to the regulator.

Last May, Volkswagen spokesman Harthmuth Hoffmann said that the reported problems - noise, vibrations and failure to start in hot and humid weather - were ‘‘absolutely not a safety issue.”

Volkswagen said that although an electronic malfunction or a lack of oil pressure may result in a power interruption, but steering and braking functions wouldn’t be affected. That means that even if the car loses power on the road, the driver would be able to safely stop the car, it said.

China’s quality regulator said it interviewed more than 3000 consumers, received more than 10,000 reports of faultiness, conducted 12 spot checks and held seven hearings with automotive experts before concluding that the Volkswagen gearboxes were defective and posed a safety concern.

The move also comes after

China introduced recall laws this year giving the watchdog broader powers to order investigations and impose fines on companies that fail to call back faulty products in a timely manner.

Volkswagen and its ventures sold 2.81 million vehicles in China last year, second only to General Motors among foreign automakers.

While Volkswagen declined to comment on the financial toll, research firm, LMC Automotive, estimated that the replacements will cost between 3,000 yuan (about $480) to 10,000 yuan per vehicle.

The move is a blow for Volkswagen, which counts China as its biggest market, as the company sets out to become the world’s largest automaker by 2018.

Honda is also in the global recall race with nearly 250,000 Honda and Acura vehicles affected over what the company called “inadvertent braking.”

The Japanese auto giant is recalling 183,000 vehicles sold in the US, 56,000 more sold in Japan, 8,000 cars sold in Australia, and 1,370 sold in Australia, Mexico and Germany. In its own case, a malfunction in the brake system wiring could cause the cars to brake without drivers stepping on the brake pedal.

Another 70,000 Honda vehicles, including the Odyssey minivan, were recalled in Canada, Australia, Mexico and Germany.

They were produced from March 2004 through May 2006 with all the recalls attributed to the stability control system which integrates braking, traction control and stability.

Problems with brake systems in its popular Acura, Pilot, Odyssey, Legend and Elysion models, has led Honda (NYSE:HMC) to

recall hundreds of thousands of cars sold around the world.

In December 2012, Honda recalled more than 870,000 minivans and SUVs over an ignition problem that permitted drivers to withdraw the key without the vehicles being set in park, leading some vehicles to roll away.

That followed the huge recall of 600,000 Accords and Acuras over defective power steering hoses earlier in the year. In October, the company admitted that repairs to those vehicles had been delayed by low inventory of the replacement hoses.

Subaru of America is also recalling more than 47,000 cars and SUVs with remote starters because the engines can start on their own.

The recall affects some Legacy and Outback cars from the 2010 to 2013 model years. Also covered are the Impreza from 2012 and 2013 and the XV Crosstrek from 2013.

Subaru says that if the key fob is dropped, it can malfunction and start the engine. The motor will run for up to 15 minutes, but could continue to start and stop until the car runs out of fuel or the fob battery dies. If the cars are parked in a garage, there’s a risk of carbon monoxide build-up.

In January this year, 54,685 units of the 2013 Chevrolet Avalanche were recalled as a result of power train (automatic transmission) problem. The2013 Dodge Avenger also recalled 1785 units in February due to faulty fuel tank About 80057 units of the 2013 Ford Escape were recalled in December 2012 due to faulty engine cooling system, even as the 2013 Chevrolet Express had

54686 units pulled off the road due to automatic transmission challenge in January.

Early this month, 5675 units of the 2013 Ford Focus were recalled due to latches/locks/linkages challenge while 7842 units of the 2013 Infiniti JX35 were recalled in August last year due largely to fuel storage problem.

On January 23, this year, 8519 units of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu were recalled due to rear suspension problem while 10500 units of the 2013 Ford Mustang were recalled in March for backup lights default.

In January 2013, 748481 units of the 2013 Honda Odyssey were recalled due to airbag problems; an unspecified units of the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder were also recalled due to airbag default while 748481 units of the 2013 Honda Pilot were also recalled for similar problem.

Both the 2013 Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe had 54686 units each withdrawn in January 2013 due to powertrain and anti-theft device failures The 2013 models of Jeep Wrangler, BMW X5 and Volvo XC60 also had 15836, 2642 and 2642 units recalled respectively as a result of steering default.

Curiously, however, except South Africa which hosts BMW’s plant, no other African country is been considered in the current race to have most faulty cars recalled.

Incidentally too, not many people are conscious of the development in the global auto market. In Nigeria for instance, news about faulty car recalls attracts little attention, the development which many franchised car dealers are said to be deploying to their advantage.

For instance, most of the car owners whose opinion Business Courage sought over the issue were indifferent to the issue, with most of them wondering if the issue could have any effect in Nigeria since most of the recalls did not specifically mention the name of the country among those where the faulty cars would be recalled from.

When the news first broke, one of the franchised dealers of one of the major car brand with the highest number of recall was taciturn on the issue when approached by the magazine for comment.

Besides, bulk of the reasons why the recall has not been effective in Nigeria is that only a few fractions of the cars plying Nigerian roads are purchased from the registered franchise dealers, the situation which an auto seller said would make it difficult for recall to be effective in the country.

“The fact remains that very few cars are bought from the franchise dealers. Most of the cars on the Nigerian roads are either smuggled into the country or a ferried in directly by their owners. Under this circumstance, such vehicles cannot benefit from whatever advantage that comes with the recall even if the particular brands of cars are affected,” offered an auto dealer who spoke in confidence last week.

Another major snag which experts say would prevent the implementation of such policy in Nigeria is the lack of proper regulation. “Who is going to enforce this, even if a rightful car owner has a genuine claim to the recall, Nigeria does not have the necessary regulatory atmosphere to ventilate such claim,” an auto engineer said last week. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

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News FIRS, Tax Justice Network task FG on revenue leakages Stories by Tola Akinmutimi, Abuja

T

he Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and a coalition of civil society under the aegis of Tax Justice Network have re-opened the debate on the increasing need for the Federal and State Governments to show more commitment to plug tax revenue leakages and entrench a collection system that promotes tax justice in order to achieve national socioeconomic development goals.

Making the submission at their one-day Tax Justice National Stakeholders’ Meeting organised by ActionAid Nigeria in partnership with the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and Christian Aid, representatives of various civil society organisations and development partners believe that substantial revenue losses are being experienced daily through frivolous incentives to corporate entities, particularly the oil multinationals, and other channels of evasion and avoidance by the rich that can only be allowed to continue at great risks to sustainable development of the country.

Worried by the magnitude of such leakages in the nation’s tax collection system and abuses by political leaders and the rich which have continued to deny ordinary taxpayers of socio-economic benefits of fulfilling their tax obligations, the participants vowed to join forces together to engage government in continuous dialogue in such a way that would not only help in enhancing tax administration but also ensure tax justice in the country.

ActionAid Deputy Country Director, Ifeoma CharlesMonwuba, said there was an increasing need for Nigeria to look inwards in boosting her revenue generation capacity as foreign aid inflows continue to dwindle.

While citing Ghana and other countries whose foreign aid ratio to Gross Domestic Product remains relatively high as less challenged in revenue capacity, she noted that with Nigeria enjoying just about two per cent foreign aid ratio to GDP, what is required is to have a fair, progressive tax regime from which “the country can finance developmental projects in critical sectors of education, health and others that will impact positively on the people and support sustainable development.”

Kola Banwo of CISLAC, who recalled the study carried out by the Centre in 2012 which reflected a very low ratio of tax

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Bank Limited, Ahmed Kuru (Middle), sharing a joke with two of the bank’s Executive Directors, Niyi Adebayo (left) and Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe at a business meeting of the bank in Lagos...weekend

L-R, Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Lanre Adesaya, Chief Operating Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Yemi Odubiyi and Head, Internal Audit, Cajetan Awuja, at the presentation of Certificate of Compliance to the bank by Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, held at Sterling Bank Head Office in Lagos at the weekend

to GDP, linked the poor tax revenue capacity of the country to multi-faceted problems, including the multiplicity of tax and the policy thrust which promotes indirect taxation, among others.

He explained that the purpose of the forum and similar others being organised by the civil society, especially the Tax Justice Network, were aimed at encouraging and mobilising the critical mass of tax payers to engage the tax authorities in dialogue with a view to achieving tax justice and socioeconomic gains from collected taxes in terms of infrastructure development and creation of productive opportunities for the citizenry.

In their similar remarks, Senior Programme Coordinator of Christian Aid, Fanen Ade, who also facilitated the discussion session, and Oxfam Programme Officer, Good Governance/Niger Delta, Celestine Odo, spoke on the inequitable structure of the current tax regime with the attendant negative implications for ordinary tax payers that continued to bear the burden of tax when the rich evade with impunity.

“When we generate resources for development, we need to track how they are utilised.

The task for us as stakeholders is to mobilise the critical mass to ensure judicious utilisation of such resources and promote tax compliance. What we are doing is like trying to generate how changes can be effected in the tax system by using the Network to cross-fertilise ideas for engaging all stakeholders, including the government to ensure a more efficient utilisation of tax as a fiscal tool for development”, Ade said.

In his presentation, the Head of Technical Desk/Tax Policy and Legislation Department of the FIRS, Shehu Pukat, noted that the civil society engagement was desirable for improving the efficiency of the nation’s tax system, adding that “what you have all said today is like you are speaking the mind of government because the problems of tax evasion

others, Nollywood has very high prospects for growth and sustainable development.

According to him, it was in recognition of these advantages and its potential for job creation and other socio-economic benefits to the economy that necessitated the focus and recognition of the industry by government through the provision of the $200 million Entertainment Industry Fund and an additional N3 billion recent grant announced by the Federal Government.

He explained further that the bank’s funding support for the industry is in line with the President’s policy pronouncement in November, 2010 to support the industry with funding intervention, which also falls under the bank’s “Export of Services” mandate, noting that even before then, NEXIM Bank had provided over N460 million in support of the improvement of distribution infrastructure/platforms and the establishment of new digital production studio.

On capacity building initiatives of the bank, Orya said the bank has been working towards ensuring that the industry operates in a structured manner and within global best practices/standards.

He disclosed that the bank had, in collaboration with various stakeholders, developed draft operating guidelines to enhance access to loan facilities with inputs from various stakeholders, including practitioners and regulators; and also commissioned a study to review the industry and develop/recommend the best financing programme/ instruments for the Nigerian Entertainment Industry based on the Bollywood financing experience; among others.

Despite its growth prospects, Orya pointed out that the industry still faces some challenges namely, low production for theatrical releases and cross-border co-production arrangements; inadequate exhibition/theatrical infrastructure, that are constraining the full realization of its potentials.

and other fiscal aberrations remain some of the challenges constraining sustainable development” Pukat, who represented the Director of the Department, Dr Mark Dike, said the revenue agency would be willing to collaborate with the civil society and other stakeholders on any initiative that can help improve tax compliance and promote tax justice in the country.

NEXIM Bank disbursements to Nollywood industry hit N788.5m

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he Managing Director of Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Roberts Orya, has put the total funding support by the bank to the entertainment industry so far at N788.5 million, even as he disclosed that applications valued at N26 billion are being processed for funding supports to operating entities and artists that meet the requirements for loans.

Disclosing this at the PanAfrican University, Lagos where he spoke on the topic “That They May be One: Towards a Greater Synergy Between NEXIM and the Creative Industry” under the Distinguished Lecture Series, Orya who spoke on the statutory mandate of the Bank and its intervention initiatives across a broad spectrum of the economy over the past few years, noted that the Nollywood industry is now globally adjudged as the most productive, with more than 2000 titles being produced yearly in three major languages since 2008.

Orya pointed out that with receipts over the years reported to range between $300 million to $800 million and other potentials in terms of the huge creative talents; strong and growing domestic entertainment industry; established overseas market demand in Africa, UK, USA and the Pacific Islands coupled with huge Diaspora population, among

Drawing inferences from the bank’s current experience in its funding intervention, the EXIM India’s Report on Film Financing Programme and the Communique of Stakeholders’ Interactive Forum organized

by Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC ), Orya said in order to further strengthen and deepen the industry, there is need for the establishment of an Entertainment Industry Guarantee Fund to strengthen the credit delivery system and facilitate flow of credit to the industry.

New Badagry Port, a model for African market – APMT Stories by FRANCIS EZEM

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P Moller Apapa Terminals Limited, the concessionaire in charge of the former Container Terminal says its proposed Greenfield mega seaport in Badagry, Lagos, would set a new standard in port operation and management in Africa.

APM Terminals and its consortium partners had last year announced plans to develop a new Greenfield mega-deep port project and Free Trade Zone at Badagry, 55 kilometres west of Apapa.

Chief executive officer, Africa-Middle East Region of APM Terminals, Peder Sondergaard,

Sondergaard

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News made the disclosure while speaking on a paper entitled: ‘Fixing Transport and Logistics for a Globalised Nigeria’ at the just concluded Nigeria summit 2013 organised in Lagos by The Economist.

According to him, the new mega port will be a full buildout deep-water, full-service port will be one of the largest in Africa with seven kilometre of quay and 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of dedicated yard, and will include the most modern facilities for container, bulk, liquid bulk, Roll-On-RollOff (RORO), general cargo, oil and gas operations support and a barge terminal.

He however expressed fears that the inadequacies in Nigeria’s infrastructure might be a major challenge. “Competition is intensifying regionally and within Nigeria while hinterland connectivity faces certain infrastructure constraints.

Thirty years from now, Nigeria will have close to 250 million inhabitants putting even more pressure on city centres, roads, and rail”, he observed.

He also said that ”During the last 50 years, volume of cargo transported by rail has dropped from 88 per cent to nearly nothing. This is an enormous opportunity, but significant investment must be made in advance. A modernised rail network connecting Badagry to metro-Lagos, Ibadan, Abuja and other city centres in the north and neighbouring countries is the way forward.”

He also projects that Nigeria’s cargo throughput will record between 8-10 per cent per year over the next decade, which means that existing port infrastructure will be capacity constrained by around 2017.

It was gathered that the Badagry Free Trade Zone will include a power plant, oil refinery, industrial park and warehousing and Inland Container Deport functions.

The company, while commending the positive and supportive efforts of the Federal Government, Nigerian Ports Authority and the Lagos State, projects that the first phase of the project will commence in 2016.

The APMT-boss is positive that the new Badagry mega port project will go a long way in solving the current logistics infrastructure challenges confronting Nigeria, Africa’s second largest economy.

APM Terminals Apapa, which assumed operations at Lagos Apapa Container Terminal in 2006, is now the busiest container terminal in West Africa, handling 618,000 Twenty Equivalent Units in 2012.

“APM Terminals has recently invested over N32bn ($200 million) in Apapa and West Africa Container Terminal (WACT), Onne to improve

capacity at both terminals.

He also said that the company is currently one of the leading global port operators in Africa, and in West Africa in particular, where the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network operates.

“There has been significant development at the ports since the concessioning in 2006.

The waiting time of vessels at APM Terminals Apapa has gone down to zero from over 30 days before APM T started the 2006 concession while volumes have more than doubled. That is clear proof the Nigerian port concession programme has been a tremendous success for the nation”, the CEO also said.

It was gathered that the company’s next phase is the most important phase to designed to ensure Nigeria remains a market leader through a competitive port, which is a pattern it sees in other world markets where countries outgrow their city ports and need to build in a new location that addresses trade growth and city traffic issues.

“Nigeria must therefore act fast and Badagry is our solution”, he insisted.

ENL Consortium records 12 per cent cargo decline

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he decision of the Federal Government to hike tariff on some imported agricultural produce such as rice and wheat is currently taking its toll on the volume of cargo imported through the ports, as ENL Consortium Limited records a 12 per cent decline in its projected cargo volume for 2012.

ENL, concessionaire in charge of Terminals C and D of the Lagos Port Complex (LPC), Apapa, handles basically all types of bulk cargo; which include cement, wheat, flour, fish, iron rods and several others.

President Goodluck Jonathan had in the 2013 budget announced the imposition of 10 per cent import duty and 100 per cent levy on both brown and polished rice.

However statistics released by the company for its operational activities covering January to December 31, 2012 shows that though the company handled a total of 245 ships at its terminal for the review period, it failed to meet its cargo projection for the year..

The company’s General Manager, Mark Walsh, who spoke in Lagos, disclosed that though the ship volume recorded an appreciable growth within the review period, its cargo volume declined by 12

parts imported for local sugar manufacturing industries, five-year tax holiday for “sugarcane to sugar” value chain investors, while import duty and levy on raw sugar will be 10 per cent and 50 per cent respectively.

ADB donates N92.2m relief materials to Kwara flood victims

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Walsh

per cent.

According to him, the company in 2012 projected cargo volume 4.5 million metric tonnes at the terminal while only four million was recorded, which represents a 12 percent shortfall.

“The year was slow with a lot of turmoil. Government changed policies and these include the ban on importation of bulk cement. Government also increased the duty on rice to 50 percent which affected our tonnage”, he stated Apart from the fluctuations in government fiscal policies, Walsh also attributed the decline in cargo throughput to other external factors such as congestion on the access roads leading into the terminal which he, argued also affected the turn-a-round time of vessels and the general downturn in the world economy.

He expressed reservations that 2013 may not be different from last year as decrease in cargo tonnage and throughput is anticipated especially with the 100 per cent increase in import duty on rice. “It is not looking any better this year.

We expect another 15 per cent decrease in volume, our tonnage should be between 3.4 to 3.5 million metric tonnnes”, Walsh said.

He, however, assured that despite the downturn in business at the terminal, ENL Consortium will continue to improve on its efficiency, adding that the cargo volume at the terminal more than doubled in between 2006 and 2012 from 1.8 million tonnes in 2006 to four million tonnes in 2012.

He attributed this growth to improved efficiency at the terminal, which he also said was as a result of massive investments in equipment, technology, manpower and infrastructure.

Walsh explained that the company offers complete discharging services on all essential commodities coming into Nigeria.

The Federal Government had slashed to zero per cent, duty on machinery and spare

he African Development Bank (ADB) in collaboration with the Kwara Fadama Development Office has donated relief materials worth N92.2 million to flood disaster victims in the state.

Tayo Adewumi, the National Project Coordinator, North-central zone, Fadama III project, gave the information at the launch of the distribution of input and equipment under the flood disaster relief support in Ilorin.

Represented by the Senior Monitoring Evaluation Specialist, Peter Ajibade, the coordinator explained that states affected and considered for the relief benefits were Borno, Jigawa, Katsina, Kwara and plateau.

He said more than N400 million worth of input and equipment had been approved

by ADB to be distributed to affected flood victims, who were farmers.

He said that estimated value of relief materials given as succour to affected victims in Kwara was put at N92.2 million.

He sympathised with affected Nigerians and prayed that God would give victims the fortitude to bear the loss.

The Deputy Governor, Peter Kisira, said that the state government was making efforts to boost commercial agriculture.

Represented by the state commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bode Olayemi, Kisira restated government’s effort to train youths in agricultural technology.

Abdulfatah Ahmed, Kwara State Governor

He said that local and youth farmers were being assisted to become big time farmers.

Naira rises as CBN sells more dollars

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he naira climbed for a second day after the central bank sold the most dollars at its twice-weekly sales in eight months.

Naira gained less than 0.1 per cent to N158.55 per dollar on Friday afternoon according to data compiled by Bloomberg, bringing the weekly rise to the same level.

The Central Bank of Nigeria sold $580 million to lenders last week at two regular foreign-currency auctions, the most since the week through July 4, 2012.

Sanusi

CBN uses the sales to stabilize the naira as the cost of importing refined fuel, which accounts for 70 percent of the local gasoline market, boosts dollar demand and puts pressure on the currency. The bank cut total sales by six per cent last week to $360 million.

“On the back of the increased foreign-exchange sales from the bank, the naira stabilized this week,” Ridle Markus and Dumisani Ngwenya, Africa strategists at Absa Capital in Johannesburg, wrote in a note to clients today. “The increased supply was amid visible pressures on the naira.”

The central bank can sell more dollars to ensure the stability of the naira, Governor Lamido Sanusi said after the bank’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting on March 19, where it kept its benchmark interest rate at a record high of 12 per cent for a ninth consecutive meeting.

The yield on the 16.39 per cent domestic bonds due January 2022 were unchanged at 11.24 per cent in the secondary market, according to the data compiled on the Financial Markets Dealers Association website. Yields on the $500 million of Eurobonds due January 2021 declined 6.5

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basis points, or 0.065 per cent, to 4.239 per cent.

Nigeria LNG to buy six ships from Samsung, Hyundai

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igeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company (NLNG) will sign agreements with South Korea’s Samsung Heavy Industries and Hyundai to acquire six LNG carrier ships, two sources close to the deal said at the weekend.

France’s BNP Paribas and GT Bank are brokering a $1.6 billion loan to help fund acquisition of the vessels and expect to sign the financing documents next week, a banking source said.

“The agreement to buy the ships should be signed before today or tomorrow,” one source told Reuters, adding that NLNG executives had travelled to South Korea for the signing.

The banking source said the loan would be medium-to-long term, with the deal expected to be sealed by the end of March.

Samsung and Hyundai could not be reached immediately for comment.

NLNG, which is majority owned jointly by the NNPC and Royal Dutch Shell, said last year it would seek international loans to expand the operations of its shipping subsidiary Bonny Gas Transport Limited, which currently has 24 LNG ships.

NLNG was set up more than two decades ago to harness Nigeria’s natural gas resources and produce liquefied natural gas and natural gas liquids for export.

It has long-term supply contracts with buyers in Italy, Spain, Turkey, Portugal and France and also sells on the spot market.

NLNG has a capacity to produce 22 million tonnes of liquefied gas a year. It obtains its gas supply from the upstream oil companies and liquefies it for export.

NTDC urged to register tourism investors

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he South West coordinator of the National Institute

for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Wale Odeyemi, has urged the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) to register all tourism investors in the country.

Odeyemi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that during the institutions’ study tour of Ghana, the officials and students noticed that Ghana had a well-organised tourism industry.

He said that hotels and travel agents in Ghana were all registered because the receipts issued to all guests had the logo of the Ghana Tourism Board with some percentage of tax payable to the board.

He urged the NTDC to register all hotels and travel agents in the country Nigeria to have an accurate number of visitors arriving and going out of the country. “It is very important that all hospitality and tourism investors are properly registered to maintain proper number of visitors coming in and going out of the country.

It would also enhance proper account of tax payable to the government by tourism investors,’’ Odeyemi said.

He also said that during his school’s tour of Ghana, the delegates witnessed stable electricity, adequate security and standard infrastructure at the Ghana Institute of Tourism.

Odeyemi urged government to provide better infrastructure for the citizenry, to improve the standard of living in the country and boost development in the tourism sector. “During the tour, we witnessed stable power supply, adequate security and standard infrastructure at the Ghana Institute of Tourism. Government should endeavour to provide basic amenities to enhance development of the tourism sector and the nation at large,” he said.

cil on Science and Technology (NCST).

Bassey-Ewa said the goals and activities of the MDAs at the federal and state levels were the same, adding that science and technology would grow with vibrant coordination. ``There is an urgent need to have greater linkages and interactions between the Federal and State Ministries of Science and Technology. It is at this interface that wealth and employment are created, solutions proffered to social and industrial problems,’’ he said.

He said that African countries needed support in building their infrastructure and the capacity to create domestic technology solutions to local development challenges.

Senator Ajayi Borrofice, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, said it was unfortunate that science and technology was not given the recognition it deserved in Nigeria.

“The transformation agenda of the government and its Vision 20: 20-20 is laudable but they would remain a mirage unless science and technology is given its rightful recognition.

We are operating science and technology in an envelope in Nigeria unlike other countries of the world,’’ he said.

Borrofice assured the ministry of support from the National Assembly.

Rabi Jimeta, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, called on other states of the federation to continue partnering with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

Jimeta said that partnering with the ministry would help in advancing the course of science and technology which was the bedrock of industrialisation and socio-economic development of any nation.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, said the importance of the meeting could not be over-emphasised, adding that it was necessary ``at this critical and trying period of the nation’’.

Ajimobi, who was represented by Waheed Olajide, the Secretary to the State Government, said the administration had adopted policies that

FG calls for synergy with states on research

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he Federal Government has called for greater synergy with state governments to promote coordination of scientific and technological research.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Okon BasseyEwa, made the call at the weekend in Ibadan at the 12th Meeting of the National Coun-

Bassey-Ewa

would galvanise the growth of the state.

He said the administration was determined to providing a conducive environment for the people, adding that efforts could also be shared in the achievement of a rapid technological development.

Ajimobi urged the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to support his administration’s efforts in science and technology, urging the ministry to ensure that the impact was felt.

“We will need collaboration, training and domestication of national research and development efforts in science and technology as well as establishment of more science and technology projects or centres in Oyo State. Our government signified its desire to host this 12th National Council on Science and Technology meeting in its bid to deploy science and technology to better the lives of the citizens of the state and make government’s presence felt in the state,’’ he said

Shema

rence of the disaster.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Development, Abubakar Yusuf, in his remark, gave an assurance of fair disbursement of the money to the victims.

The Chairman, Matazu Local Government Council’s Caretaker Committee, Sani Halliru, said that 1,375 persons would benefit from the donation

Katsina begins disbursement of N300m flood relief fund to victims

FG plans 40 per cent cassava inclusion in bread by 2015

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he Katsina State Government on Friday commenced the disbursement of the N300 million Federal Government’s relief fund to the 2012 flood victims in the state.

Governor Ibrahim Shema said at the take-off of the exercise in Matazu, headquarters of Matazu Local Government Area that the committee set up by the state government on flood matters had identified 10,000 people affected by the disaster.

Shema, who was represented by his Deputy, Abdullahi Garba, said that out of the number, 10 people had died, while 18 of the 34 local government areas of the state were affected. ``The state government decided to distribute the fund donated by the Federal Government to the victims to assist them in addressing some of their problems.”

According to him, the state government provided N25 million to be disbursed to the victims.

Shema also said based on the warning signals of possible flood last year, the government adopted quick intervention and rapid response measures, which helped in reducing the menace.

He said that a warning signal on possible flooding had reached the state government and that measures were being taken to avert it.

He warned people in the state to desist from blocking waterways to prevent recur-

he Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has concluded plans to increase to 40 per cent by 2015, the cassava inclusion in bread making from the current 20 per cent.

Toyin Adetunji, the Technical Adviser on cassava to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

“Our target is 40 per cent.

But as far as today is concerned, we have 20 per cent inclusion well established and we have trained some master bakers across the country.

So far, we have trained about 385 master bakers. We have also trained big bakers like the Park `N’ Shop, United Trading Company (UTC) and Butterfield bread.’’

According to her, some other master bakers will be coming on board the training in order to achieve this target.

She said that the bread could be found on major streets across the country, adding that it was not labelled like that of the master bakers.

She commended the master bakers for their support to the ministry on cassava bread.

She said that the ministry had also organised a training programme for the bakers to enable them to have a compact milling system of cassava and wheat flour.

Adetunji disclosed that one

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News of the flour millers had decided to go into cassava flour production “The challenge we had at the beginning was mixing the products and what we are doing now is to remove that by getting this compact milling system.’’

The compact milling system is a technology that mixes the cassava and wheat flour together to have the composite flour.

This will ensure that there is a good mix of both products and this will help remove the issue of adulteration.

According to her, an investor has set up a company that produces the enzymes required to have a good blend of cassava and wheat flour in Lagos. “Fortunately a company in Lagos State is making the enzymes and for those who prefer to have their enzymes imported into the country, there is a fiscal policy that is supporting that. The policy will reduce tariff on the importation of the enzymes to zero. So when you import the enzymes it attracts zero tariffs,’’ she said.

Nigeria needs N350bn annually to meet, water, sanitation target – Ochekpe

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igeria needs N350 billion yearly to meet water and sanitation target, says the Minister of Water Resources, Sarah Ochekpe. Ochekpe said this in Abuja on Friday at an event to mark the 2013 World Water Day. She said that available statistics had shown that only 60 per cent of the population had access to safe drinking water while 32 per cent had access to sanitation facilities.

According to her, this falls short of MDGs target of 75 per cent and 65 per cent for water

Ochekpe

and sanitation respectively.

Ochekpe stressed that water and sanitation services were platforms for inter-sector collaboration and partnership among relevant institutions.

The minister noted that sectors such as power, agriculture, environment, health and education needed water as an essential ingredient in the transformation agenda programme.

She, therefore, urged all stakeholders to play their expected roles so that the water sector would be positioned effectively to achieve the MDGs target by 2015, the vision 20:2020 and the Africa water target.

The minister also underscored the fact that with the nation’s growing population, access to quality drinking water and sanitation had become a challenge.

This challenge, she said, could not be tackled by the government alone, especially with the lean resources and competing needs, hence, the need for cooperation.

The minister further stressed the need to improve the sector’s performance and to expand the water infrastructure to meet all demands.

“Nigeria is blessed with abundant water resources potential estimated at 267 billion cubic litres of surface water and 92 billion cubic litres of underground water,” Ochekpe said.

Earlier, Michael Ojo, the Country Representative of WaterAid, an international NGO, said that his organisation would join the subscribers of `End Water Poverty’ and `Keep Your Promises Alliance’ to call on decision makers to stick to pledges they had made.

“Making access to water and sanitation a priority and ensuring improved access beyond the 2015 MDGs deadline is a key priority for WaterAid as I’m sure it is for everyone here.’’

According to him, Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is launching a WaterAid report called `Everyone Everywhere’ at a UN event on water in The Hague, The Netherlands, as part of activities to commemorate the day.

Ojo, therefore, urged all present to sign a petition banner for the ‘Keep Your Promises Campaign’ as part of their cooperation on this year’s World Water Day celebration.

In his goodwill message, the UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova, advocated for stronger water governance between and within states.

“Cooperation must be our key word; this is essential to preserve our ecosystem, to eradicate poverty and to advance social equity, including gender equality.

Sullivan Chime, Enugu State Governor

Enugu seeks integrated approach to water access

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he Managing Director, Enugu State Rural Water and Sanitation Agency (ENRUWASA), Mike Oguama has advocated for an integrated approach by stakeholders to increase access to water supply.

Oguama made the call in Enugu in a ceremony to mark the 2013 World Water Day. He said if government and donor agencies including UNICEF, Wateraid and NGOs should adopt such approach, access to safe water would be tremendously increased to better the life of mankind.

He said the adoption of demand-driven approach by the State Government through the constitution of a committee to verify the need of every community was the greatest strategy to provide water to the rural populace.

Oguama said one of the greatest challenges in the provision of safe water sources in some communities was their geological disposition. ``Some of the communities have peculiar problems and are not blessed with groundwater storage and perennial springs are difficult to come by,’’ he said.

He, however, appealed to the people to maintain clean environment and observe safe water chains to avoid pollution of various water sources.

Charles Ajah, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, called for adequate cooperation between and among groups and nations sharing trans-boundary river basins to ensure equitable and sustainable use of water. “It is crucial not only to ensure the sustainable and equitable use of water but also to create and maintain peaceful relationship between people jointly exploiting this resource,’’ he said.

Nasarawa earmarks N2bn for fertiliser purchase

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he Nasarawa State Government said on Friday that it

had earmarked N2 billion for the purchase of assorted fertilisers for the 2013 farming season.

This was contained in the breakdown of the 2013 budget presented to newsmen in Lafia by the Permanent Secretary of the state’s Ministry of Finance, Dr Dominic Adagadzu.

The statement said that the allocation of the amount was in appreciation of the fact that agriculture remained the major occupation of the people of the state.

The government reiterated its determination to give priority to agriculture in order to enhance food production for domestic consumption, export and agroindustrial raw materials.

It would also meet the demand for rapid development of the state and contribute to national food security.

The breakdown of the 2013 budget showed that N120 million was earmarked for the completion and equipping of agro-processing centres in the state, while the construction of abattoirs and veterinary clinics would gulp N110 million.

The statement pointed out that dry season farming would also be encouraged this year as N20 million was earmarked as soft loans to farmers.

It added that N100 million was also set aside for the state government’s Agricultural Youth Empowerment Scheme.

The budget breakdown showed that the Ministry of Works and Transport was allocated the highest share of N15.8 billion, while the Ministry for Local Government Affairs got the least allocation of N68 million.

NCC fines MTN N90m for non compliance

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he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has asked the MTN to pay N90 million fine for non compliance to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Tony Ojobo, the Director Public Affairs of the commission, while briefing newsmen on Friday in Abuja, said the network provider had failed to meet the standard KPIs set for service providers by the commission.

He said that in 2012, it was agreed with service providers that there would not be any sanction till after six months when the commission would have carried out its drive test.

Ojobo explained that the drive test was to enable the commission to read if the operators were complying with the indicators. “In December 2012, NCC carried out the drive test and it was discovered that MTN did not meet the compliance of the KPIs and therefore we have to sanction the service provider.’’

He assured that the MTN would pay N90 million for failing to meet the KPIs as set by

the commission, adding that all other outstanding fines had been paid.

Ojobo said that Etisalat, Globacom and Airtel met the set standard except the MTN, saying that the commission had given the service provider up to April 3, to pay up the fine.

The director also said that the earlier date fixed for the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) launch in March 25, would not be possible due to the fact that the equipment were undergoing final testing. ``MNP operator are ready and set, they are just fine tuning their equipment for final testing which will affect the target date.

Kano targets 80 per cent water supply by 2015

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he Kano State Government has pledged to achieve 80 per cent water provision for the people of the state before the end of the 2015 MDG target date.

Dr Yunusa Adamu, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, disclosed this on Friday at an event to mark the 2013 World Water Day in Kano.

Adamu said that the government allocated 85 per cent of the budget to water-related projects in 2012 and 25 per cent this year. ‘’Water was a campaign issue and therefore rigorous and targeted interventions were made to address it. We have in place various projects completed and ongoing, to tackle the problem of potable water ’’.

He said that setbacks such as the lack of pumping machines, generators for water plants as well as inadequate diesel had been tackled by the present administration in the last one and half years.

Adamu added that water was also being used for irrigation purposes in many parts of the state.

Farmers now enjoy the services of various dams reclaimed by the government. ‘’Out of the 350 million litres to 450 million litres needed by the people of the state daily, we met on ground about 40 litres to 50 million litres.

Currently, with the progress made, we have achieved about 275 million litres to 300 million litres per day.

“I received a message from some people today from Sabon gari of people complaining that they have burst pipes. This was a place that was without pipe borne water for over 10 years”, he said.

On payment of water bills, the commissioner said that the state had been generating about N100 million per month as against N40 million in previous years BC

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Global News But the tie-up with Rosneft will keep BP in Russia, allowing it to continue to explore and exploit the country’s vast energy resources, including in the Arctic region. And Rosneft benefits from BP’s expertise in exploring in difficult and potentially hazardous conditions.

China growth needs reform momentum – OECD survey Svanberg

BP to buy back $8bn shares

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il giant, BP has said it will buy back $8 billion (£5.2bn) of shares, returning to shareholders the money they had put into a complicated Russian venture.

It said it “expected to return to BP shareholders an amount equivalent to the value of the company’s original investment in TNK-BP”.

BP agreed to sell back its 50 per cent stake in TNK-BP to Russia’s Rosneft in October in return for $17.1 billion in cash and shares.

BP chairman, Carl-Henric Svanberg, said “We expect our stake in Rosneft will generate long-term value for BP and its shareholders. But this buyback programme should also allow our shareholders to see benefits in the near-term from the value we have realised by reshaping our Russian business.”

BP expects the share buyback programme could take between 12 and 18 months to complete.

“In 2003, BP invested around $8 billion in cash, shares and assets in the formation of TNK-BP,” the oil giant said. “Over the following decade BP received a total of $19 billion in dividends from the joint venture.”

Although BP’s involvement in the Russian joint venture has been lucrative, relations with its partners have often been fraught with disagreement. In 2011, the AAR consortium attempted to block a drilling joint venture in the Arctic between BP and Rosneft through the courts and the plan was eventually dropped.

As well as internal wrangles, BP employees at TNK-BP have fallen foul of Russian authorities.

While serving as head of TNK-BP, Bob Dudley - now the head of BP as a whole - had his office bugged and raided by the police and met with onerous back-tax demands, legal action and visa problems. He eventually fled the country in 2008.

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hina needs a “renewed reform momentum” to sustain long term growth, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said.

It said the financial sector, urbanization, state ownership and innovation were key areas for reforms. But it added that China had weathered the global financial crisis better than other OECD member countries.

It said China was on track to become the world’s biggest economy by 2016, after allowing for price differences. “It is well placed to enjoy a fourth decade of rapid catch-up,” the OECD said in a survey.

It said that there were signs of China’s economic growth picking up pace again after the recent slowdown.

However, it warned that in order “to sustain vigorous and socially inclusive growth over the longer run, renewed reform momentum is required”.

Among the recommendations the OECD made include a further easing of restrictions on capital flows and increasing quota of inward investment; allowing greater exchange rate flexibility; strengthening of intellectual property rights of domestic and foreign innovators and ensuring enforcement of those rights.

Others include reduction of state-ownership in some sectors; same property rights for farmers as urban dwellers; better harnessing of ongoing investment in renewable energy sector and a broad policy mix to reduce pollution and meet

China urban town

environmental goals However, the OECD warned that while China’s economy had rebounded, it continued to face various risks.

On the external front, a slowdown in the global economy poses a key risk to China, the survey said.

Meanwhile on the domestic front, it listed potential threats including rising property prices, which have triggered fears that new asset bubbles could form, along with “excessive off-balance sheet financing” by banks and local governments.

At the same time, the survey said that income inequality and an ageing society were likely to be a source of tension in the long run.

However, it said that these issues can be addressed it China continues to reform key sectors in the near future.

Kenyan tyre maker, Sameer records doubled profit

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enyan tyre maker, Sameer forecast strong profits this year after full-year profit more than doubled in 2012 on a combination of higher sales, lower financing and raw material costs.

Pre-tax profit jumped 103 per cent to 301 million shillings ($3.5 million) and the company on Friday predicted even better results this year after a broadly peaceful election earlier this month.

The company also said it expected increased sales within the five-member East African Community trade bloc. But Sameer cautioned it faced significant pressure from cheap imported tyres. “In 2012, we continued to experience significant upward pressure on our energy costs, but this was largely offset by a 10 per cent reduction in the cost of imported raw material inputs ... and a largely stable U.S. dollar/ Kenya shilling exchange rate,” Sameer said in a statement.

The company’s shares rose

Michael Karanja. Sameer MD

as much as three per cent before paring gains to trade 0.9 per cent lower at 5.40 shillings, driven lower by profit taking, said Brenda Kithinji, an analyst at Standard Investment Bank.

“Its probably someone who was trying to get out at a favourable price,” said Kithinji.

Sameer said its net finance costs fell to 34 million shillings from 112 million in 2011.

Turnover rose eight per cent to four billion shillings, while earnings per share rose to 0.68 shillings from 0.35.

Sameer said it would pay a final dividend of 0.25 shillings a share.

The governor of the Central Bank, Panicos Demetriades, warned political leaders the country would face a disorderly bankruptcy on Tuesday unless they approved the bills, an official present at the talks said. “The next few hours will determine the future of the country,” government spokesman Christos Stylianides said before the parliamentary debate. “We must all assume our share of the responsibility.”

Even if the measures are approved, there was no confirmation they would raise the 5.8 billion euros demanded by the EU in return for a 10 billion euro ($12.9 billion) bailout to avoid a default.

The biggest local bank, the Bank of Cyprus, urged the government to go back and make a deal from the European Union, under which larger deposits over 100,000 euros, would be taxed. It was preferable, it said, to a collapse of the system and a return to the Cypriot pound which would wipe out assets. “There must be no further delay,” the bank said.

Cypriot insistence on taxing even small savers - in hopes of limiting damage to an offshore banking sector heavily depen-

Russia rebuffs Cyprus as EU awaits bailout ‘Plan B’

R

ussia rebuffed Cypriot entreaties for aid on Friday, leaving the island’s increasingly isolated leaders scrambling to strike a bailout deal with the European Union by next week or face the collapse of its financial system.

In Nicosia, the country’s biggest bank urged politicians to make haste and cut a deal with their EU partners as parliament considered proposals to nationalize pension funds, pool state assets and split the country’s second-largest bank in a desperate effort to satisfy those exasperated European allies.

Demetriades

dent on larger Russian depositors - saw a bailout deal that had been agreed with the EU a week ago rejected by parliament on Tuesday.

Several hundred people rallied peacefully outside parliament on Friday, holding banners saying ‘No to the victimization of banks’. “Our so-called friends and partners sold us out,” said Marios Panayides, 65.

Elsewhere, depositors, who have been besieging bank cash machines all week, queued again to withdraw what they could.

The clock was running down to today’s deadline set by the European Central Bank for a deal to be in struck before it cuts funds to Cyprus’s stricken banks, potentially pushing it out of Europe’s single currency. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

e t a r o p r o The c

r e g a n ma

With vast experience in national and global business management, Dr. Christopher Ikechi Ezeh has been able to deploy his exposure to turnaround many Nigerian businesses. Even at close to 70, this astute management expert has continued to impact positively on most firms in which he is involved. Fidelity Bank and John Holt Plc, the two major companies where he is the chairman are testimonies to his shrewdness and management prowess

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

C

hristopher Ikechi Ezeh is one of the few living leggends of the corporate Nigeria who combine courage, ge, hard work and distinct passion in their quest to attain the height of their entrepreneurial pursuit.

Chris, as he is fondly called, obtained a Bachelor of Science nce degree in Economics from the Enugu State University of Scicience and Technology (ESUT) and thereafter proceeded to Carardiff Business School, UK where he bagged a Masters in Busisiness Administration, Postgraduate Diploma in Social Science nce Research Methods and a Ph.D. in Marketing and Strategy.

While in the UK, Chris instructed MBA students on the Principles of Advanced Marketing and executed numerous ous marketing consultancy assignments in Europe and Africa a in the areas of real estate development, telecommunications, cement manufacturing and independent power generation.

An accountant by training, he started his working life with Chrysler (UK) Limited in 1968 and later switched over to the British Gas as well as Conduit Group UK, all still in the United ited Kingdom.

From the UK, Ezeh moved to the Zambia, where he worked rked as the chief accountant of Indeni Petroleum Refinery of Zamambia and finally returned to Nigeria to take up appointment with Gilead Consortium, Nigeria; Minaj Group, Nigeria and Nigerian rian

Continued on pg A10

Ezeh

A9 25

Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

‘

Breweries Plc respectively.

However, what could be aptly tagged as Ezeh’s real journey into the world of entrepreneurship and managerial shrewdness began in 1976, when he joined the John Holt Group as Senior Accountant (Holt Engineering). Ezeh had joined the company at a time the firm was consolidating several interests; Allens, Holt Export and Leasing Services, John Holt Ventures and Shipping into divisions of John Holt PLC. A multi-national company, John Holt PLC operates in a highly diversified industry sector. The company is structured into four business segments namely, the Technical Products and Leasing Services segment which includes John Holt engineering unit, which specializes in the sales and maintenance of large power generating sets; Startec, which provides professional lease and financing arrangements, and the fire protection unit, which provides adjunct services such as surveys, installations, servicing and maintenance; The Distribution segment which provides a range of consumer and light industrial goods; The Yamaha and Marine segment which distributes Yamaha petrol and diesel generators, motorcycles, Yamaha outboard motors, water pumps and engines and Almarine boats; manufactures glass reinforced plastic (GRP) boats, and offers lease and hire packages for light marine vessels, air cushioned vessels (ACVs), and the Central seg-

ment includes the company’s head office, fabrication unit and assemblies unit.

The company emerged from small origins during the era of colonialism and gradually rose to become a ubiquitous trading firm in Nigeria.

Its early rise was supported by the export of palm oil, ivory and rubber and the import of Gin, and a few other foreign goods. However, with time, the company upgraded its import merchandise and became an agent for famous multinational brands such as Sanyo and Yahama. It built around the country, stores to house and sell its locally and foreign produced merchandise. During the era of economic nationalism in the country, large holdings were bought by Mathias Ugochukwu, a wealthy businessman. Prior to that, Lonrho Africa, a mining firm based in London had acquired substantial holdings in the company.

In the 1990s, the company went through a tough period, posting loses but things began to look up for the company in 2004. During the turbulent times, Lonrho, which was at that time, its principal shareholder, sold its interest for $2 million and about $10 million in debt.

However, ten years after Ezeh joined the group, his outstanding performance was rewarded with his appointment as the managing director. Ezeh’s headship of the multi-national company at the time the Nigerian economy was in serious

crisis and at the time when the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) was in place was rather very tasking.

However, the challenge of the time practically brought out the management dexterity in Ezeh to the fore. He was able to transform what had been a traditional trading company (that is, importation and sales of overseas manufactured goods and exportation of unprocessed natural products and resources) into a diversified company involved not only in trading but also in manufacturing (boats, packaging, cosmetics, and toiletries) and distribution.

In October, 1997, Ezeh further moved up the corporate ladder, as he was appointed as the Executive Deputy Chairman, the position he held till March 1998 when he retired from the company. He remained on the board as a nonExecutive Director until March 2001, when he was appointed the Chairman of the Board.

Today, under the chairmanship of Christopher Ezeh, John Holt has undergone various restructuring, particularly in direct response to the dictates of the Nigerian economy. Now, the firm is deeply involved in boat building and also engages in auto sales, real estate, and engineering services.

Since 1996, in line with changing trends in the economy, Ezeh, then as managing director, had restructured John Holt along three core areas namely technical operations; motor sale/leasing and trade

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

However, what could be aptly tagged as Ezeh’s real journey into the world of entrepreneurship and managerial shrewdness began in 1976, when he joined the John Holt Group as Senior Accountant (Holt Engineering).

Ezeh had joined the company at a time the firm was consolidating several interests; Allens, Holt Export and Leasing Services, John Holt Ventures and Shipping into divisions of John Holt PLC

services.

With a dint of hard work, extreme dedication to the core values of the company and with crops of highly dedicated and resourceful management and staff, Ezeh was able to restore the glory of a company that was once a household name in Nigeria to the path of growth.

Until the country’s inclement weather took its toll on its operations, John Holt Nigeria Plc, (JHN), was indeed, a trading behemoth with ubiquitous offices, depots and branches even in remote areas. Its showrooms were not restricted to only the upper class for patronage of high-power Wilson generators, outboard engines and Yahama motorcycles; JHN also catered to the needs of middle-income earners for sundry goods as tools, textiles, beverages and household utensils.

As part of ways of redirecting the path of the company into greater glory, Ezeh, in 2010, led John Holt Nigeria into diversifying into the real estate business with over N6 billion property portfolio and ongoing development in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The restructuring of the company had involved closing down non-performing businesses while concentrating on the mainstream ones as the company looked towards making use of the opportunities in the oil and gas industry especially, in fire protection. While the aim of the restructuring was to merge and consolidate similar operations, unprofitable ventures were closed down in order to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. For example, the West African Drugs was closed down while Haco and John Holt Ventures were restructured.

According to Ezeh, the company has fully restructured in its determined effort to return to the path of profitability so that all stakeholders, especially the shareholders, can be happy and enjoy returns on their investment. “We have been able to

‘

A10 26

rise to the high demand of firefighting equipment and tools in the country. We now have in place, dynamic management that is capable of moving the company to the next level” he stated.

Part of his strategies was the expansion of the company’s activities into area like air conditioner assembly and installation as a way of attracting more customers and sales for business sustainability. Turning around the fortune of John Holt, he confessed, was not an easy task but he was able to achieve his goals with the never-say-die spirit which he believes so much in.

As at September 2009, the company’s net assets for the year ending was N2.943 billion, rising by 32.33 per cent when compared with the 2005 figures of N2.224 billion. In the same vein, it recorded N19.453 billion as turnover in 2009, representing a decrease of 11.6 per cent when compared with the 2008 financial year’s figure of N20.881 billion.

Aside being the Chairman of John Holt, Dr. Ezeh is also the chairman of Lonrho Africa (Nigeria) and has served as directors in many companies in the past. He was at a time, a director in NAL Merchant Bank, Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Ltd, Poly fibre Industries Ltd, Western Holdings Ltd and Nigeria Ropes Ltd. Ezeh has also served as Chairman of Plateau Confectionery Ltd and Lonrho Africa (Nigeria) Ltd; Director of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group; NEPAD Business Group Nigeria and President, Nigeria - Japan Association.

Currently, Ezeh serves as the Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc and he has placed his shrewdness and magic wand at the disposal of the bank. More than anything, Fidelity is reputed for integrity and professionalism and remains one of the few corporate entities in Nigeria that enjoy management stability and it is ranked amongst the

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A11 27

Monday, March 25, 2013

Ezeh and Reginald Ihejiahi, MD/CEO Fidelity bank

top 10 in the Nigerian banking industry, with presence in the major cities and commercial centres of Nigeria.

Incorporated as a limited liability company on 19 November, 1987, Fidelity Bank Plc obtained a merchant banking license on 31 December, 1987 and commenced banking operations on 3 June 1988 as Fidelity Union Merchant Bank Limited. By 1990, it had distinguished itself as the fastest growing merchant bank in the country.

However, to leverage the emerging opportunities in the commercial and consumer end of financial services in Nigeria, it converted to commercial banking and changed its name to Fidelity Bank Plc in 1999.

While the bank was issued a universal banking license by the Central Bank of Nigeria on 6 February, 2001, the current

‘

‘

While the above litany of problems and challenges are daunting, I however, do not mean to imply either that Africa is a basket case or that business success in Africa is an oxymoron.

Over the years, there have been many corporate success stories in Africa, including (to list a few of the best known) oil companies (Shell, Mobil, Texaco, Chevron, Elf, Total, and so on) in various countries, banks like Citibank in west, east and southern Africa, and so on enlarged Fidelity Bank is a result of the merger with the former FSB International Bank Plc and Manny Bank Plc (under the Fidelity brand name) in December 2005.

On 17 May 2005, the bank became quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and with two very successful Public Offers, and today, it has a shareholder base of over 400,000 comprising individuals, associations and business institutions within the country and in the international business community.

The management philosophy of Fidelity Bank has been particular about the quality of people. To qualify as a member of Team Fidelity, a candidate is expected to possess three vital statistics, with the acronym TAC: Talent (an innate mental aptitude), Ambition (a desire to succeed) and Character (a total quality of integrity which will

guide the talent and ambition to productive ends).

The management is focused on building and maintaining a virile and well-respected brand that caters to the needs of its growing corporate, commercial and consumer banking clientele. For this purpose, the bank is leveraging its pedigree in investment banking (Fidelity was a merchant bank for 11years) and its structures and service offerings for a retail populace.

Fidelity Bank also enjoys the respect and partnership of a network of off-shore institutions with which it has correspondent banking, confirmation lines, credit and other relationships. These include, ANZ London, Afr-eximbank, Cairo, Egypt, ABSA South Africa, Commerce Bank, Frankfurt, Citibank, N.A. London and New York, FBN Bank, UK Ltd, SCB, London, HSBC, US Ex-im Bank, USAID, etc.

Being a management expert, Ezeh’s comments and insights on achieving business success in Africa have always been both thought-provoking and practical. Talking about tips on achieving business success in Africa, Ezeh had submitted in one of his comments that “While sub-Saharan Africa is huge (the land mass exceeds that of the United States), individual countries except for Nigeria and South Africa are small. With the exception of South Africa, GDP per capita is low, so the markets we are talking about are small. Because many borrowed heavily in the 1960s and 1970s, most countries have high external debt. High payments on that debt plus foreign aid substantially lower than what was provided in those earlier days mean that most countries have

very limited uncommitted financial resources.”

According to him, the problem most African economies have been facing arises from the fact that most countries except South Africa have had/ continue to have (except, very recently, Nigeria) military or civilian dictatorships and allocation (as opposed to marketdriven) economies means that a high percentage of the few available resources are likely to be wasted. The high levels of corruption in many countries, he submitted, imply that additional scarce resources have been squandered.

“While the above litany of problems and challenges are daunting, I however, do not mean to imply either that Africa is a basket case or that business success in Africa is an oxymoron. Over the years, there have been many corporate success stories in Africa, including (to list a few of the best known) oil companies (Shell, Mobil, Texaco, Chevron, Elf, Total, and so on) in various countries, banks like Citibank in west, east, and southern Africa, and so on. Plus, progress being made on some of the tough challenges mentioned above. Countries in Africa are beginning to realize that to be visible on the rest of the world’s business radar, they need to partner up in regional trade groupings, as has already taken place in Europe, Asia, South America, and North America.

Based on calls for transparency from their own citizenry and pressure from institutions like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, Transparency International, and the African Development Bank, many governments are launch-

ing serious anti-corruption efforts.”

To Ezeh, while more sub-Saharan governments are realizing that the business of government is to create an enabling environment, and that private sector operators are the ones with the skills and motivations needed to run successful businesses, over the next few years, many parastatals, he had predicted, will be privatized, presenting opportunities for investors with the expertise required to run such operations.”

Ezeh’s perception on the question of business success in Africa is predicated on both the philosophical outlook and to various sectors of sub-Saharan economies which are likely to offer special opportunities. As regards philosophical orientation, he believes that the Chinese got it right when they chose the same symbol to represent both problems and opportunities. The relevance of this point, according to him, begins with the observation that badly deteriorated infrastructures across much of sub-Saharan Africa, and ongoing efforts to privatize those infrastructures (ports, railroads, telecoms, water systems) represent huge business opportunities. Within the next five years, Ezeh says there is very likely to be both substantial infrastructure privatization plus substantial governmental rehabilitative investments in infrastructure across the region.

According to him, business sectors likely to offer attractive investment opportunities in sub-Saharan Africa include agriculture, noting that because transport and storage are often lacking, with up to 40 per cent of the staple foods produced each year rot away or are wasted, as infrastructure repairs and investments are made, there should be numerous attractive opportunities for successful food processing-related businesses.

He also said that Sub-Saharan Africa has lots of manpower, but (especially in the technical areas), inadequate skilled personnel, adding that as infrastructures improve and the level of economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa increases, there should be many attractive opportunities for businesses offering skills-based training programmes tuned to the environment and to the level of resources available.

A fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Institute of Directors (IOD), Institute of Cost and Management Accountants (CMA) and a member of the British Institute of Management, Dr Christopher Ezeh also holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Honoris Causa, from Enugu State University of Technology. He is also an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK). BC

A12 28

Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

A jet-setting entrepreneur He is just slightly above 30, but today, he is ranked among a handful of young and successful entrepreneurs across the African continent in the Forbes Magazine’s ‘Ten Young African Millionaires to Watch’. His name is Ladi Delano, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bakrie Delano Africa (BDA), a multi-billion dollar investment company with eyes on Nigeria’s mining, oil and gas as well as agriculture

By Semiu Salami

H

is story is one of a restless, jet-setting entrepreneurs anxious to make it big even in faraway China at a very tender age. Ladi Delano, a British-Nigerian lived an entrepreneurial life from a very young age experimenting with all sorts of entrepreneurial pursuits including selling suits.

At the tender age of 22 in 2004, Ladi Delano founded Solidarnosc Asia, a Chinese alcoholic beverage company that made Solid XS, a premium brand of vodka. Teaming up with marketing director, Matt Reid, he sought visibility by sponsoring performances from artists such as British DJ Pete Tong and Canadian singer Avril Lavigne, among others. The company waxed from strength to strength, launching a dining and entertainment venue, The Collection. Solid XS, the company’s flagship brand reportedly went on to snatch up about 50 per cent market share in China and three other Asian markets and distributed to over 33 cities in China, achieving over $22 million in revenue.

However, with the global economic downturn, Solid XS faced troubled times and eventually had to close down as cash flow dried up and was subsequently followed by massive layoffs of staff.

The company was eventu-

ally sold to a rival liquor company for over $15 million and plough the money into a new business line, real estate.

However, while running Solid XS, Delano had set up a real estate investment company called the Delano Reid Group. The company went on to raise over $80 million for real estate investments in mainland China profiting from China’s real estate economic boom.

Delano has a penchant for running multiple ventures concurrently. As the real estate business continued to flourish, he along with his partner, Reid opened another frontier, this time in DRG CIN Energy and Global DRG Capital, providers of global energy solutions. Headquartered in Hong Kong and with trading facilities of more than $3 billion, the company was a player in the Asian oil trading and exploration space.

Having hit the fortunes in the Far East and the realisation of the massive opportunities in Africa with its estimated one billion people, Delano in December 2011 continued his serial streak by focusing exclusively on Africa with his latest venture, Bakrie Delano Africa. This time, he partnered with an Indonesian conglomerate, the Bakrie Group under a joint venture partnership.

Through the joint venture, the Bakrie Group would invest about $1 billion over five years in Bakrie Delano Africa

Delano

(BDA) in areas as diverse as mining, oil and gas and agriculture.

The Bakrie Group, a leading player in Asia and owns

stakes in PT Bumi Resources, Asia’s largest thermal coal exporter, diversified miner PT Bumi Resources Minerals and other Indonesian firms.

Delano’s inward looking, so to say is instructive. To him, Nigeria is attractive to the Bakrie Group as an investment destination for several

Management Principles

Basic Time Management Planning

T

he basic principles of time management planning are simple and straightforward fundamentals of success.

Clarity of purpose In order to effectively use your time, you must know with certainty, what you want to use it for. Start with some specific goals for each area of your life. Consider your ideal life. Create a written success map to guide you with your vision.

Evaluate your current use of time To make better use of your time, it’s important to identify patterns of procrastination and avoidance that negatively impact your ability to move forward with your goals. A useful tool is Stephen Covey’s Time Management Matrix.

Identify and work with fear and limiting beliefs Our patterns of procrastination and avoidance are intrinsically linked to our fear and limiting beliefs. Once you identify your emotional roadblocks, you can quickly and effectively eliminate them with holistic healing tools.

Create a written plan for your daily and weekly activities Plan to succeed by charting your daily and weekly activities in a journal, day planner, palm pilot, or other planning software.

Try to choose a medium based on simplicity, ease of use, portability, and your level of comfort.

Avoid the frustration of trying to learn to use complicated software or electronic gadgets while you are mastering the basics of effective planning. You can always graduate up to more comprehensive planners once you have mastered the basics, and your level of comfort increas-

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Business Courage A13 29

Monday, March 25, 2013

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

reasons. “Firstly, it is experiencing excellent rates of economic growth, approximately eight per cent per year, which is forecast by a wide cross-

section of respected economic commentators to continue over the medium to long term.

As an indigenous company, Bakrie Delano has deep root-

es.

Prioritize your activities This is the area where the most crucial planning mistakes occur. Make sure you have accurately assessed what your top priorities are. Activities related to achieving your goals must receive your attention first!

Avoid trying to get all the “little” to-do list things out of the way first – unexpected “emergencies” will only multiply throughout the day and you will soon be back to the position of simply prioritizing your crises and not being able to keep up.

Instead, allocate a specific block of time during each week where you manage the must-do tasks so they do not interrupt you throughout the rest of the week. And be prepared to give up some of the less important activities altogether.

Remember, success mistakes are certain when we fail to master effective planning! Always begin with a vision of the life you really want to live!

Essentially, time management takes into account the DO IT ONCE principle which implies that once you decide on a plan and are focused, just do it now. Here is an easy way to help you remember this principle: D = Divide and conquer what you have to do. Break big tasks into little tasks and give each part of that task a realistic deadline.

O = Organize your materials, how you will do it.

I = Ignore interruptions that are annoying distractions T = Take the time to learn how to do things yourself.

N = Now, not tomorrow. Don’t procrastinate.

O = Opportunity is knocking. Take advantage of opportunities.

W = Watch out for time gobblers. Keep track of, and in control of, how much time you spend on the Internet, reading and sending e-mails, watching TV, or talking on the phone BC

ed relationships in Nigeria too, which is a very important point. Business relationships on the ground are vital when operating in any market, especially emerging markets.

The combination of these three factors: rapid economic growth, an operational track record in particular sectors and local knowledge makes Nigeria very attractive,” he said.

Getting to what may be considered a comfort zone for Delano never came easy but as he explained in a recent interview, the spirit to “keep going, keep believing and never give up,” helped him achieve his current feat.

And this is what he believes Africa’s young aspiring business persons and entrepreneurs should believe in. “It’s an old saying but the phrase “Show me a man who has never failed and I’ll show you a man who has never succeeded” really resonates with me. All entrepreneurs suffer periodic ups and downs and running a successful, profitable business isn’t easy. If it was, everybody would be doing it. But this is Africa’s time and the demand levels within our own continent’s domestic economy needs satisfying.

This is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurial, hard working individuals,” he said.

Now, Delano’s BDA plans to spend $500 million of its $1 billion investment commitment which it entered into with the government last year on crude palm oil and rubber plantations. In achieving this, BDA says it plans to acquire plantation companies while also acquiring non Greenfield lands.

Delano said that his decision to pair up with Bakrie Group was informed by the fact that he needs a group with a good track record from a country that is nearly the same as Nigeria. “In Nigeria, the major business is oil and gas, that’s why we need a partner who can diversify businesses in some primary sectors,” he said.

Often referred to as an infant empire builder by some, Delano remains one of Nigeria’s glowing examples of industry, selflessness and determination. At 30, analysts already predict that this new crop of multi-millionaire Diaspora entrepreneurs may be to future of Nigeria’s total economic emancipation. BC

Personal Finance How to fund start-up businesses

N

o matter what the economic situation, someone somewhere, eyes bright with potential, is looking to start a new business.

Funds are often the biggest hurdle to what could otherwise be a lucrative opportunity. Here are some ways - traditional and/ or creative - to raise money for your start-up business.

Personal savings There’s nothing like having your own money saved, to put into your start-up. You have the satisfaction of having saved it on your own, and the knowledge that you don’t owe anyone.

Risk: It’s your money, and if you’re not successful, the money is gone, and with it the opportunity to do anything else with it later.

Partner savings Having a partner helps spread out not only the business management but the financial burden. A good partnership is also synergetic, bringing more success than running a business alone.

Risk: A fed up partner who wants out; arguments; irresponsible partners who leave you with all the debt; broken friendships.

Retirement savings plan Dip into your retirement savings, especially if there’s a government incentive (i.e., qualified tax break). Or take advantage of home ownership programmes from retirement plan funds, and use your original rental funds towards your business.

Risk: If you can’t pay back your savings plan, there may be a penalty as well as having to declare the funds as earnings.

Blood money Borrow from family, friends, colleagues, or employees. An alternative to this is to have one of the aforementioned co-sign a bank loan for you.

Risk: Meddling lenders, constantly reminding you of what they gave you; ruined friendships.

Bank loan If you have a solid business plan and the lender agrees, this can often be the cheapest (interest rate-wise) loan sources available.

Risk: Besides the fact that it’s often hard for a start-up to qualify - since there’s little evidence you’ll be profitable - if you do get a loan, it can be like a ticking time bomb if your business isn’t doing well.

Investor capital Get angel investments or venture capital. Convert blood money lenders into investors or silent partners. Or find angel investors, who tend to give smaller loans than VCs (Venture Capitalists).

Venture capital is less of an option for most start-ups, but might come at a later stage. Note that at a later stage, your customers and suppliers could very well be investors.

Risk: Not enough money, or difficult repayment terms. Many investors expect to sell the company at some point in the future and cash out. That means offering an IPO, which locks your payout thanks to SEC rules. You also have to be incredibly careful about not falling into insider trading issues.

Private offering Turn your blood money lenders into part owners, so that they have an emotionally vested stake in seeing your business succeed.

Risk: You might lose partial control of the business, and if you have to have meetings to make simple decisions, that could hinder your ability to work effectively.

Public offering A public offering widens your potential for selling shares and thus getting operating capital when you need it. Risk: Shareholders expect something in return, whether it’s dividend payouts or increase in stock value. There’s also the issue of now being bound by all the Securities and Exchange Commission rules.

Dividends If you have mutual funds or stocks in your investment portfolio that pay out regular dividends, this could be a potential source of start-up funds. This way, you do not have to cash in your portfolio, and it can continue to earn for you.

Risk: Depending on tax laws in your country, some types of dividends might be taxable at source, if you are not reinvesting them. So your actual “take,” minus any brokerage fees might leave BC you with very little. BC

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Bridging unemployment gap The software giant, Microsoft unveils commitment to skills development for over 300 million youths in the next three years with the launch of YouthSpark, an initiative viewed as capable of assisting in tackling the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

F

or millions of youths, especially, graduates who have always roam about the streets combing for jobs fruitlessly, succour seems to have come their ways. Courtesy of Microsoft, the global software giant, opportunities of becoming employers of labour rather than employees through the acquisition of the Information Technology skills now beckons.

Microsoft Corporation, in partnership with the National Youth Service Corps, Mind The Gap and Future Enterprise Support Scheme have launched a new initiative in Nigeria called YouthSpark with a view to empowering youth to imagine and realize their full potential by connecting them with greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship.

Microsoft’s YouthSpark is a global initiative that aims to create opportunities for 300 million youth in more than 100 countries in the next three years.

This companywide initiative includes Corporate Social Investment (CSI) and other company programmes.

Through this, and as part of the commitments announced earlier this year through the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, Microsoft is creating a platform for youth to learn leadership and life skills that aim to address youth unemployment caused by lack of skills which is one key factor hindering economic growth in Africa.

Launched recently at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Lagos Orientation Camp, Iyana, Ipaja, Lagos, with an overwhelming attendance of corps members and other youths, the YouthSpark could be said to have actually been taken to the target audience as the NYSC is seen as the largest gathering of youth in Nigeria. The belief has been that the youths needed to be equipped in becoming useful to themselves right from schools rather than

always having the idea of looking for jobs after the completion of their education. To realise their full potentials and become fully empowered, the Information Technology (IT), is believed to be a field with the greatest opportunities.

It is obvious that today’s young people face an opportunity divide – a gap between those who have the access, skills and opportunities to be successful and those who do not. Closing this opportunity divide, Microsoft said, is one of the most important actions that has to be taken to secure the future of the youth and the future of the global economy.

YouthSpark is tightly aligned to the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, a new investment in the continent which was announced in Lagos last month to help Africa improve its global competitiveness. By 2016, the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative plans to help place tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of African youth, bring one million African small and medium enterprises online, up-skill 100,000 members of Africa’s existing workforce, and help an additional 100,000 recent graduates develop skills for employability, 75 per cent of which Microsoft will help place in jobs. These new commitments through YouthSpark in Nigeria will contribute significantly towards delivering on these goals.

The Microsoft YouthSpark Hub gives the youths access to a multitude of tools and resources to empower them to change their world.

How can you be the spark of change? The YouthSpark Hub is an online space to explore and access all the Microsoft programs and resources to help youth imagine and realize their full potential.

Aside being in partnership with the NYSC, officials of other partners such as Mind the Gap, a job creation, employability and social entrepreneurship incubation programme; and Future Enterprise Support Scheme, an online community

Christy Ubah, Deputy Director, ICT, NYSC, Abuja, Olayinka Oni, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Nigeria and Ugochukwu Nwosu, Citizenship and PiL (Partners in Learning) Manager, Microsoft Nigeria at the launch of Microsoft YouthSpark in Lagos

where young people can come together to share knowledge, ideas, tips and resources were also in attendance.

To this end, later in the year, Microsoft intends to roll out its “Build Your Business programme,” a comprehensive and interactive training course designed to support aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs. Microsoft will also launch an employability portal locally, which Nigerian youth will be able to access to help them find jobs.

Speaking at the launch of the initiative, Olayinka Oni, Na-

Okore-Affia

tional Technology Officer, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa who represented Jeffrey Avina, Director, Citizenship, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, said, “We believe there has never been a better time to invest in Africa and in Nigeria in particular. Microsoft sees tremendous potential in the youth of this country, and through YouthSpark and the 4Afrika Initiative, we are committed to being an enabler for this generation by helping them get the skills they need to achieve their goals.”

In his own reaction, the Di-

rector-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General N.T Okore-Affia, represented by Isaac Obiwumma, Deputy Director, ICT,NYSC National Director headquarters, charged the corps members to take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity to be the best in their chosen field. “Not many organizations create opportunities of this nature, and I urge corps members to take seriously this platform created,” he said.

Also, speaking at the launch, Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Adenike Adeyemi expressed ap-

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with ICT

Avina

preciation to the management of Microsoft for the partnership to create economic opportunities for the educated youth of Nigeria. “This basically is in tandem with the objectives of the NYSC which includes the development of the youth of Nigeria into a great and dynamic economy and the schemes programmes are designed to enable Nigerian youth acquire the spirit of selfreliance. All enterprises in the world today are wheeled by ICT. Therefore, NYSC in partnership with Microsoft YouthSpark will build on and increase the technological knowledge available to the corps members to give them an edge over their contemporaries in the labour market and also provide a springboard for the entrepreneurship development,” she said.

Tayo Olosunde, principal partner E-Green and Coordinator of Mind the gap career mentoring programme said “Finally, no more excuse! YouthSpark launch in Nigeria has opened up an authentic platform to mind the gap and leapfrog Nigerian graduates. The overwhelming public declaration of commitment by Microsoft is a strong inspiration for us to go through the miles to move more Corp members from the indifference posture, to an aggressive, discerning and self-driven mentality and attitude.”

Chude Jidenowo, Executive Director, The Future Enterprise Support Scheme expressed appreciation to Microsoft for identifying what is the most urgent problem facing the continent’s

Business Courage A15 31

Monday, March 25, 2013

young people - jobs. “We speak often of Africa’s demographic bonus, but unless we tackle the issues of unemployment and employability, that will become a demographic burden,” Jidenowo said.

David Arkless, Manpower Group’s President of Corporate and Government Affairs said that start-ups and small businesses are the backbone of Africa’s economy and this learning course will encourage aspiring entrepreneurs to take the leap to set up a business venture.

“We are committed to helping new small businesses get off the ground and provide them with the skills to deal with the rigors of competition and day-to-day business tasks,” he said.

Other YouthSpark programs, all of which are available today in Nigeria, include: Partners Network, Academy, DreamSpark, Imagine Cup, and BizSpark.

Prior to the launch of the YouthSpark, Microsoft Nigeria had also partnered Leap Africa in providing a platform for youths to assemble and learn leadership and life skills that would help them build up their career in social entrepreneurship.

The one-day Youth Social Entrepreneurship Conference (YSEC) designed to kick-start Microsoft’s YouthSpark programme in Nigeria, brought together 100 youths aged 18 – 35 at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Lagos.

Explaining the motivation for the programme, the Citizen-

ship and PiL Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Ugochukwu Nwosu said, “Although the prospects for economic growth in Africa are good, increasing youth unemployment caused by lack of skills is limiting vital areas of that growth. Mindful of the fact that youth is the cornerstone of economic growth and competitiveness, Microsoft decided to identify the vast youth resource in Nigeria, equip them with the proficiency necessary to lead innovative change and contribute to global youth-led development.”

He added that the company recognises the significant role Nigeria’s non-profit institutions play as connectors, noting that, it was for this reason that Microsoft is building on Leap Africa’s support to reach the youths.

The programme featured training sessions which focused on Microsoft tools that start-ups and small businesses can take advantage of to grow, develop and manage costs. Highlight was also on the effective use of technology in the day- to- day activities to improve their competitiveness and increase productivity.

Most of the facilitators for the programme were drawn from Leap Africa and they included Oje Ivagba, Ukwori Ejibe and Katja Schiller Nwator from the Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Support also came from Shina Oyetosho, Developer and Platform Evangelism Lead, Microsoft Nigeria who took the participants on a journey through the various Microsoft tools available for start-ups and how social enterprises can access them.

Ukwori Ejibe introduced the assembly to the concept of using a systematic approach to manage their activities. The session highlighted the application of strategy formulation in the execution of their projects and subsequent activities.

During the class on project planning and management, Oje Ivagba prepared members with tools needed to identify and capture business opportunities while also exposing them to important aspects of planning and establishing a successful business initiative.

The participants, who also benefitted from knowledge sharing through discourse around change projects, commended the continuous efforts of Microsoft at encouraging technology penetration as well as personal growth of Nigerian youths.

Being part of YouthSpark, after graduation, participants are to get some benefits free of charge for up to three years.

For instance, they are to get Software, cloud computing, and support to help them grow their businesses as well as having access to network partners, including investors, mentors and start-ups in their areas and around the world. BC

Technotips

What to expect from iPhone 5

W

hile no one outside of Apple’s inner circles know what it will be called — iPhone 5, new iPhone or something else altogether — all signs point to a new device on the market by the third week of September.

The new phone is expected to be officially announced on September 12, when preorders would also start, and available about a week later.

So what’s the iPhone 5 going to have, you ask? A lot, by all accounts -- and we’re not even referring to what’s confirmed to be in the upcoming iOS 6 operating system. Let’s take a look at what we know and what we think we know.

*Bigger screen It’s not likely to be as big as the Samsung Galaxy S III’s 4.8-inch display, but iPhone 5 will likely have a bigger screen than the 3.5-incher we’ve been staring at on the iPhone since it launched in 2007. According to photos leaked to MacRumors.com a few days ago, the new iPhone might be about 14 per cent bigger, up to four inches in diameter. That’s not a significant bump up in size, mind you, but certainly better for web browsing, messaging, ebooks, GPS navigation, games and video (in fact, the increase will likely change the aspect ratio from 3:2 to a widescreen 16:9).

Apple will also pack more pixels on the taller screen, to ensure it’s still a “Retina” display -- meaning its pixel density is so high the human eye is unable to distinguish individual dots. *Thinner body, bigger battery & new connector The new screen — likely to be one of the biggest features in the iPhone 5 — will also be thinner, contributing to an even svelter smartphone. Apple was recently awarded a patent related to integrating touch sensors with the actual display circuits, opposed to placing the touch sensors on top of the LCD screen (currently, the way it’s done). This will result in a thinner display, expected to trim the entire iPhone’s depth by about 1.2mm.

On a related note, rumour has it the iPhone will have an all-new housing with a full metal back, replacing the breakable glass on the iPhone 4S. As for the connectors, it seems the headphone jack has been moved from the top left of the phone to the bottom left, beside a small connector compared to the wide-mouth 30-pin connector in the current suite of iOS devices (iPhone, iPod touch, iPad) and the Apple nano, too.

On the subject of hardware, it’s no secret the iPhone 4S battery is less than ideal for all of the phone’s powerdraining abilities. A leaked photo acquired by 9to5Mac points to a bigger battery in the iPhone 5 — but not by much. The current iPhone 4S sports a 1,430mAh battery (up from 1,420 mAh on the iPhone 4), and this photo shows a slightly better 1,440mAh battery, and upping to 3.8 volts from 3.7. *New wireless tech There’s talk (and photos) of a new nano SIM under the hood of iPhone 5 to give the iPhone cellular connectivity.

Apple has been pushing for this as a standard for some time, so we’ll soon see if iPhone 5 is the first to house this new SIM card.

Other changes to its wireless capabilities include 4G/LTE data speeds which take full advantage of the faster wireless networks available in select markets.

Already in the new iPad, LTE support in the iPhone 5 is extremely likely. While not as likely as LTE, the iPhone 5 might also include near-field communication (NFC) and a small wireless radio that essentially turns the smartphone into a digital wallet. BC

A16 32

Business Courage

Juwah

FG assures on mobile number portability Stories by Kunle Azeez

A

head of the official commencement of the muchanticipated Mobile Number Portability (MNP) service, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has listed roles expected of stakeholders, particularly telecoms subscribers towards making the scheme work.

The Commission said while service providers and the regulator are getting set to roll out the service, certain important role is expected from the subscribers using the over 113 million active telephone lines in the country who may want to port their numbers.

The Interconnect Clearing House, which has been appointed by the NCC to create a unified interface billing system, is rounding off exercise by bringing service providers networks on the mobile number portability platform.

Already, Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, has assured of the readiness of the government to flag off the MNP service soon. “We are going ahead with Mobile Number Portability, because it is going to give subscribers lots of choice and freedom.

MNP will bring new dimension to the competition in the industry. All network operators will have to work harder to earn the trust of subscribers, because they will now have choices.

“MNP will definitely give consumer varieties of choice but the major issue is for us to improve on our infrastructure and improve services, so that we don’t have to be moving from network to network,” she added.

Explaining how telecoms subscribers will benefit from the scheme, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, said, when a phone user feels that another operator can offer him a better service than his current operator, mobile number portability will allow him to

move and enjoy the coverage, quality or tariff of the new operator while retaining his old number.

According to him, with number portability, your operator can change but your number will be the same, noting that there are roles to be played by the subscriber which will make the process effective and successful, especially in validating the SIM Card Registration process.

“The number to be ported must be a SIM registered number with your current operator.

The subscriber must physically visit the retail store/customer outlet of the new operator. A photo identification card must be presented to the new operator. This means, therefore, that there will be no proxy porting process. Also, a porting will be completed within 48 hours from the port request,” he said.

According to Juwah, MNP is a simple process and will be free; and for the porting process not to be subject to abuse and arbitrariness there will be porting windows, that is, the time within which an already ported number can be ported again.

Already, the Commission has released the guideline detailing the rules and regulations for implementing an MNP service in Nigeria.

The document titled: “Nigeria Mobile Number Portability: Business Rules and Port Order” sets out the business rules to manage the processes for porting mobile number(s) between mobile service providers, NPC and subscribers, licensed by the NCC to provide mobile telecommunications service in Nigeria.

Telecoms subscribers welcome new interconnect rate regime

T

elecoms subscribers in the country have expressed their delight over the new telecoms interconnection rate regime being issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

They spoke through their advocacy umbrella body, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS) at the weekend.

President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Deolu Ogunbanjo, particularly hailed NCC over the wide consultations with industry stakeholders culminating in the release of the new termination rates for industry.

He said the reduction from current N8 to N6 will mean that subscribers will enjoy lower tariff in the days ahead.

“We are happy that before this new rates, the commission had taken its time to consult widely

Monday, March 25, 2013

with necessary stakeholders to produce a rate that is based on global practices and which, we believe, will lead to reduction in tariffs for subscribers, “ he said.

In a statement signed by its Director, Public Affiars, Tony Ojobo, NCC had last Thursday, announced the release of a new termination rates among operators which will take effect from April 1, 2012.

The new set of interconnection rates determination for voice services for the country’s telecommunications industry spanning 2012 and 2015, followed comprehensive consultations with various stakeholders by the NCC. The Commission said the new determination rates, which significantly reviewed prices downwards, are informed by the depth of competition in the industry while taken into consideration the position of new entrants and small operators.

In the new interconnection regime, the NCC determines that the termination rates for voice services provided by new entrants and small operators in Nigeria irrespective of the originating network shall be N6.40 from April 1, 2013; N5.20 from April 1, 2014; and N3. 90 from April 1, 2015.

Also, the termination rates for voice services provided by other operators in Nigeria irrespective of the originating network shall be N4.90 from April 1, 2013; N4.40 from April 1, 2014; and N3.90 from April 1, 2015.

The Commission said this determination shall take effect from April 1, 2013 and remain valid and binding on licensees for the next three years until further reviewed by the Commission.

It further noted: “New entrant is defined as newly licensed operator entering an existing or new market within 0 to 3 years. Small operator is defined, for the purpose of the determination, as an existing operator with a market share of 0 – 7.5 per cent in terms of subscriber base.”

It will be recalled that the current interconnection rate regulation was implemented through the Commission’s Interconnection Rate Determination issued on December 21,

Ogunbanjo

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2009.

Since then, the Nigerian telecommunications market has seen tremendous growth in both, subscriber numbers as well as traffic volumes and available technologies such as Third Generation (3G).

The current rate which is symmetric to all operators is N8.2.

Speaking on the process adopted, Ojobo said “In June 2012, the Commission appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to undertake a cost study for voice interconnection.

“In line with its commitment to a policy of openness, transparency, fairness, and participatory regulation, the Commission informed stakeholders in July 2012 of its engagement of PWC to advise on the review of interconnection rates for mobile and fixed telephony services.

“After series of meetings with operators and other stakeholders, PWC provided the Commission with recommendations related to the regulation of voice interconnection.”

A telecoms analyst, Akin Akinbo, said the implication of the crash in interconnection rates would means that telecoms subscribers will pay less for telecoms services in the next three years.

“It also suggests that it will create pressure on the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), accrued to the operators, leading to reduction in income.”

Resourcery now Cisco’s Mobile Internet Technology Partner

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esourcery Plc, Nigeria’s leading systems integration company in West Africa has achieved the Cisco ATP Mobile Internet Technology status to become the first Cisco partner in the West Africa to attain this height.

According to a statement, the status was confirmed in an email sent by Cisco management to the company on March 4, 2013.

The Cisco Mobile Internet Technology (MIT) Authorized Technology Provider Program (ATP) is an invitation-only program focused on bringing Cisco mobile packet core solutions to the wireless service provider market through qualified channel partners.

According to the statement, the recognition also means Resourcery “has the requisite skill set to market, sell and deploy Cisco Mobile Internet Technology solutions, as well as provide ongoing support to their wireless service provider customers’ across West Africa.”

The Cisco mail reads: “Congratulations to Resourcery Plc C for meeting all ATP program

Tani Fafunwa, MD Resourcery

requirements and criteria necessary to earn the designation of Cisco ATP - Mobile Internet Technology Partner in the West English Africa.

“Resourcery Plc has met the rigorous Cisco certified personnel levels required for an ATP - Mobile Internet Technology Partner. This helps ensure that Resourcery Plc sales and support organisations are better prepared to properly sell, design, install, and support the ATP program specific technology and products.”

Cisco also confirmed that, “This is an outstanding accomplishment for Resourcery Plc and demonstrates your desire to develop expertise in this market. Resourcery Plc and the Cisco account management team will continue working together to develop and enhance our mutual capabilities to support Resourcery Plc and your customers.”

Speaking on the importance of this achievement, the Business Solution Manager in-charge of Voice and Video Solution at Resourcery, Mr. Olugbenga Adanlawo, noted that the company has clearly demonstrated that it has the relevant job, industry and market credentials to deploy and support the Cisco MIT ATP technology.

“We have the required expertise in mobile network infrastructure and the market experience in selling and integrating packet core technology in a mobile operator customer base. Our experience also includes selling network infrastructure to service providers and the eagerness to invest in our personnel in the area of training and development.

We equally have the technical expertise to provide pre- and post-sales support to mobile operators,” he said.

He stated that as an Information Technology company “with so many firsts in West Africa and the continent at large, we see this milestone as yet a call to serve our customers even better.

“This explains why we say we are not just an IT company, we provide business Solutions to our clients’ technology challenges so that they focus on their core area of business,” he said. BC

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Business Courage A17 33

Monday, March 25, 2013

MultiChoice Nigeria invested N15.5bn in seven years

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ultiChoice Nigeria says it has invested over N15.5 billion ($94m) in Nigerian content in the last seven years. The investment, according to the Management of the company, is aimed at supporting and developing the country’s economy.

The Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria. John Ugbe, who disclosed this at a meeting of the Nigeria-South African Chamber of Commerce, said that the company has been involved in the commissioning and full payment for local content to stimulate growth in the Nigerian economy.

“We started our business in Nigeria when people were scared to do business in Nigeria, and we are glad to see the growth of the company and the Nigerian economy over the years. We paid over N7.1 billion in value added tax and company tax since 1999 and our capital investment is in excess of N3.5 billion in broadcasting infrastructure and innovation services,” Ugbe said.

The MultiChoice boss added that the company invested over N9 million ($56m) in sports, production, broadcasting and training in the country, and also sponsored the DStv Basketball League with $1 million for three years. “We are committed to growing the Nigerian business environment, and we showcased this through the creation of business

exposure for leading Nigerian businesses, such as media buyers. Also, we have partnered with government, through the ministry of health and the Sickle Cell Foundation, Nigeria; the ministry of education with the MRC project and the ministry of sports, UNN, Wits University for Workshop on sports management,” he disclosed.

Speaking on its plans for the future, Ugbe added that the company would be involved in various strategies aimed at business expansion, which in-turn, would allow for more employment opportunities for the Nigerian youth.

He also said that there was a target for increased local content, as well as more customer loyalty campaigns, especially as it was set to mark its 20th anniversary in May this year.

The Consular General, South African High Commission, Mokgethi Monaisa, commended MultiChoice for its various initiatives aimed at growing the economy and urged the company to do more.

He said that the Nigerian business environment remained a robust one with lots of opportunities for investors, adding that the economic environment allowed for more expansion and growth in its business environment.

He, however, called for stronger intertrade relationships with other countries in the region, including South-Africa.

Ugbe

Stock Market last week

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turnover of 1.561 billion shares worth N16.636 billion in 25,255 deals were transacted last week on the floor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 2.550 billion shares valued at N21.694 billion that exchanged hands the previous week in 29,335 deals. The Financial Services sector accounted for 1.211 billion shares valued at N11.312 billion exchanged hands by investors in 15,414 deals.

The Banking subsector of the Financial Services sector was the most

active during the week (measured by turnover volume) with 921.900 million shares worth N9.471 billion exchanged by investors in 10,723 deals.

Volume in the Banking subsector was largely driven by activities in the shares of Access Bank Plc, UBA Plc and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc. Trading in the shares of the three banks accounted for 453.380 million shares, representing 49.18% of the turnover volume recorded by the subsector for the week.

Also traded during the week were 192 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N476.541 million executed in 4 deals compared with a total of 577 units valued at N1.405 million transacted last week in seven deals.

In addition, 1,700 units of FGN bonds valued at N1.992 million were traded during the week in 18 deals in contrast to 2,020 units valued at N2.422 million transacted the previous week in 20 deals

Index Movement The NSE All-Share Index appreciated by 556.80 points or 1.69 per cent to close on Friday at 33.506.88 while the market capitalization of the listed equities on the mainboard increased to N10.722 trillion.

Also, the Bloomberg NSE 30 Index appreciated by 18.88 points or 1.20 per cent to close at 1,597.35.

Also, the NSE Lotus II appreciated by 77.58 points or 3.68 per cent to close at 2,184.34. While the Bloomberg NSE Consumer Goods, Bloomberg NSE Banking, Bloomberg NSE Insurance, and Bloomberg NSE Oil/Gas depreciated by 0.94 per cent, 1.32 per cent, 0.86 per cent and 1.36 per cent respectively.

Summary of Price Changes Twenty two equities appreciated in price during the week lower than 41 equities of the preceding week. Fortyfive equities depreciated in price higher than 37 equities of the preceding week.

One hundred and thirty equities remained constant during the week in contrast to 119 equities of the preceding week. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

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Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

The reigning car brands and price The

Audi A3

M

ost of them are due for debut this year while few others won’t hit the market until 2014. But above all, these are car brands that will keep auto freaks on the edge.

2014 Audi A3 This is a sedan that is based on the next-generation Volkswagen Golf and it is roughly the size of the 1996–2001 A4.

The A3 will be the Volkswagen Group’s first model on its new platform, and the A3 sedan is designed with the U.S. market in mind. Audi hopes the tidy, sporty A3 will grow its market share significantly.

The VW Group’s MQB (modular transverse) platform is lighter than the current one it replaces. Designed for frontand all-wheel-drive setups and gasoline, diesel, hybrid, and allelectric powertrains, it will be offered across VW’s brands— from Audi and VW to Škoda and SEAT. Powertrain The US market will get a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel with 140 horsepower and a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with roughly 200 horsepower. A gasoline hybrid and a fully electric version are possibilities. Meanwhile, enthusiasts may want to hold out for the S3. Waiting for an RS3 with the Audi TT RS’s 360-hp, 2.5-liter five-cylinder likely will prove fruitless.

Competition The 2014 Audi A3 will face stiff competition from other brands like the BMW 1-series, Infiniti compact, Lexus CT200h and Mercedes-Benz B-class spinoffs.

Estimated debut date

abou about N9.3 million ($6000)

N4.86 million ($30,000).

2 2013 Nissan Altima This is a redesigned version of Nissan’s sportily inclined mid-size m family sedan. Styling is said to borrow from the brand’s Ellure concept and even the Versa. Nissan is i expected to resist making the t Altima any larger than it is today, which means that much of its edge is likely to remain.

The Altima brought some much-needed oomph to the family-sedan seg-

2014 Mercedes-Benz Sclass A thorough reworking of Benz’s flagship sedan, iIt will introduce several new safety systems including a “braking bag” located between the front wheels: When a crash is imminent, the bag inflates and pushes a metal plate onto the ground to slow the car. Inside, there’s a new set of seat-mounted side airbags that herd occupant occupants toward the mi middle of the car.

Air Airbag-

sedan for the

2014 will go for about N4.86 million ($30,000) 2014 Mercedes-Benz MLC The 2014 Mercedes-Benz MLC is a redesigned ML with a very low roofline and a few design cues from the CLS. It will have a big rear hatch and folding back seats. The MLC’s low greenhouse corresponds to the body’s diminished ground clearance.

Following the unexpected global success of the BMW X6, Mercedes would like to profit from the trend toward “SUV coupes” in Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

Powertrain The MLC will offer a choice of two engines: a new 3.5-litre twin-turbo V-6 making roughly 335 horsepower and a 5.5-litre twin-turbo V-8 with 518 horses (550 with the AMG Performance package). It is doubtful if there’ll be a diesel engine, as the MLC will have limited appeal in Europe.

Competitor It faces stiff competition from BMW X6 and Infiniti FX mainly.

Expectations Because of growing competition in the SUV-coupe arena, Mercedes might not sell as many MLCs as expected: The segment’s only good for about 60,000 cars worldwide right now. If China comes up with new regulations against monster SUVs for megacities, sales would crumble there.

Estimated debut date and price By the summer of 2014, the price of 2014 MercedesMLCs Benz should b e

Nissan Altima

ment. It might not be perfect orr as quietly refined as some com-petitors, but it’s fun, and fun n goes a long way.

Powertrain Like the next Accord, the e Altima will continue to of-fer a V-6 option. Direct injec-tion will be applied to both the V-6 and four-cylinder versions and should help the four deliver about 200 horsepower and highway fuel economy in the mid-30-mpg range. Automatic customers will continue to get a CVT with both the V-6 and the four, but thankfully a six-speed manual will be standard with either engine. A hybrid will return after a brief hiatus.

Competitor A horde of competing brands such as Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat would give the 2013 Nissan Altima a good run.

Estimated debut date and price The 2013 Altima is expected o be within the range of N3.12 to million ($20,000 0) ($20,000) a n d

Mercedes-Benz MLC

Ford Fusion

Mercedes-Benz S-class

equipped seatbelts will be optional.

The S-class is Mercedes’ standard-bearer and this iteration should help the brand reestablish itself as a safety leader while intensifying the focus on efficiency.

Underpinning the S-class is a new aluminium-intensive unibody. As with the current generation, our market will likely get the long-wheelbase version only.

Powertrain A diesel-electric plug-in hybrid will bring small-car economy to the S-class, at least in Europe. Stateside, S-classes will come with a twin-turbocharged V-8 or a new V-12.

Competitor Audi A8, BMW 7-series, Jaguar XJ, Lexus LS, Porsche Panamera are probable competitor which the 2014 Benz S class will have t o cont e n d

with.

Estimated debut date and price The new S-class should make its debut in May this year as a 2014 model with a starting price of N14.6 million ($90,000).

2013 Ford Fusion Under the hood, Ford is tendering no illusions—the range of economical engine options encompasses conventional, hybrid, and plug-in-hybrid alternatives. Those who opt to go strictly fossil fuel have three choices: a 170-hp, 2.5-litre four-cylinder mated to a sixspeed automatic; a 179-hp, 1.6-liter EcoBoost turbo four mated to either a six-speed auto or a six-speed manual; and a 237-hp, 2.0-lite 2.0-liter EcoBoost four hooked to a sixsix-speed automatic. (All power figures are estimates, but tthey’re not likely to cha change much.) Allwheel drive is again available but only ava with the 2.0-liw ter. An engine stop-start system will be offered exclusively on 1.6-liter models, where it is said (by Ford) to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 3.5 per cent.

Fusion hybrid buyers get a new 2.0-litre, Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder to replace the outgoing 2.5-litre. A permanentmagnet AC synchronous motor holds up the electrical end of the momentum bargain, helping to boost total system output to 185 horsepower and 130 pound-feet of torque. An electronically controlled continuously variable transmission sends the power to the wheels. Lighter, more powerful lithium-ion batteries replace the previous Fusion hybrid’s nickel-metal hydride batteries and increase the electric-only top speed from 47 to 62 mph.

Efficiency numbers aren’t final yet, but Ford is calling out Toyota and Hyundai, claiming the Fus Fusion hybrid stands to outperform the 2012 Toyota Camry hybrid by 4 mpg in the city and hyb mpg on the highway and the 5 m 2011 Hyundai Sonata hybrid by 201 12 and 4 mpg, respectively.

2 2014 BMW M3 This is the latest in a long line T

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Business Courage A19 35

Monday, March 25, 2013

Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

of M3s to provide sportscar performance in a cop-duping wrap-

BMW M3

per, it will be BMW’s most powerful M3 yet.

The next M3 is based on the new F30 platform, a rearand all-wheel-drive design that is slightly larger than the E90 platform it replaces. Compared with the standard 3-series, the M3 will have wider front and rear tracks and a heavily modified chassis. We expect a fourdoor sedan, a two-door coupe, and a retractable-hardtop convertible.

Powertrain The high-revving V-8 of the current M3 will be replaced with an inline-six boosted with two turbos and (possibly) one electrically driven supercharger. Expect about 450 horsepower. BMW will offer a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic; the M3 will remain rear-wheel drive.

Competitor TSAudi RS4, Cadillac ATSsV, Lexus IS F, Mercedesg Benz C63 AMG are strong contenders. e Estimated debut date and price This car is expected in the last quarter of 2013 and it is envisaged to cost about N9.36 million ($60,000).

2013 Honda Accord Unlike many of its midccord size competitors, the Accord will continue to be offered ed as a coupe and a sedan. Slightly ightly smaller and lighter than the current Accord, the new version will also have softer lines and more cohesive styling.

This Accord will be as important to Honda as anything it’s done in the past decade. Will it be able to beat the growing range of exceptional mid-size competitors? Will it have the magic feel of previous Accords?

Will Honda get its size right?

Will it deliver Honda-style innovation and fuel economy?

The n e w

Honda Accord

Accord n needs to an answer these questions in the affirm a tive, especially as the new Accord would be base based on an updated version of its current architecture architecture.

Powertrain While many mid-size competitors are dropping their sixcylinder options, the Accord will offer a revised and more powerful version of its familiar 3.5-litre V-6 with cylinder deactivation. But the bread-andbutter Accord will be the fourcylinder model. Direct injection helps the 2.4-litre four make at least 181 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, with improved fuel economy. A sixspeed manual will be offered; the automatic will be a CVT. A plug-in-hybrid version will couple a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a 161-hp electric motor.

Competitor The competitors would clearly be the Chevrolet Malibu, y Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, Kia Optima, Land Rover Defender

Nissan Altima, Toyota Camry and Volkswagen Passat.

Estimated debut date and price The two- and four-door Accords is expected to remain in thef N3.12 million ($20,000) and N4.86 million ($30,000) range for the vast majority of the line-up. A well-equipped hybrid and a loaded V-6 model will crest $30,000.

2014 Infiniti Compact Hatchback Details about the styling of this car are still murky—a few indicators

foretell a hatchback but with a plunging roofline and a greater emphasis on style than utility.

Essentially, this brand has lacked a small car since the demise of the G20 in 2002; as most other luxury makers are expanding their portfolios downward into the compact segment, Infiniti doesn’t want to be left out. The compact will raise the brand’s average fuel economy and bring new customers into showrooms.

Perhaps the most significant part of the compact’s story is that the car will be built on the same platform as the MercedesBenz B-class, as it hopes that the Mercedes chassis will bring a level of premium credibility to its car.

Powertrain Specific details are hazy, but four-cylinder power is expected, as are a hybrid and a fully electric version.

Competition Sure competitors would be Audi A3, BMW 1-series, Lexus CT200h, Mercedes-Benz Bclass spinoffs.

Estimated debut date and price This car brand will arrive in mid 2013 at a price that will start below N4.82 million ($30,000).

2015 Land Rover Rov Defender This is a repla replacement for Land Rover’s hoary, deliciously agricultural Def Defender, w h i c h traces it roots its back to b 1948.

The Th company claims the new version will be just as c capable off-road as the original but far less tractor-like and resemble something that can be driven daily.

The next Defender’s architecture is still in question. It may be a modified version of the Evoque’s unibody, or it may be the LR4/Range Rover Sport’s body-on-frame bones.

Powertrain A 5.0-litre V-8 option is possible s for the US market. Europeans p will get to choose from several diesel engines. s Competitor The rival brands include Jeep Wrangler and Toyota FJ J Cruiser.

C Estimated debut date and price p If all goes as planned, the Defender should go on sale in early 2015 at about N6.24 million ($40,000). BC

Autocare Why cars jerk when changing gears

D

riving a car with a manual transmission can be tricky. Drivers learning how to drive a stick shift could end up with an unpleasant ride if they poorly execute the transition between gears, causing the car to jerk forward or backward. However, understanding how your car works could help smooth your drive. The key is timing.

Basic Controls A manual car has three pedals: one on the far right to control the gas, a break in the middle and the clutch on the far left. The gear shifter, usually in the middle console, allows you to change gears. All of these pieces are involved in initially moving the car, speeding it up and slowing it down.

To get the car moving forward, you must push down the clutch, shift into first gear and gradually let off the clutch, while alternately pushing down on the gas pedal. Shifting between gears requires a similar, but less touchy process.

You release the gas pedal, push down on the clutch, shift the gear shifter, and then release the clutch. You can then give the engine more gas.

What the clutch does To understand why your car is jerking between gears, you should understand what the clutch in your vehicle does.

Basically, it provides the transition between a constantly spinning engine and your wheels, which may or may not be spinning.

Engaging the clutch, which occurs when your foot is off the corresponding petal, allows the clutch plate to make contact with the spinning flywheel of the engine and transfer that torque through the transmission to the wheels. Disengaging the clutch when your foot pushes on the petal releases that pressure from the clutch plate, at which point you can shift without the gears grinding together.

Understanding RPMs In the few moments while you disengage the clutch, shift gears, engage the clutch and reapply the gas, your engine revolutions per minute have dropped. If you have an RPM meter on your car dashboard, you can watch this occur.

Your car will jerk if the RPMs don’t immediately match up with the speed your car is going at the new gear. In order to avoid the jerking, you must create the smoothest transition between the torques of the engine to your wheels.

Shifting from first to second gear is the most susceptible to that telltale jerk. This is because the difference in gear size ratio between the two gears is the greatest, requiring a greater precision in timing to execute smoothly.

Perfecting the timing You can tell whether your RPMs are falling too fast or too slow by how the car jerks. If it slows suddenly, sending your body forward, the RPMs were too low. You should try shifting faster or applying a bit of gas to bring the RPMs back up.

If the car surges forward, pushing you back, the RPMs were too high. Try waiting longer for the RPMs to fall more before letting go of the clutch. Slipping the clutch, allowing for some friction between the clutch plate and flywheel, also might help.

The more practice shifting between gears, the easier it will be.

Automatic cars If your automatic car is jerking while changing gears, you have maintenance rather than an operation problem. Check the transmission fluid levels. If that doesn’t help, something could be wrong with your transmission itself. Your mechanic could diagnose the specific problem. BC

A20 36

Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NASS and the Oteh zero sum game

L NSE capitalisation rises by N46bn

T

he weekly transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange ended on the upbeat note on Friday with the market indices appreciating by 0.43 per cent.

The market capitalisation rose by N46 billion or 0.43 per cent to close at N10.72 trillion from the N10.68 trillion posted on Thursday.

Also, the All-Share Index, which opened at 33,361.96, rose by 144.91 points or 0.43 per cent to close at 33,506.87.

Dangote Cement, the most capitalised equity on NSE, topped the gainers’ chart by N5 to close at N155 per share.

Okomuoil came second with N2 to close at N61per share, while Cadbury appreciated by 75k to close at N34.97 per share.

International Breweries gained 55k to close at N21.85, while Berger Paints gained 49k to close at N10.45 per share.

Analysts attributed the gains to investors’ expectations of improved 2012 financial results.

NewGold, however, recorded the highest price loss of N11 to close at N2, 480 per unit.

Nestle lost N10 to close at N860 per share, Guinness lost N2 to close at N265 per share, while MRS depreciated

by N1.30 to close at N24.88 per share.

In all, investors exchanged 296.26 million shares worth N3.09 billion in 4,568 deals.

This was in contrast to the 409.81 million shares valued at N4.71 billion exchanged in 5,311 deals on Thursday.

Access Bank emerged the most traded equity as it sold of 43.15 million shares worth N443.59 million.

UBA followed with 27.46 million shares valued at N231.23 million while Unity Bank recorded a total of 22.27 million shares worth N17.89 million BC

UAC acquires majority stake in Livestock Feeds

U

AC of Nigeria Plc (UAC) has announced the acquisition of majority stake in Livestock Feeds Plc, one of the leading animal feeds producers in the country.

UAC of Nigeria Plc, a diversified conglomerate in Nigeria with operations in foods, paints, logistics and real estate, now owns 51 per cent share in Livestock Feeds Plc, the third largest producer of animal feeds by market share in Nigeria.

A statement from the company said the transaction has been concluded via a special placement and places UACN as the majority shareholder with a shareholding of over 51 per cent in LSF having previously acquired in excess of 11 per cent of the company’s share capital through secondary market trade. The transacEttah tion has received the

required statutory approvals.

Commenting on the rationale for the transaction, UACN’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Larry Ettah said “This strategic acquisition is industrydefining and underscores our strategy to position UACN Group as a portfolio of companies with exposure to the growth segments of the Nigerian economy.

He said that ’The addition of Livestock Feeds to our business brings our combined share in the Nigerian animal feeds market to 32%. It enhances our response to demand in the industry and provides us with an immediate opportunity to diversify our manufacturing and sales locations.

“Further benefits will accrue from the attractive synergies in the supply chain as well as in distribution. We are delighted by the prospect of these outcomes and the value they will add for shareholders of UAC and Livestock Feeds.” BC

ast week, the House of Representatives restated its position that the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, was not qualified to hold the office and should therefore be sacked.

This came just days after President Goodluck Jonathan had protested the non-inclusion of the SEC budget in the 2013 Appropriation Act, a move seen as an attempt to force the president’s hand in that matter.

The House, had last year, following the report and recommendations of the Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi-led Adhoc Committee that investigated the near total collapse of the capital market passed a resolution mandating President Goodluck Jonathan to remove Oteh from the office for not possessing the requisite professional qualification prescribed in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Act for appointment to the office of director-general.

Of course, this recommendation was perceived as being aimed at punishing Oteh for accusing the former committee chairman, Herman Hembe of demanding bribes to facilitate a “soft landing” for the SEC boss during the hearings and collecting money from the commission to attend an overseas conference which he never did.

These accusations are now subject of the on-going trial of Hembe on charges of graft by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The Jonathan administration has ignored the legislators’ resolution so far on the grounds that it merely advisory.

The House responded by refusing to consider the SEC’s budgetary proposals, chased away the commission’s officials during the budget hearings and eventually refused to allocate any funds to the commission in the 2013 budget in spite of the grave implications this has for the smooth operations of the capital market.

In its efforts to effectively cage the SEC, the legislators had also injected a clause in the 2013 appropriation bill, specifically Clause 10, which states that: “All revenue however described, including all fees received, fines, grants, budgetary provisions and all internally generated revenue shall not be spent by the Security and Exchange Commission, SEC, for current or capital purpose or for any other matters, nor liabilities thereon incurred except with prior appropriation and approval by the National Assembly.”

This clause is one of the so-called toxic clauses which President Jonathan insists must be removed in that they run contrary to the principles of the separation of powers.

The president has argued, rightly, that considering the fact that the budget of SEC does not form part of the core budget as presented to the National Assembly, this clause ought not to have been inserted in the 2013 appropriation act in the first place adding also that it

was tantamount to shutting down the business of the commission with a potential negative impact on the capital market.

Other vexatious clauses have to do with the operations of the Subsidy Reinvestments Programme, SURE-P and others.

One clause, clause 6 (ii), states that, “The Accountant General of the Federation shall forward to the National Assembly full details of funds released to the government agencies immediately such funds are released.”

“Toxic” Clause 7, states that, “The Minister of Finance shall ensure that funds appropriated under this act are released to the appropriate agencies or organ of government as and when due, provided that no funds for any quarter of the fiscal year shall be deferred without prior waiver from the National Assembly.”

Another is Clause 9, which states that, “All accounting officers of ministries and departments of government, who control heads of expenditure shall upon the coming into effect of this act furnish the National Assembly on quarterly basis with detailed information on the internally generated revenue of the agency in any form whatsoever.”

According to the president, some of these clauses run counter to the established chain of reporting and would create delays and constraints in the budget implementation.

The seeming stand-off between the executive and the legislators over Oteh and other matters are likely to have the effect of negating all the advantages that would have been conferred with the early passage of the 2013 budget, which had been ready since December.

While legislators do have the power of oversight over executive actions, attempting to micromanage certain aspects of governance will be counterproductive in the long run.

The question that needs to be asked is: Was it not the same National Assembly that approved Oteh’s appointment in 2009? If the legislators were to be taken seriously on their self-imposed crusade to weed out “unqualified” public officials from the system, they should look at all the government ministries, department and agencies, not just SEC or the NCAA. It took this same house about six months to remove Farouk Lawan as a committee chairman despite the fact that he had been charged to court on bribery allegations.

I think the legislators have more important things to do that engaging in a vendetta. The budget signing is much more important than an ego trip which this Oteh matter has been reduced to and the legislators have a responsibility (even if they don’t realise it) to ensure that government business runs as smoothly as possible to the benefit of those they claim to represent. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

A21 37

SEC suspends Ecobank from capital markets

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has suspended Ecobank from all capital market activities because of irregularities surrounding a loan. But Ecobank said the suspension would not affect its business, because Ecobank Nigeria does not itself deal in capital markets.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said an Ecobank client Arian Capital Management, a stock broking firm, had used capital from another company without that company’s permission as collateral for a loan from Ecobank.

The SEC statement said Arian had taken shares belonging to Avil Services LTD and used them as collateral for an Ecobank margin loan facility without Avil’s permission, withholding the shares and accru-

Jibril Aku, Ecobank Nigeria Plc MD

als from Avil.

It had first suspended Arian as a result.

“The SEC ... requested further explanation from Ecobank Nigeria Plc. This explanation is yet to come from Ecobank Nigeria Plc despite repeated demands for it,” the SEC said

in a statement, adding that the suspension will continue to be in force until the bank clears all the issues.

Spokesperson for Ecobank Nigeria, Adenike Laoye said the bank takes payments for retail participation in initial public offerings (IPOs), but does not deal in the secondary market.

The Togo-based bank’s Nigerian capital markets arm, ESL Securities Limited, does deal in the Nigerian markets but is not covered by the ban, she said.

“We actually don’t carry out capital market activities any more. In terms of the business it’s not affecting us,” she said.

Laoye said the dispute concerned shares valued at N11 million ($69,300), and that Ecobank did not know that Arian did not own the shares.

She said they had issued a cheque to the SEC to settle the amount on Thursday. BC

CBN sells T-bills worth N177.28bn

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), sold N177.28 billion worth of treasury bills at its last bi-monthly auction. The treasury bills were of three months to one year tenor.

The details of the sale were posted on CBN Website on Friday after the auction held on March 21.

The bank said that N20.28 billion worth of the 91-day

bills were sold at a yield rate 10.72 per cent, a rise from the 9.42 per cent at the auction of March 6.

Also, N45 billion worth of 182-day treasury bills were sold with a yield of 11.25 per cent. The yield rate at the last auction was 9.91 per cent.

The apex bank also issued N50.68 billion worth of one-

year bills at a return of 11.08 per cent. The same return at the March 6 auction.

Total subscriptions for the bills stood at N273.53 billion, an increase over the N123.73billion worth demanded on March 6.

The 91-day, 182-day and one-year bills have maturity dates of June 6, Sept. 9 and March 20, 2014, respectively. BC

20 African countries to benefit from cassava, other cash crop intervention funds

N

igeria and 19 other African countries will directly benefit from the African Development Bank (AfDB) funded initiative known as the Support for Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC), but the multiplier effect of the project is expected to affect other regional member countries in the continent.

Direct beneficiaries of the intervention include farmers in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

“But the project will have a positive spin off effect in the other member countries,” according to the Project Coordinator, SARD-SC, Dr Chris Akem at the country launch of the project in Abuja at the weekend.

Scientists, other stakeholders and policy makers say the initiative will help narrow the yield gap facing Africa’s strategic crops even as most countries on the continent embark

on agricultural reforms.

The Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof Baba Yusuf Abubakar, said that the SARD-SC is a huge opportunity for Nigeria to bridge the yield gap through increased local production.

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, who was represented by Dr Martins Fregene also welcomed the project, noting that it would compliment ongoing efforts to transform agriculture.

Maize, cassava, rice, and wheat are considered crops of strategic importance for Africa.

In Nigeria for instance, about 20 per cent of households consume maize at different times, according to ARCN. IITA-SARD-SC Maize Commodity Specialist, Dr Sam Ajala,,said that the crop is consumed by millions of people as either roasted or boiled and eaten off the cob or as dish prepared from raw or fermented flour, The country also imports about 3.4 million metric tons of wheat annually to meet its demand. Rice importation is also huge while cassava is both

a food security and cash crop.

Explaining the scope of the SARD-SC, the Deputy Director General (Partnerships & Capacity Development), Dr Kenton Dashiell, said the project has several components including agricultural technologies and innovations generation, agricultural technologies and innovations dissemination, and sustainable capacity development.

To achieve the set goals, Dr Dashiell emphasized partnerships among various stakeholders—farmers, input dealers, farmers, researchers, consumers etc.

He stressed that the overall objective was to enhance food and nutrition security, and contribute to poverty reduction.

Approved in 2012, the SARD-SC project is a $63.24 million funded initiative that is being co-implemented by three Africa-based centers under the CGIAR namely: the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Africa Rice Center, and the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas. IITA is also the Executing Agency of the project. BC

Market Indicators for Week Ended 22-03-13 All-Share Index 33,506.88 points Market Capitalisation N10,721,959,476,589.35 Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

WEMABANK

1.34

1.47

9.70

AIRSERVICE

4.61

5.00

8.46

BERGER

9.96

10.45

4.92

LIVESTOCK

2.11

2.21

4.74

ETERNA

3.47

3.63

4.61

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

DNMEYER

2.16

1.95

-9.72

ABCTRANS

0.59

0.55

-6.78

UBA

8.53

8.01

-6.10

MRS

26.18

24.88

-4.97

0.84

0.80

-4.76

UNITYBANK

Inter-Bank Rates TENOR

RATE%(PREV) 15-Mar-2013

RATE%(CURR) 22-Mar-2013

CALL

10.1000 – 10.7700

10.1500 – 10.7500

OBB

10.1500 – 11.5000

10.1000 – 10.9000

Primary Market Auction TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

RATE (%)

DATE

91-Days

20,278.04

10.45

21-Mar-13

182-Days

33,266.32

10.65

21-Mar-13

364-Days

63,730.99

10.76

21-Mar-13

Open Market Operation TENOR

AMOUNT (N’mn)

121-Days

50,000

177-Days 160-Days

RATE (%)

DATE

10.90

19-Mar-13

150,000

11.00

19-Mar-13

75,000

10.60

15-Mar-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$280m

$280m

$280m

20-March-13

$300m

$300m

$300m

18-March-13

A22 38

Business Courage

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interlink Technology Plc: Struggling with recession

By Tayo Adeleke

I

nterlink Nigeria Plc, a company listed under specialty sector of Nigerian Stock Exchange has began to witness a declined performance in its financial results in recent time, having posted losses in the review financial audited year ended June 30, 2012. The engineering company has not been profitable to numerous shareholders for years back. Majority of its top line and bottom line measuring indices have dropped, compare with previous year, which is a negative catalyst to the company going concern status. As a matter of fact, the company has not checked its bottom line performance and put its profitability in worse position to bring returns to its stakeholders. Interlink posted net loss of N15 million and pretax loss was N13.4 million. Return on Equity (ROE), dropped from 0.49 per cent in the preceding year to -3.46 per cent in 2012. Both gross profit and pre-tax profit margins in 2012 decreased over the 2011 figures

Performance The persistent high operating cost and reduction in sales of Interlink Plc has continued to slowdown its bottom line indices. Though both the company and its subsidiaries recorded a cost of sales worth N121 million, a considerable decrease over the previous year’s figure but all other indices did not achieve a proportionate increase. Details of the audited financial year ended June 30, 2012 show gross profit dropped by 20.4 per cent to N71.1 million in 2012 from N89.3 million in 2011 while profit before tax dipped by 623 per cent to loss of N13.41 million in 2012 from N2.56 million in 2011.

Profit after tax was 783 per cent down from N2.2 million

in 2011 to loss of N15.02 million. Financial analysts have attributed the decline in the company’s performance to unsettling economic and business environment in which it operated during the year under review. Breakdown of the audited report shows that the operating expenses closed at N82.52 million.

while it took the company 450 days to pay its creditors. This mean the cash will not remain with company for longer and it makes fund unavailable for the management to do their daily transaction. However, working capital improved from the figure of N419 million in 2011 to N433 million at end of financial year ended March 2012.

Profitability Ratios/Earnings Return on equity (ROE) which reveals how much profit a company earned in comparison to the total amount of shareholder equity dropped from 0.49 per cent in the preceding year to -3.46 per cent in 2012. Both gross profit margin and PBT margin in 2012 decreased over the 2011 figures.

Gross profit margin stood at 36.92 per cent, from 31.30 per cent in 2011 while profit before tax margin dipped from 0.90 to -6.97 per cent. The company’s total cost as a percentage of gross earnings stood at 107.8 per cent, up from 99.10 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2011.

PAT margin currently stands at -7.80 per cent, down from 0.77 per cent in the corresponding period of 2011. A growth in the percentage of operating cost, general and administrative costs and unimpressed revenues were key components in the bottom line drop.

Assets Quality A review of the balance sheet of the company as at June 30, 2012 showed that fixed asset levels dropped from N18.7 million to N16.1 million, while inventory stood at N155 billion compared with N103 billion in 2011. Financial analysts also note a sharp decrease in current assets, having dropped from N630 million in 2011 to N589 million in 2012. Similarly, the company recorded a decline in Net Assets from N449 million to N434 million in 2012. Meanwhile, current liabilities dropped by 16 per cent during the year under review. The figure reduced to N162.7 million from N192.6 million 2011.

Liquidity A critical area that the management of interlink Plc really improved on is its liquidity.

This is because both current and quick ratios moved above the accepted rule of thumb. The current ratio which expresses the relative relationship between current assets and current liabilities stood at 3.62:1

Maraizu Uche, MD CEO Interlink Plc

in 2012 compared with 3.27:1 in 2011. Similarly, quick ratio (acid -test ratio) which measures the debt-paying ability of a company also shows that the company is strong enough to meet its financial obligation as at when due.

Quick ratios stood at 2.66:1, compared with 2.73:1 figure recorded in 2011 and 1.5:1 minimum value for a company Interlink Financial Data

with strong assets base. Trade debtors dropped from N243.4 million in 2011 to N238 million (representing a 2.2 per cent decrease) as trade creditors also decreased in 2012 by 23 per cent to close at N149.75 million from N192.7 million.

Further analysis shows that the company allow its debtors to make payment within 451 days (debtors number of days)

2012=N=(‘Nm)

2011=N=(‘Nm)

Turnover

192,503,401

285,169,613

% CHG -32.5

Cost of sales

121,425,386

195,912,679

-38.02

Gross Profit

71,078,015

89,256,934

-20.37

Profit Before Taxation

-13,409,671

2,563,527

-623.09

Profit After Taxation

-15,021,792

2,199,489

-782.97

Operating Expenses

82,516,937

85,804,623

-3.83

Shareholders fund

433,753,874

448,775,666

-3.35

Interest Expenses

2,177,379

916,619

137.54

Distribution Expenses

Current Asset

588,813,688

630,338,605

-6.59

Current Liabilities

162,730,450

192,693,229

-15.55

Fixed Assets

16,062,371

18,676,887

-14

Current Assets-stocks

433,653,022

526,387,354

-17.62

Trade Debtors

238,011,298

243,415,590

-2.22

Trade Creditors

149,745,450

192,693,229

-22.29

Sales Growth(%)

-32.5

PAT Growth (%)

-782.97

Cost of sales (growth)

-38.02

Profitability Ratios Return on Equity(%)

-3.46

0.49

Gross profit Margin(%)

36.92

31.3

Profit Margin(%)

-7.8

0.77

Pre tax Profit Margin(%)

-6.97

0.9

Current Ratio

3.62

3.27

Quick Ratio

2.66

2.73

Debtors(No of days)

451.29

311.56

Creditors(No of days)

450.13

359

-6.5

1.35

Liquidity Ratios

Investment Ratios Earnings per Share(kobo)

Value for Investors The company has not been profitable to its numerous investors over the years. In the last ten years, the company’s highest dividend payment was six kobo per share paid in 1999.

Meanwhile, the company posted earnings per share (EPS) of -6.50 kobo compared with 1.35 kobo in the previous year ended June 2011. However, looking at its share performance on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the equity share price appears steady at N4.9 per share at the end of trading last week Friday against 52- week high and low of N4.9 per share respectively.

Future It is obvious that interlink Plc is having serious challenges in term of financial performance of which the management need to work hard to overcome. There is the need for the management to diversify its business line in order to improve on sales and consequently bring returns to its stakeholders. The board of director of Interlinks also needs to deal with its growing cost of operation which has eaten deep on the company’s bottom line indices. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A23 39

Monday, March 25, 2013

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, Mar 22, 2013 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 0.53 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 61.00 PRESCO PLC 25,1 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 2.21 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.63 CHELLARAMS PLC. NT JOHN HOLT PLC. 1.56 S C O A NIG. PLC. NT U A C N PLC. 53.05 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. NT CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. NT G CAPPA PLC NT Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. 53.00 ROADS NIG PLC. NT Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 14.24 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC NT UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV NT CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 4.78 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT GUINNESS NIG PLC 265.00 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 21.85 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. 1.33 NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 163.07 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC 0.77 Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 47.50 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 9.20 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 8.30 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 77.00 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 2.98 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NT N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 24.60 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 8.96 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT U T C NIG. PLC. 0.78 UNION DICON SALT PLC. NT Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 34.95 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 860.00 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3.86 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. NT Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 39.50 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 53.50 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 10.16 DIAMOND BANK PLC 7.11 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 13.81 FIDELITY BANK PLC 3.16 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. 4.80 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 24.90 SKYE BANK PLC 6.28 STERLING BANK PLC. 2.73 U B A PLC 8.01 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 10.20 UNITY BANK PLC 0.80 WEMA BANK PLC. 1.47 ZENITH BANK PLC 21.00 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC NT AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.92 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC NT CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 1.05 CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. 0.50 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 1.97 EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. NT GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC NT GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC 0.50 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. NT INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC 1.40 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.50 INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. NT LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. 0.50 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 2.51 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. NT N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.88 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NT OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.73 REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STACO INSURANCE PLC NT STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. 0.50 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC NT UNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 Micro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NT NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 1.04 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC NT ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 0.50 RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC 0.50 UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT Other Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. NT DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC 2.02 FBN HOLDINGS PLC 19.82 NIG SEW. MACH. MAN. CO. PLC. NT NIGERIA ENERYGY SECTOR FUND NT ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.84 STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC 13.20 HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. 4.80 Medical Equipment UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. 2.23 Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 1.69 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 1.64 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 47.51 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 2.38

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 22-03-13

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

Previous

1 359 250 157 816 81 910

0.64 34.01 16.15

0.50 14.53 6.40

2 200 000 000 476 955 000 1 000 000 000

0.10 6.73 2.75

N/A 10.91 #VALUE!

0.58 55.00 23.50

NT

4.26

4.26

60 000 000

0.00

N/A

NT

713 590

1.70

0.48

1 199 549 736

0.11

0.00

2.21

379 164 NT 24 788 NT 67 190

2.54 7.60 8.82 8.28 42.50

0.74 5.81 5.32 5.52 28.70

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

0.08 0.24 0.00 0.35 6.89

-0.61 N/A N/A N/A N/A

1.64 NT 1.72 NT 55.00

NT NT

26.00 95.49

14.09 95.49

148 500 000 196 876 000

0.00 4.50

N/A N/A

NT NT

NT NT

7.97 14.46

2.46 14.46

920 573 765 125 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

92 816 3 946

62.26 8.69

21.55 3.01

1 200 000 000 20 000 000

4.93 4.73

#VALUE! N/A

NT NT

NT 491 140

7.28 20.15

7.28 8.82

1 375 000 000

0.00 1.66

N/A -11.00

NT 16.00

NT NT

100.00 50.00

97.00 50.00

20 000 000 250 019 781

11.75 0.75

N/A N/A

NT NT

200 000

0.50

0.50

4 772 528 415

0.00

N/A

0.50

3 000 NT 147 266 507 553 3 000 916 627 8 000

4.63 0.68 265.00 12.83 3.20 138.85 0.97

2.23 0.68 186.00 5.23 1.61 72.50 0.93

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

0.00 0.03 9.46 0.25 0.00 5.08 0.00

N/A N/A -3.81 N/A N/A -2.24 N/A

4.78 NT 275.50 21.85 NT 166.80 NT

38 070

48.91

38.31

640 590 362

2.69

N/A

47.50

NT 400 521 3 299 567 355 152 2 057 520 NT 176 506 1 140 665 NT 174 649 NT

0.50 19.90 16.20 95.00 6.60 2.70 43.96 6.70 5.66 0.88 4.22

0.50 4.15 3.64 52.50 1.91 1.00 20.41 3.86 5.66 0.50 4.22

2 000 000 000 5 000 000 000 12 000 000 000 1 879 210 666 7 930 197 658 3 722 493 620 178 200 000

0.00 0.00 0.91 3.79 0.51 0.00 2.50 1.07 0.08 1.13 0.00

N/A 2.11 0.00 0.98 0.00 N/A N/A -1.54 N/A -3.70 N/A

NT 9.01 8.30 76.25 2.98 NT 24.60 9.10 NT 0.81 NT

40 000 000 1 233 375 004 360 000 000

1 046 542 90 782

29.20 684.00

9.15 367.83

3 129 188 160 792 656 250

1.35 25.43

4.11 2.02

33.57 843.00

NT NT 174 900 NT

15.58 42.66 6.75 3.67

10.03 34.39 3.01 2.66

63 360 000 819 000 000 300 000 001

3.90 1.61 0.54 0.00

N/A N/A 0.00 N/A

NT NT 3.86 NT

329 749 679 221

43.50 41.60

22.07 22.56

3 176 381 636 3 783 296 250

0.70 1.44

-3.66 0.00

41.00 53.50

NT

0.97

0.57

843 284 027

0.00

N/A

NT

43 145 063 4 089 053 499 810 15 508 832 3 866 633 17 001 942 6 323 841 3 979 102 27 457 018 2 613 069 21 298 569 21 519 665 11 065 579

11.70 9.27 17.05 3.20 8.30 20.30 10.17 2.91 5.21 10.07 1.92 1.75 21.10

4.76 2.01 9.97 1.14 3.04 11.64 2.73 0.97 1.64 1.96 0.50 0.50 11.70

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

1.42 0.90 2.81 0.43 0.60 2.10 0.71 0.54 0.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.09

-0.39 -1.93 -1.36 0.00 -3.03 -0.04 1.29 5.00 -3.38 0.00 0.00 24.58 -2.69

10.20 7.25 14.00 3.16 4.95 24.91 6.20 2.60 8.29 10.20 0.80 1.18 21.58

NT 17 001 380 NT NT 2 524 310 3 028 915 10 683 096 NT NT 10 000 NT 1 263 300 127 000 NT NT 123 965 123 965 305 800 NT 13 410 084 NT NT 9 776 000 NT 19 970 694 NT 60 000 708 026 NT 3 627

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

0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.61 0.50 1.31 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.95 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

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

0.00 0.05 0.00 0.05 0.14 0.02 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.16 0.01 0.37 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 0.00 0.40 N/A -1.12 N/A N/A -12.05 N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.89 NT NT 1.05 0.50 1.99 NT NT 0.50 NT 1.49 0.50 NT NT 0.50 0.50 2.50 NT 0.89 NT NT 0.83 NT 0.50 NT 0.50 0.50 NT 0.50

NT 15 000

6.00 1.15

0.00 1.00

NT 10 000 610 000 1

1.51 0.50 0.50 0.99

1.33 0.50 0.50 0.50

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

0.03 0.02 0.00 0.00

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

NT 0.50 0.50 NT

NT 900 15 542 292 NT NT 465 813 1 104 454

0.61 2.02 17.01 0.15 552.20 0.66 11.38

0.50 2.02 8.50 0.15 555.20 0.50 6.40

3 778 005 975 1 333 333 333 32 632 084 358 5 880 000 2 500 000 3 608 657 661 18 750 000 000

0.00 0.00 3.03 0.00 12.65 0.00 0.87

N/A N/A 0.05 N/A N/A N/A 1.15

NT 2.02 19.81 NT NT 0.80 13.05

100

5.31

5.05

498 600 908

0.12

N/A

4.80

3 500

0.50

0.50

3 553 138 528

0.00

N/A

0.50

6 000

10.54

7.39

152 178 750

0.06

N/A

2.23

93 214 6 566 789 301 411 89 890

1.45 3.20 39.00 5.61

0.50 0.76 19.30 1.62

486 473 856 1 500 000 000 956 701 192 980 000 000

0.00 0.44 2.62 0.20

-0.59 -2.38 -2.84 -1.24

1.70 1.68 48.90 2.41

N/A=Not Avialable

0.01 0.07

NT 1.09

SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

QUANTITY

NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.86 125 239 NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. 8.17 362 PHARMA-DEKO PLC. 2.30 18 040 ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.50 212 000 Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC 0.50 1 000 Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT NT IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 18.45 28 000 TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT NT Processing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 13 873 E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC NT NT Telecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC NT NT Telecommunications Services IHS NIGERIA PLC PREF SHARES NT NT IHS PLC NT NT MTI PLC NT NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. NT NT ASHAKA CEM PLC 23.91 2 285 093 BERGER PAINTS PLC 10.45 72 412 CAP PLC 37.00 19 754 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 12.09 665 620 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 155.00 121 595 DN MEYER PLC. NT NT FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC NT NT IPWA PLC 0.81 1 112 980 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 76.00 433 185 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC NT NT PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 5.20 1 000 PREMIER PAINTS PLC. NT NT Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC NT NT CUTIX PLC. 1.81 821 438 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT NT NIGERIAN WIRE IND. PLC NT NT Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 1.90 1 711 BETA GLASS CO PLC. 9.49 23 600 GREIF NIGERIA PLC 12.68 50 NIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC 2.70 2 717 101 POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT NT W A GLASS IND. PLC. NT NT Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC NT NT STOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NT NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 7.94 67 936 Metals ALUMACO PLC NT NT ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. NT NT Non-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC NT NT Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. NT NT OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.65 7 958 889 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 16.74 4 248 458 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors AFROIL PLC NT NT BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.50 10 000 CONOIL PLC 23.94 46 156 ETERNA PLC. 3.63 113 000 FORTE OIL PLC. 14.33 112 543 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 124.00 17 877 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 24.88 6 745 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 161.00 50 213 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC NT NT Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT NT Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 2.25 2 545 674 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 3.78 136 418 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. NT NT Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.59 1 830 000 Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC 0.50 400 Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC 6.27 10 000 IKEJA HOTEL PLC 0.86 97 000 TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. NT NT TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 1.50 27 080 317 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 10 000 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. 2.05 52 200 LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.93 202 132 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. NT NT UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.72 33 718 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC 0.55 1 276 243 Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT NT SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC NT NT Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 5.00 835 003 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 7.69 189 823 ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT NT CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC 0.97 11 000 Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. 0.60 500 HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT NT ADSWITCH PLC. 1.63 500 NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT NT OIL AND GAS Petroleum & Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. NT NT CAPITAL OIL PLC 0.50 20 000 RAK UNITY PET. COMP. PLC. NT NT UNION VENTURES & PET. PLC NT NT SERVICES Apparel Retailers UDEOFSON GARMENT FACT. NIG PLC NT NT Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT NT JULI PLC. 2.76 16 000 ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND2 638.00 100

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

1.96 12.91 4.28

0.76 8.59 3.50

1 925 717 268 153 786 012 100 000 000

0.09 0.00 0.00

-13.13 N/A N/A

0.99 8.17 2.30

0.52

0.50

2 960 000 000

0.10

0.00

0.50

0.50

0.50

2 941 789 472

0.00

N/A

0.50

0.91

0.91

4 966 666 668

0.00

N/A

NT

18.28 3.59

13.12 2.41

108 000 000 492 825 600

0.00 0.01

N/A N/A

18.45 NT

0.50 4.97

0.50 4.04

4 620 600 000 4 200 000 000

0.00 0.04

N/A N/A

0.50 NT

1.47

0.50

6 878 478 096

0.00

N/A

NT

2.25 3.50 0.50

0.00 2.46 0.50

4 400 000 000 4 893 594 400

0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A

NT NT NT

3.32 30.00 12.57 43.98 15.49 132.51 3.51 0.75 0.99 56.50 3.36 5.28 13.40

2.86 9.10 7.27 14.50 4.20 95.00 0.93 0.50 0.91 37.00 0.52 2.27 10.93

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

0.00 2.14 1.09 2.28 1.47 8.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.10 0.26 0.23 0.00

N/A 3.96 4.92 2.49 -6.93 9.54 N/A N/A N/A 5.73 N/A N/A N/A

NT 23.00 9.96 36.10 12.99 141.50 NT NT 0.97 71.88 NT 5.00 NT

2.00 2.50 0.73 2.58

2.00 1.33 0.50 2.58

510 396 608 2 220 000 000 15 000 000

0.03 0.11 0.00 0.00

N/A -4.74 N/A N/A

NT 1.90 NT NT

3.98 6.91 12.71 15.03 3.60 1.86 0.63

3.98 2.19 9.53 13.28 1.60 1.05 0.63

N/A N/A

42 640 000 6 215 000 000 240 000 000 199 066 550

0.00 0.05 0.05 0.90 0.24 0.22 0.00

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A

NT 1.90 9.49 NT 2.70 NT NT

8.69 0.14

8.26 0.14

265 409 280 2 918 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

9.20

5.70

393 120 000

0.76

4.89

7.57

7.75 12.39

7.75 10.55

75 600 000 100 000 000

0.00 0.43

N/A N/A

NT NT

0.50

0.50

4 058 989 226

0.00

N/A

NT

3.22 1.38

3.22 1.38

50 000 000 220 000 000

0.04 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

25 000 000 683 974 528

Previous

1.02

0.54

6 262 701 716

0.13

-14.47

0.76

24.80

10.94

2 262 711 568

1.73

-0.65

16.85

20.71 0.70 41.89 5.59 28.69 163.50 72.00 240.00

20.71 0.50 19.61 2.12 9.12 111.51 32.29 125.00

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

0.00 0.00 0.47 0.61 0.00 6.11 3.62 14.63

N/A N/A -5.00 -2.42 0.00 0.00 N/A 0.00

NT 0.50 25.20 3.72 14.33 124.00 27.55 161.00

0.72

0.50

4 035 497 307

0.00

N/A

NT

3.48

3.48

0.19

N/A

NT

3.65

1.12

980 294 400

0.21

-0.88

2.27

3.67 6.40

2.11 3.28

589 496 310 198 819 763

0.58 0.25

0.00 N/A

3.78 NT

1.64

0.85

865 808 912

0.08

N/A

0.59

0.75

0.50

3 211 627 907

0.01

N/A

0.50

8.00 2.59 4.76 1.95

3.00 1.16 4.31 0.50

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

0.18 0.92 0.00 0.22

N/A 0.00 N/A -23.08

6.27 0.86 NT 1.95

0.50

0.50

8 000 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.50

3.68 8.00 2.92 6.82

1.64 1.94 2.78 3.09

403 200 000 771 450 000 425 641 111

0.14 0.29 0.01 0.50

N/A N/A N/A 0.00

2.05 1.93 NT 4.72

0.80

0.50

1 507 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.66

5.15 1.88

4.90 0.80

236 699 511 5 631 539 736

0.00 0.03

N/A N/A

NT NT

2.78 11.75

1.54 5.15

634 000 000 1 230 468 750

0.38 0.81

N/A -3.27

5.00 7.95

1.43

1.04

45 000 000

0.12

N/A

NT

1.02

1.02

201 885 335

0.00

N/A

0.97

0.60

0.60

30 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.60

0.50

0.50

24 898 850

0.00

N/A

NT

1.88

1.63

125 005 250

0.00

N/A

NT 1.63

0.50

0.50

6 650 000

0.00

N/A

NT

0.21 0.50 0.31 0.63

0.21 0.50 0.31 0.63

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

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

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

NT 0.50 NT NT

0.50

0.50

20 000 000

0.00

N/A

3.05

2.76

194 700 000

0.00

N/A

NT NT 2.76

2 706

2 422

0.00

2 638.00

40

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

’Once the purport of a claim is clear and the court has no jurisdiction to try that issue, the claim under Chapter IV of the Constitution blended into it should be regarded as Trojan horse JUSTICE SALIHU MODIBBO ALFA BELGORE, FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA

Anti-violence Bill: Women rights’ activists seek end to impunity The House of Representatives recently passed a Bill to prohibit diverse acts of violence against women and to protect the victims of violence in the society.

KAYODE KETEFE, Assistant Head, Judiciary desk highlights the issues involved in the proposed legislation.

Pardon to ex-convicts’ll send wrong signal to int’l community –Daramola

42 Tambuwal

A Bello .V. AG Oyo State: When S’Court affirmed right of convict on death row 46

Family files suit against sex offender 47

new step was taken forward in the quest for establishment of social justice and androgynous society in Nigerian with the recent passage of the much-awaited “Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill” by the House of Representatives. The bill, which has the long name “A Bill for an act to eliminate violence in private or public life, in peace and conflict situations to prohibit, prevent and punish all forms of violence in the society and to provide maximum protection and effective remedies to all victims of violence” now awaits concurrence by the upper Legislative House and finally the presidential assent to become an operative statute.

The bill seeks to eliminate countless number of gender-based violence which are believed to be very rampant in Nigeria. Some of the provisions of the bill included prescription of life imprisonment for rape and a minimum of 20 years for anyone who participates as an accomplice in a gang rape.

This legislation is in the offing just as the Lagos Police Command recently arrested one Sylvester Ehijere, for allegedly defiling his two daughters aged 13 and 7 years and his 15-month old grand daughter.

The bill further makes provision for compensation for victims of rape which is an unprecedented statutory intervention on the issue of rape. It also deals with domestic violence, political violence, harmful traditional practices, and protection of widows, among others.

Accordingly, harmful cultural practices like female circumcision, child marriage, domestic and political violence and acid attack are all criminalised in the bill. There is also protection of widows and women who have become victims of domestic violence.

Giving insight into the rationale behind the bill, the Chairman, House Committee on Human Rights, Hon. Beni Lar, said the culture of rape is rampant in Nigeria and that it was high

time concrete statutory measure was taken to stem the unfortunate trend. Lar said, “My only concern is that in our laws today, the punishment for rape is very light and that is why you find people committing rape against children. It is unfortunate.

“It is because of issues like this that it has come to the attention of the National Assembly that we have the Violence Against Persons Bill.

“It is a bill that seeks to eliminate violence in private and public life, to prohibit all forms of violence including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices, discrimination against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment for offenders.

“The National Assembly is seeking stiffer punishment for rape because the punishment has been so light.”

The above statement would seem corroborated by the Head of the Office of the Public Defenders (OPD) of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs Omotola Rotimi, who disclosed in an exclusive interview with the National Mirror that rape and violence against women had become so rampant in Nigeria that some people have started seeing as the norms rather an aberration of the law and violation of people’s rights.

Rotimi said incidence of rape had become epidemic in Lagos State and required unprecedented concerted efforts to check it. She said about 25 cases of rape and sexual offences are reported to her office everyday! That was in Lagos alone, not to talk of the incidence of the menace throughout the country.

The rise in the culture of impunity against women is best illustrated by the case of four soldiers who were alleged to have raped four women in Abuja recently on the grounds that they dressed indecently. One of the victims is a married woman. The soldiers had been posted on different official assignments but chose for themselves the assignment of harassing women, using the using their uniform and weapons procured by the taxpayers’ money to perpetrate

ABOUT 25 CASES OF RAPE AND SEXUAL OFFENCES ARE

OFFICE OF PUBLIC DEFENDER (OPD)

REPORTED IN THE

EVERYDAY

Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina

their nefarious activities The authorities of the Nigerian Army had dismissed the four soldiers whom they have also charged to court.

The soldiers who abducted and raped the said women at the Wuse Zone 2, Abuja in December 2012, are Corporal Nsa Eyedep and Emezien Uzoma, Ugwu Mathew and Efosa Ikhuomoregbe. They were attached to the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army.

All the above atrocities thrive in the society in spite of the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to international and regional instruments, which include Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa and the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

National Mirror sought the views of some women rights activists on the passage of this bill. The Executive Director of Women Aid Collective, Dr. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, said, “The bill should be passed as a matter of urgency by the Senate and promptly assented to by the President. The culture of impunity against women has been too much entrenched in our culture that the even the law enforcement agencies have developed tolerance for it.

“Each day, our media is replete with cases of rape and sexual violence and life threatening violence against women. There are also many unreported cases. If it is not wife battery, it is acid bath or outright maiming. Girls, ladies and women of different background fall victim of this heinous and degrading assault against women. What is sad is that all these life threatening offences are often treated with levity by law enforcement agents. Therefore, we want this bill to be quickly passed into law and we want law enforcement agencies to enforce it with all the seriousness it deserves” Speaking in similar vein, The Executive Director of Women Advocate Research and Documentation Centre, Dr. Abiola Afolabi-Akiyode CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

42

Law & Justice

Monday, March 25, 2013

Mr. Olu Daramola is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and deputy Head of chambers, Afe Babalola and co. The lawyer who heads the Lagos law firm was admitted into the inner bar in 2008. In this interview with WALE IGBINTADE, he speaks on a Bill seeking immunity for the legislators, corruption in the country and discipline of judges among other issues. Excerpts.

Give an insight into your background as a young lawyer.

I studied law at the University of Lagos. Before then, I had studied Political Science at the University of Ibadan. I was called to the Nigerian Bar on December 16, 1993. Precisely 15 years after, I was elevated to the Inner Bar. That was on December 16, 2008. I obtained Postgraduate Degrees in Law from Obafemi Awolowo University and the University of London. My LL.M at the University of London is on Maritime Law. I have been in active legal practice since January 1994. My principal area of practice is commercial litigation and arbitration. I am a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Nigeria and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK. I cut my milk teeth in legal practice at Tayo Oyetibo & Co where I learnt the rudiments of litigation. I was lucky to have had the opportunity of working with Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN, because he really groomed me for the challenges of litigation. No sooner I joined him than he started sending me to the high court to conduct trials and to the Court of Appeal to argue various applications. Mr. Oyetibo is a very brilliant and diligent lawyer. He was, and is still a delight to watch in court.

At that time, the practice of filing written addresses had not been introduced in the High Court, but Mr. Oyetibo would insist that you prepare your argument as if it was meant for filing.

You would never find any application in any of our files without a handwritten argument the Counsel wanted to canvass in court. I learnt a lot from him for which I will forever be grateful.

I joined Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) & Co in November 1994 and I have remained in the firm since then. My brief but rewarding stint with Tayo Oyetibo & Co prepared me for the challenges of working with Chief Afe Babalola, a workaholic who does not tolerate any tardiness from his lawyers. In 2000, I was made the head of the Port Harcourt office and in 2002, I was made the head of the Lagos office. The firm has changed its name to Afe Babalola & Co and I am presently the head of Lagos Office and the Deputy Managing Partner of the firm.

I noticed that you have been with the law firm of Chief Afe Babalola and co since the beginning of your legal career. Why this long stay?

You are correct in your observation.

The reason is not far-fetched. This is one law firm that creates enabling environment for junior lawyers to grow and thrive. Chief Afe Babalola is very generous when it comes to rewarding his lawyers. He treats you as one of his own children and encourages you to be the best you can in all situations. No lawyer would like to leave the firm to join an-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pardon to ex-convicts’ll

other firm unless he is going to establish his own firm.

For instance, in 2004, a very senior lawyer whom I met in court asked me to join his firm as head of chambers. He mentioned an amount which he thought would be attractive to me, but he was surprised when I told him that I was earning a figure that was four times more than what he was offering. When you are working in a firm that gives wide room for personal development and self-actualization, I am sure you will not be in a hurry to leave. Till date, I don’t think any lawyer has resigned from the office to join another firm.

Those who had left went to establish their own firms.

Do you plan to leave the law firm soon and establish your own?

For now, I have no such plan, but nobody knows tomorrow.

What is your take on a bill pending before the National Assembly seeking immunity for the legislators?

I am just amused. It shows that the National Assembly members are more concerned with protecting themselves and not the people who elected them.

The question is “what are they afraid of ?”

While I concede that some public officers such as the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy Governors ought to enjoy immunity so as not to be distracted, I believe the immunity should not be extended to breach the Code of Conduct. There is no reason why a governor who is involved in graft while in office should enjoy immunity.

The immunity should only cover cases where the public officer committed the wrong, but acted in good faith. A governor who is stealing or diverting public funds for his own personal use cannot be heard to say that he acted in good faith.

One of the remedies for breach of Code of Conduct is removal from office, but it is unfortunate that the courts have interpreted the immunity clause in the constitution to include cases arising from the breach of Code of Conduct. If you say that a President or governor enjoys immunity from cases arising from breach of Code of Conduct, how do you remove him from office when he is no longer occupying the office? I think the courts merely interpreted the letters of the law rather than the spirit.

What roles should lawyers play in creating a better Nigeria or more specifically, a corruption- free Nigeria?

Honestly, there is very little lawyers can do to stem the tide of corruption in Nigeria. Mind you, a lawyer is a professional plying his trade to make a living. Corruption affects all strata of the society and there is very little lawyers alone can do to stem the tide. You need

Daramola

THERE IS NO REASON WHY A GOVERNOR WHO IS INVOLVED IN GRAFT WHILE IN OFFICE SHOULD ENJOY IMMUNITY political will to fight corruption. I doubt if you can point to any country in the world where lawyers alone stopped corruption. What lawyers can do is to aid the government in the fight by supporting measures put in place to attack the menace.

I am aware that many lawyers have been involved in campaigns against corruption, but unless the government takes the battle seriously, nothing can be achieved. Imagine a school where the principal and most of the senior teachers are very corrupt, one teacher shouting against corruption in that school cannot achieve anything. He may even be framed up and victimized. If you have a government that has zero tolerance for corruption, everybody would sit up and toe the line, including public servants, lawyers, doctors, engineers and so on.

Section 273 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011, states that an application for stay

of proceedings in respect of any criminal matter brought before the High and Magistrates’ courts shall not be entertained until judgement is delivered. Is this a fair law?

It is not fair because a person who ought not to be tried in the first place may be convicted. He may even have served the sentence before he succeeds on appeal. But again, you must consider the abuse to which application for stay of proceedings has been subjected not only in criminal matters, but also in civil cases. In Nigeria, once you are charged to court, your immediate response is to file any objection, no matter how unreasonable. Once the objection is refused, you file an appeal and an application for stay of proceedings.

No serious judicial system can tolerate this. I believe that Section 273 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State, 2011 was introduced to address the mischief of using application for stay of proceedings to frustrate criminal trials.

We even have situations where an accused person will refuse to appear in court, but an objection will be filed on his behalf. Once the objection is refused, an application for stay of proceedings is filed. I think that an accused person who refuses to appear in court is a fugitive who should not be allowed to bring any application before the court.

I am also of the opinion that stay of proceedings should only be allowed in

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Law & Justice

Monday, March 25, 2013

43

send wrong signal to int’l community –Daramola exceptional cases where the interlocutory appeal raises a novel or an important question on which there is no appellate decision.

What will you recommend as solution to the perennial delay in adjudication of cases in Nigeria?

There is a need for all the stakeholders that is the judges, lawyers, and litigants to recognise that justice delayed is justice denied. Courts should sit on time and should refuse frivolous applications for adjournment. The government must create enabling environment for the judges to work. By this, I am referring to regular supply of electricity to the court rooms, provision of air conditioners in the court rooms, recording facilities and judicial assistants should be appointed to assist judges in conducting research. I believe one of the reasons why Nigeria is not attractive to foreign investors is that they lack faith in our judicial system due to delay. No foreign investor would want to invest his money in a country where it will take up to 15 years to resolve a commercial dispute in court.

In Singapore, it takes just about six months to conclude the hearing and determination of a case in the high court.

The appeal will also not last for more than six months. If the case turns out to be frivolous, heavy cost is usually awarded. But in Nigeria, a person who owes billions will rush to court knowing that if he eventually loses the case, he will pay little or no cost.

One of the reasons why corruption is very rampart in the country is the delay in adjudication of cases. Most of the cases of corruption preferred against governors who served between 1999 and 2007 are still in court. In many, trials have not even commenced.

In line with new High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules, it is now

NO FOREIGN INVESTOR WOULD WANT TO INVEST HIS MONEY IN A COUNTRY WHERE IT WILL TAKE UP TO

15 YEARS TO

RESOLVE A COMMERCIAL DISPUTE IN COURT mandatory for plaintiff to seek preliminary settlement before approaching the court for redress. How will you react to this?

It will not achieve much in decongesting the courts. It will only elongate the dispute. When the Pre-Trial Conference was introduced in 2004, many thought that the process would decongest the courts but almost 10 years after, the complaint is that the process has contributed to delay in hearing cases at the Lagos High Court. Most cases were filed in court because attempt to settle the cases amicably failed. Therefore, asking the parties to begin another round of settlement discussions under the supervision of the court will achieve nothing.

Just recently, the National Judicial Council (NJC) recommended compulsory retirement of two judges, Justices Thomas Naron and Charles Archibong for misconduct. What is your reaction to this?

I must confess that apart from what I read on the pages of newspapers, I don’t have the full details of what led to the judges’ compulsory retirement. I only read the allegations against them as reproduced in the newspapers but I don’t know their defence before the National Judicial Council. However, I think it is a welcome development for erring judges to be sanctioned. This will show to the general public that judges are not above

the law. A judge must uphold the highest ethical standard in order to sustain the confidence of members of the public in the judiciary. The judiciary can only be the last hope of the common man if judicial officers are above board.

Some of your colleagues have said that poor remunerations for judges may have been responsible for corruption in the judiciary. Do you agree?

I agree with them. Poor remuneration is responsible for corruption in public service. A judge like any other person has responsibilities. He wants to send his children to good schools and live in a good house after retirement.

Unless you pay him well, he will be tempted to be corrupt. In the UK for instance, you are not likely to hear of any judge demanding bribe from the lawyer or litigant. The reason is not because judges in the UK are inherently good.

The system under which they work creates an enabling environment for them to work and live well. In the UK, once you are in any employment, you can take a mortgage of between three per cent and five per cent interest to buy a house. In Nigeria, properties are sold on cash and carry basis. You cannot get mortgage loan of less than 20 per cent.

So unless you have cash to buy a property, you may never own a house in Nigeria. The reason why public office is attractive to many people in Nigeria is the opportunity for self-aggrandizement and not the legitimate emoluments attached to the office.

What is the most challenging suit you have handled?

I have handled several cases which I found to be challenging. I just concluded one. The case was filed in 1995 against one of the major oil companies in the country. We went to the Supreme Court on the issue of jurisdiction and eventually came back to the High Court for the trial of the matter. The plaintiff tried everything to intimidate my cli-

ent into settling the matter. Every time the case came up, he brought journalists to court and on some occasions, he recruited some people to carry placards against our client in front of the court.

On the day the judgment was delivered, he brought scores of journalists to court but happily, the case went against him.

We won.

What is your reaction to the President’s pardon granted to the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieseigha ?

This will definitely send a wrong signal to Nigerians and the international community on the commitment of the government to the anti corruption crusade. It has raised a moral burden on the part of the government. I concede that it is within the prerogative of the President to pardon convicts but it is morally wrong for a government claiming to be committed to anti-corruption crusade to pardon a public official convicted for corruption and who has since served his sentence.

The President appears to have devised a strategy of doing wrong and good things together. For instance, when the President changed the name of the University of Lagos, a very unpopular decision, he also changed the names of two other universities. In the present case, the President knows that pardoning his former boss alone will generate public uproar. He also pardoned people convicted in the phantom coup against Gen. Sani Abacha. Abacha was not elected by the Nigerian people. Gen. Ibrahim Babangida foisted him on us through a decree that says he should take over if for any reason Ernest Shonekan could no longer perform the functions of the office of the Head of State. Shonekan himself was imposed by Babaginda. There is no moral burden in pardoning a man who was convicted of trying to forcefully remove from power a government that imposed itself through the force of arms. You cannot say that in the case a man who abused public office and was convicted for corruption.

44

Law & Justice

Monday, March 25, 2013

Reps want tougher punishment for rapists

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS OBLIGATIONS OF TENANT AND LANDLORD UNDER THE LAGOS TENANCY LAW 2011 The Lagos Tenancy Law has aroused considerable public interest since its enactment in August 2011.

OBLIGATIONS OF THE TENANT • Subject to any provision to the contrary in the agreement between the parties, the tenant shall be obliged to do the following:

Dabiri-Erewa

Ezeilo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 said “This of course, is a welcome development. It is gladdening. You would recall that the priority theme of this year’s Commission on the Status of Women is “Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.”

The development shows that our lawmakers are responding to the trend globally and consolidating on the little strides we have made in this direction like the passing of the Child Rights Act into law.

“We really need this law, especially in the contemporary times that we have a lot of atrocities being perpetrated against women almost on daily basis. We hear of numerous cases of domestic violence, rape, assault, incest and even killings. All these are disturbing and call for urgent action by the

government. One hopes that this bill will soon become law after passage by the Senate and assented to by the President.

Also, the Executive Director of Women’s Rights Protection Initiative, (WORPI), Ms. Yejide Akeem, lauded the passing of the bill by the House of Representatives. She said “I believe if Nigeria continues to be responsive to the plight of women, we will get there one day. There are a lot of things wrong with our countries and the status of women is far below what is obtained in the more civilised parts of the world.

“I am elated that the lawmakers at the lower chambers have passed the bill, we are calling on the Senate to do too while President Goodluck Jonathan, whom I believe has a lot of respect for women and very concerned about women affairs, should waste no time in giving his assent.”

(1) Pay the rents at the times and in the manner stated.

(2) Pay all existing and future rates and charges not applicable to the landlord by law.

(3) Keep the premises in good and tenantable repair, reasonable wear and tear excepted.

(4) Permit the landlord and his agents during the tenancy at all reasonable hours in the day time by written notice, to view the condition of the premises and to effect repairs in necessary parts of the building.

(5) Not to make any alterations or additions to the premises without the written consent of the landlord.

(6) Not to assign or sublet any part of the premises without the written consent of the landlord.

(7) Notify the landlord where structural or substantial damage has occurred to any part of the premises as soon as practicable.

OBLIGATIONS OF THE LANDLORD •Subject to any provision to the contrary in the agreement between the parties, the landlord shall be obliged to do the following: (1) Not to disturb the tenant’s quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the premises.

(2) Pay all rates and charges as stipulated by law.

(3) Keep the premises insured against loss or damage.

(4) Not to terminate or restrict a common facility or service for the use of the premises.

(5) Not to seize or interfere with the tenant’s access to his personal property.

Case Review: Shortfall in the payment of filing fees (2) CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

DAPO TUNDE-OLOWU

P

revious decisions of the Supreme Court on payment of appropriate filing fees.

There are two lines of Supreme Court decisions with respect to the effect of non-payment or short payment of filing fees.

Aloysius Akpaji v. Francis Udemba (2009) 6 NWLR (Pt. 1138) 545 represents the position that non-payment or payment of inadequate filing fees is a mere irregularity while Onwugbufor & 2 Ors v. Okoye & 3 Ors (1996) 1 NWLR (Pt. 424) 252 and Abia State Transport Corporation v. Quorum Consortium Limited (2009) 9 NWLR (Pt. 1145) 1, represent the position that payment of filing fees by all litigants except the government is a pre-condition to the validity of any process filed in the court. Unless the precondition is satisfied, the court will lack jurisdiction to entertain the process.

In the present case, no payment whatsoever was made by the appellants in respect of their new claim for forfeiture. Payment of the prescribed fees being a condition precedent to the filing of a valid claim before the court, it seems to me clear that the claim for forfeiture in the present suit is incompetent, improperly before the court and ought to be struck out.

While, it cannot be disputed that Order 12, Rule 1 makes it mandatory for the registry to demand and for the litigant to pay the appropriate filing fees, the Supreme Court in Onwugbufor, Akpaji and Abia State Transport agreed that non-payment or short fall in payment will not necessarily lead to the striking out of a process, provided remedial action is taken or an application to rectify the anomaly

YOU CANNOT PUT

SOMETHING ON NOTHING AND EXPECT IT TO

STAY THERE. IT WILL COLLAPSE is filed. Remedial action could be by payment of the appropriate fees.

It is important to note that in Ibeawuchi, the court also recognised that Order 12, Rules 1 is not absolute. Order 12 Rule 3 permits the Court to dispense with payment of filing fees on account of want of means of any party or for any sufficient reason. Had the court also looked at the Order 20 of the Court of Appeal rules, 2011, it would have discovered that it has very wide powers with respect to non-compliance with the rules.

CONCLUSION It is suggested that any litigant in this situation should as a matter of urgency pay the short fall in filing fees to the Registry of the High Court and thereafter file an application at the Court of Appeal under Order 7 Rules 10(1) and Order 20, Rules 2 and 3 for extension of time to pay the short fall and an order deeming the said payment as proper. In addition, it is also suggested that the litigant applies for an order deeming the Notice of Appeal as properly filed, having paid the short fall. It will also be wise to err on the side of caution by seeking alternative prayer for an extension of time to file the Notice of Appeal and to deem the Notice of Appeal already filed as properly filed.

The Court of Appeal should have no difficulties granting such an application particu-

larly in view of the recent decisions of our courts expressing a preference for substantial justice over technical justice. For instance, in Onakoya v. FRN (2002) 11 NWLR (Pt. 779) 595 at 611 to 612, the Supreme Court held as follows: “It is the paramount duty of courts to do justice and not to cling to technicalities arising from statutory provisions or technicalities inherent in rules of court. Therefore, so long as the law or rule has been substantially complied with and the object of the provisions of the statute or rule is not defeated and failure to comply fully has not occasioned a miscarriage of justice, the proceedings will not be nullified. Accordingly, the Supreme Court has moved away from justice on grounds of technicality.”

Similarly, in Virgin Tech Ltd v. Mohammed (2009) 11 NWLR (Pt. 1151) 136, the Court of Appeal also held as follows: “The era of technicality is past, long interned in the annals of history. Pro-activity and functionality are now the order of the day in adjudication. The law in fact develops better when interpreted in terms of utility rather than the hard and dry lifeless letters of technicalities. The law is meant to work for the benefit of society and not its detriment.”

In AG, Bendel v. Aideyan (1989) 4 NWLR (Pt. 118) 646 at 681, the Supreme Court made the point very succinctly in the following words: “In such procedural matters, this court has moved far away from strict adherence to mere technicalities at the expense of substantial justice. It does not now stand akimbo to watch helplessly in a situation where justice will lie prostrate and trampled down simply because mere technical rules must be up-

held. It will rather lean on the side of the spirit of the rules where to do so will result in real justice to the parties in litigation. I should therefore not allow the appellants to hang on to a tenuous twig of technicality and thereby defeat substantial justice.”

Clearly, a refusal to grant an application to regularise a shortfall in payment of filing fees will not only signal a regression to the era of technical justice but will erode the confidence of the general public in the judiciary.

It must be emphasised that rules of court are no more than adjectival rules to enable the court obtain and do justice. Rules are no more than handmaidens of justice. Accordingly, if its applicability will lead to injustice, and render justice grotesque, the need to do justice will supersede its operation.

One can only conclude this write up by asking one question: how will the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court treat an application or an appeal to set aside a judgment obtained pursuant to a Notice of Appeal on which the appropriate filing fees was not paid? Perhaps, the appellate courts will have no reason to refuse such appeals. After all, the Supreme Court has held in Madukolu v.

Nkemdilim (1962) 1 All NLR. 587 at 593 that any defect in the competence of a court is fatal, for the proceedings are a nullity however well conducted and decided. As Lord Denning stated in Macfoy v. UAC (1961) 3 ALL ER 1169 at page 1172: “You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stay there. It will collapse.”

Concluded Tunde-Olowu, A lawyer and partner in the Dispute Resolution Group of AELEX writes from Lagos.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, March 25, 2013

45

Events The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch Executive Committee addressed the media on burning national issues in Lagos recently. Below are faces at the press conference.

L-R: Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Muna Esegine; Treasurer, Mrs. Caroline Ibharuneafe and Auditor, Mrs. Nelly Silver-Ajalaye

L-R: NBA member, Mr. Henry Egorp; Chairman, Judiciary Ethics and Monitoring Committee, Ikeja branch, , Mr. Mark Ibekwe and another member, Mr. Joseph Oshoke.

L-R: Welfare Secretary, NBA, Ikeja Branch, Mr. Samson Omodara; 1st Vice Chairman, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana; Chairman, Mr. Monday Ubani and General Secretary, Mr. Adesina Adegbite.

Members of the NBA, Mr. Patrick Nwuzi and Mrs. Fausat Bakare.

The Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) organised a training course on Nuclear Law and Regulations in Lagos recently. Below are trainers and participants at the course.

Prof. Animi Awah and Mrs. Sena Jerry-Imaghiagbe.

Director of Research, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun and Director- General of the Institute, Prof. Epiphany Azinge.

Secretary, NIALS, Mr. James Bathnna and the Institute’s acting Librarian, Enem Uwem.

Mrs. Omotunde Oke and Miebaka Nyanabo and other participants.

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Law & Justice

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bello .v. AG Oyo State: When S’Court affirmed right of convict on death row Nasiru Bello was convicted for armed robbery by an Ibadan High Court, Oyo State on October 30, 1980. While his appeal was pending before the Court of Appeal, he was executed on the orders of the state government in 1981. The deceased’s dependants challenged the premature termination of his life. In its verdict, the Supreme Court while examining the state government’s criminal and tortiuous liabilities on the issue held that the inadvertent killing was unlawful. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary writes.

N

asiru Bello’s case aroused a good deal of public interest and raised an important constitutional issue as to the right of a convict executed while his appeal was pending.

Bello was tried for armed robbery, he was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death by the Oyo State Robbery and Firearms Tribunal about 32 years ago. Having been assured by his attorney that he had a right of appeal, which must be fully exhausted before the death sentence passed on him could be carried out, he lodged a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal, Ibadan.

On November 12, 1980, within the time prescribed by law, he filed his notice of appeal against his conviction in the Federal Court of Appeal and a copy of the notice of appeal was served on the Attorney-General of Oyo State.

Bello’s wife, parents, the deceased’s four children and other relations looked forward to when the appeal would be heard and determined.

On April 21, 1981, a copy of the records of appeal was also served on the state Attorney-General. Thereafter, while the appeal was pending, the state Attorney-General recommended to the Governor the execution of the deceased and in consequence thereof the execution was carried out on September 5, 1981. When the appeal came for hearing before the Court of Appeal on October 13, 1981, the Solicitor-General of Oyo State informed the court of the inadvertent execution of the deceased. Accordingly, the Court of Appeal struck out the appeal.

Unfortunately, the hopes of Bello’s dependants were dashed as they learnt of the sad news in 1981 of the premature termination of Bello’s life while his appeal was pending.

The bereaved family did not give up. They instituted a suit through Aliu, the deceased’s younger brother in the state High Court claiming that their breadwinner had been wrongly executed. The dependants claimed N 100,000 as damages against Oyo State for the unlawful killing of their bread winner”.

They based their claim on the doctrine “ubi jus ibi remedium, that is, where there is a right, there is a remedy.

Although the trial judge agreed that the deceased’s execution was wrongful, he dismissed the claim on the premise that it failed to disclose any cause of action and no damages were recoverable at common law for wrongly causing death of a person except the suit was brought within the ambit of the Torts Law. Dissatisfied with the decision of the lower court, the appellants filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal. The appellate court equally dismissed the appeal. As a result, the only remedy the Bello family had was to appeal to the Supreme Court.

When the matter reached the Supreme

Justice Oputa

Justice Bello

THE APEX COURT UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED THAT BY

THE EXECUTION, THE DECEASED HAD LOST BOTH HIS RIGHT TO

FAMOUS CASES Court, it was determined by a full panel of the court comprising seven Justices, Mohammed Bello, Anthony Aniagolu, Dahunsi Coker, Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, Saidu Kawu, Chukwudifu Oputa, and Salihu Alfa Belgore.

Because of the constitutional issue involved in the appeal and its great public importance, the court invited all the AttorneysGeneral in the Federation to file briefs and appear before the court and address it as amici curiae. In all, the Attorney General of the Federation and about 13 State AttorneysGeneral responded to the invitation.

However, in their submissions, the AGs were evenly divided as seven supported the appellants while seven others supported the respondent.

Delivering the lead judgment on December 5, 1986, Justice Bello held that the execution of the deceased was unconstitutional and unlawful.

The apex court unanimously declared that by the execution, the deceased had lost both his right to life and the right to prosecute his appeal; and that the deceased’s de-

LIFE AND THE RIGHT TO PROSECUTE HIS APPEAL pendents had been unjustly deprived of the benefits of his life.

Although Supreme Court acknowledged that there was no statutory provision for stay of execution of a sentence of death pending the determination of an appeal in Oyo State , the court applied the maxim of ubi jus ibi remedium (i.e. where there is a right, there is a remedy) and allowed the appeal.

The apex court held that the provisions on fundamental human rights should be interpreted in such a way as to promote the overall well-being of the society at large.

Thus, even though, the procedure adopted by the appellant’s counsel was wrong in law, the Supreme Court overlooked the error and upheld that the need to protect the wider interest of the community which was to ensure that justice was done.

According to Justice Bello, ‘’I am therefore satisfied for the reasons I have given in this judgement that Plaintiffs/Appellants have a cause of action arising from the

death of their bread-winner. I am also satisfied that the Defendant is liable to the Plaintiffs/Appellants for the death of their breadwinner. I also hold that the Court of Appeal was clearly in error to have dismissed the appeal of the Appellants.’’

The other six justices concurred with the lead verdict.

Justice Oputa particularly said, ‘’this premature execution offended against Section 30(1) of the 1979 Constitution. It did more than that. It paralysed and destroyed Nasiru Bello’s constitutional right of appeal and foisted on the Federal Court of Appeal a situation of complete helplessness. There is no, and there cannot be any, argument about the unconstitutionality of Nasiru Bello’s premature execution.’’

He noted further that in this case, “the administrative error” of the Ministry of Justice, Oyo State has produced a shameful, utterly disgusting, and tragic result namely the premature execution of Nasiru Bello during the pendency of his appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal. The dependants of Nasiru Bello are entitled to be redressed for the injury they suffered by the loss of their bread-winner, a loss occasioned by the “inadvertence” or ‘administrative error” of the Defendant/Respondent and his Ministry of Justice which has produced this injustice. ‘’ Interestingly, this decision promoted substantial justice over and above legality in the mere form of pleadings.

The Supreme Court’s verdict was a classic illustration of a change in policy by the court to place the demand of justice over and above adherence to the technicality of the law.

This policy shift arose out of the longstanding debate on the extent to which adherence to the strict letters of the law should guide judicial officers in the discharge of their judicial duties.

This judgement was acclaimed by scholars in Nigeria and other climes as one of such commendable decisions ever made by the apex court. The decision was also widely reported in the East African Journal of Human Rights and Peace and the Constitutional Law of the Gambia 1965-2010.

If the philosophy of the judiciary is the attainment of justice, it has been canvassed by a learned scholar that the Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) should be amended to provide for a stay of execution until a convict has exhausted his constitutional right of appeal.

Indeed, the improper advice given in Bello’s case to the state Governor by the then Oyo State Attorney- General in 1981, perhaps may have been responsible for the reluctance of the State governors in the country to sign the execution warrants of convicts on death row since the end of military rule in 1999.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Foreign

T

he International Bar Association (IBA) has called for the immediate release of Beatrice Mtetwa – former president of the Law Society of Zimbabwe and prominent human rights lawyer.

Mtetwa was arrested on March 17, on charges of obstructing the course of justice and remains in police custody despite a high court order for her release.

Executive Director of the IBA, Dr Mark Ellis stated ‘The arrest of Beatrice Mtetwa is yet another egregious act by Robert Mugabe’s Government, aimed at undermining the rule of law and obstructing those who seek to protect the legal rights of citizens of Zimbabwe, which are guaranteed in their own Constitution’.

Baroness Helena Kennedy, CoChair of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) said ‘Beatrice Mtetwa’s arrest is extremely

Law & Justice

Monday, March 25, 2013

IBA calls for release of detained Zimbabwean lawyer worrying to the IBAHRI. The right for lawyers to practice without undue interference or harassment is a fundamental principle of the rule of law, enshrined in the UN Basic Principles on the Roles of Lawyers. This is not the first time that Ms Mtetwa has been harassed by the authorities for performing her professional duties as a lawyer’. She added ‘Equally concerning is the defiance by the police of the high court order, representing further disturbing signs of erosion of the rule of law in Zimbabwe. The IBAHRI urges the relevant authorities in Zimbabwe to release Ms Mtetwa immediately and to protect the rights of lawyers, without exception’.

Mtetwa was arrested along with her client Thabani Mpofu, legal advisor to Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvan-

Zimbabwe girai, during a raid at his home in the early hours of Sunday 17 March 2013. According to reports, Ms Mtetwa asked police to provide a search warrant and an inventory of confiscated items, and attempted to film the raid using her mobile telephone. This lead to her arrest and formal charge of obstructing the course of justice. Mr Mpofu, along with three other employees of Prime Minister Tsvangirai: Warship Dumba, Felix Manditse and Anna Muzvidziwa, were arrested and charged with impersonating the police and running an illegal non-governmental organisaition.

Mtetwa has been internationally recognised for her human rights work in Zimbabwe, re-

Family files suit against sex offender United States

A

Pennsylvania family has sued in an attempt to force its sex offender neighbour to buy the family’s house, where the family claims it is “trapped” after he was convicted of sexually assaulting their daughter.

The lawsuit was filed in Lehigh County by the child’s parents.

Oliver Larry Beck, 65, pleaded guilty in 2011 to indecent assault of a child under the age of 13, and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. He served time, and upon his release, was forced to register as a sex offender.

Barrack Obama, United States President

The family claims that its home’s proximity to a registered sex offender makes it “virtually unmarketable.”

The parents also claim they feel “trapped” living next door to the man who violated their daughter.

Beck’s attorney did not respond to ABCNews.com’s request for comment.

“The situation is not a runof-the-mill general situation where there’s just a registered sex offender in the general area or even in close proximity,” Diane Sodano, the family’s attorney, told ABCNews.com.

“The sex offender owns all of the property surrounding this family.”

The lawsuit identifies Sodano’s clients, the girl, who is now 9 years old, and her parents, by only their initials.

It was not a big deal –Adepoju

I

had always looked forward to my first solo appearance in court. It is the pride of any lawyer to appear in court without being led by a senior.

47

My first appearance in court was before Justice Molokwu of the Federal High Court, Lagos division. It was really not a big deal; it was just to report settlement, so it was quite easy for me.

Right from my 200 level, I had always been going to court to watch lawyers’ composure in court. So, I was very confident. The training I had during my court attachment where I had the opportunity to speak with the judge also helped me. I had my court attachment in the court of Justice Joseph Oyewole of Ikeja High Court. So, I had no fret talking to a judge.’’

Micheal Reynolds, IBA President

ceiving a number of prestigious awards for her work defending Zimbabwean and international journalists in high profile cases.

A statement by Romana St. Matthew – Daniel of the Press Office said the IBA , established in 1947, is the world’s leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Its membership includes over 45,000 lawyers and more than 200 bar associa-

tions and law societies spanning every continent. The IBA influences the development of international law reform and shapes the future of the legal profession throughout the world.

The IBA’s Human Rights Institute works to promote, protect and enforce human rights under a just Rule of Law, and to preserve the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession worldwide.

“We are not trying to address the large socio-economic issue of anyone who may live in close proximity to a registered sex offender and that effect on their property value,” Sodano said. “That is a much broader issue that is not intended to be addressed.”

“This is a unique, specific

situation,” she said. “It’s financially unfeasible for this family to move. They are trapped in this house.”

The lawsuit claims that when the family moved into its house in 2005, Beck “reached out and befriended the plaintiffs over the years, building trust in them.”

Bar Jokes

Unable to speak the whole truth?

Y

ou seem to be in some distress,” said the kindly judge to the witness.

“Is anything the matter?”

“Well, your Honour,” said

the witness, “I swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but every time I try, some lawyer objects.”

One bulb, multiple suits!

H

ow many personal injury attorneys does it take to change a light

bulb?

How many can you afford?

Well, I will say you would need three - one to turn the bulb, one to shake the lad off the ladder, and the third to sue the ladder company.

Every question for a fee

A

new client had just come in to see a famous lawyer.

“Can you tell me how much you charge?”, said the client.

“Of course”, the lawyer

replied, “I charge $200 to answer three questions!”

“Well that’s a bit steep, isn’t it?”

“Yes it is”, said the lawyer, “And what’s your third question?”

How often do lawyers tell lies?

Adepoju

H

ow can you tell when a lawyer is lying?

That is simple; it

is when his lips are moving!

Culled from BrainDencom Lawyers jokes

48

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mr. Alagoa Nalaguo Christian Dr. Inatimi Gbungurukuma Otonyo

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

World News

Pope Francis celebrates palm Sunday

“We must respect the right of each country in the world to independently choose its path of development”

50

CHINESE PRESIDENT, XI JINPING

Central African Republic president flees rebel attack PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

C

entral African Republic’s President Francois Bozize fled the capital early yesterday, hours after hundreds of armed rebels threatening to overthrow him invaded the city, an adviser said.

The rebel alliance, known as Seleka, issued a statement referring to Bozize as the country’s “former president.”

“Central African Republic has just opened a new page in its history,” said the communiqué, which was signed by Justin Kombo Moustapha, secretarygeneral of Seleka.

“The political committee of the Seleka coalition, made up of Central Africans of all kinds, calls on the population to remain calm and to prepare to welcome the revolutionary forces of Seleka,” it said.

The rebels had reached the outskirts of Bangui late Saturday. Heavy gunfire echoed through the city Sunday as the fighters made their way into the

Government security forces in a pickup truck drive past a demonstration calling for peace, in downtown Bangui, Central African Republic.

PHOTO: AP heart of downtown and seized the presidential palace, though the country’s leader of a decade was not there at the time.

“Bozize left the city this morning,” said Maximin Olouamat, a member of Bozize’s presidential majority. The adviser declined to say where the president had gone.

Coverseas Worldwide Assis-

tance, a Swiss-based crisis management firm that has contacts on the ground, said it believed Bozize was headed toward neighbouring Congo.

Bangui is located along the Oubangui River that separates the two countries.

Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende, however, said he had no knowl-

ECOWAS ministers adopt common external tariff

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egional ministers of finance in Praia, Cape Verde endorsed a new region wide tariff regime for West Africa in another important milestone on the road to a customs union of the 15 ECOWAS Member States.

The five band tariff regime, subject of ten years of internal negotiations driven by the technical committee of the Commissions of the ECOWAS and the eight member West African Economic and Monetary Union(UEMOA), was modelled on the UEMOA tariff regime following the 2006 decision of Heads of State And Government of the region.

Some 5899 tariff lines are covered under the new tariff regime with tariff ranging between zero and 35 per cent for the 130 tariff

lines that fall into the category of specific goods that contribute to the promotion of the region’s economic development.

Under the new regime, adopted on Wednesday, five per cent duty is applicable for 2146 tariff lines under the basic raw materials and capital goods category, 10 per cent for the 1373 tariff lines that qualify as intermediate products category while 20 per cent duty is reserved for the 2165 tariff lines that fall into the category of final consumer products.

The ministers agreed that the concerns expressed by some Member States such as the treatment of raw sugar, and the request for special treatment for Cape Verde because of its location and vulnerabilities should be addressed within

edge of Bozize crossing into Congo.

Rebels from several armed groups that have long opposed Bozize joined forces in December and began seizing towns across the country’s sparsely populated north. They threatened at the time to march on Bangui, but ultimately halted their advance and agreed to go to peace negotiations in Libreville, the capital of Gabon.

A peace deal was signed Jan. 11 that allowed Bozize to finish his term that expires in 2016, but the rebels soon began accusing the president of failing to fulfil the promises that were made.

They demanded that Bozize send home South African forces who were helping bolster the country’s military. And they sought to integrate some 2,000 rebel fighters into Central African Republic’s armed forces.

The deal unravelled more than a week ago, with the rebels again taking control of two towns and threatening to advance on the capital.

‘At least 35 killed by Congolese fighters’

T ECOWAS Commission President, Kadre Desire Ouedraogo

the framework of trade defence measures.

They also agreed on the creation of a 1.5 per cent Community Integration Levy whose scope and operationalisation would be the subject of further regional reflection as part of the mechanisms to enable the region cope with the challenges of implementation of the new tariff regime.

he United Nations mission in Congo says at least 35 people were killed after hundreds of militia fighters attacked the southeast mining center of Lubumbashi, before surrendering.

The U.N. says at least 54 people had also been injured and were transferred to hospitals, among them the Mai Mai fighters.

The statement by the U.N. on Sunday welcomes the surrender of 245 Mai Mai fighters.

U.N.-run Radio Okapi on Saturday reported that fighters — armed with bows and arrows and machetes — had surrendered to the U.N. peacekeeping force. Children were reportedly among the militia when it attacked the city.

The Mai Mai militiamen are seeking to secede from Katanga province. Eastern Congo is home to a myriad of rebel groups who terrorize civilians, though most attacks are further north.

WORLD BULLETIN

Islamist rebels attack Malian town Islamist rebels have attacked Gao in northern Mali, officials say.

The rebels were repelled after two hours of fierce fighting, a Malian army official said.

He said the insurgents had slipped past army checkpoints to enter the town. Gao residents had raised the alarm, saying rebels had entered their neighbourhood.

Gao was controlled by an Islamist group for several months before it was liberated in a Frenchled offensive in January.

The Islamist group Mujao had imposed a strict form of Sharia during its 10 month occupation of the town.

Gao Mayor Sadou Diallo said the Islamist fighters had launched Saturday’s attack inside the city’s Quatrieme Quartier, or Fourth District, and retreated when they were engaged by Malian forces.

“There was heavy gunfire. The situation is under control now. The Islamists entered via Quatrieme Quartier, and the army went to meet them and was able to push them back,” Mr Diallo told the Associated Press news agency.

“There is another group that entered via the river, but they too were pushed back. It’s under control.”

No death toll was immediately available after Saturday’s firefight.

Islamist rebels seized vast swathes of northern Mali a year ago after a military coup in the capital Bamako.

France intervened militarily in January amid fears that the militants were preparing to advance on Bamako. It currently has about 4,000 troops in Mali.

Mali’s army and troops from several African countries, including 2,000 from Chad, have also been involved in the fighting.

Notorious Ivory Coast militia leader killed A regional official says a notorious militia leader accused of enlisting child soldiers for crossborder raids from Liberia into western Ivory Coast was killed during fighting on Saturday.

Claude Koffi Yao Kan, sub-prefect for the western town of Blolequin, said yesterday that Oulaï Tako, known as “Tarzan of the West,” was among three assailants killed by soldiers responding to the attack. Ivory Coast’s United Nations mission says two civilians and a traditional hunter were also killed in the attack on a village 15 miles (25 kilometres) outside Blolequin.

A report last year from Human Rights Watch implicated Tako in a series of raids on villages in western Ivory Coast dating back to July 2011, with witnesses saying he had been involved in the recruitment and training of child soldiers.

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World News

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Musharraf returns to Pakistan despite threats

F

ormer Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has arrived back in Pakistan, ending four years of selfimposed exile and defying death threats.

A protection detail of heavily armed commandos met him after his plane from Dubai touched down in Karachi airport.

A mass rally in the city was cancelled.

General Musharraf plans to lead his party in the May general election.

Meanwhile, 17 soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber in the north-west of Pakistan overnight.

They were attacked at a security checkpoint in the tribal region of North Waziristan, close to the Afghan border and a known stronghold of the Taliban and al-Qaedalinked militants.

A recent Taliban video threatened Musharraf with snipers and suicide bombers.

Musharraf moved through the aisles of the plane - greeting supporters, shaking hands and having his photo taken to the bemusement of regular passengers.

There were chaotic scenes with journalists scrambling over seats as the journey became a mini campaign rally.

Musharraf told the BBC he felt emotional about returning to Pakistan, but he said he had mixed feelings because of the risk to himself and his supporters.

When the plane landed,

his supporters on board cheered and shouted “Long live Pervez Musharraf”.

He faces a string of charges including conspiracy to murder, but on Friday the Pakistani authorities granted him protective bail in several outstanding cases, freeing him from immediate arrest once he sets foot in Pakistan.

One of the charges is that he failed to provide adequate security for opposition leader Benazir Bhutto after she returned from exile in 2007.

Two deadly explosions, in which nearly 140 people died, greeted her arrival in Karachi on 19 October. She was killed that December at a rally in Rawalpindi.

A few hundred supporters have gathered near the airport, the BBC’s Orla Guerin reports.

Earlier, the former leader, 69, tweeted a photo of himself aboard the plane, writing: “Settled in my seat on the plane to begin my journey home.

Pakistan First!”

In Dubai, the smiling general told our correspondent the event felt like a wedding party.

A group of about 200 supporters and journalists saw off the former military ruler - including party members from the UK, Canada, Switzerland and the US. Some of the general’s supporters wore white armbands saying they were ready to give their lives for him.

Syrian opposition coalition in disarray

S

Pope Francis blessing a child after celebrating his first Palm Sunday Mass, in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, yesterday.

Photo: AP

Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday P ope Francis celebrated his first Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square, encouraging people to be humble and young at heart and promising to go to a youth jamboree in Brazil in July, while the faithful enthusiastically waved olive branches and braided palm fronds.

The square overflowed with a crowd estimated by the Vatican at 250,000 people. Pilgrims, tourists and Romans jostled each other in an eager effort glimpse Francis as they joined the new pope at the start of solemn Holy Week ceremonies, which lead up to Easter, Christianity’s most important day.

Keeping with his spontaneous style, the first

pope from Latin America broke away several times from the text of his prepared homily to encourage the faithful to lead simple lives and resist the temptation to be sad when life’s obstacles inevitably come their way.

“Don’t let yourselves be robbed of hope! Don’t let yourselves be robbed of hope!” Francis told the crowd, in an apparent reference to the economic difficulties people are grappling with as they try to find adequate work amid a poor job market in much of the world.

At the end of the twohour Mass, Francis took off his red vestments, and wearing his plain white cassock and skull cap, climbed into an

open-topped popemobile to circle through the excited crowd. He leaned out to shake hands, kissed and patted the heads of infants passed to him by bodyguards, and often gave children the thumbs-up sign.

His security detail seemed to be reluctantly dealing with this getclose-to-the-people pontiff, scrambling around the vehicle to pick up this child or that one.

At one point, the chief bodyguard, Domenico Giani, was sent back to the mother of a child he had greeted to convey a message from the pontiff, and the ever-tense Giani broke into a smile after his mission was accomplished.

yria’s Westernbacked opposition plunged into disarray on Sunday as its president resigned and its military leader refused to recognize a prime minister recently elected to lead an interim rebel government.

The chaos inside the opposition Syrian National Coalition threatened to undermine its bid to unite the forces battling President Bashar Assad and better organize the fight to oust his regime. It also could hamper support from the U.S. and other powers, who have hoped the Coalition would emerge as the most credible body to channel aid to antiAssad groups inside Syria and undermine the Islamic extremists who dominate the fight on key fronts of the nation’s civil war.

As the opposition’s political leadership stumbled, rebel fighters inside Syria pressed ahead Sunday with their offensive in a restive southern province that borders Jordan. Also, Israel’s military said its forces in the occupied Golan Heights responded to fire across the border by shooting at a target inside Syria.

In his surprise resignation Sunday, Coalition president Mouaz al-Khatib expressed frustration with the both the international community and the opposition body itself. Al-Khatib, a respected preacher who has led the Coalition since its creation late last year, said in a statement posted on his Facebook page that he was making good on a vow to quit if certain undefined “red lines” were crossed.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, March 25, 2013

51

Reps seek only speech immunity –Lawmaker WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

T

he Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Zakari Mohammed has said the controversial immunity clause was only to cover speeches of members on the floor of the House.

The issue had generated mixed reactions from the public who saw it as a setback in the war against cor-

•It’ll encourage corruption, says NBA

ruption in the country.

This is as the Chairman of the Ikeja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Onyekachi Ubani, has told the lawmakers to enact reformative laws and forget the Speech Immunity Bill.

Mohammed said in an interview with journalists in Ilorin at the weekend that “the immunity clause we are talking about is not blan-

ket immunity but against speeches made on the floor of the House”.

He was fielding questions from journalists after delivering a paper entitled; “Visionary Leadership for Nigeria: Fastening the Seat Belt from School,” at a seminar organised by Political Science students, University of Ilorin.

Mohammed, who is representing Baruten/Kaiama

Federal Constituency, explained that in some countries, speeches made by legislators in the hallowed chambers of their legislative houses were used against them in court.

The lawmaker said some legislators in Malawi were undergoing trial for treason on what they said on the floor of the House.

He said: “We cannot wait until what is happening

L-R: Executive Director, Civil Rights Congress, Comrade Shehu Sani; former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Patron of Majalisar Talakawa Association, Alhaji Danladi Yahaya, at the inaugural lecture of the association in Kaduna, yesterday.

LG polls: Kogi PDP orders fresh primaries WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

T

he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kogi State has ordered fresh primaries in Bassa and Olamaboro local government areas following complaints of irregularities and diversion of election materials in some councils.

The state PDP Chairman, Comrade Hassan Salawu, who confirmed the development, said there were valid complaints from the coun-

cils hence, the need for a fresh primary.

Salawu said the party was determined to conduct a transparent, free, fair and credible election, adding that the steps taken by the party had shown that it was capable of solving its internal problems.

He called on all aspirants to always play by the rules, noting that the party would maintain its leadership position through credible polls.

The primaries were earlier said to have been won by

Magida Umar and Farouk Adedoh of Bassa and Olamaboro local government areas respectively.

A source at the PDP Secretariat said the fresh would give all the aspirants a level playing ground, adding that the party had no anointed candidate.

The source added that Governor Idris Wada, who is the leader of the party in the state, had directed that a fresh primary be conducted to put to rest the controversies trailing the conduct of

the primaries last week in the affected councils.

A PDP chieftain from Olamaboro, and a member House of Assembly, Gabriel Yunusa Olofu, told journalists in Lokoja yesterday that his group was ready for the fresh primaries.

Efforts to reach the former Liaison Officers of Olamaboro and Bassa, Adejoh and Umar, who worn the earlier primaries, proved abortive as they neither picked their calls nor replied text messages sent to them.

Group applauds FG’s assistance to Esie Museum WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

T

he Esie Monuments Festival Committee has commended the Federal Government for constructing an office block and a befitting gallery for the National Museum in Esie in Kwara State to complement the old one built by the colonial government several years ago.

The committee, which gave the commendation at

the weekend in a statement signed by its Chairman, Prof.

Bolanle Awe and Secretary, Mr. Ololade Oyeyipo, disclosed that preparations were in top gear to host tourists and connoisseurs of culture from Nigeria and abroad at this year’s festival.

The committee also promised to make full use of the facilities provided at the museum.

The festival, the committee added, would hold between April 4 and 6.

The committee also urged

the Federal Government, states and local governments to accord the museum and Esie community the desired attention.

Highlight of the festival this year, it said, would include presentation of academic papers by the ViceChancellor, Kwara State University, Malete, Prof. AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, entitled: “Establishing a centre to unravel the mystery of Esie stone images for the development of Kwara State.”

Other speakers would include the Director-General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Abuja, Mallam Yusuf Abdallah Usman, Prof. Demola Jolayemi of Eliizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State and Prof. David Aremu of University of Ibadan.

It would also feature cultural dances, hunting expedition, food exhibition, fashion parade, raffle draw and visit to the museum on the last day of the festival.

there gets here. I think people are getting it very wrong.

We are talking about speech immunity on the floor of the House. As legislators, we have speech immunity and it is to be protected on what we say on the floor of the House and not to be taken to court on what we say.

“But in a situation where that does not exist... We are not looking for a blanket immunity being enjoyed by governors or the President.

No. What we are saying is that immunity so that legislators can be free to discuss and argue matters very well.

“For instance, there is a court judgement that says court can assume jurisdiction on what is said on the floor of the House.

“For example, if someone takes me to court on what a journalist reported that I said in the hallowed chamber, (and they said) it is treasonable, you as a reporter will be sued alongside me.

But if we have immunity, you can hide under that and report well. So, we should detach emotional sentiments and make our democracy work.”

Meanwhile, Ubani said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday that the legislators should come up with bills that would impart positively on the country.

The lawyer described the bill as unrealistic, stress-

ing that its passage into law would open flood gates of corruption.

Ubani said that the immunity sought by the lawmakers had no legal basis, adding that it was a “comfort seeking,” bill.

He said: “The lawmakers are seeking immunity from statements made during parliamentary proceedings and to my mind this is neither here nor there.

“Lawmakers should concentrate on making laws that will impart positively on Nigerians who are suffering daily under the yoke of economic hardship brought about by the pervasive corruption in the system.

“It is my submission that they should pay less attention to their comfort as in this case and seek ways to enact laws that will effect positive changes in the country.”

A Lagos lawyer, Mr. Yemi Candido-Johnson, who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), described the development as a move calculated to ridicule the country.

He said: “There can be no support for this purported immunity bill whatsoever, it should not be allowed to come to light.’’

Candido-Johnson, therefore, condemned the bill, adding that it had never been the history or practice of any civilised nation.

Insecurity: NGO empowers 2,000 youths in Kaduna A ZA MSUE KADUNA

A

Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, Honey Mate Peace Foundation, has empowered more than 2,000 youths through its Free Skill Acquisition Training and Empowerment at its training institute located in different parts of Kaduna State.

Addressing graduates of the training at the 4th graduation ceremony in Kaduna at the weekend, the Director of the group, Abdulwaheed Abdulazeez, said the gesture would reduce insecurity currently being experienced in the North.

He added that it would minimise the high level of unemployment facing youths.

Calling on govern-

ment to create enabling environment for empowerment initiatives to operate, Abdulazeez said youths should not depend on white collar jobs.

He also urged government and other wellmeaning individuals to partner with it to increase the scope of what the group was doing.

Abdulazeez said participants received training in the areas of computer operation, solar inverter installation, catering and nutrition, tailoring, among others.

He said: “We have within the last few weeks registered and sponsored over 100 youths from different wards in the state to enrol in our programme in different centres of operation that cut across the length and breadth of Kaduna State.”

52

Monday, March 25, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror “We are doing our best to ensure that the mistakes we made in the past are corrected. ”

INEC CHAIRMAN, PROFESSOR ATTAHIRU JEGA

Domestic violence victims, others get accommodation ABIODUN NEJO

...As Fayemi’s wife bemoans spate of rape

T

the centre, victims of domestic abuse and the displaced have been accommodated in apartments rented by the governor’s wife as part of her social welfare schemes.

Speaking, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi, said for anyone to use the facility, victims must first present

ADO-EKITI

he Ekiti State Government has established a social intervention centre in Ado-Ekiti, to provide temporary shelter for victims of domestic violence, as well as women and children confronted with crisis.

The centre was inaugurated by wife of the governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

Before the establishment of

their case to the ministry for verification.

In her address, Mrs. Fayemi, said the facility was a further testimony to the commitment of the administration to the promotion of the wellbeing of women.

She explained that the centre would serve the needs of women and young girls requiring urgent intervention from family crisis and emergencies.

Mrs. Fayemi said, the centre was in furtherance of the implementation of the GenderBased Violence Prohibition Law (GBVL) of the state.

In a similar vein, she disclosed that the government has set aside a GBVL Survivors’ Fund and inaugurated the management committee with membership from the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, nongovernmental and communitybased organisations.

She said, “We need to put in place structures and mechanism to ensure our women, and indeed citizens, do not suffer. We will also ensure that more GBVL-related cases are prosecuted to conclusion, as the family court was established partly for this purpose.

“The survivor fund is meant to provide business start-up capital for victims of gender-based violence and to pay their medical bills and children school fees where necessary.”

She called on the public to be their brother’s keeper by donating clothing, home appliances, food stuffs, kitchen utensils and other items to the centre through the Ministry of Women Affairs.

She frowned on the spate of defilement of minors and rape of women across the country, which she said had become a global trend that debases womanhood.

Gbagi residents warns church on encroachment IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

T Some vendors of religious materials waiting for customers at a street in Bauchi

Fadama coordinator seeks partnership with LGs JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

T

he Coordinator for Plateau State office of Fadama III, Mr Gideon Dandam ,has called for close partnership with the local government chairmen to ease the execution of Fadama III development projects.

He made the call in Pankshin at a one-day meeting of the Plateau Federated Fadama Community Association (FCA).

Dandam explained that Fadama III has not only empowered the farmers on various production activities, it has also carried out some value added development projects to ease the difficulties of rural dwellers.

He listed some of the projects as provision of water through

motorised bore holes, construction of markets stalls, feeder roads, small bridges and culverts.

“These projects, carried out by the farmers and funded by Fadama III programme are located in the rural areas to improve the living standard of the poor.

“We realise that local governments have similar functions and that is why we want the chairmen of the caretaker committees to partner with us for more developmental projects that will improve the well being of the people.”

Dandam, who was represented by the Public Affairs Officer of Plateau Fadama Office, Mr Raphael Jahkin, lamented that some of the chairmen had not been supportive of Fadama farmers, especially in the maintenance of projects, sited in their areas.

PHOTO: NAN

Religious leader urges inquiry into Boko Haram FRANCIS SUBERU

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he president of Lagos West Baptists Conference, Rev. Julius Adeniji has called for strategic inquiries into motives for the violent activities of the Boko Haram sect, saying such would help know how to tackle the menace.

He said this at a book launch and fund raising ceremony for the building of a secretariat for the Baptist Conference.

Rev. Julius who said the best reactions of Christians to religious crisis is to do as Christ admonished them, reiterated that Jesus taught Christians to be tolerant.

He said: “We need to know why these people are doing what they do, if we know the reasons for their actions, we will be able

to know the right steps to take.

We are yet to properly understand what they have in mind.”

Speaking on multiplications of Christian denominations without corresponding reduction in crime rate, corruption and other social vices, he said it is God’s design to counter evil in the country.

He said: “That churches are multiplying is God’s design to mitigate rise in crime. If churches had not increased, crime would have been at a very alarming and outrageous level.

“No doubts that people in churches are not perfect but we still have those loyal to their faiths. We have many in Lagos West Baptist Conference who live upright lives. They will never soil their hands in corruption; they will never do anything ungodly.

he Gbagi Community of Auta Balefi in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State has warned the Living Faith Church, Goshen to stop encroaching on their inherited land.

The community described the claims of land ownership in Kodape by the church as illegal, and if measures are not taken by the authorities, it could lead to endless crisis.

Spokesman of the community, Joseph Sabo, said in Lafia, that the land belongs to the community but the church wants to deny us access to it.

He said: “The recent demolition of structures in the area by the Living Faith Church is uncalled for, as the act is capable of generating another crisis in the state. This is our inherited land but they want to deny us access to it and we do not want to sell it to them.”

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of Goshen, Mr. Dauda Mamman said “I had advised the church authorities on the implication and urged them to seek legal advice before embarking on any form of demolition in the locality.”

Monday, March 25, 2013

How goal-shy Super Eagles fared

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

53

Sport

“Safe for the fact that I didn’t score against the Harambee Stars, I think I didn’t perform badly”

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SUPER EAGLES STRIKER, OBAFEMI MARTINS

Nig vs Kenya: Enyeama thanks “luck”

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uper Eagles’ stand-in captain, Vincent Enyeama, has said it would have been a disaster had Nigeria lost at home to Kenya in their World Cup qualifier on Saturday.

“I am happy we drew the match as it would have been a totally different thing if it was the other way round,” Enyeama said.

The Israel-based shot stopper, however, refrained from talking on the Eagles chances against the Harambee Stars in the reverse fixture on June 5 in Nairobi.

“I cannot talk of the second leg now as it is three months away,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, is still shell-shocked by the match’s outcome after he expected his wards to run over the visitors.

The former Togo and Mali coach sat rooted to the bench minutes after the encounter before walking heavily to the change room as he barely acknowledged the crowd’s gesture.

“I expected to get the maximum three points,” Keshi fumed as he responded to reporters on the pitch, although he assured: “The team will get better in subsequent matches.”

Super Eagles spokesman, Ben Alaiya, also said yesterday that the home draw was a wakeup call for the team.

“The players now know they have to re-dedicate themselves and face reality,” Alaiya said said.

“It was not a great performance from us, but we will get it right anywhere they take us to in Kenya.”

Minister lifts ailing coach AFOLABI GAMBARI

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ports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, yesterday paid a visit to the ailing former Super Falcons’ Coach, Jossy Lad, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan where Lad had been admitted last week for what sources called heart trouble.

The distraught minister immediately made a cash donation of N500, 000 to the coach’s family for his upkeep while pledging to follow up on the coach’s upkeep.

The media had alerted the nation last week, sequel to Lad’s family outcry for help as the former Shooting Stars and Nigeria international’s health condition worsened.

“Government is conscious of its responsibilities to all Nigerian sports heroes, either active or retired,” Abdullahi remarked after he made the donation which the family described as a “lifeline”, even as the Oyo State Government had, last week, forwarded N850, 000 in two tranches to the grounded coach.

“Jossy Lad is part of the first generation of footballers in this country who have contributed immensely to the development of the sport and it is our hope and prayer that he will stand

Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi (middle) during his visit to the ailing former Super Falcons coach, Jossy Lad at the UCH, Ibadan yesterday.

on his feet again soonest,” the minister said, adding, “We will always be supportive to any of our heroes especially in their trying times.”

National Mirror learnt that former Nigeria international and Chairman of Lobi Stars FC, Dominic Iorfa, had preceded the minister at the UCH and donated N100, 000 to the bed-ridden Lad. Results W/Cup qualifiers results Tanzania

3-1

Morocco

Lesotho

1-1

Zambia

Ethiopia

1-0

Botswana

Mozambique

0-0

Guinea

Rwanda

1-2

Mali

DRC

0-0

Libya

Ghana

4-0

Sudan

E/Guinea

4-3

C/Verde

Liberia

2-0

Uganda

NNPC/Shell Cup final Purple Crown 1 - 0

GSS Wuse

Third Place A r a b i c 3-0 College

G o v t College

Eagles get AFCON windfall, Akpabio’s largesse Super Eagles striker Brown Ideye (l) tussling with a Harambee Stars defender during their World Cup 2014 qualifier in Calabar on Saturday

A FOLABI GAMBARI

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equel to the complaints of unpaid AFCON 2013 final bonus by the victorious Super Eagles, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday redeemed its obligation by handing $25, 000 each to the 23 players that prosecuted the historic continental assignment.

MTNFootball.com revealed that a source close to the Eagles had confirmed the payment, hours after the Eagles escaped defeat to the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Calabar on Saturday.

“The payment was made possible after the NFF received the cash prize of $1.5 million for winning the Nations Cup,” the source said.

Meanwhile, compensation for the AFCON feat continued yesterday as the Akwa Ibom State Government donated

N37.5milion to the team in Uyo. National Mirror learnt that each of the 23 players got N1million, Chief Coach Stephen Keshi got N2million with his four assistants pocketing N1million each while 17 backroom staff also got N500, 000 each.

Governor Godswill Akpabio, who announced the donation at a brief reception for the team, also donated a three-bedroom apartment in the Akwa Ibom capital Uyo to Eagles’ captain and goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama who hails from the South-South state for what the governor called the keeper’s effort to make the state proud at the AFCON finals.

“You are the future of Nigeria and we pray for your further success,” Akpabio told the recipients.

He, however, frowned at criticisms of his administration’s generosity to individuals and

organisations in recent times, saying he did not engage in extra-budget spending. ‘’At this point of our existence, unity and security challenges and not frivolous things should be more important to Nigerians,” the governor insisted.

Akpabio enjoined the footballers to shun drug addiction to preserve their future relevance while advising them to always adhere to the coach’s instruction.

President of the NFF, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, who spoke at the occasion, commended the governor for supporting the national team.

“We appreciate your efforts at promoting football in the country,” Maigari said.

Interestingly, the Eagles have so far grossed over $9million since they arrived in Nigeria after winning the 29th Africa Cup of Nations on February 10.

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Monday, March 25, 2013

We didn’t underrate Harambee Stars –Omeruo AFOLABI GAMBARI

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uper Eagles’ defender, Kenneth Omeruo, has faulted criticisms that the team underrated the Harambee Stars of Kenya in their Group F World Cup 2014 qualifier in Calabar on Saturday.

Nigeria trailed Kenya by a lone goal for the most part of the encounter until a late equaliser by substitute Nnamdi Oduamadi rescued the reigning African champion from imminent disgrace. The result left Nigeria tied on five points with Malawi after the latter won 1-0 away at Namibia on Saturday.

“I think it was quite unfair to say we overlooked the strength of the Kenyans because we made no fuss about our quest for the maximum points,” Omeruo, the Chelsea player currently on loan to Dutch Eredivise side ADO Den Haag, told National Mirror yesterday.

“Despite the frustrating defensive pattern that the visitors

adopted, we made several incursions into their vital area and we could well have been at least three goals up by the first half if we had hit the target.

“I personally did not delude myself that the match would be a walk in the park because every match was bound to be difficult for us after we emerged as African champions last month. Nonetheless, we should have beaten the Kenyans and that is where we deserve some blame.”

Asked if the five points apiece with Malawi in the qualifying group would pose a threat to Nigeria’s aspiration for the Brazil World Cup, Omeruo said: “It is too early to contemplate any danger, especially as there are still three matches to play in the qualifiers.

We simply have to brace ourselves for the challenge ahead.”

Interestingly, Omeruo sustained his AFCON 2013 consistency with a creditable performance against the Kenyans, which earned him the Peak Man of the Match Award in the encounter.

Kenneth Omeruo

Pam, Ismail win Ibadan marathon

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ineteen-year-old new entrant, Deborah Pam from Plateau State, yesterday in Ibadan became the female champion of the 5th Annual 42km Splash FM/ICPC Integrity Marathon Race, while Haris Ismail from the same state emerged new male champion of the race.

Over 600 Nigerian athletes participated in the race flagged-off by the Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan.

The event, sponsored by Ibadan-based privately owned radio station, Splash FM, was organised by National Sports Commission (NSC) South West Zone 1 in compliant with the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) rules guiding long distance race.

The Minister commended Chairman of Splash FM, Chief Adebayo Akande, for funding the event since 2008.

“Let me on behalf of the Federal Government pledge that we will elevate the marathon race to international standard where foreign distance runners would be proud to participate,” Abdullahi said.

Akande, who also commended the government’s gesture, lauded the minister’s presence while charging the athletes improve on their return time.

“It is only a matter of time before we meet the world standard,” he said.

Gerrard okays Ferdinand jibe

Coach explains players’ AJC form YEMI OLUS

E

N

ational Junior Table Tennis Coach, Mohammed Ubale, has blamed the ongoing West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) as responsible for Nigeria’s poor performance at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) African Junior Championships held in Kenya from March 18 to 23.

The six players who qualified for the tournament were Sarah Adegoke, Emmanuel Idoko, Joseph Imeh, Aderotimi Adetunji, Adetayo Adetunji and Zainab Oladimeji.

Nigeria was, however, represented by a depleted team of two made up of South-Africa-based siblings, Aderotimi and Adetayo Adetunji who featured in the U16 and U-14 girls’ singles and doubles categories.

“We couldn’t travel with all the players as earlier planned because most of them were writing their final exams, Ubale, who just returned from Kenya told National Mirror yesterday, adding, “Only two players made the trip and they lost in second round singles and quarter finals in the doubles.”

The coach further said that other countries were also affected by the examination bug, citing Morocco as one.

Sandra Samir of Egypt won the girls U-16 singles after defeating Lesedi Jacobs of Namibia 6-2, 6-0 at the Nairobi Club court. Majed Kilani of Tunisia overpowered Mohamed Dougas of Mauritius in the boys U-16 with a 6-3, 6-4 win while Madagascar won the U-14 boys’ and girls’ categories.

About 127 players from 27 countries participated in the tournament where South Africa dominated and eventually won the team trophy. Egypt followed in second place while Morocco placed third overall.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Budding athletes competing at a past meet in Kaduna ready for AYC

AYC 2013: Team Nigeria due in Warri YEMI OLUS

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embers of the Nigerian contingent for the African Athletics Youth Championships comprising 63 athletes are expected in Warri, Delta State today.

The team had been camped at their Port-Harcourt training base immediately after the D.K Olukoya U-18 Athletics Championships last month.

Technical Director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, told National Mirror yesterday that preparation for the Nigerian team had gone smoothly.

“We made the final selection on Saturday and 63 male and female athletes were selected,” Nesiama said.

“Our team will commence light workouts upon arriving in Warri

and will be exposed to the facilities before the championships takes off.

“We have concluded the refresher course for our officials and have selected about 120 technical officials who will be in charge of various events.

“The final competition which was used to test-run the facilities took place on Saturday while the installation of the newly acquired Estimated Distance Measurement (EDM) device commenced today (Sunday) while training on the use of the device will take place tomorrow (today).

The EDM will be used for the first time on Nigerian soil, to measure distances at the event while the Belgian technicians from Timetronics would be expected to train Nigerian officials on how to operate the equipment with a view to ending the use of tapes to measure distances in events like long jump and javelin.

ngland captain, Steven Gerrard, admits supporters have “every right” to vent their frustration over the Rio Ferdinand saga.

Ferdinand was recalled by national coach Roy Hodgson for a 2014 World Cup qualifying doubleheader with San Marino and Montenegro.

The Manchester United defender was drafted back in after a spell in the international wilderness, but ended up pulling out of the squad citing a pre-planned training regime which had been agreed with his club employers as the reason behind his decision.

Ferdinand then fanned the flames further by jetting out to Doha to cover the San Marino game as a television pundit, and saw sections of the travelling England support single him out for terrace taunts.

“I think the fans are entitled to their opinion,” Gerrard said yesterday.

“Rio is a good player and he would have helped us over these two games. But he’s made his decision and we have to respect that,” he added.

Rio Ferdinand

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Monday, March 25, 2013

55

Match hero, Oduamadi

NNAMDI ODUAMADI SCORED THE MUCH NEEDED EQUALISER IN THE ADDED TIME THAT

NIGERIA’S BLUSHES. THE ITALYSAVED

Victor Moses (left) proved a handful for the Kenyans but was largely frustrated in the encounter

How goal-shy Super Eagles fared IKENWA NNABUOGOR runs the rule on how the Super Eagles acquitted themselves against Harambee Stars of Kenya in their Brazil 2014 qualifier in Calabar on Saturday.

Vincent Enyeama 5/10

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he AFCON-winning goalkeeper will not forget in a hurry the well-struck free kick by Kenya midfielder Francis Kahata that flew past him. But he was largely on holidays especially in the second half when the wounded Eagles threw all they had for an equaliser against the stubborn East Africans who always had all their players behind the ball for the better part of the half.

Solomon Kwambe 5/10 Not a bad afternoon for the Sunshine Stars right back who stood in for the suspended Efe Ambrose for his second competitive bow after the Venezuela friendly in USA last November.

He was never shy of going forward but struggled to stop the lively Kenyan attack anchored by rampaging Auxerre striker Dennis Oliech who always used his huge frame to bully the Eagles defence.

nation could stand the test of time. A return to Chelsea from Dutch side ADO Den Haag could as well be in the cards.

Godfrey Oboabana 6/10 The Sunshine Stars central defender has continued to grow in confidence at the Eagles’ rear and another competent outing against Kenya last Saturday could well have cemented his place in the squad. He did well to keep Oliech quiet for the better part of the game. A move to Europe will surely follow though there’s unconfirmed report Arsenal is interested in handing him a trial.

Ogenyi Onazi 7/10 He was never a player to shy away from any responsibility and proved he could hold his own in the defensive midfield. Currently, the Eagles’ most versatile player and the duty in the new office was carried out. An Eagle for the future!

Kenneth Omeruo 6/10

Sunday Mba 4/10

The young defender continued from where he left off at the AFCON by posting another solid performance against the Harambee Stars last weekend. He combined well with his AFCON partner Godfrey Oboabana to further underline that their combi-

The effect of having two clubs on his neck slowed down the scorer of the winning goal that landed Nigeria the AFCON title since 1994. He was largely out of sorts and could well have been excused from the game until his future was sorted. He was pulled out in the

second half for a well deserved rest.

John Obi Mikel 7/10 Never a dull moment with the Chelsea star in the Eagles’ colours and the big midfielder proved he was Eagles’ anchorman in the midfield. His long passes were tailor made for strikers Obafemi Martins, Victor Moses and Brown Ideye to convert but were always stopped by tall Kenyan defenders.

Had a penalty appeal turned down by the referee from Botswana and a goalbound free kick parried by Arnold Origi in goal for the East Africans and that summed up a solid outing for the former Lyn Oslo star.

Victor Moses 5/10 He was a handful for the Kenyan defenders who did well to stop him from wreaking havoc. Had a great time on duty but failed to break the scoring duck which turned to rubbish his allaction showing. Was pulled out for debutting Portugal-based John Ogu.

Obafemi Martins 4/10 Another Eagles’ chance went awry for the once dreaded Eagles’ talisman, as the Seattle Sounders’ new signing failed to hit the target again. Could it be Martins’ last Eagles’ chance under Keshi? He was full of running but was taken care of by giant Kenyan defenders. Had no clear cut chance at goal for the time he spent before he was substituted.

Brown Ideye 5/10 Ideye did all he could to get on the

BASED MIDFIELDER REPLACED MISFIRING

MBA IN THE LAST 15 MINUTES AS EAGLES CONTINUED TO SEARCH FOR AN EQUALISER

score sheet by was prevented by the resolute Kenyan defence who ofetn frustrated the Eagles. Though a threat while attacking, but failed to bury his chances, two of which efforts cleared off the goal line. He created chances for Martins and Victor Moses but failed to really get behind the Kenya back four.

Substitutes Nnamdi Oduamadi 8/10 Hero of the tension-soaked Calabar evening for the Eagles, scored the much needed equaliser in the added time that saved Nigeria’s blushes.

The Italy-based midfielder replaced misfiring Mba in the last 15 minutes as Eagles continued to search for an equaliser.

Ahmed Musa 6/10 The Russia-based striker replaced Martins and seemed to breathe more life into misfiring Eagles attack.

Stretched the Kenyans with his pace but nothing really came out of it.

John Ogu–No rating The debutant was not on the pitch for long to earn a rating.

WORLD RECORD

Oldest qualified pilot Vol. 03 No. 584

N150

Monday, March 25, 2013

Born March 14, 1902, Cole Kugel, a resident of Longmont, Colorado, USA is the oldest qualified pilot. He was born one year before the legendary Wright Brothers took to the skies, and has been flying ever since.

Chinua Achebe: The uncrowned Nobel Laureate T he motto of Obafemi Awolowo University is ‘For Learning and Culture’.

No one academic in Nigeria reflects and personifies that maxim more than Professor Chinua Achebe. The grandfather of modern English Literature in Africa was both a colossus in learning as he was a thorough bred and highly cultivated individual in manners and character.

His transition last week took the world by storm and he was genuinely mourned by all those who appreciated the worth, both of his writings and his character. His passing on into eternity was a personal loss to this writer.

It was in July 1965 that Uncle Segun Olusola took me to Chinua Achebe somewhere

Guest Columnist

Tola

Adeniyi

on Broad Street Lagos to seek his permission for me to adapt his most celebrated classic, Things Fall Apart, published in 1958, into a play. I had seen the dramatic elements in the novel and decided to make a drama out of it. Achebe asked me a few questions and satisfied with my answers, approved my proposal to adapt the novel for both stage and television. Ambali Sanni’s Muslim College Ijebu Ode provided the funds while the students made up the cast. The production was taken round the whole Western Region, including Lagos and was given loud applause by the likes of Derek Bullock and Dapo Adelugba.

That was the beginning of the romance with this giant of letters, who in 1972 hosted me and my wife on our honeymoon in his home at the University of Nigeria Nsukka.

Achebe gave pride to African writing and to Africans. For the first time, he provided a lens into Africa and presented Africa from the African perspective. His writings were African based, but with monumental universal appeal. Hence his maiden novel, Things Fall Apart, got translated into well over 50 languages and sold over 12 million copies.

Apart from being the greatest writer of prose to emerge from African continent, Achebe wrote for the masses. He spoke so that he could be understood. The beauty of his writings was that he was a most excellent communicator, believing that the overall purpose of any work of art is communication. Your work, be it dance, song, speech, drama, gesture, painting must convey a message, and that message must be comprehended by your audience. Anything short

ACHEBE GAVE PRIDE TO AFRICAN WRITING AND TO AFRICANS… HIS WRITINGS WERE AFRICAN BASED, BUT WITH MONUMENTAL UNIVERSAL APPEAL of that is intellectual garbage.

In fact Achebe could easily pass for a playwright of immense stature. There is so much drama in all of his novels. And this was the reason I started work on The Theatre in Achebe’s Novels. All the characters in his writings are alive and touchable. The trees, the mountains, the rivers and valleys in his novels speak. He gave dignity and personality to art. For him, you do not need to grow a bush on your head, or grow rodents in your hair to impress on the world that you are an artist or a writer.

Achebe was a man of character. He taught for many years at Nsukka, and no one ever heard that he drove his female students nuts, nor was he ever accused of befriending or marrying his students. He taught us what a great Mind should be. Achebe never went round state governors with beggar’s bowl soliciting for money or gratification nor was he ever accused of sleeping with his friends’ widows.

Twice he was offered national honours; twice he rejected them, arguing that he was not one that would pose as holy in the day

time and be in cosy alliance in the night with people he accuses in the day time.

The millions who have continued to mourn him since his transition do so in deep sorrow and in sincerity, having discovered in the literary colossus a most genuine and sincere human being. Achebe identified with his Igbo nation. He shared the pains and sufferings of his people. And never for once did he treat them with condescension.

The prodigious writer showed maturity in all his dealings. All those who had anything to do with him ended up respecting him, because he commanded respect. Even when he was in his thirties he displayed unusual maturity and mastery of human relations. As far as Achebe was concerned, a writer or any artist for that matter was first and foremost a human person with deep human feelings and ethos.

Chinua Achebe eminently qualified for a Nobel Prize before that hitherto prestigious prize got politicised and became not a reward for distinction, but a reward for those who had mastered the art and science of boardroom politics or global arm-twisting.

Although he mentioned lizard in almost all his works, the honourable man of letters never learnt the art of lizarding.

The man shared the distinction of being the best in their arts with John Pepper Clark and Christopher Okigbo who up till today are the best writers of poetry, with Professor Ola Rotimi, the best in playwriting and play production, with Ene Henshaw, Wale Ogunyemi and Professor Femi Osofisan as playwrights with greatest relevance and profundity. This explains why to me, Achebe remains the uncrowned Nobel Prize Winner with most authentic claim to that crown.

The Federal Government of Nigeria must immediately commence the process of creating a national monument to immortalise this rare genius of both learning and character.

Akogun Adeniyi, Jagun Oodua of Yorubaland, was former Managing Director of Daily Times

Sport Extra

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imbabwe captain, Brendan Taylor, has admitted his team was brought down to earth during its 2-0 Test series defeat against West Indies at the weekend.

Both matches ended inside three days as the Zim-

Cricket: Taylor rues poor run in West Indies babwe batsmen particularly struggled to cope against a vastly more experienced West Indies side.

Zimbabwe lost seven out of seven international fixtures on the tour compris-

ing three ODIs, two T20s and two Tests, the country’s first since a similarly disappointing trip to New Zealand last year.

“It’s been massively disappointing as we have been

taught a proper lesson,” Taylor said yesterday.

“It hurts to be in this position but the West Indies were a far better side than us.

“But a lot of us need to go

home and have a good think and then try to execute better in quiet a few areas.”

The tour was a difficult one for Taylor who made just 123 runs from nine in-President, Aminu Maigari NFF nings, with a top score of 39.

Brendan Taylor

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